Let’s be honest… your entire weekend is already booked watching the third season of Netflix’s House of Cards. I mean, seriously, now that Frank Underwood is in the oval office, we can’t wait to see what happens next! But, after you binge watch that, finishing some time on Friday night, you have a whole weekend ahead of you to stream even more! Check out the newest streaming picks on Netflix, Amazon Prime and VOD below.

Netflix

Open Windows (Nacho Vigalondo, 2014)

With just three feature films, Nacho Vigalondo has already established himself as one of the premiere indie genre filmmakers working today. His latest, Open Windows steps away from his science fiction roots but amps up the style in this strange and edgy thriller. The film is told entirely through the computer cam of Jill Stoddard (Sasha Grey, The Girlfriend Experience and *ahem* other films) as she’s being watched by jilted fan (Elijah Wood). While this may seem like a small-set way to tell a film, Vigalondo takes it to some wild and dark places. We saw Open Windows at the 2014 SXSW film festival and loved it.

Stream Open Windows on Netflix

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
1,000 Times Good Night (Erik Poppe, 2013)
The Heart Machine (Zachary Wigon, 2014)
In Bloom (Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Groß, 2013)
RoboCop (José Padilha, 2014)
A Summer’s Tale (Eric Rohmer, 1996)

Amazon Prime

Orphan Black Season 2

Before the critically acclaimed Orphan Black comes back for its third season on April 18, catch up on its first two seasons. House of Cards is definitely going to dominate the headlines and social conversation this weekend, but Orphan Black is far and away the better show. Tatiana Maslany is phenomenal as Sarah Manning and her artificially created sisterhood of clones. In its second season, we become closer to Sarah, Cosima, Alison and Katja, meet new clones, and learn more about the mysterious Dyad Group. The show is intriguing, tense, funny, dark and action-packed—one of the best on TV and a must watch.

Stream Orphan Black Season 2 on Amazon Prime

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Believe Me (Will Bakke, 2014)
Clerks II (Kevin Smith, 2006)
Finding Neverland (Marc Forster, 2004)
Hannibal Season 2 (available February 28)
Jamie Marks Is Dead (Carter Smith, 2014)

Video On-Demand

Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014)

Fresh off its three Academy Award wins, including the surprising pick for Best Editing, you can check out Whiplash on Video On-Demand. Starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, Whiplash is set in the competitive world of classic jazz music, pushing the boundaries of what we expect artists to endure for their craft. Teller and Simmons are both stunning in their roles of student and teacher, full of nuance and effort. The film is exhilarating in its many musical scenes while being performed believably—the use of both quick edits and medium shots give you full view of the performance with incredible movement. Whiplash is as good as you’ve heard and should be seen with the sound turned way up.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Beyond the Lights (Gina Prince-Bythewood, 2014)
Big Hero 6 (Don Hall & Chris Williams, 2014)
Maps to the Stars (David Cronenberg, 2014)
The Salvation (Kristian Levring, 2014)
Wild Canaries (Lawrence Michael Levine, 2014)

Catch ’em while you can!

These films are set to expire from Netflix on February 28th

Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
Das Boot: The Director’s Cut (Wolfgang Petersen, 1981)
Dumb and Dumber (The Farrelly Brothers, 1994)
The Elephant Man (David Lynch, 1980)
Fright Night (Tom Holland, 1985)
Glengarry Glen Ross (James Foley, 1992)
Leaving Las Vegas (Mike Figgis, 1995)
Rachel Getting Married (Jonathan Demme, 2008)
Seven (David Fincher, 1995)
Thief (Michael Mann, 1981)

With multiplexes playing the usual dreck coming out after December (Mortdecai? You serious?), and the only films worth seeing right now being the Oscar hopefuls we haven’t seen yet, it’s going to take some time before some truly interesting new movies come out. So why not spend this time watching some films from last year that were slept on? As we mentioned previously on the site, there were over 1,000 films released in 2014, and with a large number like that some films are bound to slip through the cracks.

That’s why some of us decided to profile those films that got too small of a release, made too little at the box office, or didn’t end up getting much love on year-end lists. These are the good, the great, the little-seen and overlooked films of 2014. And luckily for you, a lot of these picks are available right now. So why not spend this weekend catching up with some of last year’s hidden gems? You certainly won’t go wrong checking any one of these out, and you might end up singing their praises along with us. Read on to see our picks, and let us know in the comments what films you thought were overlooked from last year.

Actress

Interview with director Robert Greene and star Brandy Burre

When Brandy Burre got pregnant while working on HBO’s The Wire, she made a dramatic change in her life. Putting her acting career on hold, Burre embraced the role of a stay-at-home mom, raising her two children while her partner played the role of breadwinner. Director Robert Greene started filming Burre as she tried to start acting again, showing the difficult process while exploring some fascinating themes on subjectivity in our own lives as well as documentary filmmaking. Things eventually take an unexpected turn once some information about Burre comes to light partway through, but the universality of Greene’s themes wind up playing directly into the film’s “twist.” By putting an actress front and centre, Greene puts viewers in a state of constant awareness about the validity and authenticity of what’s on-screen. And through watching the ups and downs of Burre’s personal and professional life, it’s easy to recognize how all of us play some sort of role in our lives at one point or another. Actress is a documentary about the roles we choose to play, the roles we have to play, and the struggles that come with trying to get the roles we want to play. [C.J.]

Availability: In limited theatrical release from Cinema Guild. Expect a DVD and/or Blu-Ray release later this year.

Bird People

Review

An American man and a French woman, both staying at the same hotel. He’s there on business, while she works at the hotel as a maid. Both people go through a transformative experience and must deal with the consequences. Revealing any more about Bird People would ruin the surprise. Pascale Ferran’s diptych is by far one of the most balls-out original films of 2014, and a total delight to watch unfold. It’s hard to describe without revealing too much, but few films gave me as much pleasure last year as watching Bird People open up in ways I never could have expected. The sudden shift from small-scale to large-scale, from low-key to something more like a dream, and seeing how both parts connect thematically is nothing but sublime. My recommendation: Watch Bird People with as little knowledge as possible about what to expect, and enjoy the ride. [C.J.]

Availability: IFC will release Bird People on DVD on January 13th. The film should also be available on VOD.

Cheap Thrills

Review
Interview with director E.L. Katz and star Ethan Embry

After a husband and father (Pat Healy, terrific) gets laid off, an unexpected reunion with an old friend (Ethan Embry) leads to a tantalizing opportunity once they bump into an arrogant rich man (David Koechner). He offers the two down on their luck friends a chance to earn up to $250,000. All they have to do is participate in a series of bizarre, grotesque challenges for Koechner’s own entertainment. Director E.L. Katz starts Cheap Thrills off as a sort of funny crossover between Saw and Jackass before gradually turning the film into something as vicious as Funny Games. At the heart of the film is one hell of a nasty message about class differences, one that makes Cheap Thrills feel like a modern-day update of the ’70s exploitation films not afraid to put politics front and centre. Katz’s film certainly has scorn for its rich villains, but in watching the two lower class protagonists degrade themselves to fight over cash (what essentially amounts to scraps for Koechner’s character) it’s impossible to not sit there and wonder why they’re even playing by this guy’s rules in the first place. Cheap Thrills is an angry film, one that puts viewers through a wide range of emotions before knocking them out with a stunner of a final shot. [C.J.]

Availability: Available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and streaming on Amazon Prime.

Cold in July

Review

Jim Mickle has shown a lot of potential in the past, but hasn’t been able to get past a certain barrier with his films that really make me sit up and applaud. Things changed in 2014 when he released his gritty pulp noir thriller Cold in July. I remember hearing about it and being more ambivalent towards it than anything. Then a friend texted me: “Cold in July. Now this is a fucking movie.” I got a chance to finally see it, and as White Lion’s “Wait” played over the end credits, I had to pick my jaw up from the floor. Mickle’s film is drenched in blood, mood, atmosphere and style. If 1980’s John Carpenter made a revenge thriller in the vein of Rolling Thunder, this would be it. Assisted with a synth score straight out of the ’80s, and led by one of the best lead performances of the year (Michael C. Hall), Mickle’s film swerves from left to right, going from one dastardly deed to another. That’s what makes the film so good; you never know where it’s going until the final 30 minutes. And when you arrive at the gore soaked finale, you’ll be struggling to remember how our hero even got into this mess in the first place. [Blake]

Availability: Available now on DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD.

