'God Bless America'

• SXSW Film

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• The Dissolution of the First Family of Football

  BY MARK FAGAN

• Fab Four Restored

  BY RICHARD WHITTAKER

• Killin' It

  BY MARC SAVLOV

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  BY MARC SAVLOV

• 'Beware of Mr. Baker'

  BY MARJORIE BAUMGARTEN

• 'Charles Bradley: Soul of America'

  BY AMY SMITH

• 'Fat Kid Rules the World'

  BY MELANIE HAUPT

• 'Keyhole'

  BY ANDY CAMPBELL

• 'God Bless America'

  BY MARJORIE BAUMGARTEN

• 'Dollhouse'

  BY MARC SAVLOV

• 'Compliance'

  BY MARJORIE BAUMGARTEN

• 'Black Pond'

  BY MONICA RIESE

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  BY WAYNE ALAN BRENNER

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  BY ASHLEY MORENO

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  BY JOE O'CONNELL

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  BY KATE X MESSER

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  BY RICHARD WHITTAKER

God Bless America

Bobcat Goldthwait is on to something in his latest film as a writer/director. His hatred of the crass dumbing down of America is palpable in every frame of this film. Reality shows, two-faced blowhards, and their corporate sponsors are all in his crosshairs – quite literally. In the Q&A following the movie, Goldthwait described God Bless America as a "violent movie about kindness." As the film opens, Frank (Murray) is fired from his job and is rudely rebuffed by his daughter, who lives with his ex-wife. Next, his doctor informs him that he has a terminal disease. Frank's fantasies of murder turn real as he embarks on a one-man killing spree, that is until he's joined by teenage Roxy (Barr), who is even more bloodthirsty than he. Although several great speeches and hilarious one-liners goose the film, God Bless America nevertheless peaks too early and becomes rather one-note. It's a good note, but it ultimately has a clanging effect.

Saturday, March 17, 11:45pm, Alamo Ritz