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The South by Southwest 2022 Scorecard

Welcome to the South by Southwest 2022 Scorecard, featuring every movie at the festival that got a Tomatometer, includes Grand Jury Narrative Feature winner I Love My Dad and big-profile premieres, like Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Lost City, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent! Alex Vo

#38

Fire of Love (2022)
Tomatometer icon 98%

#38
Adjusted Score: 107642%
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... [More]
Starring: Miranda July
Directed By: Sara Dosa

#37

X (2022)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#37
Adjusted Score: 106409%
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... [More]
Directed By: Ti West

#36

Descendant (2022)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#36
Adjusted Score: 103058%
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... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Margaret Brown

#35

Pirates (2021)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#35
Adjusted Score: 100411%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: New Year's Eve 1999. Cappo, Two Tonne and Kidda drive through London in their tiny Peugeot 205, pumping a live... [More]
Directed By: Reggie Yates

#34
Adjusted Score: 104701%
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... [More]
Directed By: Tom Gormican

#33

Aftershock (2022)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#33
Adjusted Score: 100647%
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... [More]
Starring:

#32

The Lost City (2022)
Tomatometer icon 79%

#32
Adjusted Score: 93937%
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... [More]
Directed By: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee

#31
Adjusted Score: 98466%
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... [More]
Directed By: Richard Linklater

#30
#30
Adjusted Score: 98939%
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... [More]
Directed By: Halina Reijn

#29
Adjusted Score: 107637%
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,... [More]
Directed By: Dean Fleischer-Camp

#28
Adjusted Score: 93574%
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,... [More]
Directed By: Teemu Nikki

#27

Jethica (2022)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#27
Adjusted Score: 94058%
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... [More]
Directed By: Pete Ohs

#26

Crows Are White (2022)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#26
Adjusted Score: 94092%
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... [More]
Starring: Ahsen Nadeem
Directed By: Ahsen Nadeem

#25

The Pez Outlaw (2022)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#25
Adjusted Score: 100823%
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... [More]
Starring: Steve Glew

#24

The Unknown Country (2022)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#24
Adjusted Score: 93882%
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... [More]
Directed By: Morrisa Maltz

#23

The Thief Collector (2022)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#23
Adjusted Score: 92528%
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... [More]
Directed By: Allison Otto

#22

Slash/Back (2022)
Tomatometer icon 90%

#22
Adjusted Score: 92000%
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... [More]
Directed By: Nyla Innuksuk

#21
Adjusted Score: 96353%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Centering around intimate new interviews with Tony Hawk himself, the film is an all-encompassing look at the skateboarder's life, legendary... [More]
Directed By: Sam Jones

#20

Nothing Lasts Forever (2022)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#20
Adjusted Score: 100646%
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... [More]
Starring: Aja Raden
Directed By: Jason Kohn

#19
Adjusted Score: 116871%
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... [More]
Directed By: Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

#18

Emergency (2022)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#18
Adjusted Score: 99469%
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... [More]
Directed By: Carey Williams

#17

2nd Chance (2022)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#17
Adjusted Score: 92704%
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... [More]
Starring: Richard Davis
Directed By: Ramin Bahrani

#16

Sissy (2022)
Tomatometer icon 96%

#16
Adjusted Score: 99234%
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,... [More]
Directed By: Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes

#15

Deadstream (2022)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#15
Adjusted Score: 94529%
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... [More]

#14

To Leslie (2022)
Tomatometer icon 93%

#14
Adjusted Score: 97997%
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... [More]
Directed By: Michael Morris

#13

Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#13
Adjusted Score: 97523%
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... [More]
Directed By: Cooper Raiff

#12

Linoleum (2022)
Tomatometer icon 81%

#12
Adjusted Score: 84293%
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... [More]
Directed By: Colin West

#11
#11
Adjusted Score: 93647%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: "Still Working 9 to 5" reunites stars Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman from the original "9... [More]
Directed By: Camille Hardman, Gary Lane

#10

Soft & Quiet (2022)
Tomatometer icon 84%

#10
Adjusted Score: 86704%
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... [More]
Directed By: Beth de Araújo

#9

I Love My Dad (2022)
Tomatometer icon 74%

#9
Adjusted Score: 78705%
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... [More]
Directed By: James Morosini

#8

It Is In Us All (2022)
Tomatometer icon 79%

#8
Adjusted Score: 80470%
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... [More]

#7

Master (2022)
Tomatometer icon 75%

#7
Adjusted Score: 83348%
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... [More]
Directed By: Mariama Diallo

#6

Watcher (2022)
Tomatometer icon 88%

#6
Adjusted Score: 95819%
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... [More]
Directed By: Chloe Okuno

#5

Spin Me Round (2022)
Tomatometer icon 47%

#5
Adjusted Score: 51117%
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... [More]
Directed By: Jeff Baena

#4

Bitch Ass (2022)
Tomatometer icon 70%

#4
Adjusted Score: 70588%
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... [More]
Directed By: Bill Posley

#3

The Cellar (2022)
Tomatometer icon 31%

#3
Adjusted Score: 33645%
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... [More]
Directed By: Brendan Muldowney

#2

The Prank (2022)
Tomatometer icon 38%

#2
Adjusted Score: 38705%
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... [More]
Directed By: Maureen Bharoocha

#1

Gone in the Night (2022)
Tomatometer icon 44%

#1
Adjusted Score: 46705%
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... [More]
Directed By: Eli Horowitz