» Tanpa Label » Fear & Loathing At Fantastic Fest 2013, Part I: Back To The Womb. (NSFW!)

Fear & Loathing At Fantastic Fest 2013, Part I: Back To The Womb. (NSFW!)

Oleh

Fear & Loathing At Fantastic Fest 2013, Part I: Back To The Womb. (NSFW!)

Fear & Loathing At Fantastic Fest 2013, Part I: Back To The Womb. (NSFW!)

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 04:30 PM PDT

CHAPTER 1: ON THE ROAD AGAINIt's Tuesday night and I'm driving a 2011 cherry red Cadillac station wagon. It's rented of course. I could never afford a 2011 Cadillac. Even in 2021, I still won't be able to afford a 2011 Cadillac. I didn't intend on renting a station wagon, but it seemed appropriate that it was the last car left in the lot that my credit would allow me to rent. I'm on my second day of driving out to Austin for Fantastic Fest and I'm feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. I've already made this drive before, nearly four years ago to the day. I had moved out to Austin back in 2009 after scoring a prominent internship with the highly touted...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Interview: Yuasa Masaaki Talks About Anime! Part 1 of 2: KICK-HEART

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT

Last month, Peter van der Lugt and I were given the chance to interview anime artist and director Yuasa Masaaki, following several festival screenings of his crowd-funded short film Kick-Heart. Saying that we are fans of his work is an understatement: we both consider him to be one of the most unique, daring and brilliant animators working today, worldwide. Whether it is his epic science fiction series Kaiba, his bizarre film Mind Game, or indeed a short like Kick-Heart, his versatility and fantastic creative force shines through. The interview was held through Skype, with Yuasa-San being in Japan with two of his co-workers present: Eunyoung Choi and Tom Hudson, who both helped with interpreting and technical details. The interview turned into a pleasant conversation covering...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Etrange 2013 Review: WORM Is A One-Take Wonder

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 01:00 PM PDT

Worm is having a really bad day. The town baddies are after him. He can't look to his friends for help because they're turning against one by one. He can't even go to the police. They want him for murder! When he took the job burying a suitcase on the outskirts of town, he really should have known it held a decapitated head inside. Such are the components of this noir thriller. If the narrative displays hallmarks of the familiar, its style is wholly new: the ninety-minute film is shot entirely on a GoPro camera in one continuous take. As with most formally audacious films, Worm hits and misses. On the one hand, it's hard not to applaud the ambition and pluck at play. This is...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Sitges 2013: MACHETE KILLS, THE ZERO THEOREM and ONLY GOD FORGIVES to Screen

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 12:30 PM PDT

The countdown is on until my favourite European fantastic film festival begins. In jutst a few weeks, I will be sipping rioja by the Mediterranean Sea and watching some amazing films. And the festival has just announced the next crop of titles to be shown. Among the ones I'm most excited to finally see are the neo-giallo The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears, Terry Gilliam's latest The Zero Theorem, Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, and The Wind Rises from animation auteur Miyazaki Hayao. Add this to the already incredible and diverse line-up that includes Why Don't You Play in Hell, The Battery, and Much Ado About Nothing, As usual, there is something for everyone. Full details from the press release below.A tidal wave of top notch fantastic...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Read An Excerpt From VERY NAUGHTY BOYS: THE AMAZING TRUE STORY OF HANDMADE FILMS!

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 12:00 PM PDT

Back around 1978 or so the Monty Python lads were hard at work setting up what would be their second (and best, in my opinion) proper feature film, The Life Of Brian. But they had a problem. They're backer had fallen out and the entire project was in danger of coming apart at the scenes. Salvation came in the form of long time fan and former Beatle, George Harrison, who created HandMade Films to see Brian through to completion and in the process launched one of the most successful and iconic British production companies of all time, at least for a time. And now the whole story of what happened is hitting book shelves with Robert Sellers' Very Naughty Boys: The Amazing True Story Of...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: PALO ALTO Ushers In A New Generation Of Angst

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 11:30 AM PDT

It's difficult to imagine what kind of pressure having the last name Coppola brings to a young girl interested in becoming a filmmaker. With an aunt who has continually churned out interesting (if divisive) hits, a well-respected filmmaker uncle, and one of the most famous directors of all time as a grandpa, Gia Coppola could be excused for any desire to forgo filmmaking for something with lower expectations -- say neurosurgery. But apparently the draw of the family business was just too strong to say no. While those with dynastic expectations of pretentiousness in Gia's debut feature Palo Alto probably won't be disappointed, the results of her labors are actually rather enjoyable -- and point to more promising things from the latest Coppola in...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

