NERD INITIATIVE

Known not only for its atmosphere, Austin, Texas finds itself home to one of the world’s most famous festivals. Highlighting music, television, film, and education, South By Southwest (SXSW) brings together thousands of artists and fans alike in a massive celebration of art.

Learn More: SXSW 2026 Movie Review Rundown

SXSW, the film festival portion, began on March 12th and ended today, March 18th, providing a cavalcade of cinema ranging from documentaries to avant-garde art films. The festival has a history of providing top-tier cinema with films like Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Hellboy’ as well as John Krasinski’s ‘A Quiet Place’, both making their debut at the festival in past years. In 2026, the 40th anniversary of the festival, it kept up the tradition with a wide variety of exceptional films debuting at this year’s festival.

Learn More: SXSW

Having dreamt of attending SXSW since I was 17 years old, I finally made the trek to Austin to enjoy the festivities and as many films as I could get to. With over 50 films debuting at the festival, there was no way that I was going to make it to every single film, but I did make it to 11 incredible films that each brought something different to the table. Needless to say, I had my plate quite full, and I ate quite well, not just at Michelado’s, which, if you’re in Austin, you should visit. When the opportunity arrives, each film is more than worthy of your viewership.

And Now…The Films:

Brian

Brian (Ben Wang) is a loner high school student who’s aching to fit in. Unfortunately, his anxiety and perpetual panic attacks make it very difficult to do so. Deciding to run for Class President to impress his favorite teacher (Natalie Morales), Brian recruits Justin (Joshua Colley) as his campaign manager if he has even half a shot to win.

What ensues is an absolutely hilarious coming-of-age film that is the best teen comedy since ‘Superbad.’ Will Ropp’s ‘Brian’ is one part ‘Superbad’ and one part ‘Brigsby Bear’ and all heart. The performances from the cast are exemplary. Randall Park, Sam Song Li, and Edi Patterson steal each other’s scenes that they’re in. Trust me when I say you won’t be able to breathe during some of the family dinner scenes. They were breathtakingly hilarious.

The real star is Brian, himself, Ben Wang. Wang approaches the role with such grace, poise, and tenderness that it’s hard not to feel for Brian as he navigates the choppy waters of high school adolescence. He manages to balance this with a touch of comedy that puts this performance up there with some of the greats.

‘Brian’ is my film of the festival. The film was truly brilliant in every way that leans effortlessly towards perfection. While providing a truly touching narrative, ‘Brian’ will also leave audiences belly laughing long after the final credits have rolled…which you’re absolutely going to want to sit through because the blooper reel is next level funny.

Grind (2026)

Horror. Comedy. Satire. That certainly would create quite the film. Fortunately, for audiences, that’s exactly what the horror comedy satire anthology film, ‘Grind,’ does to an exceptional degree. With ‘Children’s Hospital’ alum, Rob Huebel and horror royalty, Barbara Crampton serving as the connective tissue, ‘Grind’ slices, dices, and transforms body parts in an uproarously funny take down of the gig economy, hustle culture, and late stage capitalism.

Crampton, in her first comedic role, is absolutely hilarious, showing off her chops and hanging with comedy legend Huebel. They’re joined by Christopher Rodriguez Marquette, who plays Joel, a content moderator for a social media conglomerate. Rodriguez Marquette’s hilariously erratic and progressively insane performance is one of the standouts of the film. Chelsea Stardust, Ed Dougherty, and Brea Grant, the Directors and Writers of the film, truly brought out the best in their cast.

‘Grind’ is hilarious and socially poignant at a time when satire seems to be a dying art form, and horror is on the rise, so why not join them together to take down some of society’s ills? When ‘Grind’ finds itself in a theater, moviegoers are going to want to be seated.

I Love Boosters

Boots Riley is a madman. Clearly raised on Looney Tunes, his avant-garde approach to filmmaking has provided a standout body of work that is equal parts thought-provoking dramedy and calamity. ‘I Love Boosters’ meets every iota of that pedigree. The film is funny, yes, but it also draws something out of audiences that lampoons what has become a societal norm. Riley is never in your face with his messaging, allowing nuance to rule the day.

What makes ‘Boosters’ work so phenomenally well is it’s starstudded cast. Keke Palmer stuns as Corvette, the de facto leader of the Velvet Gang. Palmer is equalled by her support as Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Poppy Liu all provide just ridiculously funny performances. These queens truly shake up the industry. With the cast being rounded out by industry greats Demi Moore, LaKeith Stanfield, and Will Poulter, ‘Boosters’ is a spectacle, not just an event.

