Every January, the illustrious Sundance Film Festival is where the new year of cinema starts. Oscar buzz begins here. Indie offerings score critical acclaim and enviable distribution deals. Curious productions step into the spotlight, and stars stretch their wings in roles bold and beguiling. It's a place of risk and reward, and we took all of the former so you can get all of the latter.
At Sundance 2023, body horror roared, soft sci-fi awed, and biopics got downright glittery. Erotic thrillers went wild, and coming-of-age tales genre-mashed with abandon. From the gut-churning dramas to the gut-busting rom-coms, here are our faves out of the fest — and how you can watch them.
Infinity Pool
Writer/director Brandon Cronenberg teams with True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård and Pearl's Mia Goth for a twisted vacation tale that makes White Lotus look like Under The Tuscan Sun. Set in the fictional island of La Tolqa, Infinity Pool pushes the envelope on eat-the-rich schadenfreude by following one rich man's descent into dangerous decadence. Wild sex, hallucinogenic drugs, graphic violence, and skin-crawling body horror come into play. And as I raved in my Sundance review, "Infinity Pool will make you squirm, but without the release of a climactic punchline. Instead, this satire of wealth and privilege will leave you stranded in its putrid muck, but perhaps smiling at the sheer gall of its horror."
How to watch: Infinity Pool is now in theaters, courtesy of NEON.
Landscape With Invisible Hand
This coming-of-age drama has a soft sci-fi edge, centering on an American teen (Asante Blackk) who is growing up on an Earth that's been non-violently conquered by a smug alien race dubbed the Vuvv. What this means for our harried hero is constantly having to make decisions about his values in the face of extraterrestrial influence and all-too-human greed. Writer/director Cory Finley adapts M.T. Anderson's novel with a steady infusion of spacey spectacle, a wry sense of humor, and an excellent cast, which boasts Kylie Rogers, Tiffany Haddish, William Jackson Harper, and Josh Hamilton. The result is a film I declared in my Sundance review to be "fantastic, fun, and thrillingly fucked up."
How to watch: Landscape With Invisible Hand will be released through MGM.
Birth/Rebirth
If you're seeking something unnerving and yet grimly funny, you'll treasure writer/director Laura Moss's new spin on Frankenstein. Marin Ireland and Judy Reyes star as a pair of mothers caring for a resurrected child, no matter what the cost. Amid grisly body horror and increasingly gruesome actions, Birth/Rebirth has a defiant thread of dark comedy. As I shared in our review, "It's the kind of dark humor that will make some cringe and others feel like they've just gotten an injection of adrenaline." Can you handle it?
How to watch: Birth/Rebirth will be released by IFC Midnight.
Eileen
Seeking something sexy with smack-you-in-the-face camp appeal? Then keep an eye out for Eileen. William Oldroyd's sultry and savage adaptation of Ottessa Moshfegh's debut novel focuses on a mousy secretary in 1960s Boston whose dreary life turns upside down once she meets a sexy blonde bombshell with a hidden agenda. A besotted Thomasin McKenzie stars opposite Anne Hathaway in femme fatale mode, bringing sapphic seduction and bold performances — with some added oomph from Birth/Rebirth's Marin Ireland! Just when you think you know where this moody movie is going, in comes a whiz-bang revelation that pitches the plot — and the audience — into a dizzying spin. And it's absolutely exhilarating. As I concluded in my spoiler-free review, "Here's to the captivating and uncompromising Eileen!"
How to watch: Eileen's release plans are TBD.
Talk to Me
An Australian horror movie from Youtubers-turned-filmmakers RackaRacka (aka Danny and Michael Philippou), Talk to Me centers on a spooky party game. It all begins with a ceramic hand, a lit candle, and the invitation to the dead to possess the body of the living. Naturally, thrill-seeking teens revel in the mayhem — lusty, dark, and strange — that ghosts crashing can bring to their cozy homes. But when Mia (Sophie Wilde) can't disconnect from seeing these lurking specters, she's pushed into a frightening quest that could mean life or death.
How to watch: Talk to Me was acquired out of Sundance by A24. Release plans are TBD.
