Category Archives: True-crime

‘I Got Bombed At Harvey’s’ (SXSW2026) A truly explosive heist

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sxsw 2026 cartoon vectorI Got Bombed At Harvey

i got bombed at Harvey'sSXSW 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 film follows the 1980 story of a giant bomb appearing inside a very busy Lake Tahoe casino office. With local law enforcement and nationwide news media coverage, the perpetrators were doomed, but not from the start. The film’s structure consists of archival reels, sit-down interviews with the bomb squad members, photographs, blueprints, physical evidence, and reenactments. Oh, and one of the men involved. The only crystal clear aspect of this crazy endeavor is the mastermind. The absolute havoc and ripple effect of one man’s ego is diabolical.
 
The footage is genuinely shocking. I jumped out of my seat at one point. The number of times I audibly exclaimed WTF should be outlawed. Without spoiling the outcome, I will say that the complexities of this case will have you shaking your head. This entire scheme sounds like a movie script. Motivated by spite, revenge, mental illness, addiction, trauma, and fear, I Got Bombed at Harvey’s gets wilder by the minute. Just when you think the story could not possibly get any nuttier, think again.
 
I Got Bombed at Harvey’s is a romp through madness, money, and mayhem worth your eyeballs.

I Got Bombed at Harvey’s

Director:
Amy Bandlien Storkel, Bryan Storkel
Executive Producer:
Chris Smith, Andrew Corkin, Howard Owens, Ben Silverman, Theo Love, Michael Driscoll, Robert Marshall, Brian Lazarte, James Lee Hernandez
Producer:
Bo Butterworth, Karen Bowlin
Cinematographer:
Britton Foster
Editor:
Evan Vetter, Scott Evans, Amy Storkel, Dava Whisenant, ACE
Production Designer:
Adam Henderson
Music:
Michael James Lee
Cast:
Igor Grbesic, Ethan Riley, Ian S. Peterson, Michael Solarez, Jennylyn Caterina, Marianne Wiedeman, William Swartzbaugh

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‘The Ascent’ (SXSW 2026) An extreme upward journey.

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The Ascent

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Directors Edward Drake, Scott Veltri, and Francis Cronin document the unbelievable story of a double amputee’s climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. As if that’s not impressive enough, SXSW 2026 film The Ascent also delves into a mystery sure to infuriate and inspire audiences.

During a night out in 2014, Mandy Horvath died three times. Suspicious circumstances placed her unconscious body in the middle of train tracks. Then she was run over by a 20-car locomotive that severed her legs but not her ungovernable spirit.

Horvath was on her way to greatness in life, although slightly tethered by functioning addiction. Considering her childhood trauma, her resilience is astounding. She should have been dead long before. Sitting down with her parents is viscerally uncomfortable, but it speaks volumes to Mandy’s FU attitude. The film tackles trust and loyalty with authentic complexity.

Her accident was initially written off as a suicide attempt and not a crime. Filmmakers recreate the train conductor and engineer’s witness testimony to explain their perspective of the incident. It is shocking, but almost nothing compares to the dismissal of law enforcement and the missing pieces of evidence from the very people Mandy was with that night. Your jaw will drop.

Animation illustrates Mandy’s most painful memories. The score perfectly matches her indelible spirit. Filmmakers give us visual altitude and mile markers along her journey, but that’s not all we track. Jasleen Kaur‘s editing elevates this entire documentary. To seamlessly weave in what is essentially a true-crime story alongside Mandy’s climbing journey is award-worthy.

The Ascent is an extraordinary tale of survival and perseverance against all odds. Mandy Horvath is simply unstoppable. She is the female spirit personified. Tell a woman she can’t and see what happens.

The Ascent The Ascent The Ascent

Director: Edward Drake, Scott Veltri, Francis Cronin
Executive Producer: TIME Studios, Loren Hammonds, Kyle Hentschel, Francis Cronin, Yvette Zhuang, Jasleen Kaur, Ali Samadi
Producer: Edward Drake, Scott Veltri
Cinematographer: Laffrey Witbrod
Editor: Jasleen Kaur, September Club / Matt Prekop
Music: Adam Peters
Cast: Mandy Horvath, Julius John White aka ‘Whitey’, Carel Verhoef, Sally Grierson
Crew:Animator: Mike Lloyd, Co-Producer: Jon Schafer, Additional Editing: Kevin Barth, Executive Finishing Producers: Gloria F. Coronado, Ashely Reese, Re-Recording Mixer: Cameron Tracy, Colorist/Online Editor: Christian Navas, CSI, Graphics: COED Studios
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