Jette Kernion's blog

We're more than halfway through the 2010 SXSW Film Festival, and some of us are starting to experience that slightly panicky feeling that we haven't seen as many films as we wanted and are going to miss a few we were dying to see. Normally I'd advise some deep breathing, a yoga pose and the understanding that this happens every year and it's just the way the universe works. However, Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz has decided to give Austinites just one more chance to see some of the films the Alamo staff especially enjoyed at SXSW this year: Rejoice and Shout, Monsters, Outcast and Red White & Blue.*

The best part is that the "Taste of SXSW" screenings are open to the general public. These are equal-opportunity screenings where anyone can buy a ticket from the Alamo website. You don't have to wait in a long line in the rain only to find out that the badgeholders got all the seats this time.  They're spaced throughout the week so you don't have to see three movies in a day if you're starting to feel a little burned out by that schedule.

The screening times and descriptions from the Alamo website are listed after the jump.

What's the best way to say "creepy and at times bordering on the distasteful ... but in a good way"? When you figure it out, let me know so I can describe Lovers of Hate, the latest film from Austin filmmaker Bryan Poyser, which premiered at Sundance this year before screening at SXSW and on IFC Video on Demand (where it's now available to watch). Normally I'm not fond of movies with unlikeable characters doing things that make me wrinkle my nose in distaste, but somehow Poyser and his excellent cast and crew pull it off in an arresting manner.

Rudy (Chris Doubek) is the saddest sack blowing around Austin -- his wife kicked him out and he has nowhere to live except his car, and his job prospects are dwindling by the moment. All he wants is a shower, and his wife Diana (Heather Kafka) back. In the middle of this, his brother Paul (Alex Karpovsky) shows up, a famous children's author in a Harry Potter sort of way. Paul's books are based on stories Rudy used to tell him when they were growing up, and Rudy hasn't finished his own magnum opus (with the same title as the film), so he's nursing a helluva grudge. He convinces his wife to pretend they're still a couple while they have dinner with Paul, but the shaky premise simply can't hold up. Rudy's also suspicious of his brother Paul having designs on Diana. What he wants is for Paul and himself to travel to a secluded house where Paul's been staying in Park City, so they can both finish their writing, but somehow nothing turns out quite as planned.

Just realized I haven't let you all know that I'm interviewing one of the filmmakers from World's Largest, Amy Elliott, at Studio SX on Tuesday, March 16, at 11 am. Studio SX takes place on the fourth floor of ACC in Ballroom D. It'll be recorded so I'll share it with you later if you don't go ... but I hope you'll stop by and listen. Also, go see World's Largest if you get the chance, it's a good documentary.

Some actors and filmmakers just walk on stage for a Q&A like any ordinary person. But John C. Reilly, after the SXSW  Cyrus screening at the Paramount on Saturday night, added a little flourish and style, doffing his hat for the audience. It was a charming moment.

Reilly was joined in the Cyrus Q&A by filmmakers Jay and Mark Duplass, former Austinites, and actor Jonah Hill. In the film, Reilly's character falls for Marisa Tomei's single mom, a lovely woman with a son who Has Issues, played by Hill. The movie played to a full house at the Paramount. The Duplasses mentioned that they used to go to the Paramount a lot for the Summer Classic Film Series back in the day, and would never have imagined they'd be the ones on stage to a packed, excited audience.

"We've been waiting almost 20 years to show a movie on a Saturday night at the Paramount," Mark said.

Two days to SXSW. Two days to SXSW. Here's the latest Austin film-related news, some of which will be of particular interest to SXSW-goers, but some of which is about free stuff for everyone.

• If you have a SXSW Film badge, you can use it not only for the usual conference and movie access, but also to see Motorhead perform on Wednesday night at Austin Music Hall.
• And you don't need a badge at all to head over to the Apple Store in Barton Creek Mall for two free Meet the Filmmaker sessions during SXSW. On Saturday, March 13 at 3 pm, journalist Aaron Hillis will interview filmmaker Emmett Malloy, whose music documentary The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights is playing SXSW and will also be available via cable TV VOD starting March 12. On Monday, March 15 at 7 pm, local filmmaker Bryan Poyser will discuss his latest film, Lovers of Hate, which is playing SXSW and will also be available on cable TV VOD when the fest starts.
• Did we mention yet that IFC has bought the international distribution rights to Lovers of Hate? The film premiered at Sundance and was sold to IFC before it plays SXSW. Congrats to Bryan Poyser and his producers, cast and crew.

The SXSW Film Festival schedule looks excellent this year, and even though you didn't buy a badge, maybe you're thinking about catching a few of the films over the course of the eight-day fest. Don't you want to hang out with Film Fest Geek Barbie?

