fantasia 2017

Fantasia 2017: BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL, JAILBREAK, THE VILLAINESS Among Winners

I’m inclined to share the news of the latest award wins from this year’s eventful Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. I didn’t attend this event as I’m rooted in New York City with little time flexibility, but this was fun keeping up with. I’m looking forward to certain upcoming releases as a result, as well as hopefully setting foot in the arena someday myself. Hat tip to my friend Jean-Paul whose latest film from director Jimmy Henderson just became an award-winner among those listed here. As it stands, he can’t sleep from the excitement. He’s having a great week, it seems and I don’t blame him! 21ST EDITION OF FANTASIA CONCLUDES WITH ROBERT PATTINSON, ATOMIC BLONDE, AND NEARLY 100,000 ATTENDEES North America’s Longest-Running Genre Festival Wraps Banner Year, Awards Top Honors to Polish Thriller SPOOR Montreal, Quebec – Thursday, 3 August 2017 – After three full weeks of unbelievable, […]

Review: IMBROGLIO Methodizes Its Madness With Cataclysmic Poetry

Lee B. Golden III

I don’t usually listen to independent rock. It’s not that I have an issue with it, really, but that it never stays in my purview long enough when it appears, and I like listening to it when it does. In this instance, filmmaker Christopher Zatta’s pick of choice is a real gritty, groovy theme that plays at least twice in his latest ambitious short film, Imbroglio, coming out of its debut at Fantasia Festival this week. With Tracy (Alina Andrei) in his possession, Kyle (Joseph Michael Harris) leads his own group of criminals as they stage a trade-off of for his brother, Pete, believed to be held hostage by David (Travis Johns) whose own group, has Anna (Zoë Bell) seeking vengeance against Kyle’s over an earlier conflict. The standoff begins only to escalate even further when a dark twist is revealed, augmenting an already convoluted situation and ensuing a violent […]

THE HIT LIST: July 17, 2017

Lee B. Golden III

My weekend was a bit of a bummer…although it’s nothing compared to what others were going through in the world of stunts and entertainment as last week. For all intents and purposes here though, it’s worth celebrating the life and legacy of stuntman and New Orleans native, John Bernecker, who sadly lost his life on Friday. In honor of his memory, he kicks off this week’s installment of The Hit List with highlights from projects such as This Is The End, Goosebumps and Get Hard to name a few, followed by reels from some of today’s top and up-and-coming stunt professionals, including Bryan Sloyer, Rosslyn Luke, Michael Bekemeier, Bronin October, Brandon Ly, Gabriela Kostadinova, Doug Karr, Suo Liu and stunt coordinator T.J. White. At current, there’s nothing really in the way in terms of promotional materials. However, the latest shortfilm directoral outing from Christopher Zatta might be worth a nod as […]

MOHAWK: Check Out The Festival Poster For The New Period Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Fantasia Festival is finally underway and as such, We Are Still Here helmer Ted Geoghegan has returned to the fray with the new period thriller, Mohawk. Geoghean will be on hand for the Saturday evening premiere with co-star Jonathan Huber and producer Travis Stevens marking the latest phase for the film’s buzz since photos started debuting late last year. The War of 1812 has revived violent hostilities between the British and their erstwhile American colonial subjects. The powerful Mohawk nation of the New York region is divided as to whom they should stand by, and so they maintain a position of neutrality. They want no part in the killing – but the killing is coming to them. An impulsive attack on an American encampment has drawn the vengeful attentions of a ragged band of American military renegades, led by the vicious, racist Hezekiah Holt. Oak, Calvin, and their British lover […]

Catch The Trailer For Trent Haaga’s 68 KILL

Lee B. Golden III

Writer and director Trent Haaga’s latest crime thriller, 68 Kill, is readying an August 4 release from IFC Midnight. Before then, audiences at Fantasia in Montreal will have a chance to get a glimpse of the award-winning SXSW favorite later this month which has Alisha Boe, Matthew Gray Gubler, AnnaLynne McCord and Sheila Vand starring. As Fantasia Festival’s Mitch Davis writes: Chip (Matthew Gray Gubler) cleans septic tanks for a living and wants more out of life than he’s currently got, yet his loving relationship with Liza (AnnaLynne McCord) makes him an overall happy man. Liza’s main gig is stripping, but she’s got a great side thing going with a gun-loving sugar daddy. Learning that her mark has $68,000 lying around in cash, she decides to heist it, roping Chip in with a non-violence promise that instantly goes out the window in a torrent of wholly preventable blood and death, […]

THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORLD! DEATH WARRIOR! WILD BLOOD!: Fantasia Fest Celebrates The Legacy Of Action Star Cünyet Arkin This Month!

Lee B. Golden III

Surf the web long enough and you’re bound to come across your share of bizzare content. Moreover if you’re no stranger to action cinema at large, it’s possible you’ve discovered the viral phenomenon of Turkish action star Cüneyt Arkin by now, best known for laying waste to two shirtless dudes before sending them into a pool with a gush of breath. Cheesy AF? Yes. Shameless fun to look at? Absolutely. And in timely fashion, Fantasia Festival is here to invest in the legacy of the legendary film star in ceremonial fashion with three films among the actor’s 300-title resume. Fantasia Fest 2017 is very excited to pay tribute to legendary Turkish action star Cüneyt Arkin with screenings of three of his most famous films, THE MAN WHO SAVED THE WORD (aka TURKISH STAR WARS), DEATH WARRIOR and WILD BLOOD! Select screenings will be hosted by Kaan Cureklibatur, biographer and son […]

JOJO'S BIZZARE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE Lands An International Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

It was no mere feat announcing the recent NIFFF appearance of acclaimed director Miike Takashi. Having left a mark this Spring with the highly celebrated Blade Of The Immortal, his latest return to festival furor will have him at Fantasia for the North American presentation of his other live-action manga adaptation, JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable. Previous iterations of the title had it hinting as the first of more than one chapter which would be fitting if Warner Bros. Japan saw fit to expand on the property. This latest treatment would adhere to the fourth phase of the JoJo saga with actor Yamazaki Kento leading the cast as a high school student uniquely gifted with the mysterious ability to call on a Stand – a spiritual anomaly of which there appear to be many lurking in town in one form or another through its secret users. Fantasia programmer Rupert […]

Derek Kwok’s WU KONG Unleashes The Beast In The Final Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

As far as I know, CMC Pictures may well still extend its July 13 release of director Derek Kwok’s latest fantasy epic, Wu Kong, into U.S. cinemas. I’m currently awaiting comment in that regard while it has otherwise been confirmed that the film will definitely see its day in Montreal for a North American premiere at Fantasia on July 18. The trailers have certainly hinted at something pretty rather essential in the wake of so many adaptations of the character which have generally been geared toward family-friendly audiences. This one looks like its got some meat on its bones for sure and festival programmer Rupert Bottenberg expands with his own insight with the following summary per the Fantasia website: Born atop the Flowers and Fruit Mountain, Wu Kong – the one who will become known as the Monkey King – has a heart of stone. The heavenly general Ji Hua […]

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GINTAMA: Beetlehunting, Swashbuckling, And A Battle For The Ages In Three New Promos For The Live-Action Adaptation

Lee B. Golden III

With a Japan release on July 14 in tow, Fukuda Yuichi’s latest live-action manga/anime treatment, Gintama, will be having its world premiere at Fantasia Festival in Montreal a day earlier. The film stars actor Oguri Shun who has become a personal favorite of mine in the last fifteen years or more since seeing him opposite Ueto Aya in Kitamura Ryuhei’s Azumi and in Miike Takashi’s Crows Zero and subsequent sequel. Yes, I’m a fan, and not for nothing either with regards to Gintama; I first learned of this movie late last summer which eventually led me to start bingewatching all of well over 300 episodes (4 seasons) of the hit series and ultimately falling in love with the show overall. I still probably couldn’t give you every nook and cranny of what happens, but for the major arcs that occur in between, I would say there is plenty to build […]

FANTASIA 2017: The Full Line-Up And Final Wave Have Arrived!

Lee B. Golden III

The full line-up is now online for the 21st edition of Fantasia Festival as of Wednesday following last month’s first wave. For this, Fantasia has listed the final wave of titles to be included in the program among its worldly line-up of bizzare, compelling, enthralling and outright entertaining selections. One such title I’m pretty pleased to see moving is Germat zeron action comedy Plan B, a martial arts action milestone for the city of Berlin as well as the global stunt community and its talented crop now looking to spread their wings as principles, namely the film’s starring cast – Can Aydin, Cha-Lee Yoon and Phong Giang. Another I’m delighted to see is Bin Bunluerit’s latest swerve from comedy into brooding action and drama, period flick Broken Sword Hero which made its way to screens in Thailand back in February marking a heralded theatrical debut success for the film’s star, […]

FANTASIA 2017: Read Up On The First Wave!

Lee B. Golden III

This year’s events at Fantasia Film Festival is jam-packed with a sick load of titles that have been ramping up with buzz this year. The announcement was made on Tuesday for the first wave with the full line-up forthcoming on July 5 and the entries this year read something fierce and exciting if you’ve been keeping up, including Jung Byung-Gil’s The Villainess, Fukuda Yuichi’s Gintama, Jimmy Henderson’s Jailbreak (read our review), Miike Takashi’s JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable, Joe Lynch’s SXSW hit, Mayhem, and many more. Click here for photos or read on below! FANTASIA’S 21st EDITION TO FEATURE NUMEROUS WORLD PREMIERES, CANNES SENSATIONS, AND NORTH AMERICAN DEBUTS! The North American Premiere of Cannes Sensation THE VILLAINESS, World Premiere of new work from Géla Babluani, North American Premiere of Takashi Miike’s JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE, a special screening of Luc Besson’s VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A […]

Miike’s JOJO’S BIZZARE ADVENTURE: DIAMOND IS UNBREAKABLE Goes To NIFFF And Fantasia This Summer

Lee B. Golden III

The 17th edition of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival has already announced its first eight titles from its official selection spanning a variety of genres and territories and you’ll find them listed at the official website. In the meantime, they won’t be the only feature on display when the festival kicks off on June 30 when fest attendees can expect to catch acclaimed filmmaker Miike Takashi who himself has been having a pretty lively year. Thus, forthcoming will be the auteur’s arrival as guest of honor in addition to presenting his latest anime/manga adaptation, JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable – Chapter One ahead of its August 4 Japan release from Toho and Warner Bros. Japan. The film will screen on Sunday, July 2nd as part of the International Competition with Miike, select crew and the film’s principal star, actor Yamazaki Kento on hand before the film’s second festival […]