Movies

[Fantasia ’23] What’s coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

Found footage, exploitation, Nicolas Cage, and more!

July 16, 2023

The Fantasia International Film Festival is right around the corner. This year, the fest is spotlighting the cinema of Korea. Six films from the late 1990s through the early 2000s that were instrumental in the revival of Korean cinema internationally will be shown. Along with classic genre releases, there will be many new films screening at Fantasia. Here are the ones to keep an eye out for.

Aporia (World Premiere)

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

A time travel story that deals with grief and stress. Sophie’s (Judy Greer, Blumhouse’s Halloween) husband dies in a drunk driving accident. Dealing with the recent loss, an emotionally taxing job, and raising a daughter who is also trying to cope with the death of her father, Sophie is barely able to keep everything together. When she learns of a device that is capable of bending time, she has a difficult choice to make.

Blackout (World Premiere)

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

Larry Fessenden has been involved in horror for decades. Blackout fulfills his long-held desire to make a werewolf movie. Artist Charley Barrett (Alex Hurt, Bonding) harbors a deadly secret that appears every full moon. The local residents blame a Latino worker for the gruesome killings and as a full moon rises, their desire for justice hits a fever pitch.

Devils

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

Jang Dong-yoon was recently in the delightfully ultra-violent Project Wolf Hunting. Where that one was similar to Con-Air, Jang’s latest movie Devils is similar to another Nicholas Cage classic, Face-Off. A homicide detective and a serial killer find their minds trapped in each other’s bodies after a horrible accident. South Korean genre films tend to be over the top and filled with non-stop action, and this sounds no different.

Eight Eyes (World Premiere)

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

There are two firsts to look out for from this world premiere. Eight Eyes is the inaugural production from restoration label Vinegar Syndrome and also the feature debut of director/co-writer Austin Jennings from The Last Drive-In. Channeling the spirit of exploitation films of the past, the story follows a married couple who take an impromptu sightseeing tour in Serbia. The expedition takes a series of dark turns. Shot on location in 16mm.

Empire V (World Premiere)

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

Russia’s Ministry of Culture felt that Empire V is such a dangerous movie that it has been banned from the country. The fact that it stars a rapper whose anti-war concerts were so concerning to the country he was named an “foreign agent” is only part of the issue. The movie is also a stinging commentary of the corrupt Russian oligarchy. The plot focuses on a man who becomes a member of an elite class of vampires and tries to learn the ways of the new world he is now a part of.

Late Night with the Devil

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

A tape is found with footage of a show from Halloween 1977. Late night talk show host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian, The Suicide Squad) is hosting a live broadcast unlike anything ever seen on television. He is going to have a parapsychologist along with the lone survivor of a Satanic church on the show. Is the young girl demonically marked as she claims?

Lovely, Dark, and Deep (World Premiere)

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

Lennon (Georgina Campbell, Barbarian) has been granted a long-awaited position as a park ranger in an isolated outpost. Once Lennon settles into this minimalist life, visions quickly start to manifest, blending the past, present, and perhaps something even more sinister lurking in the serene, writhing landscape. As these mysteries arise and blossom, the lines between reality and dream quickly begin to blur.

Phantom

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

Set during a dark time during Korea’s history, this South Korean export takes place shortly after the failed assassination attempt of the newly appointed governor-general. A great set-up sees five people locked inside a remote hotel, with each suspected of being the spy that leads a group that resists Japan’s occupation of the country. Each must prove their innocence while finding out who the Phantom really is.

Sympathy for the Devil (World Premiere)

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It is a great year for movies when Cage plays both Dracula and possibly, the Devil. Ride share thrillers have become increasingly popular in recent years and this looks like a fine addition. A driver (Joel Kinnaman, For All Mankind) is about to end his day when a man with a red satin jacket (Cage, Mandy) enters his car. What follows is cat-and-mouse game that ends with a shocking revelation.

Talk to Me

[Fantasia '23] What's coming to the Fantasia International Film Festival

A24 has cornered the market when it comes to pretentious horror movie fans. This means the average horror fan will look at each of their releases with a more critical eye. Talk to Me stands up well to the scrutiny. A festival favorite since making its premiere at Sundance, the film takes the trope of teens meddling with supernatural things they do not know about to the next level. After the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Mia (Sophie Wilde) begins to stay at her best friend’s house. While there, she learns of a way to become temporarily possessed. She soon becomes addicted to the supernatural rush and opens doors that were better left closed.