Opening Weekend
International Horror-Sci-Fi Film Festival
Vampires, aliens, and monsters – oh my!
Opening weekend of the International Horror Sci-Fi Festival
was nothing short of unique stories in the genre.
Here’s a glimpse of what I caught and when you can catch
them next.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Written/Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize
Don’t let the mouthful of a title deter you from this
independent gem.
This creative vampire story stands on its own in the
vampiric mythology, but the vibe can easily be compared to fan favorites
Basically, a young woman vampire, Sasha, is unable to kill
to meet her need for blood. But she may have found a solution in a young man
with suicidal tendencies.
There is thoughtful character development, and the comedic
moments are timely but don’t take away from the tone and exploration into deep
topics such as anxiety, suicide, right to die, bullying and family values.
One of the best scenes is a dance/music scene featuring “Emotions”
by Brenda Lee. That scene alone captures the essence of this film.
Parents, grab your teens and make it a family outing to see
this French-Canadian flick this week.
Next Showing – Wednesday, April 10 at 6:45 p.m.
Animalia
Written/Directed by Sofia Alaoui
ANIMLIA is for you deep-thinking, sci-fi fans. Director Sofia
Alaoui describes ANIMLIA as “a human odyssey. An ode to nature and the
question of the place of the human in this complex world.”
The movie follows Itto, a pregnant woman who attempts to
reunite with her husband Amine, as extraterrestrial occurrences in Morocco
cause the country to descend into chaos.
This is a thoughtful film in every way. From the
cinematography to the dialogue, to plenty of patience in all the animal
interactions, and care towards a buildup that leaves the audience breathless,
and possibly a little clueless.
If you want an extremely deep meaning in a genre film, give ANIMLIA a watch. You will be thinking about it for days and possibly even
change your outlook on the world.
Next Showing – Wednesday, April 10 at 9:05 p.m.
Bakemono
Written/directed by Doug Roos
You get what you pay for in the Japanese practical effects,
gore infested monster film BAKEMONO.
As a multitude of guests visit the same cheap Tokyo Airbnb
at different times, each is unaware of the gruesome creature waiting for them.
It’s very clear Roos is a horror movie buff when watching his film. Nods to THE THING, MEMENTO are all over the place. And sometimes, to the detriment of the film.
While it’s great to see such fun practical effects in a CGI
world, the heart of the story easily gets lost and there’s no characters you
really root for. Additionally, the MEMENTO feel Roos was going for feels too
repetitive and disjointed.
If you’re a practical effect, monster junkie, maybe get a
like-minded crowd together to see this one to appreciate the shock value Roos was
going for without completely bringing down his art.
Next Showing – Friday, April 12 at 8:55 p.m., Saturday,
April 13 at 9:15 a.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment