It's safe to say that 2020 has been a strange and surreal year. In fact, as we all know, that's quite the understatement. Prefer to get your weird and wonderful fix watching the big screen, rather than reading the news? That's perfectly acceptable — and that's what Monster Fest is all about.

Returning to Cinema Nova from Thursday, December 3–Thursday, December 10, this fest is all about out-there cinema. In 2020, it's even taking on an apocalyptic theme. That means that film fans can expect flicks about dystopian scenarios; however, it'll also be serving up a selection of the latest and greatest genre and horror movies in general.

If you're only going to add one film to your must-see list, make it Synchronic. It's the stellar new movie from The Endless duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead, and features Anthony Mackie (Avengers: Endgame) and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey) as paramedics who keep being called out to cases involving a trippy, reality-shifting new drug.

Also on the bill: Occupation: Rainfall, the sequel to Australian sci-fi film Occupation; Meander, a French thriller that sees a woman wake up trapped in a maze; and a couple of festive-themed horror movies, because it's the season for them. The list goes on, and this year's fest comes with a difference: nothing in its program screens against each other, so you can head along to absolutely everything if you're super keen.