Sundance Review: 'Mississippi Grind' starring Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds

Maybe we're witnessing the rebirth of the modern gambling movie? Just weeks after Mark Wahlberg's remake of The Gambler, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden are giving us another look at those who like to risk it all in Mississippi Grind, a film about two guys teetering on opposite ends of Lady Luck's scale. Fleck and Boden, who excelled with the Ryan Gosling-led character drama Half Nelson, won modest praise for the documentary Sugar, and were completely ignored for the underrated It's Kind of a Funny Story, have dealt out an enjoyable but not entirely successful road trip story of second chances and the fickle whims of fate.

The ever-busy Ben Mendelsohn stars as down-on-his-luck Gerry, a guy who seems basically born to lose. It's like he's got William H. Macy's character in The Cooler (another great gambling flick) hovering over his life at all times. "I'm bad with money" he admits mournfully, but there's a cheeky smile when explaining that he owes money to "everybody". His losing streak comes to an abrupt end when Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) sweeps into a poker match and wins everybody's admiration, most of all Gerry's. Who is this cool cat, anyway? Curtis is a total pariah but he's slick, charming, funny, and always seems to know the right thing to say. He's got confidence in spades, something Gerry may have once had but hasn't for a very long time. After a thinly veiled threat from his bookie (Alfre Woodard in a surprising turn), Gerry convinces Curtis to go on the grind from Mississippi to New Orleans, hitting all of the action on the way to a high-stakes finale.

While the film has elements of buddy road trip comedies, it owes a much larger debt to the shaggy dog gambling films of decades past, from California Split to James Toback's original The Gambler. To emphasize the point, Toback even shows up in a brief cameo and the scene has all of the musculature one would expect if he were writing the screenplay himself. While we see Gerry and Curtis bond on their journey, ultimately the film is about their self-destructive qualities, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Curtis travels the country on a lark, stopping to visit the prostitute girlfriend Simone (Sienna Miller) he can't admit to loving. Meanwhile, Gerry is just a complete degenerate. At first we find his sadsack qualities somewhat endearing but that fades as he lies, cheats, and steals to feed his habit. Fleck and Boden fight to make him sympathetic again, but by the time Curtis has had enough of him it's a wonder he hadn't folded already.

The bromantic chemistry between Mendelsohn and Reynolds goes a long way, though, and the film is always worthy of our attentions. The gambling scenes have the energetic spark of high-risk action, and the dialogue runs fast and free like the spin of a roulette wheel. It's the somber, reflective moments that don't quite ring true. We keep hoping they'll find another poker tournament to enter when the guys start wallowing in their self-pity. Backed by a wonderfully bluesy soundtrack and smoky barroom cinematography, the film's aesthetic touches put you right in the moment waiting for the turn of the river and the roll of the dice.

Of course there's the promise of a huge payout at the end of Gerry and Curtis' journey, but Fleck and Boden don't seem to know when to cash out. Instead the film continues to play hand-after-hand, hitting the same themes repeatedly and passing on every natural point to wrap up. Perhaps they were waiting for the big score of a crowdpleasing finish, but it doesn't really mesh with the film's somewhat downbeat tone. Mississippi Grind has a number of strong cards in its favor but barely manages to play a winning hand.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'Bob and the Trees' Directed by Diego Ongaro

How much is the cost of lumber nowadays? What's the harm in a broken wood chipper, or a sick cow? If there's a termite infestation in a few trees what's the big deal? On their own these things don't seem like they have the interest level to make for much of a big screen drama, but that they somehow make for compelling entertainment in Diego Ongaro's Bob and the Trees is a credit to him and the central performance by star Bob Tarasuk.

Set in the dense logging community of rural Massachusetts, the film centers on 50-year-old Bob (Tarasuk), a hardworking logger who has been in the trade for years. But for all his experience the industry is beginning to pass him by. The younger guys know how to market themselves using the Internet while Bob relies on word of mouth. His experience is great but it doesn't pay the bills, and with an already harsh economic climate out there it seems everything is standing in the way of his success. Against the wishes of his headstrong but whip-smart employee Matt (Matt Gallagher), Bob takes on an expensive and risky logging job that could pay off if successful, or sink them if a failure.

What begins to unfold is, in some ways, like a smaller, more docile version of A Most Violent Year where a businessman faces all kinds of moral hurdles to claim his slice of the American Dream. While you won't find much in the way of violence, and no real organized crime element to speak of, there's the sense that something not quite on the up and up is taking place in this small, unassuming town. One of Bob's cows is gashed by an unknown assailant; a virus is attacking the farm animals, and one of the younger local loggers seems to have an agenda.  Ongaro skillfully explores the crumbling of the middle and working class through Bob's insightful, often confrontational interactions with Matt, who is more of a realist than a dreamer.

While this could be seen as just another slow-moving indie "slice of life" drama, it plays with our expectations in fun and unpredictable ways. The greatest contrast comes from Bob himself who relaxes to the sounds of gangsta rap (DMX is a favorite, apparently) and has a silly streak a mile long. As the pressure begins to mount we see some of the light within him begin to fade and a more combative side emerge. Tarasuk starred in Ongaro's short film that inspired this feature length version, and he's perfectly in tune with the material and the life it depicts. His portrayal is sympathetic and honest, which extends to the rest of the cast and the film itself. What it doesn't have is any real central conflict, and while one wouldn't expect a fast-paced thriller out of a film like this the lack of urgency is a problem. We're still talking about a subject most people aren't going to want to go out on a limb for, and the relaxed approach Ongaro takes can make Bob and the Trees more mundane that it actually is.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'Slow West' starring Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee

There's no place for love in the harsh, barren landscape of the Old West, but apparently there's plenty of room for humor. John Maclean's inventive, witty Western Slow West is an odd stab at an oft-deconstructed genre. Certainly a good deal funnier and smarter than A Million Ways to Die in the West without making much of an effort to be so, the film also has the violence and bravado we've come to expect from the genre.

Kodi Smit-McPhee leads this Wild West oater as Jay Cavendish, a lovelorn young man traveling the merciless frontier to find his lady love, Rose Ross (Caren Pistorius). Along with her father (Rory McCann), Rose has fled to escape the law after a murder. But Jay has no clue the woman he seeks is a fugitive, he's just following where his heart leads him. Jay isn't built for the dangers he'll face and would probably die a horrible death if it weren't for Silas (Michael Fassbender), a gunslinging outlaw he encounters totally by chance. They strike a deal: Silas will accompany Jay and keep him alive for a fee, if they manage to survive.

If you've seen True Grit or any one of many Westerns about mismatched pairs on the dusty trail, then it won't be a surprise to learn Jay and Silas don't exactly start off as best buds. Silas is a killer, a shoot-first type and Jay takes issue with his approach even as it saves their lives time and again. But Silas is nothing compared to what's on their tail, including a gang of thugs led by Payne (Ben Mendelsohn), and other bounty hunters looking to collect.

Maclean slyly comments on familiar themes in the Western genre, from the inherent evil within man to the cultural devastation done to the Native Americans as this country was built. Using an economy of dialogue and striking visuals, Maclean tells a simple but soulful story that hits you with bursts of bloodshed and sharp gallows humor. Gun fights are frequent but short-lived, and each death has a certain impact on both Jay and Silas' journey. While not truly a story of redemption, as most of these "trail" movies tend to be, Slow West dispels notions of what it means to be a hero in the Old West.

