Preston Barta // Features Editor
It’s springtime for cinephiles!
The South by Southwest Film Festival is ready to descend upon Austin, Texas, this weekend through the next (Mar. 10-18) — and there are plenty of thrilling movies, television series and shorts to fill the bellies of the hungriest consumers of entertainment.
So, let’s waste no time and butter our excitement for what’s coming to this weird city!
Opening Night – ‘DUNGEONS & DRAGONS’
You had me at Chris Pine. It’s only icing on the cake that he happens to be surrounded by a super talented ensemble (including Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Regé-Jean Page, Sophia Lillis and Hugh Grant, to name a few) and the writing-and-directing duo behind Game Night (John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, a.k.a. “the Jons”). And then you toss ‘em all into a big-screen adaptation of the popular RPG Dungeons & Dragons.
Personally, I have no knowledge of the D&D world other than what’s been referenced in other works, such as Freaks and Geeks and Stranger Things. (Shoutout to director John Francis Daley for acting in the former.) So, I won’t be good at recognizing any deep cuts or familiar faces and creatures. I’ll just be there to enjoy a movie and, hopefully, laugh at all the absurdity that the characters seem to be poking fun at (with its Marvel-like humor).
A24’s ‘TALK TO ME,’ ‘PROBLEMISTA’ and ‘BEEF’
There’s a reason I wear an A24 hat almost every day, and I make no apologies for it. The hip studio’s work challenges my brain and senses like no other, and the trio of projects premiering at SXSW over the week will have me running several blocks to be as close to the front of the line as possible.
First up is the Australian horror feature Talk to Me, directed by twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou. From what I’ve heard, this isn’t for the faint of heart. Things happen in the opening minutes, and the film keeps chugging along to its final destination: hell…or something close to it. A24 acquired it out of Sundance, and it scared those audiences by conjuring up a story about a seance gone wrong. Sign me up, please!
Next is the Tilda Swinton-starring Problemista. Need you know much else? I think not – but to lay it on very thinly, this is a surreal comedy starring and developed and directed by Julio Torres. It centers on a Salvadoran toy designer with an expiring visa struggling to bring his unusual creations to life in the Big Apple. His only hope of staying in the country is to assist an erratic art-world outcast (Swinton). I’m always down for a tasty slice of weird from A24, just as long as some ingredients are attached to the floor.
Now, where’s the Beef? It arrives in the form of a collaboration between A24 and Netflix. The upcoming ten-episode dramedy series stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, and it’s about a road rage incident that sparks a feud between two strangers. Seemingly, the first two episodes will be premiering at SXSW, which should be just enough of an appetizer to hold festival-goers off until its April premiere on Netflix.
Gloves Off, Boots On – ‘I’M A VIRGO’
Boots Riley is back to wow our minds after his exceptional 2018 film Sorry to Bother You. This time, fortunately, his creativity has been expanded to the series format with a coming-of-age comedy for Prime Video.
I’m a Virgo, starring Emmy-winner Jharrel Jerome, tells of a 13-foot-tall young man in Oakland, CA. Growing up shielded from the outside and loving comic books and TV shows, he escapes to soak up the real world. I expect to be completely reeled in by Riley’s storytelling and cinematic magic tricks.
Get Ready to Crown Rachel Sennott After ‘BOTTOMS’ and ‘I USED TO BE FUNNY’
Following her excellent turns in Shiva Baby and Bodies Bodies Bodies, I’ll follow Rachel Sennott anywhere. She’s so damn funny and razor-sharp that Bottoms and I Used to Be Funny are near the very top of my anticipated list at SXSW.
Bottoms is Emma Seligman’s follow-up to Shiva Baby. Sennott’s co-written story follows two girls in their senior year of high school who start a fight club to impress their cheerleading crushes. This oozes originality and goofy smiles. I’m all over this!
I Used to Be Funny, written and directed by The Great and Schitt’s Creek’s Ally Pankiw, is another film to put on your radar. From the looks of it, it combines some serious subject matter with comedy. It’s about an aspiring comedian and au pair recovering from trauma and trying to decide whether or not to search for a missing teen she used to nanny. Again, originality soars, and I’m ready to feel all its feels.
Husband-and-wife filmmakers will climb into our hearts with ‘WILD LIFE’
Oscar winners Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (Free Solo) have an eye for this. What “this” is exactly is, well, everything. They capture that stunning, on-the-edge-of-your-seat footage and mix it with emotionally-riveting storytelling. You can feel your eyes widen just as much as your heart expands – and you can bet on that with their new project, Wild Life.
Here, the husband-and-wife filmmakers tell an epic, decades-spanning love story about conservationist Kris Tompkins and the wildlife she dedicated her life to protecting. This is about as heartwarming as it gets. (I’m trying to hold back the tears now as I write this.) We could all learn from Tompkins’s journey, and my gut is telling me Wild Life will be one of my favorites of the year.
‘SPECIAL SCREENING’ Lights the Fuse
Oh, yes. The “special screening,” a.k.a. the completely unknown feature or series that screens at SXSW. Nothing quite compares to sitting with hundreds of people and not knowing what’s about to play on the big screen. Not to mention the talent who will walk out onto the stage — anything can happen! It’s been a Fast & Furious movie before.
Well, the cat’s out of the bag, according to Variety.
Don’t get me wrong! I am super thrilled it’s this movie. But, man. I wish the secret would have been held a little bit longer. Oh, well. It’s going to be a blast! Can’t wait.
Other Films to Consider:
BlackBerry
Evil Dead Rise
Hung Up on a Dream
Hypnotic (Work-in-Progress)
If You Were the Last
Joy Ride
Late Bloomers
Parachute
Raging Grace
Tetris
The Young Wife
Be sure to tune into our daily coverage here on FreshFiction.tv, and follow our social media on Instagram (@bluraydad and @freshfiction) and Twitter (@PrestonBarta and @FreshFiction).
Visit SXSW.com for all screening and badge information.