The Den

When my girlfriend and I peruse the selection on Netflix, I usually just let her pick something as I can get too picky. She chose The Den, and as I clicked on the icon to start it, I couldn’t have rolled my eyes any harder at the horrendous cover art (bad cover art usually equals bad movie). Boy was I wrong. Running at a lean 75 minutes, The Den is a very strong entry into the found footage genre. A young woman decides to experiment with a new website allowing users to talk to one another in rapid succession (exactly like Chatroulette). She stumbles upon a user that looks to have been murdered on camera and decides to investigate. The deeper she goes into this grotesque rabbit hole, the more dangerous her every turn becomes. The Den expertly builds tension with each subsequent scene, and the way the film shows the walls of one’s privacy slowly crumbling around them is chilling. The film also has a lot of its scares during the day in sunlight, which is something I really admire, and it all builds to one of the most intense endings 2014 had to offer (I remember turning to my girlfriend at one point during the finale and saying “Oh my god.”) While The Den isn’t a game changer by any means, it’s one of the best found footage movies in years. [Blake]

Availability: Currently available on DVD and streaming on Netflix Instant.

Grand Piano

Review

Grand Piano is nothing more than plain, absurd fun. Its premise is like a laughable remake of Phone Booth or Speed (after telling a friend of mine the premise, he said that a more appropriate title for this would be “Tempo.”) The film takes place during a pianist’s (Elijah Wood, continuing a string of great work in genre films) comeback performance after coming out of retirement. Before he starts the concert, he’s given a message from a man hiding in the building. Apparently a psychopath has a gun aimed at the poor pianist, and if he plays one false note he’ll get shot in front of everyone. It turns out there’s a reason why Wood’s character can’t play one false note, and it’s the definition of ridiculous. But so is all of Grand Piano, which knows how to take its silliness seriously. Director Eugenio Mira goes full Brian De Palma here, and screenwriter Damien Chazelle (yes, that Damien Chazelle) continually ups the absurdity without slowing down the film’s lean pacing (seriously, between this and Whiplash, Chazelle has mastered how to write a film without any fat whatsoever). This is the perfect kind of film to watch when you just want to sit back, turn your brain off and have a good time. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently on DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming on Netflix Instant.

Housebound

Housebound introduces a simple yet kind of ingenious twist to the standard haunted house movie: What if you couldn’t leave a house you know is haunted? That’s the case for Kylie (Morgana O’Reilly), a young criminal sentenced to house arrest at her childhood home. Kylie’s talkative, overfriendly mom (Rima Te Wiata) drives her nuts with claims of hearing ghosts, but soon Kylie starts noticing strange things backing up her mom’s claims. Writer/director Gerard Johnstone deliberately plays into narrative conventions at first before cleverly revealing he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve: the officer assigned to look over Kylie responds to her claims of paranormal with excitement instead of skepticism (turns out he’s an amateur ghost hunter), and Kylie soon learns her mom might be hiding dark secrets about the home’s past. To reveal any more of Housebound’s curveballs would ruin the fun of watching the narrative frequently reboot itself into a completely different film. Those twists end up turning the film into a case of too many spinning plates, but Johnstone makes up for it by masterfully switching between tones with complete ease. Housebound is wicked fun, and one of the few horror/comedy hybrids that excels in handling both genres. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently available on VOD and iTunes, and you can purchase the DVD or Blu-Ray for the film exclusively from Amazon.

It Felt Like Love

Review

One of the most fearless movies of the year, It Felt Like Love centers around Lila, a young teenager starting to experience her sexuality. Where most coming-of-age dramas wear a hopeful badge of honor, as sex is something that may be initially awkward but ultimately rewarding, Lila’s path feels dangerous and dirty. Lila fixates on an older teen with a reputation of sleeping around. He’s the type of bad boy usually idolized in this type of story, but he has a rough edge here. He mostly ignores Lila, but as she grows more confident and promiscuous, his response is cruelly realistic. That’s what makes It Felt Like Love so transfixing – using our expectations of the genre, looking upon a coming-of-age as some sort of fairy tale (that’s how Lila sees it herself), when it is actually realistic in the worst way possible. Debut filmmaker Eliza Hittman tells the story with an appreciable amount of grace, however, keeping the film from beating down its viewer as it does to its main character. Gina Piersanti, in her first acting role, shows a desperation and sadness well beyond her age. [Aaron]

Availability: Currently out on DVD, streaming on Netflix, and available to rent/buy on iTunes.

Life of Riley

Alain Resnais, one of the greatest directors of our time, passed away in early 2014 at the age of 91, mere weeks after unveiling his latest film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The fact that Life of Riley won an award at Berlin dedicated to opening new perspectives on film showed that, even at 91, Resnais continued to excite and innovate. Adapted from Alan Ayckbourn’s play, the film opens with three couples learning their mutual friend Riley has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, giving him a few months to live. They invite him to join their theatre group, but soon the complicated histories between Riley and the three wives begin to emerge, causing tensions to rise between all three couples. Resnais fully embraces the artificiality of theatre in his adaptation, using sound stages with painted backgrounds and hand drawings for establishing shots among several other distinctive visual styles throughout. Resnais makes it all work, and with the help of his amazing cast (Sabine Azéma, his wife and longtime collaborator, is especially great), Life of Riley is always light on its feet, even when dealing with such somber material. Resnais’ final film, an unintended swan song, also happens to be one of 2014’s liveliest movies. [C.J.]

Availability: Still in a (very) limited theatrical release by Kino Lorber. A Blu-Ray and DVD will be released on March 10th.

Los Angeles Plays Itself

I’m going to do a bit of cheating here. Los Angeles Plays Itself originally came out in 2003, but 2014 saw a  proper release of the film with remastered video and audio. Before 2014, you could only see Thom Andersen’s incredible video essay through crappy online copies or a rare screening. Now the film is available for all to purchase and watch, and if you have any interest in Los Angeles it’s absolutely essential viewing. Andersen opens the film with an idea: if people can appreciate documentaries for their fictional qualities, why can’t the opposite be true? So he does exactly that, using countless features taking place (or shot) in Los Angeles to show the development of the city, as well as how decisions on and off the screen impact each other (one of my favourite parts: when Andersen explains how the city’s modernist architecture was devalued by having the movies always associate the look with antagonists). Andersen’s incredible, in-depth research and personal touches elevate the film into more than just an academic piece, and it’s so involving the nearly 3 hour runtime flies by. In fact, by the end you’ll wish it kept going. [C.J.]

Availability: Available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD, and currently available to stream on Netflix Instant.

Lucky Them

In last year’s feature on overlooked films, I put Megan Griffiths’ underseen thriller Eden on the list. Now, one year later, I’m putting yet another film by Griffiths on this list. Why is it that her films seem to attract little attention? Lucky Them is a really solid work, a grade above a lot of romantic comedies because of its cast, screenplay and themes. Toni Collette plays Ellie, a music journalist ordered by her boss to cover the disappearance of her ex-boyfriend, a legendary musician who vanished over a decade ago. Ellie teams up with an eccentric aspiring filmmaker (Thomas Haden Church) to travel across the country and find out what happened to her ex. Collette and Church have great chemistry, and both actors do a terrific job making their characters feel like fully realized people despite their eccentric qualities. Griffiths also does a great job sustaining a low-key, breezy tone to her film, one that makes it effortless to invest in Ellie’s quest to confront her past. Lucky Them is far from extraordinary, but so what? I wish more movies could be as consistently charming as this. [C.J.]

Availability: Out now on DVD and available to rent or buy on iTunes.

Open Windows

I’m going to take a bit of a defensive stance here, since Open Windows got a thrashing from critics when it came out (its average rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 33%). One of the main criticisms lobbied against Nacho Vigalondo’s film was its stupidity, dumb plot twists piled on top of each other, technology that made no sense, and an intriguing gimmick that eventually gets tossed off. But give Open Windows a break. Do you honestly think a movie that casts Sasha Grey as an A-list actress not willing to do nude scenes doesn’t know what it’s doing? Open Windows is as fun as it is silly, a visually inventive little thriller taking place entirely on someone’s computer screen. Vigalondo throws some clunky messaging about the dangers of technology in there, but he’s far more impressive when he prefers showing over telling. One of the film’s gimmicks is a piece of software (seriously, the programs in this movie make the “Zoom, enhance” stuff on CSI look 100% real) that renders people and locations into abstract, polygonal shapes made up of multiple camera angles. It’s a strange sight to behold, and a pretty fascinating way of showing how modern technology distorts the way we see things. The originality in something like that alone makes it easy to forgive any shortcomings Open Windows might have. [C.J.]

Availability: Available to rent or buy on iTunes.

