The Rivals of Amziah King

Rating - 6.8: Overall, a decent movie that feels very Southern with its music, dialogue, and tone, that is carried by Matthew McConaughey's return to acting after six years; however, the movie is a tale of two halves, and I feel like this made the movie feel very bloated, as either half could have been cut in half to put more emphasis on the other part.

Direction - Decent to Pretty Good: The direction on a macroscale infuses mystery with Southern musical elements to make the movie feel like a Southern adventure; the direction on a microscale is pretty fast-paced and quick to simulate Southern culture; the storytelling is a tale of two movies as the first half feels very family-oriented and musical and the second half is a straight adventure mystery, though the two halves really don't connect because the inflection point is really meant to shock you and shift the tension in the room; the movie builds tension by shocking the audience at the inflection point by splitting the movie into two completely different stories and you are more confused and surprised about what is happening

Story - Decent to Pretty Good: The concept is a mix of many different ideas to create a southern adventure to explore the characters, and these ideas are music, mystery, and family; yhe plot structure is a tale of two stories, with a strong inflection point separating the two parts; The plot structure was a big issue for this movie because it made the movie feel very bloated and unnecessarily long; they should have cut either story in half to put more emphasis on the opposing part; the character writing is good as the movie is really driven by its characters, especially Amziah King and Kateri, because they create interesting characters with unique qualities about them

Screenplay - Pretty Good: The dialogue is heavily influenced by Southern culture and feels pretty authentic; the humor is pretty Southern and helps set the tone and vibe for the movie; the symbolism is present; the foreshadowing is set early on as it helps set up different parts of the movie, especially the inflection point between the two halves of the movie

Acting - Pretty Good: Matthew McConaughey - Good (He fills up the room with his presence as his heliocentric charisma has all the characters revolving around him; The character really feels like it is written for him and his real-life persona, so this is the perfect movie for McConaughey to return to acting after six years; he has pretty good chemistry with the remaining cast, and good chemistry with LookingGlass), Angelina LookingGlass - Pretty Good (Her character really grows and opens up as the movie goes on; what's needed from her becomes more as the movie progresses; she does a pretty good job holding her own when she needs to and works well with other actors, especially McConaughey), Kurt Russell - Decent to Pretty Good (Really a minor character, but makes his presence known when he's called upon), Cole Sprouse - Decent to Pretty Good (More of a cameo, it has pretty good chemistry with LookingGlass), Owen Teague - Decent (Decent chemistry with Looking Glass), Rob Morgan - Decent to Pretty Good (Plays "the adult in the room" character pretty well; has decent chemistry with the cast), Tony Revolori - Decent to Pretty Good (More of a comedic relief character, and he does a pretty good job doing that; he has decent chemistry with the cast), Rest of the cast - Decent (There really isn't that big of a supporting cast because it's just minor characters coming and going; but they do a decent job helping tell the story and working off the main cast)

Score - Pretty Good: Very Southern and helps set the tone and vibe for the movie;

Soundtrack - Good: Filled with many songs that feel personal to the story and make this movie feel very Southern

Cinematography - Decent to Pretty Good: Do not really commit to one style because they try many different angles and techniques; and while this is unique, it would have been nice to see them commit to things long term

Editing - Decent to Pretty Good: Try many different techniques and styles throughout the movie, but it really felt like they would introduce different editing techniques once but then never commit to them; I would have liked to see them commit to different editing styles and techniques throughout

Sound - Decent

Production Design - Pretty Good: Helps set this movie in the rural South, hidden among the pines

Pacing - Pacing is pretty slow as the movie feels rather bloated; The movie is structured in two parts, and I would have liked to see them cut one part in half to put more emphasis on the other

Climax - Climax is decent, but you feel kind of exhausted up to this point

Tone - The tone is very Southern and mixes elements of mystery, family, drama, and musical

Final Notes - Saw the world premiere at SXSW.

Rivals of Amziah King is an incredible film with stunning storytelling and a captivating soundtrack. Set against the backdrop of a lesser-explored part of America, it uncovers a world shrouded in mystery. The film's portrayal of complex characters and deep emotional moments draws viewers in, with Matthew McConaughey delivering a standout performance. The chemistry between the cast, combined with the beautiful cinematography, elevates this movie into a truly memorable cinematic experience. The acting and direction are both superb. Amazing music, beautiful cinematography, and good all around storytelling.

I saw this at the SXSW premier and it was the best film of the whole festival. I saw 12 film premiers and this was the only standing ovation I witnessed and it was well deserved. The story and characters were dynamic and music was interwoven into both making it feel more like Oh Brother than a musical. This is the best film Matthew has been a part of since Mud and I think it will get both he and Angelina LookingGlass supporting actor nods, the screenplay will get a best original nod and the score will get a nod...and win a few of these! It's been a long time since this many unique characters have arrived on screen at the same time and I'm here for it!

Angelina LookingGlass was phenomenal - she stole the show. And Andrew Patterson, together with McConaughey and the cast, deliver a masterpiece.

The Rivals of Amziah King is set in the rural US South and fully embraces the culture and community of small southern towns. The lives and lifestyles are so different from urban living, that the movie can at times feel like a period piece.

The screenplay is uncomplicated and unburdened by gimmicks. The story unfolds naturally, and LookingGlass' character develops and matures before our eyes. By the end of the movie, she is, indeed, the new queen.

Flawless. Absolutely a lock as a Best Picture nominee. I can't wait to see it again.

Thank you, SxSW!

Written and directed by Andrew Patterson, The Rivals of Amziah King had its world premiere in Austin, Texas during the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, which received a standing ovation. The film stars Mathew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Tony Revolori, and a special appearance from Kurt Russell.

This crime, thriller film has a well written storyline by Patterson, with plenty of comedic scenes that is set in a beautiful country backdrop. The film revolves around a group of country folks that are a fondly close community and have each other's back not just only in a time of need, but as a way of life - like gathering up to play some music, sing and enjoy some cold drinks - a unique form of relationship.

Despite McConaughey's 6 year acting absence, he delivered an exceptional performance as Amziah King, the beekeeper that operates the family honey farm and the former foster parent to Kateri. McConaughey did not miss a beat sharing his musical talents with the other cast members, turning up the jam sessions with catchy tunes.

Newcomer Angelina LookingGlass was a natural portraying the part of Kateri - the orphaned young lady who takes over her foster's struggling business and encounters some nasty rivals that want to control the honey market. Kateri finds that inner queen bee and takes action to protect the family honey business. Kateri can be sweet as honey but will not hesitate to lash out a lethal sting if you do her and her beloved community harm.

I was impressed with the overall performance. The connection between the cast was visible throughout the film, which kept the audience engaged. I did want to see more of Kurt Russell's character, however the choice of limiting his screen time did allow to focus on Kateri's story. I believe this wonderful independent film sets the tone for 2025 film makers and will truly be a buzz worthy of an Oscar nomination.