So I have a few new mini-reviews for you.
Evil: In the Time of Heroes
This was a fun little zombie movie coming to us from Greece. It falls in the same realm as other comedy zombies movies like Evil Dead and Dead Alive. Not much of it made sense, but that wasn’t the point. It is always fun to see people kill zombies in various ways. A head cutting boomerang? Yes please! Billy Zane is in this movie, but he only plays a small role; his biggest scene involving a sort of “screen saver” moment in which his head revolves on a screen as he talks. It didn’t make much sense, but it all made us laugh. This movie is actually a sequel, so I am missing some knowledge of the previous events, but in the end it didn’t matter. Overall, even though it will never win any awards, it was a fun film to watch with the crowd.
Gallants
I was really excited for this movie. Not only did the trailer resemble an old-school kung fu movie, it was also going to be presented by the director and Bruce Leung! To be honest, I don’t know the actor that well, but I did love him in Kung Fu Hustle. He was a real blast before and after the movie, and I would have loved to have heard some more stories from the guy. The movie itself was a lot of fun and it had the crowd cheering and laughing all throughout. It is one of those movie where you enjoy it in the moment, but realize its flaws afterwards. The biggest problem with the movie was that it didn’t seem to have a real path. It starts by focusing on the kid, but by the end of the movie, it is more about the masters. As I mentioned before, it was still a lot of fun, but I would have preferred an ending with some resolution on the goal the kid had from the beginning. If it plays in your area, I still recommend that you check it out.
The Life and Death of a Porno Gang
This was the first Serbian film on my list. It is quite different than most typical fantasia films, and I really appreciated that. It is good to have some fresh blood in the festival. The movie is a fake documentary on a film maker and where his life leads him. He started wanting to make science fiction, but when nobody would take on his ideas, he turned to pornography. He assembled a cast and crew and decided to try something new: porno theater! His first night was a success, but facing problems with the law, they decide to leave town and bring the show on the road. They visited small villages and performed nightly until they have to leave or get kicked out. They catch the eye of a film producer who proposes a new direction for the group which would make them a lot of money. Seems that foreigners like to see people die. So if he were able to provide them with people who want to die, why not film it and mix it in with their usual type of shows? In short, pornsnuff. Reluctant at first, but soon needing the money, they accept the offer and see where it leads them. Eventually their conscience catches up with them and the group starts tearing apart. Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. I found it a bit too long, but it was a refreshing new take for the festival. The idea is great and all the actors did a terrific job. While the content is really not for everybody, I highly recommend it.
I have only seen 4 movies so far, but the next two weekends will be intense. I am seeing a minimum of 2 movies per day, over the next four days. There is also a live-action play, which I am really looking forward to! So far, the festival has been a blast and I am enjoying every minute!