MOTELx 2013 Interview: Nakata Hideo Talks THE COMPLEX, Horror, And Cinematic Influences

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT

In its seventh edition, the modest yet increasingly interesting MOTELx festival continues to reserve a very special spot in its genre-savvy program for Japanese cinema. This year, an entire section is dedicated to the man who, in a way, launched J-horror as we know it: Nakata Hideo. The Portuguese festival prepared a short but essential retrospective of his work, screening his three best-known films - Ringu, Dark Water and Chaos - in addition to his most recent film, The Complex. In an interesting bit of karma, Nakata was the second of two honorees, the other being Tobe Hooper (in the "Living Masters Cult" section),whose legendary ghost film Poltergeist would directly influence the novel that would be adapted into ... Ringu. Twitch sat down with Nakata-san...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: ENOUGH SAID Simply Falls Flat

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 10:01 AM PDT

I saw Enough Said at a festival screening surrounded by several of my colleagues. They laughed at the jokes (there are many), they fell for the characters, and they left the film happy and content with this presumably insightful and warm portrayal of a woman coming to terms with her foibles.I, on the other hand, was mortified. I think the film showcased a bunch of miserable people doing miserable things, with our lead character being the most annoying of all. This was my introduction to the films of Nicole Holofcener, and I do still genuinely get the appeal. It may be lazy shorthand to compare to a "Woody Allen-y" shtick, but one could just as easily point to Bergman, with a group of characters interacting...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Opening: Calm Down, THE WIZARD OF OZ Sparkles In 3D

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT

An innocent young farmgirl gets tangled up with three dysfunctional drifters and ends up killing two people. What else is there to say about The Wizard of Oz? Like millions of children in the U.S., I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz on television every year. Though my family couldn't afford a color television (?!), I sat before the boob tube to watch Dorothy, Toto, and her friends travel to a magical land where the imagination reigned. I saw it so many times that I thought it had been stitched into my DNA, and when I reached my teens I turned away from L. Frank Baum's children's fantasy, as adapted for the screen by the MGM dream factory in 1939, in order to pursue...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Destroy All Monsters: A Fine Madness

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 08:30 AM PDT

I popped my TIFF cherry at midnight on the last night of the Toronto International Film Festival in 1999, at a screening of Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris, preceded by the short film George Lucas in Love, and hosted by Colin Geddes, who has run the Midnight Madness program for TIFF for the entirety of my association with it (preceded in the role by Noah Cowan, who handed it over, Hong Kong-style, in 1997). Without exaggeration, that night at the Uptown Theatre in '99 was probably one of the five most influential film screenings of my whole life, in terms of how it directed my relationship with movies - putting Gamera 3 up there with Star Wars, for all intents and purposes; a giant...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Elephant, Ho! It's The Final Trailer For Tony Jaa's TOM YUM GOONG 2!

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT

It would appear that the powers that be at Sahamongkol Film in Thailand have taken a breather from holding "How dare Tony Jaa have a career outside of Thailand?" press conferences long enough to remember that they're actually meant to be promoting the upcoming release of Jaa star vehicle Tom Yum Goong 2 right now, and you know what that means? That means it's time for the final trailer for the film.We got some elephant. We got some gunplay. We got fists, elbows, knees, motorcycles and some Jeeja Yanin. We got Mum Jokmok smushing his face up against a window. We got some dodgy CGI (though just a bit), a bit of RZA and a fresh look at that amazing car stunt from the first...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

The Stack: Holiday Gift Guide Calendar! BREAKING BAD Barrel, BATMAN Longbox, DOCTOR WHO Season 1-7, And More

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT

Gift Guide season approacheth to heat up and that means extra-fun packaging, box sets, the inclusion of gee-gaws etc. So I've thrown together a handy box set calendar of stateside goodness. We'll be covering these as they come in. But in the meantime here's a gander at what you can look forward to in the coming months. I also cannot resist putting up this photo of the upcoming Breaking Bad The Complete Series barrel packaged goodness That comes complete with apron and special holders for the discs. Funnest stateside packaging this year? Discuss. SEPTEMBER The Friday the Complete Collection tin was reviewed in last week's The Stack. t's a beautiful set and while it doesn't include every version of every Jason film it does include at least a version of...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

