Fantastic Fest

2007 Fantastic Fest Alumnus Ryan Levin is very funny - and Comedy Central Agrees!

2008-06-30T11:46:00.001-05:00

Remember the short THE FIFTH about a poker game between some pretty rough characters? We sure do. It was dark. It was witty. It was very well acted. We loved it.

Now his series about a vulgar stoat who's paid his dues in the joint, BENNY, ESCAPED CONVICT, has been picked up by Comedy Central. We think you'll like it, even though it makes us blush like a ladies book club confronted with the secretions of an excited ermine.

Here it is, enjoy.

Plus here's your chance to become friends with a vulgar stoat via Facebook.

North American Fantastic Festival Alliance Expands!

2008-06-24T15:17:00.000-05:00

NORTH AMERICAN FANTASTIC FESTIVAL ALLIANCE EXPANDS!
ADDS NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES, TORONTO AND PHILADELPHIA TO THE MIX!

(June 20, 2008) The NORTH AMERICAN FANTASTIC FESTIVAL ALLIANCE (NAFFA) is pleased to announce the addition of 4 fantastic film festival partners to its organization; New York Asian Film Festival, Toronto After Dark, Danger After Dark in Philadelphia, and ScreamFest L.A. NAAFA was founded by Montreal’s Fantasia, Alamo Drafthouse’s Fantastic Fest in Austin and Dead Channels: the San Francisco Festival of Fantastic Film.

NAFFA is comprised of professional North American festivals dedicated to presenting the best new independent and international fantasy, science fiction, horror, animation, exploitation, experimental and cult movies, as well as selected retrospective programs, with a dedication to quality and respect for the filmmaker’s work. The Alliance’s mission is to assist neophyte filmmakers in navigating the chaotic, and overwhelming, film festival submission process by providing useful information and invaluable networking opportunities.

NAFFA’s official website, www.FantasticAlliance.org, aims to provide emerging and established imaginative artists with access to an Alliance of acclaimed festivals that actively support the discovery and promotion of thrillingly unique independent film from all over the world. NAFFA is recognized by the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation: www.melies.org

The following is a list of upcoming events of partners of the NAFFA

New York Asian Film Festival
June 20 – July 6, 2008
www.subwaycinema.com

Fantasia
July 3 – 21, 2008
Montreal, Canada
www.fantasiafest.com

Fantastic Fest
September 18-25, 2008
Austin, TX
www.fantasticfest.com

Dead Channels
October 2-5, 2008
San Francisco, CA
www.deadchannels.com

ScreamFest LA
October 17-24, 2008 (Check dates)
Los Angeles, CA
www.screamfestla.com

Toronto After Dark
October 17 – 24, 2008
Toronto, Canada
www.torontoafterdark.com

Danger After Dark
March 26 – April 7, 2009
Philadelphia, PA
www.phillyfests.com

Find more information about NAAFA, events and festivals, visit: www.FantasticAlliance.org

Now on DVD: THE SIGNAL

2008-06-11T02:56:00.002-05:00

It didn't technically play Fantastic Fest, but it opened at the Drafthouse and it did screen at SXSW ... plus it's really damn good so here's a blog entry. (Deal with it!) THE SIGNAL might just be the very first non-anthology to be directed in episodic fashion by three different directors. And I don't mean "episodic" as a knock; I mean one guy directed Act I, another guy did Act II, and a third lunatic did Act III. (Those directors would be David Bruckner (I), Jake Gentry (II), and Dan Bush (III).) Can YOU spot the tonal divergences?

Shot in Atlanta on a budget that wouldn't cover gasoline costs on most productions, The Signal is a sci-fi horror movie that also has the audacity to include humor, heart, and intelligence as part of the equation. Well-acted, handsomely shot, and engaging in true "sci-fi" fashion, this is a very good indie flick. The Magnolia DVD hits shelves this week, and the release is littered with some very fine extras -- but if you want the "deluxe" treatment, you'll have to visit Best Buy, because they have an exclusive 2-disc edition that's got even MORE goodies.

Plus, ladies, the movie's got some really nice man-ass in it.

Newsflash!: FF '07 favorite TIMECRIMES actually travels through time!!!

2008-06-09T10:00:00.001-05:00

It's true! Not content to have created the most memorable and exciting Spanish sci-fi film of its age, writer/director/star of TIMECRIMES Nacho Vigalondo recently packed an airplane with friends and colleagues and flew against the time barrier for a special movie-themed party. The passengers viewed the film on the plane itself, then landed in another time zone to party down on the Canary Islands!

Here's the news story on the event from Spanish TV!:

(If you don't speak fluent Spanish, don't feel bad...I don't either!)

Regardless, yet another congratulations to Nacho, as TIMECRIMES opens in Spain next weekend on 80 screens - a very impressive release for an independent film. The film will be released by Magnet/Magnolia in the fall in the US - so look for it and spread the word already!!

