‘Tapping into the cultural zeitgeist,’ at SXSW 2011

Austin, Texas – The SXSW 2011 Feature Film Lineup was unveiled Wednesday afternoon. The festival lineup will consist of 130 features, in nine full days of programming, promising to deliver a film-going experience unlike previous years.

With a reputation for taking chances on relatively unknown filmmakers, the SXSW panel of judges carefully picked 130 films from 1,792 feature-length film submissions, (1,323 U.S. and 469 international). The program consists of 60 World Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.

The main competition categories return with eight Narrative Features, and eight Documentary Features, both competing for their respective Grand Jury Prize. New for films in competition this year, are awards for screenplay, editing, cinematography, music, and acting.

(The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week.)

Here are a few of the Features to be screened, among many others.

NARRATIVES:

• The Beaver (World Premiere)
  Dir. Jodie Foster. Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin
• The Innkeepers (World Premiere)
  Dir. Ti West. Cast: Sarah Paxton, Kelly McGillis, Pat Healy
• F*ck My Life (N. American Premiere)
  Dir. Nicolás López. Cast: Ariel Levy, Lucy Cominetti, Andrea Velasco
• Paul (N. American Premiere)
  Dir. Greg Mottola. Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman
• You Instead (U.S. Premiere)
  Dir. David MacKenzie. Cast: Luke Treadaway, Natalia Tena, Sophie Wu

DOCUMENTARIES:

• Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop (World Premiere)
  Dir. Rodman Flender
• Foo Fighters: These Days (World Premiere)
  Dir. James Moll
• The Other F Word (World Premiere)
  Dir. Andrea Blaugrund Nevins
• PRESSPAUSEPLAY (N. American Premiere)
  Dir. Victor Köhler & David Dworsky
• Something Ventured (World Premiere)
  Dir. Dan Geller

The Narrative Feature Competition includes:

96 MINUTES, directed by Aimée Lagos, A Year in Mooring, directed by Chris Eyre, American Animal, directed by Matt D’Elia, Charlie Casanova, directed by Terry McMahon, FLY AWAY, directed by Janet Grillo, HAPPY NEW YEAR, directed by K. Lorrel Manning, Natural Selection, directed by Robbie Pickering and Small, Beautifully Moving Parts, directed by Annie J. Howell & Lisa Robinson.

The Documentary Feature Competition includes:

A Mouthful, directed by Sally Rowe, Better This World, directed by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega, The City Dark, directed by Ian Cheney, DRAGONSLAYER, directed by Tristan Patterson, FIGHTVILLE, directed by Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein, Kumaré, directed by Vikram Gandhi, LAST DAYS HERE, directed by Don Argott & Demian Fenton and Where Soldiers Come From, directed by Heather Courtney.

The festival kicks off,  March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas.

PRESS RELEASE

SXSW FILM ANNOUNCES 2011 FEATURES LINEUP

Austin, Texas – February 2, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas.  The 2011 lineup continues the SXSW tradition of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, highlighting emerging talent and breakthrough performances and supporting first-time filmmakers. The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week.

“This is the most exciting moment for us.†After a fantastic festival of discovery in 2010, we can finally unveil the line up for this year’s event,” says Film Conference and Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “SXSW prides itself on taking chances, sifting for films that are the seedlings of the next generation of must-see artists. This year’s line up is full of emerging voices and filmmakers who transcended the resources they had on hand, often with an alchemist’s touch.”

Over the course of nine days, 130 features will screen at SXSW 2011.  The program consists of 60 World Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres. These films were selected from a record 1,792 feature-length film submissions composed of 1,323 U.S. and 469 international feature-length films.  SXSW saw a 23% increase in its overall submissions over 2010, with a record number of nearly 4,900 total.

The festival’s main competition categories once again find eight Narrative Features and eight Documentary Features, vying for their respective Grand Jury Prizes. New for 2011, films in competition will also be eligible for screenplay, editing, cinematography, music and acting awards.

The Narrative Feature Competition includes: 96 MINUTES, directed by AimÈe Lagos, A Year in Mooring, directed by Chris Eyre, American Animal, directed by Matt D’Elia, Charlie Casanova, directed by Terry McMahon, FLY AWAY, directed by Janet Grillo, HAPPY NEW YEAR, directed by K. Lorrel Manning, Natural Selection, directed by Robbie Pickering and Small, Beautifully Moving Parts, directed by Annie J. Howell & Lisa Robinson.  The Documentary Feature Competition includes: A Mouthful, directed by Sally Rowe, Better This World, directed by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega, The City Dark, directed by Ian Cheney, DRAGONSLAYER, directed by Tristan Patterson, FIGHTVILLE, directed by Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein, KumarÈ, directed by Vikram Gandhi, LAST DAYS HERE, directed by Don Argott & Demian Fenton and Where Soldiers Come From, directed by Heather Courtney.

Previously announced films include Opening Night film Source Code, as well as narrative features The Beaver, Paul and The Innkeepers, and documentaries Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, It’s About You, and Square Grouper.  In addition to nine full days of film screenings, SXSW Film will ultimately feature over 80 sessions of panels and workshops in the Film Conference.  For details on the confirmed sessions, selected from proposals submitted via the SXSW PanelPicker™ interface, visit www.sxsw.com/film/talks.  The final panel and conference lineup will be announced on February 15.  Visit http://www.sxsw.com/film for more information and updates.
The 2011 SXSW Film Festival will feature:

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

This year’s 8 films were selected from 984 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere.

Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:

96 MINUTES

Director & Writer: AimÈe Lagos

Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event. These 96 minutes will change everything. Cast: Brittany Snow, Evan Ross, Christian Serratos, J. Michael Trautmann, and David Oyelowo

(World Premiere)

A Year in Mooring

Director: Chris Eyre, Writer: Peter Vanderwall

In his first leading dramatic role, Josh Lucas walks an isolated line between solitude and redemption.  This quiet cinematic journey tells a of tale grief, solace and peace. Cast: Josh Lucas, Ayelet Zurer, James Cromwell, Jon Tenney, Taylor Nichols (World Premiere)

American Animal

Director & Writer: Matt D’Elia

Jimmy – eccentric, delusional, dying – feels betrayed when roommate James gets a job. During one night of drinks, drugs and women, a classic battle of wills ensues as James prepares for work and Jimmy goes mad. Cast: Matt D’Elia, Brendan Fletcher, Mircea Monroe, Angela Sarafyan

(World Premiere)

Charlie Casanova (Ireland)

Director & Writer: Terry McMahon

A ruling class sociopath knocks down a working class girl in a hit-and-run and uses a deck of playing cards to determine his fate. Cast: Emmett J. Scanlan, Leigh Arnold, Damien Hannaway, Ruth McIntyre, Tony Murphy (World Premiere)

FLY AWAY

Director & Writer: Janet Grillo

A poignant yet humor filled story about a single mother of a teenager with autism, confronting her child’s future. What will sustain her daughter, and herself? A parent/child love story, when love means letting go.  Cast: Beth Broderick, Ashley Rickards, Greg Germann, JR Bourne, Reno (World Premiere)

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Director & Writer: K. Lorrel Manning

A war torn marine returns home to face his fiercest battle yet — the one against himself. Cast: Michael Cuomo, JD Williams, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Tina Sloan, Alan Dale (World Premiere)

Natural Selection

Director & Writer: Robbie Pickering

When a dutiful, albeit barren, housewife discovers that her ailing husband has an illegitimate son, she sets out to find the young man and reunite him with her husband before he dies. Cast: Rachael Harris, Matt O’Leary, Jon Gries, John Diehl (World Premiere)

Small, Beautifully Moving Parts

Directors & Writers: Annie J. Howell & Lisa Robinson

Technology-obsessed Sarah Sparks is pregnant and ambivalent, afraid she relates better to machines than to people. Looking for answers, she hits the road in search of her estranged mother, now living off the grid. Cast: Anna Margaret Hollyman, AndrÈ Holland, Sarah Rafferty, Susan Kalechi Watson, Mary Beth Peil (World Premiere)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

This year’s 8 films were selected from 808 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere.

Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are:

A Mouthful

Director: Sally Rowe

Considered a rising star of haute cuisine, Paul Liebrandt found his career stalled in New York’s austere environment post 9/11. Paul struggles over the next decade as he tries to make his way back to the top. (World Premiere)

Better This World

Directors: Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega

Two childhood friends from Midland, Texas cross a line that changes their lives forever. The result: eight homemade bombs, multiple domestic terrorism charges and a high stakes entrapment defense hinging on a controversial FBI informant. (World Premiere)

The City Dark

Director: Ian Cheney

The film chronicles the disappearance of darkness, following astronomers, cancer researchers, ecologists and philosophers in a quest to understand what is lost in the glare of city lights. (World Premiere)

DRAGONSLAYER

Director: Tristan Patterson

Killer Films presents the transmissions of a lost kid, falling in love, in the suburbs of Fullerton, California.  Featuring skateboarding, the usual drugs, and stray glimpses of unusual beauty.

(World Premiere)

FIGHTVILLE

Directors: Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein

A documentary about the art and sport of fighting: a microcosm of life, a physical manifestation of that other brutal contest called the American Dream. (World Premiere)

KumarÈ (U.S.A/India)

Director: Vikram Gandhi

A documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. (World Premiere)

LAST DAYS HERE

Directors: Don Argott & Demian Fenton

The film follows middle-aged rocker Bobby Liebling, lead singer of the cult hard rock/heavy metal band Pentagram, as he leaves his parents’ basement in search of the life he never lived.

(World Premiere)

Where Soldiers Come From

Director: Heather Courtney

From a snowy small town in Northern Michigan to the mountains of Afghanistan and back, the film follows the four-year journey of childhood friends and their town, forever changed by a faraway war. (World Premiere)

HEADLINERS

Big names, big talent:  Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with some major and rising names in cinema.

Films screening in Headliners are:

13 Assassins

Director: Takashi Miike, Writers: Shoichirou Ikemiya & Daisuke Tengan

Distressed by the Lord’s murderous rampage, top Shogun official Sir Doi secretly calls on esteemed samurai Shinzaemon Shimada to assassinate the evil Naritsugu. Outraged by Lord Naritsugu’s vile acts, Shinzaemon willingly accepts the dangerous mission. Cast: Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Iseya, Goro Inagaki, Masachika Ichimura

Ain’t It Cool News 15th Anniversary Screening

Harry Knowles will curate a surprise screening in honor of the 15th Anniversary of his popular cult website Ain’t it Cool News.

The Beaver

Director: Jodie Foster, Writer: Kyle Killen

Two-time Academy AwardÆ winner Jodie Foster directs and co-stars with two-time Academy AwardÆ winner Mel Gibson in an emotional story about a man on a journey to re-discover his family and re-start his life.  Plagued by his own demons, Walter Black was once a successful toy executive and family man who now suffers from depression.  No matter what he tries, Walter can’t seem to get himself back on track…until a beaver hand puppet enters his life. Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence, Cherry Jones (World Premiere)

Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop

Director: Rodman Flender

Did Conan O’Brien go on tour to connect with his fans or fill a void within himself?  Rodman Flender’s documentary captures an artist trained in improvisation at the most improvisational time of his career. (World Premiere)

Paul

Director: Greg Mottola, Writers: Simon Pegg & Nick Frost

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite as two geeks who meet an alien named Paul (Seth Rogen) on a pilgrimage to America’s UFO heartland.  Their road trip will alter our universe forever. Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, John Carroll Lynch, with Sigourney Weaver, and Seth Rogen as Paul (North American Premiere)

Source Code

Director: Duncan Jones, Writer: Ben Ripley

When soldier Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) wakes up in the body of an unknown man, he discovers he’s part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.  In an assignment unlike any he’s ever known, he learns he’s part of a government experiment called the “Source Code,” a computer program that enables him to cross over into another man’s identity in the last 8 minutes of his life. Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright (World Premiere)

SUPER

Director & Writer: James Gunn

In this outlandish dark comedy, James Gunn has created what is perhaps the definitive take on self-reflexive superheroes. Cast: Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, Michael Rooker

(U.S. Premiere)

WIN WIN

Director: Tom McCarthy, Writers: Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni

Tom McCarthy, acclaimed writer/director of The Visitor and The Station Agent, once again explores the depths and nuances of human relationships in his new film about the allegiances and bonds between unlikely characters. Cast: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Schaffer, Margo Martindale, David Thompson

SPOTLIGHT PREMIERES

Shining a light on new documentary and narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW.

Films screening in Spotlight Premieres are:

A Bag of Hammers

Director: Brian Crano, Writers: Brian Crano & Jake Sandvig

An offbeat comedy about two misfit best friends incapable of growing up, whose direction is tested by an abandoned child, worn beyond his years; together they invent the family they’ve always needed. Cast: Jason Ritter, Jake Sandvig, Chandler Canterbury, Rebecca Hall, Carrie Preston (World Premiere)

Becoming Santa

Director: Jeff Myers

In an effort to rekindle his Christmas spirit, Jack decides to spend this season as Santa Claus, but the role of Kris Kringle is more complex than he thinks. (World Premiere)

Beginners

Writer & Director: Mike Mills

When Oliver (Ewan McGregor) meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna (MÈlanie Laurent) only months after his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) has passed away, this new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who – following 44 years of marriage – came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. Cast: Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, MÈlanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox (U.S. Premiere)

Bob and The Monster

Director: Keirda Bahruth

A highly compelling portrait of outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction, to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today. (World Premiere)

Detention

Director: Joseph Kahn, Writers: Joseph Kahn & Mark Palermo

A downtrodden 17-year-old girl is sent to detention where she must survive a slasher film killer and save the world in time for prom. Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Dane Cook, Shanley Caswell, Spencer Locke, Aaron David Johnson (World Premiere)

Elevate

Director: Anne Buford

From a basketball academy in Senegal, to the high-pressure world of American prep schools, the film documents the extraordinary personal journeys of four particularly tall West African Muslim teenage boys with NBA dreams. (World Premiere)

Fambul Tok

Director: Sara Terry

Victims and perpetrators of Sierra Leone’s brutal war come together for the first time in an unprecedented reconciliation program of grassroots truth-telling and forgiveness ceremonies.

(World Premiere)

Fubar: Balls to the Wall (Canada)

Director: Michael Dowse, Writers: David Lawrence, Paul J. Spence

Documentarian Farrel Mitchner explores the lives of headbangers Dean Murdoch and Terry Cahill. Cast: Paul J. Spence, David Lawrence (U.S. Premiere)

Girl Walks Into a Bar

Director & Writer: Sebastian Gutierrez

A sharp-witted comedy that follows a group of apparent strangers in interlocking stories taking place in ten different bars during the course of one evening in Los Angeles. Cast: Carla Gugino, Zachary Quinto, Danny DeVito, Josh Hartnett, Rosario Dawson (World Premiere)

The Innkeepers

Director & Writer: Ti West

Hotel clerks by day, amateur ghost hunters by night, the last two employees of the historic Yankee Pedlar Inn set out to prove that their place of business is as haunted as its reputation.

Cast: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis (World Premiere)

It’s About You

Director: Kurt Markus

First-time filmmakers, photographer Kurt Markus and son, Ian, document John Mellencamp’s 2009 summer tour and recording of his latest album. This film celebrates the visual beauty and power of Super8 film and the human voice. (World Premiere)

LBF (Australia)

Director & Writer: Alex Munt

A pop-art film based on the novel “Living Between Fucks” by Cry Bloxsome.  It follows Goodchild, a young writer back home for his ex-girlfriend’s funeral, The Dead Girl. Love, Loss & Desperation.