Fassbender does most of his talking in narration, waxing poetically on the "jackrabbit" Jay while treating him gruffly in actual conversation. Mostly he's a man of action with a commanding countenance that meshes well with Smit-McPhee's naivete. And of course it's always great any time Mendelsohn gets to play the bad guy, although his role here is more patriarchal than flamboyantly villainous. Jed Kurzel's score fits the mercurial tone of the film, bounding between dusty guitar riffs and lightly comedic chords.  While some may complain about the movie's pacing, it's an extremely linear narrative...plus nobody can argue about false advertising. It's called Slow West for a reason.  At barely 90 minutes in length you won't care for long that the film takes its time getting where it needs to go, and that's one final, epic gunfight that again bucks our every expectation. For his directorial debut, Mclean has chosen a tough genre to crack successfully, but Slow West works on just about every level and is worth making a journey to see.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'Dope' starring Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, and Zoe Kravitz

Having grown up in the '90s and been deep into the hip-hop culture, I have a pretty good sense for those who have a genuine feel for the era. It was a time when hip-hop was at its creative peak from a musical and fashion sense, but also in the way rappers expressed themselves as individuals. Being "real" is at the core of Rick Famuyiwa's kinetic comedy Dope, a fast-paced throwback that is a little like a mix of House Party and Boyz n the Hood. At the time of this review Dope is the big winner of the Sundance Film Festival, sparking a bidding war that ultimately scored a whopping $7M. Normally the financials are the last thing one should be concerned with, but in the case of Dope it's an indication of the film's wide crossover appeal that may surpass last year's breakout comedy, Dear White People.

But is Dope worth all of the attention it's getting? Absolutely, but to say it isn't a little overhyped would be lying. The film's greatest hook is in the opening 30 minutes as we're introduced to geeky best friends Malcolm (Shameik Moore), Jib (The Grand Budapest Hotel's Tony Revolori), and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons). Although the film is set in contemporary Inglewood, CA in the tough part of town known as "The Bottoms", Malcolm and his crew are old school. He rocks a high-top fade, wears Cross Colours, and indulges in other "white things" like Donald Glover and manga comics. They even speak in the slang of the time which everybody thinks is pretty wack.  Growing up in the 'hood is tough enough with the ever-present threat of street violence, but Malcolm and his crew are obvious targets for bullies.

The charm comes in the nostalgic hip-hop packaging with beats by Naughty by Nature, Nas, along with original tracks by Pharrell. And at least through the opening minutes as Malcolm and his crew establish themselves as 'hood outsiders, the film is incredibly entertaining and hilarious. Malcolm is a smart kid with dreams of graduating high school and going to Harvard, but kids from "The Bottoms" rarely get that far. Famuyiwa has plenty to say about the tough circumstances for those growing up in a neighborhood where there is little hope for success, and those who strive to better themselves are looked at as weak. If Malcolm is going to go to Harvard, it's going to take a move of legendary proportions to do it. Fortunately that opportunity arrives after a chance encounter with Dom (A$AP Rocky), a local hood who needs Malcolm's help hooking up with Nakia (Zoe Kravitz), who is hoping to earn her GED and escape to a better life.

Things start to get serious when Malcolm gets involved in a drug deal involving Dom and some rival gangsters who bust up in a nightclub ready to kill. For a good stretch of the film it becomes, essentially, a crime movie as Malcolm is stuck with a huge stash of drugs and no good options for getting rid of them.  The film is all about making the best of a bad situation, and Famuyiwa cleverly weaves in all of Malcolm's various subplots into one. Showing that he's got a handle on modern technology, Famuyiwa's screenplay includes references to the underground currency Bitcoin, Snapchat, and more. One of the funniest sequences involves a viral campaign, a drug nicknamed #Lily for a slutty chick Malcolm encounters, and a hilarious use of the word "poundcake".  The film remains entertaining throughout but the lengthy drug selling plot takes away from what worked best which is Malcolm and his friends just hanging out. That they never really try to conform is also one of the story's finest qualities, and the film works best when it doesn't try to fit into any specific genre, either. That makes a closing speech by Malcolm, done in the badly-overused "college application" trope, all the less effective. While what he says about race factoring into his future prospects is powerful, it's a little too serious and on-the-nose to fit with the tone of the rest of the film. That he then immediately takes a symbolic action that contradicts his non-conformist personality also doesn't make sense given the message Famuyiwa had spent the entire film sending.

When Dope refuses to fall into any direct labels it's one of the smartest and funniest urban comedies we've seen in a long time. Even when it's less than perfect, Dope is pretty fresh.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'The Diary of a Teenage Girl' starring Bel Powley and Kristen Wiig

The indie scene is chock full of films about female sexual awakening, and most attempt to tell the  same edgy story. Few pull it off; either they're too soft or exploit the subject in ways that can be considered ugly. Marielle Heller's assertive directorial debut The Diary of a Teenage Girl does what many other films attempt which is push the limits in exploring the unchecked sexual desires of one atypical girl in 1976 San Francisco.

Anchored by a raw, untamed central performance by British actress Bel Powley, the film grabs your attention right away as 15-year-old Minnie reveals she just had sex for the first time. Against the backdrop of the west coast hippie and feminist movement there's an endearing spirit of rebellion against societal norms, and Minnie is swept up in it. But for all her hope that she's made the transition into womanhood, she's still very much an immature child. Blabbing into her tape recorder she reveals that her lover was Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard), the boyfriend to her mother Charlotte (Kristen Wiig), an alcoholic with trouble holding on to men. That Charlotte perceives her daughter as a rival isn't lost on Minnie, but it actually drives her to pursue the relationship further. She begins to revel in the danger of it, but also the feeling of being sexually attractive to men because she always perceived herself as ugly and fat.

The road Minnie travels is a familiar one of sexual experimentation bordering on nymphomania. There's of course sex with Monroe, but also sex with strangers, group sex, and a disturbing bout with prostitution that nearly crosses the line into bad taste. Hellner's unflinching portrayal of it is refreshing but Minnie's story is also consistently predictable. Based on the graphic novel by Phoebe Gloeckner, Hellner attempts to weave in brief, American Splendor-esque animated sequences that are beautiful but seem divorced from the narrative. While the case isn't completely made that all of Minnie's questionable behavior will build her into a confident woman, it does celebrate that she'll always be true to herself without the need for male validation. At a time when Hollywood is often and rightly criticized for its negative portrayals of women,  The Diary of a Teenage Girl sends a valuable message message about the value of self-worth.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'Seoul Searching', Starring Justin Chon and Jessika Van

What do you get when you throw a bunch of teenagers together in one place and call it summer camp? Well, director Benson Lee calls it Seoul Searching. Based on his own childhood experience growing up, Korean migrants make it back to Seoul, Korea for a summer camp that their parents send them to in order to learn more about their mother culture. Because all of these teens are 2nd generation Koreans whose parents moved to different parts of the world (Germany, America, England, etc.) after the Korean war split the country into two different factions, their parents think they have assimilated too much into their new culture and have lost touch with their roots.

Children who belong to "the third space" can most definitely understand this film since being caught between two cultures can often be difficult to live through, but in general the film is also heavy on the rifts between parents and children and anyone of any culture can understand this. It focuses on this during the second half of the movie and spends the first half being more innocent and filled with teen fun, although this aspect gets heavy handed at times.

