In Review: Austin Film Fest 2022

Like with SXSW and Fantastic Fest, it was really nice to see Austin Film Fest fully back on its feet this year. Here’s everything that I managed to catch.

Plot: An immensely obese man (Brendan Fraser) begins to realize that his body will fully fail him soon, so he attempts to patch things up with his estranged daughter (Sadie Sink).

Review: I can’t say that I liked The Whale, but then again it doesn’t really play like something that was made to be likeable. In fact, I would describe it as having a very purposely-morose, try-hard feel to it, like director Darren Aronofsky took some sort of Academy Awards template, plugged in his select sad pieces, and then went for it. For some, I imagine this will make the film feel exploitative, and for others (this is where I fall) the whole thing will just come off as somewhat unnecessary. On the bright side here, Brendan Fraser is as good as hyped, and I’m sure he’ll receive plenty of attention and acclaim come awards season.

Plot: A group of women have been getting drugged (while they sleep) and sexually assaulted, so they meet to discuss whether or not they should leave their community.

Review:  The latest from writer/director Sarah Polley features a lot of familiar faces and plenty of great performances, but for me (it’s gotten a lot of great reviews elsewhere), it never quite moved passed beyond being an interesting concept. I needed more meat on the bone here.

Plot: A young boy (Banks Repeta) finds himself caught between his family, his dream of becoming an artist, and the harsh realities of the world.

Review:  Writer/director James Gray, in what’s clearly a very personal story, goes rather heavy on the melancholy in this film, but I liked it. Now, to be fair, I don’t really know what he was trying to say here – it may have been that growing up is hard or that family dynamics are hard or that life is hard or possibly even that everything is hard – but the genuine and relatable touch that he provides makes the film work. By the way, this hit theaters today, November 4.

Plot: A vet (Jennifer Lawrence) makes a friend (Brian Tyree Henry) during her struggle to recover from injuries sustained while deployed in Afghanistan.

Review:  This is a pretty small film, but it definitely packs a punch. Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry turn in wonderful, authentic performances as two regular-but-damaged people who stumble into each other’s paths and then just have no real idea as to what to do next. Honestly, I could have watched them interact for hours. Side note, this film landed on Apple TV+ today, November 4.

Plot: A woman reflects on a vacation she took with her father as a young girl.

Review: You know those moments in the strange hours of the morning or night where you exist somewhere between being asleep and awake? Where your mind – primed with whatever is weighing on you – pulls something from down deep and you then recall the best and worst details of those memories while also suddenly being keyed into things you never previously realized. That’s Aftersun, both in how Charlotte Wells directed it and in regard to its hazy story. I don’t know if it’s a film that works for everyone, but those willing to let themselves get lost in it will find a moving experience.

Plot: The great detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is struggling to adjust to life during the pandemic (somewhat because there are no cases to solve), so he jumps at an opportunity to attend a murder mystery party hosted by an eccentric billionaire (Ed Norton). Things don’t go as planned.

Review:  While Glass Onion may not be as elegantly crafted as Knives Out, it is just as an entertaining. Daniel Craig once again delights as Benoit Blanc, and the whole cast of supporting characters are fantastically outlandish. I laughed, I clapped, and I walked out the theater with a big grin and a drive to see it again as soon as I can. One other thing, it’s great that Netflix ponied up so much cash for writer/director Rian Johnson to do more of these movies, but if you can, you should absolutely see this on the big screen.