Fantasia: Weekend Two

The two films I caught this weekend we're The Fox Family and End of the Line. Before I dive into the reviews, two notes about the wonders of Canadian culture. I was accompanied by a friend of mine this weekend who loves to stop and shop at the local convenience/grocery stores to fully enjoy the differences between the Canadian and American culture. The hunt this weekend was on for a couple of unique potato chips not available in the United States. We came out with Lay's Curry flavored chips and Doritos Tandoori Spice tortilla chips. In a direct taste off, I prefered the Tandoori Spice, which reminded me of the classic (and I think discontinued) Taco Doritos, but for a guy who really can dislike the taste of curry, I loved the heat and taste of the Lay's chips as well. The big find that myself and another buddy made was the Labatt Dry Extra Strong Beer...a malty 10.1%, and available as a 1.8 litre (commonly known in the states as a "40").

To the films!

End of the Line was a local film making its local premiere. After playing at the Toronto Film Festival, this gore f/x gem from Montreal came home to play for the people who so often ride the subways that they turn into tunnels of carnage. The basic plot revolves around a group of born again Christians whose cultish leader has decided that it is time to trigger the great Apocalypse. Our protagonists are average citizens caught on the public subway system when beepers begin resounding from each car, and our conservatively dressed fundamentalists begin to "save" souls, which of course calls for the destruction of the corporeal shells. As I said, the gore is terrific in this film, and I am sure that there was not much of a budget, making them all the more impressive. The settings are poorly lit subway tunnels, which coupled with the director's use of quick in your face visuals and loud audio strikes, set up an edge of your seat situation. This sort of intesity however is in constant struggle with the dialogue, especially early on, which is poor enough to be hampering to both the mood and character development. Still, End of the Line is a fine film that ranks above the average rental fare, but does not quite stand toe to toe with the better theatrical horror releases.

What really made viewing End of the Line a great cinematic experience was, of course, the Fantasia atmosphere. I have already praised the Fantasia audience for being a very active one, but the fact that this was a hometown film multiplied the energy in the auditorium. At the end there was also a great Q&A session with the director and several actors, not to mention that the audience was peppered with people involved in the production of this film. All in all a great time was had.

The second feature, The Fox Family, was a delightful zany musical/comedy/fantasy from Korea. The plot is simple: a family of foxes turned human for 1,000 years have 30 minutes during an eclipse to eat a fresh human liver in order to become true humans. In the meantime, they run a circus and find themselves prime suspects in a murder investigation. While the plot may seem a bit farfetched, the music, colors, costumes and overall composition of this film are elements that any viewer can appreciate. Bizarre and beautiful at once, this film was a unique treat.

This is the final weekend of the festival coming up and I'll be hitting two final shows this Friday night, so please come back for the big wrap-up.

Same to Same,

Capt. Hendry