{"id":3196,"date":"2014-09-18T09:00:30","date_gmt":"2014-09-18T14:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/?p=3196"},"modified":"2014-09-17T10:32:42","modified_gmt":"2014-09-17T15:32:42","slug":"fantastic-fest-preview-day-five","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2014\/09\/18\/fantastic-fest-preview-day-five\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantastic Fest Preview Day Five"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Poster<\/a>

Poster by Geof Darrow<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s that time again for my annual sojourn to Fantastic Fest<\/a>, the annual Alamo Drafthouse week long love letter to horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and just plain fantastic movies from all around the world. This year\u2019s festival runs from Sept 18-25, here in Austin in the South Lamar location.<\/p>\n

As in year\u2019s past, I begin my coverage with a multi-part\/day preview.<\/p>\n

Fantastic Fest Preview Day Five
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The Tale of Princess Kaguya<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/h1>\n

\"Kaguya-Hime_no_Monogatari_poster\"<\/a>An aging bamboo cutter happens upon a glowing stalk which opens to reveal a tiny nymph. After taking it home, the nymph turns into a baby girl who ages very rapidly. Claiming the child as their own, the man and his wife lovingly refer to her as \u201cPrincess.\u201d When the bamboo cutter discovers gold and silks in the forest, he takes it as a sign that Princes is intended for bigger things. He moves his family into an extravagant palace and has his daughter trained in all manners of royalty. As suitors from across the land come to win her hand, the newly-named Kaguya longs for her simpler days in the forest, and does everything she can to change her fate.<\/p>\n

Based on ancient Japanese folklore, THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA is Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata\u2019s first film since MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS in 1999. It\u2019s been well worth the wait. The brush painting-inspired animation is breathtaking and the surreal look perfectly complements the fantasy elements. At its core, the film is a feminist tale as Princess Kaguya fights to make her own choices and not succumb to the pressures of her parents, society and Earth as a whole. It\u2019s thoroughly striking in story and craftsmanship and, simply put, THE TALES OF PRINCESS KAGUYA is utterly fantastic.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LGtvyx7Fzyw<\/p>\n

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The Babadook<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/h1>\n

\"babadookposter\"<\/a>Amelia (Essie Davis) has a problem and he is Sam (Noah Wiseman), her son. As his seventh birthday approaches\u2014a day she is unable to celebrate because it happens to be the anniversary of her husband\u2019s death. Sam\u2019s behavioral problems cause issues with friends and family, leading Amelia to lose more and more sleep. Drifting through a hazy life fighting off grief, guilt and her own flesh and blood, Amelia\u2019s motherly instincts are nearly shredded before one night\u2019s bedtime story comes in the form of a mysterious and gruesomely detailed pop-up book called \u201cMr. Babadook.\u201d Adding to his already violent outbursts is a new obsessive fear of the titular Babadook, and Sam comes dangerously close to pushing his mother to her breaking point before a knock-knock-knock at the door means the pair might have something more sinister to battle than each other.<\/p>\n

Expanding her short film MONSTER into her debut feature, Jennifer Kent explodes onto the horror scene with a film that oozes confidence. Her script and direction, the wickedly clever editing, the brilliant production and sound design and, not least of all, the two pitch-perfect central performances by Davis and Wiseman combine to deliver a horror experience nobody will soon forget. This twisted fairy tale never takes the easy way out, cheap shocks are not substituted for carefully built atmosphere, no tension is weakened by unnecessary comic relief and the special effects are a wonderful mix of old school techniques. It also never forgets the human drama at its very core.<\/p>\n

THE BABADOOK is incredibly effective because it puts its audience in a truly gripping emotional stronghold. That… and it\u2019s scary as shit. (Brian Kelley)<\/p>\n