Fantastic Fest Coverage: Day 3
Fantastic Fest: September 26, Day 3
-Kayley Viteo
My eyes feel like someone slapped me with a handful of sand. I reached my goal and saw five movies today – actually, the most I’ve ever seen in one day – and all of this occurred while running off four hours of sleep. This also happened to be the day where I had to deal with neighbors in seats that were less than spectacular viewers – ironically, the day after I praised Fantastic Fest audiences. Still, it was a good day where I was lucky enough to see some really interesting cinema. And George “I sympathize with the zombies” Romero.
Morphine: I really wanted to like this one because I loved the setup and style of the film, but I just didn’t. It was boring and I felt a bit trapped in it. And not in the “oh I’m so enthralled” way, more like “how long can this possibly be?!” way. I know others liked it, but, personally, it was a disappointing start to the day.
Cropsey: My first ever documentary at Fantastic Fest. I liked this one, but wasn’t incredibly impressed. It felt uneven, mostly due to the fact that it didn’t quite work at blending emotions along with representing the facts. I also was not a huge fan of the narration – it felt a bit like they were trying to make a grand statement and at the end, they had some line about how the audience should decide. Well, thank you for giving me permission to think for myself. That all being said, the actual case was interesting and I’m glad I took the time to see the film.
Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant: This may well end up being the one that shocks me most this year. I confess – I saw this one mostly because John C. Reilly would be in attendance, and I loved the location where it was being held. Yet, despite that, I honestly ended up quite liking this one. It was surprisingly dark comedy, and Reilly is absolutely hilarious and enchanting. (Yes, I called him enchanting.) The young actors all need about 15 years of acting classes, and the script was so bad I winced at times, but that’s unfortunately to be expected with a film chiefly aimed at the high school crowd. What saves the film and makes it entertaining for both kids and adults (especially those very tired of hearing about the damn sparkly vampires) is how edgy The Vampire’s Assistant is. I think, even if you may have some reservations, you should give this one a chance.
Survival of the Dead: I really enjoyed this one, and not just because George Romero held a Q&A beforehand (where he received not one, but two raucous standing ovations). I tend to go into his movies not expecting anything at all for a couple of reasons, but mostly because in recent years, I’ve wavered with his films. For instance, I was not a fan at all of Land of the Dead, but actually quite liked Diary of the Dead (at least compared to most critics). I’m pleased to say that Survival of the Dead is much better than both. There are great kills, great humor and I had a fantastic time watching it. I’d like to see it again in a theater to see if I feel any differently outside of the Festival event.
The Human Centipede: I was really excited to see this one because I’d heard (and seen) some disturbing things. And what I have to say is that this movie is simple: it is absolutely insane. Everything about the film is so brutal and when you think it might let up, it doesn’t. Funnily enough, the director mentioned afterwards that he held himself back in this first sequence and that in the sequel, when he creates his 12-person centipede (his words, not mine), he’ll really “let himself go.” Unfortunately, as unique as this film is, I really felt like it derailed towards the end and that hurt the overall experience for me. Still a very interesting film, however, and it warrants a look just so you can say you’ve seen it.
Tomorrow I am seeing Duress, The House of the Devil, a throwback film to ‘80s horror, which I am highly intrigued by, and The Children. A couple of other screenings may get tossed in.
MOVIE OF THE DAY: Survival of the Dead.
