SXSW Fizzles

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At the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival, which comes to an end this Saturday, stood out a time-traveling campervan, a mythical unicorn with the ability to disembowel, a fictional transracial operation, and compelling evidence suggesting the existence of extraterrestrials. Here’s what made an impact, and what fell flat.

Homicidal Unicorns and a Singing Matthew McConaughey Stole the Show

As a dedicated film enthusiast, I’ve always looked forward to the Headliners section at SXSW. This is where you’ll find the cream of the crop when it comes to blockbuster films, driven by A-list talent and backed by studios. These premieres are guaranteed to captivate audiences at SXSW, propelling them towards widespread release. From comedic gems like “Bridesmaids,” action-packed thrillers such as “21 Jump Street,” and the hauntingly silent “A Quiet Place,” to the chilling “Us” and the highly anticipated “John Wick 4” and “The Idea of You,” the Headliners section never fails to impress.

This year, it was only one movie that truly captured my heart: “Death of a Unicorn,” a hilarious yet terrifying horror comedy featuring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, had me chuckling, gasping, and rooting for its tale about a pair of murderous mythical creatures taking down an affluent family in the Canadian wilderness.

In the upcoming thriller “Drop,” directed by Christopher Landon for Blumhouse, lead actress Meghann Fahy stole the show. Most recognized for her exceptional performance in “The White Lotus” Season 2, “Drop” solidified Fahy’s status as a cinematic talent, with her appearing in every scene of the film as a widowed single mother who receives terrifying phone calls and mysterious “drops.” This gripping tale also features Brandon Sklenar as her charismatic date.

Simultaneously, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s satirical TV series titled “The Studio,” held viewers spellbound during its two-episode debut on the premiere night, showcasing appearances by Greta Lee, Sarah Polley, Paul Dano, Steve Buscemi, Charlize Theron, and Martin Scorsese, portraying characters based on themselves.

However, it was undoubtedly Matthew McConaughey who received the most enthusiastic response at this year’s festival. His comeback in “The Rivals of Amziah King,” following a six-year absence from the big screen, made him an instant hero before the film even began playing. The film, shown in the Narrative Spotlight section, captivated the audience with its quirky, heartwarming narrative about a beekeeper and his foster daughter (debutant Angelina LookingGlass). The audience was so enamored — partly due to several energetic musical performances, many of which were led by McConaughey himself — that they stood up for a long-lasting standing ovation when the writer-director Andrew Patterson appeared on stage.

Most Headliners, However, Didn’t Live Up to the Name

The premiere film, titled “Another Simple Favor” by Amazon MGM Studios, is filled with mysteries and unexpected turns. However, its storyline didn’t quite match up to its predecessor from 2018, also known as “A Simple Favor.” Nonetheless, the event benefited from the attention focused on one of its stars, Blake Lively, who graced the stage for her first significant public appearance after embarking on a legal dispute with Justin Baldoni. The audience was thrilled to catch a glimpse of her.

Two more films from Amazon, “The Accountant 2” and “Holland,” were among the Headliners. “The Accountant 2,” a sequel to Ben Affleck’s 2018 action film about an autistic genius-turned-assassin, was generally considered ordinary. The line-dancing sequence, fitting for the Texas setting of the premiere, was one of the few standout moments. However, neither the movie itself nor the audience’s response to it left a lasting impression. “Holland,” starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, and Gael García Bernal, struggled both narratively and with the audience. There were audible murmurs of dissatisfaction throughout the theater as each predictable twist unfolded, and many viewers chose to leave before the Q&A session with the cast and crew.

Later on, we had the premiere of “Ash,” the sci-fi horror debut of hip-hop producer Flying Lotus. This film was shown as the final Headliner on Tuesday, which left many festival attendees who had already returned home wondering about its late placement. Although the visuals and soundscape were intriguing, the storyline set in space and led by Eiza González and Aaron Paul seemed overly predictable and repetitive, with a lack of unity and resolution that made some question whether it was suitable for SXSW at all.

Coming of Age Stories Remained SXSW’s Bread and Butter

The classic element often found in coming-of-age stories during festivals like SXSW, known for introducing innovative spins, was a significant contributor to some of its most notable breakthroughs this year. The unapologetic satire “Slanted,” which won the narrative feature competition, tells the tale of a Chinese American teenager (Shirley Chen) who undergoes a surgery to appear white (Mckenna Grace), boosting her chances at becoming prom queen. This is similar to the film “The Substance,” but instead of aging, it explores racial identity. With such a potentially risky premise, in the hands of first-time writer-director Amy Wang, it transforms not only into something comedic and campy but also thoughtful and intelligent. (EbMaster‘s chief awards editor Clayton Davis was part of the narrative feature jury.)