The Overnighters

Review
Interview with director Jesse Moss

When I caught The Overnighters at Hot Docs last March, I felt it was going to make waves when it finally got released. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way; it’s in the running for a Best Documentary nomination at the Oscars, but despite critical praise The Overnighters hasn’t taken off with audiences. It’s a huge shame too, since The Overnighters feels like the kind of documentary people will look back on and revere years from now. It’s a remarkable look at the town of Williston, ND, one of the only towns in America that found itself booming during the country’s recent economic hardships. Jay Reinke, the town’s Lutheran minister, allows people arriving in town looking for work to sleep in his church, and his commitment to helping out those in need of shelter triggers a disastrous chain of events. It’s incredible filmmaking, and my pick for the best documentary of 2014. Run to catch this one if it’s playing near you; calling The Overnighters unforgettable feels like an understatement. [C.J.]

Availability: Drafthouse Films currently have the film rolling out in a limited release across the US. No word on home video/VOD availability yet, but you can arrange a screening in your town through here.

Pride

Review
Interview with screenwriter Stephen Beresford and Jonathan Blake

As I’ve gotten older, I’m become more and more cynical about movies that seem like blatant crowd pleasers – I can see right through those middlebrow films taking on fairly obvious and safe political stances, playing them off as something progressive. Matthew Warchus’s Pride fits this description, and yet it somehow hit just the right spot for me. The mid-80s true-life story of a group of young gay and lesbian activists raising money for a small community of striking miners is incredibly sweet, big-hearted and funny. It hits many of the well-trodden gay and lesbian cinematic tropes, but the relationship between the two groups gives a new perspective on the issues, with a bit of fish-out-of-water humor that feels refreshing. Pride also scores one of the year’s best ensembles, with great performances from veterans Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine and Bill Nighy, along with relative newcomers Ben Schnetzer and Faye Marsay. And if that’s not enough, what other film features an extended dance sequence with Dominic West and disco? Despite being one of the most successful indies in its native UK (it beat out Mr. Turner, Calvary and The Imitation Game, all films with a much higher profile, for the British Independent Film Award), and a decent theatrical release, I don’t feel Pride got much love stateside. Outside of a rather surprising Golden Globe nomination in the Best Musical or Comedy category, I haven’t seen the film get much mention with critics as one of the year’s best. Pride certainly deserves more attention from us yanks. [Aaron]

Availability: Out on Blu-ray/DVD and available to rent/buy on iTunes.

A Spell to Ward off the Darkness

Review

A film I saw very early in 2014 that still feels like I only saw it yesterday, A Spell to Ward off the Darkness follows a quiet, unnamed man (Robert A.A. Lowe) as he tries out three completely different lifestyles: living on an Estonian commune, living alone in a Finnish forest, and fronting a black metal band in Norway. Directors Ben Rivers and Ben Russell come from a background that includes experimental filmmaking and ethnography, and through their film’s structure put a heavy emphasis on how location defines a person, as well as throwing in plenty of existential and philosophical themes. Their approach is completely absorbing, but it’s in the film’s final third that Rivers & Russell let out a loud, transcendent howl as they observe Lowe perform a concert with his band. Not many people had the chance to catch A Spell to Ward off the Darkness last year, but in my eyes it’s one of the year’s biggest cinematic achievements. It’s a truly unique and transfixing experience through-and-through. [C.J.]

Availability: Still in limited theatrical release at the moment, and currently streaming on Fandor. Readers across the pond (or people with region free capabilities) can purchase a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack in the UK.

Stop the Pounding Heart

Since 2011, Italian filmmaker Roberto Minervini has made three films taking place in Texas, using nonprofessional actors and seamlessly merging documentary with fiction. Stop the Pounding Heart is the final film in this trilogy (note: the films aren’t linked narratively, so you don’t have to see the other two first), and quite possibly the best one out of the lot. Minervini follows Sara, a 14-year-old living with her Christian family on a goat farm. Her family is extremely devout, with her mother home schooling Sara and her siblings with teachings from the Bible. Sara starts hanging out with Colby, a young bull rider, and soon goes into a crisis of faith over whether or not she should follow her desires or the role God intends for her. It’s hard to find a moment in here that feels forced or set-up; Minervini appears to create a fictional narrative from his documentary footage, and it’s fascinating to see how well his methods evoke Sara’s inner struggles with such potency. Minervini never shows an ounce of judgment towards his subjects’ lifestyle either, and by doing so he opens the film up to explore fascinating issues delving well below the surface. [C.J.]

Availability: Big World Pictures are currently showing the film in limited release across the US. No word yet on when the film will be available on home video.

Vic + Flo Saw A Bear

Review

Released early in 2014, Denis Cote’s Vic + Flo Saw a Bear is quite a beguiling film. It’s quirky, but Cote’s approach is so precise (yet off-kilter at the same time) it’s on a completely different planet than the sort of indie comedy you’d expect. It’s like a thriller that doesn’t realize what it is until much later. The title characters are lovers from prison. At the beginning, Vic goes to stay at a dying relative’s after she’s out of jail on parole. Flo eventually joins her, and the two try to start a life together in rural Quebec. For a time, Cote hits a really funny groove with his film as his characters’ uncompromising attitude clashes with everyone they encounter (including Vic’s parole officer). Eventually things take an unexpected turn, although it’s easy to go along with the film’s abrupt shift in tone. Vic + Flo is the best kind of unexpected movie, one where it’s impossible to guess what will happen from one minute to the next. And in case you’re wondering: they don’t see a bear. You’ll have to watch the film to take a guess at the title’s meaning. [C.J.]

Availability: Available now on DVD, Netflix Instant, iTunes and other VOD services.

Watchers of the Sky

Review

Raphael Lemkin dedicated his entire life to stopping genocide from ever occurring again (he actually invented the word “genocide” as part of his quest to make it a recognizable crime), but his efforts were barely noticed. He died penniless, with less than a dozen people showing up to his funeral. Edet Belzberg’s documentary aims to give Lemkin the treatment he deserves by focusing on several people around the world still continuing his fight today. What her documentary shows is a beautiful portrait of the human condition, of people continually fighting against the current to make the future a better place. Lemkin, as well as the different subjects Belzberg profiles, know they’ll face impossible odds. They know they’ll go to their grave without seeing their dreams and goals realized, and with little appreciation from others for what they’ve done. But they know their actions will make it easier for the next generation to continue the fight, and that their own needs are trumped by the scale of their battle. There’s nothing more awe-inspiring than seeing that level of selflessness on display. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently in a limited theatrical release.

White Bird in a Blizzard

Review

Not many people liked Gregg Araki’s latest film (including some of us on this very site), but count me as a fan of White Bird in a Blizzard. Taking place in the ’80s, White Bird focuses on the coming of age of Kat (Shailene Woodley), a bored suburban teenager with little else to do besides sleep with the cute boy across the street. One day her mom (Eva Green, in full-out Virginia Woolf mode) disappears, and from there the film turns into a sort of lazy mystery. Yes, Kat wants to find out what happened to her mom, but she’s also busy trying to figure out herself as she transitions from high school to college. Araki shoots the film with a unique, melancholy tone, underscored by gorgeous cinematography and a killer soundtrack (no matter what your opinion of Araki is, his music taste is impeccable). And it should be mentioned that this is by far Woodley’s best work to date, showing that she’s the real deal within her group of young, up and coming actors. In my eyes, this is Araki’s best film since Mysterious Skin. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently on VOD, and will get a DVD & Blu-Ray release on January 20th.

Zero Motivation

2014 saw a lot of great new talent emerging behind the camera, including Israeli writer/director Talya Lavie. Zero Motivation, her debut feature, focuses on young female soldiers counting the days until their mandatory conscription finishes. Close friends Zohar and Daffi can’t stand their boring office work, but soon a strange series of events leads to a falling out between the two. Lavie structures her film in a way similar to her characters’ feelings of frustration and boredom. She’ll switch focus at times, suddenly following a different character on the base, or even introduce some surreal elements into the mix. It all comes together to make a confidently pleasant experience, one that’s surprisingly funny and likable. The film’s episodic structure (split into three parts), and emphasis on character over narrative make Zero Motivation feel like an extended pilot for a TV sitcom about soldiers dealing with their humdrum day-to-day lives. And I won’t lie: if it actually was a TV show, I’d probably tune in every week. [C.J.]

Availability: Currently in a limited theatrical release.

With Timecrimes and Extraterrestrial, Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo has proven to be one of the most original voices in modern sci-fi and horror (his short featured in The ABC’s of Death was also a highlight). Now you can check out the new trailer for his upcoming film Open Windows, which we reviewed for its SXSW premiere.

Open Windows stars Elijah Wood as an obsessed fan, who gets the chance to watch his favorite actress (played by Sasha Grey) via a secret webcam. When Jill Goddard is kidnapped, Nick becomes wrapped up in a fast-paced cat-and-mouse thriller.

The hook to Open Windows is how the film is shot, which can be seen in the trailer. The majority of the film is shown in real-time, using webcam and desktop interfaces in place of a traditional camera. Vigalondo has shown a smart sense of technology in his previous films, so rest assured that Open Windows will be more than just a gimmick and will use the technology in bold new ways.

