SXSW 2022 Exclusive: A Preview Of This Year's Festival
SXSW returns triumphant with a lineup of Long Awaited premiers, Thoughtful features and the most Self-Deprecating comedy in years
In 2021, the world was shut down. Reeling from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, towns shuttered their doors, and everything was cancelled. The 2021 SXSW festival was one of those “everythings.” But now as the world inches closer to the new normal, SXSW returns in an explosion of comedy, drama, adventure and pride as it tries to comfort us back into a world culture. For the Film Festival, it’s headliners vary from a portrait of the mythical being that is Nicolas Cage to Michelle Yeoh’s mesmerizing, metaverse adventure that is just as brilliant as it is bonkers. Here is our preview for this years headliners of the 2022 SXSW Film Festival.
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
An animated feature from Academy Award-Nominee Richard Linklater, director of Boyhood. The film is set during the Space Race in 1969 and views the event through the perspectives of an Astronaut, an operator at Mission Control, and an impressionable dreamer of a child growing up in Houston, Texas informed by the experiences of the Director himself. Starring the voices of Jack Black, and Zachary Levi, the film serves as both a love story between a boy and the stars as well as a social snapshot of 1960’s. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is set to release on March 13th.
Atlanta Season 3 Premiere
The much anticipated return of Donald Glover’s transcendent series after 4 years since the release of Season 2. Since 2018 the stars of the series have all risen to a level that makes the series a must watch if you haven’t already. Bryan Tyree-Henry, LaKeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz have all made name for themselves beyond the scope of the FX series with Henry and Beetz becoming Marvel Superheroes and Stanfield being a stones throw away from an Academy Award. Atlanta returns to FX on March 24th.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
In her second feature film, Director Halina Reijn dives head first into the bloody absurdity of the Massacre Satire genre, the Massacire, if you will. As the awesome force of mother nature approaches, a group of privileged 20-somthings defy the hurricane and party instead. Things quickly spiral out of control as they have to deal with the deadly consequences of betrayal, insecurity and interpersonal politics. Bodies Bodies Bodies stars Amanda Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, and Lee Pace and is set for wide release on March 14th.
The Lost City
Sandra Bullock stars as a Erotic Novelist who gets kidnapped by an eccentric and nefarious billionaire played by Daniel Radcliffe and it is up to her Fabio-esk cover model played by Channing Tatum to rescue her. From the directors of Band Of Robbers and The Last Romantic, Adam Nee and Aaron Nee, this Adventure-Comedy if full of hilarious antics and charming performances from the cast. The Lost City is set for a March 19th release.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Nic Cage stars as Nicolas Cage he battles his inner Nicky Cage while navigating the budding friendship with a Millionaire Arms-Dealer played by Pedro Pascal. In a film that could only be pulled off by the man himself, Director Tom Gormican has crafted a self-aware, self-deprecating, and extremely meta comedy that is anchored by the brilliant performances by the two leads. Along with Cage and Pascal, the film stars Tiffany Haddish, Lily Mo Sheen, Sharon Horgan, and Ike Barinholtz. The Unbaerable Weight Of Massive Talent is set to release in theaters on April 22nd.
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
The opening film of the SXSW carries a weight of expectation as the primer for the week of feature films. As the first film to screen at SXSW since 2019 there was a larger, more palpable expectation and Everything Everywhere All At Once absolutely delivers. From ‘The Daniels’, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, directors of Sundance darling Swiss Army Man, the film exists in the space between a Tim and Eric sketch and Jet Li’s The One. The film is a multi-versal misadventure that mystifies and delights as it throws every idea that The Daniels have ever had into a single film. No joke is too silly or irreverent or off limits as the film explores the more silly aspects of the Multi-verse. The cast is led by the legendary Michelle Yeoh and the returning Ke Huy Quan who has not been in a feature film since the 2002 film Second TIme Around and is most known for his work as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and as Data in The Goonies. Supporting the two and turning in memorable performances of their own are Jenny Slate, James Hong, and Jamie Lee-Curtis. Stephanie Hsu has earned a special mention for what could be a breakout performance for the young actor. The goofy humor and silly tone coat a poignant story that explores concepts of love, family and fate in its own way that is uniquely of The Daniels. Everything Everywhere All At Once is set for wide release on April 8th.