BURNING is a new thriller from Kyrgyzstan (org. title: Ot) screening at Fantasia 2025. This movie offers a scary and disturbing story told from three very distinct points of view. Very impactful and important. Read our full Burning movie review here!

BURNING is a thriller screening at Fantasia 2025. The movie is from Kyrgyzstan (org. title: Ot), but the story is very universal, and the Canadian-based film festival is a great fit. Not to be confused with the South Korean movie Burning from 2018.

The runtime is just around 100 minutes, and we’ll see the story of one struggling couple play out in three very different ways. Each time the story is told, it’s with a different point of view. And also, the “bad guy” and “problem” are different for each story.

Continue reading our 2025 Burning movie review below.

The road to tragedy

With Burning, it all begins on a night dark with heavy rain. In the small village, one house is on fire, and gossip begins about how the fire happened. Or, more accurately, why it happened. What led to this tragedy?

What should be a relatively simple story is colored by whatever each person has experienced in the days (or even months) leading up to the fire. The family was already torn and depressed after the tragedy of losing a child, so it seems even more tragic that a fire would happen there.

Over the course of the runtime of Burning, we will get the story (or theory, I should say) from a drunk, a neighbour, and the neighbour’s wife. Each will offer a wildly different take on events, where only the conclusion is the same: a fire that began in the kitchen.

Who caused this outcome?

While we know who set the fire in Burning, at the end of the first theory, we still don’t necessarily know what caused this.

We have three people playing key roles. There’s Farida (Kalicha Seydalieva), the mother-in-law, who may have practiced black magic to set events in motion. And Asel (Aysanat Edigeeva), the wife, who possibly lost her mind, is making life hell for everyone.

And finally, there’s Marat (Ömürbek Izrailov), the husband, who has been so worn down by the tragedies of life that anger has overtaken him.

To know what went wrong, you’ll have to watch all three stories. One thing is certain: the tragedy of Burning involves a fire that was lit long before that one fateful night.

Burning (2025) screens at Fantasia 2025

The new Kyrgyz thriller wth the original title of Ot comes from director Radik Eshimov. I can’t claim to be familiar with his work, but I recognize the talent apparent in Burning. For me, seeing films from unexpected places is one of the great thrills of film festivals.

Last year, Fantasia was screening the Kazakh movie Steppenwolf, which also impressed me. What always becomes so obvious is that most stories are universal. Whether about tragedy, love, relationships, hopes, or dreams. Human nature is not defined by borders or nationality.

For Burning, director Radik Eshimov teamed up with the screenwriter Daniyar Bolotbekov. The result is storytelling you won’t forget anytime soon. It stays with you. The movie received outstanding box-office results upon its release in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries.

Burning is reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage.

Details

Director: Radik Eshimov
Writers: Aizada Bekbalaeva, Dastan Madaldiev
Cast: Aysanat Edigeeva, Omurbek Israilov, Kalicha Seydalieva

Plot

One stormy night, a fire engulfs a family home. In a nearby convenience store, neighbors gossip and speculate: was it black magic, a woman’s madness, or a man crushed by life?

FOREIGNER is a new thriller about the struggles of fitting in when you move to a new country. Told with elements of horror, campy comedy, and a sinister undertone. Screening at Fantasia 2025. Read our full Foreigner movie review here!

FOREIGNER is getting its world premiere at Fantasia 2025 and will continue to screen at other genre film festivals. Up very soon is FrightFest in August. This is a thriller, but one that has a campy and sinister tone that might throw you off a little, but it works.

Not least in attempting to show us what it feels like to arrive somewhere new. Especially from a place that most refer to as simply “foreign”. We meet a girl as she begins High School in Canada, which is already a difficult age without the added element of being a foreigner.

Continue reading our Foreigner movie review below.

Arriving in Canada in 2004

With Foreigner, we’re getting a story that plays out in 2004, but I don’t think it would be too different if it had been in the present day. The Iranian immigrant teenage girl, Yasamin (or just Yasi), is the new girl in her Canadian high school.

And also, she’s new to Canada, which means she’s a foreigner. Plain and simple. Also, her classmates know nothing about Iran, so they assume she’s been living under third-world country conditions.

