SXSW 2015 Brings 'Ex Machina,' Karyn Kusama's 'The Invitation,' Michael Showalter's 'Hello, My Name is Doris' & More

More than ever, the festivals in the early part of the year are just as important as the Venice/Telluride/Toronto/New York car crash in the fall. With a bit of breathing room, indie movies are arguably given more space to gain traction, and while they might not all be awards contenders like "Whiplash," which unspooled at Sundance, they can highlight future box office hits and cult classics. And that's right where SXSW fits in. The past couple years have seen "Bridesmaids" and "Neighbors," among others, take off in a big way, and today organizers in Austin have revealed the first few titles coming in 2015.

The one that has us most excited is Alex Garland's sci-fi film "Ex Machina," starring Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander, which will make its North American premiere down south. Other titles of note include "Girlfight" director Karyn Kusama's latest, "The Invitation," Michael Showalter's "Hello, My Name...