Cast: Toby Schmitz, Bianca Chiminello, Gracie Otto, Septimus Caton, April Rose Pengilly

(World Premiere)

The Other F Word

Director: Andrea Blaugrund Nevins

When the most anti-authoritarian among us become the ultimate authorities… we might just have to use The Other F Word. (World Premiere)

PRESSPAUSEPLAY (Sweden)

Directors: Victor Kˆhler & David Dworsky

The first real testimony of the digi-creative revolution. It’s an 80 minute global journey capturing how digital technology and mindset has transformed the concept of art and culture.

(North American Premiere)
Something Ventured

Directors: Dan Geller & Dayna Goldfine

Apple. Intel. Genentech. Cisco. Atari. This film tells the story of a handful of risk-takers who alongside visionary entrepreneurs created these revolutionary companies, and in the process ignited the industry known as venture capital. (World Premiere)

Square Grouper

Director: Billy Corben

A colorful portrait of Miami’s pot smugglin’ scene of the 1970s, populated with redneck pirates, a ganja-smoking church, and the longest serving marijuana prisoner in American history.
(World Premiere)

UNDEFEATED

Directors: Dan Lindsay & T.J. Martin

A volunteer coach helps a neglected inner-city football team in their quest to win the first playoff game in the high school’s history. (World Premiere)

Yelling to the Sky

Director & Writer: Victoria Mahoney

As her family falls apart, seventeen year old Sweetness O’Hara is left to fend for herself in a neighborhood where her survival is uncertain. Cast: Zoe Kravitz, Jason Clarke, Antonique Smith, Gabourey Sidibe, Tim Blake Nelson (U.S. Premiere)

YOU INSTEAD (Scotland)

Director: David Mackenzie, Writer: Thomas Leveritt

Two rival musicians find themselves handcuffed together at the world renowned music festival, T in the Park, where they are both scheduled to perform. Cast: Luke Treadaway, Natalia Tena, Sophie Wu, Ruta Gedmintas, Kari Corbett (North American Premiere)

EMERGING VISIONS

Innovation and creativity from new and emerging feature filmmakers, showcasing raw talent in documentary and narratives of varying premiere status.

Films screening in Emerging Visions are:

Bad Fever

Director & Writer: Dustin Guy Defa

A humorless loner attempts to win the admiration of a drifter with his debut performance at the local comedy club.  Cast: Kentucker Audley, ElÈonore Hendricks, Annette Wright, Allison Baar

(World Premiere)

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye

Director: Marie Losier

A portrait of the life and work of ground-breaking performance artist and music pioneer Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV) and his wife Lady Jaye, centered around their sexual transformations for their “Pandrogyne” project. (North American Premiere)

Bellflower

Director & Writer: Evan Glodell

A love story with apocalyptic stakes. Cast: Evan Glodell, Jessie Wiseman, Tyler Dawson, Rebekah Brandes, Vincent Grashaw

The Catechism Cataclysm

Director & Writer: Todd Rohal

Father William Smoortser drops his bible into a toilet at a rest stop just before embarking on a day-long canoe trip, breaking loose all glorious hell. Cast: Steve Little, Robert Longstreet, Walter Dalton, Miki Ann Maddox, Koko Lanham, Rico

Caught Inside (Australia)

Director: Adam Blaiklock, Writers: Adam Blaiklock & Matt Tomaszewski

A surfing holiday turns deadly when a group of friends fight over a beautiful woman. Cast: Ben Oxenbould, Daisy Betts, Sam Lyndon, Simon Lyndon, Peter Phelps (North American Premiere)

CONVENTO (Portugal)

Director: Jarred Alterman

Artist Christiaan Zwanikken resurrects deceased wildlife by reanimating the skeletal remains with servomotors and robotics.  He breeds these new species in a 400-year-old monastery in Portugal, restored from ruins and converted into his laboratory. (North American Premiere)

The Dish & The Spoon

Director: Alison Bagnall, Writers: Alison Bagnall, Andrew Lewis

In this poignant comedy, Rose (Greta Gerwig), reeling from her husband’s affair, collides and forms an unexpected bond with a marooned teenager from England (exciting newcomer Olly Alexander) in a boarded-up Delaware beach town. Cast: Greta Gerwig, Olly Alexander, Eleonore Hendricks, Amy Seimetz, Adam Rothenberg (World Premiere)

Fuck my life (Chile)

Director & Writer: Nicol·s LÛpez

Love in the times of Facebook is worst than love in the times of cholera.

Cast: Ariel Levy, Lucy Cominetti, Andrea Velasco, Paz BascuÒan, Leonor Varela (U.S. Premiere)

Green

Director & Writer: Sophia Takal

An intimate friendship between two women dissolves as they are drawn into an irrational, destructive spiral of jealousy and paranoid fantasy in this haunting examination of the female psyche.

Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Sophia Takal, Lawrence Michael Levine (World Premiere)

THE KEY MAN

Director & Writer: Peter Himmelstein

Bobby Scheinman is an insurance salesman struggling to provide for his family. Enter Vincent and Irving, two con men who convince Bobby to join them for a moneymaking scheme that quickly spirals out of control. Cast: Jack Davenport, Hugo Weaving, Brian Cox, Judy Greer, Ben Shenkman

(World Premiere)

New Jerusalem

Director: R. Alverson, Writers: R. Alverson & Colm O’Leary

Ike (Will Oldham), an Evangelical Christian, befriends Sean, an Irish immigrant, and attempts to ensure his salvation. A meditation on the allure and limitations of modern utopian belief. Cast: Will Oldham, Colm O’Leary, Thomas Bowles, Walter Scott, Roxanne Ferris (North American Premiere)

No Matter What

Director & Writer: Cherie Saulter

The story of Nick and Joey, two best friends living in the crumbling landscape of rural Florida, whose lives and friendship are changed by the journey to find Joey’s mother. Cast: Matt Webb, Waylan Gross, Amy Seimetz (World Premiere)

Our Day Will Come (France)

Director: Romain Gavras, Writers: Romain Gavras & Karim Boucherka

Two outcast redheads set off on a roadtrip of hate, violence and self-destruction. The time for revenge has come… Cast: Vincent Cassel, Olivier Barthelemy (U.S. Premiere)

Riscado (Brazil)

Director: Gustavo Pizzi, Writers: Gustavo Pizzi & Karine Teles

What’s the importance of luck in life? Is luck part of the craft? Cast: Karine Teles, Camilo Pellegrini, Dany Roland, Otavio Muller (North American Premiere)

Septien

Director & Writer: Michael Tully

A reclusive sports hustler returns home to his family farm after years of absence to reunite with his two eccentric, unhinged and emotionally damaged brothers. Cast: Robert Longstreet, Onur Tukel, Michael Tully, Rachel Korine, Mark Darby Robinson

SILVER BULLETS

Director & Writer: Joe Swanberg

Filmmaking and life converge around a werewolf film. Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Ti West, Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg, Jane Adams (North American Premiere)

Surrogate Valentine

Director: Dave Boyle, Writers: Dave Boyle, Joel Clark, & Goh Nakamura

Musician Goh Nakamura is hired to teach TV actor Danny Turner how to walk and talk like a rock star for his new movie. Cast: Goh Nakamura, Chadd Stoops, Lynn Chen, Mary Cavett, Joy Osmanski (World Premiere)

Turkey Bowl

Director & Writer: Kyle Smith

Ten friends gather to play an annual game of touch football in this real-time comedy.

Cast: Morgan Beck, Adam Benic, Kerry BishÈ, Troy Buchanan, Tom DiMenna (World Premiere)

Weekend (England)

Director & Writer: Andrew Haigh

A one-night stand that becomes something else, something important – a (sort of) love story between two guys trying to take control of their lives. Cast: Tom Cullen, Chris New (World Premiere)

LONE STAR STATES

Texas proud!  Documentaries and Narratives with a special connection to the Lone Star State.

