From the Dark

Mark is a stupid person, a know-it-all jerk who swings from brazen misguided confidence to quivering slug in the face of danger.  Sarah is a little less stupid - she has a survival instinct - but has no ability to manage her one asset, the light that scares keeps the creatures at bay.  Come on, keep more than one torch, and use the matches to light something that will burn longer than the matchstick - the house, for example.  And just because its lights were knocked out, that doesn't mean the idling tractor with your lantern isn't a better escape route than stumbling through the moors.

I thought we were past heroes who make stupid decisions to advance the script.  Apparently not.

From the Dark

2014, 90 minutes, directed by Conor McMahon

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

I'd heard this was surprisingly good.  I see now that this must be placed in context with how awful it was expected to be.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
2012, 105 minutes, directed by Timur Bekmambetor

Afflicted

Derek and Cliff set out on a year trip around the world, the fulfillment of a long-time dream and a chance for Derek to push aside his life-threatening medical problems.  They have everything set up to document and share their adventures with the internet and the world.  Things quickly go awry when Derek contracts a strange illness, but the filming continues, as he becomes more and more afflicted...

Holy hell, this was the first FF film that has truly come from nowhere and smacked me with awesome.  Shot on a very low budget on Canon 5Ds, with the writers and directors as the principle cast, they showed what an excellent result young talent can achieve with a story and a vision.

Afflicted
2013, 85 minutes, directed by Derek Lee and Cliff Prowse

Kiss of the Damned

First and foremost, this is a love story. It is love at first site for Paolo when he encounters the reclusive Djuna, and not even her "condition" as a vampire keeps him away. As she relents, her destructive sister Mimi arrives, seemingly focused on destroying those around her.

The best parts of this film are the passion the young couple share, and their interaction with the local vampire community. The whole experience was pleasantly enjoyable.

Kiss of the Damned
2013, 97 minutes, directed by Xan Cassavetes

V/H/S

Five short horror stories are tied together loosely by a sixth, centered on the theme of "found footage" shakey-camera work.  I wasn't as impressed as I'd hoped to be.

V/H/S
2011, 115 minutes, directed by Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, and Radio Silence

My Sucky Team Romance

Here it is, my last film of the festival.  The director and nearly the entire cast is still here, which shows dedication.  (Also, it shows most of them live locally.)  I've heard of director Emily Hagins from the documentary of her first film, made when she was 12.  This is her third film, the last one she hoped to fit in before she graduated from high school.  Vampires are real, they are in town, and they've turned Paul and his coworker Allison.  They're only hope to reverse the conversion lies at the local sci-fi convention.  For Kate, it's her last weekend in town, and she heads to the convention with her friends, not expecting to find her crush Paul...

Still drawing talent mostly from her own school, some of the acting is amateur, and I note some dubbing problems and an unusually low-budget set.  But Emily herself is very well-spoken, has put tremendous effort into the film through more roles than any one person should, and is already planning for her future.  I think, with a good mentor or time spent at college, it will be a very bright future for her indeed.

My Sucky Teen Romance
2011, 77 minutes, directed by Emily Hagins

Leaving the Rollings Theater after the film, I discover that the shuttle system has completely broken down.  The shuttle stop - supposedly moved to be a block away, is unlabeled and unstaffed - so it's a long walk back to S. Lamar and my car.  If they plan to keep using this theater, SXSW better fix this for next year.

Little Deaths

I don't usually review short stories.  If I went down that path, what's next?  A pointless micro-blog review of each TV show and YouTube click I watch?  So you won't find mention of short-film collections on here, like the Futurestates series I quite surprisingly enjoyed at last year's SX (and will be seeing the second season premiere of tomorrow).

Little Deaths, though, was conceived and executed as a single "anthology" film.  And I stayed up pretty late for it so I feel like I need to get something out of the effort, like a blog post.  Because - and let me be very honest - I didn't get much out of the film.

The three tales interweave the themes of sex and death.  If you want to read promo blurbs, go find the official film site.  All I can add is that "House & Home", the most satisfying of the three, goes off the crazy end.  "Mutant Tool" starts in crazy and keeps going, and "Bitch" is, well, pretty sad.

I really hope to see something I like at SXSW this year.  Here's hoping for Saturday.

Little Deaths
2010, directed by Sean Hogan, Andrew Parkinson, and Simon Rumley

 

Tim League in a dog suit, shortly after (almost) setting himself on fire.

 The beef stroganoff chugging contest.  Mr. Faceintheglass (next to Tim) won.

Higanjima

I thought this would either be a Japanese splatterfest, or Japanese action film.  What I got was a host of whiny Japanese teenagers, with occasional bouts of awesome tempered by dollops of stupid.  I was disappointed.

Higanjima
2010, 122 minutes, directed by Taw-gyun Kim

Daybreakers

Eh, this was a decent action film but the story was neither fresh nor well told. Such an easy solution would have been reproduced accidentally many times over, and would spread rapidly. And I just don't understand the parts the picked from vampire lore. So vampirism is a virus, right? They ignore all the religious aspects. They don't mention garlic. But vampires invisible in mirrors? That's just stupid.

Daybreakers
2009, directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

The night of the undead begins with the first installment in this, the latest vampire franchise to be milked for teenage girls. This is the story of Darren, a boy who is led to give up his normal life and join a freak show as the assistant to a 200-year vampire. Little does he know that fate has plans for him as the instigator of renewed war with the more-bloodthirsty vampanese.

The Paramount was stacked with junior high and high school girls for this premiere, leaving us regular Fantastic Fest badge holders far outnumbered. The audience however seemed to really get into the film and the stars on hand for its premiere. The film was at its worst when it tried to be serious with itself, and best when playing on inside jokes between the script and the audience. While I may not seek out the remaining installments (until my daughter(s) beg me too in 10+ years), I hope the film succeeds and can continue the story.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
2009, directed by Paul Weitz

Lesbian Vampire Killers

Do you like Shaun of the Dead, but wish for more variety in your British gore-comedies? You're in luck! Lesbian Vampire Killers offers the same Thin Serious Guy and his Fat Goofy Friend (in this case, Gavin and Stacey stars Mathew Horne and James Corden), as they encounter a centuries-old cult of lady vampires who want nothing more than world domination. Ok, maybe the do want something more...

Lesbian Vampire Killers
2009, 84 minutes, directed by Phil Claydon

Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)

This was the film I regretted most missing at this year's Fantastic Fest. Everyone I spoke to who saw it called it the best film of the festival, an opinion that was ratified by its receipt of the audience award. Since then, the film has continued to win accolades, most recently inclusion on the Austin Film Society's top-ten list for 2008.

With a limited release including Austin, it's time to soak this in. For all the cold, darkness, and stillness, both in the brilliantly-frigid cinematography and in the souls of the characters, the film is filled with a warmth of devotion. This film starts with a slow build, and never really ramps up the pace, but it doesn't need to; it go just far enough and gets there is just the right time. I have to give credit to the author/screenwriter, director, and editors for such wonderful pacing.

If you have a chance to see this film, please, let it in.

Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)
2008, 114 minutes, directed by Tomas Alfredson