by RAF KATIGBAK

Godzilla fans were treated to a double dose of the big grey monster (he's not green, as programmer André Dubois pointed out) this week. Before the start of Godzilla X Megaguirus, a dude in a Godzilla suit levelled a makeshift Tokyo, much to the delight of the crowd (one cheeky Fantasia insider joked that most of their budget was spent on constructing this cardboard Tokyo). The movie itself was pretty formulaic but still entertaining (the fact that the giant, evil, inter-dimensional insect looked a lot like Ernest Borgnine had me in stitches throughout).

But this was really only a teaser for what was to come on Saturday - the most excellent Godzilla: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, hosted by the director Shusuke Kaneko himself and featuring another pre-show epic battle between Godzilla with a guy in a rubber monster suit. I got a chance to shoot the breeze with Kaneko after the film and he revealed that his initial plan was to make the most bad-ass Godzilla ever while maintaining a sense of spirituality and reverence for the past. Mission accomplished. One of the biggest laughs in the film came at the expense of the embarrassing 1998 American-made Godzilla movie. During a naval debriefing, one soldier asks the other if they thought the monster that attacked NYC in '98 was really Godzilla. The other replied, "No, it was only a lizard." Good times.

After a few giveaways from a portly Sukubus staff member dressed in a bedazzling Elvis jumpsuit, the sold-out crowd at Bubba Ho-Tep (some waiting over two hours) was treated to the playful Tim Burton-esque short Evelyn: The Cutest Evil Dead Girl by Canadian Brad Peyton. Think Dr. Seuss meets Dr. Kevorkian. The feature presentation was a laugh riot as Bruce Campbell was fantastic as an ageing Elvis and Ossie Davis was undoubtedly the best black JFK I've ever seen. Based on a short story, the film had an intimate, almost claustrophobic quality that added to the drama. Everyone was left smiling.

Hang up the Phone

The surprise delight of the festival so far was the low-budge to no-budge Argentinian flick Plaga Zombie: Zona Mutante, which featured three zombie-fighting buddies reunited to battle their way out of a city full of flesh-eating undead. Betra Muniz's portrayal of has-been wrestler John West was excellent (one audience member thought he looked like "a genetic cross-pollination of Chris Penn and King Kong Bundy"). An altogether charming film that inspires as much as it entertains.

"I can think of a few other one-word titles for this movie instead of Phone," remarked a disappointed moviegoer last Sunday, "and a few of them have four letters." While there were a few jolting, popcorn-spilling moments, in the end Korean supernatural thriller Phone was crap (what did you expect from a joint venture between Buena Vista and Toilet Pictures). About a half-hour too long and oozing with melodrama, Phone simply dialled the wrong number.

Fans were both delighted and confused as the finale of the sold-out screening of Suicide Club left audience members scratching their heads. Although a little slow-paced at times, most of the movie had people guiltily squealing with delight as Japanese director Shion Sono balanced the gruesomely funny with the deeply philosophical. Part black-as-night comedy (one cop finds a human ear on the second floor of a mass suicide scene and goes, "Here comes an ear!" as he scoots it off the ledge to his partners below), part graphic gore (gallons of gratuitous blood splooshing and a human "skin chain"), part cult film homage (check out the glammed out Rocky Horror/Hedwig hybrid character Genesis that breaks out into song mid-film and bares a striking resemblance to androgynous Montreal scenester Plastik Patrik), this film had it all - except a satisfying ending.

Upcoming must-sees: Guests a-plenty this week as Chilean writer/director Jorge Olguin presents his much-anticipated, full-length vampire feature Sangre Eterna tonight, July 31. Don't forget to come dressed all scary-like as prizes will be awarded for five best costumes. Director Dalibor Backovic will be on hand to present Entombed at the indie shorts presentation Small Gauge Trauma on August 3. Also check out the Shaw Brothers classic One-Armed Swordsman on August 1 and Hello Kitty on brown acid - Tamala 2010, August 4.

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