Despite being a strictly in-person festival for the first time in years, Allison and I managed to catch quite a few movies from the 2023 SXSW Film Festival slate! There were many highs and lows throughout the week of the fest, and as per usual, we are here to share our full coverage. After the jump, we delve into quick reviews, and list off our favorites!
Films
ABERRANCE
SXSW Midnighters are often host to some of my favorite movies at the festival; last year, Hypochondriac, Sissy, Watcher, and X all emerged from this category. Thus, my expectations for Mongolian import Aberrance were rather high indeed. A middle-aged couple settling down in a cabin deep out in the wilderness almost instantly meet their friendly neighbor. Strange behavior begins occurring, particularly at the behest of the nurturing husband Erkhme (Erkhembayar Ganbat), helpless to what may be happening to his artistic wife, Selenge (Selenge Chadraabal). Selenge’s health seems to be waning as she slams her head against walls and has jarring breakdowns. An axe is always tantalizingly close to the action. At only seventy-five minutes in length, one would expect the film to be rather fast-paced in nature. This could not be further from the truth, as Aberrance saves its only nasty bits for the final ten minutes, attempting to pack on multiple twists to make up for its obvious narrative shortcomings. An erratic filmmaking style and inconsistent performances add to a relatively underwhelming whole.
APPENDAGE
Full review at the link.
CATERPILLAR
(Written by Intern, Wyatt Frantz) Even in a world where plastic surgery and body modifications are potent, the eye color alterations that Caterpillar spotlights sound like something of science fiction. This documentary follows David, a middle-aged man who travels from Miami to India to pursue this supposedly life-altering surgery in hopes of starting anew. Along the way, we meet a variety of others who undergo the same process, for reasons ranging from the aesthetic to the inner-transformative, and everything in between. Using trial by fire, they all discover that the surgery is quite sketchy and unreliable. All the while, David makes a tireless effort to rekindle his rocky relationship with his mother. Joining David on his journey as he treks this exotic road-less-traveled is nothing short of enthralling. An intuitive use of camerawork makes for an unexpectedly psychedelic experience that one does not usually find in documentaries. Slow dutch angles parallel with the intimidation David fights against, as he comes face-to-face with the unfamiliar in an effort to change his life. Slow-motion shots and astounding color-focused visuals pair with commentary that brings us emotionally closer to patients of the surgery. Such intelligent filmmaking allows one to feel very in touch with David throughout the runtime, as the narrative focuses less on face-to-face interviews, and more on David’s candid experience. Documenting the unexpected weight that the surgery bears brings us to the true core of where David’s internal transformation lies, and it all circles back to something as simple as eye color. With such a fascinating subject matter shot from a very personal perspective, Caterpillar is nothing short of a festival essential.
CITIZEN SLEUTH
Full review at the link.
FLAMIN’ HOT
Flamin’ Hot—a Searchlight biopic about (what else?) the creation of one of the best-selling junk snacks of all time—has finally arrived, representing the directorial debut of Eva Longoria. The positives are that a Latino team was behind this production from top to bottom, a facet that clearly shows in the portrayal of the story. There are simple charms to watching Frito Lay janitor Richard Montanez (Jesse Garcia) and his attempts to rise to the top with a fervent determination. Shades of police brutality, casual racism, and the hardships of raising a family with minimal funds paint interesting shades of complexity that are sadly left without being fully realized. Darker elements feel half-baked, whilst the meat of how the Flamin’ Hot brand became a cultural phenomenon is left for a swift exploration in the final act. A deep dive into this material had such potential. The elements that work embrace the culture and veritable “spice in their DNA” that led the Montanez family into creating an all-new flavor. Unfortunately, Flamin’ Hot is a mixed bag whose flavors never successfully combine into a tasty package.
