Is an argument settled better with a word or a fist? At Fantastic Fest (Sept. 19-26), there’s no reason to decide, as the film festival has announced the challengers for this year’s Fantastic Debates.

Part classic debate, part boxing match, the Saturday-night showdowns have long been a hot ticket at Fantastic Fest and have resulted in some of the fest’s most memorable moments. Who can forget The Lord of the Rings stars Elijah Wood and Dominic Monaghan getting punchy over World of Warcraft, filmmaker Joe Swanberg famously pummeling notorious mumblecore hater Devin Faraci, or Alamo Drafthouse and Fantastic Fest founder Tim League getting his ass handed to him time and again, over and over?

So who’s stepping in the ring and making their case this year?

Resolved: Practical effects are better than CGI effects

Never one to learn his lesson, League breaks out his mouth guard again to make the argument that AI is always going to outpunch any puny mortal, while Zoë Bell – martial artist, stunt god, and star of Raze (which gets a 10th anniversary screening at this year’s fest) – will get behind the podium and into the ring to prove that audiences intuitively know that a little blood and sweat is always better than an algorithm. Let’s see if some prompts can save Tim’s skin …

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Resolved: Independent films are superior to studio films

Fantastic Fest Director of Programming Annick Mahnert becomes the standard bearer for the companies that built Hollywood, while Ahbra Perry, formerly of the Drafthouse and now director of OTT Channels for Giant Pictures, will throw haymakers in defense of the kind of microbudget masterpieces that make up Fantastic Fest’s Burnt Ends selections.

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Resolved: Nicolas Cage is the world’s greatest living actor

Drafthouse Senior Data Analyst Sam Malcolm claims that a year of fight training has set him up to explain to filmmaker James Cullen Bressack why his cinematic hero doesn’t have an Oscar yet.

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Fantastic Fest 2024 runs Sept. 19-26. Get more info at fantasticfest.com.

And don’t miss all the reviews, interviews, and breaking news at austinchronicle.com/fantastic-fest.

This article appears in September 13 • 2024.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.