The St. Louis International Film Festival – My Picks To See

The 19th Annual St. Louis International Film Festival kicked off Thursday night at The Tivoli in the Loop.  The Tivoli joins The Hi-Pointe Theater, Plaza Frontenac, and Webster University, as one of four places where you can catch rare independent films as well as sneak previews of films prior to their wide release.  This year the festival is once again filled with a wide assortment of films to choose from.  With over 300 feature films, shorts, and documentaries to take in, you might have a hard time going through and finding the films that might appeal to you.  Well, I will try to make it easier for you with picks that would appeal to you horror, thriller, and genre fans out there.

127 Hours

You have to give a hand to actor James Franco . . . sorry, I had to use that joke.  Most of you know that the film is based on a true-story about a guy who gets stuck between a rock and a hard place … there I go with the jokes again.  There’s rocks and his hand gets trapped under them.  There, I got through it.  What isn’t a joke though, is the positive feedback the film has received.  Directed by 28 Days Later director Danny Boyle, this film is sure to create a tense movie-going experience.

SUNDAY NOV. 14, 7 PM, HI- POINTE

Black Swan

Again, another film that is getting a ton of praise and also directed by a veteran director, Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream is still one of the scariest non-horror films I have ever seen).  Black Swan’s psychological  tale of perfection and beauty reminds me of an old Roman Polanski film in a lot of ways.  Natalie Portman is already getting Oscar buzz for her portrayal of the ballerina on the edge of sanity.  This is the one film that I am the most looking forward to seeing.

FRIDAY NOV. 19, 7 PM, HI-POINTE

Daniel and Abraham

This taut thriller comes from local St. Louis director Ryan Eslinger.  The story follows Daniel on a hike through the snow-covered woods.  When a mysterious traveler begins to follow the lone hiker, the film takes some dark turns.  Eslinger also handled the duties of producing, writing, editing, shooting, composing the score, and handling the special effects! How did he handle it all? Well you can ask him in person, when he will be at the screening on Sunday at The Tivoli.

SUNDAY NOV. 14, 1:15 PM, TIVOLI

 Rage

All I have to say is, “co-produced by Guillermo Del Toro.”  You see … I knew I would have your attention.  Rage is in fact co-produced by the popular Spanish director, but it is also so much more.  A hidden love, an accidental death, a missing person, and an abusive relationship are just some of the elements in this suspenseful Hitchcockian thriller.  Oh . . .   did I mention Guillermo Del Toro.

MONDAY NOV.15, 7 PM, PLAZA FRONTENAC    and    TUESDAY NOV.16, 9 PM, PLAZA FRONTENAC

 Valhalla Rising

This is easily one of the most anticipated films for me on this list.  Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, who gave us the Pusher trilogy and Bronson, the film looks like a mix between Braveheart and The 13th Warrior directed in the style of Terrence Malick.  A mute gladiator named One-Eye, escapes from his captors with a young boy and joins a viking ship headed toward Israel in 1000 A.D.  This epic Danish film has the look and feel of a gritty and gruesome horror film.  Judging by the trailer that is available online, it looks like the film will not be short on the bloodshed. 

SUNDAY NOV. 14, 9:15 HI-POINTE

 Vengeance

The final film on this list, is a modern take of the classic crime-noir/ murder-mystery.  A French chef goes on a hunt for the killer of his daughter’s two children and husband.  With the help of three hitmen, this man will stop at nothing until he has his revenge on the killer. Vengeance is the English language debut of acclaimed Hong Kong action director Johnnie To.  If you are a fan of the visual style of Takashi Miike’s Dead or Alive trilogy or Ichi The Killer, you will surely have fun with this one.

WEDNESDAY NOV. 17, 7 PM, HI-POINTE

So if you live in St. Louis, you might want to check out some of these genre pictures as well as others that I didn’t mention.  For a list of all of the films showing at the St. Louis International Film Festival, which runs November 11-21, click here.