It's the '80s, so the style and music of that era dominate the film and for the most part this aspect works. The story doesn't really focus on one or two characters, but several of them at once, and because of this, each of the characters has their own unique style and qualities, almost to a stereotypical fault. For example, the Korean-Americans (Justin Chon, Jessika Van) have more attitude issues and try really hard at being cool. The Korean-German is clean-cut and more serious, and the Korean-Mexican is always chasing girls and trying to charm the opposite sex. So, the roles obviously play to the stereotypes of whatever culture the teens come from and that sometimes gets a bit frustrating.

Having said this however, the main characters also have more depth to them than what we first realize. They're torn between trying to fit into two worlds and living up to their parents' expectations of them, especially the expectations from traditions and a culture they may not fully understand. This makes for some interesting material, which is sometimes overshadowed by teenage angst. The film is a comedy, but spends most of its time trying really hard to be funnier than it actually is. There are occasionally amusing moments, but the overall film doesn't feel genuinely funny enough.

The cast, the majority of which is made up of newcomers, do a fair enough job trying to give their characters layering, but more often than not the script doesn't help them very much. One of the most touching scenes though, comes during a confrontation between Sid (Justin Cho) and his summer camp teacher Mr. Kim (In-Pyo Cha). Mr. Kim's demons are confronted as he's trying to understand Sid and why he carries around this big attitude. The scene is genuine, heartfelt, and is one of the most enjoyable scenes from the film. As is the scene between Kris (Rosalina Leigh) and her biological mother. These scenes are great and prove that regardless of what you think of the film, it has a lot of potential.

'80s music, a teenage-filled atmosphere, some fun, some contrived drama are what make up Seoul Searching. The stereotypes are sometimes too out there to really ignore, and the ending happens a bit too fast in order to wrap everything up neatly, and doesn't feel overtly natural in its finishing touches. Director Benson Lee has a unique plot (how many movies send us to summer camp in Korea?) and the idea to explore these multi-cultural teens is something not many people can easily take on, but the execution and script need a bit of polishing.

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Sundance Review: 'I Am Michael' starring James Franco and Zachary Quinto

If it's Sundance, then James Franco probably has two or three movies there and this year is no different. When not indulging in stoner comedies with his pals, Franco's drive as an indie filmmaker and actor has seen him exploring themes of sexual identity, especially when it pertains to homosexuality. Franco's latest film, I Am Michael, is easily the most thought-provoking work he has done in this milieu yet as it deals with the true story of a formerly gay man who renounce his homosexuality.

This isn't just any ordinary man, though, as Franco plays rabble-rousing gay activist Michael Glatze, former editor of popular gay magazine 'XY'. When we first meet him it's much later on during his time as a Christian pastor, warning a young man not to give in to his homosexual urges. As a mocking counterpoint, of which the film has many, we are jumped back ten years to 1998 San Francisco when Michael was a very different man. Then he was energetic, young, and very gay; living in domestic bliss with his architect boyfriend Bennett (Zachary Quinto) and running 'XY' as the editor and lead voice. A move to Halifax puts a strain on their relationship, but it is soon bolstered by the presence of Tyler (Charlie Carver), a young college student who shares their bed. Michael continues to fight for gay causes and even embarks on a road trip to mount a documentary on gay youth. After once encouraging homosexuals to be loud and proud about who they are, he begins to adopt the notion that labels of any kind are misguided. It's a fair assessment to make, but Michael soon begins to question everything he thought he knew. Despite the evil acts committed by Christians against gays, such as the Matthew Shepard murder, is it fair to label all Christians as "evil"?

When a series of health problems arise, Michael finds himself turning towards God in a way he never has before. He's consumed with the desire to be reunited with his late mother and to be seen favorably in the eyes of the Lord, and this change naturally has a dramatic effect on Bennett, as well, who openly wonders where the Michael he knew has gone. But Michael insists that he's still only trying to break through stereotypes and go beyond the labels, even as his increased use of extreme fundamentalist dogma says otherwise. It isn't long before Michael has pulled away from the life he knew completely, renouncing his homosexuality and proclaiming that he is and always has been a heterosexual with "homosexual problem".

For writer/director Justin Kelly, Michael's evolution, if one can call it that, is clearly a confused one filled with contradictions. The film begins mostly in biographical fashion, free of judgment as Michael lives his life as a gay rights activist. Kelly is quick to show how truly happy Michael was during this time as a contrast to the somber, conflicted man he appears to be later on after his conversion. But Kelly also manages to consider Michael on an even level for the most part, taking great pains not to ridicule his choices no matter how ridiculous some of them may seem. His transformation is depicted honestly, if curiously, as an alienated man simply trying to find some sense of belonging. All of the babble he piles on about reaching Heaven and earning God's favor comes off as slightly disingenuous, and it's during those brief, somber moments when he reaches out (usually by phone) to Bennett that he's truly himself again. When Michael joins a Bible school and forges a romantic heterosexual relationship with a young classmate (Emma Roberts), it's perhaps the surest step in the new direction he is going. If the screenplay is perhaps a bit simplistic and laborious at times, it's kind of understandable because Michael is a constant work-in-progress. To completely understand him is impossible given that he barely seems to understand himself.  Franco is in charge of practically every scene and it's one of the most textured performances he's ever given considering the world of difference between the vibrant young Michael and the mysterious, closed-off individual he becomes later on.

I Am Michael isn't a feel-good story by any means. It's not the story of a man who came to discover his true place in the world. Instead it's a sad but fascinating look at a man who was unable to see that the one thing he wanted most in the world, acceptance, was already in his grasp and he threw it all away.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'Z for Zachariah' starring Margot Robbie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Chris Pine

In 2012 Craig Zobel's impressive but difficult to endure directorial debut Compliance looked with dim-colored glasses at the ways power can be used to control others. His follow-up, the sci-fi flavored Z for Zachariah also looks at authority, albeit a much higher one, and how one's faith can be manipulated by others to achieve their ends, but also how we use it to lie to ourselves about our own desires.

Only three characters occupy space in this intimate but gripping thriller set in the wake of a disaster that has destroyed the human population and rendered much of the planet uninhabitable.  Margot Robbie trades in the glamorous characters we're accustomed to seeing her in for the role of Ann, the lone survivor in a pocket of unaffected land. More than capable of surviving on her own, although her trusty dog is by her side, Ann hunts and farms to eke out a meager, lonely existence.  That changes when she encounters Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the first human she's seen in ages and a lifeline out of her despair. It's clear he's been in much the same boat, and after an accident leaves him sick with radiation poisoning the two set aside their mutual mistrust to take care of one another.

Anytime two lonely people are placed in such close proximity the spark of romance is probable, but it's inevitable given the extreme nature of their circumstances.  And while Zobel slowly builds to that passion through their work to build a sustainable life, he's more interested in the ideological differences that could derail everything.  She's driven by the power of her religious convictions, believing to the core of her being that God has done all of this for a reason. Loomis, while not an outright atheist, is a scientist who has no qualms about tearing down her father's old church to build a power source to survive a harsh winter. While there are no pointed, heated debates, the film is too elegantly constructed for that,  it's never far out of mind as new temptations creep into their lives. The arrival of a shady but charming drifter named Caleb (Chris Pine) awakens the passion in Ann, while also providing her an outlet to express her faith. Naturally it doesn't please Loomis to nearly the same degree, and soon the pressure builds between both men as they subtly one-up each other to win Ann's love.