Films screening in Lone Star States are:

Apart

Director: Aaron Rottinghaus, Writers: Aaron Rottinghaus & Josh Danziger

Young love is derailed by a rare psychological disorder known as icd-10 F24. Cast: Olesya Rulin, Josh Danziger, Michael Bowen, Bruce McGill, Joey Lauren Adams (World Premiere)

blacktino

Director & Writer: Aaron Burns

Sad, fat, black, latino, nerd. It doesn’t get any worse than that.  Cast: Austin Marshall, Devyn Ray, Tiger Sheu, Danny Trejo, Jeff Fahey (World Premiere)

Building Hope

Director: Turk Pipkin

Filmmaker Turk Pipkin’s promise to help build the first high school for a remote African community connects Americans and Kenyans in this true story. (World Premiere)

Five Time Champion

Director & Writer: Berndt Mader

A film about love, hope, petty theft, adultery, and the boundless opportunities presented by science.  Cast: Betty Buckley, Dana Wheeler Nicholson, Jon Gries, Ryan Akin, Robert Longstreet

(World Premiere) 

INCENDIARY: The Willingham Case

Directors: Steve Mims & Joe Bailey, Jr.

Cameron Todd Willingham:  A martyr for anti-death penalty activists, a ‘monster’ for right-wing politicians and a flash point for an astonishing twenty-first century fight between science and folklore. (World Premiere)

Inside America (Austria)

Director & Writer: Barbara Eder

A portrait of six teenagers during their senior year at Hanna High School in Brownsville and “a relentless, downbeat but convincing indictment of a small Texas high school.” Cast: Raul Juarez, AimeÈ Lizette Saldivar, Zuleyma Jaime, Luis De Los Santos, Carlos Benavides, Patty Barrera

(U.S. Premiere)

My Sucky Teen Romance

Director & Writer: Emily Hagins

In a culture that is currently overrun with romanticized vampires, it is up to four geeky teenagers to defend their friend and beloved sci-fi convention from a group of very real, blood-thirsty vampires.

Cast: Elaine Hurt, Patrick Delgado, Santiago Dietche, Lauren Lee, Tony Vespe (World Premiere)

Otis Under Sky

Director: Anlo Sepulveda, Writers: Anlo Sepulveda, Anis Mojgani, Roberta Colindrez

Otis is a socially inept web artist who struggles to connect with people. He falls into unrequited love with Ursula, and his world is turned upside down. Cast: Anis Mojgani, Roberta Colindrez, Tony Jackson, Jacqueline Leal, Ruth Sepulveda (World Premiere)

WUSS

Director & Writer: Clay Liford

A high school teacher is severely beaten by his own students. Too embarrassed to inform the authorities, he plots his own revenge. Cast: Nate Rubin, Alicia Anthony, Alex Karpovsky, Jonny Mars, Tony Hale (World Premiere)

24 BEATS PER SECOND

Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary.

Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are:

Benda Bilili! (France)

Directors: Renaud Barret & Florent de La Tullaye

Ricky dreams of making Staff Benda Bilili the best band in Congo Kinshasa.  Roger wants to join these stars of the ghetto.  Together, they must avoid the pitfalls of the street and believe in music. (U.S. Premiere)

Foo Fighters

Director: James Moll

The definitive documentary of the last great American rock n’ roll band: chronicling Foo Fighters’ 16 year history from their first club gigs to the recording of their new album in Dave Grohl’s garage.

(World Premiere)

Le Tigre: On Tour

Director: Kerthy Fix

A concert film that follows a feminist electronic band across 4 continents and 10 countries and provides an unusual peek behind the curtain of the contemporary pop machine. (World Premiere)

Live at Preservation Hall: Louisiana Fairytale

Director: Danny Clinch

The film documents the collaboration between New Orleans’s legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band and American rock band My Morning Jacket, demonstrating the power of Preservation Hall to inspire a whole new generation of musicians. (World Premiere)

Love Shines (Canada)

Director: Douglas Arrowsmith

Love Shines follows Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith as he makes his latest studio album with legendary producer Bob Rock. (U.S. Premiere)

NYMAN IN PROGRESS (Germany/England)

Director: Silvia Beck

A documentary about composer and artist Michael Nyman, who at 65, surprises the world with a new insight into his creativity. (U.S. Premiere)

Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW

Director: Alan Berg

Four guys living on next to nothing created a music event in the hopes of giving bands a way of connecting with music insiders. The result was the biggest music industry event in the world.

(World Premiere)

Sound It Out (England)

Director: Jeanie Finlay

A documentary portrait of the very last record shop in Teesside. A distinctive, funny and intimate film about men, the North of England and the irreplaceable role of music in our lives. (World Premiere)

Taken By Storm: The Art of Storm Thorgerson and Hipgnosis

Director: Roddy Bogawa

Real? Surreal? Iconic? Impossible? The album art of Storm Thorgerson is so far deeply embedded into our psyche, it’s hard to believe it all came from one mind. (World Premiere)

UPSIDE DOWN: THE CREATION RECORDS STORY (England)

Director: Danny O’Connor

The definitive and fully authorized documentary of the highs and lows of the UK’s most inspired and dissolute independent record label – Creation Records. (North American Premiere)

SX GLOBAL

A diverse panorama of international filmmaking talent, including premieres, interactive documentaries and shorts.

Films screening in SX Global are:

Andante (Israel)

Director & Writer: Assaf Tager

In a post-industrial world people are no longer able to dream. Sarah, the single surviving dreamer, sets out to the only place that can provide answers to her strange night visions: the dream factory.

Cast: Sarah Adler, David Fire, Liron Levo, Nicole Veronica (North American Premiere)

Armadillo (Denmark)

Director: Janus Metz

Following a group of Danish solders on a 2009 tour of Afghanistan, Janus Metz’s acclaimed documentary is a gripping, visually stunning probe into the psychology of young men in the midst of a senseless war.

Beats of Freedom (Poland)

Directors: Leszek Gnoinski & Wojciech Slota

A captivating film about the birth of rock music in Poland.

El Ambulante (Argentina)

Directors & Writers: Eduardo de la Serna, Lucas Marcheggiano and Adriana Yurcovich

A traveler arrives at a village and proposes to make a feature film – but only the villagers will act in the film.

El Bulli – Cooking in Progress (Germany)

Director: Gereon Wetzel

The starred chef Ferran Adri‡ is known as the best, most innovative and craziest cook in the world. Every year, the restaurant closes for six months and Adri‡ and his creative team retire to their cooking laboratory in Barcelona, to create a new menu for the following season. Everything is allowed – except copying themselves.

Heaven Hell (Czech Republic)

Director: David Calek

A documentary film dealing with human diversity that doesn’t necessarily lead to hell even though it might seem like that from the outsider’s point of view. (U.S. Premiere)

IDFA DocLab presents: New Documentary Narratives

For the third year in a row, SXSW has invited IDFA DocLab (www.idfa.nl/doclab) to organize a panel and a special live cinema screening. IDFA DocLab is the new media program of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Since 2008, IDFA DocLab showcases the many new and unexpected forms of documentary storytelling made possible by digital technology. In Europe, the program has become a platform for transmedia and multiplatform projects, ranging from interactive webdocs to documentary media art.

My Life With Carlos (Chile/Germany/Spain)

Director: German Berger-Hertz

The film chronicles the journey of a son (director German Berger-Hertz) trying to learn the truth about his father, who was killed in 1973 in Pinochet’s Chile.

Reindeer Spotting (Finland)

Director: Joonas Neuvonen

Without moralizing the film shows the real life of a group of friends in the Arctic Circle, dabbling in petty crime and hard drugs. Disturbing, brutal and beautifully honest. Trainspotting in Santa Land.

(North American Premiere)

Self Made (England)

Director: Gillian Wearing

A diverse group of British people respond to an ad from artist Gillian Wearing. Taking part in an experiment with Method acting, they find themselves for the first time confronting their innermost personal truths.