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Our review of It Lives Inside >

In preparation for starting High School, she’s been rewatching her favorite sitcom episodes over and over, and over again. Trying to nail the perfect pronunciation of tricky words.

Unsurprisingly, her high school experience is daunting, as the queen bee of the high school and her two besties attach themselves to Yasi. The trio of pastel-clad girls feeds Yasmin’s need to fit in by showing her what to do and how to act.

Demonic hair dye

For her dad and grandmother, it’s confusing to see their daughter and granddaughter change before their eyes. However, Yasi is desperate for acceptance, which requires that she fit in. In order to achieve this, she dyes her hair blonde.

This act turns out to be a turning point as it attracts a demonic force to Yasmin. One that will drag her further away from her family and her roots.

Rose Dehgan delivers a strong and painful portrayal as Yasi, while Chloë MacLeod shines as the very creepy high school “It girl” Rachel.

Foreigner is premiering at Fantasia 2025

Foreigner was written and directed by Ava Maria Safai, who is a Canadian-Iranian artist from Vancouver. And I believe it does show that this story comes from someone who can relate to the feelings our Yasi has on a personal level.

This is her feature film debut, but she’s already achieved success with her short film Zip, which won numerous awards on the festival circuit. Horror fans will probably also find it very interesting that Ava Maria recently shadowed directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein on Final Destination: Bloodlines. I know I did.

I also enjoyed the retro setting and use of numerous teen horrors as inspiration. Overall, this is a very interesting movie for several reasons. I don’t expect to watch it again, but it’s an important look at the Canadian immigrant experience.

Some have referred to Foreigner as Mean Girls meet The Exorcist, which isn’t wrong, but it’s still taking it a little too far. Still, I acknowledge that Ava Maria Safai is a very interesting filmmaker, and I would love to see more horror (maybe horror comedy) from her hands.

Foreigner is getting its world premiere at Fantasia 2025.

Details

Director: Ava Maria Safai
Writer: Ava Maria Safai
Cast: Rose Dehgan, Chloë MacLeod, Maryam Sadeghi, Ashkan Nejati, Talisa Mae Stewart, Victoria Wardell. 

Plot

Foreigner is set in the age of low-rise jeans and flip phones, where a Persian teen, Yasamin,  (Rose Dehgan) immigrates to a new country with her family. Trying desperately to fit in with her new clique, she dyes her hair blonde — and invites a sinister force into her life.

THE SCHOOL DUEL is a new sci-fi thriller taking place in a not-too-distant future in Florida. It’s reminiscent of The Hunger Games, combined with the very current religious and political climate in that particular state. Screening at Fantasia 2025. Read our full The School Duel movie review here!

THE SCHOOL DUEL is screening at Fantasia 2025, and I can only imagine that it will be very talked about once it’s out in wider release. It’s a sci-fi thriller in black-and-white where the story plays out in the near future. However, the world seems older and longing for the 1950s.

Comparing it to The Hunger Games is almost too easy, but it also feels inevitable. Also, there’s the upcoming The Long Walk, which I am both excited about and dreading. This is not an easy watch, but it is very important.

Continue reading our The School Duel movie review below.

Pledge allegiance to Florida?!

The School Duel takes place in a not-too-distant Florida. This is explained at the very beginning, and in this future independent state of Florida, it’s all about “the right to bear arms, love God, and uphold the values of the forefathers”… so not too different from right now.

However, one key thing has changed. This is summed up by the statewide event known as the School Duel.  It’s sponsored by the government and meant to counter the rise of school shootings. To do this, they have kids participate in a TV show where they shoot at each other.

The good ol’ “Fight fire with fire” idea taken to extremes.

Kue Lawrence is amazing as Sam

We experience this world through the eyes of the bullied 13-year-old Sam Miller (Kue Lawrence). He hates his classmates and is an outcast due to being the main target of many bullies. By watching influencers telling him how to be a “real man”, he is getting all the wrong ideas pumped into his hormone-fueled mind constantly.

