Author: Jan Hamilton

In the 80’s, Steve Glew was an introverted mid-westerner, married with kids. He always had a wild scheme hatching, mostly they didn’t pay off. His wife tried to control these tangents he would go off on,  but one actually worked. The candy in the little dispensers, Pez, was divided into a U.S. and a European… Continue reading SXSW 2022: THE PEZ OUTLAW

Here are some thoughts on the animated program. Bestia This is a dark look at the secret life of a secret police agent in Chile during a military dictatorship. She is drawn with waxy doll-like features, she makes visits to a house with unexplained dead bodies. She does unspeakable acts with her dog. Weird but… Continue reading SXSW 2022: ANIMATED SHORTS

Sandra Pankhurst runs what we would call a crime scene clean-up business, and she would normally go out on the jobs with her staff. Lately, as she approaches her sixties, she has had to forgo that because her early work years of not wearing the correct lung protection have left her with COPD.  She runs… Continue reading SXSW 2022: CLEAN

This film from Ghana tells its story from the point of view of two drunks, a shifty politician, a dutiful farmer, and a pair of lovers on the run from a crime. The couple have stolen from a photographer who has sent a hit man after them. The woman, Ana, robbed the man because he… Continue reading SXSW 2022: PUBLIC TOILET AFRICA

Julia (Maika Monroe) and Francis (Karl Glusman) have moved to Romania for Francis’ new job, he is part Romanian and is fluent in the language, Julia, an actress, speaks only English.  Their apartment building faces another large apartment building across the street. Julia mostly spends her days un-productively, and often looks out of the large… Continue reading SXSW 2022: WATCHER

In the late 70’s six people make a trip from a Houston strip club to the countryside. The group includes two dancers, their boyfriends, and two college kids. Wayne, the manager/boyfriend of Maxine, the red-haired dancer, is sure that if they make a low budget porn film, riches and Hollywood will naturally follow. He thinks… Continue reading SXSW 2022: X

Aisha Dee leads an attractive young cast as the title character Cecilia (Sissy) in this slow building shocker. Directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes, this movie will grab you and not let go.  Cecilia is up and coming influencer with 200,000 followers, she dispenses advice on confidence and self esteem, and never claims to… Continue reading SXSW 2022: SISSY

It’s 1999, New Years Eve in north London where three friends will end the evening in south London at at a big, important club party called “Twice As Nice”. That is, if they can score the expensive and elusive tickets. None of them is loaded, but one seems to think he can talk his ex… Continue reading SXSW 2022: PIRATES

Elisha  Cuthbert and Elon Macken star in this Irish horror film, directed by  Brendan Muldowney.   Set in a creepy yet stately old mansion in the Irish countryside, Keira and Brian Woods and their two teens Ellie and Steven have just moved far from home to start a new business. They will be monetizing social influencers… Continue reading SXSW 2022: THE CELLAR