What’s at SXSW? Unicorns, Threesomes, and Another Simple Favor

After the Oscar season wraps up, the South by Southwest festival kicks off, marking the beginning of another phase in Hollywood’s calendar. This is the most vibrant film festival around. SXSW selects movies that are lively and entertaining, fitting for a city famous for its breweries and pleasant weather. For several days, downtown Austin becomes a bustling hub with celebrities rushing in and out to promote their projects, some of which will hit theaters or streaming platforms in just a few weeks. However, amidst all the excitement, it’s easy to overlook the fact that SXSW is also a thriving platform for lesser-known, offbeat indie films that can get lost in the shadow of big stars at high-profile premieres. Regrettably, this festival isn’t renowned for major acquisition deals, which might explain the current lack of such deals since Sundance has concluded with surprisingly few sales. However, SXSW has managed to launch an Oscar Best Picture winner, so anything is possible!

No matter what happens next week, SXSW’s lineup is filled with exciting movie titles that pique our interest. There are some big commercial releases like “Another Simple Favor“, the sequel to “The Accountant”, and “Death of a Unicorn” from A24, which are among this year’s highly anticipated films. Additionally, we have new works from Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, Chad Hartigan, Babak Anvari of “Under the Shadow”, and Andrew Patterson, who made waves with “The Vast of Night”. Here’s what we can’t wait to see!

The Accountant 2

I bet you didn’t realize this was coming up, but “The Accountant 2” has been in development since 2017, only a year after the initial film surprised everyone by making $155 million worldwide at the box office. In fact, it’s the second part of a planned trilogy. Gavin O’Connor is returning as director, and Ben Affleck will once again take on the role of the suburban CPA who moonlights as a money launderer for criminal organizations. This time around, he and his brother (played by Jon Bernthal) find themselves entangled in a mystery involving a series of unknown assassins when an old friend from the Treasury Department (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) asks for help solving a murder. Affleck made quite an impression at SXSW a few years back with the premiere of “Air.” We’re anticipating plenty of excitement around his return to Austin.

Another Simple Favor

Although there’s a chance that Blake Lively’s dispute with director and co-star Justin Baldoni from the movie “It Ends With Us” might escalate to a real court case, at present, it is playing out in the arena of public opinion. This ongoing drama risks overshadowing Blake’s reunion with Anna Kendrick for their upcoming project under Paul Feig’s direction. It would be unfortunate as the 2018 film “A Simple Favor,” a captivating dark comedy, showcased Anna’s manic energy, Blake’s stylish on-screen presence, and intriguing plot twists and hints of queer themes. The sequel promises to offer an equally engaging experience, given its shift from suburban settings to the glamorous backdrop of Capri. – Alison Willmore

Are We Good?

Marc Maron began his stand-up career in 1987, but it was the podcast he initiated in 2009, characterized by candid conversations and intimate revelations from Maron’s life, that catapulted him to his present level of acclaim. Directed by Steven Feinartz, who has previously worked with numerous comedians, including Maron himself in the 2023 special ‘From Bleak to Dark’, as well as the 2012 documentary ‘The Bitter Buddha’ about Eddie Pepitone, this new documentary is not just a chronicle of Maron’s career but seems to delve into more somber and contemplative territories, focusing on Maron’s life a year after the passing of his partner, filmmaker Lynn Shelton, in 2020. —A.W.

The Baltimorons

In this piece by Matt Jacobs, he notes that Jay Duplass’s latest directorial project, a Christmas comedy premiering at a warm-weather festival, is his first since “The Do-Deca-Pentathlon” in 2012 and the first without his brother Mark. The film’s quirky Coen Brothers and Safdie Brothers vibe comes from its premise: a Christmas Eve dental emergency resulting in an unexpected bond between a recovering improv artist (Michael Strassner) and his older dentist (Liz Larsen). This movie could potentially be this year’s “Christmas Eve at Miller’s Point,” another lo-fi holiday indie following one challenging night. Another intriguing aspect is the presence of Mary Catherine Garrison, who Duplass directed in episodes of the acclaimed series “Somebody Somewhere.

