“Red State” is to Kevin Smith what “Unforgiven” was to Clint Eastwood; a game changer in the way we perceive him as an artist. Any shred of Jay and Silent Bob is completely absent here as he probes the horror of an ultra-fundamentalist church whose fear of God prompts a siege of destruction that tests its members as well as those ordered to bring them down. Nothing Smith has done previously will prepare you for what he comes up with in “Red State.” We know he’s been looking to do something other than the “Clerks” movies or those formulaic comedies which he’s spent far too long apologizing for. With this one, his creativity and passion for moviemaking is clearly reinvigorated.

The movie starts off innocently enough with one of Smith’s favorite subjects: young men talking about sex. Three teens named Travis, Jared, and Billy Ray drive out to a remote place and meet up with a woman named Sarah (Melissa Leo) who has promised to make out with each of them. But after a couple of beers, they pass out and wake up to find themselves prisoners of the Five Points Church, a fundamentalist cult led by God-fearing pastor Abin Cooper (Michael Parks) who seeks to punish those who have morally corrupted America whether they be homosexuals or adulterers among other sinners. But when things get out of hand as they always do, the church is forced to make its last stand as the police and FBI intervene in a showdown that will not end happily.

The Five Points Church is Smith’s not so subtle representation of that church which is known for protesting funerals of homosexuals and dead soldiers. You probably know the church he’s referring to. For those of you who don’t, you can just figure that out which one on your own. While we see them for the fascist hate mongers they are, you have to wonder what draws anyone to a church with such unrealistic and obscene views. Some are just looking for an answer, and any answer will do to give their life meaning. Whether or not you believe in the beliefs of the Five Points Church or that church is almost beside the point; what should concern you is that there are people out there who do believe in the ridiculously hateful things they are taught, and they will do anything to defend those values at whatever cost.

The leader of that church can only dream of being as charismatic as Abin Cooper. Michael Parks performance is nothing short of brilliant as he makes you believe how people can fall under the spell of a religious pervert. Parks was introduced to a whole new generation of fans when he played Texas Ranger Earl McGraw in “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Kill Bill Vol. 1,” and “Grindhouse.” After watching him in “Red State,” you come out wondering why he is not a bigger star. Parks doesn’t just give us a mere impersonation of some maniac preacher. Instead, he gives us a deeply religious man who is as seductive as he is dangerous.

With the actors, Smith just lets them loose to do their own thing, and the results are enthralling. Melissa Leo, who deservedly won an Oscar for her performance in “The Fighter,” gives it her all as Cooper’s daughter Sarah. Her emotional conviction in this role is proof of how far Cooper’s influence as a preacher goes, and Leo remains one of the best actresses working today.

Another big standout is John Goodman who plays ATF Special Agent Keenan. Goodman has always been a great actor, but you get the sense that after so many years that most people don’t recognize him as that. His work in “Barton Fink” and “The Big Lebowski” should be more than enough to convince you of this. Anyway, he gives some of the film’s best speeches as his character is forced into a situation that goes against his moral values, but is one which he cannot simply override. Goodman inhabits this character perfectly, giving him the emotional turmoil and confusion etched on his face.

Other great performances come from Kerry Bishé as Sarah’s daughter Cheyenne, and she is ever so intense in her desperation to save the women and children whom she feels will fall victim to the government’s actions for the wrong reasons. Kevin Pollak provides memorable support as Keenan’s right hand man, Special Agent Brooks. You also have to give credit to the three young actors playing the teens: Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, and Nicholas Braun. The roles they are given are one-dimensional, but they bring more to the material than what is on the page, and they give you a reason to care about their characters and of what happens to them.

Smith’s movies in the past have dealt with conversations about pop culture, but there’s none of that in “Red State.” He instead exploits certain movie conventions that have us believing we’ve figured this one out, and then he pulls out the rug from under us. The violence is truly shocking as characters meet their fates in a way we don’t see coming. This is not your typical good guys versus bad guys story as everyone here is morally flawed in one way or another. The events of David Koresh’s demise in Waco, Texas hang heavily over the proceedings, and no one looks to come out of this a hero.

