Prisoners of the Ghostland
Let’s be honest: the photo above is all you really need to know that Prisoners of the Ghostland is a must-see at this year’s festival. But if for some reason that doesn’t get your juices flowing, allow me to also point out that it’s directed by the bonkers legend himself, Sion Sono. Nicolas Cage plays a convict sprung from the joint in order to rescue a powerful man’s daughter, and he only has five days to do it, at which point his specially crafted leather suit will explode. So yeah, it’s the Escape from New York remake you never knew you wanted, and we are absolutely looking forward to reveling in its insanity. (Rob Hunter)
Superior
Erin Vassilopoulos comes to Sundance with her feature film debut, Superior. But this isn’t her first time at the festival; her feature is a continuation of the short film of the same name that played in 2015. Vassilopoulos works with the same twin actresses, Alessandra and Ani Mesa, to create this thriller about two estranged sisters coming back together in the face of grave danger. One twin, Marian, is on the run and the other, Vivian, is a housewife, so despite their shared genetics these sisters couldn’t be more different. Genre films about twins, from Goodnight Mommy to Dead Ringers, are always fascinating in their navigation of identity, and Vassilopoulos’ interpretation sounds so very inviting. (Mary Beth McAndrews)
The Sparks Brothers
In between Baby Driver’s release in 2017 and his upcoming horror film Last Night in Soho, “Cornetto Trilogy” director Edgar Wright has been working on a music documentary. The film shines a light on an exceedingly influential but little-known rock duo over the course of fifty years in the art and music business, during which they put out twenty-five studio albums. Aside from being a new Wright project for fans of his work in lieu of the aforementioned Soho (delayed multiple times due to COVID), it’ll be interesting to see how Wright tackles his first documentary feature, which is set to include interviews with numerous famous artists and even some animated sequences. (Brianna Zigler)
The World to Come
Following its Queer Lion win at Venice last year, Mona Fastvold’s The World to Come is making a pit stop at Sundance on the way to a February 12th theatrical release, followed by a quick VOD turnaround on March 2nd. The already highly acclaimed romantic drama stars Vanessa Kirby and Katherine Waterston as married women who become lovers in the isolated American wilderness of the 19th century. Christopher Abbott and Casey Affleck co-star as their respective husbands. (Christopher Campbell)
Wild Indian
Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. is not only an alumnus of two of Sundance’s filmmaking labs but also was named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch for 2021 (along with three others in this preview). Wild Indian is already receiving great buzz, and with a cast that includes Jesse Eisenberg, Kate Bosworth, and Michael Greyeyes (Fear the Walking Dead, Blood Quantum), there’s no need to wonder why. Add in the exploration of existence in the cruel world we all occupy and the cinematic tension sort of writes itself. (Shea Vassar)
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Related Topics: Sundance
