August was a month filled with film festival goodness. Whether that was covering this year’s Fantasia Film Festival or the unexpected Japan Cuts Film Festival, it was amazing. While I wasn’t able to squeeze in as much in July I am still happy with what I was able to catch. It oddly felt like a month where I was constantly one step behind myself, ever had that? Well, enough rambling, what the heck did I watch in August?
Strawberry Mansion
Kicking off the Fantasia Film Festival for me was the hometown produced Strawberry Mansion which had plenty of that classic Baltimore charm to it while having a well earned plot along with an amazing score. Check out the full review here.
Radical Spirits
Sorry for the small image with this one, but not much in the way of stills available here. This was another Fantasia one, a short film collection that focuses on the ingenious stories of different countries. A very eclectic and well produced set of shorts. Again the full review here.
The Last Thing Mary Saw
An atmospheric gothic horror film that is a true slow burn affair. While it doesn’t live up to the standards of something like The VVitch is still carves a unique path for itself. Had the chance to interview the director which you can check out here and see the full review here.
Tiong Bahru Social Club
Feeling like a light hearted and long lost extended episode of Black Mirror, Tiong Bahru Social Club does have a lot of great social commentary but suffers from some uneven moments. Worth a watch though for sure. The full review is here.
Art Kabuki
If you have never had the chance to see a real performance of Kabuki theater than this film is necessary viewing. An amazing and unique experience from start to finish. An extraordinary pseudo documentary that was the highlight of Fantasia for me. Full review is here.
B/B
A fast moving film about a girl harboring 12 personalities. It plays out like a live action anime with wild angles and quick editing. It takes a minute to adjust to but once you are in this world it will keep you engaged for the full runtime. Review is here.
The Goldfish: Dreaming of the Sea
A very stripped back coming of age story that doesn’t go where you expect it to in all the best ways possible. An awesome Japanese film that I was lucky to check out. Full review here.
It’s a Summer Film!
A fun coming of age story that moves with a great pace and has a lot of heart behind it. As a loveletter to Japanese cinema as a whole it is hard not to enjoy this one. Full review here.
