Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the US, is rapidly approaching. From September 19th to September 26th, Austin, TX is inviting its merry band of misfits, muckrakers and miscreants to enjoy great varieties of cinema. From robots living in the wild to estranged fathers and daughters searching for mythical creatures to found-footage action cinema, this year looks like it’s going to be a fun one to remember!
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With this being my first year attending the genre festival, I am beyond excited to reveal the top 10 films coming to Fantastic Fest that I’m excited for:
Anora (2024; dir – Sean Baker); Crime Drama
Synopsis:
Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
Why I’m Excited:
It’s safe to say every cinephile and their cinephilic mama anticipates seeing the newest Palme d’Or winner. It’s a bonus that the newest winner comes from “Florida Project” director Sean Baker. Sean Baker is a director that focuses on people in the marginalized side of our society. “Anora” looks to be no different and with a critically-acclaimed lead performance from Mikey Madison, Baker is still on a winning streak with delivering powerful, rowdy drama. You can’t lose with this one.
Trailer:
A Different Man (2024; dir – Aaron Schimberg); Drama, Comedy, Thriller
Synopsis:
Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost
Why I’m Excited:
Returning from his darkly funny 2019 film “Chained for Life”, Aaron Schimberg presents another collaboration with Adam Pearson in “A Different Man”. Adding Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve to the mix and you have the perfect cast for a solid comedy-thriller-drama hybrid. Winning rave reviews on the awards circuit, “A Different Man” is sure to deliver audiences a surreal, unsettling time.
Trailer:
Cloud (2024; dir – Kiyoshi Kurosawa); Horror
Synopsis:
Ryosuke spends his days sleepwalking through his monotonous job at a laundry facility. Though he’s been selected for an upper management position by his admiring boss, Ryosuke refuses on the basis that he is uncommitted, instead turning to work as a wholesaler. Buying low from those in desperate need of quick cash and reselling high on the internet, he quickly sees how profitable the endeavor can be. His girlfriend, Akiko, is thrilled with the new income, already making plans to quit her job and upsize to a larger apartment.
Seeking to expand his operation, Ryosuke and Akiko move to a more spacious place outside of Tokyo, where strange things begin to happen. The lights spontaneously turn off. Strangers ring the doorbell at all hours of the night. An automotive part is thrown through the window. He hires a local man, Sano, as an assistant to ease his workload. Sano is friendly and eager, grateful that Ryosuke has hired him due to a lack of opportunity in the town. As his fortune comes and goes, Ryosuke becomes increasingly desperate to tip the scales back in his favor. Disinterested in the legitimacy of his products or from where they hail, Ryosuke’s opportunism begins to attract negative attention.
Why I’m Excited:
Being responsible for one of the best horror thrillers of all time – “Cure”, Kurosawa is right at home at Fantastic Fest with his latest film. With its seemingly simple synopsis, I can already guess that this will be a wild ride where nothing is as it seems. Kurosawa knows how to deliver horror, especially horror that lingers with you long after the credits roll. Count me in with this treat.
Trailer:
Bring Them Down (2024; dir – Christopher Andrews); Thriller
Synopsis:
In the years following a life-shattering car accident, Christopher Abbott shuffles through life as the keeper of a shepherding family dynasty, held up only by his affection for his flock and to care for his ailing father, Colm Meaney (STAR TREK’s Chief O’Brien). Incidents with his sheep mount, pointing to a rival neighboring clan, are made more complicated by Abbott’s former girlfriend and her son, Barry Keoghan, cinema’s newest miscreant.
Why I’m Excited:
You telling me there’s an Irish thriller that exists with Christopher Abbott and Barry Keoghan, in the vein of “The Banshees of Inisherin”? Say less. This looks like a great film chartering the sins of fathers and sons, with sheep thrown in the mix. This is what independent cinema should be – great stakes, great actors and emotional heartache on a small cinematic scale. I’m excited to see what this treat brings.
The Wild Robot (2024; dir – Chris Sanders); Animation, Drama
Synopsis:
After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot named Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh environment, gradually bonding with the island’s animals and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.
Why I’m Excited:
When the teaser for “The Wild Robot” first dropped, I was intrigued. It gave me emphatic, beautiful vibes and it felt like Dreamworks’ strong, overdue answer to Pixar’s “WALL-E”. Casting Lupita Nyong’o in the lead role is just icing on the cake. Rounding out a talented cast involving Mark Hamill, Pedro Pascal and Catherine O’Hara, “The Wild Robot” could actually be a strong visual masterpiece for Dreamworks…especially in the age where “Inside Out” and “Minions” rule the world.
