27 screenings at SXSW 2012 · Posted March 21, 2012

I’m so glad I decided to head down to Austin for South by Southwest this year. I’m currently living in a different city and moving at a different pace compared to when I was in school, and I’d convinced myself that perhaps my days of attending festivals like this were over. Looking back, I can’t think of a better way to spend nine days, and I actually feel like my life was changed in a few fundamental ways as I attended all the wonderful screenings, panels, parties, and social events that only SXSW and the city of Austin can deliver.

I attended SXSW 2012 as a volunteer, which allowed me to network with some amazing people and just have more fun in general. I felt like I was really in it, even though the ways in which I contributed were largely peripheral and not as hands-on as you’d imagine. Basically, I felt like I got away with something, because I essentially hung out with people and watched movies at the Paramount Theatre (where I did all my shifts) all so I could “earn” a badge which allowed me to see even more movies and meet more great people. There’s no better gig, and after attending SXSW for three years in a row, I know that it’s exactly where I belong while it’s going on.

I attended 27 screenings at the festival this year. Don’t ask me how I pulled that off because I don’t quite understand it myself. Here are my thoughts on the films I saw as well as some insight into the privilege of watching most of these production with the folks who made them:

The Babymakers

This movie really didn’t work for me, mostly because it’s from several members of the Broken Lizard crew. I’ve never successfully made it through Super Troopers, and that brand of humor isn’t really my thing. Also, Olivia Munn- Should she be starring in films? Have we asked ourselves that as a society? Harsh, I know, but she was one of several reasons why this movie felt much longer than it actually is. It was marketed as a zany heist film about a couple robbing a sperm bank to try to get pregnant, but it was actually a very boring commentary on relationships with raunchy content that tried way too hard to get laughs. Despite the SXSW buzz and the fact that this was screened on the opening night of the film festival, it just fell flat and ended my first night with a whimper. Maybe I was just bitter about not getting into the Cabin in the Woods screening earlier that night.

Nature Calls

I braved the rain on day 2 of the festival to line up for this one, and I found it charming yet infused with just the right amount of silliness. Johnny Knoxville, Patton Oswalt, and Rob Riggle all engage in some pretty hilarious physical comedy as the film tells the story of a scout troop leader (Oswalt) taking his ailing father and a reluctant group of kids on a camping trip. The film deals with brotherly conflict and generational disconnects in a light yet resonant way, and the story feels like a wholesome tale with enough substance sprinkled in-between the more over-the-top laughs to make it stick. This was a divisive one, though, and I know that several people thought it was too silly for its own good. I guess it’s a tough one to recommend to everyone, but I liked it. (Also, it features a terrific performance by the late Patrice O’ Neal.)

Safety Not Guaranteed

This movie was one of my favorites from the festival, and it completely blew the SXSW audience away. Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, and Mark Duplass lead a fantastic ensemble cast in this film about a Craigslist time travel ad that leads a group of people to re-examine their lives as they’ve lived them so far. The people in this movie are very unique and often quite strange, but they also feel very real in that their problems are universal and their insecurities constantly visible. Both the comedy and the drama in this film are extremely genuine, and the story goes in some interesting directions that make the viewing experience quite thrilling. It’s just a lot of fun, and it’s more thought-provoking than anyone expects it to be.

frankie go boom

Can I get a womp womp? This movie – a comedy about how a bit of voyeurism comes between two brothers – lost me 20 minutes in and never won me back. That being said, the first 20 minutes work pretty darn well on their own. Chris O’ Dowd and Lizzy Caplan light up the screen for most of that first chunk of the movie, and they’re great in that bubble of intrigue and genuine comedy that comes from some wonderfully awkward situations. Once the humanity drains from the relationships in the movie, though, you realize where it’s going – and it ain’t pretty. This is just my opinion, though. I don’t like comedy that comes from constant aggression and humiliation, and this movie is full of that. It also tries a bit too be hard to be edgy, presenting things like a cross-dressing Ron Perlman as though that’s interesting enough on its own. I couldn’t wait for this one to end. I like you, Chris O’ Dowd, but hopefully you’re lucky enough to land some projects that really show the world what you can do.