L'Etrange In Photos: The Paris Genre Giant Wraps With An All Star Cast Of Guests

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT

The massive Paris based genre festival L'Etrange has come to a conclusion and while Ben Croll will continue to turn in reviews of titles screened at the festival over the next few days we're happy to share a gallery of images taken at the festival by Clémence Demesme. Bong Joon-ho, Jeremy Saulnier, Richard Stanley, Jello Biafra and more ... check the images below....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

MOTELx 2013 Review: SHOOTING BIGFOOT Pulls Off Funny And Scary In Doc Form

Posted: 18 Sep 2013 05:00 AM PDT

Appropriately grouped in MOTELx's "Doc Terror" section with Room 237 - an exploration of The Shining's semi-mythical hidden meanings and theories - and Despite the Gods - a telling of Jennifer Lynch's Bollywood adventure - Shooting Bigfoot cleverly blends horror and investigative documentary while examining one the greatest myths of our time: the Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch. In doing so, it delves into both the mystery and consequent obsession linked with America's answer to the Loch Ness Monster. British filmmaker Morgan Matthews, known for harsh, unbiased BBC documentaries, begins with his childhood fascination with monsters and their mystical hold over us and travels to the American South looking to confront his scepticism and find - if not the Bigfoot itself - those who perpetuate such a myth. The...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Watch Donnie Yen Fight Half Of China In One Of These Three SPECIAL ID Trailers!

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 09:30 PM PDT

We kid you not. Three new trailers were released since Sunday for Donnie Yen's upcoming punch-fest Special ID. And. They. All. Look. Awesome! In the first trailer you're going to see nothing but Donnie Yen 'run out of bubble gum'. He's so pissed about it he goes on a rampage and fights half the country of China. Then in the second trailer it would appear that he ate everyone elses gum too because you get a taste of action from the rest of the cast. And the third one is the first trailer that was released but now we got you some subtitles so if you like a little context with your ass-kicking your needs will be met there too. Do not delay. Watch all...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Celebrate The Release Of ZERO CHARISMA With A New Trailer And Poster

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 09:00 PM PDT

Zero Charisma will be available on nationwide VOD and iTunes starting Oct 8, 2013, and in select theaters starting Oct 11, 2013. And to mark the occasion the distributors, Tribeca Film and Nerdist Industries, have unveiled a terrific new one sheet and a new trailer. As the strict Game Master of a fantasy role-playing game, Scott (Sam Eidson) leads his friends in a weekly quest through mysterious lands from the safety of his grandmother's kitchen. But his mastery of his own domain starts to slip - along with everything else in his life - when neo-nerd hipster Miles (Garrett Graham) joins the game, winning over the group with his confident charm and dethroning Scott with an unexpected coup. Caught in delusions of grandeur, Scott must...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

They Are Preparing For Your Stay In New OLDBOY Teaser.

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 08:30 PM PDT

It is with much fear and trepidation that we approach Spike Lee's Oldboy on November 27th. Considering how much we revere the original film it is going to be a hard sell. But then along comes a teaser like this. I know it is just a collection of random images and such but I cannot help but feel a twinge of excitement about this version starting to grow within me. Have a look for yourself. Then be sure to visit the link below to the film's Tumblr account for a collection of terrific artwork that promises to grow over time, possibly as we get closer to the release date, or shortly after. You will see what I mean when you head on over after you...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: STARRED UP, A Gritty And Intense Morality Play

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 08:00 PM PDT

Starred Up is a gritty, intense, and shockingly unique take on the prison drama genre. Yes, there are echoes of the likes of HBO's OZ, but David MacKenzie's take on the family dynamics in jail is executed in a fresh and vital fashion. When we meet Eric (Jack O'Connell), he has just been transferred from a youth detention centre into an adult prison, and he is quickly forced to adjust to a far more lethal form of incarceration. When he inadvertently attacks a fellow prisoner and prepares to accept the repercussions, we see his almost feral nature explode off-screen. This is a wonderfully wild segment, and there's a sense of authenticity throughout, the small details that set the film apart. There's a macabre, "back to school"...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

MACHETE KILLS (And Kills And Kills) In This New Red Band Trailer

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 07:30 PM PDT

What's there to say with this one? You've got Robert Rodriguez and Danny Trejo bringing back their popular assassin character. Charlie Sheen... er, excuse me, Carlos Estevez... is the president of the United States. Mel Gibson is the baddy. And Sofia Vergara has machine guns over her breasts and crotch. Of course it's NSFW.Machete Kills opens in the States and the UK on October 11, and a whole bunch of other countries throughout October and November. ...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Kelsey Grammer Boards THE EXPENDABLES 3

