Sundance is over and I’ve seen so many films recently, that the past week has become my own coming-of-age story. There’s still no solid wide movie release schedule for 2021, so it’s nice to be able to see over 20 new movies, some of them potentially making it into my top ten for the year. For now, here’s a few more reviews and my overall ranking of films I saw from start to finish.
Mass
Mass details the aftermath of a violent tragedy that affects the lives of two couples in different ways.
Writer/Director Fran Kranz (Cabin in the Woods) is typically known for his comedic roles, but he comes out of nowhere with this amazing script that allows a small group of actors to be at the top of their game. This is a simplistic experience about two sets of parents in a small room trying to come to terms with a horrific tragedy that happened years earlier. This is one of those movies that you only need to see once because it’s so heartbreaking and tense, but everyone should see once. I’m being purposely vague about what the conversation is about because the movie unfolds in such a dramatic way, that the reveals are better left for the characters to share. A-
Prisoners of the Ghostland
A notorious criminal must break an evil curse in order to rescue an abducted girl who has mysteriously disappeared.
Japanese director Sion Sono presents a genre-hybrid with Ghostland. This is a movie that lives or dies based on the insanity of Nicolas Cage and he does not disappoint. Beyond the meme-worthy performance of Cage, there is a strange world created here that is a mix of Mad Max, Kung Fu Hustle, and Time Bandits. This was one of the least straight-forward films of the festival. Nearly ever scene presents drastic visual changes along with storytelling shifts. Watching this movie on my own made me wish I was seeing it with a crowd. This is the type of midnight cult movie that is best seen with a indie crowd that revels in zaniness. Much of the impact was lost while watching it at home. Watch this if you enjoy Cage’s work for ironic reasons and love bonkers movies. C+
Sabaya
Film follows a group into Syria’s Al-Hol, a dangerous camp in the Middle East, as they risk their lives to save a women being held by ISIS as abducted sex slaves.
This documentary is so affecting because it doesn’t seem to pushing for an agenda other than pushing for actual freedom. There is no narrator, instead we have an (often hidden) camera crew following a group of average everyday heroes looking to save women from the worst life imaginable. This doc doesn’t even interview the rescuers or promote them as such. Instead we get to see interviews with a few women who are rescued and then join the efforts to save others. It is missing the typical framing and context for much of the events, so it’s easy to lose track of timing. Because it feels like the movie plays out in real time, I couldn’t help but feel the intensity of each of these life threatening rescues where this group tries to identify kidnapped girls and women using only images of their eyes and scanning a room for these enslaved women. B-
Marvelous and the Black Hole
A teenage delinquent teams up with a surly children’s party magician to navigate her dysfunctional family and inner demons.
This coming of age movie follows Sammy (Miya Cech) as she struggles with her mother’s death and sinks into a state of depressive anarchy. Rhea Perlman plays a performing magician that sees her struggles and takes her under her wing. This type of mentor/lovable loser story is nothing new, but was definitely perfected by The Way Way Back (2013). Sadly, Marvelous is missing several factors that would make this feel approachable. Sammy is an unlikable character and her arc doesn’t feel genuine. The screenplay is purposely abrasive and wants to out-style others in the genre, but doesn’t have the substance behind it. Perlman is the highlight and salvages an otherwise standard movie about finding a place to belong. C-
Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised)
This documentary finally shows the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African American music and culture, and promoted Black pride and unity.
This felt like such a unique viewing experience. This festival happened the same year as Woodstock and was such a life-changing moment for the 50k people in attendance. However, the footage has never been seen since. Now, we get to see large snippets of the performing acts from Motown greats to future stars. Not only that, but many of these acts are interviewed and seeing themselves on that stage for the first time in 50 years. The music is fantastic and the movement behind the festival is inspiring. However, the runtime feels padded and redundant. Regardless, I’m quite happy I got to see a moment seemingly lost in history captured perfectly. B-
My Sundance Ranking
24 – First Date
23 – We’re all Going to the World’s Fair
22 – Cryptozoo
21 – Knocking
20 – Violation
19 – One for the Road
18 – The Blazing World
17 – Marvelous and the Black Hole
16 – Together Together
15 – John and the Hole
14 – Coming Home in the Dark
13 – Judas and the Black Messiah
12 – Summer of Soul
11 – Prisoners of the Ghostland
10 – Jockey
9 – The Sparks Brothers
8 – Sabaya
7 – Flee
6 – Censor
5 – In the Earth
4 – On the Count of Three
3 – Eight for Silver
2 – Mass
1 – CODA
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