Here are capsule reviews for films we covered at SXSW Film Festival in Austin March 8th through 16th. We started screening films and interviewing Writers, Directors, Actors and Producers even before arriving in Austin. Added major studio films, Indies, and documentaries adding as we screened them. Still editing more interviews of films that are coming to theaters and streaming now through Spring and Summer.
SASQUATCH SUNSET – You won’t recognize the stars of Directors David and Nathan Zellner’s latest creation. Nathan wrote and stars along with Jesse Eisenberg as part of a Sasquatch family who commune with nature but they are covered head to toe as Big Foot creatures. There is no dialogue but meaningful grunts which were rehearsed ahead of their shoot. The Zellner’s and Eisenberg all like to push the envelope when it comes to filmmaking. Jesse told us it took 2 and a half hours to add makeup and hair to each of their torsos and the result helped them get in character. But not having to remember lines gave them oodles of freedom. You can watch this Sasquatch family take care of every bodily function in the wild. (World Premiere) Watch our Interviews with David and Nathan Zellner and Jesse Eisenberg about working on this unique bit of filmmaking.
Bob Trevino Likes It – SXSW Audience and Narrative Feature Winner. John Leguizamo stars in Writer/Director Tracie Laymon’s semi-autobiographical touching comedy about a young woman, frustrated at not connecting with her Dad, decides to find another guy by the same name on the internet. This Bob turns out to be a much more attentive, loving surrogate. It is a well-crafted tender profile of a woman trying to connect with family, and a man who takes up the cause to help her, which helps him at the same time. Leguizamo told us how he loved playing a role more like himself for a change than as a Latin heavy. (World Premiere) Watch our Q & A with John Leguizamo, Barbie Ferreira, and writer/director, Tracie Laymon to find out more about the cast and what they liked about this film.
Stormy – Director Sarah Gibson’s film could not be more current. This documentary reveals the unvarnished truth, in her own words, from Stormy Daniels herself. We screened the film even before going to SXSW and were impressed by how savvy about the law she has had to become since her affair with former President Trump and the hush money trial about to be litigated over the $130,000 she was paid to keep it quiet before the 2016 election. The porn star, now director of porn films, has and is continually being defined by politicians, lawyers, and the media, but you get to see her interaction with all of them yourself. Director Gibson follows Stormy from her childhood in Louisiana on the wrong side of the tracks, neglect by her mother, regretful decisions about lovers, marriage and money. Most importantly, she is intent on finding ways to protect her daughter first, and herself, as the hush money trial is about to begin. (World Premiere)
Secret Mall Apartment – Director Jeremy Workman documents, in detail, how artist Michael Townsend saw his working class neighborhood being destroyed for the new Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island and looked for payback. Townsend found a hidden space at the top of the mall that was not being used so he and 7 of his artist friends took it over and transformed it into their own apartment without anyone knowing about it. They literally took cinder blocks to build walls, a full size couch, tables, and more, up a ladder and there’s video of the whole project. They created the living space in the top of a mall, until they were finally caught 4 years later. Townsend thinks race may have played a part in why they were not caught sooner. (World Premiere) Watch our interview with Director Jeremy Workman who shows how creative these sleuths artists were. Interesting that malls are falling out of favor and being turned into apartments on purpose.
She Looks like Me – This true story is a shocker. Well documented by British Writer/Director Torquil Jones. Born without legs, Jen Bricker was given up for adoption by her biological parents. She idolized superstar gymnast, Dominique Moceanu and became an amazing gymnast in her own right growing up. At the age of 17, she casually asked her wonderful adopted mother for her real biological last name. Unbelievably, it was Moceanu! Yes! Olympic Gold Medal winner, Dominique and Jen are sisters! Jen made contact and they are now close. Dominique who won the Gold Medal at 14 has her own story to tell about her father and Coach Karolyi’s pressured training when she was so very young. Jen is now is an aerial performer who has performed more than once with Britney Spears. (World Premiere) Watch our interview with Dominique Moceanu and Jen Bricker Brown who tell us the story and how much they not only look alike, but like a lot of the same things.
Arcadian – Nicolas Cage stars, but the actors who play his two sons are the leads of this film. Directed by Ben Brewer and Written by Mike Nilon. A father and his two sons must survive their dystopian environment while being threatened by mysterious creatures that emerge at night after a catastrophic event depopulates the world. Watch our interview with Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins about working together, with Nicolas Cage and with the ugly, clikcking monsters that attack only at night. World Premiere)
Clemente – Roberto Clemente was an outstanding Major League Ball player, the first Latin to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates. This very thorough film follows his life leaving Puerto Rico to follow his dream to play in the Major Leagues. It follows his racist trials and tribulations to be accepted by other players despite winning 2 World Series, 3 MVP awards and becoming the first Latin player inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. It also details his famous pay back to Pitcher Bob Gibson who pitched so close, Roberto hit a line drive at the Gibson so hard and well-aimed, it broke the pitcher’s leg and make sports headlines. Featuring Michael Keaton, Rita Moreno, Richard Linklater and Bob Costas. Director/Writer: David Altrogge co-writen by Elise Andert. (World Premiere) Watch for our interview with Director David Altrogge and two of Roberto Clemente’s sons, Roberto and Luis Roberto Clemente who are carrying on their father’s legacy of helping others with a foundation in his name.
Resynator – Audience Award Winner. A fascinating and very personal story that became a detective story. Unearthing a precursor to the synthesizer her late father invented in the 1970s, Director Alison Tavel revives his mission which becomes an emotional journey of discovery. Tavel travels the world interviewing engineers and musicians her father worked with to find out why he didn’t get more credit for his invention. He actually died just 10 weeks after she was born and her investigation unexpectedly forges a deep bond with the father she never got the chance to know. Featuring Alison Tavel, Grace Potter, Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson, Fred Armisen, Money Mark, Gotye, Mike Gordon, Brian Kehew, Christian Castagno (World Premiere) Watch our interview with Alison about how she found out about the Resonator and the musician/ inventor, father she never knew.
Road House – Jake Gyllenhaal in a remake of the film that starred Patrick Swayze in 1989 with a sequel a few years after. This new film, directed by Doug Liman is all about a good guy standing up against the bad guys, who are tearing up a bar and town in Missouri. As in the 1989 version, we’re expecting plenty of action and violence with Jake Gyllenhaal bulked up and shirtless showing off a twelve-pack brawling non-stop. (World Premiere)
The Idea of You – Michael Showalter directs Anne Hathaway in a film about a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with the 24-year-old lead singer (Nicholas Galitzine) of the hottest boy band on the planet. This May-December romance could have been less plausible, but see for yourself if it works. Closing night film based upon the book by Robinne Lee. (World Premiere)
Civil War – Director/Screenwriter: Alex Garland’s controversial, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride through a new future fractured America balanced on the razor’s edge. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nick Offerman, and Jesse Clemons. It is tension filled-bloody and brutal chronicling the dangers to press photographers trying to get to the White House to cover the President who is refusing to leaver office as Texas and California threaten to rebel and secede lot change America forever. (World Premiere)
The World According to Allee Willis – Award -Winning Songwriter/Artist Allee Willis was a true original. Through her songwriting career working with everyone from Earth, Wind and Fire, Rita Coolidge, The Pointer Sisters, the theme song for Friends, and the for the Broadway and screen production of THE COLOR PURPLE. Allee began filming her life in 1950s Detroit where she went to Mumford high and loved the Motown sound. This film is the realization of her wish that her “final art piece be someone putting together the trail I have left behind.” She sold millions of records and won a wall filled with platinum and gold records. Always wearing colorful prints and asymmetrical haircut throwing parties at her real-life Pee-wee’s Playhouse. But she struggled with her self-identity because it didn’t conform with gender and sexual norms. I went to school with Allee Willis in Journalism at the University of Wisconsin. We were in touch planning a get together in LA when she passed away. (World Premiere)
Omni Loop – Mary Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri star in Writer/Director Bernardo Britto’s sci-fi fantasy. A woman from Miami, diagnosed with a black hole growing inside her chest, decides to solve time travel so she can become the woman she always wanted to be. (World Premiere)
Y2K – Director/Writer Kyle Mooney and co-writer Evan Winter present a disaster comedy where two high school juniors crash a New Years Eve Party on the last night of 1999, but find themselves fighting for their lives. Stars Rachel Ziegler, Jaeden Martell, Julian Dennison, and The Kid Laroi. (World Premiere)
Switch Up – This film is about a top talk show host who finds himself stranded at a homeless shelter where he meets and falls in love with a widow who turns his life around, showing him the importance of helping others. Director: Tara Pirnia with writers Felice Heather Monteith, Tara Pirnia, Tina Contogenis, Pamela Beach. (World Premiere)