Rhyme Time #1

2008-06-06T15:13:00.001-05:00

Yo I've got something to get off my chest
I think I have a crush on Fantastic Fest
As genre fests go it's among the best
If it was publicly traded I'd surely invest

We'll have games and movies and barbecues
And tons of alcohol for you drunks to choose
(In Austin even babies can handle their booze)
And we even welcome people like women and jews

It all takes place at the House of Draft
Where I once saw a comedy and really laughed
But the owner was once convicted of graft
And conspiring to blackmail the estate of George Raft

We get great flicks thanks to Tim and Harry
But they're often pretty scary so you better be wary
And I know this will make me sound contrary
But we all know who's in charge and that is Karrie

The Alamo crew smokes butts out back
But they're so damn crazy you'd think it's crack
And I hope this confession doesn't earn me a smack
But I once went upstairs and saw Lars kissing Zack

Wall-to-wall movies are always great
But the food's good too, plus it comes on a plate
The fest is perfect if you're out on a date
Watch some French splatter and then procreate!

Don't bring your own food into the place
Or you probably won't get to stuff your face
(And the servers will beat you and then give chase)
It's tough to eat cheese fries when you're in a neck brace

It's not like Austin is really far
Just go to Central Texas and find the nearest bar
Whether you're in Philly, Guam or Zanzibar
Just remember this: 1120 South Lamar

But seriously folks, and I mean this sincerely
It's a shame that Fantastic Fest comes only yearly
It's an awesome event that I truly love dearly
And I'm sorry if this poem has ended rather queerly

Fantastic Fest '07 Flashback

2008-05-31T09:11:00.005-05:00

I asked Tim if I could help out with the Fantastic Fest blog and he demanded to see my qualifications. I told him I've been "blogging" (a word I loathe) for Cinematical (blatant plug) for several years, plus I run my own nerdly little movie blog right here (pathetic plug). He said Yes, I Know You Retard and Thanks For The Help and off we go. My plan is to give the Fantastic Fest Faithful a reason to visit this blog more than, say, once a fortnight (which I think is three months).

So to give you a little taste of my oh-so-thorough "blogging" (ugh) abilities, I'm starting a new tradition right now: Every June 1st we'll scan back through the previous year's FF titles and see how they're faring on the U.S. distribution front. And by we I mean me.

Aachi & Ssipak -- Available on an all-region DVD as of last December -- although it may be tough to find.

Alone -- Unavailable in R1 as of yet, but imports are available.

The Backwoods -- Lionsgate released the DVD in April.

The Beautiful Beast -- Released as a double feature (along with the 1946 version) last May.

Big Man Japan -- Magnolia has it. Expect a DVD release some time this year.

Blood, Boobs & Beast -- Still on the festival circuit!

The Cold Hour -- Released in the UK, but not the US.

Death Note 1 and 2 -- The DVD comes out in September, although I'm not sure if it's both flicks or just the first one.

The Devil's Chair -- Still no "official" word on the US DVD, but be patient!

Diary of the Dead -- The Weinsteins gave it a limited release; the DVD just came out a few weeks ago. And is excellent.

A Dirty Carnival -- Hit DVD on May 20, courtesy of "Genius Products."

Dog Bite Dog -- The Weinsteins put the DVD out last October.

End of the Line -- I wish I knew at this point.

The Entrance -- Lionsgate put it out just last week.

Exte: Hair Extensions -- Available from Tokyo Shock on July 29th.

The Ferryman -- First Look released it only a week after FF '07.

Finishing the Game -- Just hit DVD last week, courtesy Genius again.

Five Across the Eyes -- Anchor Bay bought it for US distribution; no release yet. (It's out in the UK.)

Flash Point -- Genius / Weinstein released it last month.

Flight of the Living Dead -- New Line released the DVD last October.

The Girl Next Door -- Anchor Bay released the DVD late last year.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time -- Import only.

Hell's Fever -- Looks to have been released and gone out-of-print already.

Hell's Ground -- TLA's Danger After Dark label unleashes the Pakistani lunacy later this month.

Inside -- Weinstein's Dimension Extreme label delivered the DVD last month -- but DON'T rent it from Blockbuster because their version's been gutted.

Invisible Target -- The Weinsteins again: June 10th.

Kiltro -- Now available from Magnolia DVD!

The Last Winter -- Will FINALLY hit DVD in July. Thanks, IFC.

Maiko Haaaann!!! -- The R1 DVD hits shelves on June 24th.

Mirageman -- Magnolia. Expect the DVD a little later this year.

Moebius Redux -- It's played on TV all over the world by now.

Never Belongs to Me -- I have no idea.

Offscreen -- Still without US distribution, as far as I can tell.

Persepolis -- Sony releases the DVD later this month.

Postal -- Recently had some sort of limited release. Expect the DVD before long.

Princess -- Apparently Tartan has the US rights, but didn't they just go bankrupt?

Retribution -- Lionsgate released the DVD last April.

The Rug Cop -- Import only, it seems.

Sex and Death 101 -- Anchor Bay will release this one on July 1st. (It's funny!)

Son of Rambow -- Playing at South Lamar right now! Expect the Paramount DVD later this year.

Southland Tales -- Now on DVD from Sony. Brace yourself.

Spiral -- Anchor Bay released it in February.

Summer Scars -- TLA picked it up. Release date pending.

The Sword Bearer -- Now available, I do believe.

Taxidermia -- Another one Tartan owns US right to.

There Will Be Blood -- Now available on Paramount DVD. And still awesome.

Timecrimes -- Magnolia has a hold of it; English-language remake is coming from (maybe) David Cronenberg!

Uncle's Paradise -- Apparently unavailable as of yet.

Weirdsville -- Magnolia released it last February.

Wicked Flowers -- See "Uncle's Paradise."

Wolfhound -- Import only. But worth it.

Wrong Turn 2 -- A Fox release from last October.

