The first weekend of South by Southwest has come and gone too fast. We spent the first days of the festival watching movies, TV, and fangirling over Ben Stiller. Here’s a look at our favorite moments:
🔪 “Another Simple Favor” Is Campy, Funny, and Murderous.
“Another Simple Favor” is the sequel to Paul Feig’s 2018 movie “A Simple Favor,” starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. The duo is back for the follow up and it’s wonderfully weird, visually stunning with views of Capri, Italy, and a really good time. Kendrick is funnier than ever as mommy blogger Stephanie Smothers, and Lively is playing her best role as suit-wearer Emily/Hope. If you loved the first movie, you’ll love this one!
Ben Stiller. (Julia Beverly/WireImage/Getty Images)
⭐ “Severance” Director Ben Stiller May Just Be the Biggest SXSW Celeb.
One of our most highly anticipated events was a talk with Ben Stiller, the director of Apple TV’s juggernaut show “Severance.” Stiller shared a handful of juicy tidbits about the show to a packed house: He met “Severance” composer Theodore Shapiro while filming the 2004 movie “DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story,” the goat scenes in “Severance” were filmed on a golf course in Brooklyn, and he always wanted Adam Scott for the roles of Mark S. and Mark Scout.
Lucille was decked out in purple. (Kelsey Bradshaw/City Cast Austin)
💜 Netflix Throws a Great Party.
Trash TV lovers united at Lucille on Rainey Street Sunday night for a “Love Is Blind” Season 8 reunion watch party. Free drinks flowed in the show’s iconic gold wine glasses, attendees bundled up with purple blankets, and free hot dogs, popcorn, and mac and cheese swirled around as we waited for the show to start. “Love Is Blind” cast members from the latest season and many from the ones before it were everywhere, and had us wondering about Netflix’s budget. Watching the reunion episode with a crowd was so fun, with cheers and boos and clapping. It felt like we were at a Super Bowl party!
