SXSW 2008: DAY THREE

I had a volunteer shift at 9am on Sunday, which was really 8am, due to the crappy daylight savings. My shift ended around noon, so I walked over to 6th and got a couple breakfast tacos from Torchie’s, and then met up Daniel at the Austin Convention Center for “They Killed Sister Dorothy.” It was another documentary from the same distributor as “Wesley Willis’s Joyride,” but this was something complete different.

For starters, it’s one of those documentaries that is so insane, it seems fake, but I assure you, it’s very real. Basically, it tells the story of Sister Dorothy, a nun who spent decades in Brazil as a missionary and citizen of Brazil. She became leader of community and an advocate against the mass destruction of the rain forests until one day in 2003, when the 72 year old nun was shot 7 times in the middle of the village. The movie is at times, gut retching, but most of the time, it is completely riveting, especially the insanely Shakespearian courtroom scenes. The film received a extended standing ovation, followed by an emotion Q & A with the director, Sister Dorothy’s brother, & her best friend.

Afterward, Daniel & I got back in line, saw Eugene Merman, and watched Judge Dredd buy a coffee from Starbucks. We then watched “Super High Me,” Doug Benson’s pot-smoking send up of “Super Size Me,’ in which he goes 30 days without smoking pot, followed by 30 days of nonstop smoking.

It was everything I thought it would be, which is to say, very funny, but instantly forgettable.

Next up, we went to the Paramount, and saw “The Promotion,” a satirical Comedy staring John C. Rielly, Seann William Scott, Jenna Fischer, Lily Taylor, & Fred Armisen. The film tells to the story of 2 Grocery Store Assistant Managers competing for the same Store Manager promotion. It was a lot funnier that I thought it was going to be, and actually reminded me a lot of “Election.”

We then watched “Run Fatboy Run,” introduced by “Director” David Schwimmer. The new comedy has an impressive pedigree, staring Simon Pegg & Hank Azaria, and sporting Michael Ian Black as a co-scripter.

All of that made me wish the movie was a little bit more biting. It was funny, but syrupy sweet, plus I could of really done without all the slapstick. Not bad though.

Lastly, we saw “Dance of the Dead,” a Zombie Comedy that has a lot of charm. Filmed in Rome, Georgia, the movie is a lot of fun, playfully (but not condescendingly) poking fun at the conventions of both Teen Sex Comedies and Zombie films.

It is easily the best of the Round Midnight movie I’ve seen thus far this year.

--Popkoff