Cassandro
Forget the tearful drama and stodgy sternness of prestige biopics. Writer/director Roger Ross Williams and leading man Gael García Bernal bring verve, joy, and scads of sequins to the life story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler who found fame as his exotico alter ego Cassandro! His is a tale of adversity, but also one of resilience, community, and love. Bernal shines as the luchador who strutted boldly in leopard print leotards. And his radiance is bolstered by a supporting cast that includes A League of Their Own's Roberta Colindrez, Raúl Castillo, Perla De La Rosa, and Bad Bunny. You want a feel-good movie with the thrill of victory? Brace yourself for Cassandro.
How to watch: Cassandro will be released by Amazon Studios.
Polite Society
Nida Manzoor first thrilled us with her sensational comedy series We Are Lady Parts, which explores the highs and lows of an all-female Muslim punk band. Now, ahead of a much-anticipated Season 2, this witty writer/director brings us Polite Society, a martial arts comedy about Ria Khan (Bridgerton's Priya Kansara), a British-Pakistani girl who dreams of being a famous, butt-kicking stunt woman. Until then, her love of theatrics and spin kicks finds an outlet in her quest to prevent the arranged marriage of her beloved older sister Lena (The Umbrella Academy's Ritu Arya). As showcased in the film's tantalizing trailer, high school hysterics get amped up by Ria's runaway imagination, resulting in comical disguises, hair-brained heists, outrageous battle scenes, and Ms. Marvel's Nimra Bucha as a boss-level baddie. Simply put, Polite Society is a blast.
How to watch: Polite Society opens in theaters in the U.S. and U.K. on April 28.
Judy Blume Forever
For untold generations of adolescents, children's book author Judy Blume was a trusted friend. While other grown-ups might sneer or clam up when confronted with a kid's questions about sex or puberty, Blume's books — like Deenie, Forever…, and Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret. — opened the door to discussions of menstruation, masturbation, young love, and lust. In this celebratory documentary, directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok interview a slew of writers and stars who've been influenced by Blume, including Molly Ringwald, Samantha Bee, Lena Dunham, Alex Gino, and Anna Konkle. But best of all, they give audiences access to Blume, herself, who shares not only her stories, but also personal photos, and a delightfully candid glimpse of her life and legacy. Her reflections on romance and finding her identity are reason enough to relish this movie. But as an author who's battled book bans for decades, her political insights are not only fascinating but frighteningly relevant, which the doc makes starkly clear.
How to watch: Judy Blume Forever's release plans are TBD.
The Pod Generation
Among my personal favorites at Sundance 2023 is writer/director Sophie Barthes's soft sci-fi comedy about parenthood. Barthes first thrilled me with her twisted comedy-thriller Cold Souls, which starred Paul Giamatti as himself, more specifically a version of himself so burdened by the weight of his soul that he puts it into experimental storage outside his body. Barthes's latest has a similarly alluring yet alarming premise, set in a future where pregnancy has been outsourced to robotic pods. Imagine if Apple and its sleek white minimalism aesthetic got into the artificial womb business, and you've got a sense of what's in store here. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke co-star as flustered parents-to-be in this mind-bending romp with a snarling wit.
How to watch: Pod Generation's release plans are TBD.
Rye Lane
Among the most winsome movies of Sundance 2023 is this South London-set romantic comedy. Directed by Raine Allen Miller, Rye Lane stars David Jonsson (Industry) and Vivian Oparah (Class) as heartbroken twenty-somethings who fatefully cross paths and might just tumble into new love. A humbling beginning with a bathroom meet-not-so-cute(opens in a new tab) swiftly spins into a happenstance first date full of fun, banter, surprises, and a wee bit of breaking and entering. (Hey, breakups get messy.) Painted in saturated colors, paced like a dance party, and brought to life by a kinetic ensemble cast, Rye Lane is a pure pleasure to watch. But it's Jonsson and Oparah, with their killer comedic timing and off-the-charts chemistry, that make this movie soar.
How to watch: Rye Lane will come to Hulu March 31.
