SXSW: The Guest, Wild Canaries, Only Lovers Left Alive, The Mule, Joe Reviews

The Guest (dir. Adam Wingard)

SXSW: The Guest, Wild Canaries, Only Lovers Left Alive, The Mule, Joe Reviews

Editor’s Notes: The following SXSW Capsule Reviews are part of our coverage of the 2014 South by Southwest Film Festival. For more information visit sxsw.com and follow SXSW on Twitter at @sxsw.

The Guest
dir. Adam Wingard

It’s hard to follow a movie like You’re Next with equally strong material, but Adam Wingard’s The Guest is something so unlike anything else he has ever done it’s impossible not to have a blast watching it. Dan Stevens stars as David, an incredibly attractive war veteran who visits the family of one of his friends and quickly finds himself integrated into their life. It’s quickly apparent that there’s something fishy about David, but the way in which screenwriter Simon Barret tells his story provides for a hellishly entertaining ride. The movie has a wickedly awesome supporting cast that includes the likes of A.J. Bowen, Ethan Embry, Leland Orser, Joel David Moore and Lance Riddick. Painting on a bigger canvas than his previous works, Wingard created an atmosphere that contains just the right amount of suspense, humor, and terror.

Wild Canaries
dir. Lawrence Michael Levine

An elderly woman’s death instills suspicion in her neighbor and inspires a wild game of cat and mouse. A neo-noir of sorts, Wild Canaries is a competently complicated thriller with lots of humor and great performances by all involved. There’s plenty of humor and lots of intrigue to be found here, but at the heart of the movie is a charming love story between the two characters played by Sophia Takal and Lawrence Michael Levine. This is a movie with an incredibly low-budget feel, but it only adds to the magic of the film. It takes a while for the story to get going and some of the writing is a bit lackluster, but once it kicks in there’s no stopping the wild train ride. A killer soundtrack, some goofy humor and an involving mystery all fuse together to make Wild Canaries a wonderful film.

Only Lovers Left Alive
dir. Jim Jarmusch

If the fact that Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton play vampires who have been in love for centuries isn’t enough to get you to see Only Lovers Left Alive, you clearly need to seek medical attention. Jim Jarmusch’s latest directorial outing is bizarre, witty, scary, and ultimately a reminder of what we found so enticingly sexy about vampires in the first place. Mia Wasikowska, John Hurt Anton Yelchin and Jeffrey Wright provide great supporting work, but the show belongs to Hiddleston and Swinton. Even in scenes where the two are intertwined in each others bodies or in many of the scenes where very little is said between the two, there is a palpable intimate connection between the two souls. I loved this movie.

The Mule
dir. Angus Sampson, Tony Mahony

In order to help his father pay off debts to a crime lord, a first-time drug mule swallows several condoms full of heroin to sneak back through customs. When he is caught by the authorities, he has to hold in his stomach contents for an entire week lest he be thrown in prison. What could easily be misconstrued is a gross-out dark comedy is actually a serious crime drama based on true events set in 80s Australia. It’s story is surprisingly fascinating, though all its characters feel distant. Angus Simpson’s dimwitted protagonist is hard to root for, and with the exception of a somewhat minor character it’s hard to identify with any of the film’s character. There’s still plenty to enjoy here. The movie has some well-executed unexpected twists and turns, Hugo Weaving takes a devilishly delightful turn as a corrupt cop, and the movie has a surprising emotional swell in the end. All in all, The Mule is a fresh twist on a well-traversed genre.

Joe
dir. David Gordon Green

Rarely does a movie knock you on your ass like Joe. Director David Gordon Green has created an unparalleled masterpiece in his latest work. In playing the title role, Nicolas Cage delivers what is easily the best performance of his entire career. This is a character that has comedic, dramatic, and terrifying sides to him, each blending together to create an incredibly realistic portrait of a man with a past just trying to get through every day. It’s a must-see performance. In regards to the rest of the film, Cage’s performance is just one of many facets of the film that make it a downright masterpiece. I don’t want to go into too much detail, so I urge you to go into this movie knowing little as possible. It’s not just one of the best movies to play at this year’s SXSW, it is one of the best movies of 2014.

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Daniel Tucker

Director of Media & Staff Film Critic

I never knew how movies could make your imagination soar until I saw "Star Wars," I never realized how inspiring they could be until I saw "Rocky," and I never truly appreciated film until I saw "Goodfellas." Film has been a central part of my life as long as I can remember and it continues to mold who I am. My " movies to watch" list is miles longer than my "movies I have watched" list. My only regret is not having enough time to watch them all.

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