Thursday marks the start of Sundance 2020 and we’ve studied the film slate for weeks in preparation for this very moment.
Ryan and I have narrowed down our top 10 films and while doing so, noticed a lot of our favorite Sundance alumnae returning with new projects. Beasts of the Southern Wild‘s Benh Zeitlin and Beach Rats‘ Eliza Hittman are just a couple of the names we’re excited to see again on the big screen. In anticipation of the festival, here are five films to see before Sundance 2020.
Before you see Downhill, check out Force Majeure
Swedish director Ruben Östlund’s award-winning Force Majeure is getting an American makeover thanks to directing partners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. The duo, who collaborated on The Way, Way Back in 2013, have strong comedic roots as both directors and writers- which makes Downhill all the more an interesting project to tackle. Östlund’s film is predominately a drama with sparse dark comedic moments, and I can’t help but wonder if the casting of Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus indicates an emphasis on more of the story’s comedic elements. I’m a bit skeptical going into Downhill as the original will be hard to top, but I’m hopeful that Faxon and Rash’s remake will be a fresh and welcomed watch.
Force Majeure is available to watch on Hulu.
Before you see Shirley, check out Madeline’s Madeline
Shirley director Josephine Decker’s last feature film, Madeline’s Madeline, premiered at Sundance in 2018 and went on to win multiple Film Independent Spirit Awards. In a breakout performance from Helena Howard, and also starring Molly Parker and Miranda July, Madeline’s Madeline tells the story of a young girl’s experience of being accepted into a prestigious experimental theatre troupe and the growing struggle to identify between reality and make-believe. Decker’s signature style of euphoric imagery and female protagonists in control is what draws us to Shirley, plus the phenomenal ensemble cast: Elisabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg, Odessa Young, and Logan Lerman.
Madeline’s Madeline is available to watch on Amazon.
Before you see Never Rarely Sometimes Always, check out Beach Rats
This is the third feature from writer/director Eliza Hittman that has been selected to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s easy to see why she’s the indie darling on the rise. Her critically-acclaimed films Beach Rats and It Felt Like Love approach the coming of age theme with sensitivity, compassion, and love, and it sounds like Never Rarely Sometimes Always will follow suit nicely. Hittman also re-enlists Beach Rats cinematographer Hélène Louvart and longtime editor Scott Cummings to lend their signature styles to what is sure to be another breathtaking film.
Beach Rats is available to watch on Hulu.
Before you see Wendy, check out Beasts of the Southern Wild
Director Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild is arguably one of the most impactful films to ever emerge from the Sundance Film Festival. Premiering in 2012, the heart-rendering drama was nominated for 4 Academy Awards and had an additional 92 wins & 125 nominations. It launched then-unknown six-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis into international fame and continues to be an inspiration to filmmakers everywhere. Zeitlin’s sophomore feature, Wendy, has the potential to just as successful and has already been acquired by Searchlight Pictures.
Beasts of the Southern Wild is available to rent on Amazon.
Before you see Dick Johnson is Dead, check out Cameraperson
Documentarian Kirsten Johnson is back with another personal film about family and connection, and this time the subject is her father, in Dick Johnson is Dead. Her last film Cameraperson – which was shortlisted for an Academy Award – is an eye-opening homage to the human spirit and is comprised of footage captured over her twenty-five-year career as a documentary cinematographer. Johnson’s superpower is her camera, and there is no doubt that with a film as personal as Dick Johnson is Dead, there will be no shortage of memorable moments.
Cameraperson is available to rent on Amazon.