“Red State” could have been a simple look at the damage caused by religious perversion, but there are different levels at work here. We see how the church, the government, and the local police react to the violent situation they are all immersed in. Look closely at the end credits; the cast is divided by religion, police, and politics. It becomes about containment by any means necessary. So when all is said and done, no one’s coming out of this battle in one piece.

Working with his long time director of photography Dave Klein, Smith finds a unique look for this movie thanks to the RED digital camera. Both are able to get shots that give the material a visceral feel you wouldn’t expect from the director of “Jersey Girl.” The flexibility they find with this device feels inspirational as it allows them to do things they couldn’t do previously.

Kevin Smith still seems determined to retire from making movies, and that’s a shame. “Red State” represents a new chapter in his long career that begs him to keep on going. It’s not a horror movie in the typical sense of things jumping out at you to give you an easy scare; it shows horror we find in everyday life. Who knew Smith would capture it to such powerful effect? In a time when the voices of independent movies appear to be gasping their last breath, Kevin Smith shows himself to be the last man standing and gives us a reason why we can’t let movies like his simply fade away.

* * * * out of * * * *

Kevin Smith's "Red State" will be opening up the 2011 Fantasia International Film Festival tomorrow night. We managed to get a couple of stills from the film, courtesy of it's Canadian distributor Phase 4 Films.

Plot Synopsis:

You’ve been dying to see it since its controversial world premiere at Sundance, and we’re here to answer your prayers. Spread the good news, apostles of Fantasia will be the first in the country to discover Kevin Smith’s RED STATE! This is no false prophecy — one of the most anticipated horror films of the year is arriving in Montreal this summer. Light a votive candle, thank the Lord above and get ready for a screening that’ll be nothing short of heretical!

What does one do when one is a teenager with too much free time, living out in the boring burbs? Same thing you’d do in the big city — try to get laid! Any tactic is a good one with that end goal in mind, even checking out postings by desperate nymphomaniacs on hook-up sites. After precisely such a dedicated web search, Travis, Billy-Ray and Randy, a trio of high school buddies, believe they may have found their perfect woman, or at least one looking for the same thing they are. This stranger lives not far from their small town, and so the three anxiously await the end of the evening, when they’ll be able to visit her at home. In all honesty, to give any more away would spoil one of the many great surprises waiting in RED STATE, so let’s stick to the essentials. Let’s just say that these three teens soon find themselves in very uncool circumstances, in the clutches of Pastor Cooper and his congregation of hard-right Christians who’ve cooked up some rather radical ways of dealing with sinners. The situation is about to become messy. Very messy. In jus a few hours, the refuge of Pastor Cooper becomes a battlefield and a team of specialists in this type of problem are called to the scene. Led by Agent Joseph Keenan (John Goodman), they have no notion of what awaits them. And neither do you.

Following ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO and COP OUT, Kevin Smith blew a few minds when he announced that he was taking a break from comedies to make a horror flick. Don’t be so shocked — the director of CLERKS manages the mechanisms of the genre masterfully, even giving the impression that it’s his natural territory. A virulent critique of religious extremism, RED STATE is first and foremost a dirty little adrenaline rush, crafted with a remarkable flair for suspense. Forget the brouhaha surrounding it, this descent into hell will leave you with stigmata. Amen!

Screening Information:

July 14th, 2011 / 6:45 pm / Hall Theater Montreal, Canada

One of the most anticipated horror films of 2011 has finally found a home. Lionsgate, who recently acquired MGM's "Cabin in the Woods" and Barry Levinson's next film "The Bay" has acquired the US rights to Kevin Smith's latest film "Red State".

