As many good intentions as I have every year to stay on track with my day to day coverage, I inevitable get behind juggling screenings, interviews, events, and of course parties. So here I am to give you the low down on my last few days of the festival all together! I hope you enjoy this last entry of my SXSW Experience from the perspective of a veteran attendee!
Day 5
My day 5 began where so many of my past days have- in line at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar waiting for a movie to start. Go figure. One major difference is that I got to see former AICN great/current screenwriting great Massawyrn introduce his buddy Joe Lynch's latest shoot 'em up MAYHEM.
I know I always wax philosophical about how much I love not knowing anything about a film going in, but I have to admit that I didn't even realize that one of my faves, Steven Yeun (Glenn!), was the leading man of this Lynch outing. I had just heard that it was crazy amounts of fun from Massawyrm and that I had to check it out. So, there I was watching my old buddy introduce a film that would soon have me cheering and applauding.
MAYHEM
Imagine what would happen if everyone around you lost his or her inhibitions and their "id" took over their bodies. In MAYHEM, the set up goes a little something like this: there is an extremely virulent virus slowly pervading the country that suppresses a person's usual restraint when handling day to day challenges. Some people want to fight, some folks lament, others have sex, while some go completely ballistic. The usual duration of these symptoms subsides within an 8 hour period, and a total quarantine of the affected area or building is strictly mandated by the NIH. For those 8 hours, however, everyone who is infected must basically fend for themselves and try not to hurt anyone else. Now, imagine if such a virus were unleashed on an entire complex of blood sucking attorneys who already exhibit some of the most cut throat tenancies of any profession. Yeah, you get the idea.
Derek Cho has already had a particularly bad day after being set up by the higher ups in the company for a major business snafu that gets him fired. Though Cho was once a bright-eyed newbie with dreams of working his way up to partner of the consulting firm, this deathblow to his career comes just as he is beginning to question the merits of the sometimes hearltess job he must perform. As Cho makes his way to the building's exit, however, the quarantine takes hold, and he is forced to fight for not only his job and professional integrity, but for his life as well.
I love a ridiculous premise like that of MAYHEM. Take away all customary restraint and mores and see how different people react. To see it all unravel onscreen is an absolute delight, and though the context is quite grim, Lynch embraces the comedy as much as the gore factor. Though I will admit that at times the story gets a bit bogged down in legal/business mumbo jumbo, the brainy jargon does help to ground the story when people start to actually get brained.
Steven Yeun could not be more spot on as the afflicted Cho. Not only does he nail the affectations of a man reduced to his neanderthal sensibilities, he gets to deliver some of the most witty, hardcore dialogue I've seen on screen while being outlandishly charming and hilarious at the same time. As his unlikely side kick, Samara Weaving also gets to kick mega ass while creating a character whose plight provides the heartbeat of the moral meta-ness of the whole peice. So many times, a film sacrifices storyline or plot for the special effects or vice versa, but Lynch manages to serve up a perfect balance of both. If you love a good splatter film, but also appreciate a clever and well-paced story, MAYHEM is right up your alley. Kudos to Lynch for hitting the nail directly on the head.
After the MAYHEM screening and Q and A, Diva and I got right back in line for GEMINI, Aaron Katz's beautifully classic ode to L.A. noir. Watch out for my interview with the director about this stand out film at the fest, especially considering it got picked up by Neon.
The rest of my day consisted of writing and taking in some of the festival sights including this view of an immense MTV stage erected on Lady Bird Lake, street musicians, a random dude with a kangaroo, and a skater with a ferret on a leash. Oh SX...
DAY 6
My sixth day of SXSW started off at the SXSW Virtual Cinema with a cool VR presentation of BUZZ ALDRIN: CYCLING PATHWAYS TO MARS.
The experience features a hologram of the legendary astronaut as he outlines his life long plan to send humans to Mars. The immersive VR format enables the viewer to take a trip to both the moon and Mars and explore the galaxy right in front of them.
As the first legacy project to archive a historic icon in photorealistic hologram form, 8i and Time Inc. will soon be distributing this groundbreaking short film to a VR installation near you. Be on the lookout for this one of a kind experience.
Aside from the Buzz Aldrin program, there were several other VR set ups I perused, including a more interactive display called WONDER BUFFALO that is based on the short film of the same name. In this application, the viewer can navigate around a teenage girl's room and activate various objects in the room via a handheld remote control that eventually transforms the space into a crazy art installation.
After my experience at Fantastic Fest with horror VR and now these latest educational/sci-fi/art applications, I am amazed by the possibilities the future holds within the burgeoning format.
After the VR presentations I met up with Diva Del Mar to explore some of the free music events around downtown since the music portion of SXSW was in full swing. We hit up a free cookout, a few bands, madness at the convention center, and even a Wonder Woman event with crafting stuff laid out everywhere. Something for everyone!
