film fest lineup

First Round Top Film Fest offers sneak peek at new Taylor Sheridan series

Oscar-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton will play the titular "landman" Tommy Norris.

Photo courtesy of Paramount+

Hollywood will descend on the tiny historic town of Round Top for its inaugural Round Top Film Festival from November 7-10, showcasing insightful panels with independent filmmakers and dynamic film screenings.

One of the most anticipated events that film buffs won't want to miss is the opening night advanced screening of Taylor Sheridan's new drama series Landman, taking place at 6:30 pm at Festival Hill Concert Hall. The 10-episode series is "a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs," based on Texas Monthly's acclaimed podcast Boomtown. It boasts a star-studded cast with Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, Demi Moore as Cami Miller and Jon Hamm in a recurring guest role as her husband, Texas oil titan Monty Miller.

A Q&A session with Boomtown creator and Texas Monthly staff writer Christian Wallace will take place after the screening. Following the first episode's debut at the film festival, Landman will premiere on Paramount+ on November 17.

The Round Top Film Festival will screen about 40 films throughout the weekend, and host panels with established filmmakers and industry professionals. Here is a sneak peek at some of the festival programming, organized by each day.

Friday, November 8

Women in the Industry
1 pm at 550 District - Dance Hall
Panelists Kari Perkins (Boyhood, Mud), Jennifer Hutchins (Switch Up, Spyral), Suzanne Weinert (Hellion, A Good Son), and others will share personal anecdotes, valuable insights, and practical advice for future generations aiming to break into the film industry, overcome barriers, and establish a sustainable career.

Fashion and Film
3 pm at 550 District - Dance Hall
Industry experts will explore how costume design and styling shape character, enhance storytelling, and create iconic on-screen moments. Moderated by producer Camille Chambers (Hot Water Brew, Homegirls), the panelists include costume designer Kari Perkins, fashion blogger Amanda Tatom, fashion designer and costume, wardrobe and props supplier for film/television Stewart Colgate (Benny Safdie's The Curse, The Last Stop in Yuma County, Dark Winds season 1&2) and Vintage Clothing business/wardrobe and costume design/actor Tom Dragt (Taylor Sheridan's 1923) among others.

Saturday, November 9

Rising Star Showcase
Red carpet 10 am, doors open10:30 am, programming starts at 11:00 am at 550 District - Dance Hall
This moderated discussion features emerging stars among the film industry. The showcase will highlight the work of Kyle Allen (West Side Story, A Haunting In Venice, Space Oddity), Lilli Kay (Your Honor, Yellowstone, Rustin), Sasha Lane (Twisters, The Crowded Room, Conversations With Friends), and Marié Botha (Dickinson, The Penguin).

How to Break into the Industry
4:30 pm at 550 District - Dance Hall
This discussion will cover actionable tips for securing a first job, networking best practices, key skills to stand out among others, and tactics for maintaining resilience in a highly competitive environment. Featured panelists include former CAA talent agent Joe Rosenberg, producer Stephen Stafford, producer Russell Wayne Groves, stunt coordinator Tom Struthers, and actress/writer/director Michelle Krusiec. The session will be moderated by Stephen Galloway, Dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media.

Sunday, November 10

Veterans Discussion
10 am at Round Top Rifle Hall
The Veterans Discussion will feature insights from Bill Broyles, Jr. (Cast Away, Flags of Our Fathers), Rebecca Murga (The Promised Land), Nate Boyer (MVP), and Geoff Reeves (Days of Our Lives). Reeves is a former Division 1 swimmer, accomplished actor, and veteran Navy SEAL who completed two tours of duty overseas, will accept the Maverick Stunt Performer Award on behalf of RJ Casey, who is being honored at the festival's Awards Brunch.

More information about the Round Top Film Festival and tickets can be found on roundtopfilmfest.org.

round top film festival paramount +landman premiere taylor sheridan travel entertainment

Movie Review

Feuding couple fights for survival in dark comedy Over Your Dead Body

Photo courtesy of IFC Films

Jason Segel and Samara Weaving on Over Your Dead Body.

When dysfunctional couples are depicted in movies, about the worst that typically happens is an acrimonious divorce. But in the new comedy/thriller Over Your Dead Body, the husband-and-wife have already gone way past that point by the time they’re introduced to the audience, with their plans leaning toward murder.

Dan (Jason Segel) is a low-level filmmaker relegated to directing pop-up ads, while Lisa (Samara Weaving) is an actor making do in small theater productions. The film finds them heading toward a rare getaway to a remote lake cabin, but it’s clear from the start that the married couple has been at odds for months, if not years. As the film begins, Dan clumsily drops hints at an alibi for his planned murder of Lisa to his ailing dad (Paul Guilfoyle) and others.

His shoddy planning was already sussed out by Lisa, who turns the tables on him when he tries to attack her, revealing a plan of her own. The situation naturally heightens their shared enmity of each other, but their blind hatred turns out to reveal the presence of Pete (Timothy Olyphant) and Todd (Keith Jardine), two escapees from a nearby prison who were helped by guard Allegra (Juliette Lewis). What was once a shared murder plan turns into a fight for survival, forcing Dan and Lisa to work together.

Directed by Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island) and written by former SNL writers Nick Kocher and Briand McElhaney, the film aims to mine comedy out of darkness. Dan and Lisa’s ire for each other is palpable, and their interactions early in the film are uncomfortable. As the film turns increasingly violent with the introduction of other unsavory characters, most of the humor is derived from the creative ways people are attacked and the ultraviolence that results from them going after each other.

It’s a little tough to get fully invested in the story when the filmmakers throw the audience directly into the plot with almost zero setup. There’s not even a cursory montage of Dan and Lisa being in love, so it’s hard to care a lot about their current hate for each other. Likewise, the presence of the prison guard and escapees is completely random, and the three of them aren’t utilized well in the story despite having a couple of well-known actors portraying them.

The saving grace of the film, though, is the twists and turns it takes in the final act. Everyone on screen is put through the wringer, with each of them suffering multiple injuries or worse. The mayhem becomes so chaotic that it’s almost impossible to tell what’s going to happen next, which slightly makes up for the fact that the story as a whole is lackluster. Even though the audience knows they’re being manipulated, the sequences are entertaining enough to overcome that fact.

The cast as a whole is solid. Segel (How I Met Your Mother, Shrinking) uses his comic sensibility to keep the proceedings light. Weaving (Ready or Not) has done multiple movies in this vein, so she knows how to navigate the comedy/thriller waters. Olyphant feels a little out of place, but he has a presence that elevates his part. Lewis goes a little too manic in her part, and Jardine ably embodies the dumb brute.

The comedy history of Taccone, Segel, and Weaving keeps Over Your Dead Body as a positive experience even when the story doesn’t quite measure up. The film never becomes fully predictable, giving the audience a great dose of pandemonium that lifts it up despite its other faults.

---

Over Your Dead Body is now playing in theaters.

movies film