FANTASTIC FEST 2009: Matt’s Top 10 Picks

Fantastic Fest did indeed live up to its name, and thus it was tough to pick just ten movies that were my favorites, but here’s my best attempt:

10) K-20: The Fiend with 20 Faces

A superhero story set in an alternate timeline Japan just after World War 2, K-20 puts a Japanese spin on characters similar to Batman with a dash of Zorro thrown in. It starts off a little slow, but about 30 minutes in, the story picks up and doesn’t let go until the finish line. Containing some of the best CG I’ve seen out of Japan, this film definitly deserves to be seen.

9) Yatterman

Pretty much everything you could want in a PG (ish) action movie based on a Saturday morning cartoon. Humor? Check. Action? Check. Giant robots? Check. Giant robots having sex? Check… Wait, what? Yes, this film is completely insane, and as a result it’s a whole hell of a lot of fun.

8) Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl

The violent, ridiculously crazy sister to Yatterman, this film is a whole ‘nother kind of insanity. It doesn’t take itself seriously for one second, which means we get things like the wrist cutters club at school and one of the most (unintentionally) racist bits of comedy ever put on screen. This is a film that could only be Japanese, and it is a wild ride.

7) Trick r Treat

Yes, there were non-Japanese films at this fest too. This is one that I’ve been waiting to see for what seemed like an eternity. Luckily, it did not disappoint, not one bit. Several stories woven together, and all linked with a very creepy little demonic pumpkin child named Sam make for a very creepy, and at times, very funny Halloween movie. Be sure to check this one out on DVD/bluray.

6) Fish Story

Yet another Japanese film, this one is about a punk rock band who’s music will save the world. Easily the best looking film of the fest, this multi-decade spanning film is something that should not be missed. The music is incredible and the story will keep you completely enthralled until it’s conclusion. Also, for those of you who may be turned off by the completely insane Japanese-ness of Japanese movies, this one is quite different and should have a large mainstream appeal.

5) Avatar 3D Footage

Like a lot of people, I just wasn’t impressed by Avatar’s teaser trailer. It’s not that it looked bad, it just lacked the wow-factor. After seeing 20 minutes of the movie, I have to say.. I was wowwed.. A lot. If you have any interest in 3d cinema, this will be the film to see. Every second of footage looked incredible, and James Cameron shows that all his 3d work/research over the last ten years has payed off.

4) [rec] 2

[rec] is one of the scariest horror films of all time. [rec] 2 ups the ante and delivers and hour and a half of action, suspense, and scares. And to top it off, the story’s not too bad either. I had a blast with this film, and can’t wait for the inevitable [rec] 3.

3) House of the Devil

One of the best 80’s horror films that just happens to be released in 2009. The fantastic camerawork, moody music, and characters that you actually care about all combine to make this one of the best movies of the fest. Incredibly creepy without having to resort to cheap gimicks, this is one film you should not miss. It’s available on VOD at Amazon.com right now, and I highly recommend that you check it out.

1-tie) Zombieland

80 minutes of pure entertainment. There’s not a boring second in there. Great performances by every single actor, more laughs than you can count, and a fantastic list of zombie rules that more people should follow make this one of my favorite zombie films, behind Shaun of the Dead, and one of my favorite films this year.

1-tie) Love Exposure

Of all the great Japanese films at Fantastic Fest, this one takes the cake. At 4 hours long, and spanning just about every genre out there, it’s anything but typical. In fact, I can pretty much gauruntee you’ve never seen anything like this. Never once during its 4 hour runtime did I get bored, and in fact when the intermission hit, the entire audience couldn’t wait for it to start back up. This was the surprise hit of the fest for me, and I will do whatever I can to track down a copy of it to watch again as soon as possible.