The Hunter

Willem Dafoe is fantastic in this atmospheric, carefully paced film about a man venturing into the Tasmanian wilderness to hunt down a nearly extinct breed of tiger. The movie looks gorgeous and it is almost always engaging the audience and challenging you to figure out the subtle political and moral implications of everything going on. It all unfolds like a rich, well written novel, which isn’t surprising given that it’s an adaptation of a book by Julia Leigh.

Marley

I was originally hesitant to watch this one simply because of its 152 minute run time. I’ve always found Bob Marley to be a fascinating figure, but I wasn’t sure how invested I’d be given that that amount of time seemed to hint at a bit of overindulgence on the parts of the filmmakers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Marley bursts with life and remains consistently engaging. The concert footage throughout the film is amazing, and the lengthy run time actually gives you a feel for just how influential Bob Marley became throughout the course of his short life (He only lived to be 36 years old). The movie is also a crowd-pleaser, full of humorous talking heads with family members and collaborators as well as several revealing stories that are structured in a very narrative fashion.

The Raid: Redemption

I didn’t expect a lot of substance from this one, given that it’s been marketed and buzzed about as an action-filled adrenaline rush. It certainly delivers on that promise in spades, but there is some solid character-focused drama going on in this movie, too. There are real heroes and villains, and a story that almost anyone can appreciate. The execution might be off-putting to those who enjoy slower, dialogue-heavy resolutions of conflict, but honestly, those people should know what they’re getting into when they watch this film. It’s a lot of fun, and it had the crowd at the Paramount yelling and applauding more then anyone expected to. It’s beautifully shot and choreographed, and it will surely be a great vehicle for both its stars and its director.

Compliance

This movie unfolds brilliantly to reveal some nasty truths about human behavior, all while making an audience extremely angry. SXSW audiences reacted strongly to each screening of this challenging film, and I personally believe that it’s because it’s so well-made. It was one of my favorites at the festival even though it was a tense, often uncomfortable viewing experience. The writing, acting, and editing are all top notch, and I love that something like this exists in a medium which allows maximum exposure to the horrible things happening. They’re up there, on screen, seemingly inescapable. The story behind the movie is enough to provoke even the most indifferent observer of the human condition, and this almost real-time depiction of completely normal people going from point A to point B is like nothing I’ve ever seen. This was bought at the festival and it will be in a theater near you sometime this year. See it with an audience and watch/listen to what happens.

Gayby

This movie was kind of funny in parts, kind of boring in others, and kind of forgettable overall. I guess I had extremely high expectations going in, partly because I was at SXSW and partly because I needed a huge dose of comic relief to balance out my Compliance-filled afternoon. There is some good comedic acting and some genuinely effective humor in this story about a woman and her gay best friend attempting to have a baby “the old-fashioned way” (as described on all promotional materials for the film). However, these positives are almost always overshadowed by the film’s eagerness to make a statement. It’s set in Brooklyn and it features several gay characters, but none of these people ever feel like they live in any world to which the audience can relate. They all feel like bullet points in the outline for an essay on combating homophobia. That’s the only way I can describe how I felt while watching it. The other thing that kept taking me out of the movie was the main female lead, who seemed to think she was being super funny in every scene. This, for me at least, reduced the impact of the truly funny things she frequently accomplishes while on screen.

Girls

Before SXSW 2012, I had what I can only describe as a Lena Dunham problem. I wasn’t wowed by Tiny Furniture , and I was particularly frustrated by the fact that a potentially amazing voice was going to be squandered and self-sabotaged. Lena Dunham has a wonderful perspective on the world and a knack for achieving a consistent comedic tone, but her first film seemed too experimental and self-indulgent for its own good. It was a hit at a previous SXSW festival, though, and soon people like Judd Apatow and HBO began to take notice. Now we arrive at Girls, an upcoming HBO series created mostly by Lena Dunham that explores the lives of several early-twenties women living in New York. A packed house at the Paramount got to watch the first three episodes with all creative forces responsible in attendance, and it was great. This show isn’t like anything you’ve seen before, and even if you end up disliking it, you’ll be fascinated by how refreshing it is. It did a lot of risky things right in those first three episodes, and I can’t wait for more people to see it and react to it. I do have a few concerns about the male characters on the show, but I don’t have that much input since they haven’t really been developed as much as the girls (Go figure). It’s a minor complaint, though, and I only mention it because I had similar concerns about Tiny Furniture.

