There’s nothing quite like the particular kind of disappointment that comes from walking into a film excited and walking out questioning how it ever got made. That was the mood leaving Haunted Heist, Lil Rel Howery’s directorial debut, which premiered this week at Fantastic Fest. What should have been a clever, high-energy mix of heist… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST2025: Haunted Heist- one of the most painfully misguided and awkward screenings I’ve attended in years
Day: September 24, 2025
Fantastic Fest 2025: Sirāt Delivers Breathtaking Tension
I was not at all prepared for this movie. I was offered a guaranteed ticket and reserved seat, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to experience a film that would absolutely blow my mind. Though I read the synopsis offered by Fantastic Fest, I had no idea what kind of experience I would have.… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2025: Sirāt Delivers Breathtaking Tension
Fantastic Fest Review: Quentin Dupieux’s Dark Comedy Satire is Spot-On
About: A social media star, Magalie Moreau (Adèle Exarchopoulos) often shoots videos that go viral and keeps going to “test” various items that include her body as the test site. As a youngster, she began with some items that caught people’s attention, then gradually moved on to more shocking ones. She has vast numbers of… Continue reading Fantastic Fest Review: Quentin Dupieux’s Dark Comedy Satire is Spot-On
Fantastic Fest 2025: PRIMATE
The 20th Anniversary version of Austin’s Fantastic Fest kicked off with a movie that was sure to whet the appetites of festival attendees with a feast of horror, gore, and humor. The movie is Primate, a film about a chimpanzee infected with rabies that attacks a group of unsuspecting teenagers partying at a parents’ paradise… Continue reading Fantastic Fest 2025: PRIMATE
FANTASTIC FEST 2025: Silver Screamers – a breath of fresh air — a warm hug in cinematic form
After several days of watching dark thrillers, grim horror films, and cynical dramas at Fantastic Fest, Silver Screamers felt like a breath of fresh air — a warm hug in cinematic form. As someone who’s 66 myself, I wasn’t just watching this documentary; I was deeply feeling it. It’s rare to see people my age… Continue reading FANTASTIC FEST 2025: Silver Screamers – a breath of fresh air — a warm hug in cinematic form