SIFF 2025 Review
May 16, 2025 / Kevin Ward — ★★★★
Director: Darren Thornton
Cast: James McArdle, Fionnula Flanagan, Dearbhla Molloy, Paddy Glynn, Stella McCusker, Niamh Cusack
“It’s a film about aging, sacrifice, and how love can nurture and smother. But above all, it’s about finding room for yourself when you've been living in service of others.”
—Kevin Ward
NEW Review
May 9, 2025 / Kevin Ward — ★★★★½
Director: Eli Craig
Cast: Katie Douglass, Carson MacCormac, Aaron Abrams
“…frenetic, funny, and gleefully unhinged, never content to simply pay homage to its predecessors when it can eviscerate them instead.”
—Kevin Ward
NEW Review
April 23, 2025 / Kevin Ward — ★★★½☆
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Cast: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, J.K. Simmons, Daniella Pineda, Alison Robertson
“… Jon Bernthal, as always, doesn’t just chew scenery—he devours it whole, then grins through the crumbs.”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
April 8, 2025 / Kevin Ward — ★★★½☆
Director: Christopher Landon
Cast: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, Travis Nelson
“…a high-concept pressure cooker…And while the film is gripping in real-time, it's not necessarily the kind of thriller that demands multiple viewings—nor does it need to be. Its pleasures are immediate and tactile…”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
April 2, 2025 / Kevin Ward — ★★★★½
Directed by James Griffiths
Starring Carey Mulligan, Tom Basden, Tim Key, Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen
“…Basden and Key's script resists the easy arc, pulling away from a tidy reunion plot toward something lonelier and more uncertain…a character study in grief, stubbornness, and the thin line between preservation and paralysis”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
March 20, 2025 / Kevin Ward — ★★★★☆
Directed by Alex Scharfman
Starring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, Sunita Mani
“…a wildly entertaining ride that feels Jurassic Park-coded in all the best ways…blending class warfare with creature feature carnage…”
—Kevin Ward
SXSW Film and TV Festival 2025
The Best of SXSW 2025: Documentaries
The documentaries at SXSW 2025 brought powerful stories to the screen—from deeply personal journeys to urgent global issues. Check out our picks for the most unforgettable non-fiction films from this year’s festival.
The Best of SXSW 2025: Horror/Thrillers
In addition to Redux Redux, Clown in a Cornfield, We Bury the Dead, and 40 Acres—which landed on our Overall Favorites list—we couldn’t resist spotlighting a few more standout horror and thriller titles from SXSW 2025.
The Best of SXSW 2025: Comedies
From laugh-out-loud debuts to sharp satire and crowd-pleasing gems, here are the best comedies we saw at SXSW 2025.
The Best of SXSW 2025: The Surprises
While big-name premieres grab headlines, it’s the unexpected gems that make the festival unforgettable. Check out our picks for this year’s standout discoveries!
The Best of SXSW 2025: Overall Favorites
These are the films that defined this year’s festival—bold, unforgettable, and unmissable. See our top picks!
Recent Review
February 15th, 2025
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
Starring Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette
“…undeniably ambitious. It boasts inventive visuals, far-reaching themes, and moments of brilliance…it’s also a bit much”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
February 13th, 2025
Directed by Osgood Perkins
Starring Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy
“When it comes to creative kills and sheer body count, The Monkey shines.”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
January 30th, 2025
Directed by Drew Hancock
Starring Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Harvey Guillén, Lukas Gage, Rupert Friend, Megan Suri
“a thematically rich feminist horror film with big ideas that’s equally stylish, bloody, and surprising..”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
January 15th, 2025
Directed by Leigh Whannell
Starring Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger
“…Whannell's ability to craft a distinct visual and audio language for Wolf Man, establishing a tone that, along with The Invisible Man, could serve as the foundation for a potential franchise.”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
January 6th, 2025
Directed by Michael Gracey
Starring Robbie Williams, Jonno Davies, Raechelle Banno, Damon Herriman, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Kate Mulvany
“The musical biopic has Evolved!”
—Kevin Ward
Recent Review
December 10th, 2024
Directed by James Mangold
Starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Nick Offerman, Boyd Holbrook, P.J. Byrne, Scoot McNairy
“Timothée Chalamet is, in a word….electric. ….Whether it resonates as profoundly as its subject's music will depend on what you, as a fan of art, are willing to embrace.”
—Kevin Ward