So there you have it. My first post for the Eff Eff blog and it only took me like three hours. Cool. See you all soon! (And thanks to Jette for the photo!)

Love him or hate him...UWE BOLL is FOREVER!

2008-05-19T10:14:00.001-05:00

Fantastic Fest guest, pal of the Alamo and enemy of film critics everywhere, Uwe Boll has been given the honor of a lead story in last weekend's New York Times! Though the feature doesn't blindly praise all of the director's work, it does give him the rare opportunity to state his case in the major media, and explain why his title of "Worst Director of All Time" is a bit less than fair.

Read the article HERE!

It also covers his most recent film POSTAL, which debuted to packed houses at Fantastic Fest 2007 and will be returning to the Alamo South Lamar THIS FRIDAY to obliterate the boundaries of good taste. Get your tickets HERE!

Congratulations, Uwe!

FF '07 favorite DEATH NOTE earns a series of US screenings!

2008-05-14T10:31:00.001-05:00

One of the most stunning films to play last year's Fantastic Fest was DEATH NOTE from Japan, a mind-twisting tale that has created an avalanche of excitement in its native country. We're happy to hear that some of that excitement has carried the film to the US for a limited release, and Fantastic Fest congratulates the folks behind DEATH NOTE on their international success!

Details on the upcoming US screenings are below in this official press release from Viz Entertainment:

* * * * * *

VIZ PICTURES AND NCM FATHOM BRING DEATH NOTE TO THE BIG SCREEN FOR ONLY TWO NIGHTS IN NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT

San Francisco, CA, April 14, 2008 - VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced that it will team with NCM FATHOM, the entertainment division of National CineMedia, to present a special two-night multi-city debut at over 300 theaters across the United States for the live-action special event DEATH NOTE on May 20 and 21, at 7:30 pm. local time.

This special two-night event includes a specially produced 20-minute feature on how the manga translates to live action as well as the first-ever interview with director Shusuke Kaneko.

Advance purchase tickets will be available from April 18th through April 20th to all subscribers of the SHONEN JUMP e-mail newsletter (sign-up is available at www.shonenjump.com). Tickets for the general public will be available starting on April 21st at presenting theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit the www.FathomEvents.com website.

DEATH NOTE is based on the hit supernatural action mystery manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The live-action film, directed by Shusuke Kaneko, known as the director of popular monster film GAMERA series, was released in Japan in 2006 and mirrors the manga's story of Light Yagami, an ace student with great prospects who is bored out of his mind. All of that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god named Ryuk. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals mysteriously begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to investigate, and he is soon hot on the trail of Light, who must now reevaluate his one noble goal. Both Light and L believe themselves to be on the side of justice, and the two match wits trying to show exactly which of them is "good" and which of them is "evil."

Presented by NCM Fathom and VIZ Pictures, the DEATH NOTE live action feature appears on the big screen in high-definition with Cinema Surround Sound in select locations throughout the U.S., screening in more than 300 theaters.

"NCM Fathom is excited to partner with VIZ once again to bring such a unique event to the big screen for DEATH NOTE fans across the country," said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. "DEATH NOTE is a perfect fit for NCM Fathom's line-up of alternative in-theatre entertainment of all types - from anime, music concerts, extreme sports, comedy, children's programming, the Metropolitan Opera and more."

The DEATH NOTE manga and animated series have become extremely popular domestically. The 37-episode animated series is seen by millions each week on cable broadcast and the series is also distributed on DVD by VIZ Media (rated T+ for Older Teens). On the print side, DEATH NOTE 13: HOW TO READ, a companion volume to the successful manga series, also published domestically by VIZ Media, was recently ranked in USA Today's Top 150 list of America's best-selling books in February.

"DEATH NOTE is a riveting and critically acclaimed drama that has become the latest animated and manga series to capture the attention of millions of fans across North America," says Seiji Horibuchi President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. "Inspired by its manga and animation counterparts, the live-action DEATH NOTE combines the best aspects of suspenseful crime dramas like Heat, Seven and Sea Of Love with supernatural plot elements to make for a very unique story. We are very excited to partner with NCM FATHOM to present this special two-night event in major markets across the country. With multiple genres available to enjoy the story we hope the film attracts fans of the manga and animated series and vice versa."

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA at The Alamo Ritz!!!!!

2008-05-13T12:58:00.000-05:00

Holy SMOKES.

After the success of our Big Screen Sci-Fi Classics series at The Ritz, we wanted to top off our incredible pre-summer movie series with something COLOSSAL. And after the rousing reaction you all gave to our screenings of another John Carpenter/Kurt Russell masterpiece THE THING, we realized there was only one option...

The most SLAM-BANGIN'EST, GUN-BLASTIN'EST, ANCIENT CHINESE MYSTICISM-INEST ACTION ADVENTURE COMEDY THRILLRIDE EVER SEEN...

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who've yet to experience this pulse-pounding foray into life-affirming entertainment, this movie ranks way up there with GHOSTBUSTERS and PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE as an ultimate distillation of PURE FUN. Kurt Russell plays two-fisted trucker Jack Burton, a gambling, beer-chugging schmoe whose macho heroics land him on the supernatural immortal kung-fu warrior shitlist. The lightning and magic lazerbeams fly through the streets of San Francisco as Jack and his fellow lowbrow adventurers face off against rampaging maniacs, elemental demigods, mythical beings and even prehistoric subterranean monstrosities!!

