Before we’re all full of turkey, mashed potatoes and that experimental vegan dessert Aunt Trina keeps trying to make work, we’d like to take a pre-coma moment out to take stock of what’s worth celebrating this Thanksgiving. Without a doubt, we’re thankful for friends and family and all the good within eyesight (even as the world spins too-loudly out of control), but as we’re a movie website, we’d like to use this space to focus on all the wondrous film stuff that’s currently bringing a smile to our faces. To help out, the Rejects — including Rob Hunter, Kate Erbland, Cole Abaius, Christopher Campbell, Kevin Carr, Landon Palmer, Nathan Adams, Robin Ruinsky, Luke Mullen, Caitlin Hughes and Allison Loring — compiled a list of cinematic things to be thankful for. See if you can guess who picked what (spoiler: everything Magic Mike-related is Hunter). Now, let’s get to thanking!

As many of you probably know, I have been juggling an all-consuming day job with various writing gigs, essentially leaving no time for anything else (life, sleep); and, as the saying goes, all work and no play makes Don a dull boy. We have enough Jack Torrance’s in this world, and before I start running around abandoned hotels with an ax, I figured it was in my best interest to start hacking away at my current workload.

Jesus H. Franco, it’s been a busy week here at Film School Rejects. Mainly because of Fantastic Fest, of course. Since the last Reject Recap, we’ve posted 36 reviews of films from the event, plus six interviews, including one with Tim Burton. And we’re not done. The festival may be over, but we’ll still be rolling out the coverage for a couple more days. Obviously, this link to all that content, which can take you in reverse through that which you’ve missed and forward to what will appear (once it appears), is a crucial bookmark for you in these post-fantastic times. Once again, you can easily track through the week’s prominent other features by clicking on buttons around the main page, but here are some links to help you out: reviews (new releases include Pitch Perfect, Won’t Back Down, The Hole, Hotel Transylvania and Hello I Must Be Going); interviews (including Brian DePalma); the Reject Radio podcast (this week was episode 150!); Short Film of the Day and of course your best spot for the most pertinent movie news. Check out our ten best features from the past week plus some other additional reading after the break.

For those of you who reside in the Big Apple and want to see one of Austin’s finest films of the last few years, Clay Liford‘s Wuss will be screening at the reRun Theater in Brooklyn on September 17 courtesy of Filmwax. Wuss is a masterful work of sound and vision, clearly exceeding the production values of most independent cinema. Liford’s uniquely desaturated, nearly monochromatic aesthetic visually binds this feature with his debut feature (Earthling), while clearly separating himself from most other filmmakers. If Wuss was produced in Hollywood, it would certainly include bright, cheery and over-saturated cinematography and a Billboard Top 40 soundtrack, but that is clearly not how Liford sees (or hears) the world. Lastly, Nate Rubin‘s lead performance as Mitch – a meek and measly twerp of a high school English teacher (technically, a substitute with a long-term assignment) who is otherwise known as “Little Bitch” — is nothing short of masterful. Speaking of Rubin, have you seen this Papa John’s commercial?

Cannes. Sundance. Toronto. SXSW. Screw them.* The best film festival each and every year is the Alamo Drafthouse Theater’s very own Fantastic Fest that takes place in Austin every fall. They bring genre films from around the world to play under one roof for fans of movies best described as strange, violent, unique, crazy and often absolutely incredible. These are movies that will most likely never get a DVD release in the US let alone a theatrical run making this fest the only real opportunity to see them (bar an import disc down the road). The first wave of titles have been announced with two more to come in the next several weeks, and the list offers the usual selection of the very unusual. Movies we’ve never heard of before will play alongside ones we know by heart. I for one am looking forward to seeing The Shining on the big screen for the first time as well as some of the new films below. Keep reading for the complete first wave! *I kid! All film festivals are awesome, period.

