Can you smell that sweet, satisfying aroma in the air? As the days stretch longer, it is a sign that both the convention and film festival seasons are upon us. We here at Victims and Villains love to celebrate the art of independent filmmaking. There is something special about the extra care that filmmakers bring to these labors of love. Though we did our own film fest called Horrific Hope this past April, we are excited to be covering one of our favorite festivals for the third year in a row. If you’re a horror fan, this is a festival that keeps on giving year around through outlets like Arrow and Shudder. I’m talking of course about Fantasia Fest. This year’s festival is running from July 14th to August 3rd. Here are my picks for my most anticipated movies of this year’s line up and a few honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Right out of the gate I have to say it’s gonna be Carlota Pereda’s Piggy. To get a taste of the film from its short, you can click here and check it out on Alter’s YouTube page. This was one of my most anticipated movies at this year’s Sundance and it didn’t disappoint. The movie is a brutally honest depiction of bullying and its mental health effects while also being a truly riveting and gory slasher. Speaking of slashers, the whodunit horror comedy from A24 is my next honorable mention. Bodies Bodies Bodies will be opening up nationwide on August 5th, and Abyss Gazing will no doubt be doing a full podcast on it. Scream is one of my favorite slashers of all time. The very fact that Bodies is a meta horror comedy in the same vein has me excited. Last but not least is the return of Dario Argento with Dark Glasses. The man is a horror legend and his return has me intrigued nonetheless.
Glorious just looks like it has such a spectacular color palette to it. Typically movies with vibrant color palettes prove to be groovy times. Movies like Mandy and Revealer are movies that have been some of my favorites from the past ten years. They are constant recommendations from me. Glorious sounds like it’s going to pack an anxious punch and draw me to the edge of my seat. Here’s to hoping I will never look at gas station bathrooms the same way ever again.
Writing and podcasting for Victims and Villains has really changed the type of movies I’m drawn to. Typically, I seem to be drawn to movies dealing with bullying, depression, or suicide. Sissy brings that subject matter to the forefront as it depicts a social media influencer having to face her bully at a bachelorette party. Whether it’s facing bullying or being a social media influencer; this movie seems primed for our outlet and can’t wait to see this movie.
If there is anything we all need more of these days, it is something to laugh at. Give Me Pity seems like a movie that could make me laugh a lot or at least throwback to a simpler era. The film is a satire and a slow descent into madness, at least according to Fantasia’s official site. Give Me Pity could be one of the best commentaries 2022 gives us as a prime time television host's special slowly slips away from her.
2). All Jacked Up and Full of Worms
This movie just sounds insane. Over the years of being a fan of the horror genre, I’ve come to really appreciate the body horror subgenre. Movies like Crimes of the Future and Saw have made me appreciate this subgenre all the more. Though it won’t be for everyone, All Jacked Up seems to promise a punch when it comes to the body horror elements. Per its Letterboxd description: All Jacked Up and Full of Worms follows Roscoe, a maintenance man for a seedy motel, on his path of self-destruction through the alleyways of Chicago after he discovers a hidden stash of powerful hallucinogenic worms. Give it to me now!
The only entry on this list that isn’t horror but a documentary would be Lynch/Oz. David Lynch is my favorite director of all time and The Wizard of Oz is equally one of my all time favorite films of all time. As I dive more into Lynch’s work as a director, painter, singer, and author, I’m finding his love for the classic film as well. I’m beyond excited to see what this documentary is going to highlight in terms of both influence and inspiration for the Twin Peaks creator.
What movies are you looking forward to from this year’s Fantasia Fest? Check out their full line up here and make sure you’re following us on all of our socials to follow our coverage of this year’s lineup!