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Sundance Recap #1

We're five days into Sundance, and I'm well overdue in posting a recap of what I've seen thus far at the fest. There's still half the festival left and plenty more for me to see, but let's take a second to recap what I've been able to see so far.


BY DESIGN

Juliette Lewis stars in this bizarre surrealist fantasy about a woman who wishes to switch places with the chair she's recently become obsessed with. An ever-present narrator (wispy-voiced yet monotone Melanie Griffith) over-explains every detail about the life and thoughts of Camille (Juliette Lewis), a woman whose day-to-day life is fairly uneventful. On one particular day, after having lunch with her two best friends (Miranda Bailey and Samantha Mathis) they decide to window shop at their favorite chair store where Camille spots an exquisite chair she wants nothing more than to own. The store owner assures her the chair is too expensive for her, but Camille vows to come back the next day scraping up all the money she can find to purchase it. Her dreams are crushed when she returns to discover it's been sold, and rather than part with it, she wishes to become the chair instead. To her surprise, her wish comes true and her consciousness is placed in the chair, while... the chair's lack of consciousness is placed in her body...leaving her original body in a catatonic state. From there, the story alternates between her friends carrying on life with her catatonic body, with her experiencing her new life as a chair with her new owner...a man who for once is finally giving her the attention that she has so long craved.


By Design is an off-the-wall premise that's somehow even more absurd in its execution. It's very intentional and precise in its storytelling, crafting a creation that's an acquired taste for a very specific type of audience. With that said, I was not among the audience whose taste this was made for and could not connect with it whatsoever. While I found certain moments amusing, more often than not I struggled to stay engaged with the narrative and didn't care for it at all. I can appreciate the performances though and what the film tries to achieve, but I think as many other reviews have stated this particular story would have worked better as a stage play. RATING: 4/10



THE UGLY STEPSISTER

This retelling of the classic Cinderella story shows us the story from the perspective of the oft-maligned ugly stepsister as she and her stepmother go to dangerous lengths to achieve the beauty necessary to catch the eye of the prince. There's somewhat of a Maleficent approach here in changing how we perceive the events of the familiar tale but done so much more effectively here. There's not so much a good guy and a bad guy as there is understanding the motivations behind the actions of everyone involved.


Awkward Elvira (Lea Myren) is hopeful about her new life when her mother, Rebekkah, remarries a suitor. However, soon after the marriage, the family is left in financial ruin when her new stepfather suddenly and unexpectedly passes away. The only hope of securing financial security for herself, her mother, and her sister is to undergo a series of the most painful and gruesome makeovers possible, all while blocking any effort at her perfect stepsister's attempts to compete with her. This version is stylized with an 80s synth score and a dreamlike, technicolor look to the cinematography. It's not your grandmother's Cinderella, yet in some respects, some aspects might actually be closer to some of the darker aspects of the original tale than what we've come to know of the story. Lea Myren is incredible in the lead role and does so much heavy lifting here. She humanizes a traditionally one-note character and really gives a physically committed performance. This movie is not for the faint of heart, and there were MANY audience members with covered eyes throughout (mine included). But, the finale brought it home for everyone and elicited huge reactions from the crowd. A gore-filled crowd-pleaser. RATING: 7.5/10


OMAHA

In Omaha, a young widower (John Magaro) hastily packs his two children and all their belongings on a cross-country road trip, while sharing few details with the kids about where exactly they're going or why. We see the events of this story mostly through the eyes of his 9-year-old daughter Ella (a fantastic Molly Belle Wright,) who can sense there is more going on than her father will admit but is too young to comprehend exactly what.


Omaha reminded me a lot of Aftersun and comparisons to it may end up being inevitable...though personally, this resonated with me much more. There's an unspoken tragedy in these characters and their circumstances that you can discern just under the surface. Feelings that are carefully kept unspoken, but that you can see in the eyes of a father barely being able to hold it all together. Yet in the eyes of his children, he's still their protector who they depend on, believe in, and trust. He's their world. Though they are passengers in this dire situation, their childlike wonder remains undiminished and they're just excited for any adventure they have with their dad. They still experience the mundane with the magic that only a child's eyes can see (miraculously captured by Paul Meyers' gorgeous cinematography). Omaha is both a tender and heartbreaking portrayal of how beautiful and difficult life can be that would not work without its three superb lead performances. RATING: 9/10


RABBIT TRAP

Darcy and Daphne live in a secluded cottage in the Wales countryside, where they devote their lives to finding unique sounds that can fit into Daphne's experimental music. One day, Darcy stumbles upon some noises in the woods that sound disturbing yet alluring. He can't help but bring his discovery to his wife, who insists on using it in a song. Soon after, a mysterious boy shows up in their yard, desperate to befriend them and become a part of their lives. With their insistent desire to be polite (akin to another Sundance midnight alum, Speak No Evil) they blind themselves to the potential harm they may befall.


Rabbit Trap starts strong with a creepy atmosphere and an interesting premise that the film never truly capitalizes on. Instead, it squanders all its goodwill for a baffling and unsatisfying third act that left many in our audience scratching their heads. It must be noted though that the sound design in this film is absolutely excellent and the real star of the show...thought that's not meant as a slight Dev Patel, who just isn't given enough interesting things to do. Rabbit Trap ends up unfortunately being a real missed opportunity that really could have swung for the fences, but instead played it too safe. RATING: 6/10


That's all for now, but check back soon for more. I've got so much more to see!

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