The only thing in life better than Fantastic Fest would be winning the lottery while you’re at Fantastic Fest. Like every year, we’ll be covering the hell out of it with a preternatural dedication that often requires us writing our reviews with straight jackets on. That’s a lot harder than it sounds when you’re also singing karaoke and drinking a high quality concoction of hooch. The full fest line up hasn’t been announced yet, but it will undoubtedly be full of movie goodness, and the opening night film promises to set the tone. The flick? Tim Burton‘s forthcoming Frankenweenie – which promises a return to stop motion, a returning to working with John August and a return to a story from his youth that finally gets a feature-length treatment. The movie hits theaters October 5th, but Fantastic Fest attendees will see it before anyone else. Hopes are high here because Burton seems to have lost his way as of late, crafting stuff in his wheelhouse that feels stale, but perhaps the solution to the rut is to dig deeper into it. To return to the kind of magic this morbid magician built his name on. It’s a hell of a way to kick things off. And this poster for the fest is a great way to celebrate the end of everything:

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news column that hopes you didn’t forget about it. It was busy getting drunk with other movie news columns at Fantastic Fest. It loves to watch Koreans stab each other. We begin tonight with something simple: a character shot from Toy Story 3. There’s no news here, just beautifully detailed Pixar animation. Since this is my first day back after taking a week off for Fantastic Fest, I thought I’d kick us off with something offbeat. Also, it sets the tone for a week that includes articles collected over the last 10 days. Some old, some new, mostly non-news and all interesting.

Why Watch? This is what it might look like if Ken Burns ever made a horror film. This experimental, animated work focuses on a mysterious photograph from the 1930s, and as the camera ducks and dives and expands our view, we find a lot of hidden elements that help solve the puzzle of what’s going on. Gorgeously done with an antique sensibility, it’s a Fantastic Fest alum that might not be for everyone, but if it hits you the right way, it’s delightfully peculiar. What does it cost? Just 5 minutes of your time. Check out the trailer for The Facts in the Case of Mister Hollow for yourself:

We weren’t really sure if last week’s Commentary Commentary was gross enough for the lot of you. So a poll was taken – it pretty much consisted of Brian Salisbury and myself – and it was decided the ante needed to be upped this week. Especially in honor of Fantastic Fest, we felt it was time to really turn on the gore and mindlessly fun commentary tracks. So we’re heading back with the South Park boys to Cannibal! The Musical, Trey Parker‘s first feature film which was subsequently picked up by Lloyd Kaufman and the fine (?) people at Troma Entertainment. What we got shocked and amazed even our gore-filled hearts and minds. A grotesque but absolutely hilarious look at the real-life trial of Alferd Packer, a 19th Century prospector who was accused of cannibalism in Colorado. The film isn’t the most accurate depiction of the events, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t entertaining. Equally entertaining is this commentary track featuring cast, crew, and ample amounts of consumed alcohol, something most commentary tracks are lacking in. Here’s what we found out. Note: it isn’t much.

As a westerner I always wondered whether the depiction of “pikeys” in Guy Ritchie’s film Snatch had any semblance of truth in them, or were they exaggerated caricatures. Thanks to Ian Palmer’s documentary Knuckle I got my answer to elements I didn’t even think to question. Oh, and by the way the answer is no – Brad Pitt and his fellow fast-talk-mumbling-slang spitters in love with caravans and bare-knuckle fighting are not caricatures. Not completely, anyway.

Why Watch? Our spotlight on Fantastic Fest short films from the past continues with an impressive animation bit from Rodrigo Blaas – an animator for Pixar films ever since Finding Nemo. Slightly creepy, slightly cheery, this movie takes us (and a child) to the toy store with wondrous results. What does it cost? Just 5 minutes of your time. Check out Alma for yourself:

Why Watch? With the destructive bliss of Fantastic Fest slamming down on us like a thousand pounds of salmon (which is why the Short Film Of The Day won’t be so quite “Of The Day” for a bit), I thought it would be fitting to feature some wonderful short films that have played this fest and lived to tell the tale. This first one is a funny (slightly philosophical) jab at what we’re all made of. Based on the short story by Terry Bisson, it features Tom Noonan (with whom you can’t go wrong) and Ben Bailey (who you may recognize as the driver of the Cash Cab). It’s quirky, light, and a lot of fun. Without further ado, two aliens walk into a diner… What does it cost? Just 7 minutes of your time. Check out They’re Made Out of Meat for yourself:

