10 Hotly Anticipated SXSW Movies You Need To See In 2014

10. Only Lovers Left Alive

On its surface, a story about vampires starring fanboy favourite Tom Hiddleston may seem like a bit of a trendy flick. That is until you realize it co-stars Tilda Swinton (who very rarely, if ever, makes an uninteresting movie) and is written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, whose early films such as Permanent Vacation and Stranger Than Paradise helped usher in American independent cinema as we now know it. A look at some of his other films (Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes, Broken Flowers) suggests Jarmusch is more concerned with dialogue and depth than genre conventions, meaning his choice to do a "vampire" movie must be personal and intentional. Early reviews of the film (84% on Rotten Tomatoes) concur that it is a solid and "typically offbeat entry to the vampire genre", with The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy going so far as to say Only Lovers Left Alive is Jarmusch's "best work in many years." It was also nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes last year, so it's riding a wave of some serious indie clout. Sexy and moody, contemplative and captivating, Only Lovers Left alive is sure to deliver a thoughtful alternative to genre fans bored with the tired tropes of mainstream vampire movies. The film hits limited theatrical release in the U.S. on April 11.