His loving mom (Christina Brucato) knows life isn’t easy for Sam, despite his trying to assure her that he loves school. Thanks to active recruiting, Sam enlists in the violent statewide competition called School Duel, where one will be “King” and the rest “Martyrs”.

And yes, it’s exactly as brutal and terrible as you might imagine. No matter how much everyone tries to dress it up in red, white, and blue, and label it a patriotic event.

The old days of the near future

With some people longing for the nostalgia of the 1950s, The School Duel is showing a world that has leaned heavily into this. All while taking place in the near future and showing both the rose-colored vision of the past and the dangers of idolizing the past.

On a side note, Stephen King’s novel 11:22:63 deals with this expertly. The series adaptation wasn’t nearly as good as the book, which managed to delve into how far we’ve come from the “good ol’ days”, which were mainly good for some people.

The choice to make The School Duel in black and white also clearly has several purposes: First, the lack of color makes it “easier” to watch once it gets bloody. Second, it highlights a world defined by right or wrong (determined by a select few), and with little room for nuance.

The School Duel is screening at Fantasia 2025

Todd Wiseman Jr. is the writer and director of The School Duel, which is his feature film debut. An extremely dark, impactful, and even elegant debut with a very important story. The cinematography always forces you to see things that need to be seen.

Overall, this movie is full of American iconography and militarism combined with religion. Mostly with a focus on the misuse of religion. You’d think guns and rifles were written into the Bible when you hear the politicians (and most other adults) speak.

The movie won the Canal+ Special 50th Anniversary Jury Prize at the Deauville Film Festival, and it absolutely deserved to win many more awards. This movie is as bleak and tragic as it is important and impossible to forget once you’ve watched it. And you really should!

The School Duel is reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage. We will update this review with information about a wider release when we have it.

Details

Director: Todd Wiseman Jr
Writer: Todd Wiseman Jr
Cast: Kue Lawrence, Christina Brucato, Micheal Sean Tighe, Oscar Nuñez

Plot

When an opportunity for twisted notoriety arises, a tormented 13-year old, Sammy, enlists in a deadly competition.

THE UNDERTONE is getting its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025, and you’ll want to check it out as soon as you get the chance. This is a paranormal horror thriller that gets under your skin in all the right ways. Read our full The Undertone movie review here!

THE UNDERTONE is a new horror movie getting its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025. Based on the plot, I wasn’t sure what to expect of it, but I was definitely pleased with what I got. Or rather, I was on the edge of my seat and often horrified.

The plot is about a true crime podcaster caring for her dying mother, but the main plot turns more towards the paranormal. We’re in the one house from start to finish, and it’s entirely possible our main character is losing her mind. But then again, we might be too.

Continue reading our The Undertone movie review below.

Awaiting the death of a loved one

With The Undertone, we meet Evy (Nina Kiri) as she has moved in with her mother to care for her in the final days of her life. Instead of a hospice, she wants to be in her own home, so Evy is there to care for her. However, her mom is no longer conscious, so the days are long.

In that sense, it’s good that Evy has a job that she can take on from any location. She’s a podcaster, and with a remote partner, Justin, they’re working on the next episode. It’s a podcast about true crime, but usually with a paranormal or supernatural twist.

The podcast is called “The Undertone”, and while Evy is the skeptic, non-believer, her co-host Justin (voiced by Kris Holden-Ried) wants to believe. While on this solitary deathwatch, Evy tries to focus on their next podcast, but it’s a very odd one that seems to awaken something in her.

Justin has received an email with mysterious audio files. There are ten in total, and as they listen to them, something very strange seems to unfold for the two people in the recordings.

The recordings are of Mike and Jessa, who experience something extraordinary at night and have recorded it. What happens in these recordings will involve superstition, hidden messages in children’s songs, religion, and lots of sinister connotations.

Slow-burn but very intense

While slow-burn can sometimes just be slow storytelling, it can also be that creeping sensation that something dark is just around the next corner. Think Paranormal Activity, the first time you watched it.

Sure, it’s slow, and you’re constantly scanning the background looking for movement, waiting for something to happen. This is also the case with The Undertone, but you won’t be waiting too long before the first clues that something dark and sinister is afoot.