But perhaps you haven't bought a film pass or SXSW film tickets before, or you remember it being a hassle last time. Fear not -- here are some tips on enjoying the films at SXSW even if you don't have a badge this time. You'll miss the conference, but if you plan ahead, you can catch a bunch of good movies.

Your options if you don't have a badge:

SXSW Film Pass -- The film-fest equivalent of the Music fest wristband. You're in a second-tier line, and are admitted into a screening after the badgeholders line has been let into the theater, if space permits. Passes for 2009 are $70 and are now available at Waterloo Records or any Austin-area Alamo Drafthouse. If you see multiple movies a day, this is a steal.

I realize I'm repeating my own joke with the headline, but it's too good not to reuse ... and when will I get to use it again? Ahem. Anyway, here's the Austin film-related news, starting with awards:

• Sandra Bullock, who owns local restaurant Bess and co-owns Walton's Fancy and Staple, also does a spot of acting when she's not running local businesses. Last night, she took home the Best Actress Oscar for her role in The Blind Side.
• The night before, she won a Razzie for her role in All About Steve ... and showed up at the awards ceremony, where she gave out DVDs of the film to all the Razzie members in attendance. Very nice.
• Austin was also represented at the Oscars by Ryan Bingham, who along with T-Bone Burnett won an Academy Award for Best Song, "The Weary Kind," from the movie Crazy Heart. Not only did Bingham and Burnett cite the work of the the late local musician Stephen Bruton on the film, but Jeff Bridges also remembered Bruton in his speech after winning Best Actor.

I'm going to jump in right here and admit that my expectations for District 13: Ultimatum were extremely low. I know one person who walked out of the film when it played Fantastic Fest last year, and I was warned that this movie wasn't going to be nearly as enjoyable as the first District 13 movie. So I figured I'd suffer the storyline and take pleasure from any good fight scenes or parkour scenes that might appear.

And you know, sometimes this is the way to watch a movie, expecting it to be not so hot. When it's less bad than you suspected, you end up with an enjoyable movie experience. Same thing happened to me at Live Free or Die Hard -- my husband, who was looking forward to a fun movie, felt disappointed, while I figured it would be awful and therefore liked any bits that weren't. District 13: Ultimatum is certainly better than Live Free or Die Hard, and at least there are no really stupid CGI effects. It's kind of like a 90-minute-long Burn Notice, but without the humorous supporting characters, bikinis and yogurt.

Believe it or not, film news is happening in Austin that has nothing -- really nothing -- to do with SXSW. Here's a sample:

• On Sunday afternoon, author Alison Macor will be reading/signing her book Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids: Thirty Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas. I intend to be there and am looking forward to a good read ... well, probably not until after SXSW, unfortunately. (I know me. I'll read the book while trying to do fest prep. Sleep is the enemy, as Debbie keeps telling me.) Over at the Austin Chronicle, Kimberley Jones has an interview with Macor, and you can read an excerpt from the book about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The book signing is on Sunday at 3 pm at BookPeople.
• Austin Film Festival has announced a discount on Lone Star Badges for the 2010 fest -- they're now only $75 through March 7. Also, anyone who purchases a Lone Star Badge during this time frame is eligible to win a free upgrade to a Weekend Badge ($255 value) during the Oscars -- Moviemaker has the details on this contest. See their website for details. The Lone Star Badge is a one-day conference pass that also gets you first-tier admission into all films, so it's a very good deal at this price.

Let's see what the latest Austin and SXSW film news is today.

• The big big news: Robert Rodriguez is bringing a rough cut of Predators, which he's produced, to SXSW. He and director Nimrod Antal will present a "First Look" at the movie, which was partially shot in Austin, on opening night (Friday, March 12) at Alamo Ritz at 10:15 pm. The dark side of this news is that the bigger Ritz theater only holds about 200 people, maybe a few more if they squeeze folks into the balconies. Even though the event is open only to SXSW badgeholders, you'd probably have to line up outside the Ritz before the opening-night film even starts in order to get a seat. (People are already talking about lining up that afternoon.) So sadly, I'm unlikely to be reporting on this event myself.
• In addition, the SX Fantastic "Super Secret Screening" has been announced: it's the world premiere of 13, Gela Babluani's bigger-budget remake of his 2006 film Tzameti. The film stars Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Ben Gazzara and (Fantastic Fest favorite) Alexander Skarsgard.
• SXSW film passes are now on sale: $70 for eight days, which is an excellent deal for second-tier access to a lot of good movies around town. Individual tickets are $10 so if you see 8 movies you're ahead financially (plus, ahead in the admission lines). You can buy passes at Alamo Ritz, South Lamar, and Village, and at Waterloo Records. Look for our special guide for passholders and ticket buyers next week.