Apologies for the history lesson, but in case you were unaware, the road to the Academy Awards begins at Sundance. Since the field expanded to more than five nominees in 2009 the festival has premiered eight Best Picture nominated films and it should have its ninth with “Manchester by the Sea” this February. In fact, the announcement of the 89th Academy Award nominations will take place in the middle of this year’s festival (which is good for the festival and bad for press trying to cover both).
Sundance is also a major acquisition market and while the U.S. Dramatic competition announced last week included some intriguing awards season contenders such as “The Yellow Birds” and “Crown Heights” it’s the Premieres category that has provided Oscar nominees such as “The Kids Are All Right” and “Boyhood.”
READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2017
Here are some quick and admittedly blunt reactions to all of the Premiere titles announced earlier today.
“Beatriz at Dinner”
Director: Miguel Arteta, Screenwriter: Mike White
Sundance synopsis: Beatriz, an immigrant from a poor town in Mexico, has drawn on her innate kindness to build a career as a health practitioner. Doug Strutt is a cutthroat, self-satisfied billionaire. When these two opposites meet at a dinner party, their worlds collide and neither will ever be the same. Cast: Salma Hayek, John Lithgow.
Lowdown: This is an adult themed acquisition title (meaning adult moviegoers over 50) that is potential awards player because of the involvement of Arteta (“The Good Girl”) and White (“Enlightened”) who previously collaborated on “Chuck & Buck.”
“Before I Fall”
Director: Ry Russo-Young, Screenwriter: Maria Maggenti
Sundance synopsis: Samantha Kingston has everything. Then, everything changes. After one fateful night, she wakes up with no future at all. Trapped into reliving the same day over and over, she begins to question just how perfect her life really was. Cast: Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Kian Lawley, Elena Kampouris, Diego Boneta.
Lowdown: Open Road is releasing this drama on March 3. They must think they have something special here to bring it to Park City and premiere it over two months before its release. So, that’s potentially a good sign.
“The Big Sick”
Director: Michael Showalter, Screenwriters: Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani
Sundance synopsis: Based on the real-life courtship: Pakistan-born comedian Kumail and grad student Emily fall in love, but they struggle as their cultures clash. When Emily contracts a mysterious illness, Kumail must navigate the crisis with her parents and the emotional tug-of-war between his family and his heart. Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher.
Lowdown: Showalter is coming off the indie hit “Hello, My Name Is Doris.” This feels like an acquisition title right up Roadside Attractions’ alley. Oh, right. They distributed ‘Doris.’ too.
“Call Me by Your Name”
Director: Luca Guadagnino, Screenwriters: James Ivory, Luca Guadagnino
Sundance synopsis: The sensitive and cultivated Elio, only child of the American-Italian-French Perlman family, is facing another lazy summer at his parents’ villa in the beautiful and languid Italian countryside when Oliver, an academic who has come to help with Elio’s father’s research, arrives. Cast: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, Victoire Du Bois.
Lowdown: Bluntly, an older man (Hammer) and a young man (Chalamet) have a summer romance that turns into something more (cough, gay). Guadagnino is the impressive filmmaker behind the masterpiece “I Am Love” (also played Sundance) and “A Bigger Splash.” An acquisition title, curious who bites (too soon?).
“The Discovery”
Director: Charlie McDowell, Screenwriters: Charlie McDowell, Justin Lader
Sundance synopsis: In a world where the afterlife has just been scientifically proven—resulting in millions of people taking their own lives to get there—comes this love story. Cast: Jason Segel, Rooney Mara, Robert Redford, Jesse Plemons, Riley Keough, Ron Canada.
Lowdown: This is absolutely an example of a film providing the wrong images to the festival to define the movie. Netflix title so they probably don’t really care.