Trailer:
The Workout (2024; dir – James Cullen Bressack)
Synopsis:
An unexpected invasion of Wyatt Park’s (Peter Jae) private gym results in the death of his pregnant wife and a traumatic brain injury that’s left him with just a few months to live. Knowing his newborn daughter will never have the opportunity to get to know him or hear his voice, Wyatt starts recording every moment of his life for posterity. With his brother-in-law, Levi (Josh Kelly), Wyatt sets out to kill the mobsters who murdered his wife and leave a record so that his daughter can understand his final actions in life.
Told using found footage that frequently moves between multiple formats in successive shots, Bressack’s film presents the action with surprising and unique formalism. Set pieces are communicated through security footage, body-cam recordings, and a smartphone camera—often all in the same scene.
Why I’m Excited:
I’m excited to see the heights action cinema can be taken to. Delivering great action choreography on smartphone cameras, security footage and body-cam recordings sounds like a wild time. Almost sounds like something Chad Stahelski would be jealous of. I’m excited to see what James Cullen Bressack brings to the table with anticipated action feat.
Bookworm (2024; dir – Ant Timpson); Family, Adventure
Synopsis:
When Mildred’s mom ends up in the hospital, her estranged biological father, Strawn Wise, shows up at the door to take care of her. A magician by trade, his only way of cracking his daughter’s shell and getting close to her is to follow her on her hunt for the mythological Canterbury Panther. Mildred hopes to get a picture of the panther, a proof of life, to claim the reward to settle the medical bills. Not having seen her father in a very long time, Mildred is pretty defensive and cynical (and critical of his so-called magic), which leads to hilarious exchanges between daughter and father. When Mildred and Strawn have an unexpected encounter, their adventures—and relationship—are taken to a new level.
Why I’m Excited:
If you told me the director of the terrific and hilarious “Come to Daddy”, a horror-comedy starring Elijah Wood (who also shares top billing in this film) was making a heartwarming film about an estranged father and daughter, you would color me shocked. But being that this is “Fantastic Fest”, nothing shocks me of the wonders you’ll find here. A crowd-pleaser on the festival circuit, I’m excited to see the fun, adventurous time Timpson will deliver with this film.
Trailer:
Memoirs of a Snail (2024; dir – Adam Elliot); Animation
Synopsis:
Set in Australia in the 1970’s, MEMOIR OF A SNAIL tells the story of siblings Grace and Gilbert. After the passing of their father, both children are separately placed in foster care, which causes both a lot of grief. While Grace grows up with a loving couple, Gilbert is sent to a cruel evangelical family living on an orchard farm. A snail collector of all sorts, Grace gradually withdraws into her shell out of loneliness and sadness. Gilbert has always been her protector and best friend, and she misses him dearly. Trying to hold onto her hope of seeing Gilbert again, Grace’s taste for life is jump-started again after she meets an old, punk rock and eccentric woman, Pinky.
Why I’m Excited:
Given how much the sad, beautiful 2009 “Mary and Max” blew me away, I am nothing but excited to see what Adam Elliot is coming with next. Carrying a strong voice cast including Sarah Snook and Kodi Smit-McPhee, I know this is going to be another sad but great animation entry from Elliot. The set design paired with the stop motion animation looks gorgeous.
Trailer:
Never Let Go (2024; dir – Alexandre Aja); Horror
Synopsis:
From visionary director Alexandre Aja (THE HILLS HAVE EYES, CRAWL) and the creative minds behind STRANGER THINGS and ARRIVAL comes NEVER LET GO. In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award® winner Halle Berry (Actress in a Leading Role, 2001 – MONSTER’S BALL), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
Why I’m Excited:
Not being a stranger to the horror genre, horror fans shouldn’t feel out of place anticipating Alexandre Aja’s latest work. But, it’s the fact that Oscar winner Halle Berry is jumping into the genre that makes this film feels special. Not known for phoning it in (rarely ever), I expect nothing but a strong Scream Queen-worthy performance from Berry in the lead. I also like how the plot is playing around with whether the evil is real or not.
Trailer:
Baby Invasion (2024; dir – Harmony Korine); Thriller
Synopsis:
An ultra-realistic, multiplayer FPS game follows a group of mercenaries using baby faces as avatars. Tasked with entering mansions of the rich and powerful, players must explore every rabbit hole before time runs out.
Why I’m Excited:
We’ve never known Korine to not be working on something interesting – at least working on something provocative that toes the line between a film that is trolling and something that is entirely original. Whether it be silly or not, Korine is definitely a filmmaker that does not shy away from the experimental and this film looks to be no different. Love him or hate him, this seems like an unforgettable cinematic experience that needs to be seen to be believed.
I hope you will join me to and enjoy this wild, exciting festival.
Check out their full selection of films here.
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