‘I Love Boosters’ is a day one, butt-in-a-seat, grade A comedy. It’s a film that shows comedy can be more than comedy, and Boots Riley might be the Mad Scientist of Hollywood.

Mam

There is beauty in simplicity. There is joy in that space. Nan Feix’s ‘Mam’ is most assuredly proof of that. Giving the impression of a documentary, ‘Mam’ follows the journey of aspiring Chef Jerald Head as he pursues his goal of cooking Vietnamese cuisine. The film is pure, simple joy.

Shot almost like a documentary, ‘Mam’ gives the impression that it’s more than a narrative. Jerald Head and Nhung Dao Head provide compelling and inspiring performances. The supporting cast is equally impressive. When I realized that this story was true and that the actors were playing themselves, I was truly blown away. It took me by surprise entirely.

‘Mam’ is why moviegoers go to the movies. It’s pure bliss in an hour and a half. It is humanity, and it is joy. I cannot recommend this film enough.

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice

‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice,’ henceforth known as ‘MNNA’, was a happy accident. Something of a convenience, as I couldn’t quite make my next reservation, and I was already conveniently located. What a happy accident that was as BenDavid Grabinski brings as a genre-bending action, sci-fi, time travel banger starring James Marsden and Vince Vaughn…TWICE. That’s right…We got two Vince Vaughns.

Following Mike, Nick, Alice, and, of course, future Nick as they traverse a cavalcade of gangsters and setbacks trying to stop Mike’s murder, ‘MNNA’ was a hilarius adrenaline pumping good time. The cast is exceptional. Vaughn is the best we’ve seen him in years. The film is this year’s action film to beat without a doubt.

‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice’ takes audiences on a wild ride through temu gangland in a zany action movie that features time travel and actually works. Boy, does it work. This is a butt-in-a-seat, day one kind of film.

Over Your Dead Body

Marital problems occur in every marriage. Regardless of how good people may think they’ve had it, all married folk have had their issues. Few, however, have attempted to murder the other and then had to escape from other murderers in the process. That fate befalls Dan (Jason Segel) and Lisa (Samara Weaving) in Jorma Taccone’s hilarious and topsy-turvy remake of Tommy Wirkola’s film, ‘The Trip,’ ‘Over Your Dead Body.’ While ‘Over Your Dead Body’ may not have been my favorite film of the festival, it was still a pretty good film that I would absolutely give a second watch to. Not a favorite in a field this deep isn’t bad at all.

Samara Weaving proves once again that she is the Queen of Horror Action Comedy while also holding down OFFICIAL (I’m calling it) Queen of SXSW. Weaving is impressively funny while simultaneously kicking ass, showing off ridiculous range as well. Jason Segel does Jason Segel things. He’s funny and heartbreaking. Segel has always been endlessly talented, and we are all better off for it. The support cast is stupendous as well. Timothy Olyphant is terrifying as the villainous Pete, and Juliette Lewis plays the poor taste having in men, Allegra, with an unhinged mania that only she can pull off.

‘Over Your Dead Body’ works because of its talented cast. They hold the ship together as it were. I will faithfully state that I saw this AFTER ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,’ thus it’s possible that I could’ve enjoyed this more had I seen it first, given the similarities. Regardless, ‘Over Your Dead Body’ provided exactly what I would expect from such a talented cast and crew.

Pizza Movie

Going into this festival, I said cinema needed two things: a return to GOOD coming of age cinema, which we got in Will Ropp’s ‘Brian,’ and a good old-fashioned stoner comedy. As fate would have it, we got both at this year’s festival. ‘Pizza Movie’ is the best stoner comedy since ‘Grandma’s Boy.’ Yes. It’s ok. Sit down. Push play when this hits Hulu on April 3rd.

‘Pizza Movie’ follows friends, Jack and Montgomery, played pitch-perfectly by Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone, as they try to dodge RAs and bullies to retrieve their pizza. Problem is…they’re on drugs. The cast does their predecessors justice. The hints of ‘EuroTrip’ and ‘Acceptance’ were not lost on me. Lulu Wilson matches wits with her costars masterfully. She’s truly funny and a great voice straight player to Matarazzo and Giambrone’s antics.