Viva Riva! (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Director & Writer: Djo Tunda Wa Munga

The first major film out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the story follows fast-living hustler Riva.  While being pursued by Kinshasa’s dangerous underworld, Riva finds himself inextricably drawn to a gangster’s seductive, kept woman. Cast: Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Hoji Fortuna, Marlene Longage, Diplome Amekindra, Alex Herabo (U.S. Premiere)

WAY OF THE MORRIS (England)

Directors: Tim Plester & Rob Curry

Filmmaker Tim Plester journeys from the English village green to the killing fields of The Somme, in search of a connection with the much-maligned native dance traditions that run deep in his blood. (World Premiere)

FESTIVAL FAVORITES

Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world.

Films screening in Festival Favorites are:

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

Director: Constance A. Marks

Elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. Meet the unlikely man behind the puppet – the heart and soul of Elmo – Kevin Clash. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this documentary includes rare archival footage and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS (France)

Director: Werner Herzog

Filming in 3D, Herzog captures the wonder and beauty of one of the most awe-inspiring sites on earth.

Ceremony

Director & Writer: Max Winkler

Sam Davis convinces his former best friend to spend a weekend with him to rekindle their friendship at an elegant beachside estate but he is forced to realize how complicated love and friendship can be. Cast: Michael Angarano, Uma Thurman, Reece Thompson, Lee Pace, Jake Johnson

The First Movie (Canada/England)

Director: Mark Cousins

What’s it like to be a child in war – not when the conflict is raging, but when the war tide is out, as it were, when kids are telling stories or playing games?

Hesher

Director: Spencer Susser, Writers: Spencer Susser & David MichÙd

Loud music. Pornography. Burning shit down – just a few of Hesher’s favorite things. And it’s just this kind of anarchy that’s needed to shake the burdens of sorrow from a boy and his father.

Cast: Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, Devin Brochu, Piper Laurie

How to Die in Oregon

Director: Peter D. Richardson

The film tells the complex stories of terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors and friends, as they decide whether to end their life by lethal overdose under Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act.

In a Better World (Denmark)

Director: Susanne Bier, Writer: Anders Thomas Jensen, based on a story by Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen

Golden GlobeÆ Award winner and Academy AwardÆ nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, and told from the two very different worlds of an idyllic Danish town and an African refugee camp, a doctor and his family are faced with conflicts that force them to make difficult choices between revenge and forgiveness. Cast: Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen, Markus Rygaard, William J¯hnk Nielsen

Incendies (Canada)

Director & Writer: Denis Villenueve

Academy AwardÆ nominee for Best Foreign Language Film and adaptation of Wajdi Mouawad’s acclaimed play, Incendies tells the story of two siblings who set out to the Middle East to understand the life of their deceased enigmatic mother, who has left them with a mystery only they can piece together. Cast: Lubna Azabal, MÈlissa DÈsormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, RÈmy Girard

Page One: A Year Inside The New York Times

Director: Andrew Rossi

Unprecedented access to the New York Times newsroom yields a complex view of a media landscape fraught with both peril and opportunity.

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Director: Morgan Spurlock

Morgan Spurlock (Oscar nominee, Super Size Me) explores the world of product placement, marketing and advertising in POM Wonderful Presents: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD, a film fully financed through product placement.

ROAD TO NOWHERE

Director: Monte Hellman, Writer: Steven Gaydos

Illusion is the First of all Pleasures. Cast: Shannyn Sossamon, Tygh Runyan, Dominique Swain, Cliff De Young, Waylon Payne

Sound of My Voice

Director: Zal Batmanglij, Writers: Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling

A young couple infiltrate a cult that meets in the San Fernando Valley. Cast: Brit Marling, Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius

TABLOID

Director: Errol Morris

Errol Morris further redefines and pushes the boundaries of documentary film with the tale of Joyce McKinney and the infamous “Case of the Manacled Mormon.”

Terri

Director: Azazel Jacobs, Writer: Patrick deWitt

A moving and often funny film about a big kid in a small town that doesn’t seem to have room for anyone who is different. Cast: Jacob Wysocki, John C. Reilly, Creed Bratton, Olivia Crocicchia, Bridger Zadina

Wasted on the Young (Australia)

Director & Writer: Ben C. Lucas

An incident at a high school party sets off a dramatic chain of events and two brothers must place their lives at the mercy of popular opinion. Cast: Oliver Ackland, Adelaide Clemens, Alex Russell

(U.S. Premiere)

SPECIAL EVENTS

Live Soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more.  Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique film event one-offs.

Films screening in Special Events are:

The Cameraman

Directors: Edward Sedgwick & Buster Keaton, Writer: Clyde Bruckman

Buster Keaton plays a bumbling street photographer who tries his hand as a newsreel cameraman to impress a girl. Austin jazz/rock band Bee vs. Moth plays their original score live. Presented in partnership with the Alamo Drafthouse.  Cast: Buster Keaton, Marceline Day, Harold Goodwin, Sidney Bracey, Harry Gribbon

Fubar (Canada)

Director: Michael Dowse, Writers: Dave Lawrence, Paul J. Spence, Michael Dowse

SXSW presents the cult classic Fubar to celebrate the screening of SXSW 2011 Official Selection, Fubar: Balls to the Wall. Cast: Dave Lawrence, Paul J. Spence, Gordon Skilling, Andrew Sparacino, Tracy Lawrence

The National Parks Project (Canada)

A stunning collection of short films that represents the breadth of Canada’s artistic talent and diversity of the country’s landscape, as it’s never been seen before. Cast: Sarah Harmer, Cadence Weapon, Bry Webb, Melissa Auf der Maur, Sam Roberts (U.S. Premiere)

Red Riding Hood – Special Screening

Director: Catherine Hardwicke, Writer: David Leslie Johnson

Catherine Hardwicke will be present for Q&A following this special screening of her latest film, on Thursday, March 10 at midnight.  In the film, a werewolf terrorizes a small village, especially when the people discover that, by day, the beast could be anyone.  And one young woman discovers that she has a unique connection to the wolf that makes her both suspect…and bait.

Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez, Max Irons

The Rime of the Modern Mariner (England)

Director & Writer: Mark Donne

A documentary set to a spellbinding live musical score – which examines the nature of relationship between a nation state and the seas in a globalized world. Cast: Mark Donne, Carl Barat (The Libertines), Anthony Rossomando (The Klaxons) (U.S. Premiere)

About South by Southwest Film Conference & Festival

The SXSW Film Conference and Festival is a uniquely creative environment featuring the dynamic convergence of talent, smart audiences and industry heavyweights. A hotbed of discovery and interactivity, the event offers invaluable networking opportunities and immersion into the art and business of the rapidly evolving world of independent film.

The Film Conference buzzes as world-class speakers, creative minds, and notable mentors tackle the latest filmmaking trends amidst the unmatched social atmosphere of the SXSW experience. Simultaneously, the internationally acclaimed, nine-day Festival celebrates raw innovation and emerging talent, featuring a truly diverse program that includes provocative documentaries, subversive comedies, DIY narratives, genre standouts and more. For more information, visit www.sxsw.com/film.

2011 Festival Sponsors

The SXSW Film Conference and Festival is sponsored by Miller Lite, Chevrolet, AOL, IFC, PepsiMax, Brisk, Freecreditscore.com, Monster Energy and The Austin Chronicle.

A year can be a very long time in the gaming world (well, unless you’re Max Payne 3).

With so many big releases sprinkled throughout the calendar, it’s worth cutting the gaming wheat from the bargain basement chaff.

To save your wallet and your time, join us as we run through the best games of 2010.

BEST RACER

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

Gran Turismo fans will likely be typing away in the comments section as we speak, but after months of delays and possibly a little too much expectation, it was somewhat inevitable that the racing simulator wouldn’t be able to live up to the hype.

Which is why Need for Speed’s blisteringly fun gameplay roared past the competition and straight into pole position. Burnout meets Mario Kart by way of Grand Theft Auto, it had speed in spades and such a wealth of gameplay options that it dominated its rivals.

