Author: Laurie Coker

I’ll be honest: Mermaid was my least favorite film of SXSW 2025. Despite its intriguing premise, it left me cringing more than laughing, and I had to force myself to sit through it. Directed by Tyler Cornack, the film follows Doug (played by Johnny Pemberton), an awkward, down-and-out drug addict in Florida who’s lost his… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: MERMAID – A Misguided Fantasy That Missed the Mark

I walked into Andrew DeYoung’s Friendship at its U.S. premiere at SXSW 2025, not quite knowing what to expect. The premise—a suburban dad desperate for a new friend whose enthusiasm spirals into chaos—seemed ripe for uncomfortable laughs and maybe even some quietly incisive social commentary. To its credit, the film delivers flashes of both. But… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: FRIENDSHIP – When Weird Goes Off the Rails

I went into this SXSW 2025 documentary more curious than skeptical. After all, it’s not every day you get a film that promises revelations from over thirty senior U.S. government, military, and intelligence officials about a secret 80-year cover-up involving non-human intelligent life. The idea of a global race to reverse-engineer alien technology sounds like… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: AGE OF DISCLOSURE

There’s something intoxicating about On Swift Horses, a film that practically hums with longing from its opening frames. I saw it at SXSW 2025, where it screened in the Festival Favorites section, and from the moment the lights dimmed, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a gentle ride. The film opens not with… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: ON SWIFT HORSES

I walked into Slanted with curiosity and an open mind, genuinely intrigued by what I thought might be a bold, satirical take on race, identity, and belonging in the age of cosmetic extremes. The premise—a Chinese-American teenager electing to undergo an experimental ethnic modification surgery to fit in—promised something provocative, maybe even daringly surreal. Unfortunately,… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: SLANTED

I watched the documentary Flight 149: Hostage of War, directed by Jenny Ash, during its screening at SXSW 2025, and I walked away both stunned and deeply moved. Going in, I was only vaguely aware of the events surrounding British Airways Flight 149. I certainly didn’t expect to be as affected as I was. The… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: FLIGHT 149: HOSTAGE OF WAR

Watching Selena y Los Dinos, directed by Isabel Castro, at SXSW 2025 was a memorable experience. The documentary offers an intimate and thoughtful look into Selena Quintanilla’s life and legacy. With never-before-seen archival footage, personal photographs, and candid interviews, the film traces her evolution from performing at local events in Corpus Christi to becoming the… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: SELENA Y LOS DINOS

This documentary is an exuberant, unapologetic celebration of a cultural revolution that has not only redefined theater and film but has also provided a lifelong sanctuary for those who dared to dream differently. With unprecedented access to the creative genius of Richard O’Brien and candid insights from legends such as Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Lou… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror: A Timeless Tapestry of Transgression, Transformation, and Triumph

At SXSW, The Rivals of Amziah King proved to be a delightful surprise—a film that blends the quirky charm of rural Oklahoma with an unexpectedly involved and poignant narrative. In this narrative feature, director Andrew Patterson delivers a well-crafted exploration of ambition, family, and rivalry, all set against the backdrop of an unconventional honey-making enterprise.… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING

The world premiere of Uvalde Mom at the SXSW Film Festival was a profoundly emotional experience, made even more poignant by the presence of the film’s subject, Angeli Rose Gomez, and several other cast members. Given the documentary’s heavy nature, the festival ensured counselors were in attendance, underscoring the lasting trauma of the Robb Elementary… Continue reading SXSW 2025 Movie Review: Uvalde Mom—A Powerful Portrait of Courage and Consequence