Dear Evan Hansen, you are a sociopath. Sincerely, Emily Mackay Hennefer. Wait...I should probably write more of an actual review than that? Okay....where do I begin? For a few months Dear Evan Hansen has already been the butt of many jokes since the titular lead Evan Hansen as portrayed by Ben Platt does not look anything close to resembling a high schooler. Some even went as far to compare it to this year's version of Cats. It was quickly labeled problematic and insensitive towards mental health...but it couldn't really be that bad could it? Well you'd be surprised! That's not to say it's totally deserving of that comparison, but in a lot of ways I can totally see it. Both are beloved broadway musicals that just don't translate whatever magic they had on the stage to the big screen. Both require quite a lot of suspension of disbelief not only in terms of a nonsensical plot, but in buying the way the characters look (and yeah...Ben Platt's face and look here is just downright distracting). And both hope that their nice musical songs will make up for the fact that all of this is just a hot mess. Dear Evan Hansen follows the aforementioned Evan (Ben Platt), a depressed high school loner who just wishes he could make some friends and gain the courage to talk to the girl of his dreams, Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever). One day, Zoe's brother, Connor, with who Evan had only had a few brief encounters, commits suicide. After a few series of misunderstandings, Zoe's family soon is under the impression that Evan was best friends with their son--a lie that Evan himself decides to perpetuate when he sees how much Connor's mother (Amy Adams) seems to need to cling to that lie. So naturally, he goes to unhealthy levels to preserve his illusion and endear himself to the dead boy's family. Dear Evan Hansen is like watching a car wreck in slow motion because you just know where it's going is only leading to pure disaster. It is so painful and so cringe-inducing. Two hours of internal screaming. Whenever I would think it reached peak cringe, somehow it kept finding ways to top itself. The entire movie is like those uncomfortable moments in real life when someone has experienced personal tragedy, but some well-meaning person with no self-awareness tries to say something better, but they only make the situation worse. But the moral of the story is if you ever do something completely sociopathic and terrible, just sing and apologize afterward and it won't be too bad. But if I had to say something good...well I guess that would be the presence of the always reliable Kaitlyn Dever and Amy Adams. RATING: 3/10

Sundance is finally over! And while I didn't see as many movies as I did last year (my personal record of 22), I still managed to see quite a few. Here's my yearly roundup of what I saw listed, from best to worst. Nine Days Nine Days follows the deliberations of an individual named Will who is tasked with interviewing souls for the opportunity to come to earth, be born and being able to live a life. Each day, he sits in a room and watches video tapes of previous souls he picked to analyze whether or not they made the most of their chance so that he can better identify qualities in people that will make them the most fit for the challenges of earth. Nine Days is a beautiful celebration of life and the opportunity we have every day to be alive. It's a movie that might require a bit of patience on your part, but the beauty it offers is well worth it. RATING: 9/10 Palm Springs It was a miracle I was finally able to get into Palm Springs because this seemed to be the movie that was destined to elude me all festival (much like another Sundance rom-com, The Big Sick.) I kept an eye on its reviews all festival and was disappointed to hear early on that it followed a Groundhog Day type formula of being centered around a time loop. While I think the concept has been able to successfully work in other films (see Edge of Tomorrow and to a lesser extent Happy Death Day), I have to admit some of the air was let out of my sails when it seemed this movie would be a lot less original than I hoped. Luckily, the film doesn't play like a total retread of Groundhog Day at all, but rather more of a spiritual sequel to it. We don't see Andy Samberg's character, Nyles, discover he's in a loop, rather he's already been infinitely lost into the same day at a destination wedding in Palm Springs for some time. What changes the game for him though, is when he unwittingly gets Sarah, the maid of honor and sister of the bride, stuck in the same time loop along with him. Having someone to go through each day with him makes his life worth living again, but for Sarah she's forced to keep reliving the worst day of her life over and over and wants out. Palm Springs works because they play the gags to their advantage, but also because of the fantastic chemistry between Samberg and Milioti. Samberg is his reliable comedic self, but Milioti gives her character real depth and range; she's a joy to watch. Also JK Simmons shows up here and there to provide some great comedic support and weight to the film as well. RATING: 8.5/10 Promising Young Woman Promising Young Woman follows the story of Cassie, a woman who has squandered much of the potential of her life due to a tragedy she experienced in college. Now she has become a vigilante of sorts, teaching men dangerous