Fantastic Fest 2008

click here
Notice! Registration is not required to browse the site, track audience buzz, and learn about the festival. If you choose to register, you can create a personal festival calendar, rate and review films, and receive updates about upcoming screenings. Close
    • highlights
    • films
    • schedule
    • buzz
    • my festival
  • It appears that your browser has JavaScript disabled or Your browser may not support JavaScript! This may cause some limitations and problems in the application work.
featured films
Notice! Check out these featured films playing at the festival. Close
previous film
Feature/Featured/Guest in Attendance/Horror/Thriller
Brief Summary: James Tresswick and Mark Vincent are victims of a brutal bully named Gary Parker who has maltreated both boys, marking their bodies and spoiling their young lives. In their last year of high school, James and Mark find a way to stop being victims. They're going to kill Gary... Full Description: High-Schoolers James Tresswick and Mark Vincent were mercilessly bullied throughout childhood by their nemesis Gary Parker. The torment only ended when Gary was hauled off to prison five years ago. Now back on the streets, he is once again beginning to make their lives a living hell. Their outlook is dim until Mark happens to witness a murder burying his victim deep in the nearby woods. The duo crafts what should be a perfect plan: blackmail the killer in to killing again, this time their mortal enemy Gary Parker. This perfect plan, however, doesn't work out exactly as envisioned, and the boys find themselves in a worse predicament than imaginable. ACOLYTES is a perfect accompaniment to our NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD Aussie Retrospective. Director Jon Hewitt shows that he’s a worthy heir to the Ozsploitation throne, delivering a tight knuckle-biter thriller with enough brutal violence to make the likes of Brian Trenchard-Smith stand up and cheer. The film is so much more than just a horror/thriller, though. Hewitt takes time to develop a fully-developed visual world. The first act establishes an idyllic tableau with rich detail and beautiful cinematography. These are innocent kids in a tranquil town living their lives with only childhood concerns. That is, of course, until they toy around with a murderer hell-bent on obliterating their serenity into a chaos of fear and brutality. (Tim League) Director Jon Hewitt will be live in person to introduce the film and answer questions afterwards. We also expect Jon to rock not only the Ozsploitation category of Fantastic Feud but also the subsequent Karaoke microphone.
Drama/Feature/Featured/Food and Film Event
Brief Description: Love, sex, jealousy, food and murder in the streets and prisons of Brazil. Full Description: Fantastic Fest co-founder Tim League is fond of saying that the fantastic part of this festival doesn't simply apply to films with fantastic elements, but also to films that are simply fantastic, films that are as cool as hell and that you want to show off to everyone to help spread the word about a movie that's going to impress the hell out of everyone. And have we got one of those films this year in ESTÔMAGO. Remember that scene in GOODFELLAS where we see that even prison can't stop a group of mobsters from enjoying a great meal? ESTÔMAGO takes this even further, recounting how Nonato (Joao Miguel), a simple-minded prisoner with a talent for cooking, moves his way up the jail cell ranks (and bunk beds) through his culinary gifts. But just how Nonato ended up there, and how he got to hone his skills in the kitchen, is the real meat (as it were) of this sensational new film from writer/director Marcos Jorge. ESTÔMAGO is a recipe of all of the primal elements of life - love, sex, jealousy, food and death - that deftly juxtaposes alternate story lines of Nonato's life in and out of prison to show that no matter who or where you are, these basic needs are essential ingredients to everyone's existence. Added to the mix is some wicked black humor, a touch of tragedy, a nice, big juicy helping of murder, and a lot of great food, even if it is found in Brazil's toughest prison. It simply wouldn't be Fantastic Fest without good food and murder, now would it? ESTÔMAGO might not be on your movie radar, but once Fantastic Fest is over, everybody's going to want some. Make your reservations for this one ASAP and don't forget to tip your hard-working wait staff. (Matt Kiernan) Fantastic Fest is also offering an opportunity to enjoy the Estômago Feast, a four-course meal with wine pairings prepared by Alamo executive chef John Bullington. The feast is inspired by the actual dishes from the film and will be delivered to your seat as they appear on screen. This feast is available for an additional charge, but if you plan to order it, we recommend purchasing in advance HERE , as quantities will be prepped and we expect this option to sell out. Badgeholders please note: select the Badgeholder ticket option when you make your advance purchase. Here's Chef John Bullington's menu: Amuse Gorgonzola on ciabatta with rosemary oil First Coxinhas Traditional Brazilian dish of savory sautéed chicken and spices breaded and fried with chile sauce and garlic ants! Second Spagetti Puttanesca Spaghetti tossed in a blend of heirloom tomatoes, anchovies, garlic and capers Third Pork Butt braised in white wine and rosemary with appaloosa beans Fourth Romeo and Juliet Layers of gorgonzola and guava All courses paired with fine Italian wine This film is sponsored by Dark Sky Films.
next film
show details Audience Buzz
Notice! The audience buzz provides you with details on the films people are looking forward to and talking about. For more buzz, click here. Close
rating Highest Rated Films
Number of views 626
Number of calendar adds 0
7:35 in the Morning
click to rate
4.8 | 40
Number of views 286
Number of calendar adds 0
A Lesson in Filmmaking
click to rate
4.7 | 32
views Most Visited Films
Number of views 66176
Number of calendar adds 54
Air Sex World Championships
click to rate
3.5 | 20
Number of views 56687
Number of calendar adds 76
Blue Film Woman
click to rate
3.3 | 21
adds Most Scheduled Films
Number of views 9308
Number of calendar adds 219
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
click to rate
3.9 | 104
Number of views 5490
Number of calendar adds 211
JCVD
click to rate
4.3 | 96
entries read all from the blog
Now Accepting “100 Best Kills” Entries

