★★★★ Everything can change in a second… the car crash that sets off the entire chain of events in SXSW drama, It Is In Us All, immediately draws the viewer into the plight of Hamish (Cosmo Jarvis). He has only just rented a car to travel across the Irish countryside when he gets into an … Continue reading SXSW 2022: It Is In Us All
SXSW 2022: Spaz
★★★★ It takes a truly great documentary to interest me, and Spaz is definitely one of the better ones I have seen recently. For any voracious lover of cinema—especially Terminator 2: Judgement Day or Jurassic Park—this one is for you! Ever wonder how on earth we made the transition from the practical effects of the … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Spaz
SXSW 2022: Soft & Quiet
★★★★ Soft & Quiet has to be one of the most uncomfortable movies I have ever watched. Debuting at 2022’s SXSW Film Festival, this searing thriller essentially follows a white supremacist group of females presenting themselves as the so-called Daughters for Aryan Unity. Throughout the course of the movie, this group’s mantra about supporting one another … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Soft & Quiet
SXSW 2022: Pretty Problems
★★★★ An unconventional adult love story oozing with awkward charm, Pretty Problems manages to steadfastly churn entertainment from relatable dumb-couple issues and privileged, borderline-satirical rich-bitch characters. For a movie that opens with an unsatisfying sex scene in which both leads settle for a “good try” before soldiering on with their day, I was genuinely surprised … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Pretty Problems
SXSW 2022: Mama Bears
★★★ The intersection of religion and sexuality is more like a crayon-scribble than a seamless coexistence, and SXSW documentary Mama Bears has set out to prove that gay Christians do truly exist. This docu-drama focuses on a few different sets of parents grappling with the gender identity and sexual orientation of their children. Mama Bears … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Mama Bears
SXSW 2022: Shining Girls
Last year’s SXSW Film Festival saw a host of excellent television show premieres, including Them, Made for Love, and the Freeform breakout, Cruel Summer. This year may be decidedly less stacked on the television front; however, a couple of options broke out of the gate early to show promise. Based on the novel by Lauren … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Shining Girls
SXSW 2022: The Cellar
★★★ Snagged by horror streaming service Shudder ahead of its South by Southwest Film Festival debut, The Cellar is a cerebral and haunting film from director Brendan Muldowney. According to the kids at school, the new home of the Woods family was once owned by a witch who made a pact with the devil. Sounds … Continue reading SXSW 2022: The Cellar
SXSW 2022: Clean
★★★ (Written by Allison Brown) Clean, directed by Lachlan Mcleod, is a singular look into the niche industry of trauma cleaning services, as well as a deep dive into the life of its most notable success story, Sandra Pankhurst. Sandra defines trauma as “an incident that happens out of the blue;” her service covers cleaning … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Clean
SXSW 2022: Linoleum
★★★★ (Written by Allison Brown) In the final few minutes of SXSW selection Linoleum, I was in tears, speechless, and yearning desperately to find another critic who also watched so I could talk about it. I am honestly in awe of the film’s setup, intelligent script, adept foreshadowing, and layered performances, particularly from Jim Gaffigan … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Linoleum
SXSW 2022: Shadow
★★★★ (Written by Intern, Megan Davis) How does a group get their message across when its members are not a unified front? Based on the stage production The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes, Brian Gladwin’s Shadow is a look into the harsh reality of the lives of those with intellectual disabilities. What is meant … Continue reading SXSW 2022: Shadow