Rich with themes of jealousy, contempt, and lust, Z for Zachariah explores the internal conflict between the needs of the flesh and of the soul. It's a powerful follow-up for Zobel, and he's proving to be a director capable of pulling the best from his actors. It's refreshing to see Robbie in a complicated, vanity-free role like this as she was already getting pigeonholed as a screen vixen. As Ann she gets to show a vulnerability we've yet to see from her before, and at this point one has to recognize how integral she's been to the success of every film she's been in. Ejiofor is simply amazing once again, and perhaps has the most complicated, wide-ranging role to play. Once again Ejiofor is placed in the role of a man forced to endure hardships, both great and small, for a chance to live the life he imagined. Pine's role is less defined than the others but its good to see him outside of a larger ensemble for once.

While predicting which films will go on to greater things outside of the festival is always tricky, Z for Zachariah is a masterfully done film of deep complexity that everyone would be wise to seek out.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'Stockholm, Pennsylvania' starring Saoirse Ronan and Cynthia Nixon

The return of a kidnapped child should be a happy thing, and in the movies or some TV drama perhaps it is. But the reality is that's only the beginning of the story and the road to recovery for the victim and her parents alike. Nicole Beckwith's directorial debut Stockholm, PA begins as a powerful look at a family whose lives were ripped apart by such a tragedy and the continued pain of reforming that familial bond once it has been severed, but then the film devolves into ugly, useless histrionics that are more laughable than meaningful.

Saoirse Ronan stars as Leia, although her actual name is Leanne. That's what her parents (Cynthia Nixon as Marcy and David Warshovsky as the barely-present father) named her, before she was kidnapped from them 18 years earlier. Now she's suddenly returned, but having lived a life under the "loving" care of her captor  (Jason Isaacs), trapped in a basement with no exposure to the outside world, Leanne is basically beginning again from scratch.  She has no memory of her life before; all she's ever really known is the life she had in that basement, taught oddly-cultist teachings about the universe and the supposed destruction of humanity.

At first it looks as if Beckwith intends to take a We Need to Talk About Kevin-type look at what happens when the maternal bond is either nonexistent or destroyed. Both women have no idea how to move on beyond the tragedy, and being stuck in the past has left them incapable of coming together. Marcy sees the daughter she loved as a child and treats her as she used to, but Leanne sees her parents as complete strangers.  Complicating the matter is that Leanne's abductor was never cruel; he loved her as his own child, and her feelings for him haven't dimmed even as he rots away in prison. She doesn't understand why others think of him as a monster. As the two women fail to connect, a schism forms between Marcy and her husband who doesn't understand why everybody can't just move on. It's not that simple, and Beckwith  treats the issue with the nuance it deserves.

But then...it's like a light flips and the whole thing goes skidding over the cliff. Perhaps Beckwith didn't have faith in the material, or didn't know how to resolve it, but soon Marcy becomes increasingly demanding and possessive. Locking Leanne away and basically keeping her captive, her mental state spirals out of control until she becomes kind of a joke. Fed on a strict schedule and kept away from the prying eyes of others, Leanne becomes prisoner to an entirely new captor, but another who claims to do so out of love. There's an ugly cycle being spun and Beckwith's attempts to explore that are lost as the film becomes a complete joke of cornball theatrics and angry tirades, the kind of which you'd see on some bad telefilm. Nixon, looking thin and twitchy and less Miranda than ever, is forced to match the incoherence of the screenplay. For Ronan it's at least the fourth time she's played a character with a limited view of the world (Atonement, Hanna, The Host being the others) and she again taps into that innocence in another great performance.

Stockholm, Pennsylvania deals with complicated subject matter, and while there was no easy path to finding a satisfying resolution it doesn't excuse the crucial mistake in tone Beckwith commits.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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Sundance Review: David Robert Mitchell's 'It Follows' starring Maika Monroe

Chances are if you want to survive pretty much any slasher film the wisest course of action is to keep your pants on. The familiar patterns of sex-crazed teens meeting a grisly doom in horror movies is given a fresh twist in David Robert Mitchell's buzzed-about horror, It Follow, which has been the talk of genre fanatics since debuting at Cannes last year. While some of the chatter amounts to a great deal of hype, there's no denying the ingenious premise that plays around with genre conventions. It's just a question whether horror enthusiasts will find it scary enough to fit the bill.

The film begins in disturbing and confusing fashion as a young girl races from her suburban home, chased by some kind of spirit. Her grisly fate is basically a giant warning against running in stiletto heels, but before we have time to fully process what just happened we're introduced to another beautiful young woman. Jay (Maika Monroe) is extremely popular with the boys, or so suggests her younger sister Kelly (Lili Sepe), and it's easy to see why. She's gorgeous, fun, and the kind of girl her poor, lovelorn pal Paul (Keir Gilchrist) would love to be with. But she's got a new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), and after having sex with him for the first time he does worse than become distant like many guys do. Instead he chloroforms then kidnaps her, tying Jay to a chair so he can explain that he has just given her what amounts to a sexually transmitted haunting. Basically, she will be forever followed by some kind of demonic spirit, always seen walking towards her in slow but determined manner. If it reaches her, it will kill her, and it can take any human form it wants, usually one that will cause the most emotional torment. The only way she can help herself is to have sex with another and pass it to them, just as Jay did to her.

Naturally, Jay thinks this is all a bunch of b.s., even as she begins to see strange people following her in places they shouldn't be. At first it doesn't seem like a big deal because the entity moves so slowly, but the steady persistence of it is what can be so unnerving. But that's about as far as Mitchell takes it as the film rarely aims for outright scares. Much of the time is spent with Jay, Kelly, Paul, well-read buddy Yara (Olivia Lucardi), and the sexy neighbor boy Greg (Daniel Zovatto) as they lounge around waiting for something terrible to happen. It takes some convincing, like the entity's physical assault on Jay and Paul, for them to believe any of this is real but even afterwards they seem at a loss to do anything about it.  The slow pace of it will turn many off but the nerve-racking, surreal cinematography by Michael Gioulakis is enough to cause a mental breakdown. Rarely has the long camera shot been used to such great atmospheric effect, and when paired with Rich Vreeland's fantastic ear-splitting score it makes one wish there weren't so many lulls in the action.

Fortunately the strength of the concept and the aesthetic touches are more than enough to carry it through. The idea at it's core is simple genius and explores all of the ways sex can be a nightmare in and of itself. One could easily draw parallels between the haunting and the spread of STDs, but also the social stigma that follows when one's sexual endeavors become common knowledge. That reputation can follow and spread to others like a disease, with no real cure in sight. Mitchell touches upon these themes expertly but doesn't always seem to have the entity completely figured out. Is it real or some kind of phantom? Ultimately the plan they hatch to defeat it is divorced from the paranormal realm and thus is completely unsatisfying.

With moody atmospherics, an ingenious premise, but shaky execution as a true horror, It Follows is a lot like sex; even when it's kind of bad it's still pretty good.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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Sundance Review: '99 Homes', Starring Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon

When the recession hit, the majority of the population really felt the housing and real estate plummet. Many middle class families got stuck with banks who told them to stop paying their mortgages while they adjusted their rates to something more affordable. Suffice to say that they got screwed over big time while the banks got bailed out. Is it fair? Hell no. And director Ramin Bahrani turns this reality into a theatrical thriller with superb performances from Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon.

Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) is a struggling father and caretaker who fell into hard times after every construction job he takes building homes falls apart because there is no money to do so during the most recent recession. This means that Nash doesn't get paid if the job doesn't go through. After trying to adjust his mortgage rate via the bank, they tell him to stop paying his mortgage while they sort all the paperwork out. Essentially, he gets screwed over by the bank and they foreclose on his home.

