SXSW

For me, SXSW 2011 may be the year of the charmingly disturbing film ... although come to think of it, I saw a few of those in 2010 too. I've always said that I don't want to watch movies with unsympathetic main characters, but in the past couple of years, filmmakers -- those in Texas particularly -- have made me change my mind if the film is sufficiently good (or better yet, funny). The latest film from Texas filmmaker Clay Liford (who just moved from Dallas to Austin) is Wuss, a movie about a pathetic wet noodle of a loser, someone you'd shrink away from at a party or in the office breakroom, who is far more compelling than you might initially guess.

Part of the credit here must go to Nate Rubin, who portrays the character described in the title, Mitch. Mitch manages at first to draw the attention of a charming woman at his high-school reunion, even when he admits he's a high-school English teacher living with his mom ... however, she's suddenly repelled by him after he cows to verbal nastiness from the school's vice principal, Wally, played by local filmmaker Alex Karpovsky, who's developing a niche for believably awful characters.

I'm a longtime fan of films that deal frankly with society's worst problems. Poverty, domestic violence, crime, racism and other harsh realities of the human condition can be the stuff of stunningly powerful cinema.

Unfortunately, the gritty and earnest Yelling to the Sky isn't quite the powerful social statement it aspires to be. While it presents many convincing images of an impoverished and completely dysfunctional family, it suffers from clichéd story elements, uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters.

The film, which screened at the Arbor on the first Saturday of SXSW, is the story of Sweetness O'Hara (Zoë Kravitz), a Queens teenager doing her best to survive in her beaten-down world. Her father, Gordon (Jason Clarke) is a violent, manic depressive alcoholic who's often AWOL from the household. His wife, Lorene (Yolanda Ross) suffers from depression and other vague ailments that leave her barely able to function. Sweetness's older sister, Ola (Antonique Smith) is pregnant by an abusive loser.

SXSW on St. Patrick’s day is always chaotic, and the only way today could have been more so was if it was a Saturday. Crazy crowds. Apparently the shuttles were really backed up because of The Strokes playing Auditorium Shores today. Attending screenings makes it hard to schedule cabs because of late starts and Q&As (not complaining, merely pointing it out).

Everyone I know who took the shuttle were reporting 45-90 minutes -- unless I was on one apparently.  I made it to five screenings today, and made it through four. After an incident with someone rushing into an empty seat caused my drink to spill in the beginning of the subtitled Andante, the distraction made me completely disinterested in following the movie. The Ritz waitstaff handled it well, but the whole incident just made it impossible to get into the film. 

I sometimes find it hard to review politically charged documentaries. Like many critics, I don't limit my opining just to film; discussing political and social issues is one of my favorite pastimes. (My Facebook friends know this all too well.) When the worlds of film and politics intersect in documentaries, it can be a struggle to separate my opinions about a movie and its subject matter.

Better This World is such a film, a fascinating but disheartening documentary about two young Austin activists, Brad Crowder and David McKay, who were charged with domestic terrorism while protesting at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. While I greatly admire the film (which had its world premiere on March 12 at the Vimeo Theater and screened again on March 14 at the Alamo South Lamar), I found the story it tells completely infuriating.

Crowder and McKay are longtime friends who grew up together in Midland and moved to Austin in their early twenties. In 2008, they attended an event held by the RNC Welcoming Committee, a Minnesota group that was recruiting activists to "shut down" the Republican National Convention by protesting and blocking streets.

I have a dozen more good photos from last night's premiere of The Beaver, and a million things I could say about the movie, but I have five minutes. Jodie Foster was at the Paramount last night for the first public showing of her latest film, The Beaver. The film was scripted by Austin writer Kyle Killen (who also wrote the short-lived TV series Lone Star). The cast includes not only Foster but also Anton Yelchin (or as my husband calls him, "Chekhov"), Jennifer Lawrence and Mel Gibson as the man who communicates with help of a beaver puppet.

Foster introduced the film and started the Q&A alone, then brought out Yelchin and Killen, pictured above. I hope to meet Killen in person at some point because I interviewed him over the phone for SXSWorld magazine -- the issue that's available at ACC right now, in fact. I haven't seen the magazine myself yet and hope to have time to stop at the convention center and pick one up this afternoon. If you missed Killen last night, he'll be showing unaired episodes of Lone Star at Alamo Drafthouse next month, and we'll post more info about that later.

Gotta run. Hope to see some of you downtown today.

As cliched as it may sound, the "must-see" movie at SXSW 2011 is Natural Selection, a joyful bittersweet story filmed in Smithville, Texas. From the opening moment, writer/director Robbie Pickering pulls viewers in for a fun and passionate ride from the pinnacle of conservative Christianity to the lows of the wrong side of the law.

