Posts Tagged fantasia 2025

5 results.

9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: The School Duel, $POSITIONS & All You Need Is Kill

by on August 1, 2025 at 11:51 am
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Montreal, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films The School Duel, $POSITIONS and All You Need Is Kill

Grab your coffee and settle in for our latest Fantasia pod, where Sarah and Keith dish on three wild Fantasia flicks over a morning brew. Let’s dive into the chaos.

All You Need Is Kill, a vibrant anime adaptation of the light novel that inspired Edge of Tomorrow, flips the script by focusing on Rita this time around. Its fluid, music video-esque animation dazzles, though the third act drags (a little) with over-explained science. A must-watch for anime fans, it’s a breezy 82 minutes but might not hook non-anime geeks due to some quirky anime tropes.

$POSITIONS is a cringe-inducing, anxiety-fueled ride through middle-America’s underbelly. Following crypto-obsessed Mike, it’s a “torture porn” portrait of bad decisions, addiction, and Midwestern struggles. Michael Kunicki’s performance as the calm-yet-doomed protagonist balances humor and heartbreak, making it a brutal, engaging watch for fans of Silicon Valley or Euphoria’s darker vibes.

The School Duel, set in a dystopian Florida, is a gut-punch dark comedy where kids identified as potential school shooters are pitted in a patriotic “duel” for military ranks and family cash. Shot in stark black-and-white, it tempers its violence while delivering a scathing critique of American extremism. Kue Lawrence’s haunting performance as a misguided teen steals the show, appealing to fans of Battle Royale who can stomach its near-future realism.

For more information about these films:

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The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License. 

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9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: I Live Here Now, Hellcat & I Fell In Love with a Z-Grade Director From Brooklyn

by on July 30, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Montreal, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films I Fell In Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn, Hellcat and I Live Here Now.

Grab your coffee and settle in for our latest Fantasia pod, where Sarah and Keith dish on three wild Fantasia flicks over a morning brew. Let’s dive into the chaos.

First up, I Fell in Love with a Z-Grade Director from Brooklyn. Shina, a jaded Japanese movie star, rediscovers her passion making a gloriously trashy horror flick with Jack, a neurotic Woody Allen-esque director (played by Estevan Muñoz). It’s a love letter to Troma-style schlock, the “film within a film” is shot on a junky hi-8 camera for $500. Perfect for Fantasia nerds who dig heartwarming, low-budget chaos.

Next, I Live Here Now, Julie Pacino’s debut, shot on vibrant 35mm. Lucy Fry’s Rose grapples with childhood trauma and an unexpected pregnancy in a surreal, David Lynch-ian hotel. Body image metaphors, creepy hotel staff, and a standout glass-eating scene (with killer sound design) make it a haunting thriller. Keith calls it a must-see for Lynch fans—intense, weird, and empowering.

Finally, Hellcat, another world premiere, traps Dakota Gorman’s Lena in a moving camper, injured and maybe kidnapped. The constant rattle of beaded curtains and a mysterious driver crank the tension. The host of a late-night paranormal radio show (voiced by SNL’s James Austin Johnson as the host) keeps you guessing. It’s a tight, twisty 90-minute thriller with not too much gore, just psychological dread. Sarah’s all in for this sleeper hit—fingers crossed it gets a wider release so you can check it out!.

Both Hellcat and I Live Here Now were world premieres so you don’t want to miss our takes on these two films which were definitely standouts so far for us at this year’s Fantasia Festival.

For more information about these films:

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

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9to5.cc Goes to Fantasia 2025: Redux Redux & Every Heavy Thing

by on July 25, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Montreal, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues. We’re sipping our morning brew and diving into Redux Redux and Every Heavy Thing, two films that couldn’t be more different but totally nail that Fantasia vibe.

