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Amazing Fantasy Fest 2024 Review Round-Up: Damnation, Tales from the End!, More
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Amazing Fantasy Fest 2024 Report: Part 2
Amazing Fantasy Fest is a genre specific film festival that recently completed its first year of operation. The event was held for seven days at the majestic Dipson Amherst Theatre in Buffalo, New York, from September 13th, 2024, to September 19th, 2024. The festival screened 21 feature films and 62 short films, 83 movies total. I attended three of the festival’s seven days (days 1, 2, and 7), managing to see eighteen films total (ten short films, eight feature films). Check out the first part of this report here, where I review everything that I saw on days1 and 2. This second part is all about everything that I saw on day 7. Each movie, regardless of length, will get a number rating (1 to 10). Short film reviews will appear first, followed by feature film reviews.
And so, without any further what have you, what else did I see at the first ever Amazing Fantasy Fest?
Amazing Fantasy Fest 2024 Report: Part 2
Short Films
The Vulture: Written and directed by Jason Balas, The Vulture is a short film dripping in dread and a truly unsettling atmosphere. It appears to be about a medieval fighter of some sort trying to deal with a dead body, and while doing that he’s approached by a scary looking bird. The bird’s presence seems to stop the fighter dead in his tracks, and the bulk of the short is that fighter trying to overcome his fear of that scary looking bird. At least I think that’s what’s going on. There’s a surreal element to what happens that, I think, opens up the story to some major interpretation. Even if I really don’t understand this short, it’s a visual feast and, again, unsettling, and that’s what makes it so appealing.
If you get a chance to see this at a film festival near you, please send me a message and tell me what you think it’s about. I’d love to know.
Rating: 7.5/10
The Thaw: Written and directed by Sean Temple and Sarah Wisner, this black and white short depicts a family trying to survive a harsh Vermont winter in the late 1800s. With dwindling food and supplies, the mother and father (Alma and Timothy, played by Toby Poser and Jeffrey Grover) decide to take a special “sleeping tea” that will basically place them in a sort of hibernation. The daughter Ruth (Emily Bennett), is charged with staying alive through the winter and going through the procedure that will bring her mother and father out of their “sleep” alive and well. The first part of the scheme works out fine, with Ruth’s mother and father taking the tea and “sleeping” in wooden boxes outside. The second part, though, goes awry, and Ruth ends up having to deal with the aftermath of her mistake (at least I think it’s her mistake) bringing her parents back.
I was surprised with how completely unhinged The Thaw gets at the end. You sort of expect that something bad and “evil” will happen, but you’re not entirely sure what that bad thing will be. I won’t spoil it for you, but I will say that it’s way more messed up than I expected. This short also has terrific looking cinematography. Definitely worth tracking down and checking out, just so you can experience the big “what the hell is going on here?” moment towards the end. Very cool stuff.
Rating: 8.5/10
Split Second: Featuring the great Lukas Hassel (check out my interview with him here for the nifty horror flick Art of the Dead), this short starts out with a creepy old man walking up to a family’s house and touching a young girl’s stuffed animal. Why did he do that? And who the hell is this old man? At first, you think what you’re watching is some sort of riff on Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986), as the old man gives off the same “creepy old man” vibes that Julian Beck did in that movie. Split Second isn’t a riff on Poltergeist II, though. Instead, it’s more a riff on every evil doppelganger/sudden demonic twin story. And, man, it’s pretty damn good. Chock full of suspense, tastefully gross special effects, and top notch performances from Hassel, Dee Wallace as the grandmother, and the great Austin Pendleton pops in as a psychiatrist/researcher/doctor that knows all about supernatural bullstuff, Split Second ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Because what the heck happens at the end? Do we get the sort of “classic switch” at the end, or do we get something else? I’m not entirely sure.
I mean, I’m pretty sure that we get the classic switcheroo ending, but it’s possible that we don’t. I think that will be the enduring discussion about this short once more people see it.
I also want to say that it’s damn cool to see people like Hassel, Wallace, and Pendleton in a short film. You just don’t expect to see old pros like them doing a short film. See this short.
*** After doing some digging on the internets, Split Second is apparently going to end up part of an anthology movie called The Pitchfork Retreat. So, if you don’t get a chance to see Split Second as Split Second, be on the lookout for The Pitchfork Retreat.
Rating: 9/10
Routine: Directed by Russ Emanuel, Routine is a super short (micro short?) about Cassie (Paige Laree Poucel), a young woman living in the midst of an ongoing zombie apocalypse. Her new life, despite the ongoing danger of the undead outside, is pretty boring, until one morning she has to venture outside to find coffee. Violence ensues. The most interesting part of this short is how the violence is depicted, via drawings. Cartoons. It also seems like it’s the start of something much, much bigger, something we will likely never get to see in live action because the budget necessary to do so is unobtainable. But more drawings? That could happen. There’s also a palpable sense of fun about Routine, something you rarely see nowadays when it comes to depictions of a zombie apocalypse. I’ll admit that I was momentarily frustrated with the prospect of not seeing more live action stuff (I mean, is this really it? Is that how it’s going to end?). But when Routine was over? I was fine with it. I loved it, actually. Again, it’s a fun zombie story. We just don’t get to see that kind very often.