Enter Rick Carver (Michael Shannon), a real estate broker who is involved in evicting people and cheating banks out of their money. While many fall on bard times, Carver is raking in the cash. After evicting Nash, Carver, knowing Nash is desperate for money and not having any luck with jobs, he takes him under his wing in a strange turnaround. Nash struggles with the ethics of what he's doing but relishes in being able to provide for his mother Lynn (Laura Dern) and son Connor (Noah Lomax).

The film opens with a strong scene in which a man has committed suicide and the police are on the swarm, trying to find out what happened from no one other than Michael Shannon's character. So from the onset, the film is extremely intense, and if you've ever known anyone who's gone through something like a foreclosure or a short sale like I have, the topic at hand will most likely touch you in a very personal way. 99 Homes not only makes a statement about the recession, banks, and the world of real estate (and a very powerful one at that), but also speaks to the fact that desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures, but at what cost? 

Ramin Bahrani really knows how to keep the momentum going. The pacing moves at a wonderful pace, not too slow, and not so fast that anyone can't keep up with some of the technical lingo within the plot. There are moments when I hoped we'd get more of a real conversation between Andrew Garfield and Laura Dern's characters about what was happening, because he hides it from her for the same reason you hide anything from a parent: You know they'll be upset. We get some of the major repercussions for that, but nothing really concrete, as it's more focused on Garfield's character. 

Bahrani commits himself to the story and to painting these characters in gray at every turn. Since Garfield's character is at the forefront, we really sympathize with him, question some of his actions, but ultimately understand where he's coming from. He understands himself too, as he's always questioning himself ethically, and Garfield portrays this in a fantastic emotional portrayal, because this is where his character's head space is. He isn't being logical, but his decisions are made in an emotional manner. These decisions are the ones that bring in the most tension-filled scenes and also the most emotionally-triggering ones. Garfield is superb in this and really cements himself as a great actor, no questions asked. 

And since Bahrani knows how to get the best out of his characters, this is also one of Michael Shannon's best performances in recent memory. He's terrifying, a ruthless businessman who isn't into emotional attachments at all, and through helping Garfield, he's really helping himself, though I don't believe he's completely without a heart. He too is also fantastic in his role and whenever he and Garfield share a scene together, there's a palpable chemistry and spark of underlying tension in the air between their characters. Laura Dern does an excellent job as well as Garfield's mother, though my only complaint, as mentioned before, is that there wasn't all that much for her to do, her character in an extremely limiting supporting role. However, when there was something for her to do or to express, she was great.

99 Homes is one of those films that is sometimes hard to watch. The topic alone is close to home for many and the idea that this could even happen is hard to wrap your head around. Ramin Bahrani is a gifted director, knowing how to tell his story both technically and emotionally. There are moments where the film could have expanded on personal relationships (i.e. Garfield and Dern's mother/son dynamic), but this largely plays more of a role in the end and doesn't affect the film in a necessarily negative way. There's a lot to like in the film. There's drama, suspense, great storytelling, powerful performances, and an emotionally riveting tale of consequences, lawlessness, and piggybacking off of the people who are used and abused by the system. Solid and well worth watching.

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Sundance Review: 'The Witch' starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Ineson

There's a reason why the Salem witch trials remain such a frequent touchstone in the horror genre; religious paranoia and hysteria is terrifying in its resonance. While Robert Eggers' directorial debut The Witch  is set some years prior to the trials themselves, it expertly uses genre tropes and ancient folklore to create an ominously detailed backdrop upon which those future horrors will be committed.

Set in 17th century New England, the film is largely set on the wooded outskirts of a Puritan village where William (Ralph Ineson) and his family have been banished . The reasons for it are kept a tantalizing mystery, but the religious schism between him and the church is clear.  Building a life in the blight-ravaged farmland proves more than a typical hardship. Something, possibly supernatural,  is amiss that defies the bounds of common logic. William uses scripture as strength to persevere but his harsh wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) is spiraling slowly into madness. Full blown panic ensues when the youngest son Samuel vanishes while in the care of eldest daughter, Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy). Whispers of a terrible witch living in the woods don't take long to be confirmed as we see the child's bloody and disturbing fate.

While Katherine makes Thomasin the target of her rage, the family's situation grows more dire, with Eggers piling on threats both real and imagined to keep them and us off balance. Their strong, brave son Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw), nearing the age of sexual desire, encounters a beautiful woman who is not as she seems. Between his sudden, deathly illness, the foreboding cries of witchcraft by twin siblings Jonas and Mercy, plus the worsening living conditions it becomes a test of their faith against the evil right in front of their eyes. As the family begins to turn on one another, crumbling that foundation by which faith takes root, Eggers ratchets up the tension more while piling up the body count. With its use of religious imagery and paranormal thrills, plus the icy chill of Jarin Blaschke's cinematography, it combines some of the best aspects of The Crucible and The Exorcist while a tense musical score always keeps you on edge.

Bringing it all together is the strength of the performances, most notably Taylor-Joy as the blossoming but tormented Thomasin. Dickie brings a similar mental fragility as she did as Lysa Arryn on HBO's Game of Thrones, and chances are those who follow that show will feel the same about her character here. Eggers remains ambiguous throughout until a questionable conclusion that threatens to be a little too on-the-nose, but The Witch remains a frightening look at what happens when one's unshakable faith collides with a frightening reality.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Sundance Review: 'The Bronze' starring Melissa Rauch

Women's gymnastics is a cutthroat sport; not like figure skating where the ladies occasionally bash one another with lead pipes, but it's still pretty ugly. The girls, because that's what they really are, get worked to death in order to attain a measure of perfection that must extend to their daily lives. Win and you'll be a hero...for awhile, but you're considered old long before the age of 20 ever hits. And then what? In Melissa Rauch's dark comedy The Bronze it leads to a case of terminal arrested development worthy of a gold medal, although the film itself is maybe funny enough to earn...well, a bronze.

Rauch, who stars on CBS' The Big Bang Theory, plays Hope Ann Greggory, a gymnast who snapped her achilles during the 2004 Olympics and hung in there, Kerri Strug-style, to stick an impossible landing and earn a bronze medal. It made her an instant celebrity and national hero, but years later she's bitter as Hell with nothing to show for her past accomplishments. She lives at home with her lonely father Stan (Gary Cole) and basks in her former glories. The well-worn tape of her Olympic feat is masturbation material for the most part, and Hope cashes in on her fame for cheap sex and free food. Worst of all, she's a complete snot to her father and everyone she knows, which includes Maggie Townsend (Haley Lu Richardson), the hot young gymnast expected to be an Olympic champ.

While the show pony world of gymnastics is begging to be ripped in satirical fashion, Rauch's screenplay doesn't analyze the sport so much as use it as a backdrop to explore a life in a comical state of crisis. The problem is that Hope's life isn't all that humorous, it's just kind of pathetic, and too often Rauch goes overboard in trying to find laughs where there are none. When Hope's former trainer commits suicide, she's compelled to become Maggie's new trainer all the way through championships and earn $500,000. Does she train Maggie and see her position as town superstar supplanted? Or does she sabotage her efforts and risk losing the money? A few dozen hamburgers and milkshakes later and Hope is well on her way to derailing Maggie's career, which is funny to watch but doesn't exactly endear her to you in any way. The redemptive course she embarks on, because there inevitably has to be one, is complicated by the arrogant Lance Tucker (Sebastian Stan), a past champ and fling who Hope shares a love/hate relationship with. The two share one fantastically bizarre sexual encounter that must be like every gymnast's wet dream. The gym rings have never been put to such good use. It's a great scene that shows director Bryan Buckley's visual inventiveness and Rauch's commitment to a pretty raunchy role. The problem is that it never quite becomes engaging until she sparks a genuinely sweet but rocky romance with Ben (Thomas Middleditch), nicknamed "Twitchy" because of frequent and unexplained spasms. Middleditch gets some good mileage out of Twitchy's condition but he finds some solid chemistry with Rauch and gives the film a hopeful touch it sorely needed.

