Back in January, I watched eight films in six days for The Sundance Film Festival. Most of these films won’t see a public release for some time. Some of them haven’t even been bought yet. But I’ve tried to note where and when you should keep an eye out for them wherever possible.
THE AMAZING MAURICE (In theaters now.)
This was the only film that I was a little disappointed by because I did read a fair amount of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series when I was a kid. I was not, however, familiar with the 28th novel in that series, upon which this animated feature is based. The titular Maurice is less amazing when you compare him to another magical talking cat, Puss in Boots (no, really, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is shockingly great). He strikes up an unconventional friendship with a clan of rats who became sentient after eating wizard garbage. It’s fun, but maybe not as novel in a post-Ratatouille world. The high profile voice cast in this delivered — especially David Tenant as a rat shaman leader named Dangerous Beans. But the meta-commentary seemed perfunctory and the story wasn’t as cogent as it could have been. Most importantly, it seemed like a watered down version of Pratchett’s signature wit and whimsy. Still, if you have kids, this would make for a fun movie night. It’s in theaters only right now, but should be available at home on April 4.
SHORTCOMINGS (Not yet acquired.)
Image Credit: Sundance Film Festival
I’m surprised Randall Park’s directorial debut is so far down my list, as I really enjoyed it. But it was the first film I watched, and I think it just slowly dropped down as I saw more and more throughout the week. The main character is very disagreeable, which I think makes the film more complex and interesting, but, at the same time, it was hard for me to root for him. I identified with the female characters around him a lot more, especially Alice, played by Sherry Cola. Her perfect comedic timing alone makes this worth a watch. The inter-character drama doesn’t make this film skyrocket to the top of my list, but I very much appreciated the dialogue the film stages about Asian American representation in film, interracial relationships, and how, as Randall Park himself says, being Asian American can mean lots of different things. This one’s for those who appreciate films in which smart, complicated people have a series of thought-provoking, semi-pretentious conversations, preferably in coffee shops, diners, and farmer’s markets. There’s a whole other, broader conversation the film tries to have about what “true art” is that distracts from its exploration of Asian American identity. As far as I can tell, this one still needs a buyer, but it feels like it could easily end up on a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon.
FANCY DANCE (Screening at SXSW Film Festival on March 10.)
Image Credit: Sundance Film Festival
Before every screening, Sundance plays a land acknowledgement, honoring Tribal Nations in the Park City, Utah area who have lost their lands and continue to fight to preserve their culture and protect the Earth. It’s a moving segment that I find difficult to skip even though I’ve seen it dozens of times now. As such, I wanted to make sure I saw at least one film by an indigenous filmmaker, and I’m glad I did. Erica Tremblay, who has written and directed for Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo’s hit series, Reservation Dogs, tells a simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming story about a Seneca woman, Jax, whose sister goes missing. In her sister’s absence, social services moves Jax’s niece, Roki, to the home of her white grandparents. Tremblay subtly yet incisively illustrates how institutionalized systems of oppression constantly work against Jax and Roki, making it nearly impossible for them to find their missing sister/mother and participate in the state powwow, which is a cherished family tradition. This isn’t higher up on the list because the central mystery of what happened to Roki’s mother, which initially drew me in, felt rushed and a little anticlimactic at the end. The social commentary and family drama at the core of the film is anything but, though. Lily Gladstone, who carried this film, will appear in Scorsese’s hotly anticipated Killers of the Flower Moon later this year, so you have a chance to say you saw her here first, before she potentially becomes a star.
MAGAZINE DREAMS (Searchlight Pictures)
Image Credit: Sundance Film Festival
Elijah Bynum’s laser-focused study of an obsessive amateur bodybuilder arguably had the most buzz going into the Festival, but the critical reception of the film as a whole has been mixed. Jonathan Majors, however, has received nothing but high praise, and is already in the Best Actor Oscar conversation. I’m largely in agreement with this consensus. Majors is undeniable, as he plays the disturbed, struggling ticking time bomb that is Killian Maddox with a precision and intensity, the likes of which I have never seen. The role demands that he combine the physical with the emotional, and his performance makes those two elements inseparable from one another. The ending of the film, however, both in the writing and the editing, falters and fizzles. It builds up all this tension and momentum, and is poised to say something about toxic masculinity, mental illness, and violence. But then it seems unsure about where to go with that. I’m fine with an ambiguous message, but this feels different, like Bynum wasn’t sure where to land. The Big Picture Podcast and The Next Best Picture Podcast, among others, discussed how a new, leaner edit might address this; I hope that turns out to be the case because individual scenes in this film are so powerful. If you liked Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) or, more recently, Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019), you’ll likely be into Magazine Dreams. I need to be clear, though: this is a tough watch. It’s one of those films where you’re constantly bracing for something bad to happen. But this is the year of Jonathan Majors, so you’ll have to ask yourself if you really want to miss what could be his Oscar-winning performance. Searchlight Pictures picked this up, which means that after its theatrical release it will likely follow the footsteps of The Banshees of Inisherin and The Menu to HBOMax. Hulu is also a possibility but this feels more like an HBOMax film.
SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING (Not yet acquired.)