“Fun Mom Dinner”
Director: Alethea Jones, Screenwriter: Julie Rudd
Sundance synopsis: Four women, whose kids attend the same preschool class, get together for a “fun mom dinner.” When the night takes an unexpected turn, these unlikely new friends realize they have more in common than just marriage and motherhood. Together, they reclaim a piece of the women they used to be. Cast: Katie Aselton, Toni Collette, Bridget Everett, Molly Shannon, Adam Scott, Adam Levine.
Lowdown: Seems like an acquisition player (and crowd pleaser for the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City crowd), but it might be missing one more “name” in the cast to really garner serious buyer attention.
“The Incredible Jessica James”
Director and screenwriter: Jim Strouse
Sundance synopsis: Jessica James, an aspiring NYC playwright, is struggling to get over a recent breakup. She sees a light at the end of the tunnel when she meets the recently divorced Boone. Together, they discover how to make it through the tough times while realizing they like each other — a lot. Cast: Jessica Williams, Chris O’Dowd, Keith Stanfield, Noël Wells.
Lowdown: This is Strauss’s third directorial effort to debut at Sundance after “Grace is Gone” and “People, Places and Things.” The cast is fantastic, but the idea its the closing night film is eyebrow raising. It’s either going to be the best closing night film the festival has ever had or it’s simply not that good.
“The Last Word”
Director: Mark Pellington, Screenwriter: Stuart Ross Fink
Sundance synopsis: Harriett is a retired businesswoman who tries to control everything around her. When she decides to write her own obituary, a young journalist takes up the task of finding out the truth, resulting in a life-altering friendship. Cast: Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Heche, Thomas Sadoski, Philip Baker Hall.
Lowdown: Red flag! Red flag! This already sounds broader, blander and pseudo commercial than “A Walk in the Woods,” but Wellington is the director of the middling “Arlington Road,” “The Mothman Prophecies” and “Henry Poole is Here.” Shouldn’t this be at Toronto? Prove us wrong, Mark!
“Manifesto”
Director and screenwriter: Julian Rosefeldt
Sundance synopsis: Can history’s art manifestos apply to contemporary society? An homage to the twentieth century’s most impassioned artistic statements and innovators, from Futurists and Dadaists to Pop Art, Fluxus, Lars von Trier and Jim Jarmusch, this series of reenactments performed by Cate Blanchett explores these declarations’ performative components and political significance. Cast: Cate Blanchett.
Lowdown: This first screened in some context in Australia a year ago at the Australian Center for Moving Image, in Germany last February and in Australia again in May. In many ways it’s already a known commodity which makes it strange its not in the Spotlight program. But, hey, anything that gets Blanchett to Sundance? We’re there.
“Marjorie Prime”
Director and screenwriter: Michael Almereyda
Sundance synopsis: In the near future—a time of artificial intelligence—86-year-old Marjorie has a handsome new companion who looks like her deceased husband and is programmed to feed the story of her life back to her. What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance? Cast: Jon Hamm, Geena Davis, Lois Smith, Tim Robbins.
Lowdown: Almereyda was at Sundance two years ago with the aptly titled “Experimenter.” “Prime” seems like more of a traditional narrative tale. This could be one to watch.
“Mudbound”
Director: Dee Rees, Screenwriters: Virgil Williams, Dee Rees
Sundance synopsis: In the post–World War II South, two families are pitted against a barbaric social hierarchy and an unrelenting landscape as they simultaneously fight the battle at home and the battle abroad. This epic pioneer story is about friendship, heritage and the unending struggle for and against the land. Cast: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund, Jonathan Banks.
Lowdown: Rees is coming off acclaim for both “Pariah” and HBO’s “Bessie.” Along with “Yellow Birds” in the U.S. Dramatic competition this might be the most obvious awards player of the festival.