Press Release:

LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading diversified global entertainment company, and SModcast Pictures announced today that they have partnered to create an innovative approach to distribute Kevin Smith's controversial thriller RED STATE, announced Jim Packer, Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television and Digital Distribution, and SModcast's Kevin Smith.

Under the terms of the arrangement, Lionsgate obtains the rights to distribute the title on all packaged media, Video-On-Demand (VOD), Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD), Electronic Sell-Through (EST) and Television in the United States, while SModcast has retained the theatrical distribution rights throughout the US. Under the guidance of marketing and distribution executive David Dinerstein, Smith's self-distribution label SModcast Pictures and Lionsgate Films have devised a multi-tier release strategy unlike any independent film to date. The film is scheduled to release on multiple platforms this September followed by packaged media before the end of the year.

Written and directed by Kevin Smith and produced by Jonathan Gordon, RED STATE stars 2011 Academy Award® winner for Best Actress Melissa Leo and Emmy® winner John Goodman, plus Kyle Gallner and Michael Parks. The film debuted at this year's Sundance Film Festival to much notoriety when Smith ended studio bidding by buying his own film for $20 and declaring he would be self-distributing the film theatrically. Smith has since toured the film around the country to enthusiastic audiences, grossing close to $1 million to date at the US box office from only 15 single show engagements. SModcast spent less than $500 in paid advertising to support the tour which kicked off at Radio City Music Hall on March 5th and grossed $162,000 during one show. It quietly topped the per screen average charts for three weekends, becoming the 10th best per screen average film of all time.

The Lionsgate deal was negotiated by Wendy Jaffe, Lionsgate Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Smith's attorney John Sloss, and David Dinerstein.

"Kevin has proven he knows how to mobilize his fan base surrounding the launch of his movies," said Packer. "There has been great anticipation for RED STATE for almost a year. Although we could not participate in the innovative theatrical release, we are thrilled to bring his film to a wider audience this fall in VOD/Digital and packaged media. We expect that Kevin's passion, combined with the talented cast and ongoing buzz, will ensure a successful fall launch."

"Before we decided to release RED STATE ourselves, Lionsgate was the ONLY distributor we hoped would buy the flick at Sundance," said Smith. "They understood The Harvey Boys commitment to a non-traditional theatrical release, and now embrace RED STATE like it is their own. And we've embraced the Gate as essential partners who'll run RED on Video-On-Demand and Blu-Ray. This company crushed it with DOGMA back in '99 and ever since, they've been able to punch through always-crowded cineplexes with the most responsible marketing budgets in the industry. My flick is my art and my art is like my child; and I feel safe letting Lionsgate babysit my kid."

RED STATE tells the story of a group of teens in Middle America who receive an online invitation for sex, but soon encounter fundamentalists with a much more sinister agenda. The movie is the latest release from Smith to be added to the Lionsgate library as the studio obtained the home entertainment distribution rights to Smith classics CHASING AMY, CLERKS and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK through its recent acquisition of the Miramax catalog.

Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival announced today, the first batch of films that will be playing at this year's festival. Already this is shaping up to be a great festival with films like "Red State", "Attack of the Block", "Burke and Hare" and the world premiere of "The Wicker Tree".

Press Release:

While less than two weeks away from announcing the full line-up of its 15th edition, Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival has revealed a first wave of titles and happenings. The full 130-feature array of titles will be announced at our press conference on July 7.



OPENING FILM – KEVIN SMITH’S RED STATE

Fantasia is proud to open the 2011 edition of the festival with the Canadian Premiere of Kevin Smith's acclaimed Sundance hit RED STATE. The director of CLERKS and ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO has made a jump to an entirely new genre with tremendous success. RED STATE is a powerhouse film featuring fantastic performances by Michael Parks, Academy Award® winner Melissa Leo and John Goodman. This adrenaline rush is quite simply one of the best horror works of the year and The Hollywood Reporter noted that "young audiences will eat it up for its unmistakable rebel attitude." RED STATE is distributed by Phase 4 Films which plans on releasing the film in theatres this August.