BEST DANCE/MUSIC

Rock Band 3

The return of the rock game that started it all reminded us why we fell in love with it in the first place. The best track listing (‘Saturday’s Alright For Fighting’), the best instruments (who knew the Keytar could ever be cool?), and the Pro mode (which actually begins to bridge the gap between gimmicky control and actual instrument) are all just new innovations to an already genius formula.

BEST FPS

Call of Duty: Black Ops

It broke records by the bucketload, and with good reason. The series may have changed developer hands, but only diehard fans could tell the difference. Electrifying, adrenalised and stylish, and with a world-class multiplayer to boot, it’s blockbuster military mayhem in the best possible way.

BEST MOBILE

Angry Birds

Ridiculously easy to pick up and yet so infuriatingly difficult to master, Angry Birds became the first breakout mobile game for the new smartphone generation.

Addictive, clever and charmingly endearing, the simple drag and shoot war of the aforementioned narked fowls and their squeaky snuffly pig nemeses is the very definition of ‘time suck’.

While others excelled with graphical innovation and more ingenious use of the touch-screen technology, Angry Birds is the only game to have transcended its 59p limitations to become a veritable cultural phenomenon.

Don’t believe us? Check out this hilariously infantile, utterly stupid (read: brilliant) spoof on Israeli comedy show Eretz Nehederet, which went viral (3 million views and counting).

BEST INDIE

Limbo (Xbox 360)

Seeping with atmosphere, stuffed with clever level design and head-scratching puzzles, Limbo debuted on Xbox Live with fitting understatement – yet you’d be mad to miss it. Haunting, atmospheric and an undeniably unique experience.

BEST ACTION ADVENTURE

Red Dead Redemption

Rockstar proved that their sprawling Western was much more than Grand Theft Eastwood, with an adventure overflowing with character and mood that paid faithful homage to its cinematic heritage. Throw in some perfect balanced gunplay, a heap of DLC and the recently released Undead Nightmare add-on and you’ve got the game that keeps on giving.

BEST SPORTS GAME

FIFA 11

For the first time in years, the battle between Pro Evo and FIFA didn’t even have to go to extra time – it was a one-sided thumping. Intricate play, clever tactics, stunning visuals and a range of gameplay options make FIFA the one to beat.

BEST PLATFORMER

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Nintendo’s trusty mascot returned with an immersive, entrancing and heart-warming adventure that reminded us why he’s the King of the Platformers. Beautiful graphics, a charming score and flawless level design all combine to help Mario retain his platforming crown.

BEST RPG

Mass Effect 2

The fact that Mass Effect was released way back in January and still lingers strong in our memory says it all. Bioware’s sci-fi RPG brought seemingly limitless depth, a sprawling and yet somehow involving storyline, stunning visuals and electrifying action scenes to life with panache. Bring on Mass Effect 3.

It may come in for a lot of stick for its family-friendly filler, but the reality is that the Wii changed everything.

Single-handedly revitalising Nintendo’s future and redefining the gaming market, it proved that even if the graphics were a bit rubbish, the motion controller was king.

And while the Playstation Move is a nifty little gadget in its own right, its the Xbox 360′s Kinect that really perked our interest. A motion control without the need to waggle, wave or superglue a controller to your mitts for fear of it slipping out of your hand and through a window.

TECHNOLOGY

As far as first impressions go, the Kinect blows its competitors out the water.

Even on the simpler, throwaway minigames, the accuracy of your full body movement is astounding. By mapping your entire body within a 3D space, the generic motion games you’ve come to know and love/loathe (Wii Sports) gain a whole new appeal with a nuanced and intricate depth.

Plus, the camera moves by itself depending on the height of the player. Which brings a HAL-esque, ‘the computers are watching you’ vibe that’s as cool as it is unerring.

GAMES

Kinect Sports

The sports minigame collection traditionally comes in for a lot of stick from the ‘serious’ gamer community, but as an accessible, simple and entertaining introduction to the system, it’s hard to fault and capable of a few surprises of its own.

The six events aren’t particularly original (Track’n'Field, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Boxing, Bowling, Football), but the difficulty level is so perfectly pitched that it appeals to newbies and pros alike.

The multiplayer aspect may not work as smoothly as you’d like for a party game (without acres of space, table tennis with two similarly-handed players is tantamount to GBH), but there’s more than enough variety on offer to entertain.

Kinect Adventures

For all intents and purposes, Kinect Adventures is a collection of all those keeeer-azy, kitsch interactive games you tend to find at theme parks and museums and the like.

And if that sounds like a slight, it isn’t meant to be. The real appeal of Adventures is not only its beautiful visuals, but the sheer variety on offer.

Packed in with every Kinect bundle, Adventures certainly does its job in selling the appeal and insta-fun on offer with the system, but little to encourage its longevity.

With minigames varying from down-river rainforest rafting to an updated Pong take on dodgeball, there’s certainly a lot to initially amuse, but once you’ve played variants on the five minigames over and again (and looked at the chucklesome photos of you bouncing around your living room), the fun factor’s well and truly worn off.

EA Sports Active 2.0

It was clear that it was going to take something spectacular to topple Wii Fit’s title as ‘More-Likely-To-Go-To-The-Gym-Ivator’ and while EA sports have certainly brought in the big guns (David Beckham on the box and a calorie counting armband in the bundle), Nintendo needn’t worry just yet.

First and foremost, EA Sports Active 2 isn’t a videogame. It’s a very complex, easily accessible and utterly knackering exercise programme.

Judged on those merits, it does the job. As long as you put in the effort in the first place, you’re guaranteed to come away exhausted and (in the long run, apparently) fitter.

The Kinect’s body scanning feature allows for a more accurate, body targeted array of exercises which focus on specific parts of the body for maximum effect.

With a personal trainer managing to balance the line between terrifying and motivating, and only the odd sensor or control glitch proving infuriating, it could be end up being a darnsight cheaper and more effective way of exercising than throwing money at the unvisited gym each month.

Just don’t expect it to be fun.

Dance Central

Considering the phenomenal success of Just Dance on the Wii, it’s unsurprising to see rhythm genre pros Harmonix taking a stab at the world’s first controller-free dance game.

And with a pedigree that includes Frequency, Amplitude and Guitar Hero, it’s also less of a shock to hear they’ve hit the nail on the head with their rhythm stick.

With a catalogue of modern pop classics (Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Basement Jaxx are just a few), and almost flawless full-body motion tracking, Dance Central is arguably the most rewarding and enjoyable of all the Kinect’s launch titles.

Sonic Free Riders

Surprisingly for a Sonic game, Free Riders does little to pander to the kiddy crowd or casual gaming market.

SEGA’s Sonic-meets-Tony Hawk franchise has long bothered the Wii, PS2 and Gamecube to little real effect, but with the Kinect’s full body-tracking technology they finally seem to have struck racing gold. That is, as long as you invest enough time and energy needed to bypass its niggly control system.

Players control the hoverboards by standing side-on to the TV, leaning back and forth and occasionally kicking or punching out to activate power-ups, activate boosts and grind.

The controls are sometimes enragingly specific, but once you’ve got the hang of things Sonic Free Riders offers a variety and longevity unmatched by its peers.

CONCLUSION

Like any new console or add-on, the Kinect’s possibility is the most exciting thing. While its launch games offer motion-capture madness in just the right way, there’s little to entertain gamers looking for a genuinely innovate technological evolution.

Give it time though, and from the already competent gaming catalogue already released, we have no doubt it has the potential to bridge the next step between this generation and the next (and with it, whatever new fangled gadget the gaming giants are planning to outdo each other with).

Tis the season to be jolly – and for hundreds of naff shelf filler to confound the masses.