Death of a Unicorn

Typically, A24 saves at least one film that appeals to a starry, enthusiastic crowd for SXSW’s lively audiences. In recent years, films like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Problemista, and Y2K have illuminated the Paramount Theatre on SXSW’s main street. This year, the studio is using the festival to debut Death of a Unicorn, the first feature from Resurrection producer Alex Scharfman. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega portray a father and daughter who stumble upon a real-life unicorn with extraordinary powers that two greedy businessmen (Richard E. Grant and Will Poulter) aim to capitalize on. Similar to many high-profile SXSW premiere films, the fantastical horror-comedy will hit theaters a few weeks after the festival (on March 28). — M.J.

Deepfaking Sam Altman

Filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough has had a captivating career that’s taken him from creating an exceptional portrait of Lil Wayne (in the 2009 film The Carter) which Lil Wayne tried to halt, to a thrilling true crime expose about fundraising fraud (HBO’s Telemarketers). His most recent documentary, inspired by a story in New York magazine, explores AI through an engaging premise – unable to secure an interview with Sam Altman, he instead creates Sam Bot, an AI representation of the OpenAI CEO, for conversation. —A.W.

Drop

M.J.’s article suggests that while Scream 7 leans more toward drama, director Christopher Landon has previously crafted some of the wittiest horror-comedies in recent years, such as Happy Death Day and Freaky. His new film, Drop, seems to follow a traditional cat-and-mouse thriller pattern, reminiscent of his early work on Disturbia. In this movie, Meghann Fahy plays a single mom who receives menacing AirDrops instructing her to murder the man she’s dating (Brandon Sklenar from 1923). It appears that there will be a M. Night Shyamalan-esque twist in the plot, and the film could serve as an alternative for the Scream series, which similarly employs modern technology like phones to create chilling suspense scenes. – M.J.

The Dutchman

Film director André Gaines has created documentaries focusing on Jesse Owens, Dick Gregory, and the struggle for equality among black baseball players. His debut work of fiction is an intriguing adaptation of a 1964 Amiri Baraka play, titled “The Dutchman.” In this modern version, André Holland portrays a successful New York businessman who appears to be unraveling. He’s attending couples therapy with his wife, Zazie Beetz, and both their therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and an enigmatic stranger (Kate Mara) on the subway seem to be following him. Holland and Beetz had a strong chemistry in Steven Soderbergh’s “High Flying Bird,” but it seems Holland will spend much of “The Dutchman” isolated within his own fractured mind. Known for keeping his emotions under wraps (as demonstrated in “The Knick, Moonlight, Exhibiting Forgiveness”), it promises to be exciting to see Holland delve into a frenzied state if this thriller indeed takes that direction. –M.J.

Ghost Boy

Rodney Ascher is predominantly known for his documentary work, yet he straddles the line between traditional documentaries and genre films, often incorporating reenactments to delve into the intersection of speculation and reality. For instance, in movies like “Room 237,” where a variety of unconventional theories about “The Shining” are presented, and “A Glitch in the Matrix,” which centers on simulation theory. Ascher’s newest film, “Ghost Boy,” follows suit with his distinctive style by focusing on Martin Pistorius, a South African man who, at 12 years old, spent three years in a coma-like state, eventually emerging with locked-in syndrome. Surrounded by caretakers unaware that he was conscious but unable to communicate, Pistorius’ story is a fitting addition to Ascher’s filmography. —A.W.

Good Boy

In the last ten years, the horror genre has produced some intellectually stimulating films, such as the time-looping slasher “Happy Death Day” and the eerie “In a Violent Nature”. However, Ben Leonberg’s debut film might surpass them all, as it revolves around a haunting seen through the eyes of a family dog. Indy is not just the protagonist; he’s the only character who senses that something sinister lurks in the rural house he moves into with his owner. This idea is incredibly appealing to any dog enthusiast, but I’m also intrigued about how they will execute this concept. –A.W.