MAY 18 - 21 is your rare chance to catch this absolutely unparalleled movie in its enormous Scope 35mm widescreen glory, so don't miss out! Get your tickets HERE!

Here's the astonishing trailer!:

We also have special limited edition silkscreened posters made just for these shows available through the mighty Mondo Tees HERE! They glow in the dark and are soooo WOW. Look!:

...And as a special bonus, here's director John Carpenter's so-called rock band The Coup De Villes with a very uncomfortable MUSIC VIDEO for the film's infectious theme jam!:

Doesn't that keyboard player look exactly like the lovechild of Adam Sandler and Billy Joel?

Anyway, don't let the music video fool you...BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is an EARTH-SHAKING JUGGERNAUT of ADRENALIZED EXCITEMENT gone TOTALLY OVER THE MAX! See you there!!!!!!

First details on Fantastic Fest 2008

2008-05-11T15:51:00.000-05:00

We printed a few little nuggets about Fantastic Fest in our most recent printed Alamo guide, but as not everyone has access to that, I thought it would be fair to mirror those tidbits on the Fantastic Fest website. The most important in my opinion is the tweak to the badge system. We are attempting to eliminate the long and sometimes frustrating lines that form for regular badge holders who are hoping to get tickets to the really big movies.

Here's the scoop from the printed guide. We are working on a major website overhaul soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

FANTASTIC FEST 2008

Fantastic Fest is the largest genre film festival in the United States, and it all happens right here at the Alamo Drafthouse. By genre, I mean horror, science-fiction, fantasy, crime, animation, action and all-around badass cinema. It’s as if you packed the very best of what the Alamo offers and slams it all into one crazy week. All of the screenings of the approximately 65 features and 40 shorts take place at the Alamo South Lamar, so there’s no driving/walking from venue to venue. In our fourth year, we have already established ourselves as a worldwide leader in the genre film festival circuit.

REGULAR BADGE HOLDERS GET A FAIR SHAKE
We’ve devised a new system for tickets this year. VIP badge holders are still guaranteed to get into any show they desire, but we are asking that the VIP badgeholders commit to your schedule no later than noon on the day of the show. After noon, regular badge holders can pick up what tickets are left. Individual tickets will be sold 15 minutes before each show to non-badge holders. This refinement of the system still offers VIP Badge holders their guaranteed seat, but eliminates the problem of regular badge holders waiting all day and missing potential screenings so they can be first in line for the big movies. I think everyone will be satisfied with this new system.

PINK MOVIE RETROSPECTIVE
The masterminds behind last year’s brilliant Nikkatsu retrospective, Harvey Fenton from Fab Press and Marc Walkow from the New York Asian Film Festival are at it again in 2008. Together with author Jasper Sharp (Behind the Pink Curtain; Midnight Eye), they have programmed a mini-retrospective of Japanese Pinku films for Fantastic Fest. Pinku describes Japanese softcore sex genre, but unlike in the states, these films are the breeding ground for new filmmaking talent. As long as they deliver the requisite number of minutes of nudity and softcore sex, the rest of the picture is theirs to craft. In the past two years we’ve shown THE GLORIOUS LIFE OF SACHIKO HANAI and UNCLE’S PARADISE, two of the most delightfully surreal films in Fantastic Fest history. With this series we’ll be reaching back in the vaults to screen some very rare and very delicious treats.

AUSSIE EXPLOITATION RETROSPECTIVE
Again, no firm details yet, but we’re working on another great repertory series for Fantastic Fest. Magnolia is producing a documentary on the history of Australia exploitation which we intend to show, and in addition we will be screening some of the classics of the genre. MAD MAX didn’t just come out of nowhere, Australians have been making our kind of movies for a long time, and we’ll be bringing you a small collection of those gems.

CHECK THE WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK FOR MORE
We’ll be making a major content announcement after the Cannes Film Festival in May with numerous updates to follow, leading up to the festival. In 2008, expect a return of the Fantastic Feud and Karaoke Party, as well as new concepts like the Fantastic Debates and the Celebrity 100 Best Kills Showdown, where visiting filmmakers and guests introduce their favorite cinematic kills and square off against the scenes provided by the audience. We’ll also have more parties, incorporate more signature Alamo programming into the mix, and of course, provide a boatload of the craziest new genre cinema from across the globe! Join us on Facebook or check the website (www.fantasticfest.com) for details as they come about. (Tim League, director and co-founder, Fantastic Fest)

VARIETY LOVES FANTASTIC FEST
During his Keynote Address at the International Film Festival Summit in Las Vegas, Variety president and publisher Charlie Koones listed Austin’s Fantastic Fest in a list of “10 Film Festivals we Love,” which he described as “interesting and exciting” events, not listed in order of importance. In addition to our festival, the list included industry heavy-hitters such as Cannes, Toronto and Telluride. What has drawn the interest of Variety is the caliber of our programming and the community that we have built around the festival. It’s that sense of community and collective passion for watching really fun movies that makes this week my absolute favorite of the year. If you love Asian cinema, giant robots, blazing gunfire and some truly unexpected craziness on your celluloid, you simply must join us this year. It’s going to be the best festival yet!

