MOVIES AT LA PLAZA—FANTASIA 2025: A SUBSTANTIAL LINEUP

Movie Review by Sergio Martinez

As the films Cielo (directed by Spanish director Alberta Sciamma and set in Bolivia) and I Am Frankelda (Mexican film directed by brothers Arturo and Roy Arbiz) have already been reviewed in previous commentaries, this time we will focus on some of the other productions we had the opportunity to see at this, the 29th edition of the Montreal Fantasia Festival.

This year's lineup contained approximately one hundred films in the horror, fantasy, and science fiction genres, in both live-action and animated formats. Here we review what this critic considers to be some of the most outstanding.

PLAYING WITH TIME

One of the most appealing themes in science fiction and fantasy stories is time. Many films have explored the idea of travelling through time, altering it, or stopping and repeating it several times. Two of the films we had the opportunity to see tap into this human fascination with grappling with the mysteries of the temporal dimension.

The Girl Who Stole Time

Dir. Yu Ao and Zhou Tienan (China). This film begins with a frantic search for a device that has the ability to stop time, granting its owner the power to alter events. Those pursuing the mysterious device are led by a cold-blooded assassin who works for a powerful villain. In an unexpected twist, after the expeditionary group failed to secure it, a girl ends up in possession of the device. When the young hitman leading the search realizes who has the valuable object, he will try by all means to recover it. However, the story will still have many twists and turns, and it won't be until the end that we discover why the powerful individual sought the power to control time, which the girl inadvertently manages to do.

This is a story with an interesting narrative, excellent use of colour, and a compelling plot full of suspense and action.

All You Need is Kill

Dir. Kenichiro Akimoto (Japan). Time, in this case, its constant repetition, is also the premise of this film. In this respect, there is a certain similarity to another outstanding film shown at Fantasia last year: Penalty Loop (Shinji Araki, Japan, 2024).  Young Rita, who works at the site where a mysterious alien plant has taken root, wakes up and repeats the same movements every morning. The girl is shy and not very popular with her co-workers. The repetitions, however, allow her to visualize the danger lurking in the mysterious structure, and although she warns others about it, she is not taken seriously. In the meantime, with each repetition, she acquires the skills to face the extraterrestrial danger, although at the same time, she becomes more isolated from her colleagues.

That won't matter much when she meets Keiji, who is also trapped in the same repetitive time loop.

Excellent animation and a captivating story made this film one of the best of the event.

THAT ALMOST POETIC VIOLENCE

Violence is very present in many Asian films or films inspired by Asian themes. But it is not gratuitous or excessive violence; one could say that in these cases, violence has an almost sublime dimension, even poetic, one might say.

Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards

Dir. Junichi Ishikawa (Japan). Based on a highly popular manga, this film offers a humorous and ironic look at the world of private security. Honeko Akabane is a girl in her last year of high school. Still, she is also the daughter of the head of the intelligence service, who, wanting to provide her with the utmost protection, but without her noticing and without using his agency's personnel, decides to hire a private bodyguard who, as such, must pass as one of her classmates. The task will not be easy: a sworn enemy of the intelligence chief has put a price on the girl's head, but the hired bodyguard will soon discover that he will not be alone in his task, although that company will not always be welcome.

A great display of martial arts, a story with some twists and turns, and a hilarious tone characterize this film.

The Forbidden City

Dir. Gabriele Mainetti (Italy). This film also features many fights in the best tradition of kung fu. In China, at a time when a birth control policy was in place limiting families to only one child, in a remote region, a father who is a kung fu master trains his two young daughters in martial arts, one of whom must hide whenever a stranger visits.

Years later, in Rome's Chinatown, we meet Mei, who is now searching for her sister Yun, who has been forced into prostitution. In the sordid world of crime with its networks of prostitution and usury, the young woman who has travelled from China to find her sister will find an ally in the young chef Marcello. Violence, however, will be the inevitable ingredient in this film, which in any case vindicates a certain sense of justice. But for that, violence was necessary.

THE MYSTERY

There are some films that envelop you in their plot in an almost hypnotic way and leave you wondering about everything you've seen. This is the case with the following titles:

The Woman

Dir. Hwang Wook (South Korea). Sun Kyung appears at the beginning of the film being interviewed for a job. The potential employer points out that she has changed jobs frequently, to which she replies that this was because she had to move to a new city, but now she assures him that she will stay in this job.