A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR JOHN LANDIS

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and to celebrate his return to feature filmmaking after a 12-year sabbatical, Fantasia will honour the career of director John Landis with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Landis’ impressive filmography includes such classics as THE BLUES BROTHERS, ANIMAL HOUSE, TRADING PLACES, KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE and Michael Jackson’s trailblazing THRILLER video.

Following the award presentation, Fantasia will screen the Canadian Premiere of Landis’ comeback film, the black comedy BURKE & HARE, which stars Simon Pegg, Tom Wilkinson, Andy Serkis and Tim Curry.

GABRIEL THIBAUDEAU’S ORIGINAL LIVE SCORE TO ACCOMPANY RARE PRINT OF THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

In collaboration with the Cinémathèque québécoise, and following the huge success of last year’s METROPOLIS event, a special presentation of a rare, pristine 35mm print of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will take place at Montreal’s premiere concert hall, Place des Arts, where Gabriel Thibaudeau will lead a 30 person orchestra through his original score to the 1925 silent classic, directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney.



WORLD PREMIERE OF ROBIN HARDY’S THE WICKER TREE + BOOK LAUNCH

38 years after directing THE WICKER MAN, a film widely hailed as the CITIZEN KANE of genre cinema, Robin Hardy has reteamed with producer Peter Snell and British Lion to make THE WICKER TREE. This hugely eccentric “spiritual sequel”, based on Hardy’s novel COWBOYS FOR CHRIST and featuring performances by Graham McTavish and Christopher Lee, is one of the most hotly anticipated genre films of the decade. Fantasia will be unveiling the world premiere of this Pagan phantasmagoria, in the presence of Hardy and Snell.

The screening night will be a double birthing as it will also feature a book launch for Hardy’s THE WICKER TREE novel, being published in North America for the first time this July!

Furthermore, Fantasia will host a special event that will feature Robin Hardy in conversation with fellow UK filmmaker Richard Stanley (HARDWARE, DUST DEVIL, THE THEATRE BIZARRE – the latter also having its world premiere at the festival), in discussion on the occult, mysticism and moviemaking.



A MASTER CLASS WITH RYOO SEUNG-WAN AND THE CANADIAN PREMIERE OF THE UNJUST

South Korean auteur filmmaker Ryoo Seung-wan (CRYING FIST, CITY OF VIOLENCE, ARAHAN) will be returning to Fantasia for the Canadian Premiere of his ingenious new thriller THE UNJUST (Official Selection, Berlin Film Festival 2011). While in town, he will also host a master class on action film staging and choreography.



LYNN LOWRY AND UDO KIER TO ATTEND GALA WORLD PREMIERE OF THE THEATRE BIZARRE

We’re ecstatic to announce that in addition to all seven THEATRE BIZARRE directors, we’re also expecting actors Lynn Lowry and Udo Kier at the gala world premiere of this stellar anthology film.

Other highlights include:

ATTACK THE BLOCK – UK – Dir: Joe Cornish
This insane laughfest depicting a British teen street gang defending their block against an alien invasion became an overnight sensation after its launch at SXSW in April. Co-produced by Edgar Wright, starring Nick Frost and featuring some of the funniest moments you’ll encounter anywhere this year – on or off this planet. Quebec Premiere.

BRAWLER – USA – Dir: Chris Sivertson
Fantasia veteran Sivertson (THE LOST, I KNOW WHO KILLED ME), will be returning to Montreal for the World Premiere of his latest knockout, BRAWLER, set in the world of extreme fighting, starring and co-produced by Marc Senter (RED WHITE & BLUE, THE LOST). World Premiere hosted by Director Chris Sivertson and Actors/Co-producers Nathan Grubbs and Marc Senter.