The Bronze never quite comes together as the laugh-out-loud riot some had pegged it to be heading into Sundance, and while it stumbles through the routine much of the way it just manages to stick the landing.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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The '90s are Back in Trailer for 'Dope' Starring Tony Revolori, Zoe Kravitz, and Shameik Moore

Remember the '90s and all the movies about crime, drugs, and growing up in the "hood"? The days of Boyz 'N the Hood and Menace II Society may have long passed, but Rick Famuyiwa is looking to make it new again with Dope, his new new film which is debuting at Sundance later this week and already is gaining a ton of buzz.

Looking like a cross between Famuyiwa's directorial debut, The Wood, and the classic Ice Cube comedy Friday, Dope centers on Malcolm, a high school geek with a high-top fade, Cross Colours, and an appreciation for anything old school. But it also makes him stand out from the pack, and that's not always a good thing when you're living in The Bottoms, one of the toughest areas in Inglewood, CA. The film stars Shameik Moore, Zoe Kravitz, Tony Revolori, A$AP Rocky, Blake Anderson, Keith Stanfield, and Kiersey Clemons.

People are asking me about this film the same way they did Dear White People last year, but can Dope be a breakout hit in the same way? Stay on the look out for my review of Dope! [EW]

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Surreal Trailer for Sundance Sci-Fi Drama 'H.'

The Sundance NEXT lineup is generally where one can find some of the most challenging independent films of the entire festival, and last year we saw a number of them become mainstream successes: Obvious Child and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night to name just a couple. So it's always a category worth paying attention to in hopes of finding another gem, and this year that could be the sci-fi drama, H.

Directed by Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia, the first trailer for H. gives the impression of a Shane Carruth-style sci-fi drama in the vein of Upstream Color. Here's the synopsis:

In Troy, New York, two women, both named Helen, carry on seemingly complacent existences with their respective partners. Middle-aged Helen lives with husband Roy and finds comfort from a “reborn” baby doll. Meanwhile, successful young artist Helen is expecting a child with her noncommittal partner. Foreboding signs begin to appear: a meteor reportedly crashes nearby; people go missing; and inexplicable, life-altering changes spiral the Helens’ inert realities into a terrifying journey through unknown terrain.

Attieh and Garcia are already making a name for themselves based on the film, having won the Indie Spirits' Someone To Watch Award. Starring Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, and Roger Robinson, H. will make its world premiere in Park City on January 25th.

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Sundance Lineup Adds Robert Redford's 'A Walk in the Woods', plus 'True Story' with James Franco and Jonah Hill

So you thought Sundance 2015 was going to go by without showcasing a new film starring its founder? Think again. Sundance has added 10 more titles to their lineup for next month, one of which is A Walk in the Woods, starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. The other is True Story, which stars funny dudes Jonah Hill and James Franco.

A Walk in the Woods is a film Redford had been trying to get off the ground for years, based on the travelogue/memoir by author Bill Bryson. Redford plays an aging travel writer who attempts the hike 2100-mile Appalachian Trail with his drunken pal, played by Nolte. True Story is the weird, fact-based tale of journalist Michael Finkel who discovers that accused murderer Christian Longo has been on the run living under his identity, which naturally causes some problems. Hill plays Finkel while Franco tackles the Longo role. Brad Pitt is on board this one as a producer.  Check out the full list below:

PREMIERES
A Walk in the Woods / U.S.A. (Director: Ken Kwapis, Screenwriters: Rick Kerb, Bill Holderman) — An aging travel writer sets out to hike the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail with a long-estranged high school buddy. Along the way, the duo face off with each other, nature, and an eccentric assortment of characters. Together, they learn that some roads are better left untraveled.Cast: Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson, Mary Steenburgen, Nick Offerman, Kristen Schaal. World Premiere. SALT LAKE CITY GALA FILM

True Story / U.S.A. (Director: Rupert Goold, Screenwriters: Rupert Goold, David Kajganich) — When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel meets accused killer Christian Longo — who has taken on Finkel’s identity — his investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat and mouse. Based on actual events, Finkel’s relentless pursuit of Longo’s true story encompasses murder, love, deceit, and redemption. Cast: Jonah Hill, James Franco, Felicity Jones.

SUNDANCE KIDS
This section of the Festival is especially for young independent film fans. Programmed in cooperation with Tumbleweeds, Utah’s premiere film festival for children and youth.
The Games Maker / Argentina, Canada, Italy (Director and screenwriter: Juan Pablo Buscarini) — Ivan Drago's love of board games catapults him into the fantastical world of game invention and pits him against the inventor Morodian, who wants to destroy the city of Zyl. To save his family, Ivan must come to know what it is to be a true Games Maker. Cast: David Mazouz, Joseph Fiennes, Ed Asner, Megan Charpentier, Tom Cavanagh, Valentina Lodovini. U.S. Premiere
Operation Arctic / Norway (Director and screenwriter: Grethe Bøe-Waal) — This modern-day Robinson Crusoe adventure is set in the Arctic. Through a misunderstanding, 13-year-old Julia and her eight-year-old twin siblings, Ida and Sindre, are left on a deserted island. The children have to find ways to survive, battling fierce winter weather, hungry polar bears, and loneliness. Cast: Kaisa Gurine Antonsen, Ida Leonora Valestrand Eike, Leonard Valestrand Eike, Nicolai Cleve Broch, Kristofer Hivju, Line Verndal.International Premiere
Shaun the Sheep / United Kingdom (Directors and screenwriters: Richard Starzak, Mark Burton) — When Shaun's mischief inadvertently leads to the Farmer being taken away from the farm, Shaun, Bitzer and the flock have to go into the big city to rescue him, setting the stage for an epic adventure.International Premiere

SPECIAL EVENTS
Pioneers Palace B'92 / Romania (Director and screenwriter: Bobby Paunescu) — In the wild days of post-Ceausescu Bucharest, teenagers open a disco at their high school, terrified of an AIDS scare after their visit to a local brothel. Part of the Festival’s new Art of Film program, Pioneers Palace B'92was produced by film students and supported by Mandragora Film Academy together with Solar Indie Junction. Cast: Toto Dumitrescu, Mihai Dorobantu, Maria Bata, Dragos Savulescu, Alice Halpert, Alice Peneaca. World Premiere

NEW FRONTIER
The following installations will be featured in The VR works of Felix & Paul, a showcase of groundbreaking live-action virtual reality experiences by artists Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël in the Festival’s New Frontier exhibition.
Herders
Artists: Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël
Mongolian pastoral herders are one of the world's last remaining nomadic cultures. For millennia they have lived on the steppes, grazing their livestock on the grasslands. Through a series of virtual reality experiences, the viewer is invited into the reality of a nomadic family of yak herders.
Strangers with Patrick Watson
Artists: Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël, Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski
Strangers with Patrick Watson invites the viewer to spend an intimate moment with celebrated Montreal musician Patrick Watson at work in his studio loft on a winter’s day. Cast: Patrick Watson.
WILD – The Experience
Artists: Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël
Fox Searchlight and the Fox Innovation Lab present this virtual reality experience drawing from the film Wild. Viewers enter a fully immersive media environment to join an intimate moment on the Pacific Crest Trail between a woman, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon), and her mother, Bobbi (Laura Dern), a vision from the afterlife.

