January 30, 2023
A Sundance Wrap-Up
By Dan Pal
COVID changed the landscape for film festivals almost three years ago. It has been possible for most of us to experience festival going from our own homes via online platforms. The Sundance Film Festival in particular has expanded its programming to include a large number of its sections to those of us not battling the snow in Park City, Utah. This is the third year I’ve participated in these online screenings and it’s been pretty thrilling to experience some of these titles far in advance of any possible theatrical screenings or streaming options. Not all films are made available to the public online but many are. The window is also pretty tight. Jan 24-29 were the only days to see anything one wanted to this year. As I attempted to balance family and other commitments this past week I still managed to sneak in nine Sundance films into various parts of my days. I’ll be providing full reviews of each of these films when and hopefully if they are released.
The best and most challenging film I saw was Elijah Bynum’s Magazine Dreams. It stars Jonathan Majors in an Oscar-worthy performance as a man obsessed with having the perfect physique and a future as a bodybuilding cover boy on muscle and fitness magazines. The film is at times disturbing but never overly indulgent in any unnecessary narrative excess. Majors’s performance is one for the ages. He is completely devoted to the role and knocks it out of the park with every scene. This is a film and performance to watch when it hopefully gets a release later this year.
Another great film is the very small and quiet Fremont about an Afghan woman who served as a translator for the U.S. Army. Now living in Fremont, California she works as a fortune cookie maker. The cast is made up of several non-professional actors who create characters that are all trying to find answers and direction in their lives. The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White appears in a small but pivotal role late in the film and is very good once again. Fremont is a philosophical film in all the right ways and has many ideas most of us can easily relate to. It is also a film seeking distribution at this time.
Cat Person stars former Sundance hit CODA star Emilia Jones as a college student who becomes attracted to a much older man played by Succession’s Nicholas Braun. The film features many of her fantasies about him and calls into question how today’s dating world operates. What is considered predatory behavior? Can we really determine who the predator is in a relationship? Who can we trust? The narrative moves towards a somewhat disappointing over-the-top climax but it doesn’t lose its grip on some really interesting observations about a young woman’s perceptions and beliefs about dating and all forms of media. The film is currently seeking distribution but with its subject matter and stars, it will no doubt find a home soon.
I also really liked The Eight Mountains, a film by Belgian filmmakers shot in the beautiful mountains of Italy. It tells the story of the 30-year friendship between two boys who meet at the age of 12 in 1984. Their story has some serious ups and downs while their setting remains amazingly just as intense. The cinematography is incredible as cameras cover steep mountainsides, rocky terrain, and several feet of snow. This is a great story about friendship and the ever-powerful bond that exist between two people. Janus Films will release The Eight Mountains later this year.
Kim’s Video is a documentary that follows the filmmaker’s attempt to find videotapes and DVDs seemingly lost from a once popular but long closed video store in New York. The film takes us to Sicily where the bulk of the collection appears to be stored and decaying. Director David Redmon wants the vast collection returned home to the U.S. where the often very rare films might attract some viewers once again. This is a tribute to the video store experience that many of us remember and miss and asks us what films would we keep in our own physical collections (which is a must to have!) Kim’s Video is currently seeking distribution.
A popular title at the fest was Theater Camp, which was sold to Searchlight for distribution. The film is a mockumentary of sorts about a camp for pre-teens and teens seeking to develop their theatrical talents. The film features a good cast including Ben Platt, Patti Harrison, Jimmy Tatro and Molly Gordon. There’s a lot energy throughout the film with campy musical performances and some really enjoyable moments from most of the cast. It’s not the funniest mockumentary I’ve ever seen but it will no doubt find a huge audience amongst anyone who has ever been on or wished to be on stage.
Shortcomings is also an enjoyable romp of a film that follows an Asian-American man’s attempts to weather the dating world in his twenties. It’s not the most original of films and clearly makes allusions to some of the great dating films of the past but it does boast and emphasize an array of Asian American characters that don’t get as much attention on screen as they should. The film is directed by Randall Park and stars Justin H. Min. Shortcomings is currently seeking distribution.
Bad Behaviour stars Jennifer Connelly as a former child actress who attends a healing retreat run by Ben Wishaw in Oregon. Her daughter is currently working as a stunt person in New Zealand. This one made me fidget and almost turn off the film after its first hour. SO much time is spent at the retreat with a lot of unusual situations that I just stopped being interested. That is, until two major events happen which shake up the lives of both mother and daughter. Connelly is very good in the film but the narrative needed more tightening and clarity for it to really work. Bad Behaviour is also currently seeking distribution.
Finally there is A Little Prayer starring the very good David Strathairn as well as Jane Levy and Will Pullen. The film, from Junebug director Angus MacLachlan follows the dynamics of a Winston-Salem family as it weathers infidelity, PTSD, adoption, and many other issues that never really gel into anything specific. The actors have some great scenes but the film just doesn’t amount to much. A Little Prayer has been acquired been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for distribution.
More detailed reviews of all of these films in the months ahead pending their releases.
