So SXSW is over and I just had a chance to sit down and write some of my thoughts about the film submissions this year. Unfortunately due to crowds and an unexpected plague (no one expects the Spanish Influenza!) I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to. Here is a list of some of the stuff that stood out to me.
Frank
This may have been my most anticipated film and it didn’t disappoint. Fassebender pulls a rabbit out of his hat relies entirely on body language and his voice, giving an astounding performance without the use of his face. Those who are aware of the true story of Frank Longbottom should know that this is a fictional story that has little to do with reality. The only thing the film Frank has in common with the real Frank is the plaster head.
Penny Dreadful
I caught the unfinished pilot episode of this new show, premiering this May on Showtime. It’s basically a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with all the Victorian horror characters. It has lots of mystery, gore, and nudity, which is probably enough to guarantee its success. I will definitely be tuning in.
Doc of the Dead
From the makers of The People vs. George Lucas comes the best analysis of Zombie fandom ever put on film. This documentary covers everything from the ethnographic origins of Zombies in West Africa and Haiti to zombie symbolism in films to fandom and even the oversaturation of zombies in popular culture.
Faults
I went into this cold and that is probably the best way for anyone else to see this psychological thriller about reprogramming a cult member. It’s fucking great.
The Guest
Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey is looking lean and mean for his role as a sociopathic houseguest. From the very second the film’s title appears and you hear the 80s inspired music you immediately think of old school Michael Mann films. I really enjoyed this and while I don’t know if it will find the audience of a film like Drive I think it will become a cult classic.
Obvious Child
Jenny Slate stars in her first feature film, a romantic comedy about abortion. It’s fucking hilarious.
Cosmos
By now anyone who cares has already seen the first couple episodes of this. I loved it but maybe that’s because I was sitting five seats away from Neil deGrasse Tyson during the screening.
Oculus
This was the best horror film I saw at SXSW this year. Some people thought that the McGuffin of the film was a bit cliché (a mirror) but the film itself is pretty solid. It’s nice to see Katee Sackhoff and Karen Gillan moving beyond TV fame.
What We Do in the Shadows
Taika Waititi and Germaine Clement have made a mockumentary about four Vampires sharing a house in New Zealand. They spoof all kinds of vampire tropes and even get into some scrapes with the local werewolf gang. Some of the jokes seem like low hanging fruit but most of them work really well. I loved it.
The Heart Machine
I found this to be a fascinating, albeit bizarre, story about an internet-based relationship. I’ve seen Kate Lyn Sheil in quite a few things this year and this was my favorite performance by her. I hope to see much more in the future.
Starry Eyes
Struggling actress, satanic cult, gore, boobs. That’s the basic order of events in this midnighter.
13 Sins
This one kept me entertained but I found it highly derivative. If you’ve seen Cheap Thrills, Seven, and The Game you’ve basically seen this film. Ron Pearlman doesn’t do much in this and is basically there to catch your interest. I fell for it so you won’t have to.
Predestination
The Spierig brothers have followed up Daybreakers with this time travel pic. I found it predictable and suffered from some pacing problems. Maybe my distaste is from the bitterness of these two filmmakers not following through on their Dark Crystal sequel.
Kumiko the Treasure Hunter
Peculiar story of a Japanese office girl who travels to Minnesota to find the money from Fargo (the film). It is supposedly based on a true story. This atmospheric film, shot on location in Tokyo and Minnesota, sometimes ran a little slow but I was pretty entertained throughout.
Creep
I’m pretty burned out on found footage movies but this was a great surprise. This is a proper mix of awkward comedy and suspense and I wasn’t really sure which way it would go until the final moments of the film. Give it a try.
I saw some other stuff but those are the ones that stood out. A number of great shorts in both the animated and narrative categories caught my attention too but there isn’t enough time in the day to write about everything. Next week I’ll post a little bit about the SXSW Gaming Expo and Makers Tent.