DEADBALL – Japan – Dir: Yudai Yamaguchi
From the cult director of such bizarre greats as MEATBALL MACHINE and BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL comes… something best experience without spoilers! World Premiere hosted by Director Yudai Yamaguchi, Producer Yoshinori Chiba and Actor Tak Sakaguchi.

THE DEVIL’S ROCK - New Zealand – Dir: Paul Campion
The feature directorial debut from gifted New Zealand visual effects artist Campion (the LORD OF THE RINGS and NARNIA films, CLASH OF THE TITANS remake) is an intense occult thriller taking place in WW2 on the eve of D-Day, with a single soldier uncovering a Nazi plot to conjure supernatural forces with which to win the war. A satanic Nazi chamber piece featuring three characters and bottomless tension. North American Premiere hosted by Director, Screewriter and Executive Producer Paul Campion and Actors Matt Sunderland and Karlos Drinkwater.

DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART - Hong Kong - Dir: Johnnie To
The working relationship of longtime collaborators To & Ka-Fai is best known internationally for their gonzo action thrillers (RUNNING ON KARMA) and more taut, character-based work (MAD DETECTIVE), but this time out, they tackle the romantic comedy, with surprising results. Opening film of the 2011 Hong Kong International Film Festival. North American Premiere.

EXIT – Australia – Dir: Marek Polgar
Taking place in a labyrinthine city where many individuals are looking for a mystical door that could lead them to a better world, this promising genre film from a visionary director explores the theme of urban alienation while remaining a poignant piece of cinema that will audiences breathless. Splendid and cerebral, EXIT opens the door for a distinctive new voice in fantastic cinema. World Premiere, hosted by Director Marek Polgar and Screenwriter Martyn Pedler.

A LONELY PLACE TO DIE – UK – Dir: Julian Gilbey
This film hits levels of intensity that are absolutely exhilarating. Think CLIFFHANGER with characters you actually care about, fuelled with the adrenaline and panic of THE DESCENT. Bafta-nominated director Gilbey (RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER) trained himself in rock climbing in preparation to shoot this film the right way, and does it ever show. The imagery, stunts and staging he manages here will suck the breath clean out of your lungs. Winner of Jury Awards for Best Feature and Best Director when it launched at ActionFest earlier this year, it stars Melissa George. Canadian Premiere, hosted by Director, Screenwriter and Editor Julian Gilbey.

LOVE – USA – Dir: William Eubank
Opening this year’s edition of Fantasia’s Camera Lucida section, LOVE is a marvel. Rebuking the current conventions of science-fiction cinema coming from Hollywood with a cerebral approach to the genre closer to Kubrick’s 2001, it questions Man’s place in the universe through a fascinating tale that alternate between two distinct epochs, a violent past and an uncertain future. Produced by Angels & Airwaves (the alt-rock effort led by Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge) LOVE conjures pictorial perfection, promising to be an unforgettable experience. International Premiere, hosted by Director, Writer, Cinematographer and Production Designer William Eubank, Actor Gunner Wright and Executive Producer Mark Eaton.

MARIANNE – Sweden – Dir: Filip Tegstedt
In recent years, Sweden has begun emerging as a country to watch when it comes to hypnotic, adult genre filmmaking, and MARIANNE continues this pathway. A guilt-ridden father, grieving over the death of a wife he had been cheating on, finds himself haunted by more than his conscience in this eerie, character-driven supernatural horror film. World Premiere hosted by Director, Screenwriter and Producer Filip Tegstedt.

MONSTER BRAWL – Canada – Dir: Jesse T. Cook
Those of you with equal love for monsters and wrestling are about to be slammed through the mat by this outlandish creation that combines the two with glee. That’s right, your favorite monsters bashing the unlife out of each other within a setup designed to feel like a pay-per-view sporting event. Features Dave Folley, Jimmy Hart, Art Hindle, Kevin Nash and… monsters! World Premiere hosted by Director, Screenwriter and Producer Jesse T. Cook, Producers John Geddes and Matt Wiele, Actors R. J. City, Art Hindle, Robert Maillet and Rico Montana, and many more members of the cast and crew.

