Fantastic Fest is an Austin cinephile's dream. Filmmakers, fans and journalists from across the nation come to the Violet Crown to experience a full week of film and take a peek at next year's most insane horror, action and science fiction films. 

DAY ONE | Thursday, Sept. 21

Thoroughbreds

• Rating: 4/5
• A pitch black dark comedy comes to Fantastic Fest in a thoroughly bizarre affair.
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• Salyut-7 
• Rating: 3.5/5
• A new film explores the age-old question: What if “The Martian” was in 1985 and was Russian?

DAY TWO | Friday, Sept. 22

Bad Genius

• Rating: 3.5/5
• This film about the world’s best cheaters will keep you on the edge of your seat.
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• Let the Corpses Tan
• Rating: 4/5
• Experience what it would feel like to be Clint Eastwood on drugs with this abstract French Western.
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• Anna and the Apocalypse
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Humor, heart and hummable tunes abound in this wonderful film.
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• The Killing of a Sacred Deer
• Rating: 4.5/5
• Director Yorgos Lanthimos takes inspiration from Greek mythology with a dark comedy that has a sinister twist.

DAY THREE | Saturday, Sept. 23

Jailbreak

• Rating: 4/5
• Though it is full of jokes that never quite work, “Jailbreak” is a masterwork of action choreography and editing.
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• Brawl in Cell Block 99
• Rating: 2.5/5

• Though a generally well-executed homage to grimy 70’s B-films, “Brawl” offers mindless brutality for its own sake.

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• World of Tomorrow Episode 2
• Rating: 5/5

• Austin resident Don Hertzfeldt follows his first animated masterpiece with another.

DAY FOUR | Sunday, Sept. 24

Five Fingers for Marseilles

• Rating: 4.5/5

• This foreign language Western is one of Fantastic Fest’s most vital, necessary films.

The Endless

• Rating: 4.5/5

• Part mindbending science fiction and part occult horror flick, “The Endless” is a can’t-miss gem.

DAY FIVE | Monday, Sept. 25

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

• Rating: 3.5/5

• A conventional story about an unconventional topic, “Professor Marston” weaves a surprisingly romantic tale about truth, sex and comic books.

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• Thelma
• Rating:  4/5
• This Norwegian film brings queer romance, freshman year awkwardness, and supernatural horror.
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• The Death of Stalin (Secret Screening)
• Rating: 4/5

• Discomfort is the name of the game in Armando Iannucci’s gut-busting USSR comedy.

DAY SIX | Tuesday, Sept. 26

Revenge

• Rating: 5/5

• Director Coralie Fargeat’s debut feature is a furious rebuke of a male-dominated society.

DAY SEVEN | Wednesday, Sept. 27

Blue My Mind

• Rating: 3.5/5

• Filmmaker Lisa Brühlmann makes her mark with this dark high school film with a plot that brings to mind … Disney Channel Original Movie “The Thirteenth Year”?

Bodied

• Rating: 4.5/5

• The angriest, most hilarious movie of the year comes from the director of Taylor Swift music videos.