Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Director Julie Taymor adapts Gloria Steinem’s Autobiography “My Life on The Road” for the big screen.
Taymor brings her signature style to the screen in telling Steinem’s extraordinary life. Instead of telling a conventional Biopic Taymor breaks up Steinem’s life into four age groups. Those four Glorias sit on a bus that continues to ride and ask each other questions about their own life. This unique decision separates this linear biopic from the rest. Top it all off with the talents of Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore playing Steinem at different periods in her life. It’s clear this is one not to be missed.
The Glorias screens at Sundance on Sun, Jan. 26th at 12 PM at Eccles Theatre, Tues, Jan. 28th 8:45 AM at Eccles Theatre, Fri, Jan. 31st at 9:15 PM at the Grand Theatre, and Sat, Feb. 1st at 9:30 PM at The Ray Theatre.
Sightings were a bit more on the quiet front today, but some exciting names were out and about at Sundance earlier.
THE NEST – An American Entrepreneur’s life takes a twisted turn after he moves to an English Country Manor.
Jude Law
NINE DAYS – A recluse conducts a series of interviews with human souls for a chance to be born.
Bill SkarsgĂĄrd
Winston Duke
RELIC – A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of Dementia, which threatens to consume their family’s home.
SURGE – A Thriller about a man who goes on a reckless journey of self-liberation over 24 hours. Stars of both Films, Bella Heathcote and Ben Whishaw gave us a two-for-one, spotted entering a Press Stop together for each of their Films!
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Dinner in America is an energetic anthem for Punk Rockers.
Writer-Director Adam Rehmeier has made a fast-paced fun film about two young people from opposite worlds. However, their one similarity is their love for Punk-Rock. The characters are easy to fall in love with due to their wonderfully written character traits and the committed performances from Emily Skeggs and Kyle Gallner.
Dinner in America screens at Sundance on Fri, Jan. 24th at 9:30 PM at The Ray Theatre, Sat, Jan. 25th at 11”59 PM at Broadway Centre Cinema 6, Sun, Jan. 26th at 8:30 am AT prospector Square Theatre, Fri, Jan. 31st at 3:30 PM at Eccles Theatre, and Sat, Feb. 1st at 2:30 PM at The MARC.
The star sightings continue to pour-in and our Amanda Gilmore doesn’t disappoint! See some of the talent she spotted out and about at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Day Three!
DOWNHILL is about a couple married with kids, who barely escape an avalanche on a trip, only to be forced to confront finally how they feel about one another.
Will Ferrell
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME centers on “pre-Hamilton” Lin-Manuel Miranda and the improv Hip-Hop movement he was part of, the Documentary following their reunion in 2019.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
ZOLA centers on a Stripper who goes on a wild road trip to Florida. This Film is getting a startling amount of buzz out of the Festival and stars Riley Keough.
Nicholas Braun
FOUR GOOD DAYS is about a mother who helps her daughter in recovery from substance abuse. Glenn Close and Mila Kunis both star in the Drama.
Mila Kunis
THE FIGHT is a Documentary which centers on the tsunami of lawsuits against the Trump administration which came about shortly after he got elected.
Kerry Washington (Producer)
BLACK BEAR is about a female Filmmaker who turns to the woods after having some creative struggles, only for the woods to summon her inner demons.
Aubrey Plaza
Sarah Gadon
Christopher Abbott
Wilmer Valderrama
SNOWPIERCER (Netflix TV Series) centers on a world that has become a frozen wasteland and the group of people left who inhabit a train which circles the globe. Parasite Director Bong Joon Ho serves as a Producer on the Series which stars Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs.
Daveed Diggs
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Come Away tells an alternative origin story for Peter Pan and Alice from Alice in Wonderland.
Although the Film, starring Angelina Jolie, David Oyelowo, Michael Caine and Gugu Mbatha-Raw is targeted towards children, there are many themes that resonate with adults. Director Brenda Chapman’s primary theme throughout is grief with focus on contrasting what grief looks like within children and adults. Chapman also blends an even mix of actuality and fantasy giving it an authentic feel. Overall, Come Away is enchanting from the adventure to the examination of grief, even if it is sometimes a little slow.
Come Away screens at Sundance on Fri, Jan. 24th at 12:30 PM at The Ray Theatre, Sat, Jan. 25th at 12:30 PM at Redstone Cinema 1. Sun, Jan. 26th at 12 PM at Salt Lake City Library Theatre, Fri, Jan. 31st at 5:30 PM at Prospector Square Theatre, and Sat, Feb. 1st at 3:30 PM at Redstone Cinema 1.
It was a star-studded Day Two at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and our Amanda Gilmore was out and about capturing some of that starpower! See who she spotted and which Films did the rounds today.
DINNER IN AMERICAÂ centers on a Punk Rocker and a young woman obsessed with his band. They fall in love unexpectedly and go on a journey together in mid-west America’s decaying suburbs.
