I ended the festival on a really high note by staying in most of the day and then venturing downtown, to the heart of the city. The Ritz Theater is located directly on Austin’s 6th Street, also known as party central. I spent my last night of the festival down there, amidst the drunkards and the chaos, to enjoy two last films. And I am so glad I did. Thanks for following my SXSW coverage. The festival was one of the best experiences of my life and I hope to attend it many more times in the future!
Sound of My Voice
A couple of documentary filmmakers gain access to a cult in order to expose its leader as a fraud. Their experiences with the cult begin to impact their own lives and call to question their initial motives for taking on this project. The cult leader is a beautiful and engaging young woman who entrances the audience as much as she does her followers. This is a great, small film about the power of influence and belief. Brit Marling acts as co-screenwriter as well as the intoxicatingly beautiful Maggie. Director Zal Batmanglij does a lot with his story and he does it without a lot of money.
Sound of My Voice may have been the most important film I saw at SXSW from a spiritual perspective. It explores belief and spirituality in a very thrilling and engaging manner. Protagonist Peter (Christopher Denham) has very clear reasons for exposing this cult as a fraud. But it becomes clear that Peter’s passionate personality is susceptible to Maggie’s charms. Lorna (Nicole Vicious), Peter’s girlfriend, has her own sordid past, which inspires this documentary project. The way she reacts to Maggie is very different from Peter’s response. As the film moves ahead, viewers are confronted with some of the issues of faith and belief versus hard facts and science. Are people who need to believe in the supernatural weak beings looking for meaning? Or are believers enlightened souls? What is it that leads some people to a committed belief in a higher power and leads others to deny anything beyond the scientifically verifiable?
Sound of My Voice draws its viewers in, tempting them with access to the hidden secrets of Maggie’s cult. What follows is a highly effective story that challenges its audience while also thrilling them. Highly recommended.
Attack The Block
I closed out the fest with a repeat viewing of Attack The Block. See my original write up of the film in my “Day 3” entry. This film was simply the greatest of the festival by far. And since it won the Audience Award for Midnighters, I was able to see it one last time.
I can’t say enough good things about this movie. I have to give it time, but it might become one of my favorite movies of all time, much less my favorite of this fest. Not only is it a highly effective monster/action/sci-fi story, but it also has more heart and insight into teenage street culture than almost any teen-centered film I’ve seen.
Attack The Block is an audience-pleasing genre film. But it is important as well. The cast looks like real life, i.e., a mixed-race group which is more concerned with socio-economic class than skin color. The issues of urban poverty, the abandonment of our children, and the disintegration of our neighborhoods are all addressed with remarkable clarity and efficiency. I love this movie and can’t wait for Joe Cornish to be able to unleash his film on the entire world.