Open Windows will be available on VOD on October 2 and in theaters on November 7.

Open Windows trailer

I was pleasantly surprised in the amount of quality films that I saw at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival, although I admit that I was fairly selective in the titles I wanted to see. My favorites range from time-traveling comedies to 80s throwbacks to absurd cult deprogramming. There were only a couple letdowns in the little more than a dozen films I saw, but even those had at least some redeeming qualities to them. A quick list of the more buzzed about films at the festival that I didn’t get a chance to see (thus didn’t make my list); Boyhood, Wild Canaries, Buzzard, and 10,000KM (Long Distance).

7 Favorite Films From SXSW 2014

#7 – Frank

What makes Frank such an entertaining watch is its whimsical approach to the outlandish storytelling. I had a couple minor issues with the film, but as a whole Frank is a sidesplitting comedy about finding one’s inner creativity.
Frank review

#6 – Ping Pong Summer

Apparently it was the year for 80s throwbacks at SXSW. While The Guest (also on this list) is a throwback to the action/thriller genre from that era, Ping Pong Summer is a nostalgic family vacation story that is filled with just about every cheesy cliché from the decade. It’s totally rad!
Ping Pong Summer review

#5 – The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

You don’t have to be a tech geek to understand the brilliance of computer programming guru Aaron Swartz or the impact of his work that prematurely ended when extraneous federal charges pressured him into committing suicide. This documentary reminds us that limiting the access to information is crippling on all levels.
The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz review

#4 – Open Windows

Serving as an exploitation of technology and a satire on our obsession with Hollywood stars, Nacho Vigalondo’s Open Windows is a high concept thrill ride with numerous twists and turns along the way. Comparisons to a 21st century Rear Window aren’t unjust.
Open Windows review

#3 – The Infinite Man

The Infinite Man is an impressive directorial debut from Hugh Sullivan who bravely tackles the complex subject of time-travel with relative comfort. Intending to fix an anniversary weekend gone awry, the main character creates a machine to travel back in time to save his relationship.
The Infinite Man review

#2 – The Guest

The only midnight film I caught at the festival happened to be one of my favorites. The Guest is a 80s inspired atmospheric thriller that wonderfully combines Terminator like action with a pulsating soundtrack and thrills of Halloween. This is the perfect film to watch with a rowdy midnight crowd.
The Guest review

#1 – Faults

One of the most unique films I saw at the festival this year was an off the wall comedy called Faults, a film about an eccentric cult deprogrammer who is hired by a couple to help snap their daughter out of a cult spell. Faults is completely absurd and challenging in all the right ways.
Faults review

Rubber Soul

Rubber Soul reenacts two in-depth interviews of John Lennon that were conducted ten years apart from each other. No words of Lennon’s were altered during this reconstruction, though the film does jump between the two interviews, sometimes revealing contradictory statements made from the former Beatle. In one interview, Lennon states how he and Paul McCartney rarely ever wrote songs together, but in the other he recants by saying that two did in fact do writing together.

Most of the film consists of Lennon going on long rants about The Beatles. A few of the antidotes are noteworthy, however, the majority of these interviews end up being more of a meaningless ramble. Die-hard Lennon fans will obviously get the most out of Rubber Soul, but strictly Beatles fans may not gain much more insight than what is already widely known. At one point Lennon acknowledges that all artists are egotistical, the film reveals that he might be the biggest of both.

RATING: 5.8

Ping Pong Summer

It would be very inquisitive to see what the reactions are to Ping Pong Summer from people who are unfamiliar with the pop culture of 1980’s–since the film is filled to the brim with 80s slang, grainy and desaturated picture, cheesy crossfades, perms, bright neon colored clothing, and unnecessarily gigantic boomboxes. Those who know that a suicide drink is a mix of all the available flavors will have a totally rad time with the film, and those who never used a cassette tape will likely be very confused.

Ping Pong Summer is a family vacation movie where an awkward teenager travels with his middle-class family to a beach town where he instantly falls in love with a cute girl while making enemies with a rich preppy bully. The central conflict in the film centers on the game of ping pong, when a challenge is made between the sworn enemies to see who rightfully gets the territory of the table and winning the heart of the girl. Ping Pong Summer uses just about every cinematic 80s cliché in the book, purposely making the plotline and outcomes very familiar. It is an approach that ultimately works, even if it does lay it on a bit thick.

RATING: 7.4

Open Windows

By now people familiar with the work of director Nacho Vigalondo’s should expect an edgy high-concept story is in store, and that’s exactly what Open Windows delivers, and then some. The film hits the ground running from the start when an obsessed fanboy (Elijah Wood) wins a contest to have dinner with his fixation, actress Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey). While eagerly waiting in his hotel room to meet the actress, news that the contest has suddenly been cancelled is brought to his attention by a mysterious man (Neil Maskell). But the man has something for him far better than a dinner date, camera surveillance of her from every angle and complete access to her phone.

Undeniably impressive is the fact that almost the entire film is shown on a computer screen that simulates a webcam feed between all of the characters. While Vigalondo does take some liberties with how technology operates, the overall concept of how easy it is to be tracked and watched online is very real. If anything Open Windows is an exploitation of technology, specifically internet surveillance. This is an incredibly fast paced thriller that contains so many plot twists that a second or third viewing will not only be required, but also preferred. Some are saying Open Windows is a 21st century Rear Window, a comparison that I would agree is rather reasonable.

RATING: 8

After last year’s surprise breakout film Short Term 12, many people are wondering if the SXSW Film Festival will premiere another indie sensation. Only time will tell if lightning will strike twice in Austin, but at the very least the festival’s reputation is at an all-time high. With a hefty lineup of 133 feature films, there are plenty of independent films to choose from, but I managed to narrow down ten of my most anticipated films at the 2014 SXSW Film festival.

I will be attending SXSW this year for Way Too Indie, so make sure to check back for coverage and follow us on Twitter for instant updates.

Creep

I am not ashamed to admit that the main reason Creep landed on this list is because Mark Duplass is listed as a co-writer and lead actor. And then I read the wacky synopsis for the film–a man strapped for cash comes across a Craigslist ad for a $1,000 one-day job in a remote mountain town, but then discovers that the client may not be who he says he is. Adding to the overall intrigue, Creep supposedly fits into the genres of comedy, horror, and romance; a curious mixture that I cannot wait to witness.

Frank

Despite receiving a mixed response from its premiere at Sundance, Frank remains a must-see for me at the festival. This oddball comedy features Michael Fassbender as the mysterious musical genius who spends the majority of the film wearing a gigantic plastic head. The satirical tone of the film looks to be only outmatched by its absurdity, making it easy to understand why audiences are so divided on Frank.

Open Windows

Open Windows is Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo’s third feature film and the first of which to be in the English-language. This is a real-time suspense thriller about a man’s desperate search to track down his abducted girlfriend. Open Windows is said to be heavily influenced by ‘70s paranoid thrillers and is shown through the point of view of a screen on a laptop computer. I am excited to see what the filmmaker has up his sleeve, considering his history of making high-concept sci-fi thrillers (Timecrimes and Extraterrestrial).

Boyhood

Richard Linklater’s coming of age drama, Boyhood, received the Best Director award a couple weeks ago at the Berlin Film Festival. This ambitious project follows a family over the course of 12 actual years, which allows the audience to observe the cast members mature as they would in real life. Although Boyhood is not a documentary like Michael Apted’s Up series, Linklater experiments with a similar concept and the results could be quite intriguing.

Animals

In his first full-length feature, Collin Schiffli’s Animals tells the story of a troubled young couple who live out of their car and rely on stealing in order to survive. The reality of their situation is realized when one of them gets hospitalized. The film stars David Dastmalchian (Prisoners, The Dark Knight) and Kim Shaw (The Good Wife) and has one of the founding members of Passion Pit (Ian Hultquist) as the composer for the original score.

The Heart Machine

After combing through the entire festival lineup (a daunting task), The Heart Machine caught my eye for a few reasons. The primary reason is that the film stars John Gallagher Jr., who was the talk of the town in Austin after starring in last year’s Short Term 12. Another attention-grabbing credit is the director Zachary Wigon, a current film critic for The Village Voice. Lastly, the idea behind the film is fascinating–a man in a long-distance relationship begins to suspect his girlfriend to actually be living in the same city as him all along.

Joe

There are many reasons why the film Mud comes to mind when looking at David Gordon Green’s Joe. Not only are both films named after the three-letter name of their main character, but both films also star Tye Sheridan as a young kid who forms an unlikely bond with said characters. This indie film might just be what Nicholas Cage’s career needs at this point in order for people to start respecting him as an actor again.

