Another Fantastic Fest is in the books and, as ever, it was a blend of exciting new films, classic underseen gems, and chaotic live events that did a number on all our brains. As I file this, I still have two more days of Fantastic Fest to experience, so my report is an incomplete one but, holy hell, keep your eyes peeled in the months ahead for this handful of titles.
River: A lean, brutal slasher that’s delivered with a style and intensity that sets this one apart from the pack, River is a movie I’ve been hearing about for a year now (from both publicists, execs and the film’s secret weapon, Dane DiLiegro), and its recent, kinda unprecedented sale from Shudder to Blumhouse/Atomic Monster for $10 million should tell you that this one is special. Our review is here.
The Cycle: Try to watch this one before cracking open your fall Fango, because we spoil the shit out of it. But the Fantastic Fest audience walked in cold and had their faces torn off. In 2026, good practical FX make an audience applaud, and I think that’s very cool. Read our review of The Cycle here.
Kick On: Nick Kozakis made Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism a few years ago, and that heavy, intense film does nothing to prepare you for the colorful, coke-fueled ride that is Kick On. Think Green Room but with possibly more gore and carnage, and peopled with characters whose decision-making skills are much, much worse. Our review is here.
Half: A brother and sister who are Blade-style daywalkers run afoul of a group of despicable bandits… or I guess I should say the bandits run afoul of the brother and sister. 96 minutes. 130 shoot days. One fight choreographer from The Raid. Many, many broken bones and crushed skulls.
Pathetic Fallacy: In a world where our indie genre directors are getting snapped up by franchises and big studios, Adam Egypt Mortimer (Daniel Isn’t Real) is just going deeper into the weird paint, down a road no one else is traveling, and cinema is all the richer for it. A couple fall in love, build a life, and face a devastating loss, all depicted in emotionally devastating detail. That’s in the first ten minutes. What happens after that would take more space than I have here to explain, but you wouldn’t believe me anyway. But yes, it’s a horror movie. Find it. Watch it. Feel it. Read our review.
The Glorious Dead: Okay, I lied, here’s a sixth thing! The Adams Family (Hellbender) delivers another home-cooked epic, this one tackling nothing less than the rapture. It’s a topic we’ve seen before, but the Adamses present it (through the eyes of Toby Poser’s weary sheriff) in a way that makes you think “yep, that’s how it would go.” Canny casting adds to a lived-in, authentic world at its end.
Bonus: Alpha Gang: Fine, seven things! This one is not a horror movie. I guess it’s sci-fi, but really it’s an absurdist comedy about aliens (all dressed like ’50s greasers) who come to Earth to conquer it, but instead get all distracted by emotions, infighting, and bodily functions. Who among us, really. A cast of A-listers drag this over the line into something surreal and amazing. It’s also stylish as hell.
I of course saw a bunch more at the fest and it’s all worthy of your eyeballs, but this batch of films will be needing your support in the months to come, so add them to your watchlist… and wait.
