SXSWis one of America’s biggest film festivals. And if you’re lucky enough to be going, we have a short list of what you’ll want to see. As always, there’s a bunch. SXSW’s incredible catalog of movies includes everything from Hollywood blockbusters to small, iconoclastic indie films. There will be something here for everyone: big fantasy romps, chilling allusive horrors, and even movies that are just about Cheetos! Of course, it’s one of the biggest events in the country, so you can be sure that the stars will fly straight from the Oscars down to Austin, Texas, for all the festival fun.
What to watch at SXSW is always a tough question. There’s so much on, and you don’t want to miss any of it. Rising movie studio A24 has a big premiere this year, launchingProblemista. Last year they used the festival to debutEverything Everywhere All at Once,and now it’s close to winning Best Picture.Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieveswill premiere on the festival’s opening night, ahead of its scheduled release date at the end of the month. It’s going to be an exciting year at SXSW! Here are all the must-see titles this season.
Problemista
A24’s newest filmProblemistawill get its big premiere at the festival. Writer and director Julio Torres also stars in the film as Alejandro. He plays a struggling toy designer who has brought his idiosyncratic ideas from El Salvador to New York, hoping to find a home for his dream. But time on his work visa is running out. A job with an eccentric art-world outcast (played byTilda Swinton) becomes his only lifeline to stay in the country. A battle with the U.S. immigration system is matched by a surreal journey through New York City.
Related:10 Sci-Fi Films from A24 That Will Leave You Speechless
While relatively new to the entertainment industry, Julio Torres proved himself as a writer onSaturday Night Liveby acting in single-episode stints in many different TV series. He’s been nominated for an Emmy four times and won a WGA award. Now he looks to enter the world of film with his debut movie. He’s certainly managed to secure a good enough cast with Tilda Swinton, Greta Lee, and the RZA on the list.
The 5th installment in the iconic world ofEvil Deadfilms.Evil Dead Risefollows two estranged sisters that find themselves together again. But their family reunion is cut short by flesh-possessing demons. The two must fight for their lives against the most terrifying version of their family.
Lee Cronin directs and writes alongside Sam Raimi. Bruce Campbell is attached as an executive producer. Alyssa Sutherland (The Devil Wears Prada) and Lily Sutherland (Barkskins) star as sisters Ellie and Beth, respectively. Initially, plans were made to create sequels toEvil Dead(2013) andArmy of Darkness, but producers decided to go in this direction instead. Now the film is headlining SXSW.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
The highly anticipated adaptation of the popular tabletop RPG will actually beopening SXSW. In a world filled with magic and mystery, a group of selfish thieves band together to steal a lost relic. When they accomplish their mission and run afoul of the wrong people, they must become a group of unlikely heroes to save their world.
While there have been attempts at a Dungeons & Dragons film in the past, this one seems to have pulled out all the stops to bring audiences into this spectacular world of fantasy. Chris Pine leads the cast along with Michelle Rodriguez. Other bright stars in the film include Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Chloe Coleman, Bryan Larkin, and Hugh Grant. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein direct.
If You Were the Last
In this uniqueSci-Fi romance, Adam and Jane drift between Jupiter and Saturn on their far-flung mission from NASA. Their ship is broken. Their communications are dead. Though they survive, each day passes with a growing doubt that anyone will come to rescue them. As Adam paints, Jane attempts to fix the ship, but both seem certain that no one is coming for them. When Adam suggests they fill their time by becoming more than just friends, a flirty debate begins between the stranded astronauts.
Related:Sundance 2023: Movies in the New Frontier, Kids, and Indie Episodic Programs
Marvel celebrity Anthony Mackie plays Adam, and TV star and indie darling Zoe Chao plays Jane. Kristian Mercado directs, and Angela Bourassa writes. The film takes the premise of a familiar romcom and lets it play out in an unexpected Sci-Fi setting. A curious movie to see if you’re a fan of love and spaceships.
Four Asian-American friends take a once-in-a-lifetime, international journey to find their birth mothers. When Audrey’s business trip goes awry, she enlists the help of three friends: Lolo, her hot mess of a childhood bestie; Kat, a college friend turned soap opera star; and Deadeye, her eccentric cousin. As they get caught up in their wild adventure of belonging and debauchery, they learn what it means to know and love who you really are.
Writer ofCrazy Rich Asians, Adele Lim, directs this magical epic written byFamily Guywriter Cherry Chevapravatdumrong,American Dadwriter Teresa Hsiao, and new talent fromThe L Word: Generation Q, Nina Kim. Ashley Park stars as Audrey. Sherry Cola plays Lolo. Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu plays Kat, and Sabrina Wu is Deadeye. This rich comedy promises to piece your heart together with feelings of true friendship and a good laugh along the way.