In a humorous yet pointed manner, “She’s the He” cleverly references conservative panic to narrate an empowering coming out tale about a high school senior who discovers her true identity as a trans woman after feigning trans status to gain access to the girls’ locker room. This film, predominantly starring actors from the LGBTQ community, was produced, filmed, and edited in 2024, making it strikingly relevant.

Alexander Ullom’s ‘It Ends’ is a movie that focuses on four old friends from high school who meet up after four years for an evening get-together. However, their reunion takes a dark turn when they find themselves stuck on a relentless and terrifying road. This situation stirs deep emotions, arguments, and discussions about their friendships, values, and mental wellness in a unique blend of genres. Remarkably, this film is directed by a team of 20-something first-time filmmakers, who manage to maintain a remarkably clear vision throughout the production.

Without leaving out the usual cast of characters yet to fully mature, even in their later years, what would a rite-of-passage compilation be? Annapurna Sriram received a special jury award for her work as director, producer, and actress in “Fucktoys,” an extraordinary story about a sex worker on a quest to lift a curse. She’s willing to go to great lengths, even offering up a sacrificial baby goat. “The Threesome” initially portrays its title act as relaxed, commonplace, even endearing – until one of the three (Ruby Cruz) unexpectedly re-enters the lives of the other two (Zoey Deutch and Jonah Hauer-King), who have since formed a romantic bond.

The film “Idiotka” focuses on a less-publicized aspect of West Hollywood, specifically the Russian immigrant community: the Russian district. In this story, Anna Baryshnikov portrays Margarita, who faces eviction from her cramped apartment shared with her brother, father, and grandmother. A chance to appear on a reality TV show offers the potential for enough earnings to prevent their eviction. However, the show, featuring judges like Julia Fox, Saweetie, and Benito Skinner, pushes Margaritato exploit her personal struggles for more screen time, causing the family to question whether homelessness might be a preferable alternative.

The romantic comedy titled “For Worse” delves into a heartwarming journey of midlife transformation as we follow a recently divorced mother (Amy Landecker) who finds herself unexpectedly dating a younger man (Nico Hiraga from “Booksmart”) in her acting class. Notably, this is Landecker’s first venture into writing and directing, and she has gathered an exceptional ensemble of actors, including Gaby Hoffmann, Ken Marino, Missi Pyle, Kiersey Clemons, and her partner, Bradley Whitford.

The Real World Supplies Thrills and Chills

Among the highly awaited movies at SXSW, one standout film lacked traditional stars but featured notable figures like Marco Rubio, Kirsten Gillibrand, various lawmakers, military personnel, and intelligence officers in “The Age of Disclosure.” This movie serves as a concise summary of the U.S. government’s discoveries regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), or what are more commonly known as UFOs. Furthermore, it sheds light on the efforts made by organizations such as the CIA, Pentagon, and others to keep this information from reaching the public eye.

Initially, the pulse-pounding parkour documentary “We Are Storror” was submitted anonymously to SXSW; it wasn’t until the programming team swiftly approved it that they discovered Michael Bay was the director. However, viewers who expected Bay were instead captivated by Storror. This documentary showcases a U.K. parkour team who not only perform death-defying stunts but also skillfully film their daring feats. It’s a thrilling watch, albeit one that might give those with a fear of heights nightmares; many spectators opted to watch it with their hands covering their eyes. Despite the personal risks and exceptional athleticism, “We Are Storror” also manages to narrate the heartfelt, emotional family tale of the team, intertwining these elements seamlessly.

The ongoing discussion about employing intimacy coordinators on movie and television sets remains contentious, even with numerous prominent actors speaking up about their protective benefits and potential past safety issues they might have avoided. However, the documentary “Make It Look Real” focuses on the work of Australian intimacy coordinator Claire Warden, showing how significantly her role can transform the experience of actors involved in sexual scenes.

Including the film “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie,” it’s a bit of an undercover move; although it features real individuals, it’s more like a mockumentary with no facts or seriousness at all. However, the humor, written and directed by popular figure Matt Johnson (“BlackBerry”), was the most buzzed-about production at SXSW. The story revolves around two insignificant band members trying to secure a gig at the Rivoli, one of Toronto’s most renowned live music venues, and unintentionally stumble upon time travel along the way. The nonsensical events, 2008 humor, and P. Diddy criticisms that follow create an uproariously funny experience we witnessed in Austin. Unfortunately, due to approximately a million copyright violations, “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie” might never be shown again in its current version — the exact kind of peculiarity that has always made this festival special.

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2025-03-15 00:48