SXSW Film Reviews
By James Renovitch, Fri., March 18, 2005
'Once and Future Asshole'
Texas Shorts
D: various
In a matter of 90 minutes, the Texas Shorts program offers a well-rounded glimpse into the life and times of a modern Austinite. SXSW imports, a viewing would serve you well in acclimating yourself to our world-view. Starting with the inbred social scene of Kent Zambrana's "Love Math," in which our protagonist discovers that his love life is merely a long equation with everyone he knows as a variable. Too bad the sum always seems to be less than or equal to zero. Austin's diversity informs the comedic yet thought-provoking recast of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" with an African- and Asian-American. It's all fun and games until someone realizes it's racialist. And ain't it just like Austin to have generations clash in "Red Walker's Secret," as a twentysomething tries to solve the mystery of the combustibly violent barber before he gets more than a little taken off the top. The three documentees of "Smile and the World Smiles With You" patrol the streets of Austin looking for frowns to turn upside-down in their own unique ways. Paul Alvarado-Dykstra rides the Austin economy bust with his dreamlike "Termination." Finally, the young girl of "Once and Future Asshole" begins to assemble the puzzle of adulthood before realizing that the picture might not be worth completing. What's more Austin than giving the stink-eye to the professional "adult" world?Paul Alvarado-Dykstra's "Termination" received the Jury Award for Texas Shorts, while Spencer Parsons' "Once and Future Asshole" received a Special Award.
Alamo South Lamar, 11:15am
