Fantastic Fest. Perhaps one of the busiest times of the year here on Film School Rejects. In which we cover a bunch of films from around the world, all of which are more likely to fade into the ether before they ever make it to your local cineplex. In fact, so many of the films that we’ve reviewed (with more to come) here in Austin won’t see distribution at all. It’s sad, but true. However, that won’t deter us from covering Fantastic Fest every single year. Why? Because it’s an amazing festival — perhaps the most unique and fan-driven in the entire world — and we’ve got a passion for these movies. The best of them are more than worth the time and effort it will take for you to seek them out. Trust us, we know what we’re talking about. Especially that Rob Hunter guy… And so begins the story of The Week That Was here on FSR….

The title character in Barry Munday isn’t exactly the kind of character you’d picture when you think of actor Patrick Wilson. He is a giant man-child who has yet to grow up. A mostly failed womanizer, saddled with a dull work life, who fancies picking up girls at Chili’s and playing video games in his underwear. He’s much like you and me, but nothing like Patrick Wilson. Despite these not so flattering characteristics, Barry is likable. He’s that well-intentioned guy who’s not entirely self-aware who does perhaps more harm than good, and yet you still root for him in the end. So when he inpregnates a girl who’s not exactly his type, you buy him wanting to stick around to finally take responsibility and enter manhood. That’s what Barry Munday is about: Manhood. Wilson has played characters in the past that don’t exactly have the highest self-esteem or are the ideal heroes, but Barry is different. He’s not the typical protagonist and Wilson embraces that fact. After Hard Candy, Little Children, and Watchmen it’s surprising to see Wilson in this type of role, and that seemed to have been apart of the attraction to becoming Barry Munday for him. Here’s what Patrick Wilson had to say about emasculated men and Barry Munday.

Do you like genuinely funny movies that tell character stories in earnest as fuse humor and heart? Films that are not one-note, one-joke or one-testicled? Films that compliment rock solid acting with quality writing and a filmmaker intent on telling you a multi-dimensional story, even if that story is about a less than likable guy who gets his balls whacked off by an angry father with a trumpet? Good, because so do I. Enter Barry Munday, the directorial debut of Chris D’Arienzo, a director you should keep an eye on. Especially if you like the aforementioned quality films, namely those that will give you laughter. As I mentioned in my review from SXSW, this one’s well stocked with two wonderfully charismatic leads — Patrick Wilson and Judy Greer — and plenty of meticulously placed supporting players — the likes of Malcolm McDowell, Chloe Sevigny, Christopher McDonald, Billy Dee Williams and Kyle Gass, as seen delivering an uncomfortable moment in the trailer. It’s one of the few movies I’ve seen this year that I’d insist you see. At the very least, do me a favor and watch the trailer after the jump.

This week, Fat Guy Kevin Carr hops in a time machine to 1984 to grade The A-Team and The Karate Kid.

It may have something to do with the fact that I’ve recently watched both Knocked Up and a marathon of How I Met Your Mother, but everything feels like it revolves around struggling broadcast journalists and/or producers these days. Local television morning show producer is the new executive assistant.

Barry Munday was the first film I saw for SXSW, and it could have only been one of my favorite films of the festival for maybe another day or so. However, we are now on our seventh day of coverage for the fest…and Barry Munday is still one of my favorites.

Patrick Wilson has shown himself to be a hot commodity in Hollywood. Starting on stage and making a strong move into feature films, Wilson can claim ownership to two of my favorite performances in his roles in both Hard Candy and Watchmen. We sat down with him though, to speak about his newest and hilarious endeavor into comedy, Barry Munday.

With an energetic opening that signals an upbeat and well-soundtracked tone, Barry Munday introduces us to its title character, played by Patrick Wilson. He’s a guy you’ve met before, around the office (if you’ve ever worked in one). The guy who hits on every woman in site, spends most of his lunchtimes alone and is constantly making imbecilic, inappropriate remarks. You may know him as a tool.

Just this morning I was watching the trailer for Chris D’Arienzo’s comedy Barry Munday on the YouTube, and it had me wondering if I should share it with you as part of our SXSW preview today. Then an email came in with not only the trailer, but a gallery of images and an official synopsis from the fine folks handling the film’s publicity. It was destiny, leaving me no choice but to share it with all of you.

Kevin Carr looks at Watchmen.

We have watched Watchmen. Is the early negativity spot on? Is the counter-hype correct? Will fans come to praise Snyder or bury him? Find our thoughts within.

Where there are Watchmen, there are Rejects, so it should be no surprise that when the actors sat down to talk to the media, we ignored the restraining order and snuck in through the service elevator.

Intrepid FSR reader Jeff P. sent over a few cool new featurettes for Watchmen this afternoon. And since I’m feeling generous, I thought I might throw them up on the site for all to see.

We knew it was coming. We’ve been waiting all night. And it is finally here — the second full-length Watchmen trailer.

Last night we posted about the brand new Comedian character poster for Zack Snyder’s Watchmen, but little did we know that The Comedian wouldn’t be the only one to show his face on a poster this week.

I am aware that I already posted the bootleg version of the Watchmen footage from this week’s Spike TV Scream Awards, but I cannot resist the urge to publish it again now that we’ve received the high resolution version.

What I really mean by that title is that last night’s Spike TV 2008 Scream Awards featured and extended trailer for Zack Snyder’s much anticipated film Watchmen.

Lakeview Terrace is meant to be a taut thriller. However, the script violates a cardinal rule… it has the characters act unrelentlessly stupid in order to force a conflict. By the end, I really didn’t care about any of them.

Join in the housewarming party for Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington, and have a drink to celebrate their new neighbor, Samuel L. Jackson.

Thanks to a brand new trailer debuted over on Reelz Channel yesterday afternoon, we have a little bit more of an idea as to what Anne Hathaway’s new movie Passengers is all about.