Free Screening - Machine Girl 6/2

2008-05-08T01:24:00.000-05:00

We began programming Fantastic Fest 2008 in December 2007. One of the downsides of starting this early is that films that you really like sometimes find distribution and get out to market before the festival. One such movie is Machine Girl, which has found a home at Media Blasters and will hit video in Early June. We thought you guys would really like to check out this film early and have arranged with Media Blasters to present a sneak preview free screening of the film.

About Machine Girl
When bullies kill her younger brother, schoolgirl Ami (Minase Yashiro) seeks revenge on the perps and their parents. She loses an arm during a yakuza torture session; fortunately, sympathetic motor mechanics help with a machine-gun prosthesis, and Ami turns the bloody tide.

Check out the trailer below. Wow! Arterial sprays, chainsaws, ninjas, throwing stars and rotary drill bras. Machine Girl is without a doubt our kind of popcorn.

Admission to this show is free. Fantastic Fest and Austin Asian American Film Festival badge holders (plus one guest each) will be guaranteed admission as long as you arrive 20 minutes before showtime, all others are welcome but will be admitted on a space available basis beginning 20 minutes before the showtime.

Please RSVP at the Fantastic Fest Facebook Group so we know how many folks to expect.

This event is presented by Fantastic Fest and the Austin Asian American Film Festival

Iron Man Photo and Video Posted!

2008-05-02T00:41:00.000-05:00

On April 26, Fantastic Fest and AICN teamed up to present a sneak preview screening of Iron Man featuring a guy in an actual jet pack flying around the parking lot before the film. If the jet exhaust was so loud that you couldn't take your fingers out of your ears long enough to snap photos, never fear. Our pal Mary Sledd from Sledd Photography was furiously snapping away. You can find the complete set of Iron Man/Jet Pack photos on the Alamo Flickr Page.

If you didn't get a chance to see IRON MAN yet. Do so. Quickly. A super hero movie that has a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes is practically unheard of. It really is that good.

Serious Tony Stark fans should only see it at the new Alamo Ritz where we'll be flexing our new full-liquor license and featuring some of Stark's favorite adult beverages.

Check out video footage of the Jet Pack extravaganza below:

Iron Man contest photos online

2008-04-26T15:25:00.000-05:00

Fantastic Fest and Ain't It Cool News are presenting an advance screening of IRON MAN on April 28. Before the screening we'll be treated to a demonstration of Jet Pack International's amazing technological breakthrough: an ACTUAL jet pack. To get tickets, patrons had to make an Iron Man or Tony Stark costume and send us a photo. These photos are now available on the Alamo Flickr Page. We'll have photos of the Jet Pack demonstration posted up later this week.

To find out about more of these events in advance, join us on the Alamo Fanatics Facebook Page or the Fantastic Fest Facebook Page.

Iron Man opens at the Alamo on Friday, May 2. Check it out at the Ritz where we'll be featuring Tony Stark's favorite happy hour special: a Glenmorangie Scotch Flight and discounted Whiskey Sours. The Alamo at the Ritz... your new happy hour bar!

Fantastic Fest praised in Moviemaker Magazine

2008-04-23T16:32:00.000-05:00

In the current issue of Moviemaker Magazine, Fantastic Fest was hailed as one of the "25 Festivals Worth the Submission Fee." While this is of primary importance to filmmakers who are considering Fantastic Fest to debut their film, it's also of interest to the audience attending the festival. We are expecting a lot of guest filmmakers and Q&As in this year's festival, as the word of Fantastic Fest's southern hospitality has been getting around. More filmmakers and more "badass" films means a better festival for you, me and the entire audience. 2008 is shaping up, in the words of William Shatner, to be a "very good year."

Check out a hi-res scan of the article here for all the details.
Fantastic Fest official site.

Iron Man sneak and a guy in a jet pack!

2008-04-21T17:56:00.001-05:00

Ain't It Cool News and Fantastic Fest proudly present a free sneak preview of the almost unbearably anticipated film of the summertime:

IRON MAN
April 28, 7:00 PM
Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar
1120 South Lamar Blvd
Austin, TX

To make it even more special, however, we will be having a live appearance by Iron Man himself (or at least the closest real-life equivalent we could find: Mr. Jet Pack International. Before the screening, we'll be treated to a display of technology that was only in the dreams of sci-fi filmmakers until now. Mr. Jet Pack International will take off from the Alamo South Lamar parking lot, fly above the crowd and return to earth to shake hands, hold babies and sign cleavage.

Admission to this screening is free, HOWEVER, since every self-respecting geek clearly wants to go, we're going to make you work for it a little bit. To secure a ticket, you need to send us a photo (RGB, .jpg, less than 400KB) of you either dressed as Iron Man or Tony Stark (dressing as Iron Man will clearly get you a better shot). We'll select the 100 best photos and those folks will receive a pair of tickets to the show. Before the jet pack demonstration, we'll have an Iron Man costume contest with assorted prizes and merchandise for the winners. Photos are due by Thursday, April 24rd at 5:00 PM CST. We'll announce the winners on April 25 at 5:00 PM CST. Photos can be sent to ironman@originalalamo.com. If you are one of the lucky winners to get tickets, wear your costume to the event on the 28th and we'll have great Iron Man prizes for you!

Exte: Fantastic Fest Favorite returns Alamo 4/30

2008-04-18T01:02:00.006-05:00

The most audience-pleasing and talked about Japanese film of Fantastic Fest 2007 is back in a special limited engagement at The Ritz! But just don't listen to the audience, Exte also won the gold medal in the 2007 Fantastic Fest Horror Features competition.