NINJA KIDS!!! – Japan – Dir: Takashi Miike
Japan’s maniacal master of movie magic Takashi Miike has banged out about three films a year over the last two decades, from ultraviolent yakuza pictures through off-kilter genre pastiches to, well, possibly his most brutal, bash-’em-up work yet. That’s right, maestro of mayhem Miike’s gone and made a kiddie flick again! It merits its three exclamation points and rates five razor-sharp ninja stars out of five! Canadian Premiere, hosted by Distributor Shochiku.

RABIES – Israel – Dir: Navot Papushado & Aharon Keshales
Israel’s first horror feature is all about subverting expectations as a blood-soaked black comedy/horror/thriller that understands the genre conventions and uses them as sleight-of-hand to deliver one surprise after another like a twist-ripped celluloid corkscrew ground into your skull. A major hit at the Tribeca Film Festival, RABIES is heaps of misanthropic fun, with spikes of social commentary and a surprisingly affecting sense of tragedy stabbed into the mix for maximum potency. Canadian Premiere. Hosted by Co-Directors and Screenwriters Navot Papushado & Aharon Keshales.

RETREAT – UK – Dir: Carl Tibbets
Cillian Murphy and Thandie Newton star as a couple who journey to an island retreat in order to heal recently-opened wounds. They are completely isolated from the world. Alone. That is, until a blood-spattered man (Jamie Bell) washes ashore with terrible news of an airborne plague sweeping across Europe. A brilliantly-staged slow-burn thriller that builds to absolutely ferocious horror, RETREAT is one of this year’s strongest discoveries. World Premiere hosted by Director Carl Tibbetts.

AINT – Netherlands – Dir: Dick Maas
Santa Claus is coming to town, and that’s bad news for everyone in this stylish Dutch oddity from the maker of THE LIFT. SAINT is a very Dutch horror film, packed with many Christmas stockings full of local flavor and bizarre terror sequences. Meanwhile, the moments with SAINT’s teen protagonists have the feel of an ’80s Wes Craven film, making for a very fun death dance in horror’s global melting pot! Canadian Premiere.

UNDERWATER LOVE – Japan – Dir: Shinji Imaoka
An inspired hybrid of musical comedy, classical fairy tale and pinku eiga (Japanese softcore sex film), UNDERWATER LOVE may well be the most oddball entry in Fantasia’s schedule this year (and that’s saying something!). Features gorgeous cinematography by Wong Kar-Wai’s regular Director of Photography Christopher Doyle. Sweet, kooky, sexy and completely feel good, this UFO of a film is truly something to be cherished. Canadian Premiere.

URBAN EXPLORER – Germany – Dir: Andy Fetscher
Beneath the city of Berlin is an extraordinary network of abandoned bunkers and tunnels, shadowy remnants of the Nazi era. This film – one of the most unsettling that you will find in our 2011 lineup – opens with four young urban explorers from different countries meeting up at a Berlin nightclub, beneath which is rumored to be a pathway of catacombs that lead to a legendary Third Reich bunker. They descend into the tunnels and…. We won’t reveal another beat! North American Premiere.

VAMPIRE – Canada/USA – Dir: Shunji Iwai
The English-language debut from the acclaimed director of SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY and ALL ABOUT LILU CHOU-CHOU is a haunting existential horror/drama. It will be making its Canadian launch at Fantasia after bowling audiences over at Sundance, Berlin and the Hong Kong International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS – USA – Dir: Sean Branney
You are about to encounter what very well may be the single most successful H.P. Lovecraft adaptation ever to lick fear across a screen. Shot with an aesthetic, production design and performance style angled to emulate the feel of a ’30s/’40s Universal horror film - without falling into camp - WHISPERER arrives like shadows out of time, a discovered relic from another dimension. A genuinely scary film and a hellishly great time. Canadian Premiere.