Weekend reporter Blake Schwarz saw ten movies in his time at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, ranging from paranormal sci-fi to an Instagram-centered dark comedy.
“Landline,” 6:00 p.m. at the Library Center Theatre: “Landline” is a comedic drama about a family of liars and cheaters living in the ‘90s. To quote the person I sat next to, this movie was “adorable,” largely because it’s a film about love and family. The story studies those elements individually as well as together, but never in a way that feels recycled. Lead actress Jenny Slate was a riot, and her usual refreshing comedy made the film even more entertaining.
“Newness,” 9:30 p.m. at Eccles Theatre: “Newness” is a distinct 21st-century love story about online dating, exploring a relationship between two people addicted to an app similar to Tinder. While this film certainly had a point to make, the story never felt preachy and instead offered a very unique take on modern love. Director Drake Doremus is great at delivering both heartwarming and heartbreaking love stories, and “Newness” is both of those in the best of ways.
“I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore,” 11:59 p.m. at the Library Center Theatre: This dark and bloody comedy is about a single middle-aged woman, played by Melanie Lynskey, who gets robbed and recruits her strange neighbor to help her track down the thieves. Elijah Wood is hilarious as a martial arts-obsessed man-child, which you’ll be able to see for yourself in less than a month on Netflix. “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore” ended up winning the Grand Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film this year, Sundance’s highest honor.
“A Ghost Story,” 8:30 a.m. at the Prospector Square Theatre: “A Ghost Story” marks writer-director David Lowery’s return to Sundance after helming Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon” this past year. This genre-bending indie film is about a couple that lives happily together until the husband dies in a car accident and returns to haunt his wife. The 4:3 ratio with documentary-inspired cinéma vérité aspects will turn off a large portion of the audience, but trust me — those who give this film a chance will find that it’s well worth the watch.
“Thoroughbred,” 3:00 p.m. at the Yarrow Hotel Theatre: “Thoroughbred” was written and directed by newcomer Cory Finley, who adapted the screenplay from a play that he also wrote. Actresses Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy portray an emotionless girl and her spoiled peer, who plot a murder together. The film is character-driven instead of being visually stunning, but Finley makes the adaptation work for the big screen.
“Ingrid Goes West,” 11:30 a.m. at the MARC Theatre: Aubrey Plaza plays an insane Instagram stalker in this Los Angeles-set dark comedy. “Ingrid Goes West” delivers plenty of laughs, but viewers with second-hand embarrassment may want to avoid this one. If you’re into awkward comedy, then this film is perfect for you, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it due to how often it made me squirm and wince.
“Berlin Syndrome,” 3:00 p.m. at the Yarrow Hotel Theatre: An Australian woman visits Berlin and meets a sweet guy who brings her home with him. When he’s gone at work the next day, she realizes that he’s locked her in his home indefinitely. The man doesn’t think he’s doing anything wrong at all by imprisoning the heroine, and the story becomes sort of a psychological character study as much as a hostage thriller. To find out more, you’ll either have to watch the film or read the book by Melanie Joosten , but, seriously, watch the film. It was intense, thrilling and marvelously acted by Teresa Palmer and Max Riemelt.
“Golden Exits,” 8:30 a.m. at the Prospector Square Theatre: If you’re into a celebration of the mundane, then this film may be for you. It was not for me. The premise, that a husband’s attractive assistant causes a domestic upheaval, is uninspired. Not every film is supposed to work for every audience member, but watching this felt like an exercise in pointlessness.
“Chasing Coral,” 11:30 a.m. at the Prospector Square Theatre: No film this year has blown me away like “Chasing Coral.” At the end of the documentary, the audience reaction was extraordinary; I don’t think more than a couple people left before the question-and-answer session with the crew. This is a film about climate change and how the coral reefs around the would have been killed by global warming due to the emission of fossil fuels. It was a heartbreaking topic, but the crowd responded with nothing but support. The film will be on Netflix soon, but make sure you do more than just click play in order to stop further damage from happening to our world.
“Band Aid,” 3:00 p.m. at the Yarrow Hotel Theatre: “Band Aid,” one of the most touching films I saw, is about a couple who fight all the time over ridiculous things. They decide that in order for them to get along, they should turn their fights into songs, which forces them to work together even while they insult one another. Zoe Lister-Jones, who directed, produced and acted in the film, hired an all-female production crew to balance out the under-representation of women in Hollywood, and they all did an amazing job making this movie.