FROM THE COLLECTION
A selection from The Sundance Collection at UCLA, a film preservation program established in 1997. The Collection is specifically devoted to the preservation of independent documentaries, narratives and short films supported by Sundance Institute and has grown to nearly 2,300 holdings representing 1,800 titles, including recent additions such as El Mariachi,Winter’s Bone, Johnny Suede, Working Girls, Crumb, Groove, Better This World, The Oath and Paris, Texas. Titles are generously donated by individual filmmakers, distributors and studios.
Paris is Burning / U.S.A. (Director: Jennie Livingston) —Paris is Burningvisits black and Latino drag balls of the 1980s in New York City, where at raucous celebrations, rival Houses create intense competition and provide deep sustenance. This world within a world is instantly familiar, filled with intense yearnings for “Realness” that reflects America itself.  Cast: Dorian Corey, Freddie Pendavis, Pepper Labeija, Junior Labeija, Venus Xtravaganza, Willi Ninja.
The screening will feature a DCP of the new digital restoration of Paris is Burning created from original 16mm elements. This recent effort restores the feature to the original uncropped aspect ratio. The project represents the collaborative efforts of the Sundance Institute, the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, and UCLA Film & Television Archive, with permission of Miramax.

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James Franco's 'I Am Michael', Noah Baumbach's 'Mistress America' Part of Sundance 2015 Lineup

It only gets better. Sundance has already revealed a chunk of their slate for next month's festival, but the heavy hitters are here now with the announcement of the Premieres lineup. This section is stacked every year but it's looking especially awesome right now. I could probably list all of these as high on my list of "must see" movies.

James Franco probably owns real estate in Park City he's at Sundance so often, and he'll be back with the gay activist drama, I Am Michael, starring Emma Roberts and Zachary Quinto. Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman (American Splendor) direct Ten Thousand Saints, their 1980s East Village drama starring Ethan Hawke, Hailee Steinfeld, Emile Hirsch, and more. Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie will be Sleeping with Other People for writer/director Leslye Headland (Bachelorette), while Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha) are reuniting for Mistress America. Others I'm looking forward to are Mississippi Grind from Half Nelson duo Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsoh. Also the revenge drama Lila & Eve starring Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez looks solid.

There are too many that I'm looking forward to, so just check out the press release below.

PREMIERES
A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.

Brooklyn / United Kingdom (Director: John Crowley, Screenwriter: Nick Hornby, based on the book by Colm Tóibín) — 1950s Ireland: Eilis must confront a terrible dilemma — a heartbreaking choice between two men and two countries, between duty and true love. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent.

Digging for Fire / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Swanberg, Screenwriters: Jake Johnson, Joe Swanberg) — The discovery of a bone and a gun sends a husband and wife on separate adventures over the course of a weekend. Cast: Jake Johnson, Rosemarie Dewitt, Orlando Bloom, Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick.

Don Verdean / U.S.A. (Director: Jared Hess, Screenwriters: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess) — Biblical archaeologist Don Verdean is hired by a local church pastor to find faith-promoting relics in the Holy Land. But after a fruitless expedition he is forced to get creative in this comedy of faith and fraud. Cast: Sam Rockwell, Jemaine Clement, Amy Ryan, Danny McBride, Leslie Bibb, Will Forte.

End of the Tour / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriter: Donald Margulies) — This story of the five-day 1996 interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace explores the tenuous yet intense relationship that develops between journalist and subject. The two men bob and weave, sharing laughs and also concealing and revealing their hidden vulnerabilities. Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Segel, Anna Chlumsky, Joan Cusack, Mamie Gummer, Ron Livingston.

Experimenter / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Almereyda) — Experimenter is based on the true story of famed social psychologist Stanley Milgram, who in 1961 conducted a series of radical behavior experiments that tested ordinary humans' willingness to obey authority by using electric shock. We follow Milgram from meeting his wife through his controversial experiments that sparked public outcry. Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, Jim Gaffigan, Kellan Lutz, Taryn Manning, John Leguizamo.

Grandma / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Paul Weitz) — Self-described misanthrope Elle Reid has her protective bubble burst when her 18-year-old granddaughter, Sage, shows up needing help. The two of them go on a day-long journey that causes Elle to come to terms with her past and Sage to confront her future. Cast: Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox, Sam Elliott.

I Am Michael / U.S.A. (Director: Justin Kelly, Screenwriters: Justin Kelly, Stacey Miller) — The controversial true story of a gay activist who rejects his homosexuality and becomes a Christian pastor. Cast: James Franco, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts.

I'll See You in My Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Brett Haley, Screenwriters: Brett Haley, Marc Basch) — A sudden loss disrupts Carol's orderly life, propelling her into the dating world for the first time in 20 years. Finally living in the present tense, she finds herself swept up in not one, but two unexpected relationships that challenge her assumptions about what it means to grow old. Cast: Blythe Danner, Martin Starr, Sam Elliott, Malin Akerman, June Squibb, Rhea Perlman.

Last Days in the Desert / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rodrigo Garcia) — Ewan McGregor is Jesus — and the Devil — in an imagined chapter from his 40 days of fasting and praying in the desert. On his way out of the wilderness, Jesus struggles with the Devil over the fate of a family in crisis, setting himself up for a dramatic test. Cast: Ewan McGregor, Ciarán Hinds, Ayelet Zurer, Tye Sheridan.

Lila & Eve / U.S.A. (Director: Charles Stone III, Screenwriter: Patrick Gilfillan) — Lila, a grief-stricken mother reeling from her son’s murder, attends a support group where she meets Eve, who urges her to take matters into her own hands to track down her son’s killers. They soon embark on a journey of revenge, but also recovery. Cast: Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Shea Whigham, Julius Tennon, Ron Caldwell, Aml Ameen.

Mississippi Grind / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden) — Gerry is a talented poker player whose habit is getting the best of him. He convinces younger player Curtis to join him on a road trip, and they begin gambling their way towards a high-stakes game in New Orleans. During their journey, true motivations are revealed, and the two bond. Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Ben Mendelsohn, Sienna Miller, Analeigh Tipton, Alfre Woodard, Robin Weigert.

Mistress America / U.S.A. (Director: Noah Baumbach, Screenwriters: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig) — Tracy, a lonely college freshman in New York, is rescued from her solitude by her soon-to-be stepsister Brooke, an adventurous gal about town who entangles her in alluringly mad schemes. Mistress America is a comedy about dream-chasing, score-settling, makeshift families, and cat-stealing. Cast: Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke.

Seoul Searching / U.S.A., Korea (Director and screenwriter: Benson Lee) — Seoul Searching is a comedy set in the '80s about a group of foreign-born Korean teenagers who meet at a Seoul summer camp to learn what it means to be Korean. The three boys, from the U.S., Mexico, and Germany, then meet three girls who rock their world. Cast: Justin Chon, Jessika Van, In-pyo Cha, Teo Yoo, Esteban Ahn, Byul Kang.

