What to look forward to at this year's Fantasia Film Festival

Last year was my first Fantasia film festival, and this year I feel honoured to be covering the festival for CJLO. The Festival boasts 135 feature films and 300 short films, from a total of 36 different countries. It can take an entire day to read through every synopsis, as well screen the trailers. The Fantasia Film festival has something to offer every cinephile from July 14- August 4.

Some films to look forward to…

Ant-Man may be the tiny superhero, however he is one of the big titles at Fantasia this year. Marvel had massive success with Guardians of The Galaxy, which was screened at Fantasia last year, and Ant-Man seems as if Marvel has gotten the formula right once again. From the trailer Paul Rudd seems at ease both as the comedian and the superhero. Also the trailer highlights a potentially killer script with his usual flare for comedy.  

Dark Places boasts some very talented actors and actress. Two incredibly talented young actors, Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, Mad Max:Fury Road) and Chloë Grace Moretz (Let Me In, If I Stay), star alongside Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road, Monster). Dark Places is Gillian Flynn's (Gone Girl) second book adaptation to the big screen  and revolves around a gruesome homicide of a family based around a satanic cult ritual will fit right in with the Fantasia audience.

If you want some comedy flare to your indie horror Cooties might just be up your movie. The premise is about a disease known as Cooties, that are making the elementary school students rabid and crazy. Rainn Wilson (The Office, Super), always has a great tenacity for dark comedies, stars as the gym teacher.

If you are looking for the American Horror Story look in your indie horror film then I recommend Tales of Halloween. The trailer seems very promising as we get a strong sense homage to directors of the horror thriller genre such as John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Eli Roth and David Lynch.

There is also something to be said about the dark tone of Kevin Bacon's character in Cop Car, which is surely a dark performance you don't want to miss.

Khalil Gibran's The Prophet  is an animated feature based around the poems of Khalil Gibran. There are many styles of animation that are seen in the trailer that made my eyes pop with the vivid richness of colours on screen.

If you are a fan of Homeland and 24 be sure not to miss the documentary [T]error, all about a covert FBI counterterrorism informant.

There have been Hollywood adaptations about encounters with extraterrestrial life, and the documentary-style film, The Visit, explores what life would the first encounters be like on first contact with planet earth.

In the genre of crime/gangster films Marshland is a film that should not be missed, and Battles Without Honour and Humanity that has been restored for this years Fantasia Festival.

The 19th edition of the Fantasia film festival has something for everyone. I would like to take this time to wish everyone an excellent festival experience and be sure to check out www.cjlo.com or At The Movie (With Iconic Sounds) [Tuesdays 8 am-9 am] for more Fantasia coverage.