Let’s be clear: Netflix is a bit cooler since they started streaming movies, but why real film buffs love this modern movie delivery service is because of the plethora of the strange films tucked away in the nooks and crannies of this site. The hard-to-find titles are often discovered on Netflix, but not always. And this is where film festivals step in to fill the void.
Film fans of genre cinema are in luck this weekend when Thriller! Chiller! returns yet again to Wealthy Theatre for a great weekend of action, sci-fi, suspense, and horror films. And with every new year, Thriller! Chiller! becomes even more international, featuring more than just films in English.
Their website is chocked full of movie trailers you can preview in advance as you select what you want to see, and there are some real winners in this year’s program.
For starters, I am really excited to see
Fuzz Track City, a comedy/action/crime story about a private detective from the Valley who's down and out after his best friend/business partner is killed. This heavy nod to the 1970s exploitation films is a gritty homage of the urban detective TV show with a dash of blaxploitation for jive’s sake. There is even a nod to vinyl culture in this film and thus the buzz on
Fuzz.
Other films that stand out are
Sal, a modern Western that is sure not to bore you like
Unforgiven did me in the theatres. Did I mention it is in Spanish and set in Chile’s desert region? Cool!
There are also 10 short films from Michigan directors this year and of these, I can safely say these are the ones you do not want to miss when programming your weekend must see list:
Abed, Relief Keeper,
Cadence,
Low End, and
Thieves.
Another stand out that is sure to capture the folks over at
MurderMotels.com is a unique documentary film project that began in 1996 when director Michal Kosakowski of
Zero Killed began interviewing of people about how they would kill someone if given the chance to explore this fantasy. He returned later saying he made their wish happen (sort of) in what is a brilliant cinematic offering as ordinary people, who normally are law-abiding citizens, are given the change to commit to creating this moment of crime and have it caught on tape. It is truly an exciting documentary that is sure to keep the audience talking long after the credits have sailed.
There are plenty of other exciting things to do like attend the Thursday night Mystery Tape (as in videotape) screening, or get a little gussied up for the awards ceremony on Saturday night and then stay after for the cult classic screening of
Terminator 2. Please see their website for a complete list of films and links to trailers competing this year for your bloody mind.
Admission: $15 weekend pass / $8 single film admission