You’ll want to keep your eyes open and stay focused throughout, but don’t forget to also listen and pay attention. After all, there’s the concept of a podcast being made as well, so we also hear a lot of strange and eerie things.

In that sense, it reminded me of the horror anthology Calls, though we always see things happening on the screen as well.

The Undertone is screening at Fantasia 2025

The Undertone is the directorial debut of established sci-fi author Ian Tuason. I haven’t read any of his books, but after watching this movie, I think maybe I ought to.

In the press material for this movie, it’s listed as a slow-burn nightmare that fans of Skinamarink and I Am the Pretty Thing Who Lives in the House will love. This is probably true, but I wasn’t crazy about Skinamarink, though I did enjoy the latter by Osgood Perkins.

For me, it’s more along the lines of Paranormal Activity, Presence, or Monolith. The overall story and storytelling are strong with this movie, while Skinamarink was much more about a vibe and sensation, and very little core plot.

To each their own, but The Undertone is much more me.

Also, I like to see the eyes and faces of actors, and Nina Kiri (The Handmaid’s Tale, The Heretics) is brilliant in the lead here. In fact, she is the only one in the movie, we both see and hear.

We’re watching The Undertone as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage, and you’ll want to watch it whenever you get the chance. We’ll update this review with information on a wider release when this is known. Try not to read spoilers before you watch it.

The Undertone is enjoying its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025.

Details

Director: Ian Tuason
Writer: Ian Tuason
Cast: Nina Kiri, Michele Duquet, Kris Holden-Ried, Keana Lyn-Bastidas, Jeff Yung

Plot

Podcaster Evy prepares for her mother’s death and becomes intrigued with a mysterious set of recordings that spirals into unexpected terrors. 

INFLUENCERS is a serial killer sequel premiering at Fantasia 2025. If you enjoyed the first movie, you’ll love this one. I know I certainly did, and you should watch this as soon as it’s released on Shudder. Read our full Influencers movie review here!

INFLUENCERS is enjoying its world premiere at Fantasia 2025. I really enjoyed the first movie on Shudder and have been looking forward to this serial killer sequel. However, I actually think this is even better than I dared hope.

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Our review of the first movie Influencer here >

It’s still dark, bloody, funny, creative, violent, and with just the right level of kitsch realism to keep both the plot and us, the audience, grounded. The runtime is 1 hour and 50 minutes, and I never looked at the clock, so that must be a very good sign.

Continue reading our Influencers movie review below. Find it on Shudder soon (we’ll update this review with the release data when we have it).

A serial killer with a code

Not unlike Dexter Morgan, the serial killer in Influencer and Influencers has a code. Of course, it’s a very different kind of code that could be summed up as: CW really doesn’t like social media influencers.

In Influencers, which picks up more than a year after the events of the first movie, she’s in a really good place. CW (Cassandra Naud) is living in the South of France, has met a wonderful French girl, and the two are happily in love. In fact, they are about to celebrate their one-year anniversary.

Her girlfriend Diane (Lisa Delamar) is very laid-back and doesn’t care about social media beyond sharing the beauty of life. In fact, Diane doesn’t even mind when they get bumped to a smaller room at the gorgeous castle, where they’ll spend their one-year anniversary.

However, CW (who goes by Catherine in Influencers) has been planning this trip for a long time and is not happy. Once she finds out it’s due to a popular British influencer, Charlotte (Georgina Campbell), CW is furious.

Can a tiger change her stripes?

Before long, CW feels the urge to teach yet another influencer a deadly lesson. To make matters worse, Charlotte strikes up a conversation with the couple and does not leave them alone.

In CW’s mind, this is surely more than enough reason to take action. As in take out the annoying and entitled influencer, who is clearly ruining the couple’s anniversary. Diane is mildly intrigued by Charlotte, but mostly due to her kindness, and CW has had enough.

Can CW control her serial killer tendencies?! What would happen if she acted on them? Can she still be in a relationship if she goes back to her old way of life?

In short: Is she ready to face the consequences? And regardless of this, can she control herself?

Of course, with CW’s talent for hacking, she can get back at any influencer in a myriad of ways. And yet, we all know that what she really wants is to end any influencer who gets in her way. The outcome always seems to be deadly.