"Customs agents stumble across a giant crate of human hair, destined to be used as extensions for trendy Japanese civilians. They are disgusted, but revulsion is eclipsed by horror when they discover, in the center of this mountain of hair, a single dead girl, whose organs and even an eye have been removed, presumably for black market sale. A girl whose broken body has been harvested in every conceivable way. Meanwhile, at the hip Gilles De Rais hair salon, an apprentice stylist named Yuko (the stunning Chiaki Kuriyama, best known to Western viewers as KILL BILL’s Gogo Yubari) is living an all-hair all-the-time existence, practicing on friends, wigs, anything. Over the ensuing days, her salon is turned upside-down as clients are found dead, inexplicably and very violently murdered by...their own hair! And not in any subtle, symbolic sense either. No, in spectacular setpieces that recall the psychotropic mania of Higuchinsky’s UZUMAKI, strands of hair tear out from body cavities, wounds, eyeballs, mouths and fingertips, often fastening to immovable objects and utterly obliterating the people they happen to be connected to!

EXTE is transgressive art/horror genius Sion Sono’s entry into bigger-budget, star-fronted Japanese studio filmmaking, and neither his signature nor his spirit have been washed away by the influx of yen. Grand Guignol surrealism burrows through the façade of normalcy, S&M undertones abound in circumstances and dialogue, absurdist comedy sprouts from the most unexpected places and stunning set pieces of body-horror are often a saliva-swallow away. Sono takes the Japanese supernatural horror genre’s now-well-past-done flowing hair iconography to levels so uncharted they tear straight off the chart. He not only turns hair itself into his narrative’s central threat, he anchors it back to his filmography’s continuing exploration of the natures of abuse and accountability, the hyper-destructive strands functioning in part as a metaphor for internal horrors impacting external realities, unstoppably brutalizing their “owners” in ways that must be seen to be believed. It’s outrageous, it’s gruesome as hell, it’s darkly comical and it works fantastically. Beloved character actor Ren Osugi (AUDITION, ZEBRAMAN, CURE and, interestingly, UZUMAKI, among many others) a Kitano/Kurosawa/Miike regular, co-stars as a morgue attendant with some very peculiar fetishes and delivers the downright freakiest performance of his 145-film career." - Mitch Davis, Fantasia Film Festival

2008 Fantastic Fest badge holders get Free Admission to this screening, non-badge holders, it's $5 (we'll have a list at the door of current badge holders. For those who had the pleasure of seeing this show at Fantastic Fest, please tell your friends. For the rest of you, just read the post above. We're not steering you wrong here.

Tickets and info here.

See Pineapple Express Three Weeks Early!

2008-04-17T18:43:00.000-05:00

This just in from Harry over at AICN - a chance to see PINEAPPLE EXPRESS Three months early with Danny McBriade, Seth Rogen, James Franco and David Gordon Green in person. Read below:

Hey folks, Harry here! AICN is doing a couple of screenings with the ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE that are just going to kick so much ass... you won't know what to do. This is the first one we get to announce and it's a biggie.

Last year, around this time we had an amazing advanced screening of SUPERBAD with Michael Cera, Jonah Hill and McLovin'. This year we've got the new David Gordon Green directed, Judd Apatow Produced... PINEAPPLE EXPRESS with SETH ROGEN, JAMES FRANCO and DANNY McBRIDE coming... oh and the incredibly talented - and not known for his Druggie Violent Comedies - DAVID GORDON GREEN!!!

That's right - all 4 of them at the Alamo Drafthouse South on May 3rd at 9:30pm - where if you're lucky enough to make it - you'll get in to see this film over 3 months early and then have a chance to make everyone you know envious beyond words. I've been dying to see this since I met a couple of readers of AICN last summer during the Rolling Roadshow BOOGIE NIGHTS screening in L.A. - who had seen PINEAPPLE EXPRESS at two different early test screenings. They raved about the film all night to me and got me incredibly fired up to see this film.

Now - here's the rub. I don't have a ton of tickets. Most of the tickets will be handed out somewhere around the University of Texas campus by the studio's secret agents - but I do have a few tickets - in the under 75 ticket variety. So here's how we're going to handle this.

Requests for tickets are for no more than 2 at a time. You plus one. Send an email to HK @ AintItCool dot Com with the subject line: Puffing Pineapple

In this email you'll need to send your name & the name of your guest - plus why you're perfect to see PINEAPPLE EXPRESS so early. Why are you perfect to see a violent pot smoking comedy crime thriller?

This screening is being brought to you by AIN'T IT COOL NEWS, FANTASTIC FEST & THE ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE - however it is open to everyone. If you can get there - and you want to go - write me and I'll publish the list of attendees.

This is going to be an awesome screening - I really wish I could have special sugar free herbed brownies for this screening... if only the theater could make such a thing. Shucks.

SEX AND DEATH 101 - Missed it at Fantastic Fest? See it now.

2008-04-16T12:54:00.001-05:00

SEX AND DEATH 101 was like a cool breeze at the last Fantastic Fest, a good solid comedy (though admittedly one with Winona Ryder as a serial killer) to briefly cleanse the palate of penis-gun homicide, subway beasties, deadly hair-extensions and the like. Stars Simon Baker and Patton Oswalt and director Daniel Waters were there and the room was packed to the ceiling.