Oculus

Our very own C.J. Prince caught Oculus last year at the Toronto International Film Festival and praised the film for its originality and well-written screenplay. Mike Flanagan’s Oculus will screen in the Midnighters section of SXSW, a program that features various hair-raising horror films to a midnight crowd. The film centers on an antique mirror called the Lasser Glass, which forces its owners to harm themselves as well as others. There is a good chance that audiences in Austin are going to be freaked out by the film, I surely hope I am as well.

The Guest

Another film I want to see from the Midnighters program is Adam Wingard’s The Guest. Similar to his recent work in You’re Next, Wingard seems to mix together equal parts humor and horror in this throwback thriller. The Guest received unanimously positive responses from the midnight crowd during its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. And I expect similar results at SXSW.

Before I Disappear

Based on his 2013 Academy Award winning short film Curfew, Shawn Christensen’s film is about a man whose suicidal thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a phone call from his estranged sister. The wide range of emotions he was able to pack into a short film impressed me, but I wondered how the film would transition into a full-length feature some day. Luckily, I will not have to wonder for much longer.

The dust is now settling in Park City after Sundance finished up a week or two ago, meanwhile the people in Austin are getting prepared for the onslaught of crowds for the SXSW festival of films, music, and technology. Today the lineup for the 2014 SXSW Film Festival has been revealed. As usual, there were a couple Sundance standouts such as Richard Linklater’s Boyhood and Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank that will be making an appearance at the festival. Other noteworthy titles in the lineup include; Creep that was written by and stars Mark Duplass, Nacho Vigilondo’s Open Windows, David Gordon Green’s Joe, Nicholas Stoller’s Neighbors, Bad Words, and many, many more. See the full list of films below.

I will be attending SXSW this year, so be sure to check back for coverage and follow us on Twitter for instant updates.

SXSW 2014 Full Lineup

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

Eight world premieres, eight unique ways to celebrate the art of storytelling. Selected from 1,324 films submitted to SXSW 2014. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:

10,000KM (Spain)
Director: Carlos Marques Marcet, Screenwriters: Carlos Marques-Marcet, Clara Roquet Autonell
A year of a long distance relationship, two computers and two cities – Los Angeles and Barcelona, can love survive 6,000 miles? Cast: Natalia Tena, David Verdaguer (World Premiere)

Animals
Director: Collin Schiffli, Screenwriter: David Dastmalchian
Jude and Bobbie are a young, homeless couple who masterfully con and steal in an attempt to stay one step ahead of their addiction. They are ultimately forced to face the reality of their situation when one of them is hospitalized. Cast: David Dastmalchian, Kim Shaw, John Heard (World Premiere)

Before I Disappear
Director/Screenwriter: Shawn Christensen
Based on the 2013 Academy Award® winning short film Curfew. At the lowest point of his life, Richie gets a call from his estranged sister, asking him to look after his eleven-year-old niece, Sophia, for a few hours. (World Premiere)
Cast: Shawn Christensen, Fatima Ptacek, Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley, Ron Perlman, Richard Schiff

Fort Tilden
Directors/Screenwriters: Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers
It shouldn’t be this hard for Allie and Harper to get to the beach. (World Premiere)
Cast: Bridey Elliott, Clare McNulty, Griffin Newman, Jeffrey Scaperrotta, Neil Casey

The Heart Machine
Director/Screenwriter: Zachary Wigon
A man begins to suspect that his long-distance girlfriend, whom he met online but has never met in person, has been living in the same city the whole time and sets out to find her. (World Premiere)
Cast: John Gallagher Jr., Kate Lyn Sheil, David Call, Louisa Krauss

I Believe in Unicorns
Director/Screenwriter: Leah Meyerhoff
I Believe in Unicorns follows the lyrical journey of an imaginative teenage girl who runs away from home with an older punk rock drifter, but not even unicorns can save her now. (World Premiere)
Cast: Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack, Julia Garner, Amy Seimetz, Toni Meyerhoff

The Mend
Director/Screenwriter: John Magary
A dark comedy about rage, doubt, lust, madness and other brotherly hand-me-downs. (World Premiere)
Cast: Josh Lucas, Stephen Plunkett, Lucy Owen, Mickey Sumner, Austin Pendleton

Wild Canaries
Director/Screenwriter: Lawrence Michael Levine
When their elderly neighbor suddenly drops dead, a young Brooklyn couple investigates signs of foul play. (World Premiere)
Cast: Sophia Takal, Lawrence Michael Levine, Alia Shawkat, Annie Parisse, Jason Ritter

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

Selected from 892 submissions, the eight world premieres in the Documentary Feature category bring real world stories to life, demonstrating innovation, energy and bold voices.

Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are:

Beginning With The End
Director: David Marshall
Beginning With the End takes viewers on a profound, and profoundly moving, journey with a group of high school seniors working as trained hospice volunteers — a story of beginnings and endings in a year of self-discovery and awakening. (World Premiere)

Born To Fly
Director: Catherine Gund
Born To Fly pushes the boundaries between action and art, daring us to join choreographer Elizabeth Streb and her dancers in pursuit of human flight. (World Premiere)
*SXsports screening

The Great Invisible
Director: Margaret Brown
Penetrating the oil industry’s secretive world, The Great Invisible examines the Deepwater Horizon disaster through the eyes of oil executives, explosion survivors and Gulf Coast residents who were left to pick up the pieces when the world moved on. (World Premiere)

The Immortalists
Directors: Jason Sussberg, David Alvarado
Two eccentric scientists struggle to create eternal youth in a world they call “blind to the tragedy of old age.”  As they battle their own aging and suffer the losses of loved ones, their scientific journeys ultimately become personal. (World Premiere)

Impossible Light
Director: Jeremy Ambers
Impossible Light reveals the drama and the daring of artist Leo Villareal and a small team of visionaries who battle seemingly impossible challenges to turn a dream of creating the world’s largest LED light sculpture into a glimmering reality. (World Premiere)

Mateo
Director: Aaron I. Naar
Mateo follows America’s most notorious white mariachi singer on his misadventures in Cuba. (World Premiere)

Print the Legend
Directors: Luis Lopez, Clay Tweel
The 3D Printing revolution has begun. Who will make it? (World Premiere)

Vessel
Director: Diana Whitten
A fearless sea captain, Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, sails a ship through loopholes in international law, providing abortions on the high seas, and leaving in her wake a network of emboldened activists who trust women to handle abortion on their own terms. (World Premiere)

HEADLINERS

Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres & gala film events with major & rising names in cinema.

Films screening in Headliners are:

Chef
Director/Screenwriter: Jon Favreau
Chef is a rich and vibrant comedy – the story of Carl Casper (Favreau), who loses his chef job and cooks up a food truck business in hopes of reestablishing his artistic promise. At the same time, he tries to reconnect with his estranged family.
Cast: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey, Jr., Emjay Anthony (World Premiere)

Joe
Director: David Gordon Green, Screenwriters: Larry Brown, Gary Hawkins
A gripping mix of friendship, violence and redemption erupts in the contemporary South in this adaptation of Larry Brown’s novel. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan
(U.S. Premiere)

Neighbors
Director: Nicholas Stoller, Screenwriters: Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O’Brien
Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne lead the cast of Neighbors, a comedy about a young couple suffering from arrested development who are forced to live next to a fraternity house after the birth of their newborn baby. Cast: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Lisa Kudrow
(Worldwide Debut – work-in-progress)

Predestination (Australia)
Directors/Screenwriters: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
A riveting adventure through time centered on a secret government time traveling agency designed to prevent future killers and terrorists from committing their crimes.
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor
(World Premiere)

Veronica Mars
Director/Screenwriter: Rob Thomas, Screenwriter: Diane Ruggiero
Years after walking away from her past as a teenage private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown, an ex-boyfriend with baggage, and an unraveling murder mystery.
Cast: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Krysten Ritter, Ryan Hansen, Enrico Colantoni
(World Premiere)

NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT

High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or US Premieres at SXSW.

