Fantasia 2013 Mini Reviews Part 3: Thanatomorphose, Rewind This, OXV & More

It's the last round of Fantasia mini reviews from Emilie Noetzel before we start filtering in some more full length reviews. Dive in and read up on films you'll want to keep a running list of and seek out when they start showing up in theaters or on DVD!

Thanatomorphose

From the provided description, Thanatomorphose “is a French word meaning the visible signs of an organism’s decomposition caused by death.” The lead character in this movie has a simple life in a simple apartment with a douchebag boyfriend who does not treat her right. As her relationship seems to be getting worse, her body starts decomposing. The story is certainly a metaphor for something, but the level of gross that is brought on by the decomposing body of the lead while she tries to survive it takes all attention away from any meaning you may hope to pull forth. The effects are amazingly good and absolutely disgusting. I have seen more than my share of gross out movies and this one has surpassed them all. It is flat out wretched, so much so that the story falls behind this and does not get the focus it deserves. So, if you think you can take the vomit inducing effects and peel away those putrid layers to get to the story beneath, or even easier, want those effects alone, go for it.  All of weaker nature should avoid.

Fantasia 2013: Big Bad Wolves Reviewed

A killer is on the loose. This psychopath abducts young girls and after he has his way with them in every horrible way possible, he leaves them to be found, spread out in all their horror…missing their heads. It’s a sick message. “I’ve given you your daughter back, only because I am done with her, but you’ll never have all of her.” Miki is a police detective who is dead certain they have their man, but the little guy won’t confess his crimes no matter how much they try to beat it out of him. When his latest stomp-fest goes viral, Miki is off the case, but not off the hunt. As he stalks an unassuming teacher of religion, waiting for this man to strike again, another watches them both…and when things don’t escalate as quickly as either had hoped, they take matters into their own hands. Now the lines are drawn but at the same time, blurred. Miki wants justice, but he will only go so far to get the truth. This clashes with the agenda of Gidi, the father of the killer’s last victim, who is also certain the killer is in front of him and is fully resigned to torture the man as horribly as he tortured his victims. All the while, the teacher tied up before them sticks to his claims of innocence even in the face of grisly torture. Could they have the wrong man?

Fantasia: VHS2 Reviewed

Horror’s newest Anthology series makes a speedy return with a second helping of quick creepers, all conveniently transferred to VHS tapes from their respective GoPros and HD Cams…cuz ghosts got mad editing skillz. Silly wrap around premise aside, I had a blast with the first round and have been looking forward to another helping, wondering how they might top a demon bird woman looking to get laid. The mind boggles. This time out, we kick things off with a man who gets an experimental camera eye replacement, allowing us to view the world whilst nestled snugly in his cranium. The one catch to this free cyborg upgrade..the eye allows the host to see ghosts and as most horror films go…when you can see them, they can see you..and touch you..and throttle you. Luckily a young woman who had a similar surgery and can now hear the ghosts comes to our boy’s rescue, saving him with her boobs and not much else, but at least she gave it a shot (and he gave her a shot. Sorry I had to. It was in my contract.) This segment is a quick guilty pleasure with no real direction and the sort of ghosts that just stand there while folks run off into the bathroom..which is, of course, the safest place in the house AND impenetrable to ghosts...until it isn't. But hey..at least there were boobs.

Fantasia 2013: Frankenstein's Army Review

The idea is a familiar one, especially to those who have been attending conventions for over 10 years. The Nazis were a sadistic group of madmen and murderers, dabbling with the occult and exploring every mythological avenue to achieve their end game. Enter a group of Russian soldiers being filmed to inspire the populace (found footage WW2 movie!!), sent to back up a squad in a nearby skirmish. When they arrive, the bodies are plentiful, but the Russian troops are nowhere to be found. As the crew explores the town, they tread where they clearly should not…and activate machines they obviously should have kept their damn hands off of! In typical horror movie fashion, one turn of a crank and flick of a switch sets things in motion and the fun begins!!! It is hard for me to put into words the sheer level of awesome put up there on the screen. Metal goliaths with pincer claws. Stilt walking, gas masked creatures with drills where their face should be. It’s as if a sadistic 12 year old was told to take industrial tools and attach them to zombies in a series of crayon drawings..and that kid sat there until every variation was exhausted. Inspiring!

The Final Fantasia Selections

The Fantasia International Film Festival is proud to announce the rest of our 120-feature lineup that comprises our 2013 event, along with a string of additional details that mark our 17th edition as a standout. Be sure to visit our website for detailed essays on every title announced here, as well as all films previously disclosed over the last weeks. Fantasia will engulf the city of Montreal from July 18 – August 7, 2013.

And now, onto the films!

HORROR IS CHILD’S PLAY – DON MANCINI’S CURSE OF CHUCKY (WORLD PREMIERE)
A rarity among genre franchises, the CHILD’S PLAY series (begun in 1988) has retained the sure-handed guidance of original screenwriter/creator Don Mancini throughout killer doll Chucky’s decades’-long reign of horror. Mancini, who will be hosting our “scar-studded” world premiere, graduated to the director’s chair with 2004’s SEED OF CHUCKY, after having co-written or written every entry in the series. His longevity with the project is, of course, matched by the fiendish voiceover work by the incomparable Brad Dourif as Chucky, as well as the enduring input of producer David Kirschner (FRAILTY). For the new CURSE, SEED OF CHUCKY FX master Tony Gardner (ARMY OF DARKNESS, DARKMAN) brings the deadly doll back to life once more through ingenious puppeteering work. CURSE OF CHUCKY returns Chucky to the scarier roots of the series’ initial entries, going more for the jugular than the funnybone. World Premiere. Hosted by Writer / Director Don Mancini and select members of the cast.