Moebius Redux
Hasko Baumann’s documentary on French comic artist Jean Giraud, aka Moebius. The film opens with a stunning animated sequence with music by Kraftwerk alum Karl Bartos. That’s pure magic right there. Then Redux settles into talking head interviews, but Baumann runs a tight ship by focusing on Moebius the artist first and foremost. He only delves only into the Giraud’s secretive and occasionally turbulent personal life when it furthers exploration of the man as artist. There are some rare and insightful interviews with Philippe Druillet and Alejandro Jodorowsky. And based on Q&A after the movie, Jodorowsky is quite a difficult man to catch for an interview.
If you are a fan of comics or well made documentaries, see Moebius Redux. Now, if only Dark Horse or Humanoides would reprint U.S. editions of Arzach and Airtight Garage. Anyone know how to make that happen?
TimeCrimes
Everybody loves a time paradox, right? This Spanish production should fit the bill, then. In TimeCrimes, Hector sees a naked woman in the forest behind his new house. He goes to investigate and encounters a terrifying stranger whose head is swathed in pink bandages. The stranger stabs him, forcing to flee for his life. Then the time travel begins. Half way through, this film lulls you into thinking you’ve got everything sussed out, but wait until the third act rolls around. You ‘ll root for Hector, and against him.
At its heart, Nacho Vigalando’s TimeCrimes asks how far would you be willing to go to beat time and causality. Despite the science fiction at work, this low budget film plays out as a restrained thriller relying on a solid story and subtle camera work rather than some weak special effects. I wish more scifi cinema spent time making compelling stories like TimeCrimes before cranking up the CG. Based on conversations overheard in the FF crowd, this film is the likely to be the audience favorite at the closing night awards.
Zibahkhana (Hell’s Ground)
Who knew the first Pakistani film I’d see would turn out to be a horror film? Hell’s Ground is a bloody love letter to Tobe Hooper, George Romero, and Sam Raimi. We follow a handful of modern Pakistani teens sneaking out of town to see a rock concert. After an ominous warning at a roadside tea stand, zombies attack, and O.J. the stoner kid is injured. All set for a zombie holocaust? Wait, there’s more. After their van dies leaving the gang trapped in the woods, a hulking, mace swinging manic in a burqa sets his sights on them.
The ultra low budget gives these makers some stiff limitations, but they work what they’ve got and spin it into gold. If you dig the backwoods charm of the original Chainsaw and Evil Dead the you’ll love the honest production of Hell’s Ground. You’ll laugh and groan in places, you’ll wonder where the zombies pissed off to half way through the film, but it is all in good fun. Oh, Hell’s Ground, you had me at Burqaface.
A L’Interieur (Inside)
Inside is a modern French film. Hearing that you might think stylish, deliberately paced, possibly pretentious. How does splattery grab you? This film must be in the lead for bloodiest film at Fantastic Fest. If you are pregnant, thinking about it, or even recently had a child, I’d skip this one. Seriously.
It’s Christmas Eve and lonely Sarah dreads her birth of her baby, a lasting memento from the husband she lost in a car accident. A mysterious woman bangs at her door demanding entrance. Terrified Sarah calls the police, and in the process inadvertently locks herself in with the creepy femme. A pair of scissors later and we’re on our way to a stack of bodies and blood sprayed walls as Sarah holes up behind the locked bathroom door. The deranged woman wants only one, very precious thing.
For the most part, the movie is played straight, and ratchets up the tension in an skillful, if somewhat predictable, fashion. Sadly, I couldn’t tell if Inside meant to veer into the absurd or not. Some of the events that occur in the last ten minutes are so over the top that it hurts the everything that had gone before. The parting image of the film is wonderfully creepy, though.