This year’s viewings of films from Fantasia starts off strong with a film about a North Korean defector who works as a delivery driver for a company that handles what the post office and other delivery companies will not handle. One a run where she is supposed to pick up a father and son and bring them to the port, she ends up with the kid whose father has been murdered for what was in his possession and now those who killed him are after his child.
It’s almost upon us, the beast is about to be unleashed, and people are about to… Meow? Yet, meow. If you’ve ever attended Fantasia or have seen their promo videos, you’ve heard people meow at each other in the dark. Well, this year, some will be lucky and get to go, others will be watching from home wishing they were there, and we will be bringing you as much coverage as we, well ok I, can.
Director/Writer Rob Jabbaz’s “The Sadness” is easily the starkest and most depressing commentary on humanity that’s been produced in the last ten years. Humanity during the COVID era (?) has revealed a lot about itself during a pandemic that’s almost proven apocalyptic, and Jabbaz jumps on true events to deliver a message to his audience. Sadly, the message isn’t hopeful. Or optimistic. And no, it’s not at all cynical. It’s truth. It’s a clear cut exploration of civilization, and how easy it is (and can be) for everyone within to turn on each other, and descend in to absolute chaos, sadism, and delirium.
Theo, a Firefighter on leave following an accident, is suffering from severe PTSD which leads him to doubt his own mind. When his wife is found dead next to him one morning, he goes on the run looking for clues as to what happened.
Yume has a passion for dance. She leaves for Tokyo where she takes dance classes, joins contests, gets hired as a dancer, and generally lives the life of a dancer with all its ups and its downs.
A teen who went on the run returns home fifteen years later and finds himself pulled back into what had him leave in the first place.
Phil Tippet’s animated love child has been a highly anticipated and much talked about project for years. Tippet is a man whose career is absolutely historic. He’s a two-time Oscar winner, and Ray Harryhausen disciple who’s been the special effects wizard behind films like Star Wars, Robocop, Jurassic Park, and Starship Troopers, respectively. And that’s just a fraction of his massive iconic career. So it is fascinating to see something so unique, bizarre, and yet absolutely engrossing as “Mad God” come from the man.