The Sundance Film Festival has wrapped up for the year and I’m so pleased that it went as well as it did. I’m typically happy when festival season delivers three solid movies that stick in my mind for the year. And while I did see a new personal record of 27 movies, eight of them ranged from really good to amazing. For now, here’s some impressive highlights and head-scratching lowlights.

Flora and Son

Past Lives

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. 20 years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny.

Now, for the movie that might be the most impactful experience of the festival. This beautiful story of love, longing, and reality hits all too hard. This is the first film from writer/director Celine Song and she clearly has an amazing road in front of her. This decade-spanning story of what seems to be star-crossed lovers, removed by distance and years haunted me for hours following the screening. Greta Lee, as Nora, is unforgettable. Her chemistry with Teo Yoo never feels synthetic. The writing is Linklater-esque, but more centered around regret and how revitalizing certain connections can be. Past Lives has a simple story that could have easily veered into contrived territory, but (almost sadly) it never does. I loved it. Tier 1

Bad Behaviour

Lucy, a former child actress seeks enlightenment at a retreat led by spiritual leader Elon, while she also navigates the turbulent relationship with her stunt performer daughter, Dylan.

This movie is an absolute mess. I was so excited to see Jennifer Connelly in a quirky movie about life in a meditative cult. I can’t say for sure, but every disconnected scene felt like the actors were told to make up their lines on the spot and that “it will be fixed in post.” Sadly, there is no connective tissue that leads to a story. I watched this two hour movie with a strange fascination and still couldn’t really tell you what it’s about. Bad Behaviour is a misfire on every account and is among the worst I’ve seen in my decade+ of attending the festival. Tier 3

Polite Society

Ria Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends’ help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists, in the name of independence and sisterhood.

Polite Society has snappy action, comedy, and heart with strong echoes of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. From beginning to end, this movie was delightful. Priya Kansara is incredibly funny as a protective younger sister who literally battles through societal norms and conspiracies. Very little in the movie needs to be taken seriously and is a fun romp with some hilariously violent scenes. The only real downside is that it is so fun to begin with, that it runs out of steam by the end and doesn’t capitalize on the cultural aspects mixed with Ria’s love of fighting. It’s lower on the upper echelon, but still squeaks out a Tier 1.

Rye Lane

While sulking from his recent break up, Dom just wants to be left alone. However, he ends up walking home from an art gallery with Yas, who has recently been dealing with her own relationship issues. In the span of a day, these two find connection through conversation and some slight revenge.

It was so refreshing to have an 82 minute movie at the festival. That runtime makes this movie clip along and is over far sooner than it could have been. I enjoyed the pairing of David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah. The chemistry of these two mis-matched personality types elevated this movie above the hijinks they spend their time on. I do wish more time was spent getting to know each of these people, rather than just how they each reacted to their broken relationships. I’d happily watch this movie again as I loved the environment, actors, and charisma within Rye Lane. Tier 2

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Still follows the life of beloved actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, exploring his personal and professional triumphs and travails, and what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.

There was a point (somewhere around 20 movies in) where I started to get movie-watching fatigue. I took longer breaks between movies to cleanse my palette, but I had festival exhaustion. At that point, I started this movie, which is a sit-down interview with Michael J. Fox about his young life, career, and advocacy about Parkinsons. I was immediately refreshed by the sincerity and natural resiliency of this man. Using clips of his career on the big and small screens, along with a cleverly edited dramatization of events; Still presents a heartbreaking and empowering story of an actor that we all adopted into our hearts decades ago. His charm and grace through pain absolutely brought me to tears. Tier 1

Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls

Fledgling occultist Onyx and a group of worshipers attend a once-in-a-lifetime ritual at their idol Bartok the Great’s mansion.

YouTuber Andrew Bowser writes, directs, and stars in this comedy that strives to hit the low bar of Jared Hess comedies. You might remember him as the bearded normal guy who speaks with a roller-coaster emphasis on trivial words as he rattles off in news reporter syntax. Those videos were funny because they were around 30 seconds. Now, imagine two full hours where he is the main character in a real-life supernatural D&D experience. I commend him for getting this movie off the ground, but his attempt to have his voice be memorable is only effective in that I want to bleach it from my brain. However, I did like the practical effects near the end. Tier 3

Ranking

1 – Flora and Son
2 – Past Lives
3 – Talk to Me
4 – Radical
5 – Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
6 – Fair Play
7 – Polite Society
8 – Rye Lane
9 – Magazine Dreams
10 – Other People’s Children
11 – Theater Camp
12 – Cat Person
13 – The Accidental Getaway Driver
14 – You Hurt My Feelings
15 – In My Mother’s Skin
16 – Birth/Rebirth
17 – Divinity
18 – Infinity Pool
19 – The Pod Generation
20 – Sorcery
21 – Run Rabbit Run
22 – Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls
23 – Fairyland
24 – Rotting in the Sun
25 – Landscape with Invisible Hand
26 – When it Melts
27 – Bad Behavior