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 06:30 PM PDT

Kelsey Grammer: Tough Guy. If your exposure to the thespian is merely through his long, long tenure as TV's Dr. Frasier Crane, than you may think those words are absolutely ridiculous. But if you watched Grammer on his other starring (but short lived) TV Show Boss, well then you know the good doctor turned surely powerbroker can "toss your salad and scramble your egg" in more ways than one. And by that I mean he's kind of a bad-ass. So after starring with Sly in the upcoming drama Reach Me, is it any wonder that Stallone has tapped Grammer to join The Expendables 3? Naw. Deadline reports that Grammer is oh so close to signing on the dotted line for the role of Bonaparte, a...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Music Doc Dispatch: 12.12.12 And MADE IN AMERICA

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 06:00 PM PDT

There are loads of ways to do a concert documentary. One is to simply shoot the goings on that take place on stage - set up a bunch of cameras and be done with it. Given that the majority of big shows are shown via video screens anyway, this is hardly an uncommon process, as regular an occurrence as simply audio recording the show was decades ago.Another option is to pepper in some interviews with the band, contextualizing things a bit, placing us in the center of the conversation about the performers. When done well, you get Martin Scorsese's masterful The Last Waltz, when done is a more mediocre fashion you get Morgan Spurlock's One Direction 3D, or even the last Neil Young Journeys doc....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Fantastic Fest 2013: R100, THE SACRAMENT And MOOD INDIGO Are Coming To Austin

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 04:30 PM PDT

We're just a mere two days away from Fantastic Fest starting in the fair city of Austin, TX, and  Tim League and his Alamo Drafthosue army are still announcing titles for the fest. And boy, are they a fine looking bunch. Ti West's The Sacrament, Michel Gondry's Mood Indigo and Matsumoto Hitoshi's R100 are having their US premieres at a fest that is already chock full of coolness. Read on for the full scoop and, if need be, get yourself familiar with the rest of FF's schedule, because as the week amps up so will our coverage of the fest.Austin, TX - Tuesday, September 17 - Fantastic Fest is pleased to announce three additional films to its exciting lineup for 2013, which includes films from...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

More LEGO On The Big Screen A-Go-Go With NINJAGO

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 04:00 PM PDT

As I child I lived, breathed, ate and drank LEGO bricks. By all accounts that means I shat them too. But I did not step on them! Being the adult who still loves the All Mighty Brick I am finding it mighty odd that come next February we're getting The LEGO Movie, which looks decidedly good for your basic fish-out-of-water saves the day story.THR bring word that there will be even more of our beloved bricks and minifigs coming to the big screen. Well, beloved if you're currently an 8-year old child or the parent of one. Yes, the ridiculously popular Ninjago sets that spawned the ridiculously popular TV show is headed to the multiplex. For those that need to know what Ninjago is: think...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Hey, NYC! Win Tix To See Jim Mickle's WE ARE WHAT WE ARE

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 03:30 PM PDT

We're big fans of one Mr. Jim Mickle in these here parts. His first cinematic effort in the feature length realm, the mutant rat/pandemic horror Mulberry Street, proved justly claustrophobic, while his road trippin vampire apocalypse Stake Land was a fresh take on both the bloodsucker mythology and the American Gothic. He's now bringing us his version of We Are What We Are, once a Spanish language thriller about a family of cannibals (which we also really dug).In WE ARE WHAT WE ARE, a seemingly wholesome and benevolent family, the Parkers have always kept to themselves, and for good reason. Behind closed doors, patriarch Frank (Bill Sage, "Boardwalk Empire") rules his family with a rigorous fervor, determined to keep his ancestral customs intact at any...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Interview: Toa Fraser On Returning To Toronto, How Bob Dylan Influenced His Ballet Film GISELLE And Why He Values Stillness

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT

New Zealand auteur Toa Fraser attended the Toronto International Film Festival in 2008 with his whimsical comedy-drama Dean Spanley and returned this year with Giselle, an acclaimed filmed ballet starring world-renowned dancers Qi Huan and Gillian Murphy. Made in collaboration with the Royal New Zealand Ballet company and featuring a score by the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, the film departs occasionally from the traditional stage settings into real-world vignettes in New York and Shanghai. I spoke to him about returning to the great North American film festival.Twitch: What makes Toronto a special festival?Toa Fraser: It's big and blingin' and very glamorous and at the same time it has real heart and is a real local, intimate festival. For me, personally, it has been very satisfying to...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: SUNSHINE ON LEITH Supplies Musical Warmth

