We return to one of our favorite festivals every year, with Fantasia Festival 2023 ready to kick off next weekend. Featuring an array of international dramas, horror favorites, and stupendous performances throughout, we expect this year to be even better than most. We will be covering the festival virtually in 2023.
Fantasia Festival takes place in Montreal, Canada every year. Devoted to bringing the best films from around the globe to audiences, Fantasia has provided a space for independent filmmakers to craft their first big hit. Previous alumni include Skinamarink, Ready or Not, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Atomic Blonde, and more. This year, Nicholas Cage is set to receive a tribute for his contributions to genre film and cinema as a whole. Cage has been featured heavily at the festival, including Mandy and Prisoners of the Ghostland.
As you prepare for the festival, please check out some of our preview pieces and our previous reviews of films that debuted at Fantasia. We are excited to partake, and will keep a steady list of new reviews and pieces coming to this page. Keep your eye out for some of the fun.
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It’s been a while since we’ve dropped a New Blood. The new A24 film, Talk to Me, has taken the horror world by storm. Not only have we already heard about a filmed prequel, but a sequel was announced as well. Talk to Me has quickly become one of the few franchises to watch in horror.…
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Since the 1920s, monsters on the big screen have stood in for more complex ideas. That trend continues today, with powerful films like Nope and Barbarian utilizing their creatures in unique ways. In that sense, It Lives Inside comes from a long lineage of horror stories. Yet the specificity present within It Lives Inside helps…
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With so many great flicks at Fantasia 2023, we wanted to do some quick hits. Below are several films to watch in the next year as they continue to break out in the mainstream. Among them is an incredible movie about LGBTQ+ revenge, a gorgeous animated fantasy, and a look back at Star Wars’ deep…
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Medical horrors have found their way back into the mainstream. Considering the world’s reaction to events since 2020, it’s no wonder that we’ve seen an uptick in the subgenre. However, that concept still provides plenty of wiggle room for exploration. John Rosman‘s directorial debut, New Life, takes advantage to craft an exciting new thriller. By…
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Crime cinema allows its fans to embrace big characters. After all, the choice to actively engage in criminal activities can attract very specific kinds of people to professions. Of course, few actors play big like Nicolas Cage. The iconic Nic Cage not only swings for the rafters in Sympathy for the Devil, but he elevates…
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One of the most exciting filmmaking collectives working today, The Adams Family, returns. The family, comprised of directors John Adams, Zelda Adams & Toby Poser, has become a cult favorite among the horror community. Their 2021 film Hellbender gained acclaim among critics and fans alike. Their latest thriller, Where the Devil Roams steps up the…
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The classics earn their name for their timeless relevance. The tales can find relevance in any age as long as they are applied and adapted by the right creative team. Hippo, a loose retelling of the tale of Hippolytus, infuses the story with modern taboos. While the key components of the tale remain intact, the…
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In Australia, a group of teenagers stumble upon a modern version of Ouija, but simpler. A ceramic hand that has a real skeletal hand of a medium connects users to the dead by simply holding it, telling the random spirit to “talk to me,” and then giving permission to enter the body to communicate with…
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Few films in 2023 carry a story like The Primevals. The action-adventure channels excitement and thrills through the lens of Ray Harryhausen. The iconic stop-motion and visual effects artist behind Jason and the Argonauts left an indelible footprint in the industry. David Allen, the director of The Primevals, drew heavy inspiration from Harryhausen. Allen earned…
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Horror, like any genre, requires new blood to shift the direction of the subculture. For the past decade, features like The Babadook and The Witch forced the audience to sit in discomfort to elicit scares. In many ways, Emptiness reaches for similar disorientation and scariness. However, due to some frustrating repetition, it cannot quite reach…
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Few films can capture the pure beauty of basketball at its peak. Yet even fewer can showcase the intensity and violence of the game when played at the highest levels. The First Slam Dunk finally arrives in the Western Hemisphere and immediately showcases why it was a sensation in Japan. Featuring unbelievable hand-drawn and CGI…
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Sometimes it feels like the world is out to get you. For Vincent (Karim Leklou), that turns out to be true. Drawing from various genres, Vincent Must Die surprises with its tactile but violent observation of the world. Director Stéphan Castang crafts a unique spectacle that perfectly blends action, dark comedy, and horror elements. The…