SXSW 2008: Notes from the Fest So Far

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I'm jotting down a few observations from this year's SXSW Film Festival. I'll use some of these when I revise the film venue guide next year, and some are just, you know, little bits and pieces of miscellany.

  • Both Alamo Ritz theaters are filling up fast, at any time of day, for just about any movie. I've only been to one movie at Ritz where the theater wasn't filled to capacity. I think some out-of-towners just plain like the Ritz and will watch anything there. If you're going to see a movie at Alamo Ritz, no matter how obscure it sounds, get there early. At least Sixth Street is a colorful and interesting place to stand in line.
  • I found out Alamo Ritz doesn't have public wireless access. A server told me to try the Iron Cactus wireless access next door, but warned that Alamo's walls are very thick (soundproofing, which you absolutely need on Sixth Street) so it might be difficult. I couldn't connect. So use your Alamo Ritz time to order a nice meal, not check your email.
  • In my venue guide, I noted that I often park at St. David's Episcopal -- it's halfway between Alamo Ritz and Paramount. I paid $7 to park there on Monday, which is higher than the $5 it was last year, but that's fine. On Wednesday, the parking fee there was $15. That's ridiculous and obnoxious. I think it might be best to stay with the Convention Center garage parking, which is $7 all through the fest, and just get used to the walk. (That's not at all convenient if you're going only to Paramount, though.)
  • Alamo Ritz has the same milkshakes you can get at Alamo South Lamar and they are equally as addictive. I think Kim Voynar is hooked.
  • At SXSW, press are able to take still photos just about anywhere as long as they have the little press badge on their cameras. And attendees tend to take photos just about anywhere, too -- no one fusses, as a general rule. Except at the Paramount, where photography is usually forbidden (during non-fest times). As Eric Snider will tell you, Paramount staffers seem not to know which rules to enforce, or else the rules are different there and no one's telling us. I hope this can be sorted out or clarified, by SXSW and/or Paramount, in future festival years.
  • Is it just me, or have you noticed a definite increase in roped-off and reserved rows at SXSW screenings this year? I don't mean a few seats, I mean seeing a third of the seats in the small Alamo Ritz theater reserved, or a couple of rows in the Dobie, or the entire middle of the Paramount orchestra section at Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It's not a big deal at the Paramount, which seats more than 1200, but at Dobie and Alamo Ritz it can be frustrating.
  • The hot chocolate at The Hideout is pretty darn tasty, and much cheaper than the $4.25 cocoa at the convention center.
  • Unusually for me, it's Thursday morning and I still haven't been to a screening at Alamo on South Lamar for SXSW this year. I've tended to stay downtown for all my movies. That will change tonight -- planning to see a couple of movies there back-to-back. Once the Music fest starts, I like to go to Alamo South Lamar as much as possible, and avoid downtown if I can, mostly because of the parking.
  • I'm having a very good, very laid-back time this year. Whatever I'm doing, I'm doing it right.