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 02:00 PM PDT

What would happen if Ken Loach or Mike Leigh made a musical? You know, cast a bunch of hardscrabble Brits in a family drama, add a bit of grit and friction, and set it all within the context of a jukebox musical? It shouldn't work at all, yet Dexter Fletcher's Sunshine on Leith manages, almost preposterously, to merge the British cinematic tradition of bleak reality within the context of a warm musical. The soundtrack to the film is provided by the Proclaimers, their tunes a perfect mix of the melancholic and the hopeful, helping shape this charming film.Because this is a Scotch musical sung in full brogue, some have compared it to the Gaelic tale of the The Commitments. This, of course, is foolish - these...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Bruce Dern Takes A Long Walk To NEBRASKA In Trailer For Alexander Payne's Latest

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 12:30 PM PDT

You can tell by just one screenshot that Alexander Payne's Nebraska is no doubt a low-key and gentle flick. It's no-nonsense black and white cinematography shucks away any kind of grandeur that one may get from the great plains states, leaving something... grounded and human. So despite this (or because of it) this simple approach got the film some decent attention when it premiered at Cannes last spring, especially since star Bruce Dern snagged the best actor award at the fest. Also of note, Will Forte's portrayal as Dern's son, who takes it upon himself to handle his dad when the man states he's walking to Nebraska to collect a supposed one million dollar pay day. Our own Ryland Aldrich had this to say on...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: In THE F WORD, F Is For Fresh

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 12:02 PM PDT

Ah, the 20-something romantic comedy. A genre usually filled with twee Emo-soundtrack tunes, magical or manic pixie dreamgirls, and the shuffling boys who win their love through good heartedness. Some are decent, some utterly wretched, but most follow a pretty narrow path.It's to Michael Dowse's credit that The F Word manages to feel so damn fresh, despite the fact that it's clearly joining a very long line of similar films. A lot of that can be attributed to a highly self-aware, yet never mawkish or overtly ironic script. Toying with the complexities of romantic love, where remaining "just friends" (the "F" word in question) can sometimes be an impossible task, the story feels part documentary, part fable. This balance between what feels real and what...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

The Stack: HIDDEN IN THE WOODS, SIMON KILLER, DAY OF THE DEAD, THE DEVIL BAT, And More

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT

Welcome back to The Stack. I'm sneaking this episode in before I leave for Fantastic Fest; it's a light week but there are some real gems here. For those not easily offended, Hidden in the Woods from Artsploitation will probably offend you anyway. Less offensive than downright disturbing is the psychological thriller Simon Killer from IFC. Shout Factory and Scream Factory bring a couple of classics up to date with Blu-rays of Day of the Dead and Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie and, last but not least, Kino kills it with their solid Blu-ray release of the 1940 Bela Lugosi vehicle The Devil Bat. The next episode of The Stack after I return from Fantastic Fest. Until then make sure to check out The Stack Holiday Gift Guide a little...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: BAD WORDS, Jason Bateman's Dark And Funny Debut

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 10:00 AM PDT

The career of Jason Batemen is rather fascinating. Rising from a sidekick on Silver Spoons early in his career, he stumbled through a number of films that his sister's sit-com sibling would pass on (including the truly egregious Teen Wolf Too). He showed up as a minor character in a few projects here and there but never really broke through until his starring role in Arrested Development showed a new generation of viewers the comedic skills of the actor.Of late, he's made a number of stinkers (ie., Identity Thief) but also lent his hand to some excellent projects like Tropic Thunder or Up In The Air. With Bad Words, we see Bateman taking the center stage, both as leading man and his debut as director. Yes,...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Review: FRAGMENTS OF KUBELKA, A Great Filmmaker Cooks A Schnitzel, Never Gets Boring

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT

Next year, the great Peter Kubelka, godfather of avant-garde cinema and co-founder of Anthology Film Archives in New York and Filmmuseum in Vienna, turns 80. Fragments of Kubelka can be understood as an early birthday present for the passionate cinema lover and cook. The best thing about watching the movie in Vienna was that Peter Kubelka himself was present. Not in your regular "director talks about the film" way, but just as a private viewer. Though Fragments of Kubelka is not his own work, he just cannot let it alone. As he explains in the movie, for him, going to the cinema is an ecstasy, it is all about the present, the here and now. The movie features some rare footage of past events like...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

