Here we are on day 900 of SXSW '16...ok, it's only day 5, but the fest fatigue is starting to set in for sure. Can't say I'm letting it get me down, though, because I started my day at the Alamo Drafthouse Lamar at 11:00 am for my first screening of the day:
HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE
I am a huge fan of director Taika Waititi's WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, so I was really excited to see that the New Zealander had another film at this year's SXSW film festival. While I absolutely love what he did with the mockumentary genre, I was very interested to see Waititi work within a true narrative.
The film begins as a cop car makes its way through the remote New Zealand countryside. It's cargo, a 12 year old orphan/delinquent/wanna be gangster named Ricky Baker is being delivered to his new foster home- an off the grid farm run by Bella and Hector. "Aunt Bella" as she prefers to be called has a nurturing demeanor that sharply contrasts that of Hec, a mysterious curmudgeon who seems to want little to do with their new charge. With such a mixed reception, it is no surprise that young Ricky makes several attempts to run away, until he finally begins to accept the doting of his new aunt and happily settles into his new home. That is, until tragedy strikes the family, and Ricky and Hec have to say goodbye to the suddenly stricken Aunt Bella. When it is ordered by the government that Ricky return to the foster system, the newly christened teenager hatches a plan to escape to the Bush to live out the rest of his days in solitude (aside from his dog Tupac of course). From here, the film evolves into a wild goose chase survival tale of epic proportions.
The movie is an absolute delight. While pretty much sticking to the odd couple type story centering around an unlikely friendship that reaches across generations, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE keeps it fresh with a generous punch of humor. Think of a PG-13 version of UP, with all the heart plus the addition of some seriously clever, sometimes inappropriate comic relief. Though the emotions are big here, Waititi steers the film clearly away from being cheesy, perfectly balancing a tried and true formula with a unique brand of endearment.
I also have to mention how beautiful the film is. Chock full of sweeping shots of the remote New Zealand forest, every frame practically drips with the lush seclusion of this mostly uninhabited part of the country. So while the unraveling plot is a joy to behold, so too is the gorgeous locale in the which it all takes place. The overall combination makes for a ridiculously charming picture.
Big ups to Waikiti for pulling off such a well-rounded effort and a film that I wholeheartedly recommend you seek out.
Next, I boarded one of the handy SXSW shuttles and headed downtown just in the nick of time for my next film, the doc:
THE ART OF ORGANIZED NOIZE
So straight out of the gate I admit my squareness. I had no idea who Organized Noize was- I just heard it was a hip hop doc and since it was the first day of music showcases at SX, I needed to kick it off. I've said in past reviews that one of my favorite parts about walking into a documentary film with zero preconceived notions is that it is such a wonderful way to become acquainted with an artist/performer/politician, etc that I may never have considered before, and THE ART OF ORGANZIED NOIZE is no exception.
The bio doc is all about the origins and rise of a group of young producers who were at the forefront of the dirty south hip hop movement out of Atlanta. Starting in the late 80's/early 90's with not much more than a drum machine in leader Rico Wade's basement aka The Dungeon, the trio began creating the beats that would inform an entire generation of up and coming Atlanta artists. Soon, features on such taste making shows of the era like Rap City and Yo! MTV Raps showed Rico and his partners Sleepy Brown and Ray Murray boasting their latest endeavor with a little known group named OutKast. The film then chronicles their meteoric rise from The Dungeon to signing a contract with Interscope worth $20 million. As with most roc docs. Theirs is a story littered with stories of excess, sex, drugs, rock, and roll, however the core of the story still lies with the influence the producing juggernaut had on the burgeoning hip hop scene- not only in Atlanta but over the entire country.
The film does fall victim to repetitiveness as it closes in on the third act. Director Quincy Jones III does a great job connecting the dots between the Organized Noize and the hits they are ultimately responsible for- including late 90's perennial ear worm Waterfalls by TLC- however, the film would've benefited from a healthy trim here or there. Interviews with such impresarios as Sean Combs, Cee-Lo Green, and even LaFace magnate LA Reid lend the right amount of gravitas, yet the film does at points feel more like a talking head doc than a story about music and entertainment.
Overall the movie is enlightening and entertaining, shedding light on a group of artists I wouldn't have known about otherwise, so I enjoyed it. Just be warned that though the subject matter is captivating, the film itself does stall a bit toward the end.
