To start, I noticed the intro motion graphics for the sequel involves an animated number two squared popping over the previous logo like: [REC]2 , which struck me as oddly meaningless from a mathematical standpoint, but whateva. The sequel could stand completely on its own, although [REC 2] follows an identical internal movie clock of the previous [REC], constantly expanding on the mystery of the fast zombie disease and/or violence haunting which has rapidly overtaken an apartment complex in urban Spain. Try pronouncing ”zombie” in a Castilian accent. Sounds like “thombie.” Yeah!

Anyhoo, the original began with a small TV crew and a first response team of firemen with the unfortunate luck to reach the totally evil cursed-condos before anyone else, and thus getting locked inside by some supra-shady government organization. Here we start out with a group of SWAT-like special operative military types dude. They all have fancy helmet cameras, so that’s convenient for us.

Just like the many reboots of successful video game franchise HALF-LIFE, each time we’re shown through a new pair of eyes. REC2 start in the tightly confined space of an army transport and, like said video game, showing you various first-person-perspective camera work to get you adjusted before the real narrative begins. If you’ve seen the original, it will be especially fun to watch the narrative timing of the sequel collide with the original REC movie. Sadly, some big studio of idiots will likely poorly remake it in English like QUARANTINE, because they think Americans won’t read subtitles. Lame. I prefer the version en Español.

The Revenant (2009)

I’m a little dazed after so much weird, wild, violent, sexy, scary cinema. No, really. I’m quasi-delirious and am a bit unsure as to what is reality and what I saw in the dark of the matinee theater. The other day my wife caught me referring to a story I claimed was told to me by “a friend.” She had to explain that my friend’s anecdote wasn’t real but rather from a fictional film character in one of the movies we’ve seen at Fantastic Fest.

I reacted with a resounding, “Shit, I could have sworn that really happened!”

The wise festival programmers of the Alamo Drafthouse continue to refer to the type of bizarre films they yearly wrangle as “genre films,” claiming FFest is a “genre festival.” Okay, maybe…but don’t all films lands somewhere in a give genre? Sci-fi, horror, documentary,  animation, crime drama, sex film, etc. They’re all genres, GUH!

I think of Fantastic Fest as a yearly face dive deep in the fringes of exploitation cinema, as in the marginal movies which employ extreme sex, violence & taboo subject material. The good exploitation films challenge my sense. The best exploitation films disturb me and shake my way of thinking.

My favorite zombie films of Fantastic Fest 2009 go as follows:

1. The Revenant – Unpredictable zombie buddy action comedy from Kerry Prior.
2. [Rec] 2 – Spanish supernatural sequel to the terrifying original masterpiece.
3. Full Employment aka “Arbeit für Alle” – German short that will grab you by the gonads.
4. Zombieland – Post-post apocalyptic Hollywood horror well worth watching from reality TV & talk show makers.
5. Daybreakers – Not sure if high functioning super-mod vampires driving around in tricked out Chryslers qualify as zombies, but the fanged reanimated dead do drink blood cappuccinos! Totally creative take on old mythology from the talented Spierig brothers who brought us Undead.
6. Doghouse – British mutant zombie comedy /slash/ commentary on gender relations.

My favorite non-zombie films of Fantastic Fest 2009 go a little something like this:

1. Fish Story aka “Fisshu sutôrî” – An apocalyptic tale for true music lovers.
2. Stingray Sam – An episodic musical western in space!
3. Kenny Begins – Basically a live action Space Quest starring the Swedish Roger Wilco.
4. Consoul – Norwegian short done in 8-bit pixel animation.
5. A Town Called Panic aka “Panique au village” – Simple but wonderfully absurd French animation.
6. House (1977) aka “Hausu” – Mind melting with many similarities to Evil Dead.