I found myself becoming a Lena Dunham fan over the course of 24 hours after attending the screening as well as a Girls panel the next day. I may have a few issues with how she addresses certain things more pertinent to my own life experiences (a ridiculous complaint, by the way) but I can’t help but have a tremendous amount of respect for everything she’s both accomplishing and risking at such a young age.

21 Jump Street

This movie was just a lot of fun. SXSW is amazing because it features obscure titles with no marketing behind them along with films like this one that have the benefit of tremendous buzz. Most of the film’s stars came out to watch this with an audience at the Paramount, and what unfolded was an all-encompassing send-up of 80’s nostalgia productions combined with a lot of genuinely innovative, clever comedy. This movie didn’t have to strive for depth and “timeless” status, but because it does just that, it’s up there with some of the stronger comedic work I’ve seen recently. There is, of course, a tendency to lean on raunchy material for shock value (which is what I was expecting to generate most of the laughs here). However, this kind of stuff is integrated in sensible ways while the more unexpected bits of comedic gold get to shine on their own.

The Do-Deca Pentathalon

I was a fan of the Duplass bros. before 2012, but after their monstrous presence at this year’s Sundance and SXSW film festivals, I’m now in awe of their distinct style of filmmaking. This film is, on the surface, a silly comedy about two brothers competing in a series of 25 athletic events to prove which one is superior. Beneath that comedic goldmine, though, there’s also a story about family, brotherhood, and marriage. There is some gorgeous camera work, writing, and acting on display in Do-Deca, and it crept up on me to become one of my favorites of the festival.

Sleepwalk With Me

This movie is a charmer, and it also showcases the tremendous talents of comedian/actor/writer/director Mike Birbiglia. In a Q&A after one of several SXSW screenings at the Drafthouse, he said that the only thing you have to give to any artform is yourself. Sleepwalk With Me is a great example of this, because it’s all about the actual quirks and flaws of a character who’s very close to Mike Birbiglia’s real-life persona. The story of the film follows him through a rough patch in his professional life as well as his love life, and it uses his sleepwalking problem metaphorically to show how lost and confused he finds himself. The comedy in this movie always works and the ensemble cast navigates the dramatic material with impressive confidence. It delivers in a lot of pleasantly surprising ways, and it also features several bits of innovation that speak to Birbiglia’s talents as a storyteller. This was another one of my personal favorites of SXSW 2012.

Italy, Love It Or Leave It

This documentary follows two men on a journey through Italy as they decide whether they should stay there or leave. Many of their friends have left for various reasons, and at the beginning of the movie they set out to essentially conduct a historical and cultural inventory of their beloved country. The film remains surprisingly light and comedic despite dealing with subject matter like governmental corruption, sexist cultural norms, and a stagnancy in Italy’s worldwide presence over the last 30 years. The most interesting aspect of the film for me was the repeated theory that the physical, tangible beauty of Italy has lulled many people into a sense of complacency regarding the aforementioned issues.

Shut Up and Play the Hits

I’m sad to say that I was underwhelmed by this one. I think James Murphy’s a pretty cool guy, and I like LCD Soundsystem a lot. I found Murphy’s decision to essentially retire from being a rock star an interesting one, and I guess I was just hoping that it would be explored more thoroughly in this movie. There is a fantastic interview shown throughout the film in bits and pieces among the concert footage, and I’d almost rather watch that uninterrupted interview on its own. The actual concert footage isn’t shot in a particularly dynamic way, and it ends up just dragging on and on. The feeling I had walking out of the movie was mild frustration that I couldn’t have been at one of those final shows. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the intended effect.

Bernie

Richard Linklater’s Bernie certainly isn’t for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It features great performances by Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, and Shirley Maclaine, and it also features several authentic, endlessly comedic appearances by members of the East Texas town that serves as the film’s setting. The creative forces behind the movie really succeed in capturing the dialects, the social structures, and the gossip of small-town life without ever making fun of any of the eccentric residents featured throughout the story. The main story of the film – which follows Jack Black as the titular character (inspired by a real-life person) as he covers up the murder of an older woman – is made richer and more resonant by the attention to detail and the warm atmosphere of the proceedings. Again, though, I could easily see how some would find this outing too silly for its own good.