After the film, the trio joined writer/producer Joshua Krause onstage for a great Q and A where audience members had a chance to not only question the guys about their careers but also show their admiration for their art.
Since I had already checked out two films for the day already, I decided to move on to the Austin Convention Center to take in the madness that is the Trade Show. For those who have witnessed any kind of fan convention, you know what type of hyper sensory stimulation that this type of event exudes. One could call it overwhelming, but I find it exhilarating. Next is a barrage of images all around as I snaked my way through the labyrinth trade show floor.
Since many countries have their own film commissions represented, I went through country by country.
Though they are all cool in their own way, the two isles dedicated to all tech/music/film from Japan is always a showstopper.
From Samurai Robots to design planning softwares that uses Legos, Japan always has the coolest stuff.
Next I headed over to the SXSW Music opening party at Maggie Mae's. Yoko met up with me and we listened to KRISTEN KONTROL's (Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls) DJ set. What a treat!
Thankfully there were also some free munchies and I was able to write a bit about it while I enjoyed the tunes. After this, I decided to do the thing I've always talked about- abandon my film objectives for a night and follow Yoko on one of her daily music odesseys around downtown. In case you don't remember Yoko's terrific music column or aren't acquainted with what a total badass she is, she seriously does spreadsheets and exhaustive lists about the bands playing at the fest. Needless to say, I knew I was in good hands and was eager to let my next adventure begin!
We started out at the British Invasion showcase (I think that's what they call it) and saw a super fun, poppy and young band called GET UNUIT.
They were a perfect blend of pop and rock to get my SX music experience going. Next, Yoko led me to Barracuda where we saw WRAY, a band with a somewhat droning rock sound that we were, unfortunately, totally not feeling...I mean, they were alright and perhaps I could blame it on the sound mix and such, but they were just not captivating in the way that you expect a SXSW band to be.
so after a few songs we set off for our next destination- Old School where we saw JOON MOON. I was completely entranced by this soul trio.
They were subdued, lovely, and just what I needed in the midst of the music madness. After just a few songs, we were off and running again on our way to Friends Bar to see Natisu, a Chilean artist that astonished with her skills on the keyboard and vocals as well. She had an equally costumed (very Ziggy/Wonder Woman) accompanist and also a lip sync-OMG drag queen in full regalia.
Sadly, we only caught the tail end of their show, so once again we were off to out next destination!
And this is when we headed over to an amazingly balls-to-the-walls show at Cheer Up Charlie's performed by Wednesday Campanella. Again, I had no clue what I was in for since I was basically subject to Yoko's schedule and whim, and oh boy was I delighted be the show. She began the set in the middle mid the moderately sized crowd atop one of her handlers.
She soon ascended the stage, treating the growing crowd to her brand of rock/rap- not wholly unique, but still entertaining nonetheless. As Yoko and I neared the stage, we were cautioned not to cross an area dedicated to some projection for the show. Soon enough, though, we found ourselves being handed an iPhone by the headliner herself which featured the face-morphing app that has been going around. These pics show the artist demonstrating right before she handed the device to us!
Giggling our asses off that everyone at the show had just witnessed our faces in drag (again, dang it no photos) we proceeded to our next show- St. Lucia at Stubb's Backyard! If you're not aware, Stubb's is one of the premiere music venues in Austin, and with out Platinum badges we just walked right in. It was also open bar! What. The....
We found a great vantage to enjoy a couple song as well as the epic people watching shows like this compile.
Sadly, after this show, Yoko and I parted ways and I headed back to Maggie Mae's to see a band I've been after for awhile- THE GOLDEN DAWN ARKESTRA. These cats are classic Austin plus one of the percussionists happens to be a close family friend of mine! I'd heard how amazing they were and I was not disappointed in the least by my first outing. With at least 10 people onstage in full bizarro costuming, the group is still at its heart an amazing funk band.
Only in Auatin, y'all. After this epic day/night of movies and music my body physically demanded that I call it a night and head home for some much needed rest.
I hope you are enjoying this veteran's account of the festival. It's one thing to write straight up review- which I did for many, many years. But, it's quite another thing to experience the fest from the perspective of a veteran who know how to navigate through all the BS to find the festival gold.
Stay posted for more adventure!
Rebecca Elliott
Aka Annette Kellerman
