Fantasia Fest 2019: 6 most-anticipated horror movies

We’re highlighting some of the most exciting new horror films debuting at this year’s Fantasia Fest. You won’t want to miss out on any of these.

Fantasia Fest 2019 is about to begin and this year boasts a crop of excellent new genre films from a diverse array of directors hailing from all over the world.

This year marks the 23rd edition of this time honored event. More than 400 members of the film industry will be in attendance. As cinephiles are aware, Fantasia Fest is known for its eclectic array of movies such as Westerns, Experimental films, shorts, anime, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and more.

At 1428 Elm, we will be covering some of the selections most-anticipated horror films. Here is a preview of what’s to come.

6. 1BR

• Director: David Marmor
• Starring: Nicole Brydon Bloom, Alan Blumenfeld, Susan Davis, Naomi Grossman, Clayton Hoff, Giles Matthey, Taylor Nichols, Earnestine Phillips, Celeste Sullivan

When Sarah finds the perfect one-bedroom apartment in an idyllic complex, she thinks she’s finally found a place to put down some roots. Unfortunately, she soon discovers that all is not as quaint and accommodating as it initially appeared.

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Her once cozy apartment turns into a nightmare as the dark secrets of the neighborhood come to fruition. Her neighbors are a little too nice, and she starts to hear strange sounds in the dead of night. Marmor makes his directorial debut with this terrifying thriller.

5. Sadako

• Director: Hideo Nakata
• Cast: Elaiza Ikeda, Himeka Himejima, Ren Kiriyama, Hiroya Shimizu, Rie Tomosaka, Takashi Tsukamoto

If you’re familiar with The Ring (2002), then odds are you know it was an American remake of the original Japanese film, Ringu. Sadako marks Hideo Nakata’s return to the franchise with a follow-up film to the original.

This highly-anticipated sequel will follow a young girl admitted into a psychiatric hospital. The girl is believed to be a reincarnated version of Sadako. The movie has been praised as taking the Ringu franchise in a new direction while maintaining the chilling direction of the original.

4. Critters Attack!

• Director: Bobby Miller
• Cast: Jack Fulton, Jadeen Noel, Ava Preston, Dee Wallace, Tashiana Washington

Fans of the Critters franchise will be pleased to know a fifth film in the series is releasing at Fantasia Fest this year! It will mark the return of Critters star, Dee Wallace.

The fifth outing about these crazy, vicious, furballs from space will follow a delivery driver for a local sushi restaurant who finds his world ripped apart when meteors plummet to earth. From the meteors emerge our favorite fanged Critters. This film is sure to be hilarious and a gory good time.

3. Homewrecker

• Director: Zach Gayne
• Cast: Alex Essoe, Precious Chong, Kris Siddiqi

Homewrecker is already making waves pre-debut in the festival circuit due to its groundbreaking take on themes like feminity, heteronormative romance, and bodily autonomy. The movie is labeled a “pop-horror-satire,” and follows the strange relationship between characters Michelle and Linda after they meet at yoga.

What begins as an exciting new relationship transforms into something more sinister when Michelle finds herself an unwitting hostage in Linda’s home after agreeing to help her redecorate.

2. Little Monsters

Little Monsters – Courtesy of Fantasia Fest 2019

• Director: Abe Forsythe
• Cast: Alexander England, Josh Gad, Lupita Nyong’o

Feeling lost and estranged from the most important people in his life, Dave makes an effort to focus on his nephew’s well-being instead. He meets his camp teacher, Caroline, and even volunteers to be a chaperone on a field trip.

Unbeknownst to Dave, he has accidentally agreed to travel straight into the chaos of a zombie infestation. Lupita Nyong’o shines once again in this film as the intimidating, yet genuine, Caroline. Given the brilliance of her performance in this year’s earlier film, Us, it’s not hard to imagine that Nyong’o is going to, once again, blow us all away.

1. Ready or Not

• Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
• Cast: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell

Most couples like to spend their marital night in wedded bliss between the sheets, but that’s not quite the case in Ready or Not. Following the wedding between Grace and Alex, Grace gets a decidedly unorthodox introduction to Alex’s family traditions.

Instead of breaking bread or drinking wine, his family enjoys a little more blood in their celebrations. Grace gets wrapped up in a deadly game of cat and mouse involving pickaxes, shotguns, and more. For fans of You’re Next, this film is definitely up your alley.

If you would like to find out more about Fantasia Fest 2019 you can read the entire list of films at the festival’s website.

Which of these films are on your must-see list? Let us know in the comments.