Fantastic Fest 2009–First Squad (2009)/Merantau (2009)/Short Fuse Shorts Program
“Mama’s back!”
You wanna see some awesome movies? You come with me. Fantastic Fest is in full swing and I’m here for you.
FIRST SQUAD (2009)
Directed by: Yoshiharu Ashino
Written by: Aljosha Klimov/Misha Sprits
As the guy who introduced this film said, Russia has a LONG history of animation. They’ve been doing it forever and we got to see some of the early stuff before the shorts program later in the day. It’s all pretty creepy and VERY political.
But producers Aljosha Klimov and Misha Sprits don’t like Russian animation, so they went to one of the best anime studios in Japan, Studio 4C. Honestly, as strange as it was the hear Russian coming from such Japanese characters, I think they made the right decision.
The story they chose to tell was a partly true and partly WAY fantastical one. The WWII battles they talk about happened exactly as they say they did. But there was no such thing as the First Squad.
Why not?, you ask. Because the First Squad was a squad of teenagers who, all but one, died in battle. The only survivor, Nadya, is a psychic who has a new mission. She has to go to the other side to find her partners and bring them back. You see, the Germans are building an army of the dead to help them win the war.
You see where the “fantastic” comes in?
The animation is, of course, amazing. And I actually really liked the story a lot. For some reason, I think I liked it more than others did, especially the talking head segments. The producers slipped some war veterans and historians in to talk about what was going on onscreen. I kinda liked it. Yeah, it took us out of the story, but it added to the realism and (almost) the believability of the whole thing.
Not a perfect movie by any means, but a good one that any anime fan or history buff should check out.
Directed by: Gareth Evans
Written by: Gareth Evans
Indonesia used to have a pretty blustering martial arts film industry. Then, in the mid-80s, their biggest star, Barry Prima, retired. What’s an industry to do?
It took a Welshman, Gareth Evans, to bring the industry back. He went over to make a documentary about silat, the local martial art, and ended up wanting to make a fiction film featuring the fluid movements.
Evans found an actor in truck driver, Iko Uwais. He filmed him Iko saying that he was filming him for the doc, but he was actually getting some test footage. He was so impressed that he cast the kid in the lead.
Iko plays Yuda, a young man who is going on his merantau, kind of a walkabout for country boys. They leave home to become men.
While on his merantau, he meets Astri (Sisca Jessica who looks a bit like an Asian Reese Witherspoon) a girl who just wants to look out for her little brother. Unfortunately, she is pulled into a sex trade ring involving her boss at the club she works at and a pair of Danish brothers…of course. (One of them looks a lot like Mel Gibson. Coincidence?)
No new ground is broken with the story (although, I really liked all of the brother angles they took with it), but that really doesn’t matter. Silat is a beautiful fighting style that works incredibly well on film. And Iko, if he chooses to, could go really far in these kinds of movies.
In fact, I’m going to say this right now: Fuck Keanu Reeves. Fuck him right in the ear. I have seen the live-action Spike and his name is Iko Uwais. Don’t pretend that you don’t know what I’m talking about. I know there are some Cowboy Bebop lovers out there.
Anyway, go see this movie when it makes its way to theatres. Good story, great characters, good acting (for the most part) and amazing martial arts.
SHORT FUSE
The boys at Fantastic Fest have new names for stuff. Short Fuse is the live-action shorts program. Last year was the first year for the program and it was a lot of fun. This year I think it went on a bit too long, but they ended on a high note.
Directed by: Thibault Emin
Written by: Thibault Emin/David Lucas
A young couple are trapped inside while a hideous disease ravages the outside world. When one of them contracts the disease see what lengths they will go to to stay together.
Not a great short, but pretty effective in its creepy vibe. And the effects were great.
Directed by: Thomas Oberlies/Matthias Vogel
Written by: Thomas Oberlies/Matthias Vogel
Germany in the future. Work is hard to come by, so the government has a new program where young people assist old folks in keeping their jobs. What does our lead character do? Well, let’s just say that he breaks a LOT of Max Brooks’ rules.
A very funny short that took a bit too long to get to where it was going…but it was pretty much worth it.
Directed by: Tracie Laymon
Written by: Tracie Laymon
This one took WAY too long to get to its short drink of water. A man thinks something is inside his body, but the doctor can’t find anything wrong. So how else do you find out?
I think the filmmaker just wanted to show a guy cutting himself open. Lame with some nearly decent effects at the end.
MY LOVE LIVES IN THE SEWER (2008)
Directed by: Manuel Arija De La Cuerda
Written by: Manuel Arija De La Cuerda
This could have been about five minutes long. Instead, it stretched on for 18. A kid (played by a 40 year old man?) falls in love with a girl in the sewer. He communicates with her by flushing messages down the toilet. Then he fucks the toilet…a lot.
Pretty funny but, as I said, FAR too long.
Directed by: Yohan Guignard
Written by: Yohan Guignard
This one goes in the “What The Fuck” category. An old farmer is plowing his field and hits something. It turns out to be some kind of garden nymph. She’s half buried in the soil and naked. He goes to investigate and she proceeds to seduce him.
Typical French short that must have SOME meaning, but only the filmmakers know it. Screw it.
Directed by: Alan Brennan
Written by: Alan Brennan
A couple are lying in bed. The woman can’t sleep because there’s something on the wardrobe. Is it his rucksack? Or is it something worse?
I really liked this one. It was simple, scary, effective and had some really good creature effects.
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Written by: Andy Muschietti
One of the shortest was also one of the best. Two little girls are scared of their mom…and they have a bloody good reason to be.
Again, some great creature effects and a good, frantically creepy vibe.
Directed by: Eric Scherbarth
Written by: Eric Scherbarth
Centralia, PA has had a coal fire burning under it for decades. Of course, this makes it a perfect setting for a horror movie. This one revolves around a lawyer trying to get the last resident out because the coal company figured out how to put the fire out. But what have the toxins in the air created?
A great atmosphere makes this short pretty creepy. Yeah, the end is predictable, but that doesn’t really matter. Still definitely worth the time.
Directed by: Richard Bates, Jr.
Written by: Richard Bates, Jr.
A teenage girl wants to be a surgeon…but not a modern surgeon. She wants to practice the old ways, like leeches and such. Her sister needs a lung transplant…what’s a girl to do?
Not amazing, but pretty damn good with some great acting by the lead actress.
Directed by: Robert Glickert
Written by: Robert Glickert
Three marines are sent out into the Iraqi desert to find some lost men. They find a whole lot more.
A very good Evil Dead in Iraq short that could possibly be turned into a feature if it’s done right.
Directed by: Timo Tjahjanto/Kimo Tjahjanto
Written by: Timo Tjahjanto/Kimo Tjahjanto
Speaking of turning into a feature, this one was already turned into Macabre, which is also playing the festival. Dara is the head chef and owner of a trendy restaurant in Jakarta. When she invites one of her favorite patrons back to her place for the evening he finds out where that wonderful meat is coming from.
At 26 minutes, this is the longest of the shorts, but it didn’t waste any of that time. We really get to know Dara and, if weren’t for the whole psycho thing, almost fall in love with her. Shareefa Daanish is beautiful, talented and VERY creepy. I hear that Macabre isn’t as good as this short, but I might see it anyway. We’ll see.
