Fantasy Life
A mental health pseudo-romcom? Yes. Filmmaker Matthew Shear’s Fantasy Life follows Sam, an anxiety-ridden law-school dropout who becomes a babysitter for his psychiatrist’s granddaughters and falls for their mother. Struggling to keep his life together through panic attacks, therapy sessions, and OCD tendencies, Sam finds himself thrown to the wolves in a wealthy Manhattan household of three young girls and their rather emotionally estranged parents. 
Sam finds musician David’s absence a subconscious excuse for connecting with the beautiful but aloof Dianne. As the months roll on, Dianne is working out her midlife crisis shit with Sam as her newfound bestie. Crashing out, and rightfully so, over aging, a waning acting career, and deepening depression. Sam, managing the eclectic needs of the three girls, a seemingly narcissistic husband, and his own feelings of inadequacy, must navigate new feelings and old fears.
Something that really stood out to me from an acting and writing standpoint in Fantasy Life warrants a mention. Eating scenes are actually quite rare in film. I don’t mean sitting at a table doing dialogue, I mean actually consuming food as the actors speak. It’s one of the most natural actions in our everyday lives, but we don’t often get treated to genuine relationship-building when actors have their mouths full of food. That simple and very specific choice by Shear has such an impact. It solidifies an immediate intimacy between Sam and Dianne. Bravo.
Judd Hirsh, Andrea Martin, Bob Balaban, and Jessica Harper are perfectly cast as David and Dianne’s parents, respectively. Alessandro Nivola delivers a complex turn as David, with the depth of the character slowly revealing itself in a character whose surface appears superficially loathsome.
For all the reasons, Shear and Peet have the most electric chemistry. They share a beautiful, “will they, won’t they” energy, far beyond the trope itself. It’s so very easy.
Amanda Peet is dazzling in her vulnerability and natural comic timing. As an almost 46-year-old woman *she chokes on the words, even in print* there is something so magical and sad about this character. Dianne’s grip on reality is one of the most honest representations of middle-aged, white female privilege, and both Shear and Peet fully understood the assignment.
Sam is effortlessly charming in his awkwardness. You know him. Especially if you were raised in Connecticut and moved to New York. Matthew Shear‘s tangible performance steals each beat, only matched by Peet’s elegant presence.
This is a film about relatability and human connection through the darkest of feelings. Fantasy Life viscerally evokes buried emotions. Funny, heartwrenching, and raw, it’s a must-watch, thought-provoking journey.
Fantasy Life Trailer:
In Fantasy Life, an anxious law school dropout (Matthew Shear) stumbles into a job babysitting his psychiatrist’s three granddaughters and falls for the girls’ mother (Amanda Peet), an actress in a rocky marriage. A smart, New York-set romantic comedy co-starring Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Andrea Martin, Zosia Mamet, and Holland Taylor. Winner of the SXSW Narrative Feature Audience Award. Opens in New York March 27. In Theaters Nationwide April 3.
SXSW 2026 true-crime doc I Got Bombed at Harvey’s tells the off-the-wall tale of a casino, a ransom note, a homemade bomb with 1000 pounds of dynamite, and 24 hrs. Your jaw will drop as one absolute narcissistic lunatic’s spiral brings his kids down with him.
![The Peril at Pincer Point (2026) - [www.imdb.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Peril-at-Pincer-Point-2026-www.imdb_.com_-e1774014647397.png?resize=577%2C882&ssl=1)
The Peril at Pincer Point
The dialogue is outrageously offensive and damn funny. My guess is that they’re closer to reality than comedy since people are assholes, but I digress. The music is delicious. Fantasy sequences are action-packed shenanigans, akin to Everything Everywhere All At Once. Leading man, screenwriter, and showrunner Ash T absolutely kills it playing Raag. Not a single millisecond of hesitation in this absurdist performance; this is star-making stuff of the gods. The plot twist is out of left field, but that’s a complete compliment. I have to know what happens to Raag once the credits roll. I’m going to need HBO to pay attention because Son of a Bikram deserves all the money and every minute of an audience’s attention.
In Lauren Noll’s SXSW 2026 dramedy, Same Same But Different, we follow three Persian childhood friends: a personal trainer, a lawyer, and an aspiring writer, grappling with identity and their ever-evolving relationships.
SXSW 2026 Watchlist
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
THE MOOGAI
Barely tolerating her birthmother, Ruth, Sarah’s whitewashed existence comes to a halt when an ancient entity rears its ugly head. Sarah’s aggression heightens as her delusions increase. She quickly spirals out of control in every aspect of her life. Sarah’s husband, Fergus, embraces his culture and does his best to navigate his familial deterioration.
The break between Sarah and her first child, Chloe, is heartbreaking. There’s no denying her resemblance to Fergus has something to do with Sarah’s icy response. The connection between Chloe, Fergus, and Ruth burns Sarah’s limited understanding of her absent culture. Ruth tries her best to protect her family, but Sarah’s relentless resistance to her roots only makes them manifest quicker as lore becomes reality and history repeats itself.
Jahdeana Mary brings earnest innocence and hurt to Chloe. You want to hug her. Meyne Wyatt is great playing Fergus. He is charming and protective. He’s a real highlight. Tessa Rose is spectacular as Ruth, giving audiences lived-in knowledge and fear. She is the heart of the film. Shari Sebbens gives Sarah everything from elitism to postpartum depression, unbridled rage to superstitious anxiety. You simultaneously loathe and feel for her. Sebbens is truly a revelation.
Practical FX, makeup, and jump scares are solid. THE MOOGAI keenly delves into medical gaslighting and the pressure on women to “do it all.” While the film is also a creature feature, Jon Bell never shies away from showing viewers that the scariest monsters are humans. It is a surprising cultural reclamation.
![Mola_ A Tibetan Tale of Love and Loss_ - [schedule.sxsw.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/Mola_-A-Tibetan-Tale-of-Love-and-Loss_-schedule.sxsw_.com_-1.png?resize=678%2C381&ssl=1)
However, the underlying generational trauma manifests in a contentious mother-daughter relationship. Mola uses humor and cutting words as shields. Patrick Kirst‘s score captures each beat, whether melancholy or joy. Sonam wishes for her to stay for all the reasons one would expect a loved one to feel.
Credits
Alicia Blasingame is a superb foil for her onscreen rival. There is a comfort level that makes you buy into Aura from the moment you see her. Rosemary Hochschild is magnificent in her final film role as Gladys. Her fearless performance sends chills down your spine, then giggling with delight. What a pleasure to witness this level of talent.
WHITCH subconsciously makes fun of women who call themselves witches, but in reality, they love the ideas and decor, not the literary canon. Would I adore a feature-length version? The answer is a resounding YES. Do I also believe it is delicious in its current form? It has undoubtedly cast a spell on me.
You must be logged in to post a comment.