Author: Laurie Coker

SXSW 2026 -Kill Me: a darkly comedic, twisty mystery that somehow balances laughs, thrills

Charlie Day

I watched the world premiere of Kill Me at SXSW, and wow—what a ride. Peter Warren has crafted a darkly comedic, twisty mystery that somehow balances laughs, thrills, and genuine suspense all at once. The movie begins with Jimmy—played brilliantly by Charlie Day—waking up in a bathtub filled with his own blood, wrists slit. At… Continue reading SXSW 2026 -Kill Me: a darkly comedic, twisty mystery that somehow balances laughs, thrills

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SXSW 2026 – Surfilmusic: gently pulls you in and then stays

Jack Johnson, wife and friends (Coker)

My favorite film at SXSW 2026 wasn’t the flashiest or loudest — it was a quiet, deeply personal documentary by Emmett Malloy about Jack Johnson. I went in expecting something mellow and reflective, but I wasn’t ready for how much it would affect me personally. It’s the kind of film that gently pulls you in… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Surfilmusic: gently pulls you in and then stays

SXSW 2026 – Love Language: enough sincerity and charm along the way to make it enjoyable

Love Language feels like the kind of romantic comedy that’s trying to be a little more thoughtful than most, even if it doesn’t always get there smoothly. Directed by Joey Powers and led by Chloë Grace Moretz, the film centers on Lou, a writer whose career has stalled into writing marketing copy, only to find… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Love Language: enough sincerity and charm along the way to make it enjoyable

SXSW 2026 – Forbidden Fruits: frustrating, shallow, and nowhere near clever

Credit: Coker

I saw Forbidden Fruits at SXSW 2026 and walked out feeling genuinely disappointed. It sets itself up like it’s going to be bold, edgy, and maybe even a little subversive, especially with its all-female coven operating inside a suburban mall. Directed by Meredith Alloway and featuring a strong cast led by Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti,… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Forbidden Fruits: frustrating, shallow, and nowhere near clever

Project Hail Mary: humor, tension, and a surprising amount of warmth

Ryan Gosling in 'Project Hail Mary.' Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

I skipped the closing film at SXSW this year and instead attended the screening of Project Hail Mary. Honestly, I was skeptical at first—how could a story about one guy and a rock-like alien carry an entire movie without becoming boring or losing its heart? It seemed like the kind of idea that might look… Continue reading Project Hail Mary: humor, tension, and a surprising amount of warmth

SXSW 2026 – Over Your Dead Body: a fun, energetic mix of action, comedy, and thriller

Over Your Dead Body is one of those films that knows exactly what it is—and embraces it with a grin, fitting the theme that SXSW programmers appeared to promote for this festival – graphic violence and broken people. Directed by Jorma Taccone, the premise is deliciously simple: a dysfunctional couple heads to a remote cabin under the… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Over Your Dead Body: a fun, energetic mix of action, comedy, and thriller

SXSW 2026 – Sender:

I saw Sender at its world premiere during SXSW 2026, and it’s the kind of film that immediately pulls you in with a sharp, unsettling premise. Directed by Russell Goldman, the story follows Julia, played by Britt Lower, who is newly sober and newly unemployed, trying to rebuild her life in a quiet suburban rental.… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Sender:

SXSW 2026 – Chili Finger: bold, strange, and undeniably fun

I saw Chili Finger at its world premiere during SXSW 2026, and it’s one of those films that makes me laugh, wince, and then think a little longer than I expected. Directed by Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad, the movie takes a bizarre real-life premise and pushes it into dark, chaotic, and surprisingly thoughtful territory.… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Chili Finger: bold, strange, and undeniably fun