One of the greatest long-running traditions of FF is the 100 BEST KILLS PARTY, where we sit in a theater together and turn the spotlight on the Grim Reaper of movieland as he disembowels, detonates and decapitates again and again and again. We’re not watching for character development or thematic resolution or any of that garbage; just the most life-defying acts of human extermination in film history. No man, woman, child or puppy is spared as the equalizing fist of mortality crushes cinema’s best and worst into quivering red chowder. BUT! We need your help to make 2011′s 100 BEST KILLS the most mayhem-congested homicide-fest of all time. Just submit your optimum kills to us (instructions below) and the show’s best murder-slinger will receive 100 DVDs and Blu-Rays (!!!) from Fantastic Fest. Entries must be uploaded by September 13 to be eligible, and clips may be no longer than 90 seconds. Send as many kills as you like, but make them great ones that we haven’t seen before. So what are you waiting for?! Tear yourself open and unleash the KIIILLLLLLLL!!!!!

How to submit your best kills to us:

  • Just upload your kills to your Vimeo account. If you don’t have one, don’t worry. It’s super easy. You can set it up here (http://www.vimeo.com/join).
  • Be sure to make your video downloadable to others. If you must password protect it, don’t forget to send us the password with your URL.
  • Next, email the link, along with your name to kills@fantasticfest.com and make some room on your shelf for those 100 DVDs and Blu-Rays you are going to win!
2011 “Altered States” Bumper Contest

It’s that time again! Every year Fantastic Fest hosts a bumper creation where we invite YOU to create the most outrageous thirty second video that you can come up with. We use as many entries as we can and put them on screen at the start of each screening during the festival with the goal of making sure that unlike *other* festivals the audiences at Fantastic Fest don’t have to sit through the same 6 or 7 bumpers over and over and over again.

Your bumper can go in almost any direction you can imagine, but we have three ground rules:

  1. The theme this year is Altered States. Feel free to interpret that how you wish.
  2. The video must be between 15 seconds and 45 seconds.
  3. The last line of dialogue or narration in the video must be, “That’s fantastic!”

Check out some of last year’s favorite entries here for inspiration and get cracking!

This year’s entries are due by Monday, September 5th, and you can deliver them to us via the Internet by filling out the form below:

Fantastic Arcade presents Juegos Rancheros: TEXATRON Edition

Did the home console kill off the arcade? Is the idea of gathering in a public space to play games together an outmoded concept of the early 80s? This Sunday, August 7th, at 4PM, our fourth edition of JUEGOS RANCHEROS at The Highball will prove those ideas wrong and be the launching point for the TEXATRON initiative to bring independent game arcade machines to Austin.

RSVP FOR THIS EVENT AND INVITE YOUR FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK BY CLICKING HERE! ]

What began in Toronto with the Torontron soon spread across the Great White North to Winnipeg with the Winnitron, an arcade cabinet built from the ground-up to bring independent games both local and global to the rest of the world, with Winnitron machines soon popping up in such far flung locations as the Netherlands, New Zealand, New York and Australia.

In attendance this Sunday — all the way from Winnipeg — will be Alec Holowka of Infinite Ammo, developer of indie hits like AQUARIAPAPER MOON and the upcoming MARIAN, and co-founder of the Winnitron project, to tell us more about what the Winnitron is, how it works, and how it’s changing the way we experience indie games across the world.

Following that, we’ll be giving Austin its first chance to play the Winnitron’s selection of games, including cult successes like Messhof’s brilliant swordfighter NIDHOGG and special exclusive two-player versions of games like Vlambeer’s SUPER CRATE BOX and our own Adam Saltsman’s CANABALT.

But more importantly, we’ll be talking more about our long-time goals to bring the Winnitron to Austin as the TEXATRON — a series of arcade cabinets set up around our own fair city showcasing the best indie games from around town and around the world.

Everything will be kicking off Sunday, August 7th, promptly at 4PM at The Highball, 1142 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704! Come hang out, enjoy the Highball’s Happy Hour drink specials, and say hello to the people changing the way you think about games (and cartoons)!

[*PS: Hey everyone! As usual, bring your 3DS again! We're doing awesome with these StreetPasses!]

what can i do?
Log in to add movies to your personal calendar, rate and review movies, and receive festival updates.
Use the tell-a-friend box to let others know about your favorite movies and share your personal calendar.
Add movies to your personal calendar, rate and review movies, and receive festival updates.
Share
Recent Activity
konkrete590 rated Choque
on: 12/24/11 9:12 AM
Rated 4.0/5 Stars
konkrete590 rated Choque
on: 12/24/11 9:12 AM
Rated 4.0/5 Stars
konkrete590 rated 7:35 in the Morning
on: 12/24/11 8:54 AM
konkrete590 rated The Wild Man of The Navidad
on: 10/9/11 11:10 AM
Rated 3.0/5 Stars
konkrete590 rated The Wild Man of The Navidad
on: 10/9/11 11:10 AM
konkrete590 rated Vinyan
on: 10/9/11 11:09 AM
Rated 2.0/5 Stars
konkrete590 rated Vinyan
on: 10/9/11 11:09 AM
konkrete590 rated Not Quite Hollywood
on: 10/9/11 11:08 AM
Rated 4.0/5 Stars
konkrete590 rated Not Quite Hollywood
on: 10/9/11 11:08 AM
konkrete590 rated Estomago: A Gastronomic Story
on: 10/9/11 11:06 AM
click here