The big Christmas release rush has come and gone, so with all this season’s major titles ready for the picking, here’s our rundown of what you should be hoping to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

The definitive Wii adventure also just so happens to be one of the best platformers of all time. Added Yoshi and new abilities keep the gameplay fresh, and while it’s more of a reintroduction to the Galaxy… erm…. universe, than a reinvention, when that playground is already one of the cleverest, inspired and joyous gaming worlds out there, that’s no bad thing.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (PS3/Xbox 360/PC/Wii/DS)

LucasArts’ brainlessly fun sequel to one of 2008′s best action games truly has something for everyone. Lightsabers for the kids, action for the Dads, and a (b)romance (take your pick – Vader and Starkiller’s on/off hook-ups, or Starkiller’s dead missus hang-up) for the ladies, it brings the Jedi fun in spades – it’s just a shame it didn’t last longer.

Just Dance 2 (Wii)

This year’s Wii Fit, Just Dance 2 is the perfect game to bring the whole family together after the Christmas dinner’s gone down. Silly, infectiously multiplayer and guaranteed to bring everybody down to the same ridiculous-looking level, it sure as hell beats Scrabble.

Goldeneye 007 (Wii)

While it certainly had its faults, Eurocom managed the impossible by updating the N64′s most iconic shooter without disgracing it. Unanimously the Wii’s best shooter, it’s also one of the most ‘adult’ games for the system and a refreshing break from the shiny happy norm.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (PS3/Xbox 360)

Not that we’d ever condone silently assassinating your annoying relatives, but Assassin’s Creed 2′s half-sequel is the ideal antidote to those niggling festive family foibles and a perfect way to de-stress after being forced to watch the Only Fools & Horses Christmas Special for the 32nd time.

FIFA 11 (PS3/Xbox 360/Wii)

It was finally unquestionably FIFA’s season, unanimously beating its rivals with its sumptuous visuals, exquisite gameplay details and absorbing Career mode. There’s no better game to simultaneously bring together and tear apart the family.

Call of Duty: Black Ops (PS3/Xbox 360/Wii)

It may not necessarily scream ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all men’ but there’s simply no more exciting game to unwrap on Christmas morning. Treyarch translated the action blockbuster stylings of Infinity Ward’s all-conquering FPS with barely any let-up. Oh, and they also threw in a Zombie killing mode for good measure.

Red Dead Redemption/Undead Nightmare (PS3/Xbox 360)

Sod yet another repeat of It’s a Wonderful Life and get better acquainted with the game that’s scooping awards by the bucket load. Rockstar’s Western epic lasso’s you in and doesn’t let go, with style, gritty beauty, superb gameplay and an astonishing level of depth. And just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about outlaw John Marston, along comes a bolt-on stuffed to the rafters with zombies.

World of Warcraft – Cataclysm (PC)

For those who are just fed up with the whole holiday and merely want to lock themselves in a room until the whole thing goes away again, there’s no better life-suck than the immensely addictive World of Warcraft. With Cataclysm re-writing the WoW landscape, a host of new features and an epic retelling of the driving plot, it’s an ideal present for both new and old fans.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (PS3/Xbox 360/Wii)

Gran Turismo 5 is an undoubted fan-boy nerdgasm for the die-hard car fans, but for everyone else interested in a rollicking, fun and most importantly fast racer, there’s no game better.

Today is an exciting day for the Twi-hards and Twilighters of the UK.  The DVD release of Twilight: New Moon is upon us.  For a few pounds tangible, physical, control over the Edward-Bella-Jacob triangle can be yours.  The ability to stop time and rewind every eye meet and snarl will soon be at your fingertips.  As if that were not incentive enough the DVD also offers viewers a tantalising glimpse at Eclipse, the third cinematic instalment of Stephenie Meyer’s wholesome, yet toothy, teen romance.  But has the message begun to eclipse the mythology?  When fans invest their hearts (and hard-earned) in the Bedward saga, are they actually being sold a love story at all?

Much has been made of the Twilight books ‘undercurrent’ of Mormon values.  Stephenie Meyer has spoken very openly about her faith and values and what part she believes they have played in the Twilight world.  Undeniably the entire series is kept out of naughty waters by whacking great water wings of abstinence; hardly behaviour we have come to expect from the teens of today, yet there is likewise no denying that millions have fallen under the thrall of Edward Cullen.  Now, with director David Slade at the helm, Twilight is slipping deeper into the shadows of night.  This is perhaps fitting because, at its simplistic and silent heart, Twilight is, as all great love stories, the tale of a beauty and a beast…

Every romance writer worth their cover price understands the importance of obstacle in the path towards The End.  His pride or her prejudice, the mad wife in the attic or the dead wife in the sea; literary lovers live to overcome.  With living happily ever after as romances ultimate goal, being undead might well prove be the greatest obstacle of them all!

There is something of a tradition in cinema and literature for the devil as romantic lead.  Complex, autocratic, cruel men snatching the pure heart of an innocent virgin as it flutters in her chaste chest.  Violence has long been synonymous with, and interpreted as, passion and suppression of violence as shorthand for romance.  Darcy, Heathcliff, Mr Rochester and Maxim de Winter; all men made remarkable by their imperious manner, disdain for others and sometime cruelty to the great loves of their lives.  All made the journey from page to screen unadulterated by modern sensibilities and tastes.

The Twilight saga sits well beside them as a new literary love for a far from literate generation.  They are, so far, a safely PG-13 Peter and Jane.  He is pretty, she is pretty.  They are brooding.  Watch them brood.

The Lion and The Lamb motif does feel like a throwback to another time.  Bella is so helpless in the wake of the crashing wave that is Edward Cullen’s attention.  She hardly has time to decide to be in love before their love story has begun.  No matter, Bella is hardly required to actively feel at all.  Hardly heroine-by-numbers, only Kristen Stewart’s trademark scowl separates her from the everygirl/any girl words on the page.  Her character so scarcely drawn she is hardly distinguishable from prey.  Wanted, cast aside, stalked, seduced and taken – a principle dancer in a brutal ballet.

Edward Cullen conforms more comfortably to type.  No skulking Count Orlok he, but a pout-perfect tormented hero.  Closest in affect to Interview with the Vampire’s onscreen Louis, the ghost of his human incarnation is never far from the surface.

Personally, I too prefer a little more mixed-up-man in my heroes.  A Tale of Two Cities Sydney Carton made the ultimate selfless sacrifice for love after living his life as a flawed and selfish fool.  In my opinion he is literature and cinemas greatest romantic lead because his love is never reciprocated though, for a moment, he dares dream it could be.  Needless to say as a Buffy fan I always favoured Spike over Angel – the anti-hero wins my heart every time!  Yet I have no desire to speculate on the Jacob-Bella story, the fluffy teen wolf is merely another distraction hurled in Bedward’s path.  Despite Taylor Lautner’s (baffling) tween appeal there has only ever been room for two in this torrid tale.

For now then I am happy to accept that Twilight has conformed to the romantic rules.  It will be interesting to see how screen writer Melissa Rosenberg and director David Slade effect the transition to darkness that Eclipse may demand.  A veteran of televisual serial murder, Rosenberg has restrained herself thus far.  Talents combined will they dare expose the bitter aftertaste of Twilight’s penultimate bite?

Slade’s 30 Days of Night experience might be better utilised to document the rib-cracking results of true loves consummation in Twilight’s final chapter – Breaking Dawn.  I cannot help but wonder how the rose-tinted specs of fandom will stand up to the myopia of Myer’s retro take on deflowering.

Still, let’s worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.  Today the moon is new and true as Edward and Bella’s love and The Lion is preparing to lay down his life rather than live it without his Lamb…

Twilight: New Moon is released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK today

It is a cold December night in old London town.  An extraordinary tour bus circles the streets around Clapham Junction Station, prowling for the perfect place to pull up and party.  Opposite the station there stands The Clapham Grand ““ the grand old lady of popular entertainment.  Tonight she awaits the arrival of a titan of musical mythology.  Tonight her sound system and her stage will be pushed to the very limits of their one hundred and nine year history as the drums thunder and the guitars scream and the amps are cranked all the way up to eleven…

Tonight she will bow down to the loud sound of the mighty Spinal Tap!

