Mustache and With Love and a Major Organ are two cheeky, sweet, heart-wrenching stories about just wanting to be loved whether it’s by family, friends or a special someone. I think we can all relate to that.
Author: Morgen Schuler
SXSW 2023: Shorts installment two
While I didn’t get to dig into as many as I wanted, there were still a few that caught my attention. Funny enough, they were mostly in the horror genre… not exactly my cup of tea most of the time, but they were quirky and fun and I happily hopped out of my comfort zone. Check out my reviews below!
Return to Seoul is a window into the messy, complicated world of cross-national adoption
Native born South Korean, Freddie (Ji-Min Park) was adopted by a French family when she was only months old. As she attempts adulthood, Freddie is unexpectedly pulled toward her birthplace and without a ounce of Korean fluency she flies there on a whim. Despite saying otherwise to her new Korean friends, she desperately wants to connect with her birth parents.
SXSW 2023: Shorts installment one
Despite not making out to the physical festival, I have access to a scrumptiously large number of short films this year from every genre. I’m excited to get back to my niche in The Sunbreak universe and share with you some of the best from this year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival. So lets get on with it!
SXSW Film & TV Festival 2023 sets aside hybrid and goes fully in person
After two years of the pandemic creating a more accessible festival, in-person SXSWFilm is back with a tantalizingly long list of films that I am eager to devour. While I won’t be in Austin this year to experience the crazed ups, downs and sideways of traversing the crowds, freebies and long lines I will get to chow down on the smorgasbord of offerings that SXSW Film has to offer.
Palm Trees and Power Lines attempts a cautionary tale, but becomes a twisted how-to
First and foremost there should be a trauma warning on this film. Young Lea is lost and floating in a vast sea of loneliness. She tries to find solace in her best friend and by attempting a shallow physical relationship with a boy, but nothing really brings her happiness. With an absent single mom who only shows adoration when there’s no boyfriend to distract her, Lea has no one to show her what a strong, positive relationship looks like. Then enters Tom.
Morgen’s Favorite Films of 2022
As I look back on a lot of the films I’ve had the privilege to watch, I realize this year was one for working out all the pent up issues we’ve been feeling over the past few years. Whether that’s staring it in the face, laughing at it, or just making something really weird to get all the ick out… there’ve been a huge number of tender-hearted and emotionally raw films and it’s made my job pretty hard. Going through a lot of emotional crap (and I do mean crap) myself, it’s difficult to experience catharsis from so many viewpoints and not come out not feeling depleted… empty of tears, energy and emotion. Rough stuff. I cherish funny and lighthearted films now much more than before, but there are so few of them being released. It’s a time to air out our deep downs and it’ll just be tough for a while… but it’s better than keeping it inside.
Empire of Light harkens to the days of beautiful old cinemas and a time of turmoil
Planted firmly in the middle of Main Street, the Empire movie theater could be in any small town from North Britain to Southern California and it would look the same. Hilary (Olivia Coleman) is a White middle-aged woman that works day in and day out in the thankless job of movie theater manager. Taken advantage of by her boss and ignored by everyone else, she lives a life of simple solitude.
Leonor Will Never Die is a tidal wave to absurdity and we’re just along for the ride
Leonor had a rich and lustrous career creating films that everyone loved; she brought joy to the masses and herself. Now as an older woman, her career long behind her, she is directionless, forgetful and desperate to be back in that limelight. Reigniting her passions, she begins reworking an old script and while taking a break is hit in the head by a rogue television set from above sending her tumbling into her own mind where her script becomes reality. This is no joyful reunion of cast and creator, most of her work involved gritty backdrops, guns and deadly scuffles. As she tries to navigate this unexpected journey and find safety in a familiar but dangerous world, back on Earth her son Rudy attempts to revive her from her “conscious sleep” as the doctor puts it.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is less mystery and more scrumptious storytelling
A complete departure from the first film in storyline, yet the familiar feel of silliness, tension, and quizzical murder mystery, Glass Onion has no trouble keeping you captivated from beginning to end. A cast of characters, witty, untamed and ridiculous, open the film amidst the pandemic lockdown, all on a group call attempting to open identical mysterious puzzle boxes each received from a mutual friend: the brash and unapologetic billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). After a snappy discourse and several failed attempts, the boxes finally open to reveal invitations to Bron’s luxe private island for a murder mystery party.