Image Credit: Sundance Film Festival
Some moviegoers complain that they can’t do indie films because they’re too slow or too quiet. And I totally get that. Admittedly, Rachel Lambert’s meditation on introversion is both slow and quiet, but necessarily so because it aims to capture loneliness, solitude, and mundanity. The story follows Fran, who lives alone on the Oregon coast. We follow her from her unassuming home to her nondescript desk at a nondescript office job. To pass the time, she occasionally daydreams about her own death. One coworker retires and another arrives to take her place, and, as a result, Fran must confront her desire for human connection, constantly undermined by her social anxiety. Along with scores of other critics, I found the film’s most impressive feat to be its ability to capture so accurately what it’s like to be an introvert who wants to be social and yet is unable to be much of the time. Daisy Ridley, of Star Wars Sequel Trilogy fame (do I even need to say that to you, dear readers?), absolutely makes this film when it could have easily fallen apart in any other, less capable actor’s hands. Sometimes I Think About Dying definitely feels like Ridley’s attempt to reconnect with her craft after getting swallowed up by a big film franchise and all the highs and lows that come with that. I understand the need for her to do that, even if the mega franchise is an awesome one that I love. Based on her understated yet engrossing performance here, I’d say job done.
FAIR PLAY (Netflix)
If you read other reviews of this film, you are, at some point, going to run into one or more that call this an erotic thriller, reminiscent of those from the 90s. It’s not an erotic thriller. It’s a relationship drama that uses thriller elements to engage with gender politics in the workplace. More specifically, gender politics at a high-powered, cut throat hedge fund. This film has more in common with Promising Young Woman than Basic Instinct. I generally try to avoid using the word tour de force to describe anyone or anything because it’s pretty cliched, but I found this film had an intensity and momentum from start to finish that was very satisfying. Phoebe Dynevor of Bridgeton fame and Alden Enhrenreich, best known for not being Harrison Ford in Solo, prove their worth as actors here. Netflix bought this one in a bidding war during the festival, for a whopping $20 million. I’d expect to find it there before the year’s out.
RADICAL (Not yet acquired.)
Image Credit: Screen Daily
If you’re like me and can’t resist movies about great teachers getting through to their students (no surprise there), then you absolutely must keep an eye out for this film. With a lot to say about social inequity and education, it clearly descends from films like Stand and Deliver and Dangerous Minds, but with the eccentricity and whimsy of Dead Poet’s Society. Fighting against apathy, bureaucracy, corruption, and pressure to teach to a standardized test, a sixth grade teacher in a Mexican border town, Sergio Juarez, uses “radical” teaching methods to try to spark his students’ intellectual curiosity and convince them that they can break through the ceiling with which society has presented them. The film itself isn’t radical, as it doesn’t innovate or experiment with the inspirational teacher drama, but it’s a very well done version of that genre. Lead actor Eugenio Derbez is charismatic and empathetic in all the right ways, and has a lot to do with why the film works even if it’s not doing anything new. He played the music teacher in CODA, last year’s Best Picture winner that also premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s great to see him in a role that seems similar on paper but very different in practice. This is based on a true story initially published as a profile in Wired. As the folks over at The Next Best Picture Podcast have said, it’s best not to look up anything about the true story because that will spoil the film. This is a Spanish language film, so if you will need subtitles, make sure you carve out some time when you can fully pay attention to the screen. As far as I could tell, no one has purchased this film yet, so where it will end up is TBD. (Apple TV+, are you listening?)
THEATER CAMP (Searchlight Pictures)
Image Credit: Sundance Film Festival
To be quite honest, I was not expecting this to be at the top of my list when I was putting together my screenings in anticipation of the festival. The premise — of a quirky, independent theater camp under threat of a corporate takeover when its founder goes into a coma — made it sound like the humor could easily veer off into cringe territory. I very quickly fell head over heals for this film, though. The Will Ferrell-produced mockumentary, shot in the style of Christopher Guest (This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, etc.), perfectly mixes earnestness with self-deprecation. And it gives the thrill of watching a musical alongside the ridiculousness of watching a satire. I was laughing and smiling the entire time. This is a must-see for anyone who has any personal connection to the theater or the performing arts more generally. It will hit you right in the heart with the sense of belonging and camaraderie that only being a part of a community of artists or performers can give. I watched all of Glee when it was on TV, but always wished it had been better — less glib and more grounded. This film is what I would have wanted it to be. The actual kids who play the campers are PHENOMENAL. Please put them in all the Broadway shows. Or, better yet, give them their own spin-off series. Searchlight Pictures acquired this one, which means it will have a theatrical release in the next year before going to a streaming service — probably Hulu.
What I Missed Out On:
This year, Sundance decided to make some films in-person only, so unfortunately I missed out on the buzziest film coming out of the festival, Celine Song’s Past Lives, a romantic drama that tells the story of a love triangle across decades and countries. The A24 production sounds like it will be an Oscar contender next year. A documentary about Michael J. Fox called Still also seems to have been a big in-person hit. The Oscars are only two weeks away, so I’m filing all of these films away until the new season starts. Stay tuned for my category by category predictions, coming soon!
Looking forward to seeing these now! Great reviews as always ❤️