Sleeping With Other People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Leslye Headland) — Jake and Lainey impulsively lose their virginity to each other in college. When their paths cross twelve years later in NYC, they realize they both have become serial cheaters. Bonding over their chronic infidelity, they form a platonic friendship to support each other in their quests for healthy romantic relationships. Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Adam Scott, Amanda Peet, Jason Mantzoukas, Natasha Lyonne.

Ten Thousand Saints / U.S.A. (Directors: Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman, Screenwriters: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini) — Based on the acclaimed novel, Ten Thousand Saints follows three lost kids and their equally lost parents as they come of age in New York's East Village in the era of CBGB, yuppies, and the tinderbox of gentrification that exploded into the Tompkins Square Park Riot of 1988. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Asa Butterfield, Emily Mortimer, Julianne Nicholson, Hailee Steinfeld, Emile Hirsch.

Zipper / U.S.A. (Director: Mora Stephens, Screenwriters: Mora Stephens, Joel Viertel) — Sam Ellis is a man on the rise — a hot-shot federal prosecutor on the cusp of a bright political future. But what was meant to be a one-time experience with an escort turns into a growing addiction — a new demon threatening to destroy his life, family, and career. Cast: Patrick Wilson, Lena Headey, Richar Dreyfuss, Ray Winstone, John Cho, Dianna Agron.


DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
Renowned filmmakers and films about far-reaching subjects comprise this section highlighting our ongoing commitment to documentaries. Each is a world premiere.

Beaver Trilogy Part IV / U.S.A. (Director: Brad Besser) — A chance meeting in a parking lot in 1979 between filmmaker Trent Harris and a young man from Beaver, Utah, inspired the creation of an underground film that is now known as Beaver Trilogy. But the film itself is only part of the story.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution / U.S.A. (Director: Stanley Nelson) — This feature-length documentary tells of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, one of the 20th century's most alluring and controversial organizations that captivated the world's attention for nearly 50 years.

DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: The Story of the National Lampoon / U.S.A. (Director: Douglas Tirola) — Three Harvard graduates start the first national humor magazine for adults, launching the careers of some of Hollywood’s most legendary talent. But success and excess among its brilliant and subversive contributors begins to challenge its existence.

Fresh Dressed / U.S.A. (Director: Sacha Jenkins) — The history of hip-hop fashion from its birth in the South Bronx to its rise as a billion-dollar global industry, Fresh Dressed is supported by rich archival materials, in-depth interviews with individuals crucial to the evolution, and the outsiders who study and admire them.

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief / U.S.A. (Director: Alex Gibney) — Going Clear intimately profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, shining a light on how they attract true believers and the things they do in the name of religion.

In Football We Trust / U.S.A. (Directors: Tony Vainuku, Erika Cohn) — Four young Polynesian football players struggle to overcome gang violence and poverty as they enter the high-stakes world of recruiting, competitive athletics and family pressures.

The Hunting Ground / U.S.A. (Director: Kirby Dick) — From the makers of The Invisible War comes a startling exposé of rape crimes on U.S. campuses, their institutional cover-ups, and brutal social toll. Weaving together verite footage and first-person testimonies, the film follows survivors as they pursue their education and justice — despite harsh retaliation, harassment, and pushback.

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Brett Morgen) — Kurt Cobain, lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of Nirvana, remains an icon 20 years after his death. Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck is a raw and visceral journey through Cobain’s life and his career with Nirvana through the lens of his home movies, recordings, artwork, photography, and journals.

The Mask You Live In / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Siebel Newsom) — Is there a "boy crisis" in America? Is our male population suffering due to our emphasis on power, dominance, and aggression? The Mask You Live In explores how our narrow definition of masculinity is harming our boys, men, and society at large and unveils what we can do about it.

Most Likely to Succeed / U.S.A. (Director: Greg Whiteley) — Our current education system is attempting to teach and test skills, that even when mastered, leaves graduates woefully unprepared for the 21st century. This feature-length documentary examines what sort of educational environment is most likely to prepare students for a world changing exponentially.

Prophet's Prey / U.S.A. (Director: Amy Berg) — When Warren Jeffs rose to prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he bridged the gap between sister wives and ecclesiastically justified rape, befuddling the moral compass of his entire congregation.

Tig / U.S.A. (Directors: Kristina Goolsby, Ashley York, Screenwriter: Jennifer Arnold) — This documentary explores comedian Tig Notaro's extraordinary journey as her life unfolds in grand and unexpected ways, all while she is battling a life-threatening illness and falling in love.

What Happened, Miss Simone? / U.S.A. (Director: Liz Garbus) — Classically trained pianist, dive-bar chanteuse, black power icon, and legendary recording artist Nina Simone lived a life of brutal honesty, musical genius, and tortured melancholy. This astonishing epic interweaves never-before-heard recordings and rare footage, creating an unforgettable portrait of one of our least understood, most beloved artists. DAY ONE FILM

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'99 Homes', Keanu Reeves' 'Knock Knock' Lead Sundance Midnight and Spotlight Lineup

Yeah, there's more. Just a day after Sundance revealed the first wave of movies for next month's festival (next month!!!), the lineup gets bigger and better with the Midnight and Spotlight slates. Leading the pack for me is the Eli Roth horror, Knock Knock, starring Keanu Reeves; Ramin Bahrani's 99 Homes starring Andrew Garfield, and Mia Hansen-Love's DJ film, Eden.  Also set to screen is the IRA thriller '71 (which I saw at Middleburg but haven't reviewed yet) starring Jack O'Connell; The Hallow, which is a new film from Corin Hardy, who just landed the gig directing The Crow reboot; and Aloft starring Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy. Check out the press release below:

SPOTLIGHT
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.

6 Desires: DH Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, DH Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy. International Premiere

'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.

99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.

Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere

Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-Løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-Løve, Sven Hansen-Løve) — Mia Hansen-Løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.

Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.

The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.

White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere

Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.


PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.

Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere

The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere

Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere

It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.

Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere

The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere

Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere

Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere


NEW FRONTIER FILMS

The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere

Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere

The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere

Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere

Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere

Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere


NEW FRONTIER INSTALLATIONS

1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.

Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.

Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.

Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.

Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company VRSE.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.

Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.

Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.

Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.

Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Possibilia is a multi-layered narrative experience from acclaimed directing duo the Daniels. The story of two quarreling lovers splits exponentially into more and more possible worlds as their relationship unravels. Cast: Alex Karpovsky, Zoe Jarman.

Project Syria
Artist: Nonny de la Peña
More than one million children have fled Syria and news reports indicate children are being specifically targeted in the violence. By combining pioneering virtual reality technologies with audio and video captured during a real event, audiences feel transported to the powerful scene, becoming witnesses as the intense tragedy unfolds.

The VR works of Felix & Paul
Artists: Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël
Felix & Paul’s groundbreaking live-action virtual reality experiences range from independent documentary to fictional work with major Hollywood studios and stars. These experiences let viewers sit in the room with musicians making music, roam the Mongolian plains with yak herders, and experience an encounter with the afterlife.

Way to Go
Artist: Vincent Morisset
It is a walk in the woods. It is an astonishing online and virtual reality interactive experience, a restless panorama, a mixture of hand-made animation, 360-degree video capture, music, dreaming, and code; but mostly it is a walk in the woods, c'mon!

Zero Point
Artist: Danfung Dennis
Zero Point, a 3-D and 360-degree documentary for the Oculus Rift headset, creates an entirely new digital dimension. From combat training simulations to research labs at Stanford to indie game developers and hackers, this immersive experience highlights the future of virtual reality.

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