DVD Review: MONONOKE Delivers Ghostly Thrills With Both Flash And Feeling

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 08:01 AM PDT

(Featuring that most mythical of creatures: a traveling salesman you should trust!) Back in 2007, Nakamura Kenji's horror anime series Mononoke -- not to be confused with Miyazaki Hayao's film Princess Mononoke -- was aired in Fuji TV's famous noitaminA slot. As such, it will come as no surprise that Australian distributor Siren Visual released it on DVD last month, as that company is adding noitaminA titles to its catalogue as if they are Pokemon. "Gotta catch 'm all!", they seem to think in Australia, and those of us who need English-friendly versions of these series are once again the lucky ones. As is often the case with noitaminA series, Mononoke is quite unusual for an anime, as was the series it is a spin-off...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Etrange 2013 Review: CONTRACTED Gives Sick Thrills

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT

You've heard the story... happened to a friend of a friend, I swear. Girl had a one-night stand with a mortician and the next day she found maggots down there. Disgusting right? Oh she's a friend of a friend of yours too? We must know the same people! Just what happened to her after that?  With his latest film, writer/director Eric England gives the urban legend a body horror spin. If his answer to the question above is a bit raw in places, it is nonetheless quite effective and definitely worth your time. Her name, in Contracted, is Samantha, and the basic components are more or less the same. A night spent with a sketchy man (V/H/S co-director Simon Barrett) leads to three subsequent days of...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Check Out the Trailer for Plastic Surgery Horror UNDER THE KNIFE

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 06:31 AM PDT

"Beverly travels to South Korea to get plastic surgery, but ends up unknowingly getting a computerized implant from a surgeon who maniacally turns his patients into beautiful killing machines." So reads the synopsis of Under the Knife, a new Korean-Swedish co-produced horror. Written and produced by Josh Hoffman and starring Kim Jyeong-ah and Kim Jin-geun, who previously appeared in the K-horrors Acacia (2003) and Voices (2007), the movie was filmed on location in South Korea, Japan and the United States. Given the mass prevalence of plastic surgery in Korean society and the potential for body horror when anyone ends up in an operating theater, the theme is a ripe fit for K-horror. Under the Knife follows in the footsteps of previous plastic surgery-themed K-horrors Cinderella...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Etrange 2013: Bykov, Sono And Jodorowsky Awarded In Paris

Posted: 17 Sep 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Paris' much-loved Etrange Festival ended with a bang the other night. Before the closing night screening of Vincenzo Natali's Haunter, awards were given to three films and directors.First among equals was director Yuri Bykov, who took the Canal + Nouveau Genre Award for his crime thriller The Major. Jury members were wowed by Bykov's moral vision, an unflinching look at a police sergeant who becomes an accidental killer. Sono Sion's Why Don't You Play In Hell? took home the Feature Length Audience Award, adding another feather in the cap of this much loved, absolutely psychotic film.Finally, Adan Jodorowsky's The Voice Thief swept both short film categories, winning the Canal + Grand Prix and the Audience Award. The banner above comes from Jodorowsky's film, proving if nothing...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Hey, Australia! Check Out Madman's Reel Anime 2013 Massive Giveaway No. 4

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 11:00 PM PDT

To celebrate the upcoming Reel Anime Festival 2013, Madman is giving you, our dear readers, the chance to win some wonderful prizes! During the five weeks in the lead up to the festival, there will be a new competition offering you the chance to win an awesome prize pack every week. This week, we have an A Letter To Momo prize pack to give away, and it includes: - Cowboy Bebop Remix Complete Sessions (DVD)- Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (DVD)- Blood: The Last Vampire (DVD)- Reel Anime 2013 theatrical posterFor a chance to win, all you have to do is to follow these two simple steps:1) Tell me in 25 words or less why you should win this prize2) Email your answer, name and postal address to me...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

TIFF 2013 Review: ENEMY Explores Villeneuve's More Unique Side

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 09:30 PM PDT

With film, things often come in pairs. Sometimes the doubles are explicit; some studio vying with another for a given plot, be it a tale of animated insects or impending asteroid impacts. Sometimes, the twinning takes the form of accidental synergy; say the back-to-back S&M Asian romps of Moebius and R100 that I experienced earlier this week.TIFF brought out a couple more shared connections. Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, whose previous, shattering work Incendies vied for an Oscar, had two films at this year's fest. The first, Prisoners (read Ryland's review) is a big budget, big studio, big concept thriller, showing to a mainstream audience the director's craft. Enemy is a much more subdued affair, yet also shares a key performer in the form of Jake Gyllenhaal. An...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Indie Beat: The Road To Sustainable Filmmaking And How Crowdfunding Platform Seed&Spark Could Pave The Way