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, we speak with legendary actor Ron Perlman about his white dreadlocks in Bunraku, we’ll chat with The Dark Knight Rises executive producer Michael Uslan about his incredible journey to bringing Batman to the screen, and we’ll talk with Brian Salisbury and Luke Mullen about favorite films from Fantastic Fests past to get excited for the debauchery of this week. Plus, Screenrant editors/Screenrant Underground Podcast hosts Ben Kendrick and Rob Keyes fight to the pain in our Movie News Pop Quiz. Is it any wonder we end up talking about Qwikster? Download This Episode

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news and tidbit (that word makes it giggle) column that is back in full swing this week. A special thanks to Cole Abaius for picking up the reigns last week while usual author Neil Miller was locked away in a 3×3 ft. cell in preparation for Fantastic Fest. No, there was not a reason for it. And yes, he has emerged ready for a bare-knuckle boxing match (or two). But first, the news… We begin tonight with a shot of Christian Bale and Terrence Malick walking through the crowds of the Austin City Limits music festival this past weekend here in Austin, TX. It caused quite a commotion with the crowds, many of whom were there to see acts like Bright Eyes, Stevie Wonder and Kanye West. As a surprise, they got T. Malick in that silly hat.

When Benji Carver hit Sundance for us earlier this year, he fell in love with Knuckle, saying it’s “a film that shares bloody punches and sardonic wit as we see various brothers and cousins fight each other the back-roads of Ireland. It plays out like a true rough and tumble version of Michael Apted’s Up series.” If I weren’t already sold on it, this trailer would do the trick. Of course, it has more up its sleeveless shirt than just violence. Director Ian Palmer promises that there will be blood, but there will also be a socially fascinating look at family, status, and honor. Check out the trailer for yourself:

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a movie news column set to the spectacle of a John Williams score. We begin tonight with the latest in scientific discovery. NASA and SETI have discovered a planet that has two stars. Their first thought? Name it “Tatooine.” We approve, but we can’t help but think this is a giant marketing campaign for the new Star Wars Blu-ray release. We’ll know when nude pics of the planet show up online.

When Human Centipede (First Sequence) played at Fantastic Fest in 2009, it boasted a brutally disgusting concept and failed to deliver. The idea was a brilliant one that got stretched into a feature length film with a terrible structure and a moronic plot. It’s no secret that the film didn’t thrill me, but it’s partially because of the potential of the set up being squandered by awful writing and direction from Tom Six. So, excuse me if I don’t believe the advertising-ready hype for the next installment. The campaign so far has included a trailer where people react Two Girls One Cup style to the film. It has people covering their eyes, screaming, throwing up, and flat out leaving the film. Clearly the movie is selling itself on its gross-out alone. The new teaser trailer gives a bit more insight by briefly giving us a full frontal introduction to the villain of Human Centipede II (Full Sequence).

What is Movie News After Dark? It’s out right now. Please leave a message. We begin tonight with some new concept art for The Adventures of Tintin, courtesy of the folks over at Hey U Guys. It’s yet another look at the smooth animation behind this film from Steven Spielberg, who may appear again later in tonight’s edition of Movie News After Dark.

What is Movie News After Dark? On most nights, it’s average. Tonight, it is slightly above average. We begin tonight with an image from a movie you’re not looking forward to, but only because you probably don’t know about it yet. I know about it and am very much looking forward to it. And based on the transitive property of fandom, that means you’ll want to see it, too. It’s a first image from No Way Out, a short film by Aaron Morgan that was announced as part of the Fantastic Fest 2011 Shorts Program. I was in an Aaron Morgan joint once, and I can tell you that he’s a true professional, especially when it comes to the casting couch. Though I doubt AJ Bowen had to go through the same “rigorous” “casting process.” He’s legit and I was a newcomer.

Mere hours after the announcement that Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia was hitting Fantastic Fest come September (similarly, also mere hours after I rifled through my junk drawer in hopes that it held both enough money and time to get me to Austin for the fest), the official U.S. poster for the film has been released, along with news of the film’s inevitable VOD release. The film will hit theaters on November 11 in a limited release, but it will be available on VOD come October 7. Once Magnolia picked up the Palme d’Or nominee, it was pretty clear that the film would likely hit VOD first, as the distributor has made it their modus operandi to go the VOD route pre-theatrical release. The film did have a small release last month at an out of the way theater in Los Angeles County, so it remains eligible come award season.