Watch Influencers on Shudder soon

With Influencers, writer-director Kurtis David Harder has managed to make that difficult sequel that’s at least as good as the first movie. Perhaps even better! Also, a quick reminder to also check out his 2019 movie, Spiral, if you haven’t already. I’m a huge fan of his work so far.

Honestly, the entire cast of this sequel is brilliant. We do get around to meeting quite a few influencers operating in various niches. Of course, Georgina Campbell alone is brilliant. With her roles in Barbarian, T.1.M., and The Watchers, she’s already a horror darling.

Cassandra Naud is brilliant in this serial killer role. It seems made for her, and I would love to watch more stories about CW. Whether prequels, sequels, or spin-offs. Just keep ’em coming, as long as the quality is this impressive.

Influencers is enjoying its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025. It will soon be on Shudder.

Details

Director: Kurtis David Harder
Writer: Kurtis David Harder
Cast: Cassandra Naud, Georgina Campbell, Lisa Delamar, Emily Tennant, Jonathan Whitesell

Plot

In the picturesque landscapes of southern France, a young woman’s chilling fascination with murder and identity theft sends her life into a whirlwind of chaos.

THE WOMAN is a new Korean Thriller screening at Fantasia 2025. It offers classic elements of South Korean genre storytelling. However, it also has a vibe that steers in slightly different directions than the norm. Read our full The Woman movie review here!

THE WOMAN is screening at Fantasia 2025, and this thriller from South Korea offers a fascinating and sinister plot. Forget all about supernatural horror or some classic villain. This one hits much closer to home.

Even the opening quote about people seeking knowledge that will serve to confirm their already established beliefs (I’m paraphrasing, but you get the gist) is a teaser for what you’re about to experience.

Continue reading our The Woman (2025) movie review below.

It all begins with a vacuum cleaner and strawberries

When Sun-kyung meets Young-hwan, the two are complete strangers. She meets him because he is giving away his vacuum cleaner for free using an app that serves this very purpose: Secondhand trading.

Young-hwan is a strange man, and Sun-kyung doesn’t feel too comfortable with him. Something is just off. When she brings him strawberries as a thank-you gift, he reacts with something that can only be described as horror.

That simple exchange escalates in a strange way, where they’re fighting over the strawberries. In the middle of this, her old college classmate Ui-jin shows up to protect her, as he also notices the very strange vibe of this man.

Too quick to judge quirky

The next day, a homicide detective reaches out to Sun-kyung because Ui-jin has apparently committed suicide right after this encounter. Immediately, she suspects Young-hwan has something to do with the death of her former college friend.

Not least because he dies in exactly the same way that Young-hwan’s own mother supposedly died. It’s all just too much of a coincidence.

Also, he is weird and quirky, so he must be off. And isn’t he exactly the kind of person who would kill someone?

The Woman offers us a glimpse into the power of suggestion, rumors, and online “sleuths” who want nothing more than to stir up trouble. However, this can lead to real-life consequences. And that is the core subject of this South Korean thriller.

The Woman is screening at Fantasia 2025

Hwang Wook directed The Woman, which is very different from his previous movie, which also screened at Fantasia. That one was a hysterical, neo-Western black comedy titled Mash Ville (2025).

With The Woman, Hwang Wook shows a very different side of his filmmaking talents. This latest movie is a character-driven psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. Even after much is revealed, you will continue to guess about what just might come next.

The entire cast is exceptional, but Han Hye-ji still stands out with her performance as the title character. This is independent filmmaking of exactly the quality you’d expect from a movie screening at Fantasia. I hope to see much more from Hwang Wook in the future.

The Woman is reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage.

Details

Director: Hwang Wook
Writers: Lim Dong-min, Hwang Wook
Cast: Han Hye-ji, Byun Jin-su, Kim Hee-sang, Nam Jin-bok

Plot

An exchange of strawberries and a used household appliance turns into a nightmare for Sun-kyung when her partner turns up dead. Now she must follow the trail of a disturbing stranger.