Films screening in Narrative Spotlight are:

Break Point
Director: Jay Karas, Screenwriters: Gene Hong, Jeremy Sisto
Two estranged brothers reunite to make an improbable run at a grand slam tennis tournament. The mismatched pair, with some unlikely help from a precocious 11-year-old boy, re-discover their game and their brotherhood.
Cast: Jeremy Sisto, David Walton, Joshua Rush, J.K. Simmons, Amy Smart (World Premiere)
*SXsports screening

CESAR CHAVEZ
Director: Diego Luna, Screenwriters: Keir Pearson, Timothy J. Sexton
Chávez chronicles the birth of a modern American movement led by famed civil rights leader and labor organizer, Cesar Chavez. Cast: Rosario Dawson, John Malkovich, Michael Pena, America Ferrera, Gabriel Mann (North American Premiere)

Faults
Director/Screenwriter: Riley Stearns
An expert on cults is hired by a mother and father to kidnap and deprogram their brainwashed daughter. He soon begins to suspect the parents may be more destructive than the cult he’s being hired to save her from. Cast: Leland Orser, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Ellis, Lance Reddick, Jon Gries (World Premiere)

The Frontier
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Rabinowitz, Screenwriter: Carlos Colungu
An estranged son travels back home to confront his overbearing father to see if there is any relationship left between them.
Cast: Max Gail, Coleman Kelly, Anastassia Sendyk, Katherine Cortez, Oliver Seitz
(World Premiere)

Kelly & Cal
Director: Jen McGowan, Screenwriter: Amy Lowe Starbin
Kelly & Cal explores the heartfelt, somewhat absurd moments in our lives when we seek out a little bit of extra attention. Cast: Juliette Lewis, Jonny Weston, Josh Hopkins, Cybil Shepherd
(World Premiere)

The Mule (Australia)
Directors: Angus Sampson, Tony Mahony, Screenwriters: Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson
In 1983, a naive man is detained by Australian Federal Police with lethal narcotics hidden in his stomach. Caught, ‘The Mule’ makes a desperate choice…to defy his bodily functions and withhold the evidence…literally. Cast: Hugo Weaving, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Ewen Leslie, Geoff Morrell, Georgina Haig, Noni Hazlehurst, John Noble
(World Premiere)

A Night In Old Mexico (USA / Spain)
Director: Emilio Aragón, Screenwriter: William D. Wittliff
Forced to give up his land and home, Texas rancher Red Bovie isn’t about to retire quietly in a dismal trailer park. Instead he hits the road with his estranged grandson for one last adventure.
Cast: Robert Duvall, Jeremy Irvine, Angie Cepeda, Luis Tosar, Joaquín Cosio
(World Premiere)

Patrick’s Day (Ireland)
Director/Screenwriter: Terry McMahon
A young man with mental health issues becomes intimate with a suicidal air hostess but his obsessive mother enlists a dysfunctional cop to separate them.
Cast: Kerry Fox, Moe Dunford, Catherine Walker, Philip Jackson
(World Premiere)

Sequoia
Director: Andy Landen, Screenwriter: Andrew Rothschild
Faced with stage three cancer, a young woman sets out to end her life on her own terms, in Sequoia National Park. Cast: Aly Michalka, Dustin Milligan, Todd Lowe, Demetri Martin, Sophi Bairley
(World Premiere)

She’s Lost Control
Director/Screenwriter: Anja Marquardt
Ronah’s life unravels when she starts working with a new client, Johnny.
Cast: Brooke Bloom, Marc Menchaca, Dennis Boutsikaris, Laila
(North American Premiere)

Take Care
Director/Screenwriter: Liz Tuccillo
After being hit by a car, a woman (Leslie Bibb) comes home to realize her friends don’t really want to take care of her. Desperate for help, she turns to an unlikely source.
Cast: Leslie Bibb, Thomas Sadoski, Betty Gilpin, Michael Stahl David, Nadia Dajani
(World Premiere)

Thank You a Lot
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Muir
A struggling, two-bit music manager will lose his job unless he signs a reclusive country music singer, James Hand, who also happens to be his estranged father. Cast: Blake DeLong, James Hand, Robyn Rikoon, Sonny Carl Davis, Jeffery Da’Shade Johnson
(World Premiere)

Things People Do
Director: Saar Klein, Screenwriters: Joe Conway, Saar Klein
Bill Scanlin loses his job and embarks on a life of crime. As Bill stays ahead of the law, he discovers that sometimes the only thing worse than getting caught is getting away with it.
Cast: Wes Bentley, Jason Isaacs, Vinessa Shaw, Haley Bennett
(North American Premiere)

Two Step
Director/Screenwriter: Alex R. Johnson
Two Step is a fast-paced Texas thriller in which the lives of James, a directionless college dropout, and Webb, a career criminal with his back against the wall, violently collide.
Cast: Beth Broderick, James Landry Hébert, Skyy Moore, Jason Douglas, Ashley Rae Spillers
(World Premiere)

We’ll Never Have Paris
Directors: Jocelyn Towne, Simon Helberg, Screenwriter: Simon Helberg
We’ll Never Have Paris is a clumsy and at once human account of screwing up on a transcontinental level in a noble effort to win back “the one.” Cast: Simon Helberg, Maggie Grace, Melanie Lynskey, Alfred Molina, Zachary Quinto, Jason Ritter
(World Premiere)

DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT

Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW.

Films screening in Documentary Spotlight are:

Above All Else
Director: John Fiege
A former stuntman and high wire artist puts his family and future on the line when he rallies a group of East Texas landowners and activists to blockade the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. (World Premiere)

Butterfly Girl
Director: Cary Bell
Abbie came of age in honky tonks, defying her life threatening disease, but all the while longing for an identity of her own. Now that she is 18, how much is she willing to sacrifice for her independence? (World Premiere)

DamNation
Directors: Travis Rummel, Ben Knight
This powerful film odyssey across America explores the sea change in national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers. (World Premiere)

Doc of the Dead
Director: Alexandre O. Philippe
The definitive zombie culture documentary, from the makers of The People vs. George Lucas. Doc of the Dead traces the rise and evolution of the zombie genre, its influence on pop culture, and investigates the possibility of an actual zombie outbreak. (World Premiere)

Harmontown
Director: Neil Berkeley
A comedic, brutally honest documentary following self-destructive TV writer Dan Harmon (NBC’s Community) as he takes his live podcast on a national tour. (World Premiere)

LADY VALOR: The Kristin Beck Story
Directors: Sandrine Orabona, Mark Herzog
A former U.S. Navy Seal seeks life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness living life as a transgender woman. (World Premiere)

The Legend Of Shorty (UK)
Directors: Angus MacQueen, Guillermo Galdos
The Legend of Shorty is the story of a man and a myth. (World Premiere)

Manny
Directors: Ryan Moore, Leon Gast
From abject poverty to international hero, Manny Pacquiao rose to fame in the boxing ring. At the height of his career, Manny entered the political arena. As history’s only boxing Congressman, Manny is faced with a new challenge. (World Premiere)
*SXsports screening

Seeds of Time
Director: Sandy McLeod
Seeds of Time follows agriculture pioneer Cary Fowler’s global journey to save the eroding foundation of our food supply in a new era of climate change. (North American Premiere)

Supermensch
Director: Mike Myers
Mike Myers makes his directorial debut with this star-packed documentary about the legendary Shep Gordon, who managed the careers of Alice Cooper, Blondie, Luther Vandross, and Raquel Welch — and still had time to invent the “celebrity chef”. (U.S. Premiere)

That Guy Dick Miller
Director: Elijah Drenner
That Guy Dick Miller is the incredible true story of the wannabe-writer, turned accidental character-actor.
(World Premiere)

Wicker Kittens
Director: Amy C. Elliott
Every January, the country’s largest jigsaw puzzle contest is held in St. Paul, Minnesota. Wicker Kittens invites you to choose your favorite team and watch them try to put the pieces back together. (World Premiere) *SXsports screening

VISIONS

Audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape that demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking.

Films screening in Visions are:

Arlo and Julie
Director/Screenwriter: Steve Mims
A neurotic couple’s obsession with a mysterious puzzle comically unravels their world, disconnecting them from reality and jeopardizing their fragile relationship.
Cast: Alex Dobrenko, Ashley Spillers, Chris Doubek, Sam Eidson, Hugo Zesati (World Premiere)

Beyond Clueless (UK)
Director: Charlie Lyne
Narrated by cult teen star Fairuza Balk, Beyond Clueless is a dizzying journey into the mind, body and soul of the teen movie, as seen through the eyes of over 200 modern coming-of-age classics. (World Premiere)

Big Significant Things
Director/Screenwriter: Bryan Reisberg
A week before they move across the country together, Craig lies to his girlfriend in order to go on his first road trip – to the south. Alone. Cast: Harry Lloyd, Krista Kosonen (World Premiere)

Buzzard
Director/Screenwriter: Joel Potrykus
Devil masks, metal, video games, Mountain Dew, and a Party Zone. Scheming slackers of the world unite and take over!
Cast: Joshua Burge, Joel Potrykus, Teri Ann Nelson, Alan Longstreet, Rico Bruce Wade (World Premiere)

Creep
Director/Screenwriter: Patrick Brice, Screenwriter: Mark Duplass
When a videographer answers a Craigslist ad for a one-day job in a remote mountain town, he finds his client is not at all what he initially seems. Cast: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice (World Premiere)

