In Review: Austin Film Fest 2018
I’ve been so busy lately that it feels like Austin Film Fest started and ended simultaneously. Bummer. On the bright side, I still managed to catch a handful of movies. Check out my thoughts on those down below. Enjoy.
Vox Lux
Vox Lux is a tricky little movie from writer/director Brady Corbet. I assumed that it was a dark comedy about a fictional pop star, but it’s actually something much weirder with surprising flashes of violence. Also, while Natalie Portman is great in the film, the first half of it follows the teen version of her character, Celeste, so almost an hour passes before she even appears on the screen. Unexpected items aside, I do think the film is an interesting ride and worth seeing.
Ben Is Back
The first half of Ben Is Back is award-worthy. It’s Christmas Eve, and a family is met with the sudden arrival of their still-in-rehab son/brother, Ben (Lucas Hedges). No one is sure if he can be trusted, and the back and forth they share about it is as real and honest as it gets. This is also when Julia Roberts shines as Holly, a mother torn between wanting to believe that her son is OK and knowing that he isn’t. Unfortunately, the film eventually pivots into a sort of crime drama, and it’s there that it loses steam. I still recommend catching it though, if only to see Roberts turn in one of her best performances in a long while.
Widows
Widows, which follows a small group of newly widowed women attempting to pull off a heist left behind by their late husbands, is one of the year’s better mainstream efforts. I’m sure it’ll do fine with its mid-November release, but it should have come out this summer, where it definitely would have crushed the much weaker Ocean’s 8. There’s so much great action in it, plus Viola Davis is a force to be reckoned with in every scene. Definitely see the latest from Steve McQueen (12 Year A Slave, Shame)!
Empathy Inc.
In Empathy Inc., a man invests in what he believes is a VR startup, but what’s actually happening is that the user temporarily has their consciousness transferred to another human. The concept is a little silly and the film is filled with some amateurish performances, but it’s an overall entertaining affair. If you happen to see it showing somewhere, give it a shot.
