Not every Sundance movie gets a ton of attention. Some debut at the festival with little to no fanfare, even when they're directed by accomplished directors and feature strong actors. Sometimes they'll even get great reviews, and yet they still don't seem to draw much attention to themselves. Such is the case with Ira Sachs's latest feature Little Men, a film so simple and unassuming that it's easily being overlooked and lost in the shuffle of other great films. Little Men is not a movie designed to blow you away, but rather to simply make you ponder life's little intricacies. The movie focuses on the friendship of two preteen boys: an easy friendship formed by proximity. These two live in their own world, enjoying their time together, and are oblivious to the problems of their parents. As such, they are not aware of their parents' feud over a lease that threatens to destroy their respective realities. There's something wonderful about the juxtaposition of the world of the adults with the world of these two preteen boys. The problems and disagreements we face as adults are messy and driven by many different factors (though usually with money being involved, as in the case of his parents.) Meanwhile, the existence we live as kids seems so much purer. Differences still exist, especially when bullying occurs (as it does in a scene here)...but there's a far more trusting innocence that draws us to certain people that disappears when we're adults. Little Men is a great portrayal of a friendship that only exists because of proximity. This to me reflects the type of friendships you had as a kid that at the time you valued with all your heart, but when you grew up and became different people, (as well as physically and figuratively going separate ways...) the friendship dissipated. You discovered you really had nothing in common and the friendship was only really there to be a part of your life for a short time. I kept waiting for a scene where the two boys' bond was solidified but realized that when there was none...it was actually far closer to real life. When you're a kid, you don't need a reason to be friends with someone. You just spend time with them and that time is all the bonding you need. Whether it's playing video games or rollerblading in the park...just having someone to share your company is enough. It's not until we get older and more insecure with the hurts we've had to experience that we allow those friendships to fade in favor of ones with people who understand the version of ourselves that we've become. Or as Greg Kinnear puts it, when you've reached the point that you can understand that your parents are just people too, trying to make the best decisions they can. There are varying levels of meaning you can derive from Little Men (some heavy-handed, others very simple), but for me, I took it at its core: a story about the relationships we have when we're young, and how life will turn us into the adults we become....the adults who build walls and look out for themselves above others. It's a simple film, but one I enjoyed. RATING: 7.5/10

It's never too soon to start talking awards season...even if the awards season you're discussing is a year away. Manchester by the Sea, as well as Casey Affleck's lead performance that the film hinges on, is already getting a ton of buzz at the Sundance Film Festival with talk about the Oscars in 2017. Speculating so early on isn't exactly anything new. After all, everyone is always trying to find the next big thing before everyone else....especially at Sundance. So is the hype justifiable or are people throwing around the word "masterpiece" again? Manchester by the Sea centers around Casey Affleck's Lee Chandler, a man who unexpectedly finds himself as the guardian to his nephew after his brother passes way. Chandler returns to his former hometown to settle the affairs of his late brother, but finds that coming back isn't as easy as it seems. Cue mysterious backstory. What drew me to Manchester was a fine cast in addition to Affleck (Michelle Williams and Kyle Chandler are both great in supporting roles) and a plot that though the subject matter has been done before (Raising Helen, No Reservations), no one ever seems to get it right. No movie that attempted dealing with the specific theme central to Manchester has really sunk their teeth into the drama. But never fear! Director Kenneth Lonergan knows how to play with all the audience's emotions as we view the different stories unfold within their respective times. In my head, I pictured a heavy drama...but what I didn't expect to find would be some really nice moments of humor to lighten the proceedings. That said...while I thought it would be heavy, I certainly didn't expect the film to be as utterly heartbreaking as it was. A couple scenes towards the end, (one in particular) really stuck with me in how real they were portrayed. Characters talk in circles, stammer and repeat themselves. Nothing feels rehearsed. Manchester is a movie that feels lived in...and for a movie such as this, that quality is vital. Affleck isn't just experiencing the tragedy that begins the film, but he is constantly trying to battle his inner demons from the past that keep him from living his life in the present. And yet, with all the feelings we know he has as a result of what he's been through, Affleck remains stoic and emotionless...refusing to verbalize the way he's feeling (only occasionally giving us a glimpse with some moments of physical outburst.) And yet--with his performance, we *know* he feels quite a lot, even if he's not showing it or talking about it. The movie is nearly perfect and among some of the best films I've ever seen at Sundance, but it's not without its flaws. Some of the editing and musical score choices really take you out of the film, and I have to admit, I hope that some of these things are changed for distribution. Also for my own tastes, I felt that the profanity was a little too gratuitous...especially for some of the teenage characters. But then again, this is Boston! Those qualms aside, Manchester by the Sea is a truly wonderful and heartbreaking film. It's definitely set the standard high for the movies I watch the rest of the year. EMILY RATING: 9/10

The first movie I got to see at this year's festival couldn't be more Sundancey if it tried. Wiener-Dog is the perfect movie for indie movie-loving hipsters, and apparently, I'm one of them. The film follows the titular wiener dog through four vignettes: a father buying the dog to be a companion to his young cancer surviving son, a vet rescuing the dog and taking him on an unexpected road trip, the dog's life as a pet to a washed-up film professor, and finally living with a crotchety old woman near the end of her life whose granddaughter pays a selfish visit. Not every storyline is created equal in this dark-humored comedy, and seeing how well the first two stories lead into each other makes the final two transitions a bit jarring (even if we do get a wacky intermission thrown in for the heck of it...which I will admit, did make me chuckle.) The first two vignettes, one featuring Julie Delpy as the cynical mother of the aforementioned boy smitten with his new wiener dog, and the other with an awkward but sweet Greta Gerwig meeting a zoned out Keiran Culkin are strong and have some real tender moments, as well as genuine humor. When we get to Danny DeVito's film professor story though you can't help but feel that it was thrown in just for the Sundance crowd. It's like you can hear the director say "now let's do a segment all about the art of film and dissect filmmaking, as well as the people who claim to love films." I, of course, find it interesting as someone who loves film, but I can't help but feel that it doesn't really go with the rest of the movie. There's not a ton of humor in this vignette until the punchline of why the dog was important to this storyline, which humor happens to be so dark, that it will be up to filmgoers whether they'll find it funny, or a little too bizarre. I appreciated the joke but didn't feel like there was a proper enough setup for it. The last vignette featuring Ellen Burstyn returns to the feel of the first half, with more humor throughout, but again feels somewhat isolated. Like the last storyline, we don't know how the dog came into the old woman's possession, but rather he just shows up to be a silent observer. There's some self-referential humor again about art this go-round, but it's less on the nose than in the previous segment. A rather bizarre sequence occurs near the end of the film, that depending on the viewer might take them out of the movie because it threatens to cross the line of being a little "too weird." I still went along with it, but more mainstream audiences probably will not (if they make it that far!) The ending itself was particularly dark and strange, so not getting too attached to the dog would be my advice for anyone going in. In the end, I found wiener-dog to be strange, precocious, funny, quirky, but ultimately uneven. In summation: it is a typical indie film with the desire to show several slice-of-life scenes, rather than going into anything too profound. RATING: 6/10

Four days ago when I made my Sundance preview that had Swiss Army Man topping the list as my most anticipated movie of the festival, I must say I envisioned quite a different movie than the one I ended up seeing. The Swiss Army Man I pictured in my head was to be an interesting drama, in the vein of Cast Away, but perhaps a little bit quirkier. And then....the first reviews came from the Friday afternoon showing. Critics who no doubt had a similar vision as myself, were prepared for a serious Sundance drama and got a bizarre comedy with a lot of humor straight out of an Adam Sandler flick...and let's just say they were not happy about it. Having my expectations thrown out the window, and being replaced with the idea that the film centers around farting corpse jokes had to help me have a better experience right??? While having the critics' tempered expectations certainly did help my own, honestly and truly, nothing can really prepare you for the experience of Swiss Army Man. Let's immediately address the elephant in the room here and say that the humor in these proceedings is incredibly low-brow...there's just no denying that. But the fact that it's done so absurdly and creatively, is....dare I say impressive? Still, because of the nature of the humor, the majority of the laughs that came from me were usually guilty ones....and after SO many of them, there came a point where I just couldn't handle anymore. Most of my time in the theater I sat there watching this film feeling incredulous that it could possibly exist. On the one hand, I think it's amazing that someone could have such imagination and make it come alive....while on the other, it's just too bad that that imagination couldn't be a tad more refined. Swiss Army Man actually has a lot going for it. It features two great performances from its leads Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, an interesting premise, and a pair of directors with an eye for the whimsical much like Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze. You can see "the Daniels" music video influences often in the film, and the movie is definitely the better for it. There are moments that give you glimpses for what this film could have been if it wasn't so content to its potty humor, but unfortunately, every poignant moment usually ends with a fart. I tried to be okay with that and take the movie at its face value, but couldn't help but be frustrated when there were such glimmers of a greater talent beneath the surface. Instead, Swiss Army Man settles so often for stupidity, and you as a viewer have to decide whether to embrace it or be frustrated by it. There are a lot of interesting, if not juvenile ideas to come out of Swiss Army Man, but towards the end of the movie (pardon the appropriate pun...) it all just runs out of gas. In the last fifteen minutes, you can tell this movie kind of had nowhere to go and you just want it to wrap up already. Swiss Army Man is one of the most truly bizarre movies I've ever seen in my life. A lot of its creativity and originality I really appreciated, while a good portion of it I found face palming and rolling my eyes constantly, and towards the end, I just needed it to conclude itself. Sometimes a person can only handle so much absurdity all at once. In the end, I can't help but feel like the movie is somewhat of a missed opportunity. The filmmakers were going for so much shock factor humor (that for some audiences open to it, it will totally work for,) that they didn't craft this movie as tightly or as intelligently as they could have. But then... maybe that wasn't really their goal. "The Daniels" wanted a movie to discuss the things we're "not supposed to talk about" and on that front, they definitely succeeded. EMILY RATING: 6.5/10

Sundance is here! Sundance is here!!! The only reason to endure Utah in the winter has finally begun, and as I'm sure you've noticed, I couldn't be happier. This year, as with any other, I've got my eyes set on several movies and I'm pretty excited about each one of them. Looking back on my anticipated lists of years past, I don't ALWAYS make good choices (like say the years True Story and Cooties were my #1 which both ended up getting really mixed reviews, and The D Train which got really negative reviews all around,) BUT I seem to get at least 50% or so right...so half of these movies that I'm excited for MIGHT just be very good! A few of these films I have confirmed tickets for, while others I'm going to try my luck at standby. Either way, you'll be hearing soon enough whether or not I was right on my predictions. The reviews will be pouring in from me over the next two weeks so make sure to keep an eye out, but first let's look at the movies I'm most interested in seeing. 10. WIENER-DOG Sundance Summary: Wiener-Dog tells several stories featuring people who find their life inspired or changed by one particular dachshund, who seems to be spreading a certain kind of comfort and joy. Man’s best friend starts out teaching a young boy some contorted life lessons before being taken in by a compassionate vet tech named Dawn Wiener. Dawn reunites with someone from her past and sets off on a road trip picking up some depressed mariachis along the way. Wiener-Dog then encounters a floundering film professor, as well as an embittered elderly woman and her needy granddaughter—all longing for something more. Twenty years ago, Todd Solondz took the Sundance Film Festival by storm when Welcome to the Dollhouse won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1996 Festival. Since then he has gone on to establish himself as one of the most uncompromising voices working in film. Wiener-Dog is vintage Solondz, brimming with brilliantly caustic and truthful observations about the human condition. He has a unique ability to find humor in the darkest of subject matter, allowing an empathetic light to shine on it." What caught my interest: There's something silly about seeking out a movie at the Sundance Film Festival that's about a wiener dog of all things right? I embrace this silliness. 9.TALLULAH Sundance Summary: "Young vagabond Lu lives in a van and is fiercely independent in her hand-to-mouth existence. This daily struggle has become tiresome for her privileged boyfriend, Nico, who unceremoniously leaves her one night. When a chance encounter incites her to impulsively “rescue” a baby from a negligent mother, Lu, at a loss for what to do, turns to the only responsible adult she knows: Nico’s unsmiling academic mother, Margo, who believes she’s the child’s grandmother. Thrown together despite differences in class and worldview, Margo and Lu make a lovable, if tense, odd couple. The two are bound to each other as they tentatively form a haphazard family, though Margo has no idea that the police are hot on Lu’s trail for absconding with a child. In the winsome lead performances, Ellen Page plays the scrappy, free-spirited Lu while Allison Janney’s Margo is equal parts measured and bemused as their characters wrestle, and often clash, over responsibility, motherhood, and their uncertain futures. Writer/director Sian Heder combines warmth, madcap humor, and a deep understanding of human nature in this delightful dramatic comedy about the serendipitous unpredictability of life." What caught my attention: Ellen Page, Allison Janney, and a baby plot? This sounds familiar. Well, I was awfully fond of Juno... 8. THE REVISED FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING Sundance Summary: Having suffered a tragedy, Ben becomes a caregiver to earn money. His first client, Trevor, is a hilarious 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, Ben and Trevor hit the road on a trip into the western states. The folks they collect along the way will help them test their skills for surviving outside their calculated existence. Together, they come to understand the importance of hope and the necessity of true friendship. Director/screenwriter Rob Burnett is a clever navigator, steering us around clichés and avoiding nostalgic potholes in this re-imagined road movie. The chemistry of Paul Rudd and Craig Roberts is a delight to witness, and the ensemble cast is funny and insightful as they guide our pair to grow in unexpected ways. As in life, every wrong turn is a surprise and every misadventure a new possibility. In The Fundamentals of Caring, an unlikely gaggle of misfit travelers turns a personal journey into a joyride of a film. What caught my attention: I LOVE road trip movies. Haha just kidding, but I think the concept behind this one sounds intriguing and Paul Rudd is pretty amiable. PS, I'm not entirely sure what the heck the real title is to this movie. Sundance has it as Fundamentals of Caring, and IMDb has the title I list...but whatever this movie is called, it has my attention! 7. SING STREET Sundance Summary: "With 1980s Dublin mired in recession, Conor’s parents move him from a comfortable private school to a rough inner-city public school where the scrappy 14-year-old forms a band. Mentored by his older brother, a dropout who’s hip to cool tunes, Conor starts to compose lyrics and the glam-ish band finds its “no covers” groove. Renaming himself Cosmo, he convinces the mysterious, über-cool Raphina to star in their music videos (and tries to win her heart in the process). John Carney, whose musical passion and DIY vibe refreshed a genre withOnce and Begin Again, spins a loosely autobiographical story in which music again offers a refuge–from school and family strife. He spent over a year collaborating on original music (a throwback to ‘80s vibrancy) that’s catchy but plausible for a youth band, and his talented cast plays it like they mean it. Carney’s nostalgia isn’t only for a bygone Dublin and its soundtrack, but for that moment when you pour your heart into something, and it can mean everything to you. When songs can save your life." What caught my attention: I really loved Begin Again! I've never seen Once, but I've heard only wonderful things about it...so I'm sure another movie about John Carney's passion with songwriting will be awesome. Plus as evidenced by God Help the Girl, I really dig teen/young adult indie musicals. 6. CHRISTINE Sundance Summary: Christine (Rebecca Hall) is an ambitious 29-year-old news reporter in Sarasota, Florida, circa 1974. Relentlessly motivated to succeed, she knows she has talent, but being a driven career woman in the 1970s comes with its own challenges, especially when competition for a promotion, unrequited love for a coworker, and a tumultuous home life lead to a dissolution of self. With ratings in the cellar, WZRB’s station manager issues a mandate to deliver juicier and more exploitative stories, a style firmly at odds with Christine’s serious brand of issue-based journalism. To accomplish her goals, she must overcome her self-doubt and give the people what they want. As made evident in his previous features, Afterschool and Simon Killer, director Antonio Campos is well-versed in translating the damaged psyche to film. This latest effort elevates his style to the next level; bathed in dread and peppered with sharp humor, Christine is a hypnotic and arresting portrayal of a woman at a crossroads." What caught my attention: Rebecca Hall is a severely underrated actress and this just screams the type of role that she could hit out of the park. 5. THE HOLLARS Sundance Summary: "John Krasinski’s big-hearted family comedy takes a touching look at the ties that bind. Krasinski plays John Hollar, a frustrated graphic novelist anxiously awaiting the birth of his baby with girlfriend, Rebecca (Anna Kendrick). When his mother, Sally (Margo Martindale), is diagnosed with a brain tumor, John flies back home, where denial runs deep in the family tree. While his loving but fractured family pulls together to prepare Sally for surgery, John takes a second look at the life he left behind. Krasinski, last seen at the Sundance Film Festival with his directorial debutBrief Interviews with Hideous Men (2009), takes a gentle approach to the dysfunctional Hollar clan, leavening the heart-tugging drama with inspired character-driven comedy. The large ensemble cast (including Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, Josh Groban, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Mary Kay Place) gives the relationships a lived-in feeling, while Krasinski offers a warm, funny, warts-and-all look at the importance of family." What caught my attention: John Krasinski!!!! I love this guy. I'm interested to see if he has talent as a director (I never got around to seeing his first feature.) Plus it sounds like he's gotten together a good ensemble cast. I'm very fond of Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. 4. LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP Sundance Summary: "Set in the opulent drawing rooms of eighteenth-century English society, Love & Friendship focuses on the machinations of a beautiful widow, Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale), who, while waiting for social chatter about a personal indiscretion to pass, takes up temporary residence at her in-laws’ estate. While there, the intelligent, flirtatious, and amusingly egotistical Lady Vernon is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica—and herself too, naturally. She enlists the assistance of her old friend Alicia (Chloë Sevigny), but two particularly handsome suitors (Xavier Samuel and Tom Bennett) complicate her orchestrations. Adapting Jane Austen’s unpublished early novella Lady Susan, Whit Stillman returns to the Sundance Film Festival (where his Metropolitan premiered in 1990) in top form with his latest comedy of manners. Kate Beckinsale excels in her role as the deliciously devious Lady Vernon and delivers each line with relish. With exquisite period detail and a script teeming with bon mots and witty dialogue, Love & Friendship is a rare—and rarified—treat." What caught my attention: I'm a huge sucker for anything Jane Austen. I'm just sad this isn't based on her truly hilarious parody that's actually titled Love & Friendship. 3. MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Sundance Summary: "Lee Chandler is a brooding, irritable loner who works as a handyman for a Boston apartment block. One damp winter day he gets a call summoning him to his hometown, north of the city. His brother’s heart has given out suddenly, and he’s been named guardian to his 16-year-old nephew. As if losing his only sibling and doubts about raising a teenager weren’t enough, his return to the past re-opens an unspeakable tragedy. Casey Affleck’s astonishing performance captures all the substance and crumbling complexity of Lee—a guy frozen in anguish and barely holding it together—who must now step beyond self-imposed isolation to connect with his nephew. Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count On Me, 2000 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner) masterfully depicts human brokenness and the possibility of transformation through subtle, small moments between characters. There are no quick fixes in the working-class New England town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, just the imperfect struggle to meet loss with integrity and decency, day by day." What caught my attention: Yes this kinda sounds like a more dramatic version of Raising Helen, but it has a really good cast. Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and Kyle Chandler are pretty much always terrific so if nothing else, it should have solid acting. 2. CAPTAIN FANTASTIC Sundance Summary: Ben (Viggo Mortensen) lives with his wife and six young children, isolated from society deep in the forest of the Pacific Northwest. A devoted father, Ben dedicates his life to transforming his kids into extraordinary adults. He immerses them in an academically and physically rigorous environment and instills in them a rare and primal connection to the natural world. When a tragedy strikes, the family is forced to leave their self-created paradise. Suddenly the children must face the excitement and the perils of an unfamiliar outside world while Ben is compelled to reexamine his idea of what it means to be a parent. Viggo Mortensen shines as the captain of this tribe in a fearless performance that is alternately playful and emotionally raw. Writer/director Matt Ross (28 Hotel Rooms), an accomplished actor himself, brings those skills to the table as evidenced by the fine ensemble work of his young cast. With Captain Fantastic, Ross returns to the Sundance Film Festival with a fascinating second feature." What caught my interest: I think the concept sounds really interesting. This has all the ingredients of being deeply touching and poignant, yet with moments of lighthearted sweetness. 1. SWISS ARMY MAN Sundance Summary: "Alone on a tiny deserted island, Hank has given up all hope of ever making it home again. But one day everything changes when a dead body washes ashore, and he soon realizes it may be his last opportunity to escape certain death. Armed with his new “friend” and an unusual bag of tricks, the duo go on an epic adventure to bring Hank back to the woman of his dreams. Music video gurus “The Daniels,” a.k.a. Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, craft a wholly original debut feature bursting with limitless creativity both in content and form. Their consistently surprising script spans a wide range of emotions: from the ridiculously absurd to a touching exploration of what it means to be human. Given what are likely to be some of the most unique roles of their acting careers, co-leads Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe give their all to a movie that celebrates the wonder that cinema offers." What caught my attention: At this point, you can pretty much sell me on the name Paul Dano alone. This guy consistently turns in some of the best character acting performances right now. But couple that with the bizarre premise and getting the chance to see Daniel Radcliffe play a corpse?? Sign me up! Plus, I tend to really love when music video directors turn into movie directors. They have an eye for the visual and the whimsical, so I'm excited to see what these directors bring to this story.

The Sundance Film Festival starts tomorrow!! Before giving you my preview for this years festival and the movies I'm most looking forward to, I thought it would be fun to go back and take a look at all of the movies I've seen during my four years of attending the festival as a serious movie goer (as opposed to the four years before that as a shameless celebrity gawker....which I never had any luck with anyway. Oh except for THIS GUY.) Since 2012, I've seen a grand total of 15 films at the festival, and this year I'll be making it 20 at the very least. But for now, let's look back on those 15 and rank them from least favorite, to favorite. And hey, if you can't attend the festival this year, have your own and watch the selections below! 15. Celeste & Jesse Forever I really liked the concept of this movie a lot, but the execution was a little sloppy and all over the place. If this had just been a little tighter, I might have really loved this movie. This was the very first movie I have ever seen at Sundance, so you'd think it would hold a special place in my heart...but alas, I have not revisited it once. Original take on the movie HERE. 14. Don Verdean Jared Hess has a unique brand of humor that not everyone really digs. Critics tore this movie apart, and audiences weren't too kind either. With its deeply Utah sensibilities I could definitely appreciate this film, even if it is one of the weakest movies I've ever seen at Sundance. But it's certainly not for everyone. Original review HERE. 13. Shaun the Sheep Okay, I'm gonna level with you right now, I actually saw 16 films total and am now realizing I left Operation Arctic off the list. But let's be honest, 15 is a better number for list purposes. I saw Arctic as a double feature with Sheep, after having won some tickets from the Utah film society. Both films were featured in the Kids section, and were kind of hard, for me, to get super excited about--though both were well made. Arctic was unnecessarily annoying though, while Sheep stayed charming throughout. Review for both HERE. 12. The Double The Double is a dark, surreal and strange film. It's easy to admire, but hard to embrace. Its surrealism can be off-putting for many, as evidenced by all the people who walked out of the theater! I appreciated it, but have never felt the need to revist it. Original review HERE. 11. What We Do in the Shadows Okay it's kind of a cheat to include this one as I saw it first at a Sundance summer outdoor screening for free, not truly during the festival.... BUT because of Sundance I still saw it a good year before everyone else got to see it, so it counts. The first time my friends watched it, we found it to be uproariously hilarious. Unfortunately, a lot of the humor relies on the shock factor of things, so its replay value isn't quite as good... but still a pretty fun horror comedy. 10. Brooklyn Brooklyn is a lovely film in story and looks. It managed to charm just about every movie-goer on earth...even if I wasn't quite as convinced as they were. Every character has depth and manages to be extremely lovable to me...just not the main heroine whose wishy-washy behavior drove me nuts. I get that it's a coming of age, but some of her behavior was a little hard to defend. Still it certainly was one of the most feel-good movies I've seen at the festival, and the crazy lady who befriended me at this screening was sobbing of happiness when she saw it. I was just amused. Original review HERE. 9. God Help the Girl God Help the Girl is a silly, twee musical directed by the lead singer of Belle & Sebastian. If that doesn't sound hipster enough for you, I don't know what is. Haha, that said, it was one of the most delightful Sundance experiences for me and the movie was just fun! I'm a sucker for a fun musical, and the first couple of songs really hooked me. I was humming the music for weeks afterward. The film could certainly be more focused and trim, but I dig it as is. Original review HERE. 8. Mistress America Mistress America is so simple. There's really not much to the plot at all, besides two girls who are hot messes in their own ways and how their relationship affects each other. But better than that, it manages to be a screwball comedy in a day where that genre is basically extinct. It's silly, but it's so much fun. Original review HERE. 7. The Wolfpack Last year's best of fest doc winner really struck a cord with me. The first time I saw it, I felt every emotion humanly possible. The second time, it became pure tragedy. It's a fascinating doc of a group of boys who have led a life that I wouldn't wish on anyone. Original review HERE. 6. The Witch Last year, seeing The Witch I had no idea what I was in for. I'm glad I got to see it before the hype, as it is one of the most chilling horror movies I've seen. It's not chock full of scares, but rather its the type of movie that at its core is just kinda evil. And really, for a horror movie that's almost the best you can get. Original review HERE. 5. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is kind of the perfect Sundance movie. You can take that statement either positively or negatively as it does kind of have a checklist for what this particular audience will like. It capitolizes off of moviegoers love of cinema more than anything, and it is all too whimsical. But, two scenes toward the end changed it all for me when we've switched from comedy to drama and the film refuses to cut away from the two lead characters faces. From there, the movie is magical. Original review HERE. 4. Liberal Arts Liberal Arts was a delight and a surprise. At the point in my life when I saw it (and even still now really,) I was at such an "in-between" that I felt that this movie was speaking to me, that it was made for me. I really love the conversations that take place in this film and I really really wish Josh Radnor would direct more often. Original take on the movie HERE. 3. Before Midnight Now, if I were to rank my immediate Sundance reactions, this probably wouldn't get the place its ending up. The follow-up to Before Sunset was undeniably well-made, but kinda not what I was expecting at all. I was a little off put with it initially, even though I could appreciate it on a filmmaking level. But in subsequent viewings afterward, I really came to love it...even if it didn't match the movie I had envisioned in my head. The story went a far different place than the previous films went, but it went to a place real life goes. Maybe at the time it just felt a little TOO real. But really, that is the beauty of it isn't it? Original review HERE. 2. The Way Way Back I straight up adore this movie, and honestly it is one of my very favorite movies of the decade. There's so much heart here and I knew from the very opening scene it was something truly special. I could gush and gush over every single element of its perfection, but instead I'll just link you my original review HERE. 1. Whiplash Again, if I was going by initial reaction...The Way Way Back would probably have slightly edged this out due to my pure love of it. And while I do probably love that movie more, this one had me in complete and utter awe of the filmmaking at display. Whiplash could honestly be called a perfect film and I LOVED being in on its secret a year before it came out. "Wait until you see Whiplash." THIS kind of movie is what Sundance is for. Original review HERE. So will there be any Whiplashes or Boyhoods or Way Way Backs this year?? Only time will tell. But come back tomorrow and I'll have my preview for the ten movies debuting at the festival this year that have captured my attention.

Every year end while making my Top Ten list, I inevitably try to cram viewings of as many indies that I didn't get around to seeing as possible in hopes of being as thorough as possible in my selections in that coveted list. This year as it turned out, I STILL haven't been able to watch everything that I wanted to (so if some underrated indie didn't make this list that you love, I apologize!), but I couldn't wait any longer once my list solidified itself. Because I end up with so many obscure honorable mentions that I'd love for people to know about, last year I came up with the idea for THIS list. This list is an oddball collection of movies that for some reason or another, didn't really find their way to audiences (see last year's post about the underrated, underappreciated and undiscovered of 2014.) Last year I classified underrated as films critics gave a bad wrap. This year, these ones got more mixed reviews than down right terrible...but these also failed to catch fire at the box office. Last year I described the underappreciated films as ones that audiences failed to connect with, but generally knew about and the undiscovered were ones they hadn't heard of at all. This year, the line will probably blur between all three categories honestly. You might find that you haven't heard of any of them, or that you have but forgot about it. No matter. These are the films that I think deserved better last year....whether they got a bad wrap somehow or you just never heard of their existence to begin with. CAUTION: LONG POST AHEAD. THE UNDERRATED THE MAN FROM UNCLE The Man from UNCLE did get a fresh tomato at Rotten Tomatoes, but no one was really that enthusiastic about it. A movie with as much beauty as this had definitely didn't deserve to be forgotten so fast, and boy would I eat up a sequel. IRRATIONAL MAN I hadn't heard much about Woody Allen's latest, except that it seemed to focus on a relationship with an older man and a younger gal, as well as the fact it got incredibly mixed to poor reviews. Allen can occasionally be pretty hit (Midnight in Paris) or miss (To Rome with Love) but perhaps there was a chance that this was unfairly hated similar to last year's other Emma Stone starrer Magic in the Moonlight. Turns out that's exactly what happened...except in this case I can understand why not everyone loved it. This is definitely an acquired taste, as it's a dark comedy...but somehow a light, breezy flippant one. It's Crime & Punishment accompanied by nice cinematography, a jazzy soundtrack and likable actors. The subject matter surely put some off, and while it certainly is a strange concoction, I really enjoyed the surprises it had for me. JOY Joy was not welcomed by critics who loved the last two collaborations Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and David O' Russell. Joy was also not welcomed by a good majority of the film world I follow on Twitter. Reaction to this movie was incredibly mixed, and while I understand why, this film certainly has a lot going for it. The problem is, the movie tends to be two movies. One which is the biography of a hard working, down on her luck woman (that part I REALLY enjoyed and resonated with) and the other the origin of her first invention (which on the other hand could sometimes be pretty tedious.) As a result, this movie is good when it could have been great, but it has more positive than negative (Jennifer Lawrence once again under the direction of O' Russell gives a wonderful performance) so I don't understand the pure hatred it's getting. KRAMPUS Krampus eventually settled on a positive score at Rotten Tomatoes, but it was pretty close there for awhile that it would be rotten. Not everyone loved Krampus as much as I did, because the movie played it pretty straight. To me, that made it all the more goofy and lovable. Original review HERE. THE VISIT Like Krampus, The Visit's tomato score took awhile to settle as well. I myself was incredibly put off by the first 20 minutes, so it's easy for audiences to write this off and not give it a chance. However, if you love a good horror comedy, you're making a mistake. Having seen it twice and really admiring what Shyamalan went for, I really hope this is the film that marks him turning a corner. THE UNDERAPPRECIATED MISTRESS AMERICA The screwball Sundance comedy Mistress America came and went from art house theaters. I never really saw it talked about much by anyone, as most people preferred to talk about Noah Baumbach's other film released this year (While We're Young.) I had more fun with the kindred movie spirit of Frances Ha, and wished more people that did see it liked it or talked about it more. Original review HERE. THE WOLFPACK Last year, the acclaimed documentary The Wolfpack won the best documentary prize at Sundance. But somehow that wasn't enough for anyone to go see it. It doesn't seem like documentaries are the easiest things to market, but they had a lot of hype that went wasted. Original review HERE. THE WALK The Walk was a pleasant film and a breath of fresh air coming from Robert Zemeckis who had previously been in a slump (though I never did get around to Flight, so apologies there.) I remember seeing preview for it for months, but when it finally came out it wasn't a blip on anyone's radar. For all the beautiful 3D in this movie, no one went to see it. The Walk was essentially forgotten in the hype of The Martian. It's too bad audiences couldn't embrace them both. Original review HERE. 99 HOMES Even though some movies can have as strong performances as all the other oscar bait out there, they just don't have the pull to be anything more than a solid drama. 99 Homes pulled at the heart strings of all who watched it, but somehow can't make it further than that in the collective conscience. This certainly isn't the easiest movie to sit through, but it's an important one about human nature. I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS I really loved I'll See You in My Dreams. It was a breath of fresh air in a very dull summer. It's a shame to me that Blythe Danner didn't get more attention for this performance which to me, one of the most truly whole characters I'd seen in a long time. Her character is lived in and so very real. She wasn't doing anything flashy, she just was showing us a woman and what she'd been through in her life. I really wish more people had seen this. THE UNDISCOVERED THE LAST FIVE YEARS The first time I saw The Last Five Years, I was really put off by how straight musical it was and how unprepared I was for that. And then, just one of the songs caught in my head and the moment the movie ended...I wanted to watch it again. The movie basically goes in a perfect circle so when you're at the end, you're basically at the beginning again. This is basically like the musical equivalent of my all-time favorite (500) Days of Summer, a film that dissects a relationship and gives you insights into every stage of it. It released to no fanfare last February, so besides musical buffs, I'd be surprised if anyone has heard of it. If this is your thing, definitely check it out. THE FINAL GIRLS The Final Girls is one of the rare horror films (also a comedy and a parody) that can actually be labeled as delightful. If you love the horror genre, you can't help but have a blast watching this movie that pays homage to all the classic tropes in horror. It's so much fun, this movie was so very close to making my top ten list. Seriously, next Halloween check this one out!! QUEEN OF EARTH This movie was so unbelievably close to making my top ten list. I really really really loved it. It's a strange little film that somehow makes you feel on edge the entire time as it compares and contrasts two summers that two best friends spent together in a lake house. The first year, one of the friends (played by Elizabeth Moss) has everything together while her best friend (Katherine Waterston) is completely depressed. But in the other, their situations have completely reversed and the friend who once had everything together is now on the verge of a mental breakdown. The dialogue in this is fantastic and I must say, it features one of the most epic verbal slams I've ever seen in a movie! COP CAR Like Mud before it, Cop Car is about two boys on an adventure, who get into a lot more trouble than they bargained for. On a walk, these two little lads come upon what they think is an abandoned cop car and decide to take it on a joyride. When they look in the trunk though, they discover the situation might be a lot more dangerous than they supposed. The great thing about this movie, is that it really only examines a certain moment in time. What came before doesn't matter, and what comes after can only be imagined by the audience. Instead, we are treated to this brief moment in time, and what it means for these two kids. PHOENIX Phoenix is basically the World War II version of Vertigo. A woman, who was betrayed by her husband and sent to a concentration camp had to undergo facial reconstruction surgery. When she returns, he does not recognize her one bit...but thinks she looks familiar enough to pass as his wife so that they can both claim some of her money. To make her believable, he makes her over to look just like his wife. Phoenix was absolutely riveting and heartbreaking. Check it out! So that's all for now, but trust me... I have about a dozen more I need to watch and even more that could have made this list. Feel free to share yours below. And be sure to come back next week when I finally reveal my Top Ten AND give you a preview of what's in store at Sundance.

So now that I'm done talking about what 2016 has in store for us, it's time to return to summing up 2015. Earlier I presented my list of the ten unwatchable films of 2015, but now it's time for the worst films I DID actually watch last year. 10. TIE: THE LONGEST RIDE It's almost a tradition at this point to include a Nicholas Sparks film on my worst list, but in this one's defense, it probably was the least worst of his offerings of late. Most of that was probably the eye candy offered by Scott Eastwood. Otherwise, this one is a pretty forgettable mishmash of all the usual Nicholas Sparks tropes. Original review HERE. 10. TIE: ALOHA I wanted to like Aloha. I wanted to like it really badly. The cast is fantastic and the trailer showed so much promise. But what did I actually get? A giant steaming hot mess. The story is all over the place and all kinds of stupid. But the most surprising thing to me of all is how little chemistry the usually charismatic Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper had together. The age difference (that usually isn't a problem with the pairing of Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence) was glaringly more obvious while Emma Stone tried to make her character so childlike. A movie is doing something wrong when you're hoping the character gets back with their ex. Also one of my cardinal movie sins is wasting John Krasinski, and while he was absolutely the best part of this movie, he deserved better (as he always does.) 9. SELF/LESS Self/Less almost was just a bland sci-fi action thriller...until a point in the movie where it crossed over into absurdity. At this point, the film becomes an unintentional comedy and a parody of the genre. It's kind of preposterous. 8. THE LAZARUS EFFECT With a genre capable of such craziness, how is it possible that so many boring horror movies exist? With a premise about learning to bring the dead back to life, you'd think they could generate some suspense. Unfortunately, though, The Lazarus effect bored me to tears and is quite frankly an insult to the genre. Even with a great cast, they couldn't bring this dud to life. 7. PAN I was so disheartened by how awful Pan was. This film has a serious identity complex. One minute it's trying to be Moulin Rouge, the next it's taking plotlines directly from the first Star Wars. There was so much potential to this film, but somehow every single thing rang hollow. Original review HERE. 6. THE GALLOWS So there are boring horror movies, and then there are idiotic ones. This one happens to be both. It also happens to contain some of the most annoying characters to appear in a movie this year. The Gallows is horrendous. It's only 81 minutes, but the fact that there is zero suspense and that the film basically consists of annoying teenagers walking around in the dark acting scared--it feels like an eternity. You don't think the film could possibly get any more stupid, and then it reveals its twist. 5. THE BOY NEXT DOOR As an unintentional comedy or parody, The Boy Next Door is kind of fantastic. It is absolutely one of the more entertaining films on this list, but certainly not in the way it was intended to be. This movie is hilariously awful, in the so bad it's good kind of way. But that doesn't mean I'm not about to acknowledge that it *is* awful. 4. ACCIDENTAL LOVE Accidental Love is almost indescribably bad. The film was made in 2008 by David O'Russell but was never finished due to a number of financial issues. It rested on a shelf for years and years and REALLY should have stayed there. What is supposed to be an upbeat comedy making statements about the government (the film centers around a waitress who gets hit in the head with a nail gun, and convinces a senator to plead her cause...) just ends up being a listless, mind-numbing experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. 3. JUPITER ASCENDING Like The Boy Next Door, the utter absurdity of Jupiter Ascending is kind of fun. There's a certain respect for this film since it tried to be original and took a risk and all...but it pretty much failed spectacularly. Oh and I'm STILL shocked this film didn't help Michael Keaten edge out Eddie Redmayne in the Academy's eyes with his scenery-chewing performance he gives as one of the villainous siblings out to kill their reincarnated mother. 2. THE COBBLER The Cobbler is an awful film starring Adam Sandler, which isn't in and of itself an unusual thing. But the WAY in which it is awful differs so much from the usual Sandler offering that it's quite simply astounding. What's crazy is that Sandler isn't actually so bad in this role, and the premise itself is pretty interesting....but somehow the director takes the idea of a cobbler being able to turn himself into the person whose shoes he's wearing, and makes it infuriatingly stupid. 1. HOT PURSUIT No film I saw last year outmatched the sheer laziness and stupidity of Hot Pursuit. This film legitimately does not have a single thing going for it. It's as if in the pitch room someone said "You know what would be a good idea for a movie? Someone scratching their nails on a blackboard for a whole movie!" Then they cast Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon who had absolutely zero chemistry and expected somehow it would be funny. The plot here is completely inconsequential to talk about here, pretty much like it was in the movie. Honestly, this movie was the worst. So any that I missed from this list AND my unwatchables? Let me know! To read my WORST of lists for previous years see below. 2014 WORST 2013 WORST 2012 WORST 2011 WORST

Whew. Okay, readers. The last one is right here. This year I saw the most movies I've ever seen at the festival (that number being 8,) and I'm happy to say I capped off the experience on a very high note. Like last year, we decided again to get tickets to a randomly selected screening that shows one of the movies the grand jury awarded the top prizes to, and while I was hoping for a repeat viewing of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, we ended up with tickets to the documentary The Wolfpack. Usually, I'm not huge on documentaries, but the premise of it was so interesting and the fact it won the grand jury prize for US Documentaries made it pretty much a sure thing right? Yes. In fact, this movie ended up being far more fascinating than I thought it could be. The documentary follows a real-life family of two parents, their six sons, and their lone daughter (actually it doesn't really follow her at all because we rarely see her) and how different their lives are from the average American. You see, the patriarch of this family hoped to raise his children as a type of tribe undefiled from the world. As such, he only let them out in public a few times a year, if at all. And when they were out, they were instructed to trust no one and to even look at no one. He told them to never cut their hair...and well clearly they've also never been to see a dentist. The boys' only link to the outside world is the word of cinema. They have a deep love of movies to the extent that one of their favorite hobbies is to dictate the screenplays of their favorite movies, create the props and costumes necessary to recreate them and film their own versions. They actually made quite the impressive version of The Dark Knight, with one of the sons providing a spot-on impression of Heath Ledger's Joker. This lonely, sheltered existence became too much for one of the sons though, and the movie focuses on his attempts to try and become more familiar with the world and to get his brothers to do the same. This documentary made me feel almost every feeling possible. It made me laugh, it made me want to cry, it made me feel tense, it made me feel disturbed, it made me happy for their small triumphs, and made me really depressed that such an existence is a reality for more people than we may even realize. This movie reaffirmed my stance that bubbles of any kind, are dangerous. Parents who try to protect their children by shielding them from "the world" creates a false reality that can be even more dangerous than what they're trying to protect them from. I'm not sure why exactly this family agreed to have their story told, or under what circumstances this movie came to be... but boy was it filled with moments that will stay with you. There is so much more I could say about this doc--suffice it to say, I'm going to be thinking about that one for a while. EMILY RATING: 9/10

Jared Hess is and always has been, an acquired taste. His first film, Napoleon Dynamite was a smashing cult hit featuring randomly humorous characters and various quotable lines...which distracted a lot of people from the fact that the movie didn't actually have a plot. His subsequent films also have become more focused in terms of plot, but still, have a tendency to meander. I enjoyed Nacho Libre...but found Gentlemen Broncos to be horrendous. After that horrible film, Hess needed a while to recuperate.... which I suppose is what he's been doing the last five years (though his wife directed Austenland in the interim.) I was hopeful that the break did him good.. but a little anxious. Our tickets were for the end of the festival and the reviews that came out to help give me a sense of the film were far from glowing. One list said that Don Verdean was the second-worst film of the festival! Ouch. There went any expectations I had. So where did it fall on the scale of Napolean Dynamite to Gentlemen Broncos? After all this film reteams the Broncos cast of Sam Rockwell & Jemaine Clement (both of whom I love and was shocked when I hated Broncos so much) so that wasn't an encouraging sign right? Well here's the thing. Don Verdean is a movie made for Utahns, by Utahns in Utah. And as a Utahn, I could help but find myself chuckling frequently and smiling often. The thing is when you get an inside joke.. you can't help but appreciate it even if you know it won't be everyone's cup of tea. Such is the case with Don Verdean. It's a quirky, silly movie... but after a lot of the more serious content I've been watching over the last week, it was kind of refreshing. Don Verdean probably won't have the lasting power or impact of Napoleon Dynamite, but for a comedy nowadays you could do a lot worse! In fact, I'd argue that Don Verdean is his most accessible film to date. It has a simple premise (religious archaeologist faces a moral dilemma,) but unlike his other works, more exploring of the initial concept happens (and yes even a structured plot occurs!) Don Verdean also has a great cast! Joining Rockwell and Clement are Amy Ryan, Danny McBride, Leslie Bibb, and Will Forte. All turn in good work, but Ryan in particular as the mousy dedicated Christian servant to Rockwell's Verdean is wonderful. Like his other films, this movie is simply not for everyone (I'm not sure what his fascination is with making everyone look like they live in a time capsule).. and in this case, especially the uber-sensitive might take offense at some of the jabs here. No ethnicity, in particular, is portrayed in a glowing light and that does not exclude Americans. These characters may all, in fact, be caricatures, but at least they're amusing caricatures to watch! Just don't take it too seriously and you'll be fine. RATING: 7/10