lessons each night about consent by any means necessary. I knew to expect something really dark with Promising Young Woman, but what I didn't expect was for it to be as darkly hilarious as it was. It was almost oddly off-putting hearing so many people laugh at such dangerous situations and themes early on, but the movie walks a tightrope line balancing the darkness and humor with ease. Carey Mulligan is an incredibly talented actress and gives arguably one of her best performances here (though I may still give the edge to another past Sundance role in Wildlife), and you just can't take your eyes off her. I didn't always know if everything in this movie worked, but then little by little, more reveals would happen and for me it was exactly the movie it needed to be. The ending really sells it for me, though I recognize it might not work for everyone. RATING: 8.5/10 The Night House Soon after her husband commits suicide, Beth (Rebecca Hall) begins to be haunted nightly in the house he built for her. She begins to look deeper into the events that led up to his death and discovers a whole new side to her husband that she had no idea existed. Each year, Sundance finds at least one great horror movie, and for my money, this is the one for 2020. While it's not the masterpiece that is Hereditary, or even quite as strong as last year's The Lodge, Rebecca Hall makes The Night House stand out among the pack of horror films at this years 'dance. The final act is a bit rushed and it was the one movie this year I saw where I actually wish it was a bit longer, but everything that leads up to its finale is great. I can't wait to see it again. RATING: 8.5/10 Shirley Going into Shirley, I expected a somewhat traditional, by-the-numbers biopic of acclaimed novelist Shirley Jackson. What the movie gave me was much more along the lines of Shakespeare in Love, where it focuses on the creation and inspiration behind a singular piece of work. When we meet Shirley, we are introduced to a recluse who hasn't left her home in months. Her husband (Michael Stuhlbarg), is a professor at the local university, who has agreed to take a young couple into their home with the purpose of easing both of their burdens. In exchange, the young husband (Logan Lerman) will serve as an assistant to the professor, while the wife (Odessa Young) cooks and cleans for Shirley. After a rocky start with the wife, Shirley develops a bond with her that inspires her writing. This wasn't a stuffy period piece like I expected, but often reminded me of the freshness of another Sundance alum Brooklyn. RATING: 7.5/10 His House In His House, a refugee couple move to London to escape the horrors of their home in South Sudan. They are placed in a home that they soon discover is haunted with the ghosts of their past, but unfortunately for them, if they attempt to leave their residence they'll have to face the legal consequences...leaving them forced to make the best out of an impossible situation. This movie contains probably the most effective scares of any movie this year at Sundance, but also narratively wasn't one of the stronger horror offerings. Between the amazing scares, I found myself a little bored and felt that that they weren't ever able to increase the tension (partially because the movie was SO scary SO early on). Sadly, because it fails to raise the stakes, I found I wasn't ever really invested in either of the characters. A reveal near the climax of the film is excellent, but I wish had been built towards more throughout the movie, and as for the ending, I wasn't totally sold. Still I have to give it credit for how scary it was because the movie definitely brought the goods. RATING: 7.5/10 Impetigore A young woman named Maya, accompanied by her best friend, Dini, returns to the village where she was born because she learns she has a claim to a large inheritance that will make all her problems go away. Little does she know, that village happens to be cursed because of the mistakes of her family, and the villagers there are willing to resolve the curse by any means necessary. Impetigore actually has the opposite problems of His House. This film had a really compelling horror story and it unfolded in a way that always kept my interest, but unfortunately, its scares (aside from its excellent opening,) were not up to par and you could see them all coming a mile away. It builds a great lore for itself that's really fun to be immersed in, but it never achieves the goal of actually scaring you or filling you with much tension. RATING: 7/10 Relic In Relic, Emily Mortimer stars as Kay, a woman who comes to check on her mother Edna, (a chilling Robyn Nevin), after she disappears in her own house. Accompanied by her own daughter, Sam (Bella Heathcote), they discover that Edna isn't acting quite like herself. This horror was a slow burn to the point of frustration. I caught a midnight screening of this film and fell asleep pretty frequently that I ended up unintentionally self-editing the movie to be much quicker paced than the film my companions saw. I wasn't quite as frustrated with the lack of scares because the ending was a pretty great payoff, but can also understand that it was a little bit too little too late. If only there were more scares to even the film out during the rest of the run time, this one would have been a lot more effective. Still, I kind of dig the metaphor the film