Searching for Sugar Man

Who is Rodriguez? Where is he from? How has his presence as a musician not reached “rock star” status? This wonderful documentary seeks to answer all those questions and more, and it reveals a talent and personality like no other. The “man” in question – Rodriguez – was actually at the SXSW screening, and being in his presence after hearing his amazing story was a surreal experience. He rattled off too-cool-for-school quotes like “The thing about a documentary is…it’s real, man” and still seemed totally authentic. He is a musician of raw talent who seeks no fame and has received no recognition for many, many years. He’s huge in places like South Africa even though he’s barely a favorite on iTunes here. It all adds to his mystique, though, and you’ll feel like you actually know him after seeing this movie.

In Our Nature

This film was another one of my SXSW favorites. It wonderfully written, shot, and acted, and it’s a showcase for all of its stars (John Slattery, Gabrielle Union, Jena Malone, and Zach Gilford). The premise is a father and son going to the same cabin on the same weekend with their respective romantic partners. The conversations and conflicts that unfold are thrilling to watch, and they feel like they’re right out of a richly crafted novel. Everything is made more captivating by the cinematography and acting on display throughout the film, and the overall effect is that it pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It entertains in a very genuine way while remaining thought-provoking and almost intellectual.

Eden

This movie is fantastic. It follows the (real-life) story of a young woman who was kidnapped and forced into the world of human trafficking in 1994. Jamie Chung plays the main character, and she is absolutely brilliant. Matt O’ Leary plays one of her captors in the film, and he is amazing as well (He is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors based on his SXSW-recognized performances in this film, Matthew Lillard’s Fat Kid Rules the World, and last year’s award-winner Natural Selection). Throughout the course of the film, Jamie Chung’s character deals with several atrocities and dehumanizing events while maintaining her calm and figuring out ways to work her way up the food chain and eventually be free. She is confronted with a very powerful dissonance, though, and she almost slips into the complacency characteristic of some of her newfound companions. The movie resonates in a powerful way because it’s extremely well-made and also because it creates a sense of immediacy in the viewer’s mind about the central issue – human trafficking. It’s great cinema and it also makes you want to do something.

See Girl Run

David Gordon Green was the executive producer of this film, which I found interesting since it reminded me a lot of his film All the Real Girls. See Girl Run worked better for me, though, because it resonated as more compelling, emotional, and conflicted. It centers on a woman who decides to act on some unresolved feelings toward her high school sweetheart (with whom she never actually “broke up”). She’s currently in a marriage she’s questioning, and this film is purely about her figuring out whether or not she wants to keep going on that path. Her decision is the narrative goal, and a lot of other elements of the plot (like her potentially alcoholic and clinically depressed brother) kind of fall to the sidelines in a way that will throw some viewers. I was lucky to get a sense of context when the director did a Q&A after the film. Many of his decisions came from the fact that he wanted to create a fully realized female lead for his story. He also wanted to focus on fidelity as opposed to infidelity. These things won’t make sense until you’ve seen the film. but you’ll most likely be grateful you have them in mind when watching See Girl Run.

Somebody Up There Likes Me

This movie tried way too hard and achieved surprisingly little. It’s supposed to be about the small journeys we take through life which come in the form of weddings, funerals, graduations, etc. The passage of time is handled in a whimsical manner, but it always takes you out of the movie instead of adding to the flow of the narrative. What you’re left with is essentially a long reel of half-conceived sketches the almost never work, coupled with some intentional ambiguities that make you want to pull your hair out. There are some solid laughs here and there, due in large part to a ridiculous (in a good way) performance by Nick Offerman. Even he, though, is restricted by the dullness and sluggish pace of this “comedy.”

Funeral Kings

This coming-of-age tale won me over quickly with its authenticity. It follows a group of rebellious kids as they steal XXX videos, stumble upon concealed firearms, and strike out with girls as only foul-mouthed teenagers can. Hip-hop music blasts in the background of almost every scene, giving you the feeling of being inside these kids’ heads. They think they command the streets, and they know that one day school and homework and all other conventional elements of their lives will fall apart. It’s a bit tragic that many kids today follow this train of thought into a life of crime which is devoid of a substantial education, but this film presents a real-life portrait of this kind of lifestyle with more flair than you’d expect. It moves with the energy of a Scorsese picture while focusing on the tender aspects of adolescence that these kids are losing by the minute.It’s quite a ride.

