There's nothing metaphorical about that title; this is indeed a movie about a very large arachnid.

You wish you were going to SXSW, 'cause if you were, you'd be able to catch the world premiere of "Big Ass Spider" (or, rather, "Big Ass Spider!"), a film that follows in the footsteps of other creature features such as "Snakes on a Plane" in that the title serves as the pitch.

The low-budget flick directed by Matt Mendez, features a variety of human beings — including scantily-clad volleyball players and a military-type played by Laura Palmer's dad himself, Ray Wise — contending with a web-spinning, creepy-crawly menace that provides all sorts of new nightmare fodder for those who suffer from arachnophobia. The movie looks like it cost a thousand bucks, but a thousand very well-spent bucks.

"Big Ass Spider," brought to you by EPIC Pictures (of course!), is part of the Midnighters lineup at SXSW, which will be held in Austin, March 8-17. Texas shall be the first to feel this beastie's wrath!