Posted on August 5, 2011
By Michael Ryan
Fantasia Film Festival
Michael Ryan’s Five Favourites
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Rabies
This year at Fantasia we heard horror in an entirely new language. As Israel’s horror pioneers, Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado borrowed from the World of Expoliation Cinema, but struck off in an entirely new direction. Rabies is darkly funny and filled with rage. The very existence of the film has inspired the production of 3 new horror films from Israel and a follow-up from Keshales and Papushado that threatens to do to the kidnap genre what they have already done to the slasher genre.
The Innkeepers
Leaving aside my inability not to take the cheap shot and call Ricky “a Porky Pig mother-fucker”, if you read our reviews, we both agree about the craftsmanship on display in this film. The difference is Ricky’s review is a “but it didn’t scare me” review and mine is a “and it scared the ever-living crap out of me.”
Bellflower
Like being kicked in the gut by Tina Turner wearing stiletto heels.
13 Assassins (Director’s Cut)
Miike at his bloody best.
Haunters
This year’s best super-hero movie has no costumes and no exposition – just two men with super-powers beating the hell out of each other in a film that mood swings from comic to tragic with whiplash speed.
13 Assassins (Director's Cut), Bellflower, Haunters, Rabies, The Innkeepers
Back
Michael Ryan is the Festival Director for the YoungCuts Film Festival
(www.YoungCuts.com) Every year, we present our Top 100 Great Short
Films by the World's Best Young Filmmakers 25 and under. We are now accepting submissions for the 2013 Festival.
On his blog (www.Llakor.blogspot.com) he very sporadically writes about YoungCuts,
films, comics and his odd involvement in professional wrestling. 
