SXSW 2025 is over and with it Cinapse has an excellent crop of films for you to look out for. For this year’s wrap-up post, each attendee ranked their top ten films. Each staff’s number one pick received 20 points, with second place receiving 15 and third 10. After that, it followed in descending order with 7 points for fourth, 6 for fifth, and so on.
Cinapse had a record seven (!) attendees at this year’s SXSW Film Festival. Even with that type of attendance we weren’t able to watch all 114 feature films (we saw about half) – and for many of the films only one or two of us were able to see. So keep all that in mind with our ranking: if more attendees saw the film it naturally would receive more points. Even with the flawed nature of the ranking, hopefully it clues you in to some upcoming movies to add to your Letterboxd watch lists. Without further ado… here are the top ten films Cinapse saw at SXSW 2025!
#1 The Rivals of Amziah King
“The Rivals Of Amziah King is revelatory. It is not without violence and bloodshed, almost a modern Western in that regard as it acknowledges that there’s an undeniable violence to America’s story. But as it revels in the healthy elements of our remarkable country, it also charts a new path forward through the capable actions of a Native woman, who isn’t always doing what’s legal, but is balancing the scales of justice in favor of what’s right. Patterson welcomes us into a vibrant tale of whimsy and wonder, of death and destruction, and offers a satisfying and entertaining bit of advice that we choose a narrow path or we’ll be led to destruction.” (Read Ed’s full review here, and Julian’s review here)
#2 Hallow Road
“At just over 80 minutes, there’s not an ounce of fat in Anvari’s latest. A taut and tense thriller that takes unpredictable paths and delivers a gut punch of an ending, one that sparks reflection on everything that came before. Hallow Road is a white knuckle ride that pushes us to ask how far we would go to protect our child, as well as ourselves.” (Read Jon’s full review here)
#3 We Are Storror
“Bay is a proven master of spectacle with really little left to prove at this stage of his career. And as much as we all love his gloves off excess, this Bay fan tends to connect most with some of his more grounded (for Bay) offerings, like the aforementioned Ambulance, or Pain And Gain, or even 13 Hours. At Bay’s direction here, the Storror crew opened up, stripped down (sometimes literally), got vulnerable, and made this film about pushing boundaries, seeking purity, and understanding when to change. It’s a character study filled with humanity, even when flirting with superhuman capability. It’s a singular cinematic experience viewers won’t soon forget.” (Read Ed’s full review here)
#4 Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
“It’s clear that much of what Matt and Jay accomplish comes from pushing the limits of what they normally would be “allowed” to do, and the result feels defiantly fun and exhilaratingly free. I hope for the sake of accessibility to great art that this movie comes out in the form we saw, because it’s a brilliant, hilarious ride that pushes buttons and utilizes IP in a playful way.” (Read David’s full review here)
#5 We Bury the Dead
“There are few horror sub-genres quite as explored as the zombie film. Thus it is remarkable when a filmmaker finds an inroad to explore the genre with fresh eyes. And yet Australian filmmaker Zak Hilditch’s We Bury the Dead, which premiered at SXSW, has immediately set itself in the canon of great zombie films. Not only does it find angles into the undead as a metaphor for the pangs of grief, but also creates one of the most beautiful zombie movies ever made.” (Read Jay’s full review here)
#6 Friendship
“Similar to I Think You Should Leave, Friendship comes preloaded with a “you’ve-gotta-see-this” cache. It’s Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd bouncing from one awkward situation to the next. There are a couple of reaction shots and off-hand comments that surely will become memes the second the movie opens. It’s a very funny movie. Of course it’s funny. The real test of Friendship‘s strength, like any relationship, will come with time and repeat viewings, which this movie is sure to garner.” (Read Julian’s review here, and Eddie’s review here)
#7-10 (Four-Way-Tie)
Fantasy Life
“Fantasy Life puts the audience in the middle of complicated lives lived between Manhattan and “The Vineyard.” While first-time director and lead Matthew Shear is responsible for much of the success of execution here, it’s his two absolute pillars of supporting actors that make Fantasy Life a gem. Amanda Peet plays an aging actress struggling with her life place in the world while still overwhelming Shear’s character with her beauty and charisma. Then there’s Alessandro Nivola, who’s all cool-guy and repressed desire. His hipster magnetism bursts off the screen like so much vintage raw denim. This is a tender film with a rock-solid cast.” – Rod Machen
Forge
“With unique characters and compelling performances, Forge keeps the audience engaged throughout. A colleague commented to me after the film about the rarity of a crime drama with no onscreen violence; it didn’t hit me til then. There’s an underlying menace through the dealings between the siblings and Beaumont, and even a slight current of discomfort between Coco and Emily. But no one is gunned down or stabbed. Instead, the twists in Ng’s smart depiction of white-collar crime involve wits, talent, and street smarts.” (Read Elizabeth’s review here)
Redux Redux
“Redux Redux is a family affair. Writer-directors Kevin and Matthew McManus are brothers, and lead actor Michaela McManus is their sister. It’s clearly a small production but the world doesn’t feel small. It’s packed with show-don’t-tell details while not getting bogged down in exposition. The score is propulsive and loud, the cast is naturalistic and feel like fully lived in characters, and the writing is sharp. The McManus brothers are ones to watch.” (Read David’s review here)
Uvalde Mom
“Uvalde Mom is an impressively considered construction, especially as far as the editing and the scoring. The thoughtful sound editing adds even more depth to the storytelling. Using a Texas-based crew – the filmmaker herself is from California – Prado’s film is a work of reciprocal trust and deep empathy. The director and her team spent time building trust with the subject and her family, and it shows.” (Read Elizabeth’s review here)
Honorable Mentions
Here are the films that landed just outside the team’s Top 10:
- Baltimorons
- 40 Acres (Read David’s review here)
- Threesome
- Dear Tomorrow
- The Surrender (Read Julian’s review here)
- Clown in a Cornfield (Read Dan’s review here)
- Fucktoys (Read Jon’s review here)
- Good Boy (Read Jon’s review here)
- Together (Read Julian’s review here)
- Arrest the Midwife