HELLCAT is a new survival horror-thriller that keeps you guessing. Also, it utilizes a single location expertly. Perhaps better than I’ve ever seen. Dakota Gorman is breathtaking in the lead. Screened as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage. Read our full Hellcat movie review here!

HELLCAT is a survival horror-thriller that world premieres at Fantasia 2025. While this is one of the best genre film festivals in the world (in my opinion and experience), this year has been an exceptionally great experience.

With Hellcat, I didn’t know what to expect, but it delivered something out of the ordinary. With a runtime of 91 minutes, it even manages to keep a tight pace and deliver a very full story. One that surprised and amazed me. In other words, you’ll want to watch this movie!

Continue reading our Hellcat movie review below.

Every woman’s nightmare

Hellcat begins with a classic horror opening: A young woman, Lena (Dakota Gorman), wakes up in an unfamiliar place. She soon realizes that it’s a moving camper trailer, and everything from the constant movements to the sounds of everything shaking and shifting is confusing.

Also, she has a strong and painful wound on her left arm.

Then a voice comes booming in through a speaker. It’s the driver, and he’s warning her that she’s been infected with something and must get help within just one hour. He insists that he’s helping her, but he also very clearly has her trapped in this locked-up camper.

In every normal sense of the word, she has been kidnapped. Hellcat shows every woman’s nightmare, but Lena is the kind of woman who fights back. She goes over everything in the camper, but clearly, the driver has prepped this location for someone to be trapped.

For the record, I say “every woman”, though I’m sure not all women fear this. Except for fans of true crime, who will know it does happen. I don’t expect quite as many men to have this as an actual fear, but I could be wrong?!

What is real?!

Unsure what to believe, Lena recognizes that something is very wrong with her. It’s dreadfully painful when she attempts to touch the wound, and something is visibly coursing through her veins, heading towards her heart.

According to the driver, it must not reach her heart, so she has to stay calm to slow down the infection.

While staying almost entirely inside this camper, the story of Hellcat plays out. This story will keep you guessing as it progresses and escalates.

We do see the driver, and hear several voices as both the radio is on and phone calls take place. Also, we see Lena having flashbacks and experiences that seem to manifest and transform the camper. Is this all in her mind or part of the supposed infection?

You’ll have to watch Hellcat to find out. However, trust me, you’ll want to watch this movie, and it will deliver answers. Maybe not what you expect, but I enjoyed both the ride there and the ultimate conclusion of the story.

Dakota Gorman is the beating heart of Hellcat and has the most screentime, but I also have to acknowledge the rest of this cast and crew. Making a movie that plays out in a single location is never easy, and making a great movie in this way shows immense skill.

Plus, regardless of the location, I just loved the plot of Hellcat. It works its audience with its twists and turns as the survival horror escalates in many different ways.

Catch Hellcat at a film festival near you!

Brock Bodell is the writer and director of Hellcat, and while I don’t know when or where this movie will be out next, I highly recommend you check it out as soon as you can. This is an indie horror thriller that delivers on every level.

This is the feature film debut of Brock Bodell, and I feel very confident we’ll see more of his future films at the Fantasia International Film Festival, as well. His work clearly belongs at this film festival.

As of screening and reviewing Hellcat, we’ve only had Fantasia 2025 experiences that are at 4 out of 5 ratings. Usually, there are some hits and misses. In fact, a few years back, we started out with a few misses, and I started dreading the rest of the festivals. Then it got back on track.

Still, Hellcat is a creature that will stay with me longer than many other film festival movies. In the press material, there was a director’s statement that ended with the words “I made Hellcat for everyone who’s ever lost anyone, including themselves.” 

Let me just say: I both recognized and felt this while watching Hellcat. Thank you!

Hellcat is World Premiering at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 25, 2025.

Details

Director/Writer: Brock Bodell
Cast: Dakota Gorman, Todd Terry, Liz Atwater, Jordan Mullins, James Austin Johnson

Plot

Lena wakes up in a moving camper trailer with a wound. She’s warned by the driver that they have one hour to get to a doctor, or she’ll succumb to an awful fate. As the pain sets in and reality begins to fray, who should really be afraid? 