But of course a lot of people missed it - or were unable to bring their friends - or just plain want to see it again. And we're happy to present it again. It is now playing at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Bring your friends and have a lot of fun.

Here are Baker, Oswalt and Waters on SEX AND DEATH 101:

To find out more and buy tickets click here.

Mystery event... coming to Austin!

2008-02-29T08:04:00.001-06:00

If you open up the Austin American Statesman on Friday, February 29th, Wednesday March 5th and Thursday March 6th, and you might see what I find to be a very tantalizing advertisement. I've reproduced the ad here on this blog post to save you a bit of effort. I am not at liberty to divulge the details at this time, but suffice it to say, I am excited and I will be there to pick up my ticket!

New frenzy announced: BPM Music Video Contest

2008-02-22T16:56:00.002-06:00

Filmmaking Frenzy is proud to announce our next action-packed filmmaking competition, the 2008 edition of BPM (Beats Per Minute), a 48 hour filmmaking competition. At the beginning of the contest teams will be given a song from one of the artists performing at the Red Bull Moon Tower. Once everybody's checked in, we'll say "Go!" and immediately you and your team start scrambling: listening to the song, decoding the lyrics, making the shot list, borrowing and stealing guitars, wigs - whatever it takes to make the most entertaining video of them all.

Grand prize for this Frenzy is an AMD-based Dell laptop loaded up by Guitar Center with a music editing package, second prize is an AMD-based Dell laptop and third prize is an Epiphone guitar provided by Gibson. The top 40 films will also be posted on the Red Bull Moon Tower Facebook page., and the top 40 teams will be invited to the Red Bull Moon Tower where their videos will be played in between the live sets of the bands from the competition.

Teams have from between Friday, Feb 29, 7:00 PM and Sunday, Mar 2, 7:00 PM, to produce a music video for a band that will be performing at the Red Bull Moon Tower. All films will be posted online for voting by March 5 at 5:00 PM.

Sign up for a team and see all the rules and info here.

Do you have the crazy? THE SIGNAL opens today at the Alamo South Lamar

2008-02-22T11:35:00.005-06:00

Austinites, consider yourselves lucky, as if you didn't already. You can check out one of the best sci-fi-horror-action movies we've seen in years starting today at the Alamo South Lamar.

if you liked PLANET TERROR, you have an idea of the speed and tone of THE SIGNAL. It's an unabashed brain-smashing good time at the movies. Oh, we won't tell you who the killer is but here's a hint - IT'S YOU!

Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle nailed it in his glowing review here.

Buy your ticket and find out more about THE SIGNAL here.

Come See Fantastic Fest Face-Burner SPIRAL at the Alamo South Lamar this week!

2008-02-07T14:14:00.000-06:00

If you wondered why so many people were wandering around shaking their heads and muttering to themselves at Fantastic Fest last year, it's probably because they had just seen a screening of the terrific, suspenseful thriller SPIRAL. This time HATCHET director Adam Green has taken on an all new challenge and once again he succeeds with edge-of-your-seat excitement.

And now, by popular demand, we are thrilled to bring it back for everyone to enjoy.

Buy your tickets now HERE.

"A Hitch-cocktail of precision direction, deft pacing, startling imagery and clean style. The undercurrent of sly suspense never subsides in this teasing psychodrama packing a final shock punch." Alan Jones, FrightFest

Portland in the fall is a solitary city. A city where a lonely man can lose himself, insulated beneath the cold, and the clouds, and the rain. Mason (Joel David Moore) is just such a man. A gifted artist, Mason is never-the-less neurotic and reclusive, living a life of anonymity, working from a drab cubicle in a florescent-lit phone bank, repeating the same meaningless conversation with faceless strangers ad nauseam.

Mason is never truly noticed by anyone, save his boss, Berkeley (Zachary Levi), not quite a friend, but a sole source of companionship in an otherwise isolated existence. That is, until he meets a gregarious co-worker named Amber (Amber Tamblyn), a girl struggling with her own loneliness and need to define herself. Amber's jovial demeanor and seemingly carefree attitude provides a sort of catharsis for Mason, and allows his true gifts to come to light as she poses for his art.

It is an unlikely, and unusual courtship that helps Mason find peace for possibly the first time in his life. But as Mason's defenses lower, and the man inside is revealed, there may be something behind the surface darker than anyone expected. For not everything that is hidden should be found, and not every love is meant to be. And you can't paint over your past...

Scream! Die! TEXAS FEAR FEST is coming!!!

2008-02-07T11:27:00.000-06:00

GOREMASTERS and GUTBLASTERS!

There are very few events that can really bring out the little kid in you. But only one tears that little kid directly through your sternum and holds it up to the scorching light of pure horror insanity:

T E X A S F E A R F E S T !!!

If you've ever shrunk in terror from a shadow creeping across your window...if you've ever shivered at a cold wind passing through a darkened woods...if you've ever watched a goddamn horror movie, NOW IS THE TIME TO INDULGE IN YOUR OWN FRIGHT!

The central US' most major celebration of terror -- and the largest in our state's history -- THE TEXAS FEAR FEST will be upon us soon! On March 7 through 9, Dallas will be flooded with more b-movie royalty and big-scream celebrities than your wildest nightmares would ever allow. Everyone from JOHN SAXON to LINNEA QUIGLEY to MICHAEL BERRYMAN to ROBERT "FREDDY" ENGLUND to the cast of TROLL 2 will be there, waiting to shake your hand and manifest your deepest fears in the flesh!!

