Hello fellow earthlings! The dust has settled on another Fantastic Fest and I survived to tell the tale. It was an unforgettable week full of marvelous movies and fun events. The last time I checked in I had seen 18 movies in the first 4 days of the fest and I was still going strong. […]Read More
Excuse my overt enthusiasm, but I am having a hard time containing my excitement right now. Fantastic Fest kicks off tomorrow!! It’s the best week of the year for many freaks and geeks who annually flock to Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, TX to binge on cinema for 8 days. (September 20-27) I already […]Read More
Hello movie fiends and film freaks! Fantastic Fest 2017 recently took place in Austin, TX and once again, the 8 day film festival was stuffed to the gills with a smorgasbord of international cinematic offerings to devour. Like previous years I went all out, forgoing rest to pack in as many screenings and events as […]Read More
There’s no finer time of the year and no film festival that remotely compares with the 8 days of unbridled genre lunacy and (often alcohol fueled) fun that is Fantastic Fest. It seems an almost impossible feat but every year somehow manages to be better than the rest. Consisting of predominately World and North […]Read More
It was one for the ages. We laughed, we cried, and our brains slowly fried as we indulged in a gluttonous week of glorious cinema. Fantastic Fest 2016 came and went (September 22-29) and in a whirlwind 8 days of movies, parties, and events, I managed to see 37 feature-length films, a bunch of shorts, […]Read More
Hello, ladies and gentlemen. It’s on! Ready or not, Fantastic Fest kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, September 22nd and runs through Thursday, September 29th. Movie freaks and geeks from around the world flock to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, TX for the most fun, least pretentious film festival in the cosmos. For 8 days, […]Read More
Woohoo! Hello friendos, it’s that time of the year again. Fantastic Fest (‘Nerd Christmas’ to us film geeks) runs from September 22nd through the 29th this year, and I am very excited! This will be my third year covering the most fun, least pretentious film festival on this spinning marble of madness, and if it’s […]Read More
Writer/director Dennis Hauck’s debut feature-length film is a cinematic marvel. Filmed entirely on 35mm, Too Late unfolds in five acts, each a 20+ minute take with no hidden cuts or gimmicks. They are the longest 35mm Steadicam shots in cinema history–each using nearly an entire film reel. The reels are presented out of order, and […]Read More
Howdy, film freaks! Writer/director Dennis Hauck’s debut feature-length film is a testament to the glory of cinema. Deliciously old school, Too Late was shot on 35mm and unfolds in five acts, each consisting of a single 20+ minute take. They are the longest 35mm Steadicam shots in movie history, and feature no hidden cuts or […]Read More
Previous Recaps: Day 1, Day 2 Day 3- Sat 9/26 Saturday was another solid movie day with two splendid foreign animation films, a crowd-pleasing comedy, Ben Wheatley’s latest feature, and an intense performance from Itchy-O, the dark lords of percussion. Film 9- April and the Extraordinary World Director- Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci Cast- Marion […]Read More
Previous Recap: Day 1 Day 2- Friday 9/25 Friday started off with warm blueberry coffeecake, a mimosa, and a program of short films. It ended with grown folks arguing about movies and punching each other in the face. Great day! Shorts Program- Fantastic Shorts 2015 Most of the short films presented at this year’s festival […]Read More
Bone Tomahawk had it’s world premiere as the closing night film of Fantastic Fest 2015, and it was an excellent choice to end the festival. The crowd loved it. Kurt Russell has aged well and still has tremendous screen presence. He delivers one line so emphatically that it gave me chills and made the audience […]Read More
Hello friendos! Fantastic Fest and MondoCon ended a few weeks ago and I’ve finally recovered. Like last year, I packed in as many screenings, parties, and events as possible and my plan is to cover them all. The movie lineup was a scorcher. Every slot was like Sophie’s Choice with an array of enticing options. […]Read More
Greetings from Fantastic Fest! Day 4 of 8 is about to start and there’s so much to report. I’ve watched 12 feature-length films, 9 short films, and 6 verbal/physical debates. I danced in the snow at the opening night Christmas in February in September party, and got my picture taken on Santa’s lap. I saw […]Read More
Hello nerdfolk! If you wonder why I’m foaming at the mouth it’s because I can’t contain my excitement for Fantastic Fest next week. From Thursday, September 24th to Friday, October 2nd, film geeks, press peeps, and industry folks will congregate in Austin, TX for the most fun, least pretentious film festival around. It’s the most […]Read More
Hello friendos! Fantastic Fest 2015 is creeping up on us and I’m freakin’ pumped! Last year was my first time attending and it was the best week of the year; 8 days at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar in Austin packed with dozens of screenings and crazy-unique events. The programming is eclectic, the vibe […]Read More
Previous recaps: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5 Day 6: Tuesday 9/23 On the sixth day of Fantastic Fest, the never-ending string of movies and fun events finally caught up with me and I found myself dozing off midway through the third film of the day. Joe Lynch’s shoot-em-up action vehicle […]Read More
Previous recaps: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5: Monday 9/22 My excursion to MondoCon was a lot of fun, but I was ready to get back to the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar and pack in as many movies as possible. Monday kicked off the second half of Fantastic Fest, a […]Read More