Despite growing up in Texas and always being in Austin during SXSW, I have never actually been to the festival. Granted this was when the festival was more of a music festival rather than a film festival. But now at the ripe age of 27 years old, I am finally attending my first SXSW. Over the course of a week the city transforms into a destination for film, music and technology. I will be covering the film portion of the festival where over 100 feature films will make their debut. I have selectively curated a list of 7 films that are on my most anticipated of the festival. Note this list only includes world premieres.
I Love Boosters. Directed by Boots Riley
Boots Riley, Director of Sorry to Bother You and creator of I’m a Virgo returns to SXSW with his latest feature, I Love Boosters. Starring Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Demi Moore, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter and Don Cheadle, this colorful crime-comedy is promising to be a crowd pleaser as we follow a group of shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Picking up immediately after the events of the first film, Grace (Samara Weaving) is now facing High Council Families alongside her estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton). Also starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Nestor Carbonell, David Cronenberg and Elijah Wood, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is promising to be bigger and bloodier than its predecessor as this is the hottest ticket of the festival.
Family Movie. Directed by Kevin Bacon
Who says filmmaking can’t be a family affair? Directed and starring Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and their real children Sosie and Travis Bacon, Family Movie combines horror and comedy after a family gathering goes wrong after their attempt to make a low-budget horror movie goes wrong when a random dead body shows up on set.
Hokum. Directed by Damian McCarthy
Damien McCarthy is going to creep everyone out again with his latest feature Hokum. After a novelist retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes and begins to go sideways as he becomes consumed by folktales, Hokum is promising to get freaky. Starring Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, and Florence Ordesh, Hokum is ready to make your skin crawl.
Forbidden Fruit. Directed by Merideth Alloway
To describe Merideth Alloway’s Forbidden Fruit based off of its trailer, it would be a combination of Mean Girls and The Craft. Based on that premise alone I am seated for this film. Starring Lili Reinhard, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp, Forbidden Fruit is for the witches of Texas.
Crash Land. Directed by Dempsey Bryk
Everyone has to grow up at some point. Some go to college, some get a job, then there is Lance, Clay and Darby who decide to make a movie together. Starring Gabriel LaBelle, Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk, Crash Land will combine comedy and drama as we follow a group of friends realizing that they are no longer kids anymore as they set out for one last adventure, making a serious movie.
Chili Finger. Directed by Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad
Based on the premise alone I am intrigued by Chili Finger. When a woman trying to black mail a beloved chili chain after finding a severed finger in her food goes terribly wrong. Sign me up, especially that it is starring Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman.
SXSW begins on March 12th and runs through March 18th.
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