SXSW Film Festival: THE SNAKE Is a Comedy That Manufactures Its Jokes
The Snake, a chaotic indie comedy starring Susan Kent as Jamie, debuted at SXSW 2026. Director Jenna MacMillan employs a stream‑of‑consciousness style that feels deliberately erratic, with rapid scene changes and hammy performances. While the film’s low‑budget visuals and 90s‑style jokes often miss the mark, the chemistry between Kent and Jonathan Torrens provides occasional depth. Overall, the movie strives to manufacture chaos, resulting in a mixed critical reception.
REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE: The Testament of Julian of Norwich
Caroline Golum’s sophomore feature, *Revelations of Divine Love*, dramatizes the 14th‑century mystic Julian of Norwich, the presumed author of the earliest English‑language book by a woman. The film blends handcrafted medieval‑inspired sets with vivid, psychedelic vision sequences that echo both...
SXSW 2026: GRIND & DRAG
SXSW 2026 showcased two genre‑bending indie films, *Grind* and *Drag*, that fuse horror, comedy, and social satire. *Grind* is an anthology of four gig‑economy‑themed vignettes directed by Ed Dougherty, Brea Grant and Chelsea Stardust, lampooning precarious work conditions with grotesque...
The Dummy Detective: Here’s Looking at You, Doll
The Dummy Detective is a low‑budget indie film that blends classic film‑noir tropes with a ventriloquist‑detective premise, positioning itself as both homage and satire. Written and headlined by professional ventriloquist Jonathan Geffner, the movie leans on Sean Young’s quirky innkeeper...