REVIEWS
Post-film thoughts.
Toy Gun Bandit: No Way Out
What sets the film apart from other crime-thriller films is the beating heart at its core. None of its characters (bar a few) actually want to be there, doing what they’re doing. Each one knows they’re only making their situation worse, that they’re teetering on a point of no return.
Sunburn: The Warmth of Youth
The film is nostalgic, yet keeps moving forward. By forcing all of its characters outside with no access to an online world, it feels like it could be happening in any era. They wander the streets, play a day-long game of Manhunt, chase after the ice cream truck, bask in the sun, and have a water balloon fight all while coming to terms with the end of a chapter in their lives.
Seahorse: On Connections and Feeling Seen
Sometimes the past is too hard to let go and it keeps coming back for us. At the same time, SXSW 2026 Narrative Feature competitor Seahorse poses a question: Is the past holding us back or are we the ones incapable of letting go and moving forward?
Mongrels: Fragments of Memories
“Mother’s hand is a healing hand…”
This phrase is one you hear in the form of a soothing, lullabye-esque song repeated throughout Mongrels, which is the feature film debut of Canadian writer and director Jerome Yoo. Long after the film ended, both the sound of this song and its simple, grounding sentiment lingered with me—a sign that the film struck me exactly where I believe it was aiming.
Seeds: Embracing Rage
Those first few minutes of Seeds, Kaniehtiio Horn’s debut feature film, tells us exactly what we’re in for—a tongue-in-cheek comedy-thriller, but one grounded in very real questions of identity, colonialism, and heritage.
Backspot: We’re All Just People
It is easy to see myself in Riley—in her anxious nature, in her drive to perfect her craft, in her ability to lose herself in her passions, sometimes at the detriment to the people around her.
7 Beats Per Minute: Of Consciousness and Human Connection
On the surface, ‘7 Beats Per Minute’ is about freediving and the prodigy champion Jessea Lu. But at its core, it is a story of emotional suppression and discovery, unshakeable determination, and the profound act of breathing.