The 2015 SXSW Film Festival has officially come to a close, and our fearless correspondents, Erik Davis and Alicia Malone, were right in the thick of some of the fest's most buzzed-about moments. We asked them to highlight just a few of them below -- from their favorite movies to the most memorable interviews. Check out what they had to say.

The Best Movies

The Top 3: Erik Says...

1. Trainwreck

Amy Schumer completely crushes it as a New York City career girl who's a hot mess when it comes to relationships, avoiding monogomy while racking up some kind of one-night-stand record. She's thrown a curveball when a really nice guy (Bill Hader) enters her life, and what follows is not only chock-full of laugh-until-you-cry moments, but also a heavy helping of heart and emotional honesty.

Also props to LeBron James and John Cena, two dudes who steal every single scene they're in.

Watch the review

 

2. Ex Machina

Fans of original science fiction will devour Ex Machina, about an office drone (Domhnall Gleeson) who wins an opportunity to meet and stay with his company's mega-star and recluse of a boss (Oscar Isaac) in the middle of nowhere.

What he doesn't know is that his boss chose him specifically to help further develop a new kind of artificial intelligence that's more advanced than anything we've seen before. There are twists and turns, with some of the best special effects the genre has seen in years. Not only does this film prove Oscar Isaac is one of today's most versatile actors, but that first-time director Alex Garland is the real deal. 

See the red carpet interviews 

 

3. The Final Girls

What would happen if characters from a contemporary 2015-set horror movie got trapped inside an '80s-era slasher flick, a la Friday the 13th?

That's kind of the premise behind the wickedly funny The Final Girls, about a girl who, due to a freak accident, gets trapped with her friends inside the old-school slasher movie her mom (Malin Ackerman) -- an '80s scream queen -- is known for. Not only is the cast packed with familiar funny faces, but its brilliantly witty script does such a good job of mixing both worlds while also deconstructing the silliness of the horror genre. The film also packs in a ton of heart when it comes to the evolving relationship between mother and daughter, and while it's most definitely a love letter to those '80s movies we adore, Final Girls is also about letting go -- not of the love, but of our attachment to something that no longer exists.

Watch the review

 

The Top 3: Alicia Says...

 
1. Trainwreck
 
By switching up the traditional gender roles (this time it’s the woman who is the commitment-phobe) Amy Schumer and director Judd Apatow have created a fresh, funny and very relatable film. My stomach ached from laughing!
 
 
2. Lost River
 
 
Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut may have received bad reviews at Cannes, but I appreciated this surreal fairytale about a family trying to hold onto their house in a crumbling city.
 
Beautifully shot, with the first-time director capturing great performances while maintaining his unique vision, Lost River may have trouble finding the right audience, but it shows huge promise from Gosling as a filmmaker. Think more David Lynch than Nicolas Winding-Refn.
 
Watch the interviews

 
 
3. Furious 7
 
 
Though I feel like I could have easily written the screenplay (with its corny one-liners and ridiculous plot) Furious 7 is just as over-the-top as you want it to be. Featuring the most implausible yet impressive stunts of all the seven films, this movie is one you want to see with a packed crowd on opening weekend. And Paul Walker’s exit from the franchise was handled in exactly the right way.
 
Watch the review

 

The Coolest Interviews

Alicia and Erik were all over SXSW this year, chatting up everyone from Amy Schumer to Molly Ringwald. But which interviews were their favorites? The answers revealed below... then go here for more interviews 

Alicia Says... The Breakfast Club 30th Anniversary Chat with Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy

I was so nervous during this interview because these ladies are two of my childhood idols. I used to watch The Breakfast Club with my sisters all the time growing up, and getting the chance to meet the Princess and the Basket Case in person was a giant highlight.

 

Erik Says... Trainwreck's Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow

As a lifelong New Yorker and resident of Long Island -- where both Schumer and Apatow are from -- it was just so much fun hanging out with these two, nerding out over local hometown places and breaking out some horrible dance moves for the camera. Definitely one of my all-time favorite interviews. 

 

Favorite Moments

Erik Says...

There's nothing like touring downtown Austin via pedicab, which Alicia and I had a chance to do while recapping our fourth day at the festival. Check it out.

Bonus: I was also honored to moderate my first-ever panel at SXSW called "An Insider's Guide to the SXSW Film Festival." Joined by Jen Yamato, Meredith Borders and Grae Drake, we had such a good time throwing our fest advice to a room packed with SXSW newbies. Here's a pic, and thanks to all who attended!

 

Alicia Says...

In a town full of BBQ and tacos, the last thing you expect to be eating in Texas is crawfish. On our first day at SXSW, we had such a good time hangin' at Tim League's crawfish boil, where Erik and I chatted with Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League and actor Elijah Wood. Then, we tried crawfish for the first time and loved it -- despite the fact that it takes a ton of work to eat!  

 

Two Things Everyone Must Do at SXSW

1. Eat BBQ

Alicia: If there's one thing you have to do in Texas, it's eat some tasty barbecue. Well, unless you're a vegetarian, like me. Still, that didn't stop me from joining Miles Teller (The Divergent Series: Insurgent, The Fantastic Four) for a meal at Iron Works BBQ, a hot spot in downtown Austin during SXSW. Check out the meat and mac-and-cheese-filled chat:

 

2. Eat Tacos

Erik: Not in the mood for BBQ? How about some tacos? One of the most popular taco spots in Austin is a place called Torchy's Tacos, and we set out to learn why those Austinites dig it so much. Check this out:

You can watch all of our SXSW videos right over here, and you can find additional content over at our sister site, Movies.com.