Followers of RogerEbert.com know that we’re about to enter the exciting part of the year as the SXSW Film Festival gets underway, kicking off tonight with the world premiere of Boots Riley’s “I Love Boosters,” the long-awaited second film from the director of “Sorry to Bother You.” It’s just one of the exciting debuts this year that we’re waiting to see and review for you.
What to expect from SXSW? Programs that remain a bit in the middle, including classics of recent years like “It’s Over” and “Oddity,” along with the big Hollywood premieres. SXSW is where we included reviews of “A Quiet Place,” “Us,” “John Wick: Chapter Four,” “The Fall Guy,” “Monkey Man,” and many other upcoming hits. What will happen this year? Here are twelve we’re most excited to see you try:
“Dreamquil”
One of the slogans of the big SXSW setting is “Keep Austin Weird.” Based on the description, this should help. It has an amazing cast including Elizabeth Banks, John C. Reilly, and Juliette Lewis. But it’s this strange synopsis that intrigued us: “It’s in the not-so-distant future, where low air quality leads people to live more realistic lives. Carol is a jobless mother, struggling to find a connection in her marriage to Gary and her child. With the daily familiarity of their home and life feeling increasingly claustrophobic, Carol may become more anxious, and anxious to get back into shape by signing up for “DreamQuil”, an avant-garde digital wellness retreat However, when Carol returns home, she discovers that her family has been living with “Carol 2″, a robot sent by the organization designed to help in her absence, and things take a mysterious and sinister turn.”
“Hokum”
Damian McCarthy directed one of my favorite horror films of the decade “Oddity,” and he’s returning to SXSW this year with the highly-anticipated follow-up starring Adam Scott (who appears twice in this preview, in fact, featuring the star of 2026’s potentially huge “Severance”). Scott plays Ohm Bauman, a novelist who arrives at an inn that may be haunted. McCarthy has proven to be adept at appealing to audiences, making this arguably the most powerful of the horror premieres in Austin this year.
“I love boosters”
The Neon People are behind Boot Riley’s return to the big screen, boasting a hilariously talented ensemble. Find out more about this talented young team: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylor Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, and Will Poulter. Then add Demi Moore’s first role since returning to “The Substance.” What is it about? The description of SXSW is surprisingly vague: “A group of professional shoplifters aims to achieve ultimate fashion. It’s like a community service.” Sign us up.
“kill me”
There are so many weird horror movies in this year’s lineup that one might mistake it for Fantastic Fest. Which one will come out of the glut? Maybe it’s the unusual plot description or the promising cast (Charlie Day, Allison Williams, Giancarlo Esposito, Aya Cash), but this sounds like a strong candidate. Get the audio of this haunting voiceover: “Jimmy wakes up in a bathtub covered in his own blood, his wrists sprained and his life is about to end quickly. This could be a textbook failed suicide, only…Jimmy didn’t do it? At least, he’s sure he didn’t. I want to prove that this is a whodunnit and not a mahanannit.”
“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice”
Man, this looks delicious. And it will be on Hulu before the end of the month! We’ll see it first and let you know if it’s worth watching. Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza Gonzalez, Keith David, and more star in this R-rated comedy about hit men and the passage of time. Yes. Here’s the official synopsis: “‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice’ is a funny, stylish, R-rated action comedy about two gangsters and the woman they love trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine.”
“Over Your Dead Body”
Lonely Island master Jorma Taccone shifts gears in this gripping battle of the roses starring Jason Segel and Samara Weaving (who also pulls double duty in this preview) as a couple who go to a cabin to reconnect, only to discover that they’re both plotting murder as a way out of the relationship. IFC already has this set for an April premiere, but we’ll let you know this weekend if you should mark your calendar.
“The Pizza Movie”
Now that “Stranger Things” is over, it will be interesting to see which young star emerges from that defining show. My money might be on Gaten Matarazzo, who stars in this Hulu comedy that will hit the airwaves in April. It sounds like a fun drug joke with a SXSW description that reads: “It’s Friday night and college students Jack and Montgomery have big plans: They’re going to do drugs and order pizza. The only things standing in their way are a broken elevator, Montgomery’s social anxiety, the fact that everyone at school hates Jack, a social RA, a vengeful butterfly, a dream robot, and this crazy drug that has no regard for the rules.” which is the basis of truth.”
“The Power Ballad”
John Carney honestly, is an unequivocal believer in the power of music, as seen in movies like “Once” and “Sing Street.” The beloved writer/director brings his Lionsgate film “Power Ballad” to this year’s premiere. Paul Rudd stars as Rick, a wedding singer who gives up his rock and roll dreams to start a family. When she helps a pop star in need of a comeback played by Nick Jonas, she’s surprised when the song they wrote together becomes a hit … and she gets no credit. Carney has proven that he can do feel-good comedy, and there’s little chance that this song will be out of place this time around.
“I’m Ready or Not 2: Here I Come”
While it seems almost impossible that “Ready or Not” was seven years ago, that makes the anticipation for this long-awaited follow-up all the more palpable. Samara Weaving returns (as did the original directors after their two-part trip across the “Shout” universe), now hunted by more families than just her evil in-laws. This one drops in theaters next week, making it the SXSW 2026 premiere you’ll be able to see. Looking for another reason to play this game? Check out this cool supporting cast: Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood.
“Saviors”
Why does the pairing of Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler sound so cool? Maybe it’s because they’re always at least fair, and usually good? They play the role of Sean and Kim Harrison, a divorcing couple who rent their house to a brother and sister in the Middle East. The Harrisons are convinced that their new employers are hiding a deadly secret, especially since the President is about to come to town. This could go either way, but it’s one of the few plot explanations this year that feels really timely and maybe even worse.
“They will kill you”
The first big finale of this year’s SXSW is the Warner Bros. starring Zazie Beetz as the latest target of a cult of sacrificial demon worshippers. It has a terrific trailer, promising comedy and thrills, in equal measure.
“Wishful thinking”
Lewis Pullman and Maya Hawke are two actors who seem poised to take their careers to the next level. Maybe that’s what happened here with this SXSW opening night film with a crazy premise. We’ll let the SXSW synopsis explain why this made us raise the curtains: “Julia and Charlie, a trans couple in Portland, Oregon, can’t mend their broken relationship. Julia, an ambitious game designer, and Charlie, a struggling artist working on sound design to pay the bills, are encouraged by Julia’s friend to attend a seminar run by couples therapy. power. Session begins a karmic plan that affects the world with earthquakes, the stock market, and entire nations at risk, Charlie and Julia must face whether their love can survive in the midst of such destruction.