Holland

In a different take, it’s clear that the 2004 version of “The Stepford Wives” wasn’t well-received, so why not try again? That’s exactly what the new trailer for the movie suggests, placing Nicole Kidman at the heart of a suspenseful satire about a Michigan homemaker whose seemingly perfect life hides a sinister secret. With Kidman recently involved in a string of streaming mysteries, this one, premiering March 27 on Prime Video, seems more eccentric and intriguing than her recent works like “The Perfect Couple” or “The Undoing”. It’s the second film by director Mimi Cave, whose debut “Fresh” in 2022 showcased enough visual flair to compensate for its narrative limitations. –M.J.

The Rivals of Amziah King

In 2019, I was captivated by “The Vast of Night,” a chatty sci-fi film directed and written by Andrew Patterson, which I saw at a festival. I’m eager to see what he accomplishes with greater resources and a renowned actor like Matthew McConaughey in his next project, “The Rivals of Amziah King.” Set in Oklahoma, the movie is a crime thriller that revolves around the honey industry. McConaughey portrays Amziah King, a musician and beekeeper whose competition becomes a dangerous confrontation, possibly involving some bee-related action. —A.W.

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror

It’s surprising that it has taken so long for a genuine documentary about “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to come about. Filmmaker Linus O’Brien, who had an unrecognized role in the 1981 quasi-sequel “Shock Treatment,” has managed to gather Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Botswick, original writer Richard O’Brien (his father), and others to trace the film’s extraordinary odyssey from stage musical to box office failure to cult movie so cherished it influences “Glee” cover versions. The SXSW festival has reserved its two largest theaters for screenings of “Strange Journey,” a privilege rarely bestowed upon documentaries. While SXSW’s pop-culture docs are not typically standouts, we are hopeful that this one possesses enough wild and untamed charm to stand out. –M.J.

Take No Prisoners

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M.J. writes about an upcoming documentary titled “Take No Prisoners” by filmmakers Subrata De and Adam Ciralsky. This gripping production delves into the intricate world of hostage negotiations, focusing on a real-life case involving Eyvin Hernandez, a Los Angeles-based public defender who was falsely imprisoned in a Venezuelan jail. The story unfolds as it follows Roger D. Carstens, a special presidential envoy for hostage affairs under President Joe Biden, navigating through the intricate geopolitical landscape that has become even more convoluted following the cases of Brittney Griner and Evan Gershkovich. As of now, the documentary doesn’t have a buyer, but it holds potential to be one of 2025’s significant nonfiction releases in capable hands. Additionally, the story is being adapted into a scripted Hulu series named “The Envoy.

The Threesome

Chad Hartigan, known for heartfelt films such as “This is Martin Bonner” and “Morris From America,” subtly gained favor at Sundance without veering into sentimental territory. However, his previous film, “Little Fish,” got overshadowed during the pandemic, and he’s only recently released a new one. Titled “The Threesome“, this movie features Jonah Hauer-King, Zoey Deutch, and Ruby Cruz in a story that initially revolves around a casual sexual encounter among three characters – an infatuated audio engineer, his elusive crush, and a graduate student they meet one evening. But the plot evolves into a delightfully intricate romantic comedy, exploring what transpires when our idealistic dreams about the future collide with unforeseen realities. —A.W.

The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick

Covenant’, Jeremy O. Harris and James Cusati-Moyer, who have collaborated on ‘Slave Play’. They co-wrote the script alongside director Pete Ohs, depicting a group of queer friends enjoying rural life in upstate New York, where one experiences mysterious symptoms after a tick bite. The film is being described as a modern spin on films that heighten domestic discomfort, like ‘The Stepford Wives’ and ‘Rosemary’s Baby’. This project signals the beginning of what might turn out to be an intriguing year for both Jeremy O. Harris and Pete Ohs, as they are also working on the upcoming Charli XCX film ‘Erupcja’. – M.J.

2025-03-06 17:31