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[With its limited U.S. theatrical release set to begin tomorrow, we revisit my review from Fantastic Fest 2010, where it deservedly won the Best Picture award.] How can something so simple be so joyful? Maybe that's the key. Like Jackie Chan, the six drummers in Sound of Noise believe in using everyday objects to make mayhem. As one of them says in a recruiting pitch, "it's dangerous, it's illegal, and it will change the world." If that quote's not quite accurate, it still captures the spirit of the Swedish-language film, directed by Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjarne Nilsson. They made a short film nine years ago, Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers, in which six people enter a stranger's apartment and make music...

Reviewed at Fantastic Fest 2010.

For a fresh take on the heist movie, just add music. The inventive Swedish comedy "Sound of Noise" (directed by Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjärne Nilsson) is about a band of musical malcontents who break into a hospital, a bank ("This is a gig! We're only here for the music!" they yell) and other public places to play compositions using the surroundings as their instruments. Led by Sanna (Sanna Persson), the sextet attempt to perform a piece called "Music for One City and Six Drummers" that composer Magnus (Magnus Börjeson) describes, in a mild understatement, as "conceptual."

But in a town where the major musical excitement surrounds a Haydn concert and speakers on the street pipe in saccharine muzak, a little sonic terrorism doesn't seem entirely out of the question. It's "Sound of Noise"'s central lark that instead of this rebellion arriving via the usual path of rock and roll,...

How can something so simple be so joyful? Maybe that's the key. Like Jackie Chan, the six drummers in Sound Of Noise believe in using everyday objects to make mayhem. As one of them says in a recruiting pitch, "it's dangerous, it's illegal, and it will change the world."

If that quote's not quite accurate, it still captures the spirit of the Swedish-language film, directed by Ola Simonsson and Johannes Stjarne Nilsson. They made a short film nine years ago, Music For One Apartment And Six Drummers, in which six people enter a stranger's apartment and make music out of whatever they find in each room. (Sample: toothbrushes, cleansing agents, towels, toilet seats, light switches, and so forth.) The short is played before the film, which, as good as it was, immediately raised the question of how a feature-length version would play.

Sound Of Noise expands the idea exponentially. Magnus...

Fantastic Fest Logo 2010Fantastic Fest is moving into its sixth year and the 2010 event will take place in Austin, Texas September 23rd. This year's showings will include over fourty short films, each of which has been listed below. The horror short highlights include the creature feature "Culebra," the exorcist fueled "Deus Irae," the comical "The Legend of Beaver Dam," the dark "La Petit Mort" and undead characterizations in "Only Son." More details on the horror shorts are available below, along with the entire 2010 Fantastic Fest short film lineup.

"5 Minute Dating"

Canada

Director: Peter Hatch.

"A dating service where anyone can find their soul mate" (Fantastic).

"12 Years"

Germany

Director: Daniel Nocke.

"We're not the only species that needs to endure the wrenching pain of relationships gone sour" (Fantastic).

"The Astronomer's Sun"

Director: David Bunting.

"Lovely animated story about a boy and his bear and the secrets of the universe."

"Atomic Hubbub"

UK

Director: Stephen Irwin.

Hot diggity! Fantastic Fest is screening a whole lot of shorts and they're a whole lot of good. We've featured a number of these on Twitch in the past so get searching to turn up a fistful of happiness. Here's the full announcement!

Fantastic Fest 2010 Announces Full Short Films Slate

Over 40 Genre-Bending Shorts From Across The Globe

Set To Premiere At This Year's Festival

Austin, TX---Friday, September 3, 2010--- Fantastic Fest announces the full short films lineup, including over 40 genre-bending selections from around the world.  The festival has amassed the ultimate array of cool, twisted, beautiful, mind-bending, horrifying and hilarious short films. The best short films can pack in more emotion, laughs adrenaline, creativity and flat-out insanity than a million big-budget blockbusters. Or they can show you something so ambitiously horrendous that you beg for mercy. 

Fantastic Fest 2010 Short Film Lineup

5 Minute Dating

Canada, Director: Peter Hatch 

A dating service...

Fantastic Fest has announced its full 2010 short films lineup, including over 40 genre-bending selections from around the world. The festival has amassed the ultimate array of cool, twisted, beautiful, mind-bending, horrifying and hilarious short films. The best short films can pack in more emotion, laughs adrenaline, creativity and flat-out insanity than a million big-budget blockbusters. Or they can show you something so ambitiously horrendous that you beg for mercy.

Fantastic Fest 2010 Short Film Lineup

5 Minute Dating

Canada, Director: Peter Hatch

A dating service where anyone can find their soul mate.

12 Years

Germany, Director: Daniel Nocke

We’re not the only species that needs to endure the wrenching pain of relationships gone sour.

The Astronomer’s Sun

UK, Director: David Bunting

Lovely animated story about a boy and his bear and the secrets of the universe

Atomic Hubbub

UK, Director: Stephen Irwin

Here’s the newest way to enjoy mankind’s impending self-apocalypse.