The annual festival of tech activations, unlimited BBQ, and a whole buncha great movies is almost upon us. Yes, SXSW kicks off this Friday and as normal, we'll be focusing the majority of our attention on the last of those three. MOVIES. We start off our festival preview series with a look at a few of the films playing in the Headliners, Midnighters, and narratives in the Visions section. This is just a taste.
68 Kill
It's not a SXSW without a Snowfort film and this year's comes to us from Chop director (and Cheap Thrills co-writer) Trent Hagga. The movie is described as a "punk-rock romcom" about a man setting out to rob his girlfriend's sugar daddy. It stars Matthew Gray Gubler, Annalynne McCord, Alisha Boe, Sheila Vand, Sam Eidson, Lucy Faust, and Eric Podner.
Midnight
Atomic Blonde
Formerly known as The Coldest City, this Charlize Theron spy-thriller by John Wick co-director David Leitch also stars James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones. It will hit theaters July 28. Hopefully Leitch will be just about done with Deadpool 2 by then.
Headliners
Sylvio
Actor/directors Kentucker Audley (Open Five) and Albert Birney (The Beast Pageant) teamed up to direct this story of a gorilla, a TV show, and hand puppets.
Visions
Lucky
John Carroll Lynch is probably best known for his role as Norm Gunderson in the Coen Bros' Fargo, but the character actor has been in something like 100 movies and TV shows. His directorial debut stars the wonderful Harry Dean Stanton as an offbeat atheist. It co-stars David Lynch, Ron Livingston, Ed Begley Jr., Tom Skerritt, Beth Grant, and James Darren.
Visions
Baby Driver
Could this be the most anticipated movie of the year for many SA readers? Edgar Wright's long awaited follow-up to The World's End about a getaway driver will world premiere to the adoring fans at SXSW and then disappear until its theatrical release date all the way in mid-August. The film stars Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, and Jamie Foxx.
Headliners
Game of Death
This wacky-sounding debut feature from Laurence "Baz" Morais and Sebastien Landry finds a group of friends racing to murder anyone they can find before their heads literally explode. Watch out!
Midnight
The Relationtrip
Real-life long term couple Renée Felice Smith (NCIS:LA) and C.A. Gabriel teamed up for this feature film directorial debut about two people who bond over their mutual hate for relationships and decide to take a spur-of-the-moment trip together. Things get complicated and a little bit surreal when feelings start to develop. Oh and there are puppets. Renée Felice Smith stars alongside Matt Bush of Adventureland fame.
Visions
Mayhem
Joe Lynch is back with the follow-up to Everly, which sounds like another contained midnighter. This time it's a corporate high rise on lock down when a virus causes the starched shirt assholes to lose their inhibitions to kill! The film stars Steven Yeun, Samara Weaving, Dallas Mark Roberts, Caroline Chikezie, and Mark Stewart Frost.
Midnight
The Disaster Artist
You can pretty much guarantee Tommy Wiseau will be in the audience for this "biopic" about the infamous The Room director, starring and directed by James Franco. Brother Dave, pal Seth, and Josh Hutcherson, Ari Graynor, Jacki Weaver, and Alison Brie also star.
Headliners
Flesh and Blood
Mark Webber has put together an impressive career as an actor and director, most notably with his 2012-premiering The End of Love. That film featured his real son and likewise, this latest film features his real mom, brother, and father.
Visions
Infinity Baby
7 Chinese Brothers director Bob Byington returns to SXSW with this comedy about babies that don't age. It stars such notables as Kieran Culkin, T.K. Dunn, Nick Offerman, Martin Starr, Kevin Corrigan, Megan Mullaly, Noel Wells, and Stephen Root.
Visions
Tragedy Girls
The latest from Patchwork director Tyler MacIntyre follows social-media obsessed girls as they kidnap a serial killer in order to learn his trade. The cast includes Brianna Hildebrand, Alexandra Shipp, Craig Robinson, Josh Hutcherson, Kevin Durand, and Jack Quaid.
Midnight
Free Fire
A24's upcoming guns-blazing Ben Wheatley shoot-out actioner makes its TIFF follow-up bow and US debut at the fest. It will hit theaters April 21.
Headliners
The Honor Farm
Prom night goes horribly wrong when a group of friends go to a haunted prison work farm in this narrative feature debut from Karen Skloss. Olivia Applegate, Louis Hunter, Dora Madison, Liam Aiken, Katie Folger, Michael Eric Reid, and Mackenzie Astin star.
Midnight
Meatball Machine Kodoku
The latest big bowl of wackiness from Japanese master of the bizarre Nishimura Yoshihiro takes us to the land of the Necro-Borg!
Midnight