SXSW is
over! Naturally, this means we've entered into a
"review" time. Below you'll find some quick thoughts
on the 12 films that I saw during the festival. Music
recaps will start tomorrow. Read on!
SXSW 2011
- Quick Film Reviews
Source Code | Director:
Duncan Jones
I went in wanting to find out two things about this film.
1) Is Duncan Jones here to stay? 2) Will I remain
interested in something that features Jake Gyllenhaal and
Michelle Monaghan getting blown to bits every eight minutes?
Well, those answers are yes and yes. Source Code
is not an amazing film. Hell, I don't think it was
even as good as Moon, but with Jones clearly pouring
a lot of effort into it and with some great work by the cast
(this is the best stuff I've seen from Jake Gyllenhaal in a
long while), it's as solid as can be. You won't mind
throwing down some cash for it when it hits theaters in
April.
blacktino |
Director: Aaron Burns
Wow. The trailer for this showed what
seemed to be a quirky teen dramedy about a nerdy black kid,
but instead what I go was a tasteless, amateurish train
wreck that I wish would leave my brain forever. I'm
still amazed and disappointed that SXSW let this play at the
Paramount on opening night.
Incendiary: The Willingham Case | Director: Joe
Bailey Jr., Steve Mims
I enjoyed this documentary, but I definitely
think the directors lost a bit of objectivity somewhere
along the way. In their defense though, I can see how
it would very difficult to not get attached. The story
of Cameron Todd Willingham and whether he killed his there
children is a tough one to begin with, but when it seriously
looks as though he was falsely convicted, how does such a
thing not show up on the screen? Regardless, check
this out when you can. You'll get a ton of great info
on the science behind fire investigations and, of course, an
in-depth (though partially slanted) look at the Willingham
case.
The Innkeepers | Director: Ti West
Charming is not a word commonly used when
describing horror films, and yet that's the only one that
popped into my head when I walked out of the theater.
If you like "scary" in the form of suspense and humor then
be sure to see this little film whenever you can.
Super | Director: James Gunn
It's weird, but the more I think about this
film the less I like it. That's sort of a shame,
really, since director/writer James Gunn did a really nice
job and it does feature a pair of fantastic performances by
Rainn Wilson and Ellen page. I just can't help but
repeatedly thinking that at the end of the day it's
essentially a grittier Kick Ass.
I loved this documentary. It's raw, all
over the place and full of energy, which is exactly how I
will always describe Conan O'Brien after seeing how he is
when not in front of a network/cable audience. In case
you don't know, the film follows the funnyman and his crew
throughout the tour that ultimately bridged the gap between
his latest TV gigs. So, part of it covers what went
into the live show, and the rest is just straight insight on
Conan's incredible drive to entertain the masses.
Greatest Movie Ever Sold | Director: Morgan Spurlock
While waiting in line for something else I
had someone tell me that they had skipped this documentary
because they didn't think it would teach them anything they
didn't already know. Understandable. Making a
movie to tell people that product placement is everywhere is
somewhat pointless, as there's no way anyone in this film's
target audience isn't aware of such tactics. However,
as I told him, you don't watch a Morgan Spurlock documentary
because you want to learn something, you watch it because
the guy is one entertaining bastard. If you want to
crack up and laugh at the absurdity of one part of our
world, then see Greatest Movie Ever Sold.
13 Assassins | Director: Takashi Miike
I think I actually need to see this again
before giving it a fair assessment. Going into it I
was coming off two fast-paced documentaries, so the first
act seemed very slow paced, full of muddled exposition and
just not that interesting. Acts two and three,
however, were amazingly intense and awesome to watch.
So perhaps I was just anxious for the film to get to the
swordplay? That's my guess, and I think another
viewing will clear up any story issues I may have had with
this otherwise very well done film about good guys joining
up to hunt down and kill a really bad guy.
Paul | Director: Greg Mottola
For whatever reason, I didn't expect a whole
lot from Paul. Wrong! The movie, which is
about two vacationing Brits who encounter an alien on the
run, is a solid flick with a lot of laughs and well placed
sci-fi references. I think everyone already knows
this, but Simon Pegg and Nick Frost together are can't miss.
Bridesmaids | Director: Paul Feig
Like all Judd Apatow-produced movies,
Bridesmaids has a ton of laughs and is way too long.
At least 15-20 minutes could be cut from this, and you'd
still come out thinking it was damn good. Because it
is. Kirsten Wiig finally onscreen as more than just a
supporting character is something that should of happened a
long time ago, and she's hilarious and sincere throughout
every moment of the forever-long runtime. When this
hits DVD I'll be placing it right alongside the other great
Apatow-produced comedies like Knocked Up and
Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Win Win | Director: Thomas McCarthy
I hate
to call something a standard indie drama, but that's what
Win Win is. On the bright side, it's a
really good standard indie drama. Paul Giamatti,
of course, stands out in a sea of great performances by
everyone involved, and the story stays away from anything to
ridiculous or dramatic. Laugh, cheer and maybe cry a
little when Win Win hits theaters.
Beginners |
Director: Mike Mills
This turned out to be a really big surprise.
Not that I didn't expect it to be good, but more that I was
a caught off-guard by how great it was. Director Mike
Mills clearly poured a lot of effort into this film about a
guy (the always great Ewan McGregor) trying to get the
relationships in his life straight, and you'll certainly
find yourself glued to every moment on the screen.
Consider this highly recommended.
- John Laird
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