A Sundance Wrap-Up
By Dan Pal
COVID changed the landscape for film festivals almost three years ago. It has been possible for most of us to experience festival going from our own homes via online platforms. The Sundance Film Festival in particular has expanded its programming to include a large number of its sections to those of us not battling the snow in Park City, Utah. This is the third year I’ve participated in these online screenings and it’s been pretty thrilling to experience some of these titles far in advance of any possible theatrical screenings or streaming options. Not all films are made available to the public online but many are. The window is also pretty tight. Jan 24-29 were the only days to see anything one wanted to this year. As I attempted to balance family and other commitments this past week I still managed to sneak in nine Sundance films into various parts of my days. I’ll be providing full reviews of each of these films when and hopefully if they are released.
The best and most challenging film I saw was Elijah Bynum’s Magazine Dreams. It stars Jonathan Majors in an Oscar-worthy performance as a man obsessed with having the perfect physique and a future as a bodybuilding cover boy on muscle and fitness magazines. The film is at times disturbing but never overly indulgent in any unnecessary narrative excess. Majors’s performance is one for the ages. He is completely devoted to the role and knocks it out of the park with every scene. This is a film and performance to watch when it hopefully gets a release later this year.
Another great film is the very small and quiet Fremont about an Afghan woman who served as a translator for the U.S. Army. Now living in Fremont, California she works as a fortune cookie maker. The cast is made up of several non-professional actors who create characters that are all trying to find answers and direction in their lives. The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White appears in a small but pivotal role late in the film and is very good once again. Fremont is a philosophical film in all the right ways and has many ideas most of us can easily relate to. It is also a film seeking distribution at this time.
Cat Person stars former Sundance hit CODA star Emilia Jones as a college student who becomes attracted to a much older man played by Succession’s Nicholas Braun. The film features many of her fantasies about him and calls into question how today’s dating world operates. What is considered predatory behavior? Can we really determine who the predator is in a relationship? Who can we trust? The narrative moves towards a somewhat disappointing over-the-top climax but it doesn’t lose its grip on some really interesting observations about a young woman’s perceptions and beliefs about dating and all forms of media. The film is currently seeking distribution but with its subject matter and stars, it will no doubt find a home soon.
I also really liked The Eight Mountains, a film by Belgian filmmakers shot in the beautiful mountains of Italy. It tells the story of the 30-year friendship between two boys who meet at the age of 12 in 1984. Their story has some serious ups and downs while their setting remains amazingly just as intense. The cinematography is incredible as cameras cover steep mountainsides, rocky terrain, and several feet of snow. This is a great story about friendship and the ever-powerful bond that exist between two people. Janus Films will release The Eight Mountains later this year.
Kim’s Video is a documentary that follows the filmmaker’s attempt to find videotapes and DVDs seemingly lost from a once popular but long closed video store in New York. The film takes us to Sicily where the bulk of the collection appears to be stored and decaying. Director David Redmon wants the vast collection returned home to the U.S. where the often very rare films might attract some viewers once again. This is a tribute to the video store experience that many of us remember and miss and asks us what films would we keep in our own physical collections (which is a must to have!) Kim’s Video is currently seeking distribution.
A popular title at the fest was Theater Camp, which was sold to Searchlight for distribution. The film is a mockumentary of sorts about a camp for pre-teens and teens seeking to develop their theatrical talents. The film features a good cast including Ben Platt, Patti Harrison, Jimmy Tatro and Molly Gordon. There’s a lot energy throughout the film with campy musical performances and some really enjoyable moments from most of the cast. It’s not the funniest mockumentary I’ve ever seen but it will no doubt find a huge audience amongst anyone who has ever been on or wished to be on stage.
Shortcomings is also an enjoyable romp of a film that follows an Asian-American man’s attempts to weather the dating world in his twenties. It’s not the most original of films and clearly makes allusions to some of the great dating films of the past but it does boast and emphasize an array of Asian American characters that don’t get as much attention on screen as they should. The film is directed by Randall Park and stars Justin H. Min. Shortcomings is currently seeking distribution.
Bad Behaviour stars Jennifer Connelly as a former child actress who attends a healing retreat run by Ben Wishaw in Oregon. Her daughter is currently working as a stunt person in New Zealand. This one made me fidget and almost turn off the film after its first hour. SO much time is spent at the retreat with a lot of unusual situations that I just stopped being interested. That is, until two major events happen which shake up the lives of both mother and daughter. Connelly is very good in the film but the narrative needed more tightening and clarity for it to really work. Bad Behaviour is also currently seeking distribution.
Finally there is A Little Prayer starring the very good David Strathairn as well as Jane Levy and Will Pullen. The film, from Junebug director Angus MacLachlan follows the dynamics of a Winston-Salem family as it weathers infidelity, PTSD, adoption, and many other issues that never really gel into anything specific. The actors have some great scenes but the film just doesn’t amount to much. A Little Prayer has been acquired been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for distribution.
More detailed reviews of all of these films in the months ahead pending their releases.