“The Polka King”
Director: Maya Forbes, Screenwriters: Maya Forbes, Wally Wolodarsky
Sundance synopsis: Based on the remarkable true story of the world’s only known Polka Ponzi scheme, this mix of comedy and tragedy is about Jan Lewan, a polish immigrant who believed in the American Dream. But with big dreams came big mistakes for the man who became the “King of Pennsylvania Polka.” Cast: Jack Black, Jenny Slate, Jason Schwartzman, Jacki Weaver, J.B. Smoove.
Lowdown: Forbes directed the underrated Sundance gem “Infinitely Polar Bear.” Can she and Ben Stiller’s production company give Jack Black the live-acton comeback he’s been elusively looking for this decade?
“Rebel in the Rye”
Director and screenwriter: Danny Strong
Sundance synopsis: This portrait of the life and mind of reclusive author J.D. Salinger goes from the bloody front lines of World War II to his early rejections and the PTSD-fueled writer’s block that led to his iconic novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Sarah Paulson, Zoey Deutch, Hope Davis, Victor Garber.
Lowdown: Strong is the man behind FOX’s “Empire” and has written screenplays for “Mockingjay” and “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.” Tackling he life of J.D. Salinger is no easy task. If he pulls it off with this cast lots of distributors are going to be interested.
“Rememory”
Director: Mark Palansky, Screenwriters: Michael Vukadinovich, Mark Palansky)
Sundance synopsis: A visionary inventor found dead. A machine that can record people’s memories. A man haunted by the past. This noir mystery explores the ways in which memory defines the present. Cast: Peter Dinklage, Julia Ormond, Martin Donovan, Anton Yelchin, Henry Ian Cusick, Evelyne Brochu.
Lowdown: Tragically, both of Yelchin’s last films (the other is “Thoroughbred” in NEXT) are debuting at Sundance. This is a very intriguing cast but Palansky hasn’t directed a feature since “Penelope” in 2006. It’s been so long ago it was Summit Entertainment’s first U.S. release and Summit effectively doesn’t exist anymore except as a label as part of Lionsgate. Where this movie premieres will tell you how good it is. If it makes the weekend or Monday night cut it’s a must see, if it doesn’t?
“Sidney Hall”
Director: Shawn Christensen, Screenwriters: Shawn Christensen, Jason Dolan.
Sundance synopsis: Over the course of 12 years, and three stages of life, Sidney Hall falls in love, writes the book of a generation and then disappears without a trace. Cast: Logan Lerman, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Monaghan, Nathan Lane, Margaret Qualley.
Lowdown: Very impressive cast who usually don’t take projects unless it really looks good on paper. We’re gonna find out.
“Where is Kyra?”
Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Screenwriters: Andrew Dosunmu, Darci Picoult
Sundance synopsis: Pushed to the brink after losing her job, a woman struggles to survive. As the months pass and her troubles deepen, she embarks on a perilous and mysterious journey that threatens to usurp her life. Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Kiefer Sutherland.
Lowdown: The critically acclaimed director of “Mother of George” returns with a showcase for the legendary Pfeiffer. This has awards season potential all over it.
“Wilson”
Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriter: Daniel Clowes
Sundance synopsis: Wilson, a lonely, neurotic and hilariously honest middle-aged misanthrope, reunites with his estranged wife and gets a shot at happiness when he learns he has a teenage daughter he has never met. In his uniquely outrageous and slightly twisted way, he sets out to connect with her. Cast: Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Judy Greer.
Lowdown: Fox Searchlight is releasing on March 24. Clowes adapts his own graphic novel and Craig Johnson (“The Skeleton Twins”) directs. They had us at Laura Dern though.
“Wind River”
Director and screenwriter: Taylor Sheridan
Sundance synopsis: An FBI agent teams with the town’s veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation. Cast: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Jon Bernthal.
Lowdown: Sheridan’s directorial debut after writing the screenplays for “Sicario” and “Hell or High Water.” Originally a Weinstein Company acquisition but word is its now available to other distributors.
The Sundance Film Festival runs Jan 19-29. Look for full coverage on The Playlist from Park City.
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