by MATTHEW HAYS

Lord love those nutjobs who run Fantasia, Montreal's finest cinematic freakshow. Earlier this week the crew held court at Concordia's De Seve Cinema where they unveiled their lineup for next month (fest runs July 8–Aug. 1).

There are indeed some seriously great movies at this festival. And one of the fantastic things about Fantasia is undoubtedly the audience. I'll never forget seeing some kickass, twisted and violent nightmare unspool on screen as packed houses shriek their approval. This has maintained my faith in the communal experience the cinema presents.

The films that look most intriguing to me this year are a mixed bag, an apt reflection of the fest itself. There's the Japanese prison road movie Nine Souls, from director Toshiaki Toyoda, the eagerly anticipated prequel Ginger Snaps 3: The Beginning, Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman and sections dedicated to Godzilla and cult actor Udo Kier. Those of you who are fans of Kier know that his CV is one of the most surreal in thespian history, having worked with everyone from Paul Morrissey and Madonna to Lars von Trier and Pamela Anderson.

A standout this year will undoubtedly be the drenched-in-blood Shallow Ground. This low-budget wonder has some seriously surreal and creepy imagery and just won the best feature award at Scotland's Dead by Dawn Horror Film Fest. The opening has a naked boy, caked in blood from head to toe, showing up at a rural sheriff's station. The rest of the film has the sheriff and his crew trying to figure out the mystery behind this bloody lad. This is my kind of demented horror movie, and adding to the fun is horror child star icon Patty McCormack (The Bad Seed), who is featured in a pivotal role. For more info log onto www.fantasiafestival.com

In other news, Hong Kong documentary filmmaker (and Concordia film school grad) Tammy Cheung is in town this weekend and will present two of her latest movies. This Saturday, June 26, at 6:30 p.m. at Concordia's Hall Building, Cheung will screen July, a feature about the mass protests that took place in Hong Kong last year after the Chinese government enacted a law suppressing freedom of speech, and Rice Distribution, which depicts 8,000 people who waited over 15 hours in the hopes that they could get two bags of rice. Often likened to doc demigod Frederick Wiseman, Cheung's vitally important documentaries are essential screening for any student of non-fiction filmmaking.

Matthew doesn't live here anymore: Yes, you heard right folks, after over a decade working as a film critic here at the Mirror (and eight as associate editor), I'm finally moving on from my post. This will be my final Reeling column. It's a sad moment, for sure, as I thoroughly enjoyed unloading my rather weird opinions about the movies (and various other subjects) every week. I'm off to Banff for a summer writers' program and returning for the autumn when I'll be teaching more (pity those poor Concordia students). A long time ago, an editor left this paper and wrote a farewell column in which he disdained our readers and letter-writers. I feel no such inclination. Being granted space to express my views about cinema was both a privilige and an honour - one that I will miss very sorely indeed. Thank-you.

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