Rating: 7.5/10
Concessions: Also apparently known as An Act of Concession at one point in time, this short film, directed by Lindsay Serrano and Manny Serrano, is all about three women talking to one another and revealing secrets they were unaware of. That may be simplifying things a bit too much, but that’s the basic gist of what happens with Concessions before the supernatural element enters the story, mainly the ghost of one woman’s mother (or is the ghost just a figment of that woman’s imagination?). The actors are pretty good in this, and the story is somewhat engaging (there was a moment where I thought this was just going to be a short film about three lesbians arguing. It’s way more complicated than that). The sound mix could be bumped up a bit (it’s a bit soft sounding). I liked it.
Rating: 7/10
Tales from the End!: This wonderful short film from Mark Reyes is part post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, and part “young people goofing off because they don’t have anything else better to do” type comedy. There’s also an alien female that tries to help the two friends, as well as a weird sort of alien robot circle thing that’s the story’s villain. The attention to detail and the world building in this short is phenomenal, and the general pacing of it is fantastic (there isn’t one wasted moment in its 26 minute runtime).
And then there’s the sort of montage/animated interlude that comes out of seemingly nowhere, as the two friends and the alien female search for supplies in an abandoned store. What the heck does it have to do with anything? Damned if I know, but it somehow fits in with everything else that we see and experience. It’s amazing filmmaking.
The end of the short, at least to me, seems to imply that there’s more to come from both the two main characters as well as the world that’s been created. There is obviously way more going on in it. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to see whatever the heck that is soon.
You should absolutely make an effort to see Tales from the End!. Great, great stuff.
Rating: 10/10
**
Feature Films
Special Needs Revolt: I think the best way to describe Special Needs Revolt is that it’s multiple things happening all at once. First, it’s a passion project for director Adrian Esposito. It’s a movie that he’s wanted to make for several years, and when all of the stars aligned (well, as much as “all the stars aligning” can happen in indie moviemaking), Esposito jumped at the chance to get it done. And when you watch Special Needs Revolt you can tell that it isn’t just another movie. There’s an obvious enthusiasm for the plot and everything else that comes through the screen.
Second, it’s a wonderful homage to the legendary indie movie outfit Troma. From the rapid fire “politically incorrect” jokes to the gross out jokes (for instance, there’s a pro wrestler character named Fartbomb, played by Mark Williams, that has just the nastiest farts imaginable. How many mainstream Hollywood movies feature a nasty fart/farting character in them? That’s been a Troma staple for decades now. There’s also a whole thing involving manatee love/sex that just wouldn’t fit in with any other kind of movie), to the wacked out performance of Bill Weeden playing a Donald Trump esque villain (Weeden’s President Kruger would definitely fit in nicely at Apocalypse, Inc.), to the many Troma elements that are actually in the movie (Lloyd Kaufman is in the movie, the great Debbie Rochon is in it, Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD has a cameo, the original Melvin, Mark Torgl, makes an appearance, there’s a snippet of music from the 1988 action classic Troma’s War, and the infamous Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD car flip figures into the story. And those were the homage moments that I caught. I’m sure there are more), Special Needs Revolt might as well be a Troma movie.
Third, and this connects to the whole Troma part of the movie, Special Needs Revolt wears its politics very much on its sleeve. Special Needs Revolt isn’t interested in subtext and letting you figure out what it “might” be about. The plot of Special Needs Revolt involves Weeden’s President Kruger, a proud fascist and racist sack of garbage, using the powers of the federal government to denigrate and eliminate everyone that doesn’t fit the “Make America Straight Again” mold. If you aren’t a right-wing, heterosexual “Christian” you have no place in America. Racial minorities, LGBTQA+, the disabled, and loads of other “undesirables” are fair game for destruction. Standing in the way of the forces of darkness is a ragtag group of rebels led by Billy Bates (Nolan Tierce), a disabled man who just wants to live his life and has had enough of the crap that he’s had to put up with his whole life, from scumbags like Krueger and Billy’s racist grandmother. There are no “shades of gray” here when it comes to who you are supposed to root for and who you are supposed to despise (I mean, yeah, you laugh at Weeden’s Krueger, mostly because Weeden is funny, but you don’t root for him to win).
Fourth, it’s a political warning to the world. Take a look at what hardcore right wing political and social movements around the world advocate for. It’s always “we have to get rid of these undesirable people in order to achieve greatness” or “to get back to what we used to have,” which is typically a call to strengthening white supremacy. That kind of thing is all over the villains of Special Needs Revolt. Again, you’ll laugh at the antics of Bill Weeden’s President Kruger, but you will also become supremely uncomfortable at how what you see in the movie seems to be happening in the United States and all over the world (you will also see this kind of thing all over various social media platforms. If the bad guys “used to hide,” they aren’t hiding who they are anymore). Is the world that Special Needs Revolt depicts and advocates against the world that you want to live in?
