From Jeff Nelson

Fantastic Fest returns to Austin, Texas in 2023 with its eyes set on both the buzziest and most attention-grabbing indie genre flicks out there. The event takes over the screens of the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, connecting its audiences with what could be some of the year’s brightest gems, including their famous secret screenings that keep attendants on their toes. Here’s a look at five of the films that piqued our interest.

Cobweb

Director Kim (Song Kang-ho) imagines up a new ending to his movie called Cobweb in the 1970s, quickly developing an obsession with reshooting it to concoct what he considers his masterpiece. However, the path ahead proves difficult between the censorship authorities and issues with the cast and crew on the set who don’t understand his vision.

Jee-woon Kim is well-known for the horror/drama A Tale of Two Sisters, which inspired the 2009 remake titled The Uninvited, as well as 2010’s brutal I Saw the Devil. Cobweb takes a comedic direction that simultaneously has a personal message coming straight from the filmmaker himself.

Concrete Utopia

A massive earthquake suddenly destroys the world, leaving most human survivors with no shelter. However, one apartment building in Seoul called Hwang Gung Apartments remains standing, resulting in local survivors desperately trying to escape the bitter cold by taking up residence in the apartments. The current occupants band together to concoct a plan that will change society as they know it.

Concrete Utopia entered the awards conversation as South Korea’s entry into the Best International Feature Film category of the 96th Academy Awards. It’s a post-apocalyptic disaster movie boiling with drama and a whole lot of social commentary. 

Kill

A passenger train traveling for New Delhi bursts into absolute chaos when a couple of commandos face off against a 40-strong army of bandits.

Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Kill is the type of midnight genre movie that seeks to get a crowd going. It’s hyped as a remarkably violent cult film with big thrills and action set pieces, making it a particularly exciting addition to Fantastic Fest. 

The Toxic Avenger

An oppressed janitor named Winston (Peter Dinklage) is the victim of a tragic toxic accident, which transforms him into a new form of hero named The Toxic Avenger.

The Toxic Avenger is a remake of Troma Entertainment’s 1984 B-movie of the same name, which seeks to recapture its self-aware spirit. It has an all-star cast that includes the likes of Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon. This horror/comedy is sure to make a splash with a festival crowd.

When Evil Lurks

Two brothers come across a demon-infected man on the verge of birthing a terrible evil in a remote village. They devise a plan to get rid of the man for good, but they ultimately only succeed in worsening the fates of all those around them.

Demián Rugna shocked horror circles with 2017’s Terrified, which went all-in on the violence and the scares. When Evil Lurks is another opportunity to make a big impression with Fantastic Fest before hitting theaters on October 6th and streaming on Shudder on October 27th – just in time for Halloween.

Fantastic Fest 2023 will take place between September 21st - 28th, 2023. Keep checking back here for ongoing festival coverage!