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Fantastic Fest: Day Six

We’re all feeling a little frayed around the edges. I did the math yesterday and I’m applying over 50% more energy to movie watching than I do at my job…well, my job on a quiet 40 hour week…which almost never happens.

• Cam2Cam – Internet chat is not an innovative idea in 2008, and misogyny in horror films — particularly in the modern brutal fashion — is a dead cliche. When a young filmmaker tries to rest on that crutch it will fail as it did in this attempt to update the stalker psychopath for the late 90’s.
• Left Bank – This dramatic Belgian thriller rests more on the drama than the thriller, but ultimately delivers a thoughtful horror discussion piece. Cinephiles will pocket this movie for late night beer talks for many years to come.
• The Good The Bad and The Weird – Korea has once again challenged the boundaries of homage in delivering this dead-on three-way Asian-continent western. Song Kang Ho, who blew us away changing the creature feature in The Host, kicks off the fun robbing a train…that is then attacked by two other outlaws. The stunning visuals, impeccable acting and thrilling action make this a must-see/must-own.
• The Brothers Bloom – Our first secret screening of the week wasn’t really a Fantastic Fest appropriate film, but it is a blast. The story of two brothers who start their con game early in life then end up split about staying in the game sounds cliched, but it is a laugh riot and Rachel Weisz is a “<sigh> I’m in love” crush of a leading lady. If Wes Anderson could get over his dysfunctional family fixation (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited), this is the movie he would make.

• The Chaser – Becky was put off by the bleak violent nature of this Korean thriller, but I think it is another solid film showing that Korea is producing some of the best films. The complex leading character, an ex-cop who has turned pimp, is backed by a funny cast that helps break up the tension as he runs down the ultra-creepy psychopath that has made two of his hookers disappear.

Here is where I admit that I finally purposefully missed a Fantastic Fest timeslot to go home and get some sleep. I have to start storing energy for Thursday night’s “Get Lit” Cave party.