And fifth and finally, it’s the only movie where the disabled characters are not only the heroes/the good guys, they are the badass, ass kicking, one liner spitting heroes. They are the action heroes the world needs and the only people capable of meeting the moment. Special Needs Revolt is also one of the few (it may even be the only one) where disabled people are seen as, well, people. Disabled people like to swear and drink alcohol and have sex and masturbate like anyone else, and you see that depicted in Special Needs Revolt. That’s awesome. You could say that Special Needs Revolt is a rallying cry to the world: start showing disabled people as people. And, again, that’s awesome.
Now, the version that screened at Amazing Fantasy Fest wasn’t the absolute final version of the movie. It had some temporary music in it that’s going to be replaced by an original score from the great Armand John Petri, there are some very brief moments of soft sound, and the movie does lose a bit of steam in the middle (it picks up again but the lull, at least to me, was noticeable). The movie could use some trimming, some tightening here and there, just to make it move faster. At the same time, those issues really don’t hinder the overall movie watching experience. There may be ways to make Special Needs Revolt better, but at this moment in time, it’s almost like the movie is a perfect object. I don’t want director Esposito to change anything. Special Needs Revolt is very much what it is. It’s a transgressive masterpiece. It’s brilliant.
I can’t wait for Special Needs Revolt to be fully unleashed upon the world, in whatever final form it eventually takes. It’s a movie that needs to be seen, experienced, and fully embraced by the movie watching public, and I think it will. Definitely make an effort to see Special Needs Revolt if it’s playing at a film festival near you.
Rating: 10/10
The Damnation: Written and directed by Christopher Darton, The Damnation is a badass vampire flick about a group of Canadian First Nations people that find themselves dealing with not only actual vampire monsters (nasty, blood drinking creatures that will rip you apart), but also a cross section of religious, cultural, and business interests that don’t give a flip about First Nations people. The movie is a potent depiction of how a somewhat depleted indigenous population has to find a way to survive in a world run by their, for the lack of a better phrase, “colonial oppressors.” It’s not an easy existence. There are always challenges, both of this world and out of this world (that’s where the vampires come into it). But the First Nations people will find a way to get through it all.
Now, the whole “political” aspect of The Damnation isn’t readily apparent until about halfway through the movie. Up until then, it was “just” a horror flick. And it was a damn good horror flick. The performances were terrific (Norma-Sue Hill is a standout as Sarah, and Osawa Muskwa is so goddamn badass as Birdie Isaacs. Dino M. Sicoli is truly unhinged as the wacked out Ted Francis. And Ryan Lunn us fantastic as the somewhat goofy overnight radio DJ Remi Gates), the vampires are nasty as hell (they are vicious creatures here), and the gore is copious and vibrant (the movie’s ending is a true standout when it comes to bloody special effects). But the “exploited First Nations” aspect of the story gives The Damnation a potency I wasn’t expecting. I won’t spoil how it all fits together, but I will say that when you find out what the heck is really going on, The Damnation will take on a whole new meaning.
As briefly mentioned during the Q and A with director Darton, The Damnation apparently had production issues that required a re-think of what the movie was supposed to be. If Darton hadn’t mentioned any of that, I don’t think anyone would have known or suspected anything simply by watching The Damnation. The movie very much seems like it is what it is supposed to be. It cuts together nicely, it’s creepy when it needs to be, poignant when it has to be, and it’s, above all else, a thrilling as heck horror flick. Once it’s done with its festival run, The Damnation should have a nice life on streaming and home video. When people discover it, I think The Damnation will be a horror nerd favorite.
Rating: 9/10
**
And now, movies that played at Amazing Fantasy Fest that I didn’t get a chance to see but hope to one day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATttylUIg0g
And there are plenty more, but I couldn’t find trailers for them. Check out the Amazing Fantasy Fest Facebook page for more details.
**
Conclusion
I had a great time at the first edition of Amazing Fantasy Fest. Festival founder Gregory Lamberson, as well as all of the festival volunteers and sponsors and collaborators and whatnot, have produced a terrific celebration of indie genre cinema, and it will hopefully have a long tenure (the second edition of Amazing Fantasy Fest is set for September 12th through September 18th, 2025, with more days possible). I encourage you that if you find yourself in the Buffalo, New York area next year and you’re in the mood for a worthwhile movie watching experience (and, really, what movie fan isn’t?), be sure to give Amazing Fantasy Fest a shot. It will definitely worth your time and the effort.
And that goes for film festivals in general. If you have a film festival in your area please do check it out. It will be worth your time and it will be an experience you won’t soon forget, especially if you’re a movie nerd.
Amazing Fantasy Fest. See it, see it, see it!
**
Check out the official Amazing Fantasy Fest website here!
Check out the official Amazing Fantasy Fest Facebook page here and official Twitter page here!
**
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