NEGATIVE SPACE

Für zwei, drei Genre-Filmtipps ist das SXSW in Austin eigentlich immer gut. Die letzten beiden Jahre waren dagegen etwas dünn gesät. Einzig und allein "The Cabin in the Woods" wurde entdeckt und entpuppte sich dann bei Licht betrachtet als ziemlicher Stinker für Horror-Newbies. Dafür bleibt das Jahr 2011 noch lange im Gedächtnis, als sowohl "Kill List" als auch "The Innkeepers" hier ihre Weltpremieren feierten. Am meisten gespannt bin ich auf den Daniel Stamm-Film "13 Sins" und das "Stand By Me"-Projekt der "Inside"-Macher Alexandre Bustillo und Julien Maury, das "Among the Living" heißen soll.


★★★

"The Infinite Man" (Hugh Sullivan): "Imagine if Edgar Wright remade TIMECRIMES as a smart & sensitive Australian romantic comedy. Je t'aime je t'aime." (David Ehrlich, Badass Digest) "A smart, funny and oddly romantic indie film." (Mark Adams, Screen Daily) "A lightweight comic fantasy [A-]." (Eric Kohn, indieWIRE)

★★

"Neighbors" (Nicholas Stoller): "NEIGHBORS is heartfelt, hysterical and all kinds of messed up." (Eric Vespe, Aintitcool) "Nicholas Stoller's latest is also his best." (Drew McWeeny, HitFix)

★

"Chef" (Jon Favreau): "Watching CHEF on an empty stomach was the dumbest thing I've done this year. Wins the Oscar for Grilled Cheese Closeups." (Edgar Wright, "Shaun of the Dead"-Regisseur) "CHEF is a hit. Also made me very confused as to how I've ever had consensual sex (for free!) despite barely being able to cook cereal." (David Ehrlich, Badass Digest) "Favreau's CHEF has a heart the size of Texas." (Drew McWeeny, HitFix) "Favreau's CHEF is a real crowd pleaser, a throwback to simple, fun character-driven indies. Plus copious amounts of food porn." (Eric Vespe, Aintitcool) "CHEF may be my favorite Favreau flick, that said I'm fucking drooling starving now!" (Harry Knowles, Aintitcool) "A lightweight but high-calorie confection." (Joe Leydon, Variety) "Favreau hasn't made a game-changing meal to remember, but a perfect chocolate lava cake." (Amy Nicholson, L.A. Weekly)

[Nachtrag ,16.03.: Na, das war wohl wieder leider nütschts, kleines South-By-Southwest-Fest!]

Immerhin feierten hier 2011 die Genre-Highlights "Kill List", "Weekend", "Attack the Block" und "The Innkeepers" ihre Weltpremieren. Von der amerikanischen Filmkritikerzunft ist sich auch jeder im Klaren über den Stellenwert des Festivals - sind sie doch alle in der ersten Reihe dabei. Oder liegt es daran, dass die wichtigsten Filmblogger der USA alle in Austin und Umgebung leben? Mit dem Alamo Drafthouse als heilige Kathedrale und Tim League als hohen Priester der Cinephilie? In der Tat ist das South by Southwest über die Jahre zum elementaren Sprungbrett für internationale Genreproduktionen gereift und hinter Sundance und Fantastic Fest das meiner Meinung nach wichtigste Festival Nordamerikas geworden:

"The Cabin in the Woods" (Drew Goddard) **½

"CABIN IN THE WOODS may be the most crowd-pleasing movie I've ever seen", twittert Matt Patches (Operation Kino). "Somewhat incredibly, CABIN IN THE WOODS lived up to the hype-- maybe the first Whedon project to do that for me. What a blast", twittert Katey Rich (Cinemablend). "Don't watch a trailer, don't read a review by anyone you don't know/trust, but, holy bejabers, see CABIN IN THE WOODS", twittert James Rocchi (MSN Movies). "There are, in fact, two great movies at sxsw this year that deconstruct the narrative process: THE CABIN IN THE WOODS & THE SHEIK AND I", twittert Eric Kohn (indieWIRE). "The sublimely scary THE CABIN IN THE WOODS is a film that revels in its secrets and twists. It bears all the screenwriting hallmarks of Joss Whedon at his Buffy The Vampire Slayer best. Slick, thrilling and genuinely satisfying", schreibt Mark Adams (Screen Daily). "Held up on second viewing like a champ. Tons of heart, lots of smarts and a boatload of fun", twittert Eric Vespe (Aintitcool). "It’s like all your favorite horror movies wrapped up in one", schreibt Michael Gingold (Fangoria). "Wanted it bad for TIFF11", twittert Colin Geddes (Midnight Madness). "CABIN feels less like the final nail in that trend's coffin than the start of something new: a smarter, more self-aware kind of chiller that still delivers the scares", schreibt Peter Debruge (Variety). "Attempt to turn the modern horror movie on its head is too enamored of its own games to be scary, shrewd or more than occasionally funny", schreibt David Rooney (THR). "It's fucking brilliant. Truly spectacular in the concept and execution. Must see", twittert C. Robert Cargill (Aintitcool). "It's a potent antidote to the drivel of imitative torture porn that the likes of SAW and HOSTEL wrought", schreibt Jason Gorber (Twitch Film). "Is the screening of THE CABIN IN THE WOODS over yet? Can I say it's awesomely amazing yet?", fragt Matt Singer (Filmspotting). "Found CABIN IN THE WOODS to be deliriously geeky fun. Manages to be meta without forgetting to have characters and a narrative of its own", twittert Alison Willmore (A.V. Club). "Drew Goddard's directorial debut reconstructs and revives horror in a way that is fun and smart and exciting", schreibt Devin Faraci (Badass Digest). "CABIN is not just a great horror film, but also a thesis on why we need horror films and what role they serve in our diet", schreibt Drew McWeeny (HitFix).

Links: - indieWIRE, - Playlist, - Filmspotting