is going for, which reminds me a lot of The Babdook, though it doesn't pull it off as well as that film does. RATING: 6.5/10 Save Yourselves Determined to get a vacation from their devices, millennial couple Jack and Su go on a vacation to a remote cabin to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with each other. Little do they know, an alien invasion is headed into town just as they're turning themselves away from technology. Save Yourselves starts out incredibly strong. I was laughing so hard and totally connecting with the characters, but after awhile the film kinda becomes aimless and doesn't quite know what to do with itself. You start to really feel the length by the end and it's hard not to feel frustrated when it totally meanders near its head scratching finale. It's a shame because the two leads are great and so much fun to watch. RATING: 6/10 Kajillionaire Kajillionaire is about a couple who raised their awkward daughter, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), not as their own child, but rather an accomplice in their own petty cons. Old Dolio (yes that's her full name) is practically a feral human being who has no idea how to interact normally with the rest of the world. Her life gets turned upside down when her parents become taken with an outsider they meet on one of their cons who they then try to incorporate into their schemes. Old Dolio is forced to confront some of her emotional baggage towards her parents and whether or not this way of life is what she wants for herself. The best thing about the movie is undoubtedly the cast. Evan Rachel Wood is quite good in this role and physically transforms herself into an entirely different person as Old Dolio. Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger as her parents, and Gina Rodriguez as Melanie (the outsider) also turn in really great performances as well. The movie itself is your typical Sundance indie where it’s understated to the point that it kinda hinders your interest in the story on the screen. There’s some interesting themes going on here for sure, but it’s hard to imagine myself ever rewatching it or having it stay with me for long. RATING: 5.5/10 Scare Me Two horror writers, one professional (Aya Cash) and one amateur (Josh Ruben) meet one fateful night when the power goes out in the neighboring cabins they both happened to rent to focus on their writing. To pass the time, the two take turns telling scary stories trying to discover which one of them is the better storyteller. I was so excited for this movie because I think the concept is fantastic, and I was really interested to see which way they'd go with the movie because I knew it had potential to be both comedic and horrific. Unfortunately, I felt they leaned too hard into the comedic side while ignoring all the potential with the horror elements (except to throw it in at the very last moment because they realized the movie needed to be more than just an improv show). I know it's not fair to review a movie on what it could be, however...if the film had focused much more on the two characters as we get to peel back the layers of who each of them really are to reveal their own past horrors, it would have been a more character-driven film that would have been so great. Instead, our characters Fanny and Fred are insufferable stereotypes that are pretty hard to invest in. A fragile male ego vs. an all too woke feminist to the extreme (basically the type of obnoxious people I encounter on Twitter every day) neither of whom are too much fun to spend the time with. More depth and fewer platitudes would have made this movie great. Unfortunately, while I had fun with the movie, it's ultimately a great concept that was squandered. RATING: 5/10 Tesla Tesla is told from the perspective of the daughter of one of Nikola Tesla's biggest benefactors, Anna Morgan, daughter of JP Morgan. Anna is in love with Tesla and admires his genius. She supplies us with facts about his life and everyone else who shows up in the story. Tesla is so mind numbingly dull, but tries to set itself apart by unconventional means like breaking the fourth wall, making contemporary references and using backdrops in lieu of actual sets in a number of scenes. Unfortunately, it's all style and no substance as the story (or lack of one) just bored me to tears. It's a shame, because the performances here by Ethan Hawke and Kyle MacLachlan as Edison, in particular, actually are good and deserve to be in a movie that focuses on their rivalry. RATING: 4.5/10

One of the last times where life felt normal for me, was 2020's Sundance Film Festival. Now here we are a whole year later and both life, as well as the festival, have been transformed. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle of standing in line and trying to get to different theaters on time for screenings, this year due to the pandemic, everything is online and the festival is just a bit shorter. That said, I couldn't be more excited for Sundance and all of its offerings even if things are a bit different. Here are the ten films I'm looking forward to the most. 10. HOW IT ENDS SUNDANCE SUMMARY: On the day an asteroid is scheduled to obliterate Earth, freewheeling Liza (Zoe Lister-Jones) scores an invite to one last wild gathering before it all goes down. Making it to the party won’t be easy, though, after her car is unceremoniously stolen, and the clock is ticking on her plan to tie up loose ends with friends and family. With a little help from her whimsical younger self (Cailee Spaeny), Liza embarks on a journey by foot across Los Angeles as she seeks to make peace with her regrets—and find the right company for those last few hours. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Couldn't we all use a nice little end of the world comedy right now to lighten things up?? But also I really like Zoe Lister-Jones and the rest of the cast as well. For more information on how to view How it Ends click HERE 9. CODA SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the only hearing member of a deaf family. At 17, she works mornings before school to help her parents (Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur) and brother (Daniel Durant) keep their Gloucester fishing business afloat. But in joining her high school’s choir club, Ruby finds herself drawn to both her duet partner (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and her latent passion for singing. Her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) hears something special and encourages Ruby to consider music school and a future beyond fishing, leaving her torn between obligation to family and pursuit of her dream WHY I'M INTERESTED: I haven't seen Ferdia Walsh-Peelo since Sing Street, which was one of my favorite movies to ever come out of Sundance. This sounds like a great concept and I'm really interested to see the perspective of someone who grew up the child of deaf adults. For more information on how to view CODA click HERE 8. PASSING SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson), a refined, upper-class 1920s woman, finds breezy refuge from a hot summer day in the grand tearoom of New York City’s Drayton Hotel. Across the room, she spots a blond woman staring her down. Irene wants to steal away, but before she can, Clare Kendry (Ruth Negga) rushes over to stop her. It turns out the two were in high school together, and while both are African American women who can “pass” as white, they have chosen to live on opposite sides of the color line. Now, their renewed acquaintance threatens them both. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Rebecca Hall is such an underrated talent that I can't help but be incredibly excited to see what she does in her directorial debut here. Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga are both incredible actresses and I'm excited to see them bring this story alive. For more information on how to view Passing click HERE 7. MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Thirteen-year-old Sammy is struggling to cope with the death of her mother. After she is caught vandalizing one of her school’s restrooms, her father, fed up with her wild behavior, enrolls her in a summer course—if she fails, she’ll be sent to a boot camp for delinquent youth. After storming out of her first class, Sammy meets Margot, a surly magician. Margot forces Sammy to be her assistant for a performance, and although Sammy seems uninterested, she seeks Margot out after the show and asks to become Margot’s pupil. Margot agrees, and as their unlikely friendship grows, we learn that she and Sammy understand each other more than they expected. WHY I'M INTERESTED: If there's one thing I love to find at Sundance, it's a good coming of age film. I'm hoping this one has the charm, humor, and heart to join some of my other favorites I've discovered at Sundance. For more information on how to view Marvelous and the Black Hole go HERE 6. KNOCKING SUNDANCE SUMMARY: What. Is. That. Noise. When Molly hears knocking coming from the ceiling in her new apartment, she naturally searches for the source. The upstairs neighbors don’t know what she’s talking about and dismiss her with cool indifference. Is this all in her mind? After all, she’s still processing a traumatic event that left her mentally unwell, and the unprecedented heatwave isn’t helping her think clearly. As the knocking intensifies and gives way to a woman’s cries, Molly becomes consumed with finding out the truth. Could it be Morse code? Is someone trapped? And more importantly, why doesn’t anyone care? WHY I'M INTERESTED: For the past five or so years, the Midnight section of Sundance has always produced at least one truly great horror movie, my bet is on this one. For more information on how to view Knocking click HERE 5. JOHN AND THE HOLE SUNDANCE SUMMARY: While exploring the neighboring woods, 13-year-old John (Charlie Shotwell) discovers an unfinished bunker—a deep hole in the ground. Seemingly without provocation, he drugs his affluent parents (Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Ehle) and older sister (Taissa Farmiga) and drags their unconscious bodies into the bunker, where he holds them captive. As they anxiously wait for John to free them from the hole, the boy returns home, where he can finally do what he wants. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Such a fine cast has been assembled here that it immediately caught my attention. But aside from that, I have to say I'm really intrigued seeing Michael C. Hall play against his usual type and be on the other end of a hostage by sociopath scenario. For more information on how to view John and the Hole click HERE 4. THE SPARKS BROTHERS SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Sparks is your favorite band’s favorite band, and soon to be yours too. Whether or not you’re aware of it, Sparks likely had a hand in something you’re fond of. This is a band that has been in the background of almost every art form across the last 50 years. Growing up in the ’60s, Los Angeles brothers Ron and Russell got by on a heavy diet of popcorn matinees and pop music until the spotlight of school talent shows illuminated their way on a musical journey that has so far spawned 25 studio albums. WHY I'M INTERESTED: There are certain filmmakers whose work I will see as long as I know they are involved. Edgar Wright is one of those people. I love Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs The World more than I can say, so I will see anything Wright directs. For more information on how to view The Sparks Brothers click HERE 3. CENSOR SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over. Her sense of duty to protect is amplified by guilt over her inability to recall details of the long-ago disappearance of her sister, recently declared dead in absentia. When Enid is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past. WHY I'M INTERESTED: It's no secret that I love horror, but the plot here sounds absolutely wild. I love movies about movies, but paired with the horror genre this could truly be fantastic. Also the preview image is insane. For more information on how to view Censor click HERE 2. THE BLAZING WORLD SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Ever since Margaret (Carlson Young) was six years old, she has been haunted by the memory of watching her sister drown during an explosive fight between her parents. As a young woman, she slides further into her twisted inner life, ultimately finding herself on the brink of suicide. Through an epic journey down the smokiest and scariest corridors of her imagination, she tries to exorcise the demons pushing her closer and closer to the edge. WHY I'M INTERESTED: The psychological story paired with the elaborate imagery I've seen of the film garnered my immediate attention and placed this movie high on the list. I really hope this is as great as the potential it has. For more information on how to view The Blazing World click HERE 1. PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND SUNDANCE SUMMARY: In the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town, a ruthless bank robber (Nicolas Cage) is sprung from jail by wealthy warlord The Governor (Bill Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Sofia Boutella) has gone missing. The Governor offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within five days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman—and his own path to redemption. WHY I'M INTERESTED: Yes, a potential wacky Nicolas Cage mayhem movie has topped my most anticipated list, what has happened to me? Well for starters, I've really loved how he's embraced the crazy with his recent choices with Mandy and Color Out of Space so now his movies seem to be in on the joke that the more outrageous the Cage performance, the better. For more information on how to view Prisoners of the Ghostland click HERE Well, that's it for now, but come back over the next week to see my quick takes of everything I see at this year's festival.

Sundance has finally finished, but I still have two final films to give you my thoughts on! I think I set a personal record this year for films watched at 22 (I'd have to check, but I think my previous best was 20). It was great to be able to see so many from the comfort of my home, but I definitely missed the atmosphere of the Sundance venues and seeing things with my fellow film lovers. ON THE COUNT OF THREE Two best friends make a suicide pact that by the end of the day, this will be their last day on earth and that they'll each kill the other. This film has a very dark concept and certainly isn't for everyone. There is a lot of heavy subject matter covered here, but surprisingly the film does have its moments of levity to it while the two men live a Groundhog Day type day of zero consequences since they have no tomorrow. Still, each has their own demons to sort through that led them to this point and decide whether or not life is worth living. At times, this was a really hard watch, but director Jerrod Carmichael walks the thin line perfectly of handling the seriousness of the topic, while not being completely weighed down by it. On the Count of Three features great performances by Carmichael (doing double duty here by acting as well as directing) and Christopher Abbott and overall was one of the standouts from the festival. RATING: 8.5/10 THE WORLD TO COME In the mid 1800's, two women who are neither particularly happy in their own marriages, strike a bond of friendship that soon turns into forbidden love. The story is beautifully told in a series of journal passages by Katherine Waterston's character, Abigail, who is a poet at heart. The cinematography here is wonderful and all around the production design is fabulous; the film visually looks fantastic. I think I would have liked a bit more of a build-up in the friendship and for all of the characters to be a bit more fleshed out, but all of the cast (Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Christopher Abbott and Casey Affleck) turn in very fine performances. RATING: 7.5/10 Well, that's a wrap! See you next year Sundance...hopefully in person.