‘Pizza Movie’ is truly, god’s honest, hilarious. These types of films can be hit or miss, and this one isn’t a miss. The entire theater was rolling during my viewing. It walks the walk.

Pretty Lethal

Ballerinas and bullets. What’s not to love, and that’s what ‘Pretty Lethal’ delivers. Following a troupe of ballerinas headed across Europe to a competition, things go terribly, terribly fast. See what I did there? Bringing action to SXSW, ‘Pretty Lethal’ was an action-packed romp with some kick ass ballerinas. Filled with heart and adrenaline, ‘Pretty Lethal’ was one of the highlights of the festival.

What is a movie about kick ass ballerinas without its kick ass ballerinas? Maddie Ziegler, Lana Condor, Iris Apatow, Avantika, and Millicent Simmonds brutally beat down a hotel full of Czech gangsters led by a villainous and terrifying Uma Thurman. It’s always fun to see Thurman in films, especially when she’s this good and this good at pulling off an accent no less. The ballerinas are absolute queens, and their performances match. They’re all very funny, and the chemistry is definitely apparent.

‘Pretty Lethal’ is everything moviegoers want in their action films. Bullets. Brutal fight scenes. Blood. Ballerinas. It lives up to the hype.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Just when you think your day can’t get any worse would be a great tagline for ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,’ the direct sequel to the violently funny 2019 hit, ‘Ready or Not.’ Picking up right where it left off, ‘Ready or Not 2’ could have lived in its shadow; instead, it chose violence. This sequel improves upon every little thing that the original special. While not quite ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Empire,’ it does its best to be close.

Remember when I said Samara Weaving was Queen of SXSW? I wasn’t lying. Weaving locked down and owned two epic, albeit similar roles, and you know what? That’s ok. She’s phenomenal in this role, and I could make 15 more of these films and be completely content. The ensemble supporting cast is equally as exceptional. Elijah Wood continues to prove that post ‘Lord of the Rings’ no one can do creepy like he can. I am here for it. Sarah Michelle Gellar continues her renaissance, providing a sense of a soul for the darkly complex, Ursula Danforth.

‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ is a bloodbath, and that’s exactly what moviegoers all signed up for. This is one of those films that begs for just one more film to fill out the story. Hint Hint. Nudge Nudge.

Summer of ’94

All kids have heroes. These were mine. John Harkes. Cobi Jones. Alexi Lalas. Tony Meola. Eric Wynalda. These guys are why I laced up my boots on Sundays for games, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for practices. ‘Summer of 94’ tells the story of exactly why that is. Just in time for the impending World Cup 2026 celebration, ‘Summer of ’94’ takes us back to a simpler time when the SNES and Sega Genesis were duking it out and no one cared about soccer. The film proceeds to tell us exactly why that is no longer true.

Presenting testimony from the players who lived it, ‘Summer of ’94’ provides lived testimony alongside archived footage and pictures, taking audiences on a journey through the rise of soccer in the United States. Major League Soccer, itself, would not exist.

‘Summer of ’94’ is a compelling and adrenaline-pumping sports documentary. It hits all of the emotional beats and lets me relive my childhood. What’s not to love?

While arguably improving our lives in very specific ways, cell phones and social media have quickly become a cancer and a leading cause of teen depression and suicide attempts. The incredible documentary from brilliant documentarian Sara Robin, ‘Your Attention Now,’ digs into just what is happening with young people and what can be done to stop it. The film is clearly made from a place of love and empathy. Getting right at the meat of the issue, ‘Your Attention Please’ grabs you and forces moviegoers to come to terms with their own demons. Simply put, this should be required viewing across humanity.

‘Your Attention Please’ is thoroughly researched, bringing in a variety of different ideas and perspectives, primarily those of Kristin Bride, mother of Carson Bride, who passed away as a result of online bullying, and Trisha Prabhu, founder of ReThink, a tech company that aims to rethink how we invest our time on the internet. The film is heartbreaking and informative in ways that we shouldn’t as a society have to discuss, but for our own sins.

Watch ‘Your Attention Please.’

And then put down your cellphone.

The Festival

SXSW was what dreams are made of. I had an absolute blast. The food. The people. It was an experience that can only be rated by the level of anticipation I have to return.

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie in a theater of 1100 peole all there for the same reason: a love of film.