TRANSCENDING DIMENSIONS is a Sci-Fi Fantasy Thriller from Japan. A true genre-mix infused with jazz and sorcery. It’s weird, wacky, wonderful, and will keep you guessing. Screened at Fantasia 2025. Read our full Transcending Dimension movie review here!

TRANSCENDING DIMENSIONS is a classic and perfect film festival movie. It’s a genre-hybrid that mixes Sci-Fi, Comedy, Thriller, and everything from folklore to sorcery and space adventure.

It’s a Japanese movie, and if you’ve watched genre movies from Japan made in any of the past many decades, you’ll recognize the vibe. This isn’t a movie that utilizes martial arts in any classic sense. However, battles are part of the story. Just not in ways you’re familiar with.

Continue reading our Transcending Dimension movie review below. Screened at Fantasia 2025.

The dangers of spiritual enlightenment

With Transcending Dimensions, we’re getting the kind of movie where you never know what’s coming next. I mean, even the title and opening credits don’t come until around 38 minutes into its runtime.

We’re at a retreat in the mountains where a cult leader seems to be a little too power-happy. He certainly doesn’t shy away from practices that can only be described as sadistic. While his followers are seeking spiritual enlightenment, cult leader Master Hanzo (Chihara Jr.) is leading them down a strange path.

One of the people at this particular setting is the hitman Shinno (Ryuhei Matsuda), who is only there to please his client Nonoka. She wants to avenge her boyfriend, Rosuke, who disappeared after following the suggestions of Master Hanzo.

The universe within yourself

If this were an Australian movie, we would say Rosuke had been sent on a walkabout in the bush. Yes, I watched Crocodile Dundee a lot during my formative years. In Transcending Dimensions, the followers of this cult are sent out to find the edges of the universe… but within themselves.

After Rosuke was sent on this journey, he has been missing, so now Nonoka wants the hitman to kill Master Hanzo as revenge. Having given this order, she appears to take her own life. As if this was the final mission of her life.

The hitman Shinno decides to still honor their agreement, but killing a cult leader is no small feat. Especially as he appears to also be a sorcerer, who can throw air at you and knock you out with just a quick flick of one finger.

Master Hanzo appears to have fun with being the target of this hitman, while we also get to see what happened to Rosuke. Did he find the edges of the universe or whatever happened to him?!

If this all sounds strange, then it’s because Transcending Dimensions is rather strange. Fortunately, it’s mostly in a very entertaining way where punk-jazz music underscores the wild and unexpected twists.

Transcending Dimensions is screening at Fantasia 2025

Japanese director Toshiaki Toyoda is not for everyone. He previously directed movies that have gone on to earn the moniker “cult films”. These include Pornostar (1998), Blue Spring (2001), and 9 Souls (2003).

With everything from legal problems to his very direct criticism of Japan’s conservative viewpoints, his movies dive into stories that are certainly not conservative in their approach to plot or storytelling.

Transcending Dimensions has been described as a “potent blend of film noir, sci-fi, supernatural combat, deadpan comedy, and existential weirdness”, which seems surprisingly accurate. If this sounds like something you’d like to experience, then this is for you.

Transcending Dimensions is reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage.

Details

Director: Toshiaki Toyoda
Writer: Toshiaki Toyoda
Cast: Haruka Imou, Chihara Jr., Yosuke Kubozuka, Ryuhei Matsuda, Kiyohiko Shibukawa

Plot

Rosuke, a monk, has gone missing. His lover, Nonoka, takes the assassin Shinno to a religious facility in search of Rosuke. There, they meet a sorcerer called Ajari. Meanwhile, Rosuke is on a spaceship heading to the unknown planet named Kelman. There, he meets a strange old man. And then… A battle of sorcery between Rosuke, Shinno, and Ajari begins.

THE SERPENT’S SKIN is a new genre hybrid movie from Alice Maio Mackay. It’s screening at Fantasia 2025, just like her previous movie, Carnage for Christmas.

Please note: This is a micro review (AKA a capsule review) of The Serpent’s Skin.

While I loved the kitsch and camp slasher style of Carnage for Christmas, The Serpent’s Skin is an entirely different creature. It’s more serious with supernatural elements. Early on, I recognized that I much preferred the previous style.