The festival is winding down but I have a few more reviews to share before going over some of the award winners today. So here are my thoughts on a couple new movies I was able to see yesterday. TOGETHER TOGETHER Together Together examines the unlikely friendship that forms between a single man who desperately wants to become a father and the surrogate he hires to carry his baby. This film felt so refreshing to just exist on its own terms and not try to be something conventional; it never crosses into romantic comedy territory and it never gets too melodramatic. Instead it's all about a platonic friendship that arrises out of an unusual circumstance and how to navigate the boundaries of such a shared intimacy. I loved the film's insights into these two characters' different stages of life and the mindsets they've formed through their individual experiences. While I would have loved a more conclusive ending, I still completely appreciate this film's beautiful simplicity. RATING: 7.5/10 LAND A grieving woman makes a new life for herself living off the land in the Wyoming wilderness in Land. It's truly unfortunate that Land comes out so close on the heels of Nomadland because comparisons are just going to be inevitable. It feels like we've seen this before and done better which again is bad luck for Robin Wright who definitely puts her heart into this-- both in front of and behind the camera-- as she stars in her directorial debut. While the film does feel overly familiar, it also features some stunning cinematography and breathtaking locations. Ultimately though, while it's a promising start for Wright as a director, the film needs something more to stand apart from other movies that have treaded the same territory. RATING: 6/10

Luckily, this day's slate for me wasn't as jam-packed as the day before but I was still able to see three more movies. Check out my quick thoughts on them below! SUPERIOR An estranged twin sister disrupts the monotonous life of her twin as the past she's trying to escape catches up with her. This film felt like the possibilities were endless as to where the story could go, but feels like it chose the most boring path possible that it could pursue. I love the look of the film and the twins are perfectly cast, but ultimately it just didn't rise above average. RATING: 4.5/10 JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Judas and the Black Messiah tells the true story of William O'Neal, a man ordered by the FBI to go undercover as a member of the Black Panthers to give them dirt on Illinois Chapter leader Fred Hampton, or face time in prison. This is a very good movie with even better performances. LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya give some of the best performances of their career; even if we don't get as much into the psyche of these two men as I would have liked. I think the film would have benefited from showing a bit more of William's inner turmoil and if it had been edited a bit more tightly all around. RATING: 8/10 PRIME TIME Prime Time tells the story of a young man who attempts to take a tv station hostage on New Years Eve 1999 in the hopes of relaying an important message to the world. The film starts out really strong and is totally compelling. The mystery of what this kid wants to say and what the people around him are going to do is fascinating. Unfortunately all that intrigue fizzles out by the end as the diversions go on and on past the point of interest. RATING: 5.5/10

Sundance Day 4 I watched more movies in a day than I've ever done for the festival, and by the end of the day my brain was a pile of mush. I'd like to watch some of these on their own to see if I feel differently when I can give them a bit more attention, but as it was, these were my initial reactions to the films I saw. MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE I really wanted to like this movie, and honestly I'm not sure where the disconnect for me was because all of the pieces were there for this to be a lovable Sundance indie (joining the ranks of Sing Street and The Way Way Back). I think the big problem is that I've seen this done before and done better. Still, it's amiable enough that many people out there will really like it. RATING: 7/10 HOW IT ENDS This end of the world comedy is a simple exploration of dealing with regret, and its execution is as quirky as they come. The film basically is a series of cameos as one woman tries to make peace with her inner self (literally) before the world ends. Compared with a lot of the movies I've been watching for the festival, this felt light and fluffy like cotton candy and equally as colorful. Its lightheartedness was pretty refreshing for me and I loved its message. It's not the tightest or most memorable film I've seen, but I enjoyed watching it during a day where I watched a LOT. RATING: 7/10 MAYDAY Mayday is a Wizard of Oz-esque parable where one young woman enters an alternate dream reality where life is turned upside down. She joins a small group of woman soldiers at war with all the men they come across. This film started so strong, and the cinematography and color grading is absolutely gorgeous. It's a beautiful film to watch. But...it loses its momentum fast and the middle section feels really clunky. I just kept wondering what exactly was the