AwardsWatch - sundance film festival

Sundance Review: Riley Stearns’ sci-fi satire ‘Dual’ gives us a killer double dose of Karen Gillan [Grade: B+]

Kevin L. Lee January 24, 2022

Riley Stearns was one of my favorite discoveries at SXSW 2019. Nearly every writing and directing decision in The Art of Self-Defense was on my... Read More

Sundance Review: The cute and quirky ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ glides right into your heart with pitch perfect performances from Cooper Raiff and Dakota Johnson [Grade: A]

Ryan McQuade January 24, 2022

At a certain point in our lives, we’ve fallen in love. Could happen at a young age, as it does for Andrew (Javien Mercado), at... Read More

Sundance Review: In Andrew Semans’ tense and terrifying ‘Resurrection,’ Rebecca Hall gets under your skin [Grade: A]

Catherine Springer January 23, 2022

In an opening scene of Resurrection, a film by writer/director Andrew Semans, premiering at Sundance Film Festival, Margaret, played by Rebecca Hall, counsels a young... Read More

Sundance Review: James Ponsoldt’s ‘Summering’ is an adventurously fanciful but cold tale of childhood [Grade: C]

Emily Maskell January 23, 2022

It begins with a scene akin to a horror film when the protagonist faces the worst nemesis. Three girls are sitting in a bathtub huddled... Read More

Sundance Review: Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown preach a committed yet familiar gospel in church satire ‘Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul’ [Grade: B-]

Ryan McQuade January 23, 2022

“You’ve got to be strong to be a First Lady.” That’s a line stated by Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall) early on in Adamma Ebo’s feature... Read More

Sundance Review: Mariama Diallo’s ‘Master’ balances horrors real and imagined in the world of institutionalized academic racism [Grade: B]

Ryan McQuade January 23, 2022

Mariama Diallo’s debut feature Master begins as most coming of age college films do, with orientation and getting to know the place our characters have... Read More

Sundance Review: ‘Sirens’ follows Lebanon’s first all-woman metal band screaming their way to success [Grade: B]

Emily Maskell January 23, 2022

Slave to Sirens only exists at nightfall. When the sun dips over the horizon, Lebanon’s first all-woman metal band emerges from their daytime existence to... Read More

Sundance Review: A career-best performance from John Boyega and a farewell to Michael Kenneth Williams highlight true-life hostage thriller ‘892’ [Grade: B]

Ryan McQuade January 23, 2022

Every day, soldiers come home from across the world and face a common, harsh reality; that after years of dedicated service to their country, we... Read More

Sundance Review: Kogonada’s emotionally rich ‘After Yang’ is destined to be one of the year’s best films [Grade: A]

Ryan McQuade January 23, 2022

After Yang, director Kogonada’s highly anticipated follow up to his 2017 indie darling Columbus, starts with a Jake (Colin Farrell), Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith), and their... Read More

Sundance Review: Where ‘Watcher’ lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with a thrilling central performance from Maika Monroe [Grade: B+]

Kevin L. Lee January 23, 2022

Many thrillers try too hard to be original. They try to incorporate a twist to their intriguing premise. They throw a curveball at the midpoint... Read More