Next, we headed down to the Alamo Drafthouse to check out Giancarlo Esposito's much buzzed about drama THIS IS YOUR DEATH. Though the film was well received by the Diva, it was a bit to melodramatic for my tastes. Though I enjoyed performances by Josh Duhamel and Sara Wayne Callies, the over the top story of reality TV suicide just didn't do it for me. Esposito was there to introduce the film and do and Q and A afterwards.
The rest of the day found us back downtown amid the hubbub, where I met up with Yoko for some more live music.
In case you aren't aware, Harry's wife is an utter badass and a music aficionado, so hanging with her for any music is the right choice. We took in the sounds of Frankie Rose (originally with the Dum Dum girls) as well as indie pop/rock Chastity Belt.
DAY 7
Following my whirlwind day six, I had a much more low key day seven. I opted for one last screening at the historic Paramount- Michael Showalter's THE BIG SICK.
THE BIG SICK
This mostly autobiographical film was written by husband/wife team Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon and produced by comedy Midas himself, Judd Apatow. It is about Emily's medically induced coma and it is hilarious. Yep, that's right. However, while the main story of Emily's big sick plays out, a parallel plot line dealing with Kumail's strict Pakistani family brings another level of conflict to the stand up comedian's life. Let's back up.
The story begins with establishing Kumail as a struggling comedian/Uber driver in Chicago. His family immigrated to the U.S. when Kumail was a boy to pursue the American dream, nevertheless his traditional parents expect him to conform to the customs of their home country, i.e. remain a devout Muslim and agree to an arranged marriage. Though none of this aligns with Kumail's current lifestyle, he appeases his parents by pretending to pray and agreeing to a never ending succession of "appointments" with potential brides.
Soon, though, Kumail is charmed by the lovely Emily, a grad student studying to be a counselor. Despite affirmations by both parties that their one night stand was just that and that neither of them need a steady relationship, they can't deny the spark between them. When Emily discovers after five months of dating that Kumail has no intention of taking their relationship to the next level, they decide to call it quits. Not long after their break up he receives a late night phone call that his ex is direly ill in the hospital, and with no one else to advocate for her until her family arrives, he is it. The rest of the story follows Kumail as he becomes acquainted with Emily's parents, and begins to finally discover what he really wants in his own life.
To say THE BIG SICK is charming would be the understatement of the year. It is astonishingly charming. Zoe Kazan, subbing for the real Emily, is completely adorable and endearing as Kumail's unexpected sweetheart. She perfectly embodies the strife of unrequited love while still maintaining the pride of a modern woman who won't put up someone who can't, or won't, give her what she deserves.
I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that Kumail nails playing himself, however it is quite delightful to see the funny man embrace his more dramatic side as he navigates new territory in his lovelife. Realizing that he himself faced such conflict in his real life certainly makes his emotional journey that much more poignant.
The true scene stealers of THE BIG SICK, though, are Holly Hunter and Ray Romano as Emily's parents who are struggling to cope with the mortality of their only child. Hunter is as intimidating as ever as the whip smart momma bear who undoubtedly calls the shots to Romano's more laid back, yet somewhat bumbling character. Through Kumail, we get to know the troubled couple, and we also get to experience fully fleshed out and complex "parent characters" that are integral to the story and don't simply serve as plot devices in the last two thirds of the film like in so many similar relationship films. What a delight it is to see this unlikely pair onscreen together.
As the underlying theme to the entire film, Kumail's relationship with his strict family is treated with deference while still sharply illustrating the incongruity between tradition and Kumail's current lifestyle. He loves his family dearly and respects their decisions to adhere to the customs of their faith and home country, yet the obvious lesson is to ultimately be true to oneself.
Oh yeah, there was that part at the beginning of this review about the film being funny too. It certainly doesn't hurt that the other subtext of the film revolves around Kumail and his merry band of comedians as they try to impress a big wig from the Montreal Comedy Festival. While actual stand up and plenty of bits play out onscreen, the situational comedy here is golden. Even high tensions during Emily's lengthy hospital provide a counterintuitive backdrop for some unexpected laughs, keeping the film firmly planted in the comedy genre and saving it from becoming overly dramatic.
I cannot say enough good things about the film, and the thunderous applause and cheers when the credits rolled at the Paramount Theater further confirmed that I wasn't the only one charmed entirely. Kumail, Apatow and the real live Emily V. Gordon were in hand for a Q and A following the screening, and lots of laughs were had when a not-so-anonymous fellow audience member stood in the mic line to ask some questions...
That's right- Hannibal Buress was in the house to support his fellow comedian, and it was true SXSW gold as their banter turned into a full-on bit right before our eyes. It was definitely another one of a kind SX moment.
Since this pretty much ended up being my last day of the film festival, I guess this wraps up another year of Annette Kellerman's SXSW Experience entries. I hope you've enjoyed tagging along with me to the various films, events, music, free stuff, etc that makes up this incredible festival that takes over our fair city every year. Be on the lookout for a series of interviews I was lucky enough to conduct with Bill Pullman, Alex Pettyfer, Warren G, as well as some other very talented film makers.
Rebecca Elliott
aka Annette Kellerman
