The 11th Annual Butt-Numb-A-Thon (BNAT 1138) recently finished up at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas. For those unfamiliar, it is a 24-hour film festival in celebration of Harry Knowles (of AICN)‘s birthday. The invitation-only (by application) event features secret premieres, clips, and other entertainment. The top programming included a premiere of Martin Scorsese‘s Shutter Island as well as early screenings of Kick-Ass, Avatar, Micmas, and Frozen. The new Iron Man 2 trailer was shown as well. Check out some reviews/impressions I’ve rounded up for the most well-received films, Kick-Ass and Shutter Island, as well as the full line-up here and a recap by Knowles himself.
Reports from an almost-finished cut of Martin Scorsese‘s Shutter Island:
SHUTTER ISLAND is top-shelf Scorsese! Liked it more than I thought I would.
SHUTTER ISLAND has a problem ending but grows in stature the more I talk about it.
Shutter Island – I shouldn’t be, but was pleasantly surprised in Scorceses new film. I may have forgotten to blink as it unfolded.
To clarify: SHUTTER ISLAND is rock solid. Imagine if Scorsese made a horror film. Enough said.
Scorsese delivered with Shutter Island.
SHUTTER ISLAND: Scorsese in near top form.
Excerpts from Harry Knowles review:
…a stunning masterpiece that requires and demands multiple viewings.
It is a crime that SHUTTER ISLAND isn’t in the Awards race this year, as I feel it would most likely run off with the top honor and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio – and I’m someone that isn’t always in Leo’s corner. This is not only his best work for Scorsese, but his best role to date.
The surrealistic dream imagery and possible drug dosing imagery is some of the most inspired, beautiful, haunting imagery from Scosese’s entire career. This is a triumph of filmmaking.
The clear winner of the festival, Matthew Vaughn‘s Kick-Ass:
Kick-Ass -This comic adaptation is the most fun you will have at a movie in a long time. It’s the equivalent of a cinematic hard-on.
No hype, folks, and no doubt… “Kick Ass” won BNAT. Decisively. That screening will be the stuff of legend.
KICK ASS: Holy fuck on a cracker, it does, in fact, Kick ass.
Kick-ASS … I’ve never seen a film audience start clapping in rhythm to a song playing during a fight scene in a movie. EVER. AMaazing.
Kick Ass broke my nuts. Dynamite fun.
Rough cut, that has received its R-rating somehow, BLEW THE AUDIENCE THE FUCK AWAY! To me, I haven’t seen a film this badass since John Woo’s HARD BOILED. This is far more entertaining than that though, creating many ICONIC and thoroughly mind blowing sequences. Possible contender for best advance screening in history of BNAT. Got audience, clapping in time to the beat as Hit Girl makes The Bride look like a pussy. With Matthew and Red Mist on hand!
I accuse KICK-ASS of blowing away almost everything else I’ve seen in MONTHS.
It sounds like Avatar went over quite well, but haven’t included those since you can check out many reviews here as well as real-time reports from the festival here.
Shutter Island, after being delayed from this past October, hits theaters February 12th, 2010 while Kick-Ass lands on April 16th, 2010.
What films from BNAT are you looking forward to seeing?