{"id":3995,"date":"2015-09-22T12:03:26","date_gmt":"2015-09-22T17:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/?p=3995"},"modified":"2015-09-22T12:05:05","modified_gmt":"2015-09-22T17:05:05","slug":"fantastic-fest-2015-preview-day-five","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2015\/09\/22\/fantastic-fest-2015-preview-day-five\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantastic Fest 2015 Preview Day Five"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Art<\/a>

Art by Chris Bilheimer<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s that time again for my 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 24-October 1, here in Austin at the South Lamar location.<\/p>\n

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

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Fantastic Fest Preview Day Five<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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The Missing Girl<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

Mort lives a lonely and disillusioned life. In debt, single and unable to make ends meet, he relies on his brother and mother for loans, still drives his dad\u2019s old car and spends most evenings listening to self-affirmation tapes that he personally recorded. However, there\u2019s one ray of hope within his life: the new employee he\u2019s hired for his comic book shop. Ellen is everything Mort is not, a smart, aspiring graphic novelist with an acerbic wit. However, Ellen also has her own share of secrets, and the return of Mort\u2019s bullying high school friend will be the catalyst for events that will change everyone\u2019s lives forever.<\/p>\n

THE MISSING GIRL is the new effort from genre director A.D. Calvo, who, for the first time, expands his efforts into something very, very different: the story of everyday people. It\u2019s a smart character study, a black comedy with a genuine heart.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

Blessed with brilliant lead performances from Robert Longstreet and Alexia Rasmussen, the film is a beautiful, low-key exploration of the consequences of our actions, our connection to others and our obsession with the past. Shot with a subtle and melancholy color palette, THE MISSING GIRL also uses chapter headings and split panels to create an ever-expanding sense of being an independent comic book. All the way from the first frame to the end credit sequence, the film\u2019s look successfully combines storytelling and comic book imagery.<\/p>\n

Without ever resorting to grand statements, THE MISSING GIRL slowly, quietly explores its relatable characters\u2019 lives with intense kindness and understanding, leading all the way to satisfying conclusions, both emotional and narrative. It\u2019s a low-key wonder of a film which will remain in your thoughts long after the lights come up. (Evrim Ersoy)<\/p>\n