point of it other than to make a thin allegory of feminism. Overall Mayday was disappointing despite some good performances from Mia Goth and Grace Van Patten. RATING: 6/10 THE BLAZING WORLD While the last film was a version of Wizard of Oz, this one is a gothic horror version of Alice in Wonderland. The Blazing World tries to channel the dark fairy tale aesthetics of Guillermo del Toro a la Pan's Labyrinth, and while it's not nearly as successful, I have to give it credit for its effort and ambition. And The Blazing World is certainly ambitious. I loved its attempt at creating its own fairy tale, I just wish it could have really stuck the landing. RATING: 7/10 PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND Of all the movies that would have really benefitted from being seen with an audience during this festival, this one stands out the most. This film plays out like an Eastern version of Mad Max with an unhinged Nicolas Cage as our unlikely hero. He gets a few moments here to add to his legendarily over-the-top canon and it makes me wish he was operating at that level the whole film. But as it is, it definitely has some moments of sluggishness when he's not around but you still gotta admire the filmmakers' aspirations. RATING: 7/10 STRAWBERRY MANSION Strawberry Mansion was all about a reality in which dreams are audited by the government and one man's discovery that we are being fed subliminal advertising during our sleep. I really loved the concept of this movie, and I appreciate the attempt to translate this idea onto the screen, but this movie was nearly unwatchable aside from the visuals. It's about as interesting as someone relaying a crazy dream to you that makes no sense and in which you completely have no investment in what happens. You never connect with these characters because the movie doesn't seem to want you to. In the right hands (ie Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, or Charlie Kaufman), this could have been incredible, but with the style here it just doesn't translate. RATING: 3/10 VIOLATION One woman's crusade for revenge against her brother-in-law is chronicled in Violation. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good female revenge story (see The Nightingale), and this film has moments of utter brilliance, but I found myself feeling a lot more sheer frustration and incredulousness at the actions depicted here. I love the non-linear storytelling and the way things unfold, as well as the acting by lead Madeleine Sims-Fewer, but I feel like we're missing a few earth shattering revelations to justify the level of brutality that is enacted here. The first half of the film is great, but the second gets bogged down in the details that just aren't as compelling. RATING: 5/10

Sundance Day 2 is now a wrap, so let's take a look at what movies I was able to see. A few other films had their premieres which I hope to be able to cover later, such as How it Ends and On the Count of Three, but luckily I was still able to catch four movies yesterday, two of which were on my most anticipated list. CRYPTOZOO In this fantastical story, mythical creatures called cryptids live among us but hide out of fear of not being accepted by the human world. A group of cryptid protectors makes a sanctuary for them and search the globe to offer them a refuge, but they're not the only ones looking... While the animation is beautiful, the story is just bizarre and overlong. I think this may have worked a lot better as an animated short. Cryptozoo purports to be an animated feature film for adults, and truly there will be some out there who embrace this fully, but this was not my cup of tea. RATING: 3/10 JOHN AND THE HOLE John and the Hole is a dark fable of sorts about a young teenage boy who, for no apparent reason, decides to trap his family in a bunker he found in the nearby woods. This oddball thriller was incredibly unique and captured my attention throughout. The film mostly relies on its young star Charlie Shotwell to do the heavy lifting, but it's far more interesting when it focuses on his family played by Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Ehle and Taissa Farmiga. But even for all the interesting concepts the film poses, it doesn't really want to commit to exploring anything in real depth. Most frustrating of all, it features that noncommittal typical vague indie movie ending when the viewer desires something far more satisfactory for their patience. RATING: 6/10 IN THE EARTH A scientist searches for a cure to a deadly virus inside an unusual park, where he happens upon a very peculiar individual. I didn't really know what to expect with In the Earth based on its Sundance description, so what I got was a lot different than what I imagined. In this case, having no expectations was a wonderful thing and I really got to experience the film in all its surprising glory. And goodness, what a fever dream roller coaster it was. In the Earth is a thrill ride and worth knowing as little as possible going in. The first half hour or so took awhile for me to get into, but from there it really grabs hold of your attention and doesn't let go. A word of warning to those with epilepsy, there is extreme usage of strobe lights towards the finale. RATING 8/10 KNOCKING Molly, a recent mental patient, moves into a new apartment where she swears she can hear someone knocking. But no one will believe her, so she's not sure what's real and what's not. There's slow burn horror, and then there's never being able to ignite a flame. Unfortunately, while I had really high hopes for this one (even going so far as predicting it could be this year's Hereditary), Knocking was exceedingly dull and unsatisfactory. The story framing creates zero tension and I just never found myself invested in Molly's journey. When the definitive answer finally comes to what is going on, I found that I just really didn't care either way. Somehow despite being such a short horror film, the pacing seriously drags and it felt a lot longer than it was. RATING 2/10

