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My buddy Devin Pike and I are harding to South By Southwest in a few weeks, and I’m sort of copying (though adjusting) a piece he wrote at his site RedCarpetCrash.com about the films I’m most looking forward to.  There are over 115 feature-length movies being showcased at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival, dozens of short subjects, a stout slate of filmmaker panels, and a couple of “TBA” holes on the schedule that I’ve been told not to miss under any circumstances. Devin posted his top 10 most-anticipated, and for the most part we match, but I managed to throw in a few of my own picks too. These are some of the movies I won’t leave Austin without seeing, and like Devin’s, this list isn’t anywhere close to being complete.

• Kick-Ass
  I think Devin and I see eye-to-eye on this big time.  I’m a HUGE fan of the comic book this is based on, and a HUGE fan of director Matthew Vaughn – have been since LAYER CAKE.  This story, which takes the superhero genre and spins it on its head, has already received a ton of internet buzz, and definitely has the potential to be one of the most talked-about movies of 2010.  The fact the it’s the opening night feature at SXSW just lets me know we’ll be off to a great start.  I can also say the interviews with those behind the film is perhaps one of my most-anticipated moments of this festival.

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• American: The Bill Hicks Story
  Again, Devin and I agree on this one.  I was a big Bill Hicks fan since before I was old enough to listen to Bill Hicks.  The guy has always fascinated me, and it’s about time someone devoted a documentary toward him.  I’m hoping this will be the one we’ve all been waiting for… or at least me.  If you’re a fan of the hard-edged comics from the last 10 to 20 years, you need to check out Bill Hicks.  His influence continues in the world of comedy to this day.

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• Cyrus
  With a cast that includes Jonah Hill, John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, and Catherine Keener, and under the direction of Jay and Mark Duplass (BAGHEAD), how could one overlook what it sure to be one of the gems of the festival?  The thing I love about it (by the looks of the trailer) is that it looks like one of those films we can all relate to.  Here’s the plot synopsis – Still single seven years after the breakup of his marriage, John (John C. Reilly) has all but given up on romance. But at the urging of his ex-wife and best friend Jamie (Catherine Keener), John grudgingly agrees to join her and her fiancé Tim (Matt Walsh) at a party. To his and everyone else’s surprise, he actually manages to meet someone: the gorgeous and spirited Molly (Marisa Tomei). Their chemistry is immediate. The relationship takes off quickly but Molly is oddly reluctant to take the relationship beyond John’s house. Perplexed, he follows her home and discovers the other man in Molly’s life: her son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill). A 21-year-old new age musician, Cyrus is his mom’s best friend and shares an unconventional relationship with her. Cyrus will go to any lengths to protect Molly and is definitely not ready to share her with anyone, especially John. Before long, the two are locked in a battle of wits for the woman they both love-and it appears only one man can be left standing when it’s over. – I can’t wait!

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• American Grindhouse
  Devin put it best when he said – I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for grindhouse films since I was a kid, and far too young to be seen in theaters that showed the films. See, my grandfather (the man who taught me the best toast I’ll ever know) dropped me off at a local theater that specialized in grindhouse one every couple of weeks while he would go sit in on a card game closeby. He knew I wouldn’t get into any trouble, and my folks would be none-the-wiser that my brain was being warped beyond all hope of therapy opened up to the subculture of killer movies. Elijah Drenner’s new documentary looks at the legacy of grindhouse in American film, and digs deep to show its “shocking origins.”

• Saturday Night
  With shows like STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP and 30 ROCK, it’s easy to see how a behind-the-scenes documentary about the real-life goings ons of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE could be utterly fascinating.  James Franco takes on the job, and goes where we never get to during the production of an episode.  Being a fan of SNL, I’m anxiously awaiting this one, and I’ve already heard great things.  The fact that John Malkovich headlines the episode Franco spotlight, well, that’s just an added bonus.

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• Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil
  Alan Tudyk is the man.  Whether he’s playing the lovable pilot in FIREFLY or SERENITY, or the drugged up funeral attendee who steals all of the scenes in Frank Oz’s DEATH AT A FUNERAL (the original), he’s always, always, always entertaining.  But Tudyk has also proven himself on the stage, doing Monty Python’s SPAMALOT.  Now he’s co-starring with Tyler Labine (REAPER) in TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL, the hillbilly equivalent of SHAUN OF THE DEAD… at least I guess that’s how you could refer to it, only there’s no zombies, and it’s making fun of forest slasher films.  Either way, it looks like a really fun ride.

• The People vs. George Lucas
  I’ve already been pushing this film here on the site, and I’m really looking forward to meeting the creators in person.  Being a STAR WARS fan, I can understand (and appreciate) some of the frustrations fans have had since the prequels came out.  And that’s exactly what this film explores.  Did George Lucas turn his back on the fans?  What do the fan have to say?  This film explores just that.  And in the process, a few of the more “key” players in the STAR WARS franchise weigh in as well.

• The Runaways
  Critics dismissed The Runaways as a gimmick group, but Joan Jett, Cherrie Currie, Lita Ford and a plethora of bassists wound up being a highly influential group at the crossroads of punk and rock. Sundance audiences loved this movie, saying Kristen Stewart channels Jett and Dakota Fanning steals the movie as Currie. My hope is that we get a good dose of Lita Ford in the movie, as she had no input in the production (it was co-produced by Jett).

• Greenlit
  When SXSW sent out the first batch of Feature-Length films that would be included in the festival, “Greenlit” had a one-line description: “It ain’t easy being green.” Producer Miranda Bailey found out the hard way that Kermit might have been right after all, when she oversaw the production of “The River Why,” an indie film that attempted to be a “green production.” This means the cast and crew were aiming to drastically reduce the amount of waste and rubbish that film productions generally produce. The crew found out the hard way that environmentalism is more than lip service.

• Leaves of Grass
  Another film I’ve been pushing here, and the b ig return of Edward Norton, this time in the capable hands of Tim Blake Nelson.  The idea of Norton playing twins, one of whom is a hick, just screams greatness.  I’m interested for a variety of reasons, but none moreso than seeing what someone like Nelson and someone like Norton can come up with playing off each other.  I’m hoping for nothing but awesome results.

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