Now a few weeks removed from this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival and all our reviews posted (to keep up with our latest coverage, click here), let’s take one more look back as we share our top 5 favorite films of the festival.
Dan’s Picks
5. The Art of Self Defense
Featuring some of the driest humor I’ve ever seen, and requiring a very niche sense of humor, this film is definitely going to turn people off. But, if you’re a deadpan enthusiast like me, this is going to be the hardest you laugh at a movie in years.
4. Us
Jordan Peele is 2/2 now, and although his new film isn’t politically driven, he still balances horrific concepts and complex ideas to play with the audience’s minds like a master.
3. Good Boys
A raunchy comedy that exists beyond the purpose of being raunchy, Good Boys is one of the funniest studio comedies in recent memory. It’s definitely going to offend many, but the 3 kids at the center are superstars, and nobody can argue that.
2. Little Monsters
A zombie movie with true creative integrity, Little Monsters is a blast of a film that has Lupita Nyong’o kicking ass and taking names for the second time on this list. A cult classic in the making, this is a film that balance horror, humor and Taylor Swift to a perfect effect.
1. Booksmart
What may end up being the essential coming of age film of the 2010’s, Olivia Wilde blows away with her directorial debut, showing off skills that would generally be seen in a 25th time filmmaker. Hysterical and emotional, this will go down as one of the greatest films of all time, and will please audiences with it’s female-centric cast and crew for generations.
Keith’s Picks
5. The Beach Bum
The Beach Bum is definitely an acquired taste. What could be best described as an experience, this stoner fantasy world is so ridiculous that it shouldn’t work on paper but somehow still does. While its sense of humor most certainly won’t be for everyone, it’s a blast to watch with Matthew McConaughey’s lead performance being the cherry on top.
4. Good Boys
Much more than an excuse for a bunch of sixth graders swearing for 90ish minutes, Good Boys features plenty of heart at its core. The film isn’t gratuitous or goes for shock value but rather about the power of friendship. Of course it’s going to offend some people either way, however, these three kids are worth looking out for now and in the future (everybody knows about Jacob Tremblay).
3. I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth vs. Michelle Carter
Everybody has surely heard about the story of Michelle Carter but as this documentary will prove, there was much more going on beneath the surface. This compelling yet fair and balanced film covers both sides of the incident in question in two parts and will make you question what you thought you knew throughout. Check it out on HBO this year.
2. Little Monsters
The first of two Lupita Nyong’o films on my list, Little Monsters is a near-perfect midnight movie. Another film that will surely offend viewers, this horror/comedy hybrid was both violent and hilarious. Featuring a scene-stealing performance from Josh Gad to boot, this one is sure to be a classic.
1. Us
Get Out is a hard film to top and Us may very well done it. Jordan Peele’s followup to his first film is perhaps not as heavy message-wise but in its own right was a thrilling genre mashup with an incredible performance from Lupita Nyong’o at its core. Not only was it incredibly tense, the level of artistry and skill on display here from Peele and others was quite something to behold. Maybe it won’t be as well-received as Get Out, however, this film deserves just as much recognition.
Follow Dan on twitter @daniel_azbel and on letterboxd @danthemovieman.
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
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