Hey folks, Harry here... Well... The first day and night of FANTASTIC FEST went well... Fantastic. And I won't be reviewing ZATHURA - simply because, well, you know why. But I will say, it blew the audience away. It really did - I'm sure others will be sending in their comments to AICN, Dark Horizons, IMDB and around. I didn't see THE BIG WHITE today, I went to the utterly brilliant STRINGS instead. Just an absolutely stunning film to see on the big screen. Wow! Lastly, I saw FEAST - which I was not, in the least, prepared for. Till I write up my piece, I'll just say, "What a fucking bloodbath! Wow!"
Hey Harry, just trying to get to sleep after an amazing first day at Fantastic Fest, but I'm too worked up, so I thought I'd blow off steam by writing about the nearly half-million frames of coolness I saw today. Now, I'm not normally the world's biggest horror fan, so I might have been a bit discouraged when I first saw the lineup. For a sci-fi/fantasy/horror festival, it feels slightly weighted towards horror. After tonight, I'm not even giving it a second thought, because today was 3 for 3.
The festival for me began around 2:30 this afternoon, when I left work early and headed to the Drafthouse to check in. I ran into AICN's own Massawyrm, and we chatted for a while as people began to trickle in. Finally, they let us in to see the first screening. I chose:
The Big White
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There is no stopping people from comparing this one to Fargo. That situation isn't helped by the fact almost everyone talks like they're from Fargo, even though this is Alaska. What the hell, everyone from the southwest talks like they're from Texas, right? If I had to call this anything, I might describe it as the 'Anti-Fargo'. If everything in Fargo had gone the other way, if the cops just took everything at face value and dropped the investigation, if the main character wasn't completely batshit-crazy, if the die-hard killers weren't mean as shit and picking up hookers but instead gay lovers, then you wouldn't have Fargo, you'd have The Big White, or as I think it should be called, 'The Big White Lie'.
I really don't want to give anything away, so forgive me in advance if I'm vague. Robin Williams plays a guy who just wants to take care of his wife. He loves her more than anything, and he has ruined himself financially trying to shelter and protect her after the sudden onset of her mental illness.
Giovanni Ribisi, who I have always greatly enjoyed, basically reprises his role from Flight of the Phoenix. He's a driven, hardworking, but socially inept guy who learns how to get along with others after pretty thoroughly screwing up his life by trying to catch williams in his Big white lie. Alison Lohman, previously seen in Big Fish, is a very cute and down-to-earth counterpart as his work-from-home tele-psychic girlfriend. But the best performance, for me, was Holly Hunter as the foul-mouthed, mentally ill wife (I'm not even going to try to spell tourettes'). Oh yeah, and Woody Harrelson had a part, as basically, Woody Harrelson.
I wish I could tell you the movie has a happy ending, but I don't want to give anything away. All I can say is it worked well for me; I really enjoyed it, and I left satisfied that I had not wasted my time watching a Fargo wannabe. The only thing I feel hurt the film is that an amazing talent like Robin Williams was not used to his fullest. Almost anyone could have played his part. In fact, it would have been interesting to see William H. Macy in the role just to see the flipside of that other movie.
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After the Big White, we all stood around the lobby gawking at the amazing display of life-size robots and spaceships as well as enjoying wine and delicious appetizers before packing into my next pick:
Zathura
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OK, maybe it's just after 100 years of cinema, nearly everything has been done, and you can't make a film without being compared to some other film or accused of ripping from it. I started by telling you how Big White is not Fargo, now I go on to tell you Zathura is NOT Jumanji. Yes, it's a family film. Yes, it IS based on a story by the same author, and YES, it does deal with a magic boardgame that brings things to life that destroy the house.
OK, I even have to ask myself why this is not Jumanji. I guess I won't accept the simple answer that it's in space. First, the kids are on their own with this one, no parents to help them. Second, I think there's a little more story, a little more depth and personal growth in the characters. It's still basically a kid's movie, so giant lizard-men and robots and spaceships are what it's really all about. It's an enjoyable romp, and adults should have no hard time getting a kick out of seeing it with their kids, at least the first 5 times.
Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo deliver very impressive performances for boys aged 7 and 10. I kept thinking to myself I'd like to see Jonah in the role of Boxey, if they ever bring that character into the updated Galactica series.
After the show, we were treated to probably the best Q&A I've ever seen, though it was more A and less Q. Jon Favreau had a lot of interesting things to say about the production (He's really shown he can do science fiction, and I think he'll do a fine job on John Carter of Mars), and Dax Shepard is more entertaining in person than he is on film, playing off Jon's commentary with a constant stream of one-liners that I hope can make it onto the DVD.
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After Zathura, we made our way to a nearby Elks Lodge for some partying, music, food, and board games, and I found I had the energy to go see a midnight screening on a work night:
Feast
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Wow, I've already mentioned I'm not the biggest fan of horror, but asked after the screening, I could only say 'It Rocked!' In keeping with my other two reviews, I'll say it's a little like From Dusk Til Dawn and a little like Alien, but it's neither of these. I've also never seen an episode of Project Greenlight, which covers the making of this film in its current, third season. I'm glad, though, because the best films, for me, are the ones where I get up, dust myself off, and can say I'd had no idea what was just about to hit me.
There are, apparently a few 'touch-ups' yet to be done on this film, but I dare say it should be released today, exactly as-is. It begins with a bunch of people in a bar and has comic freeze-frame introductions to each that tell you just a little about each character's motivation and chances of surviving the night. They go about their business, and a big ole barfight is just about to break out, when Eric Dane, the 'Hero' bursts through the door (you'll see him soon as Multiple Man in X3) and announces there's a Hellstorm coming and you'd better watch out. There is not a slow point for me in this film, not a place where I ask myself how much longer they're going to drag out the dialog, assail my senses with loud noise or disorienting imagery, or get on with the story. Every part of this movie felt perfectly timed, whether it was a suspenseful moment in a closet or a humorous moment inserted at just the right time to lighten the mood.
One of the comments made in the Q&A was that the studios need input on how to market this, because they're afraid of a comedy/horror combination. I've really got to say, this, to me, was purely a horror film, with just enough comedy to lighten the mood and remind you that it's just a movie. Still, excellent effects, effective sound, and a rocking soundtrack all made this a cut above the average B-horror flick. Henry Rollins has much more than a bit part as 'Coach', a poor-man's Tony Robbins, and he really shows he can do much more than just a security guard or thug. I wish we could have seen more of Jason Mewes, or at least heard more of that wholly unsanitary mouth. I wish I knew what else to say that'll get people out to see this, except it's horror, I loved it, and I don't even really like horror.
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That's all for tonight. Now I must enter cryogenic sleep for the next five turns.
-Augustus Gloop
