Sundance 2025 Preview
Another year of Sundance is finally almost upon us! Tomorrow is the day, but first it's time for a sneak peek at the ten films that have me the most excited for the 2025 edition of the fest. We'll work our way up to my most anticipated and start with number 10! So without further ado...
10. TOGETHER

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: With a move to the countryside already testing the limits of a couple’s relationship, a supernatural encounter begins an extreme transformation of their love, their lives, and their flesh.
Writer-director Michael Shanks approaches horror with a devilish exuberance that relishes in creating wildly expressive nightmarish moments. His feature-length directorial debut pulls off an impressive progression of body horror freak-outs as it follows a dysfunctional couple’s big move away from the city to a more isolated existence. As they lose contact with home, friends, and their sense of self beyond their troubled dynamic, Shanks’ clever script grounds their emotional turmoil within its extreme take on the horrors of codependent relationships. With this couple, things will have to get worse — like a lot worse — before they get better. Bringing an unquantifiable chemistry to their roles, Dave Franco and Alison Brie give their all to this freakish world, diving headfirst into a physical and emotional maelstrom.—Charlie Sextro
WHY I'M INTERESTED: While I wasn't keenly impressed with the last time real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco worked together in Franco's 2020 project The Rental, I'm still keen to see them working together again in another horror film. Let's just hope this one is tighter all around with a different writer & director involved (sorry Dave).
For more information & showtimes click HERE
9. IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: With her life crashing down around her, Linda attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist.
In the second feature film from writer-director Mary Bronstein, life’s responsibilities pile up — parenting alone, house is a construction zone, countless doctors visits, no available parking — all of which grows into an anxiety that overwhelms every aspect of our protagonist’s life. The audience is pushed into a downward spiral of motherhood where there is never any solution or support in sight. But as its title suggests, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is also very funny — very darkly… bizarrely… uncomfortably funny. Rose Byrne’s lead performance brilliantly rides the edge of exhaustion and delirium, bouncing between the pressures of her life that includes two character irritants played by Conan O’Brien and A$AP Rocky, who have memorable supporting roles.—Charlie Sextro
WHY I'M INTERESTED: As someone whose life currently revolves around motherhood and knows how utterly exhausting it is, I'm very curious to see the perspective this film will take. Plus, I absolutely adore Rose Byrne and think she should just be in pretty much everything. Also gotta say I'm very curious how Conan O'Brien will fare in this supporting role! Sadly, this one's showtimes pretty much conflict with my entire schedule, so unless a scheduling miracle happens, I may be waiting a long time to see this one.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
8. TRAIN DREAMS

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Robert Grainier is a day laborer building America’s railroads at the start of the 20th century as he experiences profound love, shocking defeat, and a world irrevocably transforming before his very eyes.
Adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella, Train Dreams finds its center in the mesmerizing figure of Grainier (Joel Edgerton). An ordinary man, a logger, a husband, and a father, Grainier’s life unfolds amid the vast wilderness of the American West — the age of the locomotive, the country’s epic expansion. Despite that grandeur, the film’s lens is focused and intimate. Filmmaker Clint Bentley brings a naturalism to this historical drama, love story, and metaphysical meditation that wrestles with our sense of being, and how we reconcile the immensity of our lives with our barely discernible place in the world, the forces of nature, and the sweep of history. A humble, passively curious man, Grainier is haunted by his past, bewildered by the changing world, and mystified by his own fleeting existence.—John Nein
WHY I'M INTERESTED: I love a good period drama with a side of romance! And as far as carrying out such a story, the film is in more than capable hands with Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones in the lead roles. This backdrop is an interesting one too, where the circumstances around them could be either bleak, or filled with pure innovation.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
7. THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Eccentric lottery winner, Charles, dreams of getting his favorite musicians, McGwyer Mortimer, back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates and former lovers accept his invitation to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.
There is no more picturesque location to set a charming British comedy than this fictional remote Welsh island. It’s a romantic locale that sets the scene for the remarkable chemistry that longtime comedy partners Tom Basden and Tim Key (Two Films About Loneliness, 2015 Sundance Film Festival), who write and star here, have developed with each other. For The Ballad of Wallis Island, Basden and Key reunite with director James Griffiths to adapt the trio’s 2007 short film, The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island. To perfect their winning formula this time around they’ve invited a dream duo of actresses Carey Mulligan and Sian Clifford to come play in their sandbox, creating a tale so humorous and lovely that you’ll be humming its songs long after the credits roll.—Charlie Sextro
WHY I'M INTERESTED: This premise kind of reminds me of a past Sundance film I adored, Juliet, Naked. If Wallis Island is even half as charming as Juliet, Naked was we're in for a treat. Not to mention we have the lovely and talented Carey Mulligan in one of the lead roles. She brings so much to everything she's in, I can't wait to see her work here.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
6. TWINLESS

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely bromance.
Writer-director-actor James Sweeney’s bittersweet tale of trauma-bonding friendship is a smart comedy willing to confront themes like loss, loneliness, and codependency head-on. Sweeney scripts a slippery narrative to mirror his emotionally damaged characters as they struggle for connection, revealing painful personal truths along the way. With his Sundance debut, Sweeney shows major promise both in front of and behind the camera. Dylan O’Brien returns to the Festival after starring in the 2024 U.S. Dramatic Competition entry Ponyboi. O’Brien has quickly established himself as one of the great new actors of his generation. With Twinless he continues to impress, showing an acting range not only in characters but also between the film’s comedic voice and tender heart.—Charlie Sextro
WHY I'M INTERESTED: The plot in this one is so intriguing and has so much potential to be both a solid film and a huge Sundance hit. There may be a bit of a balancing act here with the tones this one tries to tackle, but I'm hopeful it can pull it off. Excited for Dylan O'Brien to flex some acting muscles here.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
5. THE THING WITH FEATHERS

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Struggling to process the sudden and unexpected death of his wife, a young father loses his hold on reality as a seemingly malign presence begins to stalk him from the shadowy recesses of the apartment he shares with his two young sons.
Two-time Sundance Film Festival alum Dylan Southern’s (Shut Up and Play the Hits, 2012; Meet Me in the Bathroom, 2022) adaptation of the acclaimed Max Porter novella Grief Is the Thing with Feathers artfully emphasizes the transformative and terrible momentousness of one family’s bereavement. The film’s inspired execution of the physical manifestation of their grief on screen creates an exquisite visual rendering of the sinister reality dominating the family’s unkept home and shattered lives.
Benedict Cumberbatch submerges himself in his performance of a shell-shocked father while the film juxtaposes his character’s altered reality with that of his two vivacious boys. The sons, played with sensitivity by Richard and Henry Boxall, grapple with both the enormity of their loss as well as their unmoored father’s attempts to carry on parenting them alone.—Heidi Zwicker
WHY I'M INTERESTED: I'm not sure how much this film will lean into horror since Sundance doesn't label it as such, but from its description, it certainly seems like it may go that way. But whether or not it has a horror element, it will be nice to see Benedict Cumberbatch in a meatier role than what he gets to do with his recurring superhero character in a franchise that will not be named.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
4. THE LEGEND OF OCHI

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: In a remote village on the island of Carpathia, a farm girl named Yuri is raised to fear an animal species known as Ochi. But when Yuri discovers a wounded baby Ochi has been left behind, she escapes on an adventure to bring him home.
Where adventure, wonder, and magic converge, the Ochi reside. Writer-director Isaiah Saxon crafts a world that’s rife with imagination — a paradise for fantastical creatures and humans alike, though not without a little danger. Dense forests and alpine terrain give way to one girl’s culture-shifting bravery that serves to light a fire in the parts of us that are keen to go against the grain. Helena Zengel delivers an impassioned performance of defiance and care, opposite the ever-animated Willem Dafoe, her Ochi-crazed father.
Ochi is an environmentalist’s tale, a family’s tale, an animal lover’s tale, and more — reminiscent of our favorite (and now seldom-seen) fantastical family adventure films. The Legend of Ochi is an adventure in the purest sense, suitable for and sure to enliven most audiences.—Cameron Asharian
WHY I'M INTERESTED: It's rare (if ever???) that A24 has ventured into distributing family releases, so I have to think that this one has gotta be really good right? Very rarely are trailers available to view before Sundance for the films premiering (though for this year, three films on my list actually already have trailers!), and even when they are I try to avoid them to preserve the Sundance experience of going in knowing very little. But since there was one available for this film and I was debating bringing my daughter along, I decided to check it out to make sure it didn't look too scary. I was happy to discover that The Legend of Ochi, looked to be a beautiful fantasy adventure for the whole family. While those films aren't completely extinct these days, really well made ones are few and far between... so I'm hopeful that The Legend of Ochi can capture some magic and wonder that's desperately needed in this genre.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
3. OH, HI!