Sun-kyung responds to an ad from a man, Young-hwan, who is giving away a vacuum cleaner. She decides to meet him and, as a token of gratitude, gives him some strawberries, which he initially refuses. This is followed by an unexpected incident that does not escalate thanks to the intervention of Ui-jin, a former college classmate.  Days later, she learns that Ui-jin has committed suicide, but she suspects that Young-hwan had something to do with his death. She shares her suspicions with the police officer in charge of the case, but without much success. Meanwhile, a new death will add a new dose of mystery to this captivating psychological thriller.

Angel's Egg

Dir. Mamoru Oshii (Japan). This is a remastered version of the 1985 film. A mysterious warrior and a girl guarding a mysterious egg wander through a city plunged into a post-apocalyptic atmosphere. There is no apparent resolution to the plot, but rather the reiteration of a mystery that remains unsolved.

Scenes of excellent technical craftsmanship and very immersive music made this one of the most interesting mystery films.

A CLASSIC

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Dir. Henry Selik (USA). This 1993 film was screened as part of Fantasia's tribute to film composer Danny Elfman, who provides the singing voice of Jack Skellington in this film. This is a classic stop-motion animated film in which the characters from the Halloween community decide to usurp the celebration of the neighbouring Christmas community. The result is disastrous, although in the end there is some reward for some of the characters. Humour, innocence, and tenderness are intertwined in this story.

ROMANCE AND HUMOUR

Chao

Dir. Yasuhiro Aoki (Japan). A romance between a human and a mermaid, but not just any mermaid. Stephen, a designer at a shipping company in Shanghai, has fallen in love with none other than the daughter of Neptunus, king of the underwater inhabitants. Conflicts that refer to real ecological problems, such as the damage that ship propellers inflict on marine creatures, have threatened the coexistence between land and sea dwellers.

A colourful animated film with vivid images transports the viewer to the landscapes of an imaginary world full of surprises.

Fixed

Dir. Genndy Tartakovsky (USA). This animated film director was also honoured by the festival, and the screening of Fixed was part of that celebration. This film will soon be available on Netflix.

This is certainly an animated film for adult audiences, with many sexual references. Bull is the name of the dog who is the protagonist of the story, a typical family dog, without much pedigree, but who is nonetheless a much-loved pet. Bull, however, has become a nuisance due to his habit of seeking sexual pleasure on the grandmother's legs or on other household items. More profoundly, however, Bull is in love with his neighbour, a fine Afghan hound named Honey, a champion in dog shows who is reserved for another of her own breed.

All that canine world of virile pride is about to end when Bull is prepared to be “fixed” at the veterinary clinic. But before that happens, he and his gang of friends will have an evening of canine enjoyment they will never forget.

A film with a lot of humour, sometimes a little spicy in tone, but not vulgar. Images and actions that keep the audience engaged throughout.

TECHNOCRIME

Lifehack

Dir. Ronan Corrigan (United Kingdom / Cyprus). Undoubtedly one of the most original films in terms of its presentation of images, sometimes in the form of a computer screen, sometimes in that of a mobile phone. The story itself focuses on an action that takes place in the cyber world. Four young people who live immersed in the world of computing—Peter, Alex, Sid, and Petey—put all their technological skills to work to carry out a fabulous fraud against a powerful businessman who does not have a spotless record. What begins as a game will end up getting out of the hands of the daring cybercriminals.

This is a very interesting film, both for its form and for its dynamic narrative and striking story.

SIMPLY MAGICAL

Mononake Chapter II: The Ashes of Rage

Dir. Kenji Nakamura and Kiyotaka Suzuki (Japan). For this critic, this was the crowning glory of the festival's animation section. The second part of Mononake the Movie—Phantom in the Rain, shown last year, made a big impression with its rich colours, quality story, and original narrative.

The second instalment of this saga brings us once again a collection of palace intrigues in the closed environment of Ooku, while the threat of evil spirits looms once more. On this occasion, two of the characters fall victim to a spell that burns them from within, reducing their bodies to ashes. Once again, the enigmatic Medicine Seller, bearer of his exorcism sword, will have to face a decisive battle.

The pictorial richness of the images, resembling traditional Japanese paintings on parchment, transports us to a truly magical world. In our opinion, the best of its animation section.