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SXSW '12 Review: 'Small Apartments' Is An Awkward, Entirely Unsatisfying Mixture Of Sweetness And Filth

  • By Drew Taylor
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  • March 11, 2012 5:54 PM
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  • 3 Comments
Reviews
Swedish filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund used to be the kind of director whose every move was worth following. He started out building buzz for his career by making controversial music videos, helming the sensational, barely-seen "Smack My Bitch Up" clip for Prodigy and, way more successfully, the "Ray of Light" music video for Madonna (a clip that won a record seven prizes at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards). Even his lesser videos (like his Cardigans' "Favorite Game" clip) were compelling and vital compared to most pedestrian and run-of-the-mill music videos. Åkerlund's videos were often defined by a willingness to delve into the scuzzier aspects of life (like the Prodigy video and Metallica's "Turn the Page") – visually his style was slick but also grimy, lit up by garish neon lights and high contrast colorization.
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More: Jonas Åkerlund, Johnny Knoxville, Small Apartments, Billy Crystal, Review, SXSW Film Festival, South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival (SXSW)

10 SXSW Soundtracks To Look Out For Including Scores By Members Of Pearl Jam, Vampire Weekend, Menomena, Tortoise & More

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
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  • March 8, 2012 2:31 PM
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  • 1 Comment
Festivals
SXSW is barely 24 hours away from starting (catch up with part one and part two of our preview pieces here), and at this point, it's important to be reminded that one of the things that makes it unique is a particular focus on the crossover between music and film, something that's been a particular interest of ours since the very earliest days of The Playlist. It doesn't just have a whole sidebar dedicated to music documentaries (with this year's batch including films around LCD Soundsystem, Paul Simon and Big Star), and a music festival that runs alongside, but it also seems to attract a disproportionate number of scores by indie and rock musicians to its fictional entries.
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More: Features, South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival (SXSW), SXSW Film Festival, Vampire Weekend, Pearl Jam, Tortoise, Pavilion, Small Apartments, Blue Like Jazz

15 Most Anticipated Films Of SXSW 2012: From Will Ferrell In Spanish To The Lost Duplass Bros. Movie & More

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
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  • March 6, 2012 3:03 PM
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  • 3 Comments
Features
While Sundance still gets the headlines, the last few years have seen the film strand of South By Southwest, the Austin, Texas cultural conference, become just as vital to the movie world as Robert Redford's baby. The past few festivals alone witnessed some of the best movies of their respective years debut, from low-budget indies like "The Puffy Chair," "Beeswax," "Tiny Furniture" and "Cold Weather" to more mainstream fare like "I Love You Man," "Adventureland" and "Bridesmaids," to international genre hits like "Kill List," "Attack The Block" and "Monsters."
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More: SXSW Film Festival, South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival (SXSW), Features, God Bless America, Casa De Mi Padre, Frankie Go Boom, Cabin In The Woods, Small Apartments, The Hunter, Do-Deca-Pentathalon

Joss Whedon's 'Cabin In The Woods' The Opening Film For SXSW; Lena Dunham's 'Girls' Will Also Premiere

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • January 12, 2012 3:00 PM
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  • 0 Comments
News
Sundance isn't even here yet and already we're smelling the BBQ of Austin. The SXSW Film Festival is just a couple of months away, and to get your appetite (for movies) stirring, organizers have announced the first batch of films making their way to Texas.
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More: Cabin In The Woods, Small Apartments, Marley, Girls, SXSW Film Festival

Jonas Åkerlund To Direct Matt Lucas In Comedy 'Small Apartments'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • January 27, 2011 6:08 AM
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  • 0 Comments
Despite directing two trainwrecks -- the dreadful drug drama "Spun" and the ridiculous serial killer tale "The Horsemen" -- some still believe Jonas Åkerlund has the potential to helm a feature film worth watching.
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More: Films, Actors, Jonas Åkerlund, Small Apartments, Matt Lucas

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