And the Alamo Drafthouse's own Rolling Roadshow will also be there on opening night to present outdoor 35mm SPECIAL GUEST SCREENINGS of gut-churning classicks including A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, FRIGHT NIGHT, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER and (last but certainly not least) TROLL 2!! Each of these unforgettable back-to-back films will be hosted by a major group of cast and creators LIVE IN PERSON, and I guarantee that this is the closest you will ever get to seeing these films in unfettered '80s drive-in glory!

For details on the screening event, CLICK HERE!

And to purchase a ticket for the entire Fear Fest weekend, CLICK HERE!

Honestly, there's never been such a massively huge assemblage of high-grade horror luminaries and unadulterated hack-n-slash excitement under one roof. If you miss this event, you may as well spend the weekend sucking bullets out of a shotgun.

Make a film with SUPER PAL UNIVERSE!!!

2008-02-06T16:36:00.000-06:00

The Austin School of Film presents:

SUPER PAL UNIVERSE YOUTH M.A.F.I.A.
"Make-A-Film-In-A-Weekend" Film Festival!

Come join other teens, ME Television, The Super Pal Universe and the Austin School of Film for filmmaking at its most raw! The competition is open to all youth filmmakers, ages 14-19. A rigorous shooting schedule and set of parameters will guide The Super Pal Universe Youth M.A.F.I.A. (Make-A-Film-In-A- Weekend!) Film Festival; these parameters will be made known at exactly 10 AM on Saturday, February 16th at ME Television Studios on 2130 South Congress Avenue, so please arrive twenty minutes early to confirm registration.

Space is limited! You must be pre-registered to attend! To pre-register, please contact Monica Santis

Monica @austinfilmschool.org
Office: 512-236-8877

Groups of 4 teens will have the next 48 hours to script, shoot, and edit a music video to the Super Pal Universe kids band, who will be performing songs from their upcoming new CD on the ME Television studio stage! Shooting and editing will occur at the ME Television studios on Saturday from 10:00am until 10:00pm, and at the Austin School of Film center on Sunday 10:00am until 10:00pm. Come prepared with a group or hook up with other teens the day of the festival. Austin School of Film teachers and mentors, editing equipment, meals, and sodas will be provided. Each team must bring their own DV camera; however, some cameras will be available to participants on a case by case basis.

Films will be judged according to their story, technical merit, and the filmmaker's ability to incorporate and use the prescribed guidelines. All participants in the Super Pal Universe Youth M.A.F.I.A. Film Festival will receive certificates of participation.

PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES! All finished works will be posted on the Super Pal Universe website for viewing and fan-based voting. The top artistic video based on a panel of judges from ASoF & SPU will receive a $150 cash prize! The top fan-favorite video based on number of website views will receive $100! Your video may also be selected to be included on the Super Pal Universe CD/DVD launching in March with full copyrighted authorship recognition for you!!!

Saturday: ME Television, 2130 South Congress Avenue
Sunday: Austin School of Film, 906 E.5th St #106 Contact Monica for further details!

Good luck young filmmakers!

Will Ferrell live in person, February 16!

2008-02-06T06:23:00.000-06:00

Ain't It Cool News and Fantastic Fest have an unbelievable special event happening an February 16 at 7:00 PM. The titan among modern-day comedy giants, Mr. Will Ferrell, along with director Kent Alterman will be live in person at the Alamo South Lamar for a special sneak-preview screening of his new comedy feature: SEMI-PRO.

We are making this special available exclusively to 2008 Fantastic Fest badge holders. Fantastic Fest badge holders will have first crack at the tickets until Friday, February 8 at 5:00 PM, after that, the remaining tickets, if any, will be made available to the general public.

If you haven't committed to Fantastic Fest 2008, now is the right time. Because of the high demand for these tickets, we don't expect these to last until Friday. Complete 2008 badge options are available on the Fantastic Fest website.

Admission to this event is free, but here's the catch... in order to gain entrance to the theater, all attendees MUST be wearing a Flint Tropics uniform. No uniform, no entry; you're going to have to show your dedication to get through the door.

To enter, you must be wearing ALL of the following:
sneakers
white tube socks with gold rings
gold, white or aqua shorts
a white Flint Tropics tank top jersey complete with team logo and number
a gold terry cloth headband

You can hand-craft your own uniform, but it must be complete. We also have available a licensed unifom set at Mondo Tees which includes everything but the shorts and sneakers (tube socks, headband and Flint Tropics tank top complete with your name ironed-on the back of the jersey in 70s style fuzzy letters).

It should go without saying that afros, 70s hairstyles in general and a very tight cut of shorts are all highly encouraged.

Before the film, we'll have a granny-style free throw competition, plus we'll take a group photo of everyone from the audience in their Flint Tropics gear. This photo will be posted to the web at high-resolution for everyone to download and print.

Fantastic Fest badgeholders are entitled to 1 ticket per badge, and as this show will sell out quickly, we will be scrutinizing the list carefully to ensure that all confirmed attendees are in fact Fantastic Fest badge holders. If your badge was purchased by another individual and you confirm for SEMI-PRO, please email the ticket-purchaser's name to brad@originalalamo.com.

Tickets to this show will be activated online at 1:00 PM on Thursday, February 7 for Fantastic Fest badge-holders only. Tickets will be open to the general public on Friday, February 8 at 5:00 PM.