For the first time ever since I’ve been writing for Cinema from the Spectrum, I’ve been granted press credentials for the Fantasia International Film Festival, based in Montreal. I’m only going to be covering the festival virtually, but it’s also an event which I had been meaning to attend at least in some capacity.

Of course, as many of my friends know, I like to carry a specific specialty regarding Asian cinema – so it should come off as no surprise that I will be focusing on such. Knowing that Fantasia has always brought in great Asian genre films through the years, it was an opportunity that I don’t think I could pass up. So without further ado, here’s a list of ten films that I’ve got my own eyes peeled out for.

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Angel’s Egg (1985, Mamoru Oshii)

This OVA film directed by the legend Mamoru Oshii has long been unavailable in the Americas, unless you knew where to look. The fact that a new restoration has finally been made available isn’t just something worth looking out for, but it’s something that I think any fan of Mamoru Oshii’s work would want to prioritize. And of course, with the original Ghost in the Shell being one of my favourite films of all time, it’s something I have been waiting for. Here’s hoping for all the best with this restoration!

Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey (Kazuaki Seki)

This might be where I admit: this was a manga I used to read in my high school years. This all stems from the fact that as someone who remains an aspiring creative, the struggle with encountering a creative block hits. And this story is one that really hits me on many levels. So of course I’ll be up to see it on the screen again!

Blazing Fists (Takashi Miike)

Another year, more Takashi Miike movies! I’ve been a fan of Takashi Miike for a very long time already, and I feel as if it only goes without saying that the idea of one or two new movies from him should innately be very exciting. There’s no two Miike films that ever feel the same, given his incredibly eclectic body of work, so whatever he’s up to is something that’s on my radar. He’s one of a handful of filmmakers who I can already find myself on board with, just by manner of seeing his name alone.

Bullet in the Head (1990, John Woo)

This long-awaited remaster of the John Woo classic is one of just one of the most exciting premieres. But considering how long this film has been unavailable, it only feels exciting that the film is finally being released in some form. With Shout! Studios launching a brand new sublabel dedicated to restored Hong Kong cinema classics, a much-needed restoration of one of John Woo’s very best films will very much be a must.

ChaO (Yasuhiro Aoki)

I feel almost as if most western awareness of anime in cinema tends to circle back to the same names: Hayao Miyazaki, Mamoru Oshii, or Mamoru Hosoda in recent years at least. But of course, I feel like that’s what gives me all the more reason to seek out more from such a vast world beyond the most commonly referenced titles. Everything I read about ChaO only has me sold off the bat.

Dollhouse (Shinobu Yaguchi)

A horror film from the director of Swing Girls, quite naturally, is something that would have me intrigued. Perhaps this stems from the fact that I already know the kind of movie that I would expect after said film too, but I guess the thrill is just that you never know. And I hope for nothing but the best.

Good Game (Dickson Leung Kwok-Fai)

I feel almost like I’ve been entrenched within that world of eSports after having seen so many people on campus playing games like League of Legends. But I figure that’s only part of what makes the conceit of a movie like Good Game seem enticing to me, as someone who occasionally follows that whole world of eSports.

Hi-Five (Kang Hyung-chul)

A superhero movie of sorts coming out of South Korea? Perhaps after I’ve only found myself a bit numb to seeing so many American superhero movies coming out every year (you can blame Marvel and DC especially for this), I think that we need something fresh within that realm again. Plus, Kang Hyung-chul being behind this would already be enough to have my interest piqued, if his 2011 film Sunny were anything to go by.

I Fell In Love with a Z-Grade Director in Brooklyn (Ken’ichi Ugana)

I’d caught Ken’ichi Ugana’s The Gesuidouz over at TIFF 2024, as part of the Midnight Madness lineup. Safe to say, it was one among my favourites of the Midnight Madness lineup, and it’s enough to have me looking out for anything else Ugana has in store for the near future. But there’s also something else I love dearly about seeing a film all about the makings of a future cult classic; which this film’s premise only seems to hint at. Whatever it is, I can’t help but keep my eyes peeled for it.

The Last Woman on Earth (Yeum Moon-kyoung, Lee Jong-min)

I think the title alone would be enough to entice anyone curious. Then you read the synopsis, and you realize that there’s a bit more than what meets the eye. “Due to a critical virus in 2099, all women on Earth are extinct, except for one…”, and then where else can you go? I mean, what more can you say about a film like this?

Sham (Takashi Miike)

Another Takashi Miike! Got to respect how much this man can continuously grind out, let alone the fact he’s still able to at his age. No two films directed by someone as active as Takashi Miike are ever the same, but the insanity always remains so thorough from one into the other. So what else can we expect if Miike’s films across genres never feel like one and the same? You never know, but that’s what makes him so thrilling to come back to. Only way to find out is to actually watch them.

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Here’s to hoping for all the best – but of course, as someone who’s prided themselves on watching lots of East Asian cinema through their life, I like seeing the platforms grow at festivals like Fantasia.