Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Piercing is an unconventional love story that follows Reed (Christopher Abbott) who leaves his wife and newborn at home to kill a seemingly unsuspecting prostitute, Jackie (Mia Wasikowska). But she has plans of her own.
Writer-Director Nicolas Pesce creates an outrageously-stylish, twisted romance. Adapted from the Novel of the same name by Ryu Murakami, the characters have dozens of layer that peel away throughout. And the two leads relish in those never-ending layers. Abbott is phenomenal as the calm and sadistic Reed. While Wasikowska is a firework as the eccentric Jackie. Together they ignite something inexplicable and heat-up the screen. And because of them no matter how fiendish the characters become, you always want them to end up together.
Piercing screens at Sundance on Jan. 22 at 11:59PM at PC Library, Jan. 21 at 8:30PM at The Egyptian PC, Jan. 24 at 8:30PM at The MARC PC, Jan. 26 at 11:59PM at Broadway 6 SLC, and Jan. 27 at 11:59PM at PC Library.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Damsel follows Samuel (Robert Pattinson) who goes on a journey to marry his love, Penelope (Mia Wasikowska). The pair are reunited after success in David Cronenberg‘s Maps to the Stars. But when their venture takes an unsuspected turn, lines become blurred between who the villain, hero and damsel are.
Writer-Director brother duo David and Nathan Zellner craft a beautifully-shot deadpan Comedy-Western. They divert from typical Western fare to create a hilarious genre-bending thrill ride. The laughs come courtesy of this powerhouse Ensemble. Pattinson is a stand-out as the clueless, blinded-by-love Samuel. He takes his character way beyond the script to create a highly-memorable character. And Wasikowska is a knockout as the strong, fearless Penelope. This is Wasikowska’s Film and it is a pure delight. Top that off with a comical performance from David Zellner as the Preacher and the cutest miniature pony and this is one unforgettable ride!
Damsel screens at Sundance on Jan. 23 at 3:30PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 24 at 9AM at PC Library, Jan. 27 at 9:30PM at The Ray PC and Jan. 28 at 12:30PM at Rose Wagner SLC.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Night Comes On follows Angel (Dominique Fishback) and her 10-year-old sister Abby (Tatum Marilyn Hall) who are apart of the foster care system. When Angel gets released from a juvenile detention centre on the eve of her 18th birthday, she goes on a journey with Abby that could ruin both of their futures.
In Writer-Director Jordana Spiro’s first Feature Film she crafts an honest depiction of the troubles children in foster care go through. Both when they are in the program and the moments following their release. Newcomer Fishback is marvelous as the mistreated and dejected Angel. And Hall is charming as the bright spirited Abby. They have great chemistry and challenge each other in every scene, investing us every step of the way.
Night Comes On screens at Sundance on Jan. 19 at 9:30PM at The Ray PC, Jan. 20 at 11:30PM at Prospector PC, Jan. 21 at 9PM at Broadway 6 SLC, Jan. 24 at 9PM at Temple PC, and Jan. 25 at 3PM at Park Ave PC.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
The Happy Prince takes place in the final days of Oscar Wilