The mighty blur of SXSW is drawing to a close. I for one have had a fantastic time again this year in particular, with all of the ancillary tendrils. The vast depth and diversity of content has impressed me this year more so than in any previous year. I've read some fairly negative editorials online though, regarding commercialism/greed/crowds/whatever-else-people-want-to-bitch-about, and I have to say, that really pisses me off. SXSW is unparalleled in my experience, and we're pretty damn lucky that we live in the host city and can soak it all in.
Anyhow, that said, there's only 2 days left of movies, which is the real reason I am writing.
Here's what I would recommend based on what I have personally seen/heard:
Friday, March 14:
6:00 PM Humboldt County, Alamo Ritz
9:00 PM The Upsetter: The Life & Music of Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Alamo Ritz
11:00 PM Midnight Shorts, Alamo Ritz
Saturday, March 15:
4:00 PM Cook County, Alamo Lamar
4:30 PM The Night James Brown Saved Boston, Alamo Ritz
8:00 PM Heavy Metal in Baghdad, Alamo Ritz
Crowds have tapered off, so you should be able to get into these screenings without a badge. If you are going to the Ritz, I recommend parking north of the district and walking down into the fray. It's not so bad as long as you don't drive right down into the heart of it.
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Friday, March 14, 2008
Tim's recommendations for the last two days...
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3 comments:
The Lee Scratch Perry doc is pretty unmissable. I know they're still working on rights clearance so it may be a while before you get to see it again. See it!
"Crowds have tapered off, so you should be able to get into these screenings without a badge."
That would make a nice change from standing inn lines for three hours and not getting in to shows. Unfortunately the reason crowds have tapered off is because the music festival offers people a better option.
The film festival is a joke. The organisers need to pull there heads out of their arses and just start selling tickets! As it stands the 'film pass' is a complete waste of time.
I agree with Tim that the constant moaning about SXSW is irritating. The same people who will bitch about not being to get into shows will also whine about how the festival has "sold out" by bringing in big name films or bands. This makes no sense. SXSW spends most of their budget on the big acts, which siphons off the mainstream-loving people with badges who want to waste their time there, thereby freeing up room in the clubs featuring small undiscovered acts so people who want to explore can get in. I've been going to SXSW for 10 years now, and I've found that there are ALWAYS small no-name bands playing in front of paltry crowds, and plenty of movies where you feel bad for the filmmakers because the audience is so thin. Yes, if you want to go to the popular shows with big names and big buzz, it's hard to get in. But a wristband or a film pass can always get you in to something. It's also interesting that this year, I heard someone who had forked out $1000 for a platinum badge moaning that they had to wait in the same lines as the people with a mere film pass. I think that the fact that this is not the case speaks volumes about the fairness of the fest.
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