Fantastic Fest

Monday, April 27, 2009

Two Fantastic Fest 2008 Favorites Return To The Ritz This Week!

We are very proud to bring back not one, but two of our favorite films from Fantastic Fest 2008 this week to the Alamo Ritz.

First up is Nicolas Lopez’s SANTOS, which had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest last year and has been burning up the festival circuit ever since. Though it was shot in Spain and Chile, SANTOS has its roots here in Austin, as it was produced by Austin’s own Elizabeth Avellan, with FX from local FX powerhouse Troublemaker Studios. Anyone who saw it last year will tell you it was easily one of the highlights of Fantastic Fest 2008, where it won a Special Jury award for originality and vision, and it returns to the Alamo this Tuesday, April 28, as part of the 2009 Cine las Americas festival, showcasing the best in new Latin cinema. SANTOS will be screening one time only at 7pm, and you can order your tickets here. Don’t miss it… again!

Another returning favoite is DOCTOR INFIERNO, the truly batshit insane first feature from Paco Limon, who was unable to attend Fantastic Fest last year, but will finally be here along with star and associate producer Javier Albarrán. There were many great films at Fantastic Fest 2008, but DOCTOR INFIERNO was a true standout, an outrageously ambitious action/comedy/fantasy/horror/sci-fi meltdown that compares to the early work of Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi. Made with an absolute intense dedication by a group of rabid creators with very limited means, the film manages to capture a boiling fervor that is practically unequaled in the annals of entertainment.

The plot: a demented gynecologist discovers a cure for all the world’s illnesses and uses it as leverage to become sole dictator of the earth. Jam-packed with monsters, kung fu, battling robots and deviant sexual practices, DR. INFIERNO doesn’t let anything get in the way of an explosive fountain of impossible ideas.

DOCTOR INFIERNO will be making it’s triumphant return to Austin on Wednesday, April 29 at 9:25pm, and tickets for this show can be ordered here. Once again, you’re a loser if you miss this.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

New DEATH NOTE sequel hits U.S. theaters!

As much as we'd like to, we can't play every new international genre hit at Fantastic Fest, and one of the ones missing from last year's lineup was L, CHANGE THE WORLD, the latest film in the DEATH NOTE series. Although we were unable to screen it last year, we're pleased to report that the new film will be playing theaters nationwide via our friends at Viz Pictures (proud sponsors of Fantastic Fest 2008) and Fathom Events. Screening in theaters on April 29 and 30 only, Viz is also offering the film in two different versions, subtitled on the 29th and dubbed on the 30th, which is pretty damn cool of them. They're also doing giveaways and showing behind-the-scenes footage at each screening, which is even cooler.

Picking up after the events of DEATH NOTE II, the new film gives us the details of the last 23 days in the life of mastermind detective L (Kenichi Matsuyama), as he goes up against a bio terrorist organization trying to wipe out humanity with a deadly virus. Directed by RINGU director Hideo Nakata, L, CHANGE THE WORLD features the returning Kenichi Matsuyama as L, and is inspired by the immensely popular DEATH NOTE features, which are based on the best-selling supernatural action manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, but this spin-off follows a new original storyline.

Tickets for this special event are available at presenting theater box offices and online. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, please visit www.FathomEvents.com (theaters are subject to change, and please note these shows are not playing at the Alamo Drafthouse). For more information on the DEATH NOTE live action events and other VIZ Pictures films please visit www.viz-pictures.com or www.deathnotefilms.com. For more information on the DEATH NOTE manga and animation, please visit deathnote.viz.com.