Every year, Austin, Texas hosts the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival. Widely known as one of the largest music festivals in the United States, it also features a popular film festival showcasing feature-length narratives, documentaries, shorts and animated films. SXSW recently released the schedule, including a list of Headliners, films with big name talent meant to "bring star power to SXSW." So if red carpets and rubbing elbows with industry folks are what you're after, consider checking out one the following films.
Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are headlining with their adaptation of the popular late-80s TV show, 21 Jump Street. The "big names" here are Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, who also co-wrote the script Michael Bacall. Tatum and Hill play cops who are sent undercover into a high school in order to bust up a drug ring. I have to admit, I was skeptical about Channing's ability to be funny. Having seen him in films like G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Dear John (don't judge me), I felt I'd seen more raw talent and emotional range in a plank of wood. However, after seeing him host SNL earlier this year I realized that perhaps he shouldn't be the action star or the chick flick love interest. He has a knack for comedy. His opening monologue alone changed my mind. Hill is a comedy pro, but it will be interesting to see how he tries his hand at writing. His short-lived animated series Allen Gregory fizzled out after only seven episodes. However, after several advanced screenings, the Twitterverse was buzzing with high praise for 21 Jump Street.
It's a tale as old as time. A group of friends, a cabin in the woods, inevitable horror ensues. But director Drew Goddard claims that if you think you know the story....think again. The films stars Thor's Chris Hemsworth and Glee's Jesse Williams. But it's writer/producer Joss Whedon who will undoubtedly bring in a crowd. Whedon, beloved creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly brings a certain amount of geek cred to anything he touches, and his loyal flock of followers will watch anything to which the Whedon name is attached. If I were attending SXSW, it would be at the top of my list.
The HBO series Girls is premiering it's pilot episode at SXSW. Lena Dunham, who created and stars in the series, won SXSW's 2009 Best Narrative Feature for her film Tiny Furniture. Girls is about three girls in their early twenties living in New York City. The "big name" attached to this project is comedy powerhouse Judd Apatow, who is co-executive producing the series. The show will air on HBO starting April 15, 2012.
A full list of film categories at SXSW can be found here.
The complete 2012 Film Schedule can be found here.
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