Fantasia

[bryant]

We’re sadly not going to Fantasia this year, but next year with any luck, and it’s not like it doesn’t just keep getting better. I need to remember to call someone about ordering the program this year.

Chris said something insane about a shortage of must-see movies this year. Naaaah.

Let’s see. We have the usual bunch of Shaw Brothers flicks: The 14 Amazons, One Armed Boxer… wait, that isn’t a Shaw flick. Still a classic 70s Hong Kong martial arts movie.

Miike! Three Miikes! If Big Bang Love is really a companion to Izo, I wanna see it. Sun Scarred looks like the Miike crime flick for this year. And, finally, I’ve been wanting to see Zebraman for a while.

Mmm, Scandanavian film. Adams Apples looks quite tasty. Jade Warrior is a Finnish wuxia flick? Yeah, I’d watch that. Uro seems neat; I like the genre.

There’s an awesome slate of documentaries. Beijing Bubbles looks fascinating, and I’m a sucker for cultural blending. In The Mood for Doyle is about one of my favorite cinematographers, so of course. The King of Kong is getting rave reviews everywhere. Loco Fighters is all about lucha libre, so that’s another of course.

And in alphabetical order…

893239 looks tasty and interesting. Hm, the shorts may be available on Youtube. After This Our Exile could be awesome; good awards and I like Aaron Kwok a lot. If Arch Angels is half as frothy as Cutie Honey, it’d be awesome.

The Backwoods could be cool; I have no beef with Gary Oldman and I’ve been enjoying the sort of 70s retro horror movies. Borderland is a sub-genre which doesn’t usually grab me, but the idea of using it as a vehicle to talk about Mexican/US relations is interesting. City of Violence could be awesome. Yay action.

I don’t think I can avoid wanting to see Dance Machine — a martial arts tournament flick based around DDR? That’s hot. The Ferryman wouldn’t be a must see, but the premise is really intriguing. Johnnie To is an awesome director, so Exiled is a must. Flight of the Living Dead is obligatory as a zombie movie. Hazard looks cool; it’s cultural blending again.

Kiltro goes on the list for the sake of seeing what Chilean film might be like. Mulberry Street is more zombies.

Perfect Creature gets a paragraph to itself, for reasons Susan mentioned. Steampunk zeppelin vampires!

Puritan is interesting; I wouldn’t expect greatness, but it could be fun. Trapped Ashes wins cause there are a few directors involved that I enjoy. The Tripper is probably not good, but what a tasty premise that is.

Along similar lines, I wouldn’t expect much from The Wolfhound, but I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing it.

So yeah. It’s gonna be another good year.

Originally published at Imaginary Vestibule.

Comments

[head58.livejournal.com]

To clear things up, I didn't see much the opening weekend that jumped right out at me. Other times, sure.

Aw, who am I trying to kid - I'm a philistine and I know it...

[bryant]

It's also true that I'll see anything that the Fantasia people tell me I should see. ;)

[michele-blue.livejournal.com]

Hee, I don't go that far. There were some bombs last year, after all. Gravedancers, for example. ;)

But neat lineup! I'm crossing my fingers to get to go again next year.

[kalyx.livejournal.com]

Looks like a fun group of movies. I endorse Wristcutters: A Love Story. I saw it as SIFF2006 and really enjoyed it. And as you likely remember, Adam's Apples was among my faves that I saw in 2006, but then I like my humor dark and twisted.

Some of these were at this year's SIFF, but I didn't get to them. I heard good things about Aachi & Ssipak and A Battle of Wits (yay- Andy Lau) and I wanted to catch The Signal, but alas, too many movies, too little time.