Austin Film Festival 2012
Bill Murray, Jennifer Lawrence and Denzel Washington to appear on screen atAustin Film Festival
- Bill Murray takes on another dramatic role as iconic Presidential badass FDR inthe historical biopic Hyde Park on Hudson.
- David Cross, America Ferrera and Julia Stiles are just a few of the stars in thepromising apocalyptic comedy, It's a Disaster.
- Eric Bana (looking sexy even while bleeding) in the new winter thriller,Deadfall.
Upon first glance, Austin Film Festival can seem overwhelming with its busy schedule, connection to the AFF conference and emphasis on screenwriters and industry insiders.
But at its heart, the festival is indeed meant for anyone who shares a love of great cinema. Therefore, anyone — badgeholder or not — is invited to the week-long party, which includes amazing parties, exciting red carpet premieres and Q&As with the stars and creators of featured films.
Besides the amazing celebrity spotting that inevitably comes with one of Austin's beloved film festivals, AFF is the perfect way to see many of the best independent films that will be making waves this year in theaters.
Catching any of these great films will leave you feeling like the Hollywood insider you've always wanted to be.
Like the films of past years, this year's notable features include narratives starring big Hollywood names like Bill Murray, Eric Bana, Laura Linney, Sissy Spacek, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, just to name a few.
In the fictionalized biopic Hyde Park on Hudson, Bill Murray plays President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the months leading up to WWII, as he and Eleanor host the King and Queen of England at their summer home. Told through the eyes of FDR's mistress (played by Laura Linney), we see all sorts of tension and power plays made in the summer of 1939.
Todd Berger's new comedy It's a Disaster promises to be a delightful romp with an amazing ensemble cast that includes David Cross, America Ferrera, Julia Stiles and Erinn Hayes. The film follows what happens when an upper class couples' brunch gets ruined by an apocalyptic storm outside of town. They duct tape the windows as the winds approach, but the storm inside the house is far worse than the outdoors.
Eric Bana and Olivia Wilde star as thieves on the run from a botched bank heist in director Zach Dean's thriller Deadfall. The siblings split up in their hasty retreat from the law, but end up together again at the home of an unsuspecting family (including Kris Kristofferson and Sissy Spacek) trying to celebrate Thanksgiving with their son.
Silver Linings Playbook tells the story of what happens to a man who has spent eight months in jail after a plea bargain. Bradley Cooper plays the innocent man who has lost everything and struggles to put his life back together. His life finally changes for the better when he meets a mysterious woman named Tiffany, played by Winter's Bone's Jennifer Lawrence.
Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Leo and Don Cheadle all star in the Robert Zemeckis mystery-thriller Flight, which follows the after-effects of a miraculous crash landing where nobody on the plane is killed. Despite saving the lives of those on board, Washington's character is plagued by investigations about who or what caused the crash in the first place.
Finally, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy join John Hawkes and writer/director Ben Lewin for an unbelievably poignant autobiographical story by poet Mark O'Brien called The Sessions. After spending most of his life in an iron lung, O'Brien (played by Hawkes) sets out on a life-changing journey to lose his virginity at the age of 38. The premise ensures just as much awkward hilarity as sentimentality.
These are just a few of our picks for the biggest features to see at this year's Austin Film Festival. Most will have cast members, screenwriters and/or directors in attendance to answer questions and provide more background to the making of each movie.
Keep in mind that these larger feature films are only a sliver of the movies being shown at the festival, which also include unbelievable local cinema, shorts, documentaries and experimental films.
Think of these films as the more familiar, glitzy desserts to complement the appetizers and entrees of the rest of the festival's delectable offerings. After you've had a taste of these, we're sure you'll feel more confident sampling some of the more exotic or unknown fare.
Try it, we can guarantee you'll like it.
---
Austin Film Festival film passes are $65 and upgrades to badges (which include priority access and invitations to exclusive parties) cost between $125 and $650. Individual tickets to films also go on sale 20 minutes prior to each screening and cost $10.