Cumbres (Heights) (Mexico)
Director/Screenwriter: Gabriel Nuncio
Due a tragedy, two sisters abruptly escape from their hometown in Northern Mexico. Their journey creates a bittersweet relationship marked by pain, guilt and love.
Cast: Aglae Lingow, Ivanna Michel, Abdul Marcos, Sergio Quiñones, Ganzo Cepeda (U.S. Premiere)

The Dance of Reality (Chile / France)
Director/Screenwriter: Alejandro Jodorowsky
The Dance of Reality is a 2013 independent autobiographical film written, produced and directed by Alejandro Jodorowosky. Cast: Brontis Jodorowsky, Pamela Flores, Jeremias Herskovits, Cristobal Jodorowsky, Bastián Bodenhöfer, Alejandro Jodorowsky (U.S. Premiere)

Evaporating Borders (USA / Cyprus)
Director: Iva Radivojevic
Evaporating Borders is a poetically photographed and rendered film on tolerance and search for identity. Told through 5 vignettes portraying the lives of migrants on the island of Cyprus, it passionately weaves themes of displacement and belonging. (North American Premiere)

Evolution of a Criminal
Director: Darius Clark Monroe
How does a 16 year-old evolve into a bank robber? (World Premiere)

Housebound (New Zealand)
Director/Screenwriter: Gerard Johnstone
When Kylie Bucknell is sentenced to home detention, she’s forced to come to terms with her unsociable behaviour, her blabbering mother and a hostile spirit who seems less than happy about the new living arrangement.
Cast: Morgana O’Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru, Cameron Rhodes, Millen Baird (World Premiere)

The Infinite Man (Australia)
Director/Screenwriter: Hugh Sullivan
The Infinite Man is a time travel comedy-romance about a man whose attempts to construct the perfect romantic weekend backfire when he traps his lover in an infinite loop.
Cast: Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall, Alex Dimitriades (World Premiere)

Open Windows (Spain)
Director/Screenwriter: Nacho Vigalondo
Nick’s a lucky guy – he’s having dinner with Jill Goddard, the hottest actress on earth. Then a guy named Chord calls: dinner’s been canceled. And it’s Jill’s fault. But Chord’s got something better… A 21st Century Rear Window. Cast: Elijah Wood, Sasha Grey, Neil Maskell, Adam Quintero, Ivan Gonzalez (World Premiere)

Other Months
Director/Screenwriter: Nick Singer
Marking time as an itinerant plumber, and haunted by recurrent nightmares, Nash hungers for the fleeting ecstasies of nightclubs and bedrooms. Other Months is a stark, honest portrait of disconnection—a young man coming to face his paralysis. Cast: Christopher Bonewitz, Britannie Bond, Emma Morrison-Cohen, Liam Ahern, David Rudi Utter (World Premiere)

The Possibilities Are Endless (UK)
Directors: Edward Lovelace, James Hall
Scottish musician, Edwyn Collins’ world was shattered by a devastating stroke. After fighting back from the brink of death, he discovers that life, love and language mean even more to him that he could ever have imagined. (World Premiere)

Premature
Director/Screenwriter: Dan Beers, Screenwriter: Mathew Harawitz
On the most important day of his young life, a high school senior is forced to relive his failed attempt at losing his virginity over and over again, until he gets it right.
Cast: John Karna, Katie Findlay, Craig Roberts, Carlson Young, Adam Riegler (World Premiere)

Song from the Forest (Germany)
Director: Michael Obert
A modern epic set between rainforest and skyscrapers. (North American Premiere)

Space Station 76
Director/Screenwriter: Jack Plotnick, Screenwriters: Jennifer Cox, Sam Pancake, Kali Rocha, Michael Stoyanov
Welcome to the future of the past.
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler, Matt Bomer, Marisa Coughlan, Kylie Rogers (World Premiere)

Surviving Cliffside
Director: Jon Matthews
A West Virginia family faces illness, addiction, and gun violence—while their daughter makes a run for Little Miss West Virginia. (World Premiere)

The Wilderness of James
Director/Screenwriter: Michael Johnson
A restless teenager explores the wilderness of his city while struggling with the absence of his father. Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Virginia Madsen, Isabelle Fuhrman, Evan Ross, Danny DeVito (World Premiere)

EPISODIC (*New screening section)

Featuring innovative new work aimed squarely at the small screen, Episodic tunes in to the explosion of exciting material on non-theatrical platforms, including serialized TV, webisodes and beyond.

Shows premiering in Episodic are:

COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey
Directors: Brannon Braga, Bill Pope, Screenwriters: Ann Druyan, Steven Soter
COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey is a thrilling, 13-part adventure across the universe of space and time revealed by science, exploring humanity’s heroic quest for a deeper understanding of nature.
Narrator: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Deadbeat
Director: Troy Miller, Written And Co-Created By: Cody Heller, Brett Konner
Kevin Pacalioglu may have no money and no clue, but he does have one thing–he can see dead people. Faced with New York’s most stubborn ghosts, our hapless medium goes to whatever lengths necessary to help finish their unfinished business. Cast: Tyler Labine, Cat Deeley, Brandon T. Jackson, Lucy DeVito (World Premiere)

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series – Pilot
Director/Screenwriter: Robert Rodriguez
The Gecko Brothers are back. Based on the thrill-ride film, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series is a supernatural crime saga from Creator, Director and EP Robert Rodriguez premiering March 11 on El Rey Network.
Cast: D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Eiza González, Jesse Garcia, Lane Garrison, and Wilmer Valderrama, and Don Johnson (World Premiere)

Halt and Catch Fire
Director: Juan Jose Campanella, Screenwriters: Christopher Cantwell, Christopher C. Rogers
Halt and Catch Fire captures the rise of the PC era in the early 1980s, during which an unlikely trio – a visionary, an engineer and a prodigy – take personal and professional risks in the race to build a computer that will change the world as they know it. Cast: Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Rio Davis, Kerry Bishe, Toby Huss, David Wilson Barnes (World Premiere)

Penny Dreadful (USA / UK)
Directors: John Logan, Juan Antonio Bayona, Screenwriter: John Logan
Penny Dreadful is a psychological horror series that re-imagines literature’s most terrifying characters (Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula) in a whole new light.
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Reeve Carney, Rory Kinnear, Billie Piper, Danny Sapani, Harry Treadaway (World Premiere)

Silicon Valley
Director: Mike Judge, Created By: Mike Judge & John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky,
Episode One Written By Mike Judge & John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky.
Episode Two Written By Carson Mell.
The new HBO series Silicon Valley takes a comic look at the modern-day epicenter of the high-tech gold rush, where the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success.
Cast: Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Zach Woods, Kumail Nanjiani, Martin Starr, Josh Brener, Christopher Evan Welch, Amanda Crew, Matt Ross (World Premiere)

24 BEATS PER SECOND

Showcasing the sounds, culture & influence of music & musicians, with an emphasis on documentary.

Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are:

The 78 Project Movie
Director: Alex Steyermark
The 78 Project is a journey to connect today’s musicians with the recordings of the past. Using a 1930’s Presto recorder, artists get one take to cut a 78rpm record anywhere, finding in that adventure a new connection to our shared cultural legacy. (World Premiere)

AMERICAN INTERIOR (Wales)
Directors: Dylan Goch, Gruff Rhys
Two men. Two quests. Two centuries apart. Four ways to experience the search for a lost tribe. Film. Book. Album . App. (World Premiere)

The Case of the Three Sided Dream
Director: Adam Kahan
The documentary film on the life and legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk – a one of a kind musician, personality, activist and windmill slayer who despite being blind, becoming paralyzed, and facing America’s racial injustices – did not relent. (World Premiere)

Deep City
Directors: Dennis Scholl, Marlon Johnson
Deep City is an inspirational story that explores the early days of soul music in South Florida, the pioneers of that era and their lasting contributions to the broader American musical landscape. (World Premiere)

God Help the Girl (UK)
Director/Screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch
An indie musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian about two girls and a boy and the music they made one Glasgow summer.
Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Pierre Boulanger, Cora Bissett

JOHNNY WINTER: DOWN & DIRTY
Director: Greg Olliver
A down & dirty documentary on the life and career of blues legend Johnny Winter, featuring Edgar Winter, James Cotton, Billy Gibbons, Warren Haynes, Luther Nallie, Tommy Shannon, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and more. (World Premiere)

Leave The World Behind (UK)
Director: Christian Larson
A documentary following the break-up of Swedish House Mafia and their subsequent One Last Tour. A rare look at the electronic scene, amazing live footage and the psychological drama of 3 guys who walked away from everything to save their friendship. (World Premiere)

Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton (This Is Stones Throw Records)
Director: Jeff Broadway
Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton is a feature-length documentary about avant-garde Los Angeles-based record label Stones Throw Records.

