It's that time of year again when the Sundance Film Festival rolls around! Lots of titles have caught my eye, but here are the ten I'm most excited about seeing and will do my best to try and catch! 10. Tesla Sundance Summary: Brilliant, brooding inventor Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke) fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition. Increasingly displeased by the greed of fellow inventor Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan), Tesla forges his own virtuous but arduous path toward creating the innovative alternate-current motor. His European nature is at odds with budding American industrialism, and the landscape of intellectual property is treacherous—and Tesla slowly becomes jailed in his overactive mind. His associate Anne Morgan (Eve Hewson) analyzes and presents his story as it unfolds, offering a distinctly modern voice in this scientific period drama. Sundance Film Festival veteran Ethan Hawke returns in this informative and engaging historical piece directed by Michael Almereyda (A Hero of Our Time, Marjorie Prime). With Tesla's controversies, legal battles, entrepreneurial clashes, and romantic interests, Almereyda weaves together a portrait of a man struggling against the interests of his time. The profundity of his electrical mind is unearthed through this rediscovery of the development of electricity in the United States, ultimately posing existential questions about invention, industry, greed, love, and lightning. Why I'm interested: I think Nikola Tesla is a fascinating historical figure and if anyone can bring him to life properly it's Ethan Hawke. Over the last few years Hawke has been really consistent in picking his roles, so I have no doubt this one will be great too. 9. The Night House Sundance Summary: Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep together—but then the dreams come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house call to her, beckoning with a ghostly allure. But the harsh light of day washes away any proof of a haunting. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into his belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and terrible and a mystery she’s determined to resolve. Returning to the Sundance Film Festival with his latest descent into psychological horror, genre innovator David Bruckner’s new vision teems with superior craftsmanship and ghastly precision, proving him an integral voice in his field. Grounded by an absolutely impeccable performance from the peerless Rebecca Hall, who carries each frame with a weight and nuance that feels effortless, The Night House offers a stunningly effective take on the traditional ghost story, one that lingers with chilling grace. Why I'm interested: If there's one thing I've learned about Sundance over the last decade, it's that you can count on them to have discovered one really great horror film each festival. All of the Midnight Selections this year look great and I would easily include them all on the list, but my gut tells me this one has the greatest chance of being this year's Hereditary.. or at the very least The Lodge. 8. The Assistant Sundance Summary: The Assistant, Kitty Green’s follow-up to her acclaimed Casting JonBenet, premiered at the 2019 Telluride Film Festival and impressed audiences with its tightly framed, quietly devastating, and intense portrayal of oppression in a workplace. Jane (Julia Garner) is a junior assistant to a prominent entertainment executive, a man whose face we never get to see, though whose character is clearly inspired by the #MeToo testimonies surrounding Harvey Weinstein. There is nothing glamorous or rewarding about her job, yet she’s often reminded that any young aspiring film producer would kill to take her place. Over the course of 24 hours we witness as Garner’s superbly understated Jane faces a multitude of degradations and hostilities (from both men and women), which she continues to bear stoically. She quietly goes about her mundane tasks with an attitude of someone who is used to this type of treatment. Just when we think that nothing can be done about her growing discomfort in this land of self-importance, Jane takes action—and what follows is a fascinating depiction of the mechanics that lead to abuse of power. Why I'm interested: This is a perspective in the Harvey Weinstein #metoo era whose story I'm really interested in being told. How did the people (particularly women) who helped him take advantage live with themselves every day just so they could get a foot in the industry? 7. Possessor Sundance Summary: Tasya Vos is a corporate agent who uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people’s bodies, driving them to commit assassinations for the benefit of the company. While she has a special gift for the work, her experiences on these jobs have caused a dramatic change in her, and in her own life she struggles to suppress violent memories and urges. As her mental strain intensifies, she begins to lose control, and soon she finds herself trapped in the mind of a man whose identity threatens to obliterate her own. Writer/director Brandon Cronenberg’s splendid mindfuck cinema pushes this pulpy thriller—his second feature film—to startling new heights. Cronenberg scripts an efficient mystery that is colored rich and grotesque in the depths of his imagination. While Possessor dazzles with impeccable design and ambitious world building, the film remains grounded by the haunting lead performances of Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. If you are willing to accept the assignment, this violent shocker will be impossible to shake. Why I'm interested: For starters, the plot sounds wild and fantastic. If done right, this could be one of the most exciting films of the festival. Plus I'm really intrigued to see Brandon Cronenberg's (son of David Cronenberg) directorial debut. 6. Nine Days Sundance Summary: What if being born is not the beginning but the goal? In a house distant from the reality we know, a reclusive man named Will interviews prospective candidates—personifications of human souls—for the privilege he once had: to be born. Five contenders emerge. During the course of nine days, Will tests each of them, but he can choose only one. The victor will be rewarded with a coveted opportunity to become a newborn in the real world, while the others will cease to exist—nine days is everything they’ll ever experience. Supernatural, metaphysical, and packed with the deepest, most human emotions, this spiritual child of Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry will hit you in the head and the heart. Propelled by an extraordinary performance from Winston Duke as Will and buoyed by a stunning supporting cast of highly accomplished actors, Nine Days marks not only the feature debut but the cinematic birth of writer-director Edson Oda, a singular, visionary artist. Why I'm interested: The concept of this film is so fascinating to me. We've seen a lot of movies set in the afterlife, but not many with what happens before humans make their way to earth. Plus anything that gets compared to a Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry collaboration immediately has my attention! 5. Downhill Sundance Summary: Billie (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Pete (Will Ferrell), and their sons are on a balcony during an idyllic family ski vacation in the Alps when an avalanche suddenly strikes. While they all emerge physically unharmed, Pete’s actions during the avalanche reveal a side of him that leaves his family in a state of shock. The aftermath of this moment permeates the remainder of the trip, and the harder Pete tries to avoid the truth and gloss things over, the more Billie and her sons are forced to re-evaluate their lives and, more specifically, how they feel about Pete—as a husband, father, and man. Inspired by the 2014 film Force Majeure by Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund, Downhill is fiercely observational of modern masculinity and human frailty. Co-directors and writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash make Billie the heart of this relationship drama, and Louis-Dreyfus delivers a brilliant performance that captivates and delights in every searing, cringe-inducing scene. As wickedly funny as it is mercilessly truthful, Downhill is the story of a natural catastrophe that prompts a metaphorical landslide within a family. Why I'm interested: I've actually (shh don't tell anyone) never seen Force Majeure, so I'm not nearly as outraged at this remake as all of Film Twitter... BUT I do love the pairing of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell and hope that he channels more of the type of nuanced performance he gave in Stranger Than Fiction. But probably the biggest reason I'm excited for this is because it is Nat Faxon and Jim Rash bringing this to screen. Their last was one of my all-time Sundance favorites The Way Way Back. 4. Promising Young Woman Sundance Summary: Suspiciously unambitious Cassie (Carey Mulligan) leads a quiet existence as a barista who lives in her parents’ house since dropping out of medical school. She and her friendly boss, Gail (Laverne Cox), gab away days at the cafe. The way she spends her evenings, however, reveals a boiling vendetta. Men who cross her path are in serious danger, as beautiful and brutal Cassie seeks to heal from past trauma by doling out scathing lessons. When Ryan (Bo Burnham), a former classmate, re-enters her life, so does the possibility of healing—until new details about the death of her best friend infuriate Cassie and inspire her most potent confrontation yet. Killing Eve’s Emerald Fennell brings her debut feature to the Sundance Film Festival after premiering Careful How You Go in the Shorts Program in 2018. Her signature bite, wit, and re-imagined femme fatales make Promising Young Woman a daring but dark inspiration. Fennell and her team paint a perversely heroic portrait and a eulogy to the loss of potential that occurs when male cruelty claims yet another promising young woman. Why I'm interested: The trailer for this looks great and I'm excited for Carey Mulligan to play something really different than the roles she normally takes on. This movie looks dark and full of twists and turns. I'm excited for the ride! 3. Scare Me Sundance Summary: Fred (Josh Ruben), a frustrated copywriter, checks in to a winter cabin to start his first novel. While jogging in the nearby woods, he meets Fanny (Aya Cash), a successful and smug young horror author who fuels his insecurities. During a power outage, Fanny challenges Fred to tell a scary story. As a storm sets in, they pass the time spinning spooky tales fueled by the tensions between them, and Fred is forced to confront his ultimate fear: Fanny is the better storyteller. The stakes are raised when they’re visited by a horror fan (Chris Redd) who delivers levity (and a pizza) to the proceedings. Writer-director Josh Ruben’s debut feature is a metafictional horror comedy about the pleasures and perils of storytelling and the genre’s power to exorcise social demons. Scare Me is a clever and chilling hybrid of humor and horror that subverts the cabin-in-the-woods trope. Propelled by Cash and Ruben’s comedic chemistry, Scare Me ventures into darker territory, drawing dread and pathos from the gender hostilities driving Fanny and Fred’s game of ghost stories. Why I'm interested: I think this premise is full of potential. I'll be interested to see if it leans more into the comedy or the horror, but I think there's a lot of places this movie could go and as a horror fan I couldn't be more excited. 2. Save Yourselves Sundance Summary: Jack (John Reynolds) and Su (Sunita Mani) are a hip Brooklyn couple who, like many of their friends, find themselves dependent on technology and unable to put down their phones. Fearing their mindless scrolling may impact their connection with each other, they seize the chance to head to an isolated cabin in the woods, vowing to unplug from the outside world for a week. Sheltered from texts and push notifications, they are blissfully unaware when aliens attack the earth. As strange events unfold, the couple must figure out a way back to civilization—or what’s left of it. Writer-directors Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer (Snowy Bing Bongs) have crafted a zany sci-fi comedy as hilarious as it is thrilling, taking a millennial worst-case scenario and lighting it on fire. Reynolds’s and Mani’s engaging performances bring to life razor-sharp writing that affectionately satirizes modern life and love. Ultimately, Save Yourselves! is an ode to an internet-savvy generation that has never known connection without autocorrection. Why I'm interested: The plot of this movie sounds hilarious. (Seeing a pattern? Every movie on this list I'm basically drawn to its story.) I love the idea of two oblivious millennials being totally cut off to an apocalyptic threat and having no idea what to do once it catches up to them. 1. Palm Springs Sundance Summary: Stuck in Palm Springs for her younger sister Tala’s destination wedding, family black sheep and reluctant maid of honor Sarah meets carefree Nyles, the date of a vapid bridesmaid. After Nyles bails Sarah out of giving a wedding toast, she quickly realizes that he is actually not a sentimental fool at all and feels drawn to his offbeat nihilism. After their impromptu tryst is thwarted by a surreal, unexpected interruption, Sarah joins Nyles in embracing the idea that nothing really matters, and they begin wreaking spirited havoc on the wedding celebration. Director Max Barbakow’s ambitious and playful dramatic feature debut, Palm Springs is a lighthearted romp peppered with thoughtful realizations about the nature of love and loneliness. Cristin Milioti gives a winsome and soulful performance as Sarah, matching Andy Samberg’s impressive comedic chops as the jaded Nyles step for step. A terrific ensemble cast, including Peter Gallagher and Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons alongside rising stars Camila Mendes and Meredith Hagner, deliver memorable supporting turns as the colorful guests at the seemingly endless wedding. Why I'm interested: I'm a sucker for romantic comedies done right. They're a dying breed, so if I can find one that exists and is actually good I gotta find a way to see it. My all-time favorite movie (500) Days of Summer was a Sundance rom-com after all! This one happens to have a really fun premise and a great cast. Andy Samberg is a goofball, but shows some real tenderness too in Brooklyn 99 so I think he's more than ready to play a leading man. Cristin Miliotti was fantastic and totally wasted in How I Met Your Mother so it would be great for her talents to finally break through! Plus JK Simmons is great in anything. Sign me up!! Well that's a wrap. Look for my review round ups to trickle in soon!!

Check out my appearance on Baconsale and hear in my own words exactly what I thought of Harley Quinn's solo adventure in Birds of Prey.

In any other crowded film release year, a movie like Love and Monsters would fall by the wayside and not really garner any word of mouth. In 2020 however, when there are no other movies out, Love & Monsters comes along and inexplicably receives a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and decent buzz on twitter. So is the movie a true gem to come out of this year, or an average film that just got lucky? The always likable young adult actor Dylan O'Brien stars as Joel, a young man who has spent the last seven years surviving the apocalypse with a group of strangers. All of his fellow survivors have all found love and happily found their match within the bunker, and Joel can't help but feel a bit lonely. A romantic at heart, Joel can't help but wonder how different his life had been had this apocalypse not abruptly ended his last relationship, with who considered the love of his life, Aimee (Jessica Henwick.) He knows Aimee is still alive and in another bunker about 80 miles away, in fact they've even spoken and exchanged a few laughs. Convinced that their separation is the only thing standing in the way of their happy ending, Joel sets out to win her back. The only problem is that apocalypse has basically changed all animal life, making the smallest animals and insects now gigantic monsters. Love and Monsters is your run of the mill YA fantasy adventure film. It's not particularly tense (though there are certainly some good sequences here,) nor is it particularly funny. You get the sense that the film was created around sequences rather than actual plot and that doesn't make it particularly compelling. The film meanders along and Joel eventually meets up with a couple survivors showing him that it is possible to live on the land. They don't add much and you forget about them as soon as they're not on the screen anymore. Unfortunately, that sentiment is pretty much true for the rest of the film as well. The end sequence actually attempts some meta poignancy amid the pandemic, and the ending does feel timely. But ultimately it all feels a bit too little, too late. While I'm happy to have new movies and anything is welcome right now, it still doesn't change the fact that this one just felt too formulaic for me. RATING: 6/10

After a few delays, Christopher Nolan's Tenet finally debuted in theaters today in hopes of saving cinema. While other big budget releases keep getting pushed back indefinitely, Warner Brothers decided to put it all on whether or not people would flock to the cinemas for their biggest tentpole release of the year. It's hard not to yearn for an alternate reality where this film came out in a regular July amidst all the other blockbusters so we could be comparing it to everything else, instead of perhaps being upset that maybe it isn't the end all be all savior of cinema that some were hoping for. The film had quite a lot to live up to, and for some it couldn't be exactly what they wanted, but I on the other hand, absolutely adored it. A man simply known to the audience as the Protagonist (John David Washington,) is recruited by a secret organization to help save the world. An evil man named Sator (Kenneth Branagh) has the key to destroy humanity and in order to stop him, the Protagonist must get close with Sator through his wife Kat (Elizabeth Debicki) all while learning to understand the new reality of tenet and what that means. John David Washington, though not given much in terms of character, is still quite excellent here. Robert Pattinson gives a strong yet understated performance and Elizabeth Debicki is terrific as always and I felt the movie could have used even more of her as she was one of the best parts. Kenneth Branagh is totally committed here, I'm just not so certain how much I bought it. Ultimately, he may have been miscast, as he's never quite the threat that he's sold to be. Now let's get one thing straight, Tenet is a flawed film and it is not among the top tier Nolan masterpieces... but it is absolutely thrilling to behold. Tenet can never reach the heights of Inception or Interstellar because it lacks the heart. We never get that moment for the Protagonist like we do in Inception when Cobb shows Ariadne his elevator of memories featuring Mal; or in Interstellar where Cooper watches two decades worth of videos from his children as he sobs that loss. Instead, the protagonist here is simply a vehicle the audience uses to discover the world of Tenet. We don't really get to know him at all, we just get to experience the story through him. Perhaps this is intentional as our hero literally doesn't even have a name; perhaps he isn't meant to be attached to, but it's disappointing all the same. That said, Tenet works in spite of this lack of characterization (unlike Dunkirk before it, which suffered from the exact same problem) because of how cool it all is. The visuals are jaw droppingly spectacular and Christopher Nolan sure knows how to direct an action sequence. Some of the action here may be the best of his career and that's truly saying a lot. So while this may not be a perfect film, I still can't help but marvel at the creative mind of Christopher Nolan. I truly feel lucky as a lover of cinema to take in whatever he shares with us next. RATING: 8.5/10

From all the buzz I'd heard, Taika Waititi's new film Jojo Rabbit seems to have divided people from those who loved it to those who were offended by its irreverent take on such a serious subject like the holocaust. This isn't the first time comedies about the holocaust have been attempted (not that I'd classify Jojo as solely a comedy either as it's more of a dramedy,) but no matter when it is attempted people usually take a deep breath in hoping for the best. In the case of Jojo Rabbit, the film focuses on a young German boy named Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) who is obsessed with Nazi propaganda and pride for his country during WWII. In fact, he even has an imaginary best friend Hitler played by Taika Waititi himself (most likely the source of most people's discomfort with the film.) His world is soon turned upside down when he discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in the attic of his own home. After getting off to a rocky start, he soon discovers the humanity within her and has to take a look at the things he really believes. Not everything works in Jojo Rabbit. In fact the weak link here is undoubtedly Taika's Hitler who thankfully is used less as the film goes on. The use of him didn't offend me, but he also wasn't totally necessary to get the point across either. That said, there's a lot of great things this film has to offer. The film is really funny and also full of heart. The best part of it is undoubtedly the performance of its adorable lead Davis. He really is great in this part and sells everything this film is trying to do. My only regret is he's forced to utter the F word near the end of the film which makes it hard to recommend to everyone. Scarlett Johansson is also the best she's been in ages as his hopeful idealist mother trying to do the right thing. Thomasin McKenzie also does a solid job in her role and her scenes with Davis are the best part of the film. Overall Jojo Rabbit is a really good film that will make you laugh, smile and maybe even cry. RATING: 8/10

From the early buzz of Terminator Dark Fate people were deeming this The Force Awakens of the Terminator franchise. Since most people love that film (though I myself do not,) I figured that was a good sign and was cautiously optimistic that we’d finally have a really great Terminator film on our hands. As it turns out The Force Awakens was an incredibly apt comparison to make as that’s exactly what Dark Fate was. The problem is, it’s the worst parts of that comparison that ended up being accurate: it's a gender swap movie remake. Yawn. Terminator Dark Fate follows the recent trend of being a sequel that pretends the other less favorable sequels in the franchise don’t exist. Instead it acts as a direct sequel to the last good film (in this case Terminator 2) and ignores all the canon of everything after that. In this sequel we learn that Sarah Connor actually successfully did prevent judgement day, but can’t prevent a similar future. So once again, terminators are sent from the future to kill the hope of mankind...except this time it’s not John Connor but a teenager named Dani. Like The Force Awakens, one of the characters in the original film becomes the mentor to a new protagonist. In this case it’s Sarah Connor taking Dani and her protector from the future Grace under her wing. Also similar to TFA rebranding the empire to the first order and the rebellion to the resistance, Dark Fate also goes through its own unnecessary rebranding. In this reality Skynet no longer exists, instead it’s a company called legion. And terminator models have different names too. It’s all designed to take a hammer to the lore to shake it up for no reason than to remake the first two movies again. For me I really don’t enjoy seeing the really cool future that the first two Terminator movies set up completely destroyed. I’ve always been really interested in seeing the future that was teased in these movies. Unfortunately the one time the franchise tried that (in Terminator Salvation) they focused on the wrong character and the movie turned out really bland. At this point I’m not really sure what can salvage this franchise, but this wasn't the way to go. For one thing, I really don't understand the idea that it's empowering to give women the roles that were meant for men just as an act of good will. Just start writing better roles for women! Sarah Connor is actually a perfect example of a strong female character who was written that way without doing anyone any favors. She comes off as so much more organic than the female Kyle Reese and female John Connor this movie presents us with. For the positives, the action was fun and Arnold & Linda seemed to enjoy returning to their roles. I just wish the movie they were in was much better than it was. RATING: 5/10

Once again, Sundance has come to an end. This year I was lucky enough to see 22 films, and while there wasn't one I'd deem this years Hereditary, Sing Street, or Manchester by the Sea, Sundance once again still had quite a lot to offer. Here's Part 1 of my Roundup, in order of what I liked the best. CLEMENCY In Clemency, Alfre Woodard plays Bernadine Williams, a warden who has spent her career working on death row. After years of watching prisoners sent to death, the work is beginning to take its toll, particularly in the case of a man whose lawyer works relentlessly for a clemency appeal. Woodard delivers career best work here and the film ponders some really tough questions, and leaves viewers with the same burden Bernadine feels on her shoulders. This was my favorite film I saw during the festival. THE NIGHTINGALE The Nightingale follows the tragic tale of Clare, an Irish convict in Australia who loses her family in an unspeakable tragedy and sets out for revenge. Before the screening, volunteers were warning festival goers of the intense nature of the film and advised anyone who couldn't handle the graphic violence and trauma depicted in the film to stay away. Going in with that sort of warning, I must say I had a very certain set of expectations for what I was about to see. The Nightingale was in fact shockingly and heartbreakingly brutal. I must say, I even shed a few tears for our heroine. The film is excellent, though I had some frustrations with some of the pacing. The film could have probably lost a good half hour and been much stronger. THE HOLE IN THE GROUND In The Hole in the Ground, young mother Sarah and her son Chris have just moved to a new town with an odd next door neighbor...and a mysterious hole in the woods near their apartment. One evening Chris goes out to explore the area, but comes back not quite himself. Soon his mother suspects he may be an impostor. As a horror film, there's nothing really new that The Hole in the Ground has to offer, but it sure executes the familiarity of the genre quite well. The film plays like a best of hits album for the horror genre with minimal remix of the usual tropes, but it never comes off as tired. THE LODGE With lots of solid horror movies coming out of Sundance this year, The Lodge was the one that got the instant comparisons to last years big hit Hereditary. The story follows two young children trapped in a snowed-in cabin over the holidays with their soon to be step-mother. There's an eerie feeling that pervades this film and creates a slow burn of dread for the viewer. The scares never reach the level of Hereditary, but its finale is incredibly chilling all the same. I AM MOTHER I Am Mother takes place in a world where mankind has been erased from the planet, save for a robot tasked with raising a new generation of humanity. In the film, we view the robot known as Mother, as she attempts to raise a human girl. This film was absolutely fascinating and a great entry into the post apocalyptic film genre. I Am Mother pays homage to lots of other sci-fi greats, while still feeling wholly fresh and its own thing. The film could have been a bit tighter, but it was pretty fantastic and thrilling all the same. LATE NIGHT In Late Night, Mindy Kaling writes and stars in this film about a female writer named Molly hoping to get her big break in late night television all while butting heads with the tv show's veteran star Katherine Newbury. When Katherine discovers she's about to be replaced, she reluctantly turns to Molly to help revitalize her show. If you've ever watched The Mindy Project, you'll find more of the same work place humor here. I happen to love Mindy Kaling's work, so I was similarly charmed with Late Night, and found myself laughing quite a bit. The film is a little weightier than your usual comedy as it attempts to tackle gender and racial discrimination in the work place, as well living in the post "Me Too" world. SWEETHEART As the lone survivor of a sailing trip, Jenn finds her way to a small deserted little island. Everything seems fine during the day, but once night comes she discovers something very sinister in the shores near the island. If you've ever wondered what Cast Away meets Cloverfield would look like as a movie, look no further than Sweetheart. Sweetheart is a blast of a creature feature horror film all packed into about 82 minutes. It's never dull nor does it outstay its welcome as the pace keeps things moving constantly. The film is an absolute thrill ride and Kiersey Clemons does a lot of heavy lifting here, as she has to nearly carry the entire film on her back. I can't wait to see it again! AFTER THE WEDDING In After the Wedding, Michelle Williams plays Isabel, the manager of an orphanage who is brought to New York by a mysterious benefactor with a generous offer (Julianne Moore.) After the Wedding was the first feature film I saw at this year's festival and I just absolutely love the way it was told in withholding important information from the audience, even though it's clear the characters know more. There's this moment during the wedding when you just KNOW that something is going on that we are not yet privy to that the characters are all too familiar with, and the intense drama in the moment is almost unbearable for the audience. After the Wedding is a “life is complicated” drama that carefully (and impressively) never really veers into full blown melodrama when it easily could. EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile follows the life of well known serial killer Ted Bundy during the years he was in a relationship with his long-time girlfriend Liz. While the film isn't completely from her perspective, we see Ted more as she does... in a way that doesn't confirm truly who he is. Zac Efron gives a surprisingly nuanced performance as Bundy and is truly effective at channeling the serial killer. Lily Collins turns in a solid performance as well as Liz. The film is interesting throughout, but never fully reaches its potential. THEM THAT FOLLOW In Them That Follow, a preacher's daughter of a zealous religion must choose between her heart and duty. Their religion is a unique one in which its members believe in the sanctity of snakes in determining who among them is actually righteous. If you can hold a vicious snake without it attacking you, you are then deemed pure of heart. To most people such a concept is bizarre, but for the people of this film it is their honest way of worship. Them That Follow is a truly unique film portraying a window into a way of life I never really knew existed. I thought these people were fascinating and the heart of the story earnest and sincere. It's one of those films where you're not quite sure who to recommend it to, but yet you want to tell everyone about it anyway.

Hello readers! Long time, no write. I'm so sorry for my absence, but I couldn't let a Sundance season go by without telling you about some of the movies that have piqued my interest. This year I'll be seeing more than ever, so keep your eyes peeled for my various hot takes throughout the festival. Here are the ten films that caught my interest the most. 10. Wounds SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Will is a bartender in New Orleans. He has a great job, great friends, and a girlfriend, Carrie, who loves him. He skates across life’s surface, ignoring complications and concentrating on enjoying the moment. One night at the bar, a violent brawl breaks out, which injures one of his regular customers and causes some college kids to leave behind a cell phone in their haste. Will begins receiving disturbing texts and calls from the stranger’s phone. While Will hopes to not get involved, Carrie gets lost down a rabbit hole investigating this strange malevolence. They’ve discovered something unspeakable, and it’s crawling slowly into the light. Writer/director Babak Anvari returns to terrify at the Sundance Film Festival Midnight section with this adaptation of the novella The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud. From its opening scene, Wounds strikes an uneasy tone that begins to fester and continues to spread until its shocking climax. Armie Hammer revels in this unlikely turn that allows his attractive smile to fade away and reveals the true creature that may be lurking on the inside. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: I like the matchup of Armie Hammer & Dakota Johnson here. After Suspiria, I'm excited to see Johnson return to the horror genre again and the paranoia she'll bring to the role. Plus I'm ALWAYS game for some Armie Hammer. 9. Relive SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Los Angeles detective Jack Radcliff fields a distressed phone call from his niece Ashley and rushes to the rescue—only to find the girl and her parents dead in an apparent murder-suicide. Then, just as the police department declares the killings an open-and-shut case, Jack gets another call from Ashley. With the cell-phone connection acting as a link between the past and the present, Jack urges Ashley to collect clues that will help him to solve her murder and change her fate. Part supernatural thriller, part time-warped police procedural, Relive is the newest release from Blumhouse Productions, the innovative horror hit makers behind Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017 Sundance Film Festival). Writer-director and Sundance Film Festival alumnus Jacob Estes (Mean Creek, The Details) infuses this heady hybrid with the chills of an old-fashioned ghost story and the paranoia of a conspiracy thriller. David Oyelowo gives a nervy performance as the haunted hero, and Storm Reid, star of last year’s A Wrinkle in Time, is remarkable as the spectral teen detective. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Sure it screams a little bit Frequency 2.0, but as someone who happens to really dig Frequency I'm totally on board with this. 8. Clemency SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: How do you salvage your marriage when you are struggling to salvage your soul, your sense of self, and your sense of right and wrong? Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) is a prison warden who, over the years, has been drifting away from her husband while dutifully carrying out executions in a maximum security prison. When she strikes up a unique bond with death-row inmate Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge), a layer of emotional skin is peeled back, forcing Bernadine to confront the complex—and often contradictory—relationship between good intentions, unrequited desires, and what it means to be sanctioned to kill. Clemency is an absorbing and penetrating character study that pulls into deep focus the various ways in which people facing impossible ethical circumstances strive to achieve some state of grace. Director Chinonye Chukwu crafts a dense, emotional film through masterful restraint and precision, drawing forth radiant performances that illuminate the internal grapplings of people searching for redemption and self-recognition. A rare, sensitive, and deeply observant prison drama, Clemency offers a fresh and meaningful contribution to the genre. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: This sounds like a fascinating, emotional story. Alfre Woodard is a great actress and I'd love to see her knock this out of the park. 7. The Hole In The Ground SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Sarah moves her precocious son, Chris, to a secluded new home in a rural town, trying to ease his apprehensions as they hope for a fresh start after a difficult past. But after a startling encounter with a mysterious new neighbor, Sarah’s nerves are set on edge. Chris disappears in the night into the forest behind their house, and Sarah discovers an ominous, gaping sinkhole while searching for him. Though he returns, some disturbing behavioral changes emerge, and Sarah begins to worry that the boy who came back is not her son. Lee Cronin’s exquisitely crafted and sublimely atmospheric feature debut pairs unsettling camera work with a deeply ominous score, casting even such innocuous images as a row of toys or a children’s recital in markedly sinister light. Seána Kerslake delivers an impressively controlled performance as a mother who has centered her strength around protecting her child but finds her devotion overcome by a terrified feeling—that there’s an impostor in her house, and he’s watching her as closely as she’s watching him. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Each year the Sundance Midnight lineup usually offers up a future classic to the horror genre. My money is on this or The Lodge. 6. The Lodge SUNDANCE SUMMARY: Devoted to their devastated mother, siblings Aidan and Mia resent Grace, the younger woman their newly separated father plans to marry. They flatly reject Grace’s attempts to bond, and they dig up dirt on her tragic past—but soon they find themselves trapped with her, snowed in in a remote holiday village after their dad heads back to the city for work. Just as relations begin to thaw, strange and frightening events threaten to unearth psychological demons from Grace’s strictly religious childhood. An unblinking study of human frailty, The Lodge offers a haunting exploration of the traumatic aftershocks of religious devotion while positing that some evils just don’t die. Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala build an overwhelming disquiet from this visceral and stylish film’s very first scene, before nestling their claustrophobic thriller within a disorientingly endless snow-filled landscape. Riley Keough exudes fragility as well-meaning Grace’s every good intention leads her deeper back toward the hell of her own past, while Jaeden Martell and Lia McHugh do impressive work as the kids’ practiced defiance turns to fear. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Again, I'm taking my chances with the horror selection here and hoping that one of these is the next Hereditary, The Babadook or The Witch. I really like this concept and it can go in a lot of different fascinating ways. 5. I Am Mother SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Shortly after humanity’s extinction, in a high-tech bunker deep beneath the earth’s surface, a robot named Mother commences her protocol. Designed to repopulate the earth with humans born from test-tube embryos, Mother raises a baby girl to become an intelligent, compassionate teenager (Clara Rugaard). But the arrival of a wounded woman (Hilary Swank) at the bunker door soon casts doubt on Mother’s account of the earth’s fate and threatens the unique bond between Mother and her “daughter.” Grant Sputore’s first feature, I Am Mother is a dazzling, character-driven sci-fi thriller that builds a smart philosophical framework around the “man vs. machine” trope and deftly questions what it means to be human. Based on Michael Lloyd Green’s Black List script, it interrogates Mother’s motivations, and it twists unexpectedly to culminate in a gripping dilemma about who the heroine can trust: a fellow human or the robot who raised her. Voiced by Rose Byrne, Mother is a curiously loving presence in this post-apocalyptic story that also explores the imminent age of autonomous and moral machines. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: There's always at least one or two really great sci-fi concept movies that jump out to me each year at Sundance, and this year it's I Am Mother. Plus I do love Rose Byrne and she usually has a good track record. 4. The Nightingale SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: One night in 1820s Tasmania, Clare, a young Irish convict, loses everything she holds dear after her family is horrifically attacked. She’s immediately driven to track down and seek revenge against the British officer who oversaw the horror, so she enlists the service of an Aboriginal tracker named Billy. Marked by trauma from his own violence-filled past, Billy reluctantly agrees to take her through the interior of Tasmania. On this brutal quest for blood, Clare gets much more than she bargained for. A snarling Aisling Franciosi drives this merciless revenge thriller through the unforgiving land of 19th-century Tasmania, a time when British colonists nearly decimated Aboriginal Tasmanians. With horrors around every corner, Jennifer Kent’s new nightmare will traumatize the weak of heart, but those willing will discover a majestic achievement most striking in its haunting moments of grace. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Jennifer Kent, director of The Babadook returns once again to the Sundance Film Festival to show off her second feature film. As I adored The Babadook, I'm completely game to see what Jennifer Kent does next. 3. Velvet Buzzsaw SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: In the cutthroat world of fine-art trading and representation, up-and-coming agent Josephina (Zawe Ashton) stumbles across a secret weapon: hundreds of dazzling paintings left behind after an elderly tenant in her building dies. Ignoring the instructions the clandestine artist left to destroy his work, she promptly starts circulating the paintings, which soon attract the attention of the heavy hitters around her—including her boss Rhodora (Rene Russo), art critic (and Josephina’s sometime lover) Morf (Jake Gyllenhaal), and competing collectors, managers, and curators like Bryson (Billy Magnussen) and Gretchen (Toni Collette). Yet as the deceased artist’s portraits gain posthumous acclaim, they also awaken something imperceptible and sinister that threatens to punish those who have profited from his work. Master of suspense Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler) has assembled an all-star cast for this dark, uproarious, and painfully accurate spoof of the art world. With strong supporting turns by John Malkovich, Daveed Diggs, and Natalia Dyer, Velvet Buzzsaw invites us into a traditionally insular world that’s suddenly splattered wide open, where art and commerce collide with dire consequences. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Nightcrawler was one of my favorite movies of 2014 so naturally, I was incredibly excited to hear that Dan Gilroy was reteaming once again with stars Jake Gyllenhaal & Rene Russo. Plus its trailer (which I'm abstaining from,) set twitter completely abuzz. Unfortunately for Sundancers (but fortunately for everyone else...) this movie actually premieres simultaneously on Netflix during the festival, so everyone can catch this one at home instead of waiting around in the snow. 2. Late Night SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) is a pioneer and legendary host on the late-night talk-show circuit. When she’s accused of being a “woman who hates women,” she puts affirmative action on the to-do list, and—presto!—Molly (Mindy Kaling) is hired as the one woman in Katherine’s all-male writers’ room. But Molly might be too little too late, as the formidable Katherine also faces the reality of low ratings and a network that wants to replace her. Molly, wanting to prove she’s not simply a diversity hire who’s disrupting the comfort of the brotherhood, is determined to help Katherine by revitalizing her show and career—and possibly effect even bigger change at the same time. Thompson brings pathos and amusingly severe charm to the pantsuit-clad Katherine. Smartly written by Kaling and snappily directed by Nisha Ganatra, Late Night takes on white privilege, entitlement, and a culture veering toward crassness and conservatism. Questioning how women in power are “supposed” to act, it delivers a winsome, sophisticated comedy about the times in which we live. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: I am a fan of the comedy of Mindy Kaling (though admittedly, I quit The Mindy Project when they assassinated the Mindy/Danny relationship.) I also think Emma Thompson is an amazing actress. Therefore, this comedy penned by Kaling co-starring herself and Thompson set to the backdrop of the late night comedy world definitely alerted my radar and put it high on my most anticipated list. 1. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: 1969. Ted (Zac Efron) is crazy-handsome, smart, charismatic, affectionate. And cautious single mother Liz Kloepfer (Lily Collins) ultimately cannot resist his charms. For her, Ted is a match made in heaven, and she soon falls head over heels in love with the dashing young man. A picture of domestic bliss, the happy couple seems to have it all figured out … until, out of nowhere, their perfect life is shattered. Ted is arrested and charged with a series of increasingly grisly murders. Concern soon turns to paranoia—and, as evidence piles up, Liz is forced to consider that the man with whom she shares her life could actually be a psychopath. This is the story of Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. Collins shines as Liz, while Zac Efron gives a performance that could redefine his career. Renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger, best known for his true-crime documentaries, proves to be the perfect match to bring this Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile true story to the screen. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Call me crazy, but I've always had a fascination with the stories behind serial killers. Recently I was hoping My Friend Dahmer would give more insight into what made Jeffrey Dahmer a killer, but unfortunately it was exceedingly bland and nothing more than a wikipedia entry put to film. I'm hoping Ted Bundy's film gets better treatment. I'm interested to see what Zac Efron brings to the role and Lily Collins is always solid, so I look forward to see her portrayal of Bundy's longtime girlfriend. Netflix has a docu-series coming out TODAY all about Bundy, so the timing of this couldn't be more perfect.

A new year is upon us and it's time to look ahead to some of the films that 2019 has me most excited about. So let's take a look at what we've got to look forward to! 10. US Jordan Peele is back with another horror movie that's sure to be a hit! This time he's partnered with the very talented Lupita N'yongo who from the looks of the trailer, gets to play double duty playing two roles. The trailer looks excellent and after Get Out, my expectations couldn't be higher. 9. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD Quentin Tarantino is back with an ode to 60's film and he's teaming up with the two biggest stars he could find in Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. I'm really excited to see all three working together. I don't know much about what the movie will be, but I can't wait! 8. PET SEMATARY I really love the 1989 version of Pet Sematary, but this is the sort of movie where I feel like a remake is welcome. An updated version with an excellent cast could really freshen this tale up. This one could go either way, but if it It Chapter One proved anything, Stephen King films getting an update can be a really great thing. 7. GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS I feel like I've been seeing this film advertised for YEARS. While I found the first film to be a bit more on the disappointing side since they basically waited til the end to show all that sweet Godzilla action, I'm hoping that now that's been established we get a full film of Godzilla fighting all the other baddies. I am cautiously optimistic they'll have figured out the right formula this time. 6. IT CHAPTER 2 I was so excited at the end reveal of It Chapter One that it was in fact a part one with a sequel on its way as opposed to a standalone adaptation of just the first half of the novel. I'm excited to see the adult counterparts in action and the conclusion of the story. I hope they nail it just like they did part one. 5. SHAZAM Shazam looks like the most joyful superhero movie in AGES. The genre has become so self serious that it's an exciting prospect to watch this Big meets the superhero origin story take on the movie. The trailer is really funny and I hope it's as refreshing as it looks. 4. WHERE DID YOU GO BERNADETTE? This film has a lot of my favorite people involved in it! First we have Richard Linklater directing, then we have the fact that the (500) Days of Summer screenwriters have been attached to this for forever, and finally we have Cate Blanchett starring. There's no way this can't be good right? 3. GLASS M. Night Shyamalan continued his upswing with Split two years ago and shocked audiences with the twist that it was actually a sequel to Unbreakable. Soon after Shyamalan announced Glass, which would really bring the two films together culminating in a finale where David Dunn meets Kevin Wendell Crumb and his many identities. The trailer looks great and I really hope this marks Shyamalan's full comeback. 2. JOKER I'm really excited to see Joaquin's take on Batman's most notorious villain especially in an origin film that focuses on him only. The screenshot takes of Joaquin has been totally haunting and I'm sure Phoenix is gonna knock it out of the park (after all, when has he not?) 1. STAR WARS EPISODE IX JJ Abrams has his work cut out for him trying to bring some excitement back to the franchise after The Last Jedi divided the fanbase. Not only that, but he has to find a way to conclude this meandering trilogy and make it seem like it was planned that way all along. I have hope he's learned from the lessons of the past two movies and that they can find the right balance between doing something new, bringing back nostalgia, but not polarizing the fans.

This was one of the harder lists of the decade to compile. While there were a lot of good films this year, there weren't a ton that I really really loved. But here's a good solid ten that were my favorite. 10. AMERICAN ANIMALS American Animals was one of the highlights of this year's Sundance Film Festival. I loved how it combined the documentary and narrative style into a piece where it almost felt interactive to how the real life counterparts were telling the story. The film is great in setting up how these young guys fantasized and idealized the scenario vs. how it was to actually live through it. The heist sequence was one of the most tense moments I've seen in a movie since Whiplash. I loved this. 9. A QUIET PLACE John Krasinski directs and stars with his wife Emily Blunt in this suspense thriller about a family desperately trying to survive a new world in which aliens prey based on sound. This movie keeps you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath all throughout. You become conscious of every sound around you and it's hard not to be completely absorbed by everything going on. Any movie that demands your attention in that way that you can't just be a passive viewer is a winner in my book. 8. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK If Beale Street Could Talk is one of the most beautiful films of the year. The story jumps in time (similar to (500) Days of Summer) during this couple's relationship as they navigate their love amidst a false rape accusation and charge. The filmmaking here is all top notch from the performances, to the score and cinematography. The pacing is very deliberate and I wish things moved along a little quicker, but it's all done very thoughtfully. 7. WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? The Mr. Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor just gives you so much faith in humanity and is one of the most wholesome films of the year. It's hard not to be moved by this portrait of someone who did so much good in the world and inspired so many people. While I was never the biggest fan of the show as a kid, it gave me a new found respect for all he accomplished in his life and how many people he touched through his show. 6. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE Who knew an animated version of Spider-man could be so good? The key here is how beautiful that animation is and how much it pops (one of the rare films these days that feels like a must to watch in 3D.) the story is also excellent as different Spider-men from various dimensions cross paths and discover they have to team together to save the world. This take on the familiar story feels so fresh and is very much welcome. 5. CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? Melissa McCarthy is excellent in this true story of Lee Israel, a struggling writer who can’t sell her own stories anymore, so decides instead to sell her own fiction disguised as memorabilia from famous writers. I thought this movie was absolutely fascinating as you witness Lee go further and further down the rabbit hole of desperation. Her destructive behavior makes it so hard to watch and yet you can’t take your eyes away. Like watching a train wreck... but a very thought provoking well made train wreck. 4. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT Mission Impossible Fallout is one of the best action films in years. Each action sequence is so perfectly executed and absolutely wondrous to behold. Tom Cruise is a machine in this film and it’s a total thrill just to watch him in action. But Rebecca Ferguson is a great addition to the franchise as well and a great partner for Cruise. 3. EIGHTH GRADE Coming of age films always speak to me, and oh man this one sure had a way of transporting me back into all the awkwardness junior high has to offer packed within 2 hours. For real, this movie is packed with all the insecurities of adolescence and I FELT it! This movie was a great window back to the past of what all teens go through growing up, but this time with all the added pressure of social media heaped on top. I really loved this movie from start to finish and feel like it’s essential viewing for any parent with a preteen, as uncomfortable as it may be to watch. 2. A STAR IS BORN Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s electric chemistry lit the screen on fire in this fourth iteration of the classic story of A Star Is Born. The first half of this movie is pure movie magic as we witness Gaga’s character Ali’s rise to fame. The moment when she joins Jackson Maine on stage and belts out Shallow is perfection. The second half leans into the drama and Bradley Cooper brings it with the best performance of his career. Unlike other versions of the story this one actually feels bittersweet because we want these chargers to be together. The movie is made even better by its fantastic soundtrack. 1. HEREDITARY This movie took the top spot on my list all the way back in January and never gave it up. Toni Collette is phenomenal in the best and scariest horror film I’ve seen in ages. The best part of it is while you think you have it figured out, director Ari Aster is always two steps ahead of you to pull the rug out from under you. It makes it all the more impressive that this happens to be his debut film! HONORABLE MENTIONS: HEARTS BEAT LOUD, WILDLIFE, BLACKKKLANSMEN, FIRST MAN, PRIVATE LIFE, FIRST REFORMED