The story was intriguing, but I wasn’t crazy about the casting because the chemistry between various characters felt off to me. 

Bottom line, I liked the story, but not so much the execution. Having enjoyed the previous movie from the filmmaker, I expected something different, and I recognize my expectations got the better of me. 

Details

Director: Alice Maio Mackay
Writer: Alice Maio Mackay, Ben Dahl Robinson
Cast: Charlotte Chimes, Jordan Dulieu, Avalon Fast, Scott Major, Alexandra McVicker

Plot

Anna escapes from her small, transphobic town, and starts a romantic relationship with another young woman, a goth tattoo artist named Gen. After unwittingly unleashing a demon that begins feeding on their friends, the pair need to face their insecurities in order to defeat evil. 

THE WAILING (2024) is a new Supernatural Horror movie that stays with you long after the end credits. The story is universal and haunting in terrifying ways. Screening at Fantasia 2025. Read our full The Wailing (org. title: El llanto) movie review here!

THE WAILING (2024) is a new horror movie screening at Fantasia 2025. It screened at Sitges 2024 and continues to win over audiences worldwide. This supernatural horror movie feels very real and relatable in ways you may not expect.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH

The amazing South Korean movie The Wailing from 2016 >

The story spans both decades and continents, as the same entity appears to be targeting young women. However, don’t think men can be safe either. A vibe of both It Follows and Terrified without being too similar to either.

Continue reading our The Wailing movie review below.

Across time and countries

The Wailing begins in modern-day Madrid, where Andrea is dealing with a lot of huge changes to her life. Not only does she discover the truth of her own origin, but she also witnesses a loved one being murdered, and no one believes her.

She is being haunted by a strange and terrifying entity that she can’t even see. But she can feel him. Trying to explain something you don’t understand yourself, or even see, makes you come across as being crazy.

We soon find out that someone else had a very similar experience twenty years ago. This happened both decades ago and thousands of miles away, in La Plata in Argentina. In this instance, it was Marie being tormented by the very same presence.

From bad to worse to deadly

There’s also a third woman, Camila, who knows what is going on. However, nobody will believe her. In other words, we’re dealing with women being attacked and assaulted, but not believed.

Without any good description of the perpetrator or any proof of the events, it’s impossible to get any help. Outside of suggestions of medication or a stint in a psychiatric ward.

What all these women have in common is also that they will hear the same, terrible sound. The sound of a ghostly wailing (from a woman) will overwhelm their senses. And it appears to come from an empty apartment.

The stars of The Wailing should be familiar to many genre fans of Spanish-language productions. We have Ester Expósito (Someone Has to Die), Mathilde Ollivier (Overlord, 1899), and Malena Villa (El angel).

The Wailing screened at Fantasia 2025

This is a feature debut from director/co-writer Pedro Martín-Calero, and I am extremely impressed. He started as a cinematographer and then directed a string of popular shorts and commercials. Also, he directed music videos, including for The Weeknd.

For me, expectations were fairly high due to the screenplay being co-scripted by Isabel Peña. She is a brilliant screenwriter who previously wrote on projects like The Beasts, May God Save Us, and The Chalk Line. To name just a few!

The Wailing was, in part, inspired by the writing of Mariana Enríquez, which I am not familiar with. Though now I think I should. I adored just about everything about this movie and even the ending, which I’m sure will baffle (maybe even annoy) some viewers.

The Wailing (org. title: El llanto) is reviewed as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage. It will be out on digital on December 5, 2025.

Details

Director: Pedro Martín-Calero
Writers: Pedro Martín-Calero, Isabel Peña
Cast: Ester Expósito, Mathilde Ollivier, Malena Villa

Plot

In modern-day Madrid, Andrea’s world is being turned violently upside-down, haunted by a terrifying entity that she can neither see, understand, or explain. Twenty years ago, thousands of miles away, in La Plata, Marie is being tormented by the very same presence. A third woman, Camila, has a gut-wrenching understanding of what’s happening, but nobody will believe her. In their darkest moments, each will hear the same, terrible sound. A ghostly wailing will overwhelm their senses.