FREMONT
(Written by Intern, Wyatt Frantz) While this Roma-esque immigrant story was beautiful from a visual standpoint, the pretentious core of Fremont fails to capture the artistic edge it aims for. Donya (Anaita Wali Zada), an Afghan immigrant, works at a fortune cookie factory with her friend, Joanna (Hilda Schmelling), but suffers from insomnia. After expressing trouble in finding a psychiatrist, one of her neighbors gives her an appointment slot with Dr. Anthony (Gregg Turkington), who agrees to see her regularly despite some push back. It turns out that not even sleeping pills help her get the sleep she needs. Donya continues to trek through her daily routine of working, watching soap operas by force, and socializing late at night with her neighbors. Suddenly, one of her coworkers dies, leaving her to write the fortunes encapsulated in the cookies. The heavy thematic focus becomes evident in the first few minutes, and continues on with its overly artsy storytelling that tries too hard to provoke its audience. Setting a philosophical bar out of reach, its symbolism feels too on-the-nose and inorganically shoehorned into the film in hopes of creating meaning where it might otherwise not be needed. The plot suffers from character inaction until a more engaging act three ensues featuring Jeremy Allen White. For a story grounded in the truthfulness of the immigrant experience, greater realism would have made for a more digestible experience. The performances and line delivery as a whole feel feigned, and could have benefited from less straight-laced performances while still capturing the melancholic mood it aimed for. On the other hand, the flowery writing accompanies astonishing cinematography, which captures urban spaces in intimate ways that feel in touch with Donya’s search for belonging. A creative use of lighting reminiscent of Bergman manages to create very compelling frames of our characters. Akin to amateur poetry, Fremont is mostly blue skies in its heavy use of theme and symbolism, but not grounded in enough realism to sell its viewer. While it is a visual pleasure with a relevant story, it struggles with its execution.
I USED TO BE FUNNY
Full review at the link.
Join or Die
(Written by Intern, Wyatt Frantz) Join or Die places a magnifying glass on a simple, yet surprisingly crucial topic: clubs. Director Pete Davis unravels Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone, which chronicles America’s declining social interaction. In the novel, Putnam elaborates on the consequences of his findings, and how our democracy is negatively affected. With a title like Join or Die, the work solidifies itself as a call to action, arguing that we need club participation now more than ever as we put less and less faith into our country. The trust that this film places in future generations of America makes it essential viewing for any young political scientist or sociologist. There is a lot to be learned about what being active in a community does for one on a personal level, further invigorating its audience. The two hours of collage-style visuals felt uninspired at first, but synergized with copious amounts of historical photos and diagrams. Although there is a staggering amount of data that reinforces Robert’s qualms about the direction of society, the overall message feels somewhat resistant to change. I would have loved to learn more about how modern technology influences organizations and communities, which may have a different meaning behind them in a more digital, interconnected world. Still, Robert’s research and life’s work prevails, making a strong case that a happy, successful country starts with smaller human connections.
NORTHERN COMFORT
Full review at the link.
PAY OR DIE
Full review at the link.
PEAK SEASON
Full review at the link.
PURE O
Full review at the link.
STORY AVE
If one has seen a single “strangers change each other’s lives for the better” drama, they have seen them all, eh? SXSW selection Story Ave is here to spray a fresh coat of graffiti onto yet another iteration of this tired formula. Co-written and directed by Aristotle Torres, this generic festival flick is at least centered around one exceptionally good performance: This Is Us star Asante Blackk, who plays troubled youth Kadir. As Kadir runs away from home, haunted by endless nightmares surrounding the death of his mother, he appears to be heading down a dangerous path. Change is in the air when Kadir holds up unphased MTA-worker Luis (Luis Guzman) at gunpoint in an attempt ta rob him. Somehow, Kadir and Luis end up going to dinner together, and eventually bond over cooking and graffiti art. The film plays out pretty much exactly how one would expect, with minimal surprises along the way.
TETRIS
Full review at the link.
Television
BEEF
Full review at the link.
LUCKY HANK
Multiple Emmy-nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for every season of Better Call Saul, Bob Odenkirk powers through to his next iconic role in dark dramedy, Lucky Hank. This time, Odenkirk stuns as Professor Hank Devereaux, an English department chairman whose patience has officially depleted for his cocky students and underqualified associates. After making the bold claim that Railton College is “mediocrity’s capitol” during a total outburst, Hank becomes the talk of the town—and scourge of the school’s divisive town board. They try to ice him out as Hank devolves into a total meltdown in the midst of a clear midlife crisis. Judging by the pilot alone, AMC+ may have a big hit on their hands. Director Peter Farrelly of the Farrelly brothers delivers his best work since 2018’s best-picture-winning Green Book. I officially cannot wait to binge the series once more episodes become available.
This year, my favorite projects I watched were Beef and Tetris, whilst Allison was enamored with Tetris and Artifice Girl. Next year, attending in person is our top priority. Until then, don’t miss out on some major SXSW gems!