After a year without Marvel movies in theaters, Disney is making up for lost time. Today we're getting our third of the year with Eternals, with Spider-man: No Way Home still to come next month. Eternals introduces us to a new band of heroes: immortal beings who watch over the earth, but never interfere with the events they witness (in case you're wondering why they didn't help out with fictional events like Thanos erasing half of the galaxy, or real events like World War II...) If you enjoy constant dumps of exposition you're going to love this movie. Eternals attempts what Guardians of the Galaxy succeeded at-- introducing a whole new band of characters into the Marvel universe outside of the initial Avengers team and expanding the scope of its cinematic world. Unfortunately, Eternals is not so fortunate in achieving that same end. Let's just get this out of the way...Eternals is riddled with problems and is without a doubt a bottom of the barrel Marvel movie. For starters these characters are boring, thinly drawn and utterly lifeless. There are so many of them and yet I couldn't bring myself to care about a single one. That's a big problem in a movie that proclaims its stakes are so high yet feel so pointless in the grand Marvel scheme of things. I do not have any desire to spend time with them again in any future installments. It's not that they didn't assemble a nice cast, the talent is there--but no one seems to want to be there. You'd think with Chloe Zao coming off her work that won her an Oscar in Nomadland would inspire more enthusiasm than this, but alas. The other big problem here is that it's bloated and overlong. A good half hour needed to be trimmed from this to keep the proceedings more lively. Some scenes are redundant, others are dull. But most of all it's a convoluted mess that over and over seems to break the cardinal film sin: show don't tell. If you have to constantly tell your audience that it's okay these heroes exist and never helped before...maybe you need to ask yourself if this is really a story worth telling. RATING: 3/10

In 2016, Pablo Larraín gave the world Jackie starring Natalie Portman. Five years later he brings us the story of another style icon and public figure with Princess Diana in Spencer. The two films share quite a lot of similarities and not just that they serve as a showcase for really great performances by their lead actress (as well as a fashion montage of both of their iconic wardrobes to boot). Like Jackie, Spencer gives us an up-close and personal look at the princess, but here it's throughout the course of a Christmas holiday weekend with the royal family. The tradition goes that Christmas is spent at one of the Queen's many houses, Sandringham a castle close to Diana's childhood home. The year is 1991 and Diana's marriage is on the rocks. Every second she's struggling to pull it together as she finds all the expectations around her to be suffocating. Spencer is often shot and scored like a horror film which truly highlights the emotional turmoil Diana experienced. The film states at the very beginning that it is a "fable based on a true story", letting the audience know that it plans to take some liberties in telling its tale. Much of the film is certainly told as a metaphor and not intended to be taken literally. Still, I can't help but feel uncomfortable knowing that pretty much all of the subjects of the film besides its lead, are real people who are still alive and well. Whether or not it was a true depiction of her inner self, it certainly isn't a flattering one. Kristen Stewart gives a fantastic performance to be sure and is exactly what this movie calls for her to be, but whether or not Diana was as fragile as she portrays her to be, no one but those closest to her would know. So everything we're seeing is certainly a fantasy, but you can tell that's the way Larraín wants it. There is no doubt that Spencer has grand ambitions in the story it wants to tell. Larraín makes many bold choices here, some of which I felt really worked (like the dinner scene with the pearls), and others that did not (all of the uses of overbearing jazz music whenever she took a stroll in the dark). But one thing is true, and that is that I can't stop thinking about it. The more I think about it the more I admire it. So many scenes and shots just stayed with me and were as haunting as intended. Spencer is an arrestingly beautiful film from the incredible cinematography to the reflective screenplay, gorgeous costume design, and stellar performances. It's one of the best that 2021 has to offer. RATING: 8/10