SXSW 2012, Day Seven: Chihuahuas Everywhere
This is the hardest part of SXSW to me: My schedule completely falls apart, and my resilience to deal with the crowds downtown is non-existent. I've been keeping a pedometer with me and I've been averaging about 3,400 paces a day, which isn't much (the day before SXSW started I more than doubled that), but it's still cumulatively exhausting, especially with all the standing in line and sitting in theaters.
Because I've seen so many films already, it's increasingly difficult to stick to one venue to see the movies on my "really want to see" list. So I often end up seeing more films I hadn't planned on making. None of the films I ended up seeing were on my original schedule (nothing personal to the filmmakers, it's a logistic impossibility to see everything I could possibly want to see).
I managed to make it to four films today, starting with the documentary Last Call at the Oasis. This provocative doc is often heavy handed, but it doesn't dilute the message; water is a squandered resource and the crisis isn't all that far away. Not surprising considering how we've altered so much land for farming, although it didn't even touch on the impact to monoculture farming so popular in the U.S., and how (and if) that plays a part in the water crisis. Ultimately I felt Last Call at the Oasis didn't make its point for anyone who wasn't already converted.
Next up was the horror thriller Lovely Molly. I know quite a few people who loved it and found it creepy and gripping; I couldn't get past the nonsensical use of first-person video, and equally senseless plot. It just seemed to go the easy, sensational route whenever it could.
But I found I enjoyed the next film much more. Starlet surprised me; while I didn't find the lead's profession added anything to the story, I really dug the impetus causing the friendship between Jane and Sadie, and I found the ending very satisfying. And I agree with the Honorable Mention the Narrative Feature Jury gave to Besedka Johnson for her acting; she was fantastic.
And while I found the ending to See Girl Run satisfying as well (it would fail as a film otherwise), I found I didn't get lost in the story. It seemed it could only end the way it did. There is one scene toward the end which is perhaps one of the most authentic family dynamic moments I've seen in a while.
Speaking of themes, is this the Chihuahua edition of SXSW? I think I've seen 4-5 Chihuahuas in films, but definitely in three (Crazy Eyes, Starlet, and See Girl Run). I can't remember one or two, but maybe I'm just seeing little dogs everywhere, especially with all the Chihuahuas being walked around SXSW film venues.
Make sure you check the online schedule for tomorrow if you're planning on doing a full day of SXSW Film. You'll need more time to get around with the shuttles unless you manage to time it just right, as there are fewer Film shuttles now that Music has started (and more road closures downtown causing traffic delays). I have to mention, too, that apparently the #3 Cap Metro bus is no longer a well-kept secret, because it's been packed every time I've used it in the past couple days, even at 10 pm (when I thought most wrist-banders would still be downtown and not travelling deep into the 78704).
Violet Crown has no SXSW screenings on Friday or Saturday, although satellite venues Alamo Village and Slaughter Lane are still showing films. So double-check the online schedule; you can see what's playing in the Awards slots, as well as the Tugg Buzz slots by checking out the SXSW Film news page, or use the Venue Status Boards for more immediate film titles as well as their status (although I really wish the VSB would load on my Blackberry, but it won't, dammit).