Fantasia Film Festival 2025: 5 Movies We’re Most Excited For
Photo from Fantasia Film Festival
From Jeff Nelson
Whoever said summer isn’t for genre fare? Fantasia Film Festival 2025 returns to Montreal, Canada, from July 16th - August 3rd. The annual fest promises a wide array of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. From buzzy titles to experimental filmmaking, there is always something appealing to catch. Last year, Vulcanizadora proved to be a nice surprise, but The Count of Monte-Cristo was the clear stand-out. I’m covering Fantasia Film Festival once again this year, and there are several titles on the program that caught my eye. Here are the five I’m most excited to see.
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‘Fucktoys’
“A young woman seeks to break a curse by raising $1000 for psychics in a pre-millennium alternate universe. She navigates the seedy underbelly of Trashtown via scooter, encountering bizarre characters along the way.”
Annapurna Sriram’s directorial debut is described as John Waters meets Gregg Araki, and that’s enough to make it worth a watch. After Fucktoys (great film title) made its way through SXSW, Seattle Film Festival, and LGBTQ+ Film Festival before landing at Fantasia – it looks like a delightful blend of camp and grit.
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‘Good Boy’
“A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner Todd, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.”
Good Boy has been on my radar for quite some time now. A ghost movie from the perspective of the dog is a brilliant concept that hopefully delivers. Ben Leonberg’s horror flick is making its Canadian Premiere, where it’s sure to continue its steady hype.
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‘It Ends’
“Friends on a late-night food run become trapped on an infinite highway with otherworldly terrors lurking beyond. Confined in their Jeep Cherokee, they must decide whether to accept their fate or attempt escape.”
No genre mash-up interests me more at Fantasia Film Festival 2025 than It Ends. Alexander Ullom’s premise is simple, but it leaves space for compelling character building and terrifying revelations within the confines of a single road.
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‘LifeHack’
“Four teenage slackers attempt a multi-million-dollar Bitcoin heist from their bedrooms, only to spiral into the darkest corners of the internet-and a danger beyond their computer screens.”
Yes, we’ve seen numerous movies try to make the screenlife genre work, but it’s much easier in concept than execution. LifeHack takes a stab at it, and the results look suspenseful.
Photo from Fantasia Film Festival
‘Redux Redux’
“Irene Kelly travels through parallel universes, repeatedly killing her daughter's murderer. As she becomes consumed by vengeance, her humanity hangs in the balance.”
Kevin and Matthew McManus’ Redux Redux blends sci-fi and horror influences into the revenge flick. The concept is a riveting take on the cyclical nature of human morality. Also, it’s exciting to see duo PJ McCabe and Jim Cummings, even if we’ll only be seeing one of their faces in front of the camera.
Fantasia Film Festival 2025 will run from July 16th - August 3rd. Stay tuned for more coverage.