Beware of Mr. Baker

This documentary about famed drummer Ginger Baker failed to hold my attention early on and never really hit me in the right way. Its subject seemed far more interesting than its execution, and I feel as though I’d be more thrilled having an actual conversation with the guy. Much like with the LCD Soundsystem concert flick, I felt like I was missing out on the real action with this one. I was only getting a slightly engaging glimpse into a pretty exciting life. The other thing about the material here was that I had no personal investment in it other than I wanted it to work as a film in telling some kind of “story.” Perhaps it was a different experience for actual Ginger Baker admirers.

Sunset Strip

This doc focuses on the famed street in Los Angeles on which the film’s title is based. It plays like a raunchy version of something you’d see on VH1, and it’s mostly entertaining in an immediate sense. In other words, it intrigues and impresses you very briefly before becoming very forgettable. I’d say it’s worth checking out if you’re fascinated by Old Hollywood and the evolution of both actors and musicians over the years. Be ready for a lot of gruesome, shocking stories that will significantly alter your perspective on entertainers you may or may not admire. I’m talking about the likes of Led Zeppelin and Frank Sinatra but also Ozzy Osbourne and Paris Hilton. This is a mixed bag of pop culture exploration and genuine examination of the nature and development of the Sunset Strip. See it if it’s ever on cable, and preferably with company. That’s probably the most appropriate way to watch it.

V/H/S

This collaborative found-footage horror compilation was a fun watch at midnight with an enthused Alamo Drafthouse crowd. I’m not sure my reaction would be the same had the setting been different, though. I’m a fan of the Paranormal Activity movies, and I think there’s some merit in using the found-footage format to generate some genuine scares. I always feel like there’s a burden on these kinds of movies to maintain the practicality of the “camera always on” feel, though. That took me out of quite a few scenes in V/H/S. I was also slightly disappointed by the reliance on loud noises and bright flashing lights which were supposed to pass as ghosts, and that was mostly because of the wealth of talent behind the camera on this project. There are some innovative moments that create a genuinely terrifying atmosphere while justifying the use of the found-footage format quite beautifully, but the majority of the film is standard jump scares and moments that are pretty much tailor-made for an audience like the one at SXSW.

The Comedy

This is one of those movies that people will tell you you “don’t get.” In my opinion, though, it’s simply one of the stupidest things you could subject yourself to. It features Tim Heidecker in what I’m told is a groundbreaking performance that examines the human soul in a profound way. Yeah, I didn’t get any of that. I got a series of rejected Tim and Eric bits sprinkled in-between way-too-long periods of absolutely nothing happening. A lot of this movie just falls flat and actually makes you want to go do anything else but watch any movie ever again. It was definitely not something I needed to see on the last day of SXSW, but I’m almost grateful that I did since it was unquestionably something different. I knew it was a risk going in, though, and it could totally work for someone else. It’s either a complete hit or a complete miss depending on the viewer, and I’m interested to get more people’s opinions on it.

Fat Kid Rules the World

Matthew Lillard directed this crowd-pleaser that actually took home a SXSW audience award. It features terrific performances by Jacob Wysocki (Terri) and the fantastic Matt O’Leary. It’s part coming-of-age story and part fish-out-of-water comedy, and it all works really well. The laughs here come from a refreshing place and don’t rely on self-deprecation as much as I expected. Making the central character an overweight, socially awkward teenager seemed to be a choice that could either pull the viewer in or become gimmicky very quickly. Luckily, the latter thought never entered my mind. This movie seeks only to create true characters and tell an engaging story, and it achieves both of those things wonderfully.

Here are some other films I heard great things about but didn’t have a chance to catch. It’s amazing how much awesome stuff can still surprise you throughout the week. Oh the beautiful chaos that is the SXSW film festival…

• $ELLABRITY
• Bijuka
• Brooklyn Castle
• The Cabin in the Woods
• Lovely Molly
• Her Master’s Voice
• Big Easy Express
• Girls Against Boys

Just wanted to list these so I could spread the word!

Whew…I guess that’s it. I hope this recap is an enjoyable read and that it gets you excited about some of these films. There really is nothing like SXSW, and I can’t wait until next year.

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