The Sundance Film Festival has played host to the world premieres of some of the best independent films of the last few decades. It’s whereReservoir Dogsfirst exploded onto the scene, whereLittle Miss Sunshinespurred a massive bidding war, and in recent years is where films likeBoyhood,Manchester by the Sea, andWhiplashmade their debut.
We here at Collider just wrapped up covering yet another Sundance Film Festival (read all of our coverage here), but since most of these films won’t be available to audiences for some time, we wanted to make sure and highlight them early. Below, Collider’s own Adam Chitwood and Matt Goldberg have selected five films from this year’s Sundance that you definitely need to put on your radar.
The Big Sick
Directed by Michael Showalter (The Baxter) and co-written by real couple Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon,The Big Sickfollows a stand-up comic in Chicago (Nanjiani) who falls for Emily (Zoe Kazan), but struggles to hide it from his parents, who want him to have an arranged marriage. When Emily gets sick, Kumail is forced to consider her feelings for her as he begins an awkward relationship with Emily’s parents (played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano). It’s the easiest recommendation I can make from this year’s Sundance. It’s a crowd-pleaser of the highest order that I can’t wait to see again. The film is hilarious, sweet, heartfelt, and one I can’t wait to see again. It also has the best 9/11 joke you’ll ever see. –Matt Goldberg
Call Me by Your Name
Call Me by Your Nameis the new film fromA Bigger SplashandI Am LovefilmmakerLuca Guadagnino, and it’s an absolutely masterful, hypnotic summer romance. The story takes place in the 1980s, where a young Italian-American boy played byTimothee Chalametis spending the summer with his family in northern Italy. An American research assistant played byArmie Hammerarrives to spend the summer working with the boy’s father (played byMichael Stuhlbarg), but soon Chalamet’s character and Hammer’s character strike up a romance that is all consuming. The film is a rapturous, sensual, moving coming-of-age and coming-out story of first love, and features a jaw-dropping performance from Chalamet that will almost certainly land him on the Oscar shortlist. Hammer, too, is incredible, and as if all this gushing wasn’t enough, it features two original songs bySufjan Stevens. –Adam Chitwood
While many may know Jordan Peele as part of the sketch comedy duoKey & Peele, he makes his name as a talented horror director with his latest featureGet Out. The story plays likeGuess Who’s Coming to Dinner?meetsThe Stepford Wivesas a young black man (Daniel Kaluuya) goes with his white girlfriend (Allison Williams) to meet her parents at their country house but makes some disturbing discoveries. It’s a searing piece on white privilege and control that never ceases to be creepy and unexpectedly comic. It’s one of the sharpest horror films to come along in years, and I’m excited for people to see it next month. –Matt Goldberg
The Southern epicMudboundis a narratively ambitious tale of family, friends, and racism in World War II-era Mississippi.Garrett HedlundandStraight Outta ComptonstandoutJason Mitchelllead a tremendous ensemble cast that also includesJason Clarke,Carey Mulligan, andMary J. Blige, telling the story of two family dynasties trying to survive in the Jim Crow south.PariahfilmmakerDee Reessteps up to a much larger scale and knocks it out of the park, as she juggles a film with multiple narratives without short-changing a single character. It’s a film that is, sadly, all too relevant today, and marks a firey statement from Rees that she is one of the most ambitious and exciting directors working today. –Adam Chitwood
A Ghost Story
A Ghost Storyis absolutely one of the weirdest movies you’ll see all year, and while it may not be for everyone, it’s undoubtedly a wholly unique kind of love story.Ain’t Them Bodies SaintsandPete’s DragonfilmmakerDavid Loweryshot this one under the radar in Texas with a cast that consists solely ofRooney MaraandCasey Affleck, with Affleck pulling aFrankand donning a white sheet with eyehold cut out for the majority of the film’s runtime. The story follows this apparition as he watches over his house and grieving wife with sorrow and love, and it unfolds in the most spectacular yet unexpected manner possible. And yes, the rumors are true: there is a scene in which Mara eats pie in one long, unbroken take for five minutes. Funny, sad, emotional, depressing—A Ghost Storyis absolutely unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. –Adam Chitwood
To catch up on all of Collider’s Sundance 2017 coverage, including reviews and interviews,click here.
