Yes! MoviesandShakers’ Linda and Al Lerner are going back to Austin again to cover SXSW 2025 in person and we’ll be adding capsule reviews as we see films. We’ll be putting up capsule reviews as we screen and do video Red Carpet and one-on-one interviews for our You Tube channel. Get our take and a heads up on what Studio, Indie and Documentary feature films will be coming to a theater near you. Plus TV movies and episodics coming soon this year on the big screen and streaming from wherever you watch. Photos courtesy of SXSW.
BEN STILLER WITH EDDY CUE TALK SEVERANCE – Stiller and Apple Sr. VP of Services, Cue talked about this, the hottest series from Apple TV+ in its 2nd season and that Season 3 is the works. We also got to see clips that hadn’t yet aired on the honor system, so we can’t tell you about them, but you can see them soon. Still talked about production (those hallways) and storyline, plus working with the actors. One story in particular was how Trammel Tillman as Mr. Milchick was so nervous on his first day acting with John Turturro that he blew his lines until the 17th take. But Tillman has embraced the serious persona of his character so completely, Still is now afraid of him! Will be interesting to see how Adam Scott and Brett Lowery’s innies and outies develop.
THE STUDIO – Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are creating chaos again with Seth as a Studio Head in Hollywood guiding and misguiding his staff of fast-talking Ike Barinholtz, Catherine O’Hara, and Kathryn Hahn. They made a grand entrance for the Red Carpet in a parade of golf carts, the kind used to get around sets. (See video) Each episode takes on a different genre. Some are hilarious, others ridiculous, showing the frustrations of filmmaking, some shocking, but thoroughly entertaining. Each has its own guest stars including Martin Scorsese, Anthony Mackie, Olivia Wilde, Greta Gerwig, Nicholas Stoller, but don’t miss the one with Ron Howard. Streaming on Apple TV+
BROTHER VERSES BROTHER – A one take wonder! Impossibly creative Single-Take film. Inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s concept of Live Cinema. Combative twins, Ari and Ethan Gold are musicians hunting for their dying poet father, Herbert, in an improvisational performance singing and playing guitar through the streets of San Francisco. From Chinatown to North Beach and up a huge hill, they sing the songs Ethan wrote. With Dad still missing, they find secret haunts of Beat poets that speak to the power of music, brotherhood, and life of that city in real time. Cinematographer Stefan Ciupek deserves kudos for his work. Also starring songstress, Lara Louise. Watch the Q & A below with Ari, Ethan about the songs, their father, and how they shot it in one amazing take.
ARE WE GOOD? – We look forward to seeing this documentary about comedian and podcaster, Marc Maron. It’s about developing as a comic, his popular podcast WTF, but also the deep depression from grief during the year after the sudden passing of his partner and filmmaker Lynn Shelton. We interviewed Marc and Lynn together about their film Sword of Trust at the Austin Film Society’s kick off for SXSW in 2019. A clip from our interview appears in the film. Marc is also brings his caustic brand of comedy to SXSW in live stand up, then going back on tour. He has more movies coming up, too.
THE DUTCHMAN – Director Andre Gaines, with co-writer, Qasim Basir adapt Obie Award winning play to the screen in a very provocative, dark film starring André Holland, Kate Mara, Zazie Beetz, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Aldis Hodge. We interviewed Zazie Beetz on the Red Carpet at the 40th Anniversary Austin Film Society’s Texas Awards dinner the night before SXSW began. She plays the wife of a distressed black businessman (Holland). They are in couples therapy to save their marriage, but things go awry when he is seduced by a weird woman (Mara)met on a New York subway. And his therapist is mysteriously appearing in the oddest places. This is a modern adaptation that explores love, race and identity in America.
FANTASY LIFE – Good to see Amanda Peet after a 10 year acting hiatus. Writer/Director/actor Matthew Shear creates this family chaos dramedy having put together a stellar cast including Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Andrea Martin, Zosia Mamet, Holland Taylor, Bob Balaban. Matthew Shear plays a bust out who after losing his job gets another through his therapist, Judd Hirsch. He becomes babysitter/nanny for the children of actress Mom Dianne (Peet) consistently mistaken for Lake Bell. Peet told us that happens to her in real life all the time. Dianne is looking to act again, her husband is a gruff and grumpy self-absorbed musician just back from being on tour. Matthew is enamored with Dianne, and the Jewish family’s shabbat dinner gathering is a scene to remember.
MARLEE MATLIN: Not Alone Anymore – Matlin was 19 when she won Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God, and it took years before Hollywood to find a way to use her unique talents as a deaf actress and a trail blazer for other deaf actors. Shoshannah Stern directs this personal documentary. You see how smart, animated and determined she has been to create opportunities for herself. It also shows her painfulg mis-matched, abusive relationship with her first leading man, William Hurt. And how Henry Winkler saved her. Despite meaningful roles in West Wing, Law and Order, Desperate Housewives, Blues Clues and more, it took her amazing turn in CODA to be recognized, as she hoped, for her talent. She’s still married to the cop she met at a studio and her daughters are effusive about how she is as their mother. Get to know this vivacious actress who lights up a screen.
THE THREESOME – Chad Hartigan does a good job with this funny film about a night that leads a loving young man into messy, involved relationships with two women. Olivia (Zoey Deutch), and Connor (Jonah Hauer-King) are in an on-again, off-again relationship. When Jenny (Ruby Cruz) enters the mix, they spend a night that turns out to be more sexy, physical fun than was planned. The ramifications of that night become life-changing. It’s all about how Connor tries to do what’s right and how the young gals react to him, and to each other. Worth seeing this well-acted sensitive comedy.
O’DESSA –Writer/Director Jeremy Jasper’s film of a spiritual farm girl O’Dessa (Sadie Sink wide-eyed, innocent, naive but talented) whose father “rambled’ with his unique guitar. She goes out on her own to “ramble” like her father did to “bring light to the darkness.” When ne’er-do-wells steal her prize possesion, she ends up in a post apocalyptic city to try to sing to get it back singing to the zombie-like brain-washed addicts there. O’Dessa falls in love with Euri Dervish (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.), but they are up against two brutal villains. The imposing Neon Dion (Rebecca Hall) head-to-toe in black leather and the all powerful Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett). He’s the media star/autocrat tossing them to the crowd to decide their fate. Slow ramp up for the story, but takes off when O’Dessa gets to the dystopian city. Some continuity problems, but creative sets and costumes for this dystopian musical love story.
THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS: KENYA BARRIS, MALCOLM GLADWELL Feisty fun! Live taping of their podcast with Social Scientist and author Brené Brown. She is one entertaining tough cookie, known for exploring how shame and vulnerability can stifle being curious and true to yourself. The Professor at UT Houston and visiting Professor at UT Austin says that leadership skills are in flux at this time of uncertainty and instability. She says you have to speak truth to bullshit amid the chaos and toxic negativity in today’s political and social media, but drew a laugh when advising, to be kind. The podcast can be heard on Audible April 3rd.
POLYPHONIC SPREE: RESOLUTION – Audience Award Winner of Experience Spotlight. Director Scott Berman collaborates and translates the songs of Polyphonic Spree’s creator and musician, Tim De Laughter who created Tripping Daisy. We spoke with DeLaughter at the Fairmont where he set up a dome inside which he introduced an entire album showing visuals of life, animated and not, to engage and inspire in a totally immersive, artistic, cinematic presentation. His dome in Fort Worth, TX is 2nd in size to the Sphere in Las Vegas. Watch our interview with DeLaughter talking about wanting people to listen to whole albums instead of single songs to fully engage in the experience.
ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR – Opening Night. Expect murder and betrayal when Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick star as Emily and Stephanie and what happens at Emily’s posh wedding in Capri to a rich Italian. What could possibly go wrong! Director Paul Feig has them navigate plenty of twists and turns. The sequel to the original A Simple Favor.
THE ACCOUNTANT 2 – Ben Affleck stars with Jon Bernthal and J.K. Simmons this murder mystery directed by Gavin O’Connor. Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina is forced to contact Christian Wolff to solve the murder when someone close to her is found dead. With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax, Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle which appears to have been executed by the most ruthless killers.
HOLLAND – This film is confusing from the start and, very early, you’re not sure you care what’s going on here. Nicole Kidman stars in a stilted role as Nancy, a teacher/homemaker who has a picture/perfect life living in tulip filled Holland, Michigan. She is meticulous and a good mother, but has wild dreams and very suspicious of her optician husband’s having to go out of town on a regular basis. Is he having an affair. Or is something more interesting going on. She gets a friendly colleague to help investigate and they find a dangerous set of circumstances. But the train set hubby and son build is something to behold.
THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING – Matthew McConaughey comes back to Austin in a film also starring Kurt Russell and Cole Sprouse. Music, family and the family business in the backwoods of rural Oklahoma come to fore in this film. Charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits running the premier honey-making operation in town. Will things change when Amziah’s estranged foster daughter shows up unexpectedly? He wants to bring her in, but Amziah’s competitors have something else in mind.