First up, Redux Redux, the Canadian premiere from the McManus brothers, who we’ve been fans of since their gem Funeral Kings (still a top-tier fave) and the spooky Block Island Sound. This sci-fi thriller stars Michaela McManus as Irene, a woman dimension-hopping to avenge her daughter’s murderer—hundreds, maybe thousands, of times. The multiverse mechanics? They’re there, but don’t expect a science lecture. It’s a plot device, not the point. The focus is Irene’s relentless revenge cycle and her struggle to break free from it. Stella Marcus shines in a role we won’t spoil, but trust us, her performance adds layers the trailer doesn’t hint at. With sharp dialogue, quick gory kills, and subtle world-building, it’s a tight 1-hour-45-minute thrill ride. Not straight horror, but a bloody, character-driven sci-fi thriller that’s beautifully shot. Catch it on Shudder or in theaters if it gets a wider release—you won’t regret it.

Then there’s Every Heavy Thing, a Fantasia Underground pick that screams lo-fi, 70s film grit. Joe, played by Josh Fadem, is an ad salesman who witnesses a murder and gets tangled in sci-fi weirdness and paranoia. The film’s retro look—think film grain, not cheap digital—mixes cell phones with house phones, leaving you wondering, “What year is this?” Dark comedy and absurdist humor shine through, poking at gun nuts and tech billionaires. It’s a shoestring-budget vibe done deliberately, perfect for genre buffs who love a quirky, unsettling B-movie. Not for everyone, but a must for Fantasia diehards.

Both films are Fantasia at its best—bold, weird, and unforgettable. Check ‘em out!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

Keith does all sorts of things here on 9to5.cc, he works with the other founders on 9to5 (illustrated), co-hosts our two podcasts: The 9to5 Entertainment System and Go Plug Yourself and blogs here as The Perspicacious Geek.

Sarah is somehow still @femalewalter on Instagram. Follow her for pictures of our dogs and sometimes she remembers to post about all the arts and entertainment we take in all year long.


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9to5.cc Fantasia International Film Festival Podcast: Noise & I Am Frankelda

by on July 21, 2025 at 10:49 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films Noise and I Am Frankelda

Noise, a Korean ghost story directed by Kim Soo-jin follows Joo-young, a deaf woman, and her sister Joo-hee, who’s obsessed with the noisy upstairs neighbor. The film kicks off with Joo-hee’s erratic behavior leading Joo-young on a tense search through their apartment complex. It’s a slow-burn horror with suspenseful moments, a few jump scares, and clever sound design. High points include Joo-young’s hearing aid toggling off and on and voice-to-text phone use, amplifying the creepiness. Sarah recommends it for ghost story fans, noting its 90-minute runtime and accessibility for those not into intense horror—perfect for teens or horror newbies.

I Am Frankelda, a Mexican stop-motion feature by Roy and Arturo Ambriz, is a vibrant, musical, stop motion film set in 19th-century Mexico and a nightmare realm. Young Frankelda’s imagination fuels this fantastical world, where she’s a horror writer linked to a realm powered by nightmares. The young prince, Herneval, seeks her help to revive the realm’s fading creativity. The film’s intricate sets and unique character designs—like spider people and two-headed dragons—are stunning, though the fast-paced dialogue and fantastical names demand quick reading. Sarah suggests it’s kid-friendly for strong readers (the subtitles go by very fast), though the 113-minute runtime and dense dialogue might challenge younger viewers. Ideal for Spanish speakers or stop-motion enthusiasts.

For more information about these films:


Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

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9to5.cc Fantasia International Film Festival Podcast: Beans & Cielo

by on July 20, 2025 at 5:39 pm
Posted In: Fantasia, Homepage, Other podcasts, Podcast, Podcasting

Our Fantasia International Film Festival podcast continues talking about films Beans and Cielo.

Sarah and Keith are checking out a bunch of films at the 2025 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival and as we do, we are recording the chats we have about the movies and letting you eavesdrop on them in the form of a podcast. It’s fun, trust us.

We don’t usually plan out “themes” for any given episode but totally by accident we found that our first two films were linked (somewhat) thematically. Both feature strong willed young women dealing with things no young person should really have to deal with. One (Beans) is dealing with growing on in Kanehsatake during the 1990 Oka Crisis and the other (Cielo) is dealing with the loss of your parents. In both cases our young leading ladies need to deal with these far, far too young.

For more information about these films from the Fantasia Festival website:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Fantasia International Film Festival runs from July 16th to August 3rd 2025 at Concordia University.

The song during our intro and outro is “Until I Sleep” by Henry Homesweet and is is licensed under a Attribution 2.0 UK: England License.

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