Hey AICN! Here's some quick coverage of what I've seen so far at SXSW. Like others who have already been posted, I kicked off the fest with "Super High Me."
It really was the perfect start to the week, if only because I got to hear my mom's reaction on the phone when I told her that the first film I was seeing was a documentary about a guy who smokes weed 24/7. Doug Benson is a real "trooper" in the film, jokingly taking one for the team and all in the name of science. "Super High Me" does a great job of investigating the supposed negative effects of marijuana. Interestingly enough, the only negative Benson experiences from smoking weed for 30 days straight is gaining 8 pounds. Otherwise, he actually performs a few points better on an SAT test and even ups his sperm count.
The film uses Benson's stand-up to commentate on the experiment and on America's use of marijuana. This provides for a lot of great backstage antics from other comedians who pop up in the film, such as Greg Proops, Brian Posehn, Patton Oswald, Rob Huebel, Rob Riggle, and Sarah Silverman.
"Super High Me" also looks at the growing amount of dispensaries in California, the patients who frequent them, and the DEA agents who raid them with unsigned warrants. The film labels it a states' rights issue and uses the seriousness of the raids to nicely complement the hilarity of the super high Benson. In short, "Super High Me" reminded me why documentaries are my favorite part of SXSW.
"21"
I am in complete and utter shock that Robert Luketic, who directed this film, also gave the world "Monster in Law." No wonder he thanked the studio for believing in him before the screening. "21" is a wonderfully shot, written, and edited film. It's probably one of the better Vegas films in recent years simply because it's based in fact, making the film that much more extraordinary.
"21" is based on the true story of the MIT students who got counting cards down to an art and took their craft to Vegas. Jim Sturgess ("Across the Universe") plays Ben Campbell, the new kid on the team who just wants to make enough money to pay his way through Harvard Medical School. The film shows Ben not only learning to count cards, but gaining street smarts and life experience as well.
The film looks great, especially thanks to computer imagery putting a focus on individual cards on tables. Vegas never looked so inviting. The cast is also outstanding- Spacey and Fishburne deliver as the team's faculty advisor of sorts and a casino loss manager, respectively. I thought all of the members of the team, including Kate Bosworth and Sturgess, did a great job as well. So often, college characters are fit into individual stereotypes (Thanks, "Diary of the Dead") but the focus here is on the teamwork and camaraderie with individual quirks serving to flesh out the roles. Sturgess obviously has some trouble with an American accent, but it's not enough of a problem to distract from this otherwise supremely entertaining movie.
"The Order of Myths"
Margaret Brown directed this documentary about segregation in Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, Alabama. Brown, an Alabama native, tackles this subject (which obviously hit close to home for her) with a fearless curiosity. Brown follows the Mardi Gras kings and queens of the two Mardi Gras associations in town, the all-white MCA and the all-black MAMGA.
The film features some shocking sights: white parades refusing to throw beads to black parade-goers, white society's general ignoring of anyone of color at social functions, and the black Mardi Gras queen realizing that her ancestors were brought to America on the white queen's ancestors' slave ship. Though the film spotlights the 2007 celebration as being partially integrated (the white royalty pay a visit to the black coronation and vice versa), both groups have no problem telling the camera that they like things the way they are.
Brown's voice comes through loud and clear in this documentary, particularly her disdain for the practice of debutante balls in general. One white participant in the film, Brittain Youngblood, generally disapproves of being a debutante but points to her mother as making her do it. Youngblood makes an effort to befriend the black servers at the all-white functions and discusses her disgust with the segregation in the town.
Overall, "The Order of Myths" is one of the most interesting documentaries I've ever seen at SXSW, simply through the way the issue was presented (and without a "solution") and the obvious connection the filmmaker felt with the subjects.
"Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay"
I have never seen an audience so jazzed about a movie than the one that saw "Harold and Kumar" tonight. The air was practically electric during the film- almost every joke scored as the laughs were sometimes so long and loud that the next joke flew by unnoticed. Directors and writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have really one-upped themselves by making a worthy sequel to the original cult hit.
The film begins immediately after the first one ends and jumps right back into pot-related shenanigans. On their way to Amsterdam, our heroes (John Cho and Kal Penn) are caught with a bong on the airplane. Security assumes it's a bomb and that Harold and Kumar are terrorists. Rob Corddry plays an ignorant Homeland Security officer that sends the boys off to Guantanamo Bay. The duo quickly escape and get back to America, where they travel the country trying to figure out a way to clear their name. In the meantime, both Harold and Kumar reflect on loves lost, racism in America, the nature of friendship and other crucial issues. And, of course, they meet up with Neil Patrick Harris.
Surprisingly enough, the premise of Harold and Kumar getting into situations where they expect one thing or person and get something completely different hasn't gotten old. The sequel finds new ways to deliver variations on the punchline and make it relevant to today's societal issues. But don't let the political intelligence of the film turn off anyone looking for a raunchy, gross-out comedy- the movie earns its R rating, featuring a number of sights that got some very... disgusted yet amused vocal reactions from the audience.
The "Harold and Kumar" sequel is definitely worth seeing, especially if you can view it with an audience as responsive as last night's. And, above all, be sure to stay until after the credits.
I'll be back with more once I see more films worth talking about!
Until then,
Plain Jane
