SXSW 2010 Day 2: Stormtroopers, Cherry Confessions, and Monsters

in

Despite my wishes, I was felled by a migraine overnight. I had hoped to make it to some panels, a press conference and 4-5 screenings.

Thankfully, I didn't miss out on Wake or Micmacs, as I'd seen them earlier. I hope you had a chance to see Micmacs, because Jeunet was here in town, and he's such a great, distinctive director.  My review of Micmacs has to wait, but the one for Wake should be up soon. Wake is one of those films that's a bit frustrating while proving the director is one to watch. 

I also missed the world premiere of Mars, by Austin's own Geoff Marslett. Jette and I talked with Marslett a few weeks ago, and I was really hoping to be there for the panel and the premiere. I did hear the line was already to 7th Street an hour before the screening was scheduled to start, so I can safely say it was a sold-out crowd.  And thankfully, Mars screens twice at the Alamo Lamar. 

[Jette would like to interrupt to confirm that Mars was completely sold out for badges only, and I felt really lucky to get in there. It was the Austin-y-est audience I've seen at a SXSW film in a long time. I then rushed over to Micmacs, which had a good-sized crowd, and Cyrus, which sold out the Paramount. Lines at movies seem to be a bit longer this year, so be sure to get to films early.] 

So Jette has spoken; I'm very glad for Marslett and company, and I hope I can get in to one of the other screenings, which will include more cast and crew than tonight's World Premiere.

I did manage to make to South Lamar. The line management was a bit confusing, and this horrendously long line ended up being for The People vs George Lucas, and it was another case of all badges not getting in. Ironically, the line for the Super Secret Encore screening was very short, so I hope the people who didn't get in to Monsters at least hadn't seen The People vs George Lucas

I had already planned on not catching the first screening of The People vs George Lucas, knowing it was going to be very popular, so I got into line for His and Hers, the Irish documentary about women talking about men.  While I was waiting in line, I met one of the producers in town for the Cherry screening, and they had a great marketing concept: the Cherry Confession booth, where you can share your strange and wonderful romance stories. They were going to be on Sixth street Saturday night collecting more, and the videos will be edited down and posted on their site. There are two more screenings of Cherry at SXSW, so I have to admit, I'm intrigued.

The screening of His and Hers was packed, and I happened to run into Skot Tulk, Executive Director of aGLIFF, so I got a chance to catch up with him at least a little about the aGLIFF Oscar Party, which I regrettably missed.  Before the doc was a short called "Looped Planes," a deceptively simple tale of an awkward teen befriending a pretty girl,  The more I think about, the more impressed I am with it. 

His and Hers is an ambitious documentary featuring vignettes of 70 girls and women, with the dialogue focusing on the men in their lives. It starts off with a newborn baby, and each progressively older girl discussing something relevant to her, from being daddy's little girl, to boys, to husbands, children, death and disease. Sometimes funny, occasionally heartbreaking, it's an interesting doc, but it seemed a little contrived.  That doesn't make it any less worth catching.   

Lawrence Wright Presents turned out to be My Trip to Al-Qaeda, to no one's surprise.  While very American in perspective, but provocative if not as in depth as I would prefer, providing more details about Osama bin Laden's life than on the cultural differences in part responsible for the jihadists. Wright, if you are not aware, wrote the screenplay for The Siege, an eerily similar scenario to 9/11.  Most memorable thing is hearing Wright say that The Siege's sales skyrocketed after 9/11, making him the first War on Terror profiteer. I didn't stay for the Q&A because I wanted to get in line for Monsters, since the Super Secret Screening's secret was out (an encore of The People Vs. George Lucas). 

Out into the line and half the filmbloggers I know seemed to be there. As we're talking, a stormtrooper walks up. No, that's not the start of a bad joke. But I think I could get away with a zombie and a stormtrooper joke based on the picture above, right?  For the record, that guy didn't look that zoned out, but the camera did. And notice the gesture the stormtrooper is making. 

Now, Monsters is a SXFantastic category film, so I knew there would Antics prior to the film. Could Tim League and the Fantastic Fest team top themselves after last year's Viking in a loincloth intros?  Why, yes, yes they could. Henri Mazza in a Ghostbusters suit? Check. Time League as a medieval king? Check. Beer chugging? Check.  Flames under ass for the losing team captain? Check again.  Being able to say I've seen Tim League take off his underwear, and put underwear on? Priceless. 

On to the movie. Monsters is not a typical monster movie.  But since you haven't all seen it, I'll just leave it at that.  What's impressive is the director did most of the work himself, most of what's on screen was CGI compiled on his laptop, and oh, yeah, it stars former Austinite Scoot McNairy (In Search of a Midnight Kiss). His co-star, Whitney Able, just happened to mention they are now engaged, so if you see them around town, wish them well. The Q&A rang long, but when I was walking out, my phone said it was 3:38 am. So much for getting to bed before 4 am, thanks to the time change. 

I suspect I may not be able to get up in time to make it to the Earthling screening at the Paramount.  But what should I see in the next time slot?  Camp Victory, AfghanistanDirty Pictures?  But I really want to see The Happy Poet directed by Mars co-star and Austinite Paul Gordon.  And of course there's Red White and Blue, the Simon Rumley helmed, Austin-filmed thriller that just happens to feature a Slackerwood contributor's house, and has another as an extra.  Decisions, decisions.  I'm telling you, if someone used a string to connect all the films with Austin connections, it would be a big tangle.