Fantastic Fest 2007: Day Four

The Cold Hour
Fortunately, Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League does a competent job of monitoring the temperature in his theaters, unlike most movie houses where you’re well advised to bring a sweater. This is important because The Cold Hour is chilling enough without frosty environs. Spanish filmmaker Elio Quiroga has made a first rate, post-apocalyptic thriller where a group of survivors have created a livable community within a building complex. But supplies are running low as they defend themselves against creatures known as “strangers” (the infected ones) and “invisibles” (the cold ones). A suspenseful movie, it saves the real wow factor for the ending.

Mirageman
A bar bouncer decides to become a super hero in this better-than-average, low-budget martial arts film. When it’s funny, as when the hero designs his supersuit and works on his marketing, the film is wonderfully entertaining. And the fight scenes are well choreographed. The film’s downfall, however, comes when it takes itself much too seriously.

Far Out
In this '60s-style, Valley-of-the-Dolls-meets-Vampires short, the party goers get stoned on psychedelic punch while one of them gets thirsty for a different kind of liquid. Corny, but funny. Thankfully, also very short.

An Introduction to Lucid Dream Exploration
An interesting look at the subconscious mind is mind blowingly animated with an Etch-a-Sketch—frame by frame by frame by frame...