2026's SXSW comes to a bloody close... and no, I'm not just referring to the gory climax of Ready or Not 2! Check out the full festival wrap up after the jump... Films AMERICAN DOLLHOUSE Following in a long line of "crazy bitch" obsession flicks, American Dollhouse embraces a campy tone, wonderfully emulating the annals … Continue reading SXSW 2026 Wrap Up
SXSW 2026: Fifteen
★★★★ Is there anything scarier than high school? Horror/comedy Fifteen (Quince) sets its sights on the pursuit of acceptance through the lens of a desperate outsider. Channeling the excellent coming-of-age horrors of Stephen King's Carrie, this Mexican import dabbles in body horror, and has some truly great practical effects to back up the chilling imagery. … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Fifteen
SXSW 2026: Basic
★★★★★ SXSW's Basic, from writer/director Chelsea Devantez, is anything but. This darkly hilarious gem takes an incredibly basic-sounding premise and elevates it around every turn. Two women. One ex boyfriend. Two completely different points of view. On paper, Basic could be a bare-bones indie footnote. Instead, the cast—particularly Leighton Meester and Ashley Park—and a sharp … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Basic
SXSW 2026: He Bled Neon
★★★★ The grungy 90s-style action thriller comes back with a vengeance in SXSW’s He Bled Neon. Starring a diverse ensemble of talent—including Joe Cole, Rita Ora, Marshawn Lynch, Paul Wesley, and Josh Holloway—the debut feature for director Drew Kirsch taps into a vibrant style punctuated by its zippy Las Vegas setting. Ethan (Cole) returns to the … Continue reading SXSW 2026: He Bled Neon
SXSW 2026: Pretty Lethal
★★★★ Inside every ballerina’s heart beats the blood of a warrior. So says Pretty Lethal, an absurdist action thriller that’s just campy and violent enough for its own good. Look no further than the exciting cast—up-and-comers Lana Condor, Iris Apatow, Millicent Simmonds, and Maddie Zielger are lorded over by a ferocious Uma Thurman, promising the … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Pretty Lethal
SXSW 2026: Manhood
★★★★ It takes a particularly strong hook to sell me on a documentary, as escapism and movie magic fantasy are more my cup of tea. Enter: Manhood, a riveting deep-dive into men's mental health, masculine ideals, and... penile enhancement. From World of Wonder, producers of the Drag Race franchise, this searing doc was far more … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Manhood
SXSW 2026: Never After Dark
★★★★ The delightfully creepy Never After Dark brings unique horror flavor to SXSW with the flare of House of Ninjas showrunner Dave Boyle on board as writer/director/producer. Its elegant mystery unfolds slowly, bookended by the eerie glow of a melting candle. For fans of the Insidious films, Never After Dark plunges viewers straight into the … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Never After Dark
SXSW 2026: My Brother’s Killer
★★★★ Director Rachel Mason (2020’s engaging Circus of Books) returns to the documentary fray with My Brother’s Killer. This dramatic, shockingly effective exploration of an unsolved mystery turns the clock back to late 80s/early 90s Los Angeles. When gay bashings and homophobic tensions were at a fever pitch, the unthinkable happened. The severed head of … Continue reading SXSW 2026: My Brother’s Killer
SXSW 2026: A Safe Distance
★★★ A Safe Distance opens as a gunshot echoes through the forest. A blood-splattered woman wonders what she will do next, already knowing there can be no clear-cut answers. A female duo drag a body off, and quickly catch a bus out of there. But are they at a—wait for it—safe distance to avoid being … Continue reading SXSW 2026: A Safe Distance
SXSW 2026: Dead Eyes
★★★★ As a lover of all things found footage—and first-person survival horror video games—Dead Eyes was an absolute must-see. The entire film unfolds through the eyes of Sean (Rijen Laine), desperately searching the forest for his missing father. Along for the ride are his fiancée, Grace (Ana Thu Nguyen), their obnoxious pal, Eric (Charles Cottier) and … Continue reading SXSW 2026: Dead Eyes