Kyle Gallner
Griffin Gluck
Lea Thompson
WORTH takes place post-9/11 when Congress appoint Attorney Kenneth Feinberg to lead the Compensation Fund for victims of the attacks. He is forced to face the question of what value a life is worth when going head-to-head with a community organizer whose wife died in the towers.
Amy Ryan
Stanley Tucci
SPREE centers on a Rideshare Driver who hatches a deadly plan to go viral.
Joe Keery
David Arquette and the most adorable little sunglass-donning pup!
BAD HAIR is a Comedy-Horror about a young woman who decides to get a weave in joining a career in Music Television, only to realize the weave has a mind of its own.
Kelly Rowland
James Van Der Beek
IRONBARK is about a Cold War Spy and his Russian source, who try to put an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Rachel Brosnahan (Go, Amanda!)
Stay tuned for more as we expect several more sightings to come tomorrow!
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Pablo LarraĂn’s eighth film follows married couple Ema (Mariana Di Girolamo) and GastĂłn (Gael GarcĂa Bernal) after they return their adopted son to child services, due to him setting their house on fire with Ema’s sister inside.
As with every LarraĂn film, Ema is a visual feast for the eyes. This time around he examines how guilt affects a marriage as a whole and as separate individuals. When he looks into Ema and GastĂłn’s individual guilt is exposed how it affects a mother and father differently due to societal expectations. All of the internal conflicts of his characters are powerfully visualized through captivating Choreography and all-consuming performances.
Ema screens at Sundance on Fri, Jan. 24th at 9 PM at Sundance Resort, Tues, Jan. 28th at 5:30 PM at Egyptian Theatre, and Thurs, Jan. 20th at 11:45 PM at Park Avenue Theatre.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut follows the turbulent relationship between a father and son.
With Falling, Mortensen examines the strong bond between relatives even after they’ve become severed. The focus here is on the relationship between John (Mortensen) and his ill yet overtly profane father Willis (Lance Henriksen). The performances are outstanding, particularly Henriksen who plays a remarkably unlikeable character. Willis continuously makes sexist, racist and homophobic remarks, however, no matter how hateful his rhetoric John always forgives him. This becomes a problem for the story because John is happily married to a man and there is no explanation behind why he easily forgives and forgets his father’s repugnant insults.
Falling screens at Sundance on Fri, Jan. 31st at 6:30 PM at Eccles Theatre, Sat, Feb. 1st at 5:30 PM at The MARC Theatre, and Sun, Feb. 2nd at 3:30 PM at Rose Wagner Center.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Crip Camp is an endearing Documentary about a camp in the 1970s that was for disabled people.
It starts out as a film depicting a camp that made its attendees feel like they had a place to belong but it turns into a call for civil rights. This is thanks to Directors Nicole Newman and Jim LeBrencht who use footage from the 1971 camp and civil rights marshes and bills those campers have passed throughout the years. Through current interviews with the spirited campers, this documentary will make you laugh, cry and want to call for more equal rights.
Crip Camp screens at Sundance on Thurs. Jan. 23rd at 5:30 PM at The Ray Theatre and Eccles Theatre, Fri. Jan. 24th at 8:30 AM at The MARC Theatre, Fri. Jan. 24th at Grand Theatre, Sat. Jan. 25th at 9 PM at Sundance Resort, Wed. Jan. 29th at 6 PM at Library Centre Theatre, and Thurs. Jan. 30th at 9:30 PM at Redstone Cinema 1.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Director Lana Wilson has created a thought-provoking Documentary about how fame immensely impacts someone’s self-image, identity and more.
This isn’t a Film that simply scratches the surface of Swift’s life, it digs deep and figures out the root cause of her highly-publicized some moves and emotions. Wilson is able to achieve this level of investigation because Swift is completely unbarred and delivers her truth speaking about politics, feminism, misogyny, body image (including revealing a bout with an eating disorder) and more. The scenes where she addresses these topics are often emotionally hard-hitting, however, we get a good glimpse also in candid studio clips, showing her magnetic talent and quick wit.
Miss Americana isn’t about portraying Swift’s life as daisies and rainbows, instead she talks about the good, the bad, her flaws and what she can do to be the person she aspires to be. Fans soon will be able to stream this Friday, January 31, 2020.
Miss Americana screens at Sundance on Thurs. Jan. 23rd at 9:00 PM at Eccles Theatre, Fri. Jan. 24th at 9:00 AM at Eccles Theatre, Fri. Jan. 24th at 9:15 PM at Grand Theatre, Thurs. Jan. 30th at 9:30 AM at The Ray Theatre, Fri. Jan. 31st at 3:45 PM at Broadway Centre Cinema 3, Sat. Feb. 1 at 6 PM at Sundance Resort, and Sun. Feb. 2nd at 6:15 PM at Grand Theatre.
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