On Thursday 3^rd December the Jameson Cult Film Club bestowed a generous gift upon lovers of great film and very silly rock bands by hosting a screening of rockumentary classic This is Spinal Tap.  Not ones to do things by halves when it comes to matters of movies and mixology, they filled The Clapham Grand to the rafters with Irish Whiskey and classic rock anthems, then parked a whacking great tour bus outside to serve as staging area for pre-gig drinks.  We like the way they think!

In 1982 legendary British metal band Spinal Tap were accompanied on their American comeback tour by fan and documentary filmmaker Marti De Bergi.  The footage he captured set the tone for the future of rock “˜n’ roll in cinema.  No band worked, played or rocked as hard as Tap.  No band flew so high or fell so far.  This is Spinal Tap is their story…

We all know Spinal Tap, we all love Spinal Tap (and above all we understand the awesome significance of Stonehenge to their tale) – well clearly so do Jameson Cult Film Club.  Our welcome drinks in the J Bar on the upper deck of the Jameson tour bus set the tone for the rest of the evening.  There was an overwhelming sense of humour and affection to the night from the outset.  The Clapham Grand is a damn funky venue and the contrast of walking from high tech VIP vehicle through her historic doors and smack into three icons of rock history was…genius.  Inside the venue a DJ span metal so retro it hurled us back in time.  The music forced our toes to tap and heads to nod and the crowd bowed down as one before him – the songs of Tap mingling with ACDC, Alice, GNR and Ozzy.  Three familiar gentlemen wandered the room, stealing the eyes of all the pretty girls and sporting the tightest trousers in England.  And all around tributes to the excesses of rock – mixed drinks lining every surface in the room, a stage dominated by a mighty bar lined with mules and whiskey sours presided over by a glowing green sign that bore their name.  This was Spinal Tap.

Excited before the screening even began, we loved every minute of the film.  As with An American Werewolf in London before, Jameson Cult Film Club seem to unequivocally understand how to take an event and elevate it to something truly unique ““ a once in a lifetime experience.  In the same way that you develop new appreciation for the things you treasure when you share them with the people you love, it is a delight to share a film with a crowd of fans who adore it just as much as you.  There is camaraderie in cult film, an involuntary membership in a worldwide club of other fans ““ you may never meet but you occupy the same state of mind every time you tune in.  I realise we may not always have the opportunity to see them in such convivial surroundings but the night served as a reminder that I should make more effort to watch films with people.  Some cinema should be social, some experiences should be shared.  If This is Spinal Tap demands such attention ““ who am I to deny it?

Our grateful thanks to Jameson and to Mauricio at We Are Social ““ you were an utter star on the night!  For London-proximate folk the next Jameson Cult Film Club screening takes place on 17^th March 2010. The picture will be a readers’ choice and has yet to be announced.  Perhaps we’ll see some of you there…

When I was asked to cover The Descent: Part 2 for its world premiere, I joked to my fiancé that the eventual junket would be in a cave.  Oh how we laughed.  Three months later I opened an email inviting me on The Descent: Part 2 junket – it was to take place in a cave.

The title of this piece refers to the seven adults who spent a three hour journey to Somerset discreetly freaking out at the idea of climbing into very small, dark places on a gloomy autumn morning.  We were later joined by another journalist and our caving guide.  Fortunately for the sanity of all concerned only one of them was visibly concerned at the prospect of the small, dark and dangerous.

HeyUGuys may appear to the untrained eye to be a band of merry movie men but in fact some of us have never met.  I will never forget the day I met HUG Dave because it was the day I broke my very sensible never engage in activity that requires you to wear a boiler suit rule.  It was the day we went to Goatchurch Cavern…

Our guide, caving expert and jolly enthusiastic fellow, Andy Sparrow advised on the look and location of both the Descent films.  His expertise ensured the quality and authenticity that won the first film such praise.  Indeed he told us that only the most discerning eye could recognise the six girls as novice cavers.  During the drive up we had split into hushed huddles consoling each other that no one would take writers proper caving.  We would, we supposed, wander through echoing chambers looking at stalagmites and stalactites and trying to remember how to remember which was which.  We might be offered, as the email suggested, more adventurous fare if we were game but on the whole it would be a jolly old jolly before we retired to the pub.

I don’t think Andy got the email.

The woodland walk up to the mouth of the cave was brisk and steep ““ a clue that the lazy Londoners were in for a challenging afternoon!  We passed improbably small entrances to cave routes that Andy assured us were regularly used.  The angular twists of the contorted tunnels in The Descent: Part 2 leapt unbidden into my mind.  Dave skipped along oblivious, he hadn’t seen the film yet the poor unsuspecting fool.  Neither had most of the others ““ I had to warn them we were doomed!  *Breathe* my extra huge sweatshirt (all the better for cushioning my fall) was clearly restricting the airflow to my lungs as it crumpled inside my funky yet functional boiler suit.  I had to calm down.  We would be fine.  We were all adults and one of us knew where they were.  How bad could it be?

It was quite bad.

Don’t get me wrong I see now, in hindsight, that it was all it was great fun and it was a grand day out but I had recently seen The Descent: Part 2, the following night I was going to see it again.  I was a woman with Crawlers on my mind (and dying alone in the darkness).  Because we had already done the tourist bit you see, it was smallish and there were spiders but little in the way of Danger of Death.  Two caverns in, we ran out of smallish and smacked straight into very small!

One of the things The Descent: Part 2 does very well is to conjure the handicap a helmet gives you.  I smacked my head so often that day that I remember a constant staccato beat following me around like a tiny drummer boy.  Obviously it is good to have the helmet in place to protect your skull, beauty and brains but each time you strike your head the helmet slips and you lose your line of sight.  It is truly disorientating – sound pinballs underground and without your vision you are utterly lost.  The hysteria Rios feels trapped in a flooded cavern came alive for me as I struggled to keep my head upright in a tight passage and wriggle myself free before I lost sight of the man in front.  The sense of powerlessness is overwhelming.

I had never understood that caving was so three-dimensional.  At times the boulders we lily-padded across came to sharp non-negotiable points at others they dropped swiftly away to nothing.  The physical demands of the actors roles were bashed, bumped and bruised home to us all as elbows, knees and ribs held our tumbling weight.  The need for teamwork was paramount and it was a comfort to have Dave’s enthusiastic grin beaming in my wake or a fellow writer’s foot blocking my fall.  Messing around under the ground seems the quickest possible way to bond with a total stranger.  Management training types should pick up on the benefits ““ and if they don’t all make it back well…win-win.

At the deepest point of our own descent Andy had us turn out our headlights (?) and only then did it really hit home that we were at the mercy of the cave.  It was pitch black.  That phrase is often misused, so to clarify it was a deep visceral enveloping blackness that obscured everything. Though he had been a funny and cheeky guide ““ coaxing us into ever tighter spots and climbs with teasing encouragement – Andy was deadly serious when he told us that every hour of progress you make into a cave adds ten hours to your rescue time.  One of the regular routes he visits takes twelve hours to navigate.  That is a hundred and twenty hour rescue.  Gulp.

The climb out was harder, all of us more serious and determined.  We had each pushed ourselves further than we intended and the overall mood was one of pride and shell shock.  We were tired, bruised and a little sobered I think.  We achieved a great deal on our Grand Day out in Burrington Combe.  One of the “˜squeezes’, The Superman, was a Cirque Du Soleil feat of mind over matter – of “should my knees really bend back that way?“  We did things that English people rarely do sober ““ we encouraged one another.  It was all very satisfying and totally exhausting.

The following evening I bravely attended the multimedia screening of The Descent: Part 2. Another caver was there representing Freud and we exchanged knowing smiles.  “How were you this morning?” she asked “couldn’t raise my arms to wash my hair without weeping” I replied.  “I know what you mean” she said, my fellow survivor.

The Descent Cavers

With huge thanks to Pathe for funding the event and to Tanya at Freud & Charlotte at Substance for organising.

Watch an exclusive clip here and read our review here

You can also see a video taking by the guys over at SciFi.co.uk from the day too here.