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: Iris and Isaac’s first romantic weekend getaway goes awry.
This romantic comedy of miscommunication and mismatched expectations basks in the magnetically charged opposites-attract chemistry between Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman). When their relationship swiftly unravels, Iris’ desperate hope that her beau’s reluctance to commit is merely curable confusion leads her to take increasingly unhinged actions to solidify her hold on Isaac’s heart. Writer-director Sophie Brooks maintains a sense of cheeky, off-kilter whimsy and twisted humor as the couple’s complete inability to read one another leads to an escalating series of potentially perilous misunderstandings.
Oh, Hi! draws us into the pair’s smitten rendezvous at a gorgeous rustic farmhouse amid a picturesque, bucolic landscape, cleverly setting an alluring and refreshing romantic scene before abruptly upending it and sending Iris, Isaac, and the audience hurdling into the emotional chaos that ensues.—Heidi Zwicker
WHY I'M INTERESTED: This simple premise can go so many different ways, and I'm really excited to see which way this one goes. The Sundance entry genre tags give some clues, but you never know what surprises are being preserved. Whatever it is, I can't wait to find out.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
2. RABBIT TRAP

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: When a musician and her husband move to a remote house in Wales, the music they make disturbs local ancient folk magic, bringing a nameless child to their door who is intent on infiltrating their lives.
Set in 1976, writer and director Bryn Chainey’s extraordinary debut feature invokes the eerie spirit of British folk horror, conjuring supernatural dread in a fecund Welsh forest. Obsessive avant-garde musician Daphne (Rosy McEwen) toils over reel-to-reel tape machines and oscillators in their cottage while her withdrawn husband, Darcy (Dev Patel), collects field recordings in the nearby woods. Their activities draw the attention of a mysterious young rabbit trapper (an unnerving Jade Croot) who beguiles them, disturbing their fragile peace.
Rabbit Trap casts a spell of haunted sensuality and submerged trauma through cinematographer Andreas Johannessen’s tactile 35mm images, and a synesthetic soundscape made in collaboration between composer Lucrecia Dalt and sound designer Graham Reznick. Patel and McEwen are quietly moving as the young couple, grounding this otherworldly fable with a portrait of a marriage sustained through fraught intimacy and restless creative collaboration.—Matt Cornell
WHY I'M INTERESTED: Horror films at Sundance will ALWAYS have my attention, but you put Dev Patel in this and it instantly jumps to the front of the list. Dev's film choices in the last few years have been filled with banger after banger, so I expect no less with this one. The premise sounds like fun and I'm hopeful for a spooky good time.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
1. OPUS

SUNDANCE SYNOPSIS: A young writer is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star who mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult of sycophants and intoxicated journalists, she finds herself in the middle of his twisted plan.
Mark Anthony Green’s feature debut is a bold, fun, and flashy pop-horror. Ayo Edebiri delivers as the meek yet hungry journalist Ariel — her unique charm radiating alongside a distinct final-girl prescience. John Malkovich is effervescent and hypnotic as Moretti, a deified global phenomenon making a dramatically malevolent reintroduction.
Amidst eye-catching, synthy musical numbers and the enigmatic desert compound, the facade of civility gradually erodes between the pair, revealing the underbelly of a tense, psychosocial game of cat and mouse. Opus offers an electric, clever indictment of the literal cult of celebrity, presenting characters and dangers within a symphonic ambience — giving way to a foreboding ease through which power is generated and embedded within pop culture.—Cameron Asharian
WHY I'M INTERESTED: Just as with Rabbit Trap, a horror film starring a fantastic actor or actress with a strong filmography is basically my catnip. The premise here slightly edges out Rabbit Trap for me, though really these two films are virtually a tie in what I'm excited to see at Sundance. In the words of Ayo Edebiri "I am seated." This one has a lot of buzz and is coming out through A24 in March, so luckily normies don't have to wait too long. Like Ochi, it has a trailer as well, but i'm holding off til I can see it all next week.
For more information & showtimes click HERE
Check back daily throughout the festival for reviews on as many movies as I can see during the fest! Happy Sundancing!
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