The film focuses on Linda White (Rachael Harris), a barren and lonely Christian housewife in her 40s, who leads a sheltered existence in suburban Texas. Stringent religious convictions forbid Linda and her husband Abe (John Diehl) from copulating without the intent of procreating, resulting in an asexual marriage that has left Linda frustrated, lonely and full of shame. To compensate, she lives her life for everyone but herself.

After Abe suffers a stroke, Linda discovers that he has been keeping a secret -- donating to a sperm bank for over 20 years. From his hospital bed he asks her to find his 23-year-old biological son Raymond who is living in Florida. Linda sets off on a quixotic journey to find Raymond (Matt O'Leary) and bring him back before her husband passes away. Along the way, she develops a relationship with the troubled Raymond as they share their intimate secrets, allowing her to come to terms with herself and thereby discovering her own path.

In 1969, my mother and her best friend waited in line for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid five times without ever getting in to see it. Her parents, unbelieving, went to the four-plex, and also were turned away twice due to sold-out shows before getting in. Such was the power of Newman and Redford in the days before internet ticket services like Fandango. Carrying a film pass at SXSW this year feels almost like a return to that era.  

Film passes are an economical way to enjoy the fest if you plan to take in six or more films and don't have the funds or time to volunteer in order to get a badge. Entry to films goes first to badgeholders, then to those with a film pass, and finally to people who are buying individual tickets.

Here are a few tips on what to expect (and how to survive) when using the SXSW Film equivalent of the music wristbands.

• Expect the unexpected. I arrived early and spent three hours at the front of the line for Hesher this weekend at Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar, failing to gain a seat when there wasn't enough room for some 30-50 badgeholders ahead of me. The passes ARE printed with a warning to avoid screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse locations due to their smaller size. However, I felt confident most people would be downtown catching the world premiere of Paul at the Paramount.  Boy, was I wrong, as people had a tendency to pick a venue and stay there for the day. They'd walk out of the Drafthouse and right into line for the next screening, which happened to be mine. I understand there was room to spare at the Paul premiere.

Light day, schedule wise. I was going to see two screenings, but only ended up making the world premiere of The Beaver. I really do want to see The Innkeepers, but with a three-hour gap and a less-than-pleasant experience as an audience member, I wasn't up for dealing with crowds for three more hours.

The Beaver is the story of a man (Mel Gibson) coping with major depression through a puppet. Screenwriter Kyle Killen is an Austinite, and his "quirky" script topped the Black List, which showcases the best unproduced screenplays.  Director and co-star Jodie Foster and actor Anton Yelchin came to town for the screening, with Foster flying in from the Paris set of her latest film, Carnage. Deflecting the issue of scandals surrounding Gibson, Foster focused on the film and the script.  Jette interviewed Killen for SXSWorld magazine, so pick up a copy to read more about him; you can find them at ACC, and conveniently just outside the Vimeo theater.

Any film that gives away a critical plot device before the first scene starts is clearly ambitious. Aaron Rottinghaus' feature film debut Apart is just that, an intricately layered romantic thriller about a young man haunted by the past he cannot remember.

Inspired by a rare psychological disorder (folie à deux or ICD-10, F.24) that occurs when two people share delusions where the only known cure is separation, Apart reveals itself slowly as Noah Green (Josh Danziger) is recovering from an unrevealed trauma.  As Noah recovers, it's clear he's not aware of all that transpired before he ended up in the hospital. 

Flashbacks depict a strong bond with childhood friend and would-be sweetheart Emily (Olesya Rulin), now absent from his life.  Apart doesn’t so much play fast and loose with chronology, as it deliberately teases at what could have been and can never be, making it all the more poignant.  More importantly Rottinghaus’ script (based on a story by Rottinghaus and Danziger) underscores the ‘why’ while teasing out details, mimicking Noah’s quest to reconcile with his past and his childhood companion.  With the ultimate reason known before the first shot, Apart isn’t focused on a flashy reveal, and instead puts it where it belongs, in a very human story.

An estimated 800-900 people gathered last night to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Ain't It Cool News (AICN) with a special secret screening at the crown jewel of Austin theater, the Paramount.

In the 15 years since Harry Knowles started the site from his hospital bed after hurting his back, AICN has shaken the very foundations of Hollywood. It has brought to their knees studios that have produced unworthy pictures as well as lauding countless works that might otherwise have gone unsung. AICN has cultivated and sculpted the face of Austin movie culture, benefitting from and cross-promoting with Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas as both have grown to become household names. In 2005, AICN announced the founding of the greatest genre film festival in existence, Fantastic Fest which brings together fans, filmmakers, and big names from around the world for the seventh year this September. If the Alamo Drafthouse is the heart of the Austin film community, AICN is its soul.