Final Thoughts of SXSW 2010

Complete Coverage of SXSW 2010

Here's the list of movies I saw: (In an unofficial list of best to "not best")

Hood to Coast MacGruber Saturday Night The Happy Poet Kick-Ass Cyrus American: The Bill Hicks Story The People vs. George Lucas The Freebie The Myth of the American Sleepover Cold Weather Some Days Are Better Than Others Skeletons Electra Luxx Audrey the Trainwreck Beijing Taxi

(I will be reviewing each film in the coming days, and you can bookmark this page to come back and read the reviews)

Why "not best" instead of "worst"? Because at a film festival, you really do want to root for every film. Skeletons is fourth from the bottom, but there are still some good moments in the film. More importantly, look at American: The Bill Hicks Story. It, and every film above it, are the ones you need to see whenever, where ever you have the chance.

I saw 16 movies in five days. I was a little burned out at the end, but I made sure to pace myself during this movie marathon. Tearing up during Hood to Coast, sitting next to Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe during MacGruber, hanging out with family, cutting in line with Eric Snider, eating BBQ, popping my TV via Skype cherry, and taking the bus were just a few of the highlights and lowlights of this year's SXSW Film Festival.

Was I bias because Hood to Coast runs right through Portland, and I have a crush on my city? Yes. Was I bias because I was sitting next to the cast, plus the crowd was euphoric during MacGruber, including Snider, who I've never heard laugh so hard? Yes. That's the power of the festival.

Next year I need to stay for the music festival. Heck, I might even learn something if I attend the interactive fest. Now it's time to watch 20 hours of March Madness. It's been a pretty rough week in the life of an underemployed film critic.