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 05:00 PM PDT

Though I may not always find the proper footing for sharing big ideas here it has always been my goal with Indie Beat to discuss independent cinema as a frontier realm -- in the artistic sense, but also of a technical one and of the business. Or rather redefining and melding the business closer to the other elements at play, because, after all, they all have to flow together. Now of course, as with anything, this kind of thinking isn't new, but in the digital age it is being revitalized and legitimized in big and exciting ways. Today's column is going to try and talk about some of those means and ways. Whether filmmaker, critic and/or audience, we must all play our parts supporting and/or...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Hey, NYC! Wanna See METALLICA: THROUGH THE NEVER For Free? [Updated. Code Fixed]

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 12:30 PM PDT

[Updated: The Code has been fixed and should work now to redeem passes.]I know next to nothing about the band Metallica, so here I find myself just the messenger with the hunch that a good cross section of our audience at Twitch also digs Metallica. METALLICA THROUGH THE NEVER is more than a film. It is an experience. The sound quality, 3-D effects, action, apocalyptic narrative and cinematic structure will leave audiences stunned and then clamoring for more! It's not a documentary, it's not a concert film, it's a Metallica experience that their fans have never seen before and it's the motion picture event of the Fall.If you live in New York City and would like to catch the film early on September 18, then...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Russia Dips Into Fantasy Territory With Upcoming DARK WORLD: EQUILIBRIUM

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 12:00 PM PDT

For a brief time it appears as though Russia was poised to be a major player when it came to science fiction and fantasy films. The literary traditions for both in Russia are rich and deep and the massive financial success of Timur Bekmambetov's Night Watch films seemed a harbinger of many, many more to come. And there were a few that followed close behind but weak performance at the box office by some high priced duds coupled with the massive successes of a string of low budget comedies combined o convince producers to, for the most part, explore less risky pastures.But there are exceptions and Oleg Asadulin's Dark World: Equilibrium - a sequel to 3D hit The Dark World - is one.Shadows leak out...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

It's The Oddest Thing You'll See All Day, Check The Trailer For DETECTIVE DOWNS

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 11:30 AM PDT

Crossing lines of good taste and political correctness with glee, Bård Breien's Detective Downs delivers exactly what it promises on the tin: A noir tinged comedy about a private eye with Downs Syndrome as played by a lead actor who really has Downs Syndrome. Whether this is a joke that should be made at all is very much open to discussion but Breien has made it and the results are set for their world premiere at Austin's Fantastic Fest.Robert runs his own detective office, but he never gets any cases. No one believes Robert can accomplish anything and even his father, who is a police investigator, rejects Robert. One morning a mysterious woman appears in Robert's office. The legendary speed skater Olav Starr is missing,...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Video Reflections: At Home, BLANCANIEVES Provides Hope For A Snow White Heart

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT

I lost my fairy tale. It had followed me around when I was a child, constantly tapping me on the shoulder to ask for a dance. Sometimes it wore the face of Frankenstein or Dracula or the Wolfman or the Mummy. Sometimes it came with a note from Walt Disney, truly animated and dancing past my eyes in a wash of sweet color. Later it took on extra tones, dark red (blood red in fact), and the dance became more mature. Child-like but not as child-ish. I became less apt to bring my own agenda to the steps and let myself be led. Sound color lights.Then I lost the damned thing. You can only ignore so many of those tap tap taps; only fail to turn...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Third Trailer For Bondarchuk's STALINGRAD Lays On More Astounding Visuals With The Added Plus Of English Subtitles

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 10:30 AM PDT

Were you among the many astounded by the imagery in the first two trailer for Fedor Bondarchuk's Stalingrad but found yourself wishing you knew what they were saying? Well, then, this is for you. A third trailer has arrived for the gorgeous war epic and this one includes English subtitles as well as lots of new footage. Bondarchuk has always been noted for his technical ability but even by his standards this is an absolutely remarkable rendering of one of the most costly battles in the second world war. Take a look at the latest trailer below....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Watch The First Stomach Churning Trailer For SEPTIC MAN!

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Monster Brawl director Jesse Thomas Cook teams with Pontypool writer Tony Burgess for Septic Man, a gleefully repulsive picture soon to premiere at Fantastic Fest that I like to pitch to people as a blend of Buried and The Toxic Avenger. How can those two things possibly fit together? We've got the first look at the trailer for you to get a taste. Though you probably wouldn't want to do that in any literal sense.A transgressive creature feature mixed with the trappings of a super-hero origins story, Septic Man focuses on an erstwhile plumber who undergoes a hideous transformation when trapped inside a septic tank. Check the trailer below and spare a moment to admire the fabulous poster art by Justin Erickson at Phantom City...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Elijah Wood Tickles The Ivories In Spanish Trailer For GRAND PIANO

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 09:30 AM PDT

Meet Elijah Wood, concert pianist. Concert pianist with a sniper rifle (wielded by John Cusack, no less) aimed at his head. Performance anxiety much? That's the basic scenario behind Eugenio Mira's Grand Piano, soon to premiere at Fantastic Fest and for which the Spanish trailer has just arrived. Here's how the festival describes it:Taking a page out of the book of incredible film history feats like HIGH NOON, the bulk of the movie takes place in near-real time over the course of a high stakes classical music concert. It's here that our hero makes his long-awaited return to performing after being stricken with stage fright at a show five years ago. Lured by the chance to honor his long-time instructor in a program showcasing some...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Behold The Carnage Of THE WINDMILL MASSACRE!

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT

It was back in May that Twitch first wrote about The Windmill Massacre, an upcoming English language slasher film from Holland to be directed by Frankenstein's Army producer Nick Jongerius. Well, in the time since Jongerius has shot a proof of concept for the film which is now in post production and he has passed along a gallery of six very impressive images from the shoot.The Windmill Massacre is an English-spoken modern day slasher situated in the Netherlands, a horror film similar to films such as: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hatchet and Halloween. The Windmill Massacre will combine all the richness and traditions that the Netherlands has to offer, but then drenches them in blood. The film will reveal a new face of terror, a...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Twitchvision: Jason Gorber Wraps Up TIFF 2013

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 08:30 AM PDT

Despite barely being able to string two sentences together with any kind of coherence, yet wearing a R100 shirt for good measure, I managed to not sound like a complete idiot last night chatting with Scott Laurie about TIFF 2013. Shot inside an empty theatre with plenty of top lighting, I joked that it was as if the Facetime link was shot by Gordon Willis during his Godfather / "Prince of Darkness" era.12 Years A Slave and The Square are well deserving of the major People's Choice Awards, and while I liked both Oculus and R100 more than Sono's film, it is nice to see him recognized for Why Don't You Play In Hell.We also chatted about Enemy and The F Word, two really impressive...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Watch The Trailer For Venice Special Jury Prize Winner RUIN

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT

When the hardware was handed out at the Venice International Film Festival just the other week the jury members behind the Orizzonti Special Jury Prize, headed by Paul Schrader (writer of such films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The Mosquito Coast), saw fit to award the film Ruin and its filmmakers Michael Cody and Amiel Courtin-Wilson. And now we have a trailer to share with you. It features some tremendous imagery and a dreamlike quality to it. Take a look below!RUIN is an impressionistic fable- the story of Phirun (Rous Mony) and Sovanna (Melang) - two lovers inexplicably drawn together who escape a brutal and exploitative world of crime and violence in modern day Cambodia. Fleeing Phnom Penh after a murder, they travel deeper...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Fear & Loathing At TIFF 2013, Part 5: Why Does Everything Have To End With People Dying?

Posted: 16 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT

CHAPTER 12: NOSTALGIAWhen I was 12, I had a friend named Brian. Brian was a piece of shit. For about two years, we were inseparable. We would ride our bikes to the comic book shops together, we snuck into R-rated films together, stole porno rags from the mall bookstore together, experimented with alcohol for the first time together, made stop motion films with action figures, got in trouble with our BB guns, and all the rest of that nostalgic American bullshit that young boys are known to do. I wasn't initially aware that I was the resident freak amongst this specific group of friends that Brian was the leader of. I was a running joke for them; I was their comical relief, although I never...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

An Apology To Sono Sion

Posted: 15 Sep 2013 07:15 PM PDT

Let's just jump right into this, shall we?Four days ago Twitch published an interview conducted by Pierre Hombrebueno with director Sono Sion at the Venice Film Festival which was meant to cover the premiere of his latest work (now award winning), Why Don't You Play In Hell. It raised some eyebrows due to comments ascribed to Sono as regarded fellow directors Miike Takashi and Kitano Takeshi and among those eyebrows were Sono's for the very simple - and very reasonable - reason that he hadn't said any of those things while meeting Hombrebueno in Venice this year.It turns out that Hombrebueno had pulled excerpts from an earlier interview with Sono which he conducted in 2010 in connection with the premiere of Cold Fish and spliced...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]

Back To Top