SXSW Review: ‘7 Keys’

Abe Friedtanzer

Do you still have the keys to the places you used to live? They might be good for sentimental value, or, if you’re feeling like some casual criminal activity, worth trying to see if the landlord or new owner didn’t actually change the locks. That concept is part of the premise for 7 Keys, an intoxicating, whirlwind thriller about two people who meet and go on a “property porn tour” of London while getting to know each other in a very intimate way. It’s wild and intense and overall quite a unique experience…

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SXSW Review: "Audrey"

By Abe Friedtanzer

Siblings have surely wished for a brief frustrated moment when they were young that they were only children, and parents might have also momentarily considered whether their lives would be easier if they hadn’t had a child. But those thoughts shouldn’t linger much, and if they do, it’s probably not a good thing to say out loud. Audrey tells an entertaining story of three people who find that things are a lot breezier when one member of their family is in a coma and no longer actively complicating their lives…

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SXSW Review: "Hunting Daze"

By Abe Friedtanzer

What could possibly go wrong when a woman stuck in an unfamiliar place decides to join up with five guys on a hunting trip? Some hazing, seemingly good fun, and then a less pleasant turn of events, as portrayed in Hunting Daze, an interesting specimen screening in the Midnighters section at SXSW that goes from strangely serene to quite unsettling over the course of its brief seventy-nine minutes…

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SXSW Review: ‘Roleplay’

By Abe Friedtanzer

The notion of consent is something that should have always defined all relationships, yet it’s only come to prominence as an expected condition of any romantic or sexual interaction in recent years. Revisiting traumatic interactions can be very triggering, but doing so in a safe and supportive space can prove therapeutic. The documentary Roleplay looks at the fascinating process being implemented to open eyes to the reality of sexual assault on campus through an experimental theater program...

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SXSW Review: ‘Plastic People’

By Abe Friedtanzer

How much do we actually want to know about the products we use? It’s easy to write off potentially problematic labor processes or ingredients for the sake of convenience, though that’s probably not the smartest idea long-term. Those who would rather not turn a blind eye to unnerving science and would prefer to be in the know will find plenty to learn - and be endlessly disturbed about - in the documentary Plastic People, which dissects just how far we’ve already gone in terms of our indulgence in a problematic industry…

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