Fantastic Fest Daily Dispatch #3.5: Mid-Fest Reviews and Previews
It's the halfway point of the official Fantastic Fest. There has been so much going on it's hard to keep up with it. But I'll try to catch you up on some of the films that have played, and will play again, as I recover from a barbecue run.
If you haven't picked your film for the the 4:40 pm time slot, I recommend Duress. Indie veteran Martin Donovan (Saved!), who's not shy about taking unsettling roles, manages to capture the complex emotions of a man who's lost his balance, yet still has a survival instinct.
Richard (Donovan), a recent widower due to suicide, is struggling to raise his daughter when he crosses paths with a killer. After becoming an unwilling participant in the killing spree, and despite being kept off balance by a sociopath, Richard will do anything to to protect his daughter.You might also recognize Billy Wirth from Lost Boys as the detective.
My next film to see is the world premiere of Down Terrace, about a dysfunctional family of crooks. If you didn't get in to tonight's screening, it also plays on the the 30th. Mandrill is a world premiere as well.
Uwe Boll's latest, Rampage, is also playing tonight, and dare I say it, it's almost good. That's high praise. Seriously, it's different from his other films, although I haven't seen Postal to compare that one. Personally, if it was a short, it could have been brilliant. The plot is neatly summed up in the title.
My midnight film is going to be District 13: Ultimatum. I saw the original at SXSW a few years ago, and absolutely loved it. No wire work here, it's parkour genius. And for those of you impressed with the opening chase in Casino Royale, It was more impressive on a much smaller budget in District 13 - and the window above the door - David Belle went through one with glass still in it. So I have high hopes for impressive action.
District 13: Ultimatum sold out quickly, but The Children is a respectable little horror tale, featuring little monsters that are young children. The brits and their monster viruses. An idyllic family holiday turns into a nightmare. What Grace did for newborns, The Children does for youngsters.
Journey to Saturn also plays at midnight, and it you like politically incorrect, male focused humor, it may be your style.
But if you'd rather get your party on, There is a Michael Jackson dance party at the Highball. Which makes me think one of the rumors about tonight's Secret Screening may have merit. Will it be This is It?
Looking at the schedule for Monday, it'll be hard to pick the films to see, as most of them have very good buzz. Metropia plays again, as does Bronson, and Rec2, and Cropsey. Cropsey is a documentary about an urban legend that turned out to be true. Only is the man accused of the crimes really guilty, or the victim of a witch hunt? It's a provocative film that will be you think about guilt and innocence as well as what horrific crime really is, as well as how elusive facts can be.
Fantastic Fest runs through Thursday, October 1 at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar and the Paramount. Follow @fantasticfest and @slackerwood on Twitter for updates.
[Photo credits: Photos provided by Fantastic Fest]