Que Caramba es la Vida (Germany)
Director: Doris Dörrie
In the macho world of Mariachi music, very few women can hold their own. Just like the songs they play, this film is a snapshot of life, death and the things in between – seen from a bird’s-eye perspective. (World Premiere)

Road To Austin
Director: Gary Fortin
Road To Austin, chronicles how Austin, Texas became the Live Music Capital of the World, dating from 1835 to present day. The film builds to a climax and weaves its way towards an all-star live performance led by Stephen Bruton and his 14-piece band. (World Premiere)

Rubber Soul
Director/Screenwriter: Jon Lefkovitz
Rubber Soul reconstructs portions of two historical interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono based on available transcripts and audio, juxtaposing them in order to explore the dynamic nature of Lennon’s identity over time. Cast: Joseph Bearor, Denice Lee, Dillon Porter, Andrew Perez (World Premiere)

Sheffield: Sex City (UK)
Director: Florian Habicht
Dylan said ‘Don’t Look Back’ – but what happens if you do? (World Premiere)

Soul Boys of the Western World (UK)
Director: George Hencken
A voyage through the heart of the 80s with one of the decade’s most iconic bands, Spandau Ballet, this archive-only film tells the story of a group of working-class London lads who created a global music Empire, but at a price none of them imagined. (World Premiere)

SVDDXNLY
Director: David Laven
SVDDXNLY uncovers the young life and career of A$AP Rocky and the A$AP Mob, from humble Harlem beginnings to their rapid rise to fame. (World Premiere)

Take Me to the River
Director: Martin Shore
Take Me to the River is a film about the soul of American music. The film follows the recording of a new album featuring legends from Stax records and Memphis mentoring and passing on their musical magic to stars and artists of today. (World Premiere)

The Winding Stream
Director: Beth Harrington
The Winding Stream is the story of the American music dynasty, the Carters and Cashes, and their decades-long influence on popular music. (World Premiere)

SXGLOBAL

A diverse selection of International filmmaking talent, featuring innovative narratives, artful documentaries, premieres, festival favorites and more.

Films screening in SX Global are:

The Desert (Argentina)
Director: Christoph Behl
The failed story of a love triangle in a post-apocalyptic world.
Cast: Victoria Almeida, William Prociuk, Lautaro Delgado (North American Premiere)

For Those in Peril (UK)
Director/Screenwriter: Paul Wright
In a remote Scottish town, a young man is the lone survivor of a strange fishing accident that claimed the lives of 5 men. Spurred on by sea-going folklore, the village blames him for this tragedy, making him an outcast amongst his own people.
Cast: George Mackay, Michael Smiley, Nichola Burley, Kate Dickie (North American Premiere)

The Special Need (Germany / Italy / Austria)
Director: Carlo Zoratti
Searching for “the first time” Alex, Carlo and their autistic friend Enea find a lot more than they were looking for… (North American Premiere)

Ukraine Is Not A Brothel (Australia)
Director: Kitty Green
A feature documentary that reveals the truth behind Ukraine’s topless feminist sensation, ‘Femen’.

Wetlands (Germany)
Director: David F. Wnendt, Screenwriters: Claus Falkenberg, David F. Wnendt
18-year-old Helen has her very own view on life, hygiene and good sex. she loves to shock people with unexpected and un-girly behavior.
Cast: Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Meret Becker, Marlen Kruse, Peri Baumeister

A Wolf at the Door (Brazil)
Director/Screenwriter: Fernando Coimbra
A nerve-rattling tale of a kidnapped child and the distraught parents left behind that captures the darkness that ensues when panic breeds suspicion and love turns to hate.
Cast: Milhelm Cortaz, Leandra Leal, Fabiula Nascimento (U.S. Premiere)

FESTIVAL FAVORITES

Acclaimed standouts & selected previous premieres from festivals around the world.

Films screening in Festival Favorites are:

Bad Words
Director: Jason Bateman, Screenwriter: Andrew Dodge
Jason Bateman’s feature directorial debut is the subversive comedy Bad Words. Bateman stars as Guy, who finds a loophole in the rules of a national spelling bee and causes trouble by hijacking the competition.
Cast: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand, Philip Baker Hall, Allison Janney

Boyhood
Director/Screenwriter: Richard Linklater
One family’s journey shot over the course of 12 years.
Cast: Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater

The Case Against 8
Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White
A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Dog
Directors: Allison Berg, Frank Keraudren
An astonishing documentary portrait of the late John Wojtowicz, whose attempted robbery of a Brooklyn bank to finance his male lover’s sex-reassignment surgery was the real-life inspiration for the classic Al Pacino film Dog Day Afternoon.

For No Good Reason (England)
Director: Charlie Paul
Johnny Depp pays a call on his friend and hero Ralph Steadman and we take off on a high-spirited, raging and kaleidoscopic journey discovering the life and works of one of the most distinctive radical artists of the last 50 years.

Frank
Director: Lenny Abrahamson, Screenwriters: Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan
Frank is a comedy about a young wannabe musician, Jon, who discovers he’s bitten off more than he can chew when he joins a band of eccentric musicians led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank and his terrifying sidekick, Clara. Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Fassbender, Scoot McNairy, Carla Azar

Hellion
Director/Screenwriter: Kat Candler
When 13-year-old Jacob’s delinquent behavior results in the authorities placing his little brother Wes with their aunt, he and his emotionally absent father must finally take responsibility for their actions and each other in order to bring Wes home. Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars

The Internet’s Own Boy:  The Story of Aaron Swartz
Director: Brian Knappenberger
The story of programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz, from the development of RSS and Reddit to his groundbreaking work in political organizing and the tragic taking of his own life at the age of 26.

JIMI: All Is By My Side
Director/Screenwriter: John Ridley
Covering a year in Hendrix’s life from 1966-67, the film presents an intimate portrait of the sensitive young musician on the verge of becoming a rock legend.
Cast: Andre Benjamin, Hayley Atwell, Imogen Poots, Ruth Negga, Adrian Lester (U.S. Premiere)

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
Director/Screenwriter: David Zellner, Screenwriter: Nathan Zellner
A lonely Japanese woman abandons her structured life in Tokyo to seek a satchel of money rumored to be hidden in the Minnesota wilderness.
Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Shirley Venard

No No: A Dockumentary
Director: Jeffrey Radice
In the 1970s Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter on LSD and courted conflict and controversy, but his latter years were spent helping others recover from addiction. No No: A Dockumentary weaves a surprising story of a life in and out of the spotlight.
*SXsports screening

Obvious Child
Director/Screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre
Obvious Child is an unapologetically honest comedy about what happens when 27 year‑old Brooklyn stand-up comedian Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) gets dumped, fired and pregnant just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, Gabe Liedman, David Cross

Only Lovers Left Alive
Director/Screenwriter: Jim Jarmusch
A story centered on two vampires who have been in love for centuries.
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt, Anton Yelchin

Ping Pong Summer
Director/Screenwriter: Michael Tully
Coming soon…Summer 1985.
Cast: Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet

The Raid 2
Director/Screenwriter: Gareth Evans
Picking up from right where the first film ends, The Raid 2 follows Rama as he goes undercover and infiltrates the ranks of a ruthless Jakarta crime syndicate in order to protect his family and uncover the corruption in the police force.
Cast: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Tio Pakusadwo

SPECIAL EVENTS

Live Soundtracks, cult re-issues & much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected & unique film event one-offs.

All American High: Revisited
Director: Keva Rosenfeld
All American High: Revisited is a time capsule of teen life in the 1980s, a long-lost documentary that captures an unforgettable era through the eyes of those who lived it.

Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater (France / Portugal / US)
Director: Gabe Klinger
A documentary portrait of the friendship between the renowned filmmakers James Benning and Richard Linklater. (U.S. Premiere)

GODZILLA: THE JAPANESE ORIGINAL (Japan)
Director: Ishiro Honda, Screenwriters: Takeo Murata, Ishiro Honda
The 1954 classic that inspired the modern monster movie (national re-release from Rialto Pictures in April). Q&A with Gareth Edwards, director of the summer 2014 film Godzilla, from Warner Bros Pictures and Legendary Pictures. Cast: Takashi Shimura, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi

The Grand Budapest Hotel – Extended Q&A with Wes Anderson
Director/Screenwriter: Wes Anderson
The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars; and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.  The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting; a raging battle for an enormous family fortune; a desperate chase on motorcycles, trains, sleds, and skis; and the sweetest confection of a love affair – all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre – 40th Anniversary Screening
Director/Screenwriter: Tobe Hooper, Screenwriter: Kim Henkel
An idyllic summer afternoon becomes a terrifying nightmare for five young friends after they stumble upon the home of a depraved Texas clan. Cast: Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim