Took the train to Hamburg yesterday to spend a day at Fantasy FIlmFest 2011. Managed to see five films.
First up was
Inn Keepers a pretty enjoyable slacker haunted hotel story featuring a well written and acted central relationship between the two main characters. Unfortunately overall despite the strong central relationship the overall plot never really develops in a satisfactory manner. Worth a watch at FirghtFest, but I will skip it for one of the discovery screenings.
Followed this with
A Horrible Way to Die which I watched previously at FantisticFest last year (in the company of writer, director and main actors). THis is an excellent film, well acted and paced with a fantastic plot structure which turns the whole story on its hed at the end. This also plays FrightFest next weekend and is in my opinion a must see.
Next was
Julia X 3d. This played along with the trailer for Sex and Zen 3D, which wasn't quite the 3D experience I had hoped for
. Back to the film. Its surprising, but it seems torture porn has been around sufficiently long that its now time for "ironic" torture porn comedies. Got to say that I am not a fan of the whole torture porn genre, but this was an enjoyable if instantly forgetaable 90 minutes. Let down a little by some very dodgy prosthetic effects.
Next my film of the day,
Kill Shot. This was a fantastic hitman film in the kitchen miserablis style of Ken Loach et al with a WTF mind**** ending. Another must see for next weekends FrightFest.
Final film was
Urabn Explorer a German horror with international cast set in the extensive tunnel network under Berlin. Thankfully this took a bt of a left turn about 30 minutes in and didn't become quite the film I expected and dreaded. Overall well worth a watch when it hits the UK or DVD/Bluray. The German director was present for an intro and Q&A. The intro was ultra short and I skipped the Q&A a I had to get the train home.
I was impressed with the line-up for Fantasy FilmFest (except for the German language screenings all of the films are either English, English with German subs or original language with English subs) there is quite an overlap with FrightFest though and will certainly try to organise work a bit better next year so that I can take time off to enjoy the whole festival (which continues to run until Wednesday).
Looking forward now to FrightFest on Thursday.