Phobia 2 reviewed in Montreal, headed for Dallas

The five-segment horror shorts anthology Phobia 2 has been playing at the Fantasia Festival in Montreal, where it's received decent buzz.

It's been playing alongside Jija Yanin's Raging Phoenix and Sompote Sands' Giant and Jumbo A.

Phobia 2 (Haa Phrang, 5 แพร่ง, literally "five crossroads") is the work of five directors at GTH studio: Paween Purijitpanya (Body #19), studio honcho Visute Poolvoralaks making his directorial debut, Songyos Sugmakanan (Dorm) and one each from the Shutter/Alone duo of Parkpoom Wongpoom and Banjong Pisanthanakun.

It next heads to the Asian Film Festival of Dallas, where it's making its U.S. premiere.

Uruphong Raksasad's Agrarian Utopia is also playing Dallas.

Row Three's Kurt Halfyard saw Phobia 2 in Montreal and gave it a glowing review:

It is rather nice to see [a] sequel that not only has the production values improved, but the stories are across the board solid whilst keeping the spirit of the enterprise unchanged. In short, the collective of directors has successfully raised the bar [with] a solid mixture of organically tones and stories interspersed with comedy grace notes.

Ain't It Cool's Quint gave it a mixed review, saying "2 of them are great [Songyos' Backpackers and Banjong's In the End, 2 of them are okay [Visute's Ward and Parkpoom's Salvage] and one is mediocre [Paween's Novice]."

I liked Novice. A lot.

The Asian Film Festival of Dallas runs from July 23 to 29.