The South by Southwest 2022 Scorecard

Critics Consensus: Whether as a story of one couple's quixotic quest or simply a stunning collection of nature footage, Fire of Love burns bright.

Synopsis: Fire of Love tells the story of two French lovers, Katia and Maurice Krafft, who died in a volcanic explosion doing the very thing that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Miranda July

Directed By: Sara Dosa

Critics Consensus: A fresh spin on the classic slasher formula, X marks the spot where Ti West gets resoundingly back to his horror roots.

Synopsis: In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow

Directed By: Ti West

Critics Consensus: Descendant serves as a fantastically compelling example of how history can be reclaimed -- and a stirring tribute to a resilient community.

Synopsis: Documentary filmmaker Margaret Brown ("The Order of Myths", "The Great Invisible") returns to her hometown of Mobile, Alabama to document the search for and historic... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Margaret Brown

Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and wildly creative, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent presents Nicolas Cage in peak gonzo form -- and he's matched by Pedro Pascal's scene-stealing performance.

Synopsis: Nicolas Cage stars as... Nick Cage in the action-comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, the fictionalized version of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish, Sharon Horgan

Directed By: Tom Gormican

Critics Consensus: Aftershock points a sobering spotlight on a public health crisis, maintaining a heartbreaking focus on its tragic human cost.

Synopsis: Following the deaths of their partners due to preventable childbirth complications and medical negligence, two bereaved fathers galvanize activists, birth-workers and physicians to reckon with... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Paula Eiselt, Tonya Lewis Lee

Critics Consensus: The Lost City doesn't sparkle quite as brightly as some classic treasure-hunting capers, but its stars' screwball chemistry make this movie well worth romancing.

Synopsis: Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Directed By: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee

Critics Consensus: The sweetly nostalgic Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood finds Richard Linklater reusing visual and thematic ingredients in a deeply personal, freshly inspired way.

Synopsis: Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood tells the story of the first moon landing in the summer of 1969 from two interwoven perspectives --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Black, Bill Wise, Lee Eddy, Milo Coy

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: Impeccably cast and smartly written, Bodies Bodies Bodies is an uncommonly well-done whodunit.

Synopsis: When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game goes awry in this fresh and funny... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders

Directed By: Halina Reijn

Critics Consensus: Poignant, profound, and utterly heartwarming, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is animated entertainment with real heart.

Synopsis: Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jenny Slate, Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, Isabella Rossellini

Directed By: Dean Fleischer-Camp

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Internationally acclaimed at Venice, Berlin, SXSW and beyond, writer-director Teemu Nikki's darkly humorous Finnish romance becomes a cinematically unusual action-thriller, empathetically shot from the shallow-focus... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Petri Poikolainen, Marjaana Maijala, Hannamaija Nikander, Samuli Jaskio

Directed By: Teemu Nikki

Critics Consensus: Packing a lot into its brief runtime, Jethica anchors its supernatural thrills with the serious story of a truly terrifying stalker.

Synopsis: Hiding out in New Mexico after a freak accident, Elena runs into Jessica, an old friend from high school. When Jessica's stalker suddenly shows up... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Callie Hernandez, Ashley Denise Robinson, Andy Faulkner, Will Madden

Directed By: Pete Ohs

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: For over a thousand years, a secretive Buddhist sect has lived in an isolated monastery in Japan performing acts of extreme physical endurance in their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ahsen Nadeem

Directed By: Ahsen Nadeem

Critics Consensus: As sweetly enjoyable as the candy at the heart of its story, The Pez Outlaw is a true treat for fans of stranger-than-fiction documentaries.

Synopsis: This incredible fish-out-of-water story follows the adventures of Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man, who boards a plane for Eastern Europe soon after the fall... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve Glew

Directed By: Amy Bandlien Storkel, Bryan Storkel

Critics Consensus: Lily Gladstone's outstanding performances powers The Unknown Country through some narrative drift to its ultimately profound destination.

Synopsis: Reeling from a devastating loss, Tana (Lily Gladstone) is pulled back into the world by an unexpected invitation to her cousin's wedding. She packs up... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lily Gladstone, Raymond Lee, Ali Lopez-Sohaili, Richard Ray Whitman

Directed By: Morrisa Maltz

Critics Consensus: An effortlessly engaging true-crime documentary, The Thief Collector reaffirms that reality can be stranger than fiction -- and sometimes just as entertaining.

Synopsis: It was one of the most audacious and puzzling art thefts of a generation; In 1985, Willem de Kooning's seminal work, "Woman Ochre," was sliced... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Glenn Howerton, Sarah Minnich, Scott Takeda, Matt Pittenger

Directed By: Allison Otto

Critics Consensus: An impressive feature debut for director/co-writer Nyla Innuksuk, Slash/Back puts a refreshing spin on the standard alien invasion thriller.

Synopsis: Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a sleepy hamlet nestled in the majestic mountains of Baffin Island in the Arctic Ocean, SLASH/BACK opens as the village wakes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tasiana Shirley, Alexis Vincent-Wolfe, Nalajoss Ellsworth, Chelsea Prusky

Directed By: Nyla Innuksuk

Critics Consensus: An affectionate, insider-friendly documentary that makes even a single trick feel profoundly moving, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off is an insightful look at the skating legend's lifelong passion.

Synopsis: Centering around intimate new interviews with Tony Hawk himself, the film is an all-encompassing look at the skateboarder's life, legendary career, and relationship with the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill

Directed By: Sam Jones

Critics Consensus: As entertaining as it is educational, Nothing Lasts Forever opens an insightful window into the diamond industry while questioning the nature of intrinsic value.

Synopsis: Hidden from public view, a war is raging inside the diamond industry. When filmmaker Jason Kohn infiltrates this highly secretive world, he uncovers a vast,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aja Raden

Directed By: Jason Kohn

Critics Consensus: Led by an outstanding Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its title with an expertly calibrated assault on the senses.

Synopsis: Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong

Directed By: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Critics Consensus: Taking the form of a classic college comedy while adding some socially relevant function, Emergency is as smart and disturbing as it is hilarious.

Synopsis: Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and his best friend, Sean (RJ Cyler), are both seniors in college about to embark on an epic night of Spring... View Full Synopsis

Starring: RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, Sebastian Chacon, Sabrina Carpenter

Directed By: Carey Williams

Critics Consensus: Entertaining and informative, 2nd Chance uses its subject's incredible story to offer a dark reflection of the American dream.

Synopsis: In 1969 a bankrupt pizzeria owner, Richard Davis, invented the modern-day bullet proof vest. To prove that it worked, he shot himself -- point blank... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Davis

Directed By: Ramin Bahrani

Critics Consensus: Sissy weaves timely themes into its rich blend of horror and dark humor, topped off by terrific work from a talented cast led by Aisha Dee.

Synopsis: Cecilia and Emma were tween-age BFFs who were going to grow old together and never let anything come between them, until Alex arrived on the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aisha Dee, Yerin Ha, Lucy Barrett, Hannah Barlow

Directed By: Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes

Critics Consensus: Proof that there's still life in the found-footage gimmick, Deadstream is a scarily good bit of B-movie fun.

Synopsis: After a public controversy left him disgraced and demonetized, a washed up internet personality tries to win back his followers by livestreaming himself spending one... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joseph Winter, Melanie Stone, Jason K. Wixom, Pat Barnett

Directed By: Joseph Winter, Vanessa Winter

Critics Consensus: To Leslie's familiar framework is granted extra depth through a stellar Andrea Riseborough and a sensitive and nuanced approach to the cycle of addiction.

Synopsis: Leslie (Andrea Riseborough) is a West Texas single mother struggling to provide for her son (Owen Teague) when she wins the lottery and a chance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Allison Janney, Andrea Riseborough, Marc Maron, Stephen Root

Directed By: Michael Morris

Critics Consensus: A touching dramedy that wears its heart proudly on its sleeve, Cha Cha Real Smooth further affirms writer-director-star Cooper Raiff as a talent to watch.

Synopsis: Fresh out of college and without a clear life path going forward, 22-year-old Andrew is stuck back at home with his family in New Jersey.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cooper Raiff, Dakota Johnson, Vanessa Burghardt, Evan Assante

Directed By: Cooper Raiff

Critics Consensus: A solid showcase for Jim Gaffigan as well as a sneakily ambitious dramedy, Linoleum adds another impressive entry to writer-director Colin West's filmography.

Synopsis: Cameron Edwin (Jim Gaffigan), the host of a failing children's science TV show called "Above & Beyond", has always had aspirations of being an astronaut.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Gaffigan, Rhea Seehorn, Katelyn Nacon, Gabriel Rush

Directed By: Colin West

Critics Consensus: An entertaining and insightful documentary, Still Working 9 to 5 celebrates the making of a beloved comedy while thoughtfully shining a light on the ongoing fight for gender equality.

Synopsis: "Still Working 9 to 5" reunites stars Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman from the original "9 to 5" film, as well... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dabney Coleman

Directed By: Camille Hardman, Gary Lane

Critics Consensus: A painfully timely horror-fueled thriller, Soft & Quiet forces the viewer to confront the ugly underbelly of modern American race relations.

Synopsis: Playing out in real time, SOFT & QUIET is a runaway train that follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Eleanore Pienta, Dana Millican

Directed By: Beth de Araújo

Critics Consensus: I Love My Dad may take its cringe comedy too far for some viewers, but Patton Oswalt's fearless performance keeps the story anchored in honest emotion.

Synopsis: Inspired by James Morosini's true life experience, I Love My Dad follows Chuck (Patton Oswalt), an estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Patton Oswalt, James Morosini, Claudia Sulewski, Lil Rel Howery

Directed By: James Morosini

Critics Consensus: Relying more on atmosphere than straightforward storytelling, It Is in Us All burnishes its slow-building story with outstanding cinematography.

Synopsis: Hamish is a man gripped with drive for self excellence. A futile battle against the suffocation caused by his oppressive successful father. Hamish arrives on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cosmo Jarvis, Rhys Mannion, Claes Bang, Antonia Campbell-Hughes

Directed By: Antonia Campbell-Hughes

Critics Consensus: It can be didactic rather than truly suspenseful, but Master is an impressively well-crafted horror outing with a lot on its mind.

Synopsis: At an elite New England university built on the site of a Salem-era gallows hill, three women strive to find their place. Navigating politics and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Talia Ryder, Talia Balsam

Directed By: Mariama Diallo

Critics Consensus: Although its story may lack surprises, Watcher benefits from director Chloe Okuno's chilling grip on the material -- and Maika Monroe's terrific work in the leading role.

Synopsis: As a serial killer stalks the city, Julia -- a young actress who just moved to town with her boyfriend -- notices a mysterious stranger... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, Burn Gorman, Tudor Petrut

Directed By: Chloe Okuno

Critics Consensus: If it never quite lives up to its potential, Spin Me Round remains a dizzily diverting comedy elevated by Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza's performances.

Synopsis: When the manager of an American chain restaurant is selected to attend a special training program in Italy, her head swims with dreams of European... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alison Brie, Alessandro Nivola, Aubrey Plaza, Molly Shannon

Directed By: Jeff Baena

Critics Consensus: It's more entertaining in theory than execution, but if you're looking for an amusingly cheesy slasher, Bitch Ass should just about fit the bill.

Synopsis: A gang initiation goes horribly wrong when four recruits break into a house of horror and a sadistic killer forces them to play deadly games... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Teon Kelly, Tunde Laleye, Me'lisa Sellers, Tony Todd

Directed By: Bill Posley

Critics Consensus: Although it doesn't tumble to The Cellar of the haunted house genre, this is a mostly musty exercise in second-rate supernatural horror.

Synopsis: Keira Woods' (Elisha Cuthbert) daughter mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of their new house. She soon discovers there is an ancient and powerful entity controlling... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elisha Cuthbert, Eoin Macken, Abby Fitz, Dylan Fitzmaurice Brady

Directed By: Brendan Muldowney

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In their seemingly ordinary senior year at West Greenview High, the unexpected unfolds when overachiever Ben and his carefree bestie Tanner decide to exact revenge... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rita Moreno, Connor Kalopsis, Ramona Young, Keith David

Directed By: Maureen Bharoocha

Critics Consensus: Gone in the Night has a handful of interesting ideas, but they're largely undone by some deeply questionable storytelling choices.

Synopsis: Upon arriving at a remote cabin in the redwoods, Kath (Winona Ryder) and her boyfriend (John Gallagher Jr.) find a mysterious young couple (Owen Teague... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Winona Ryder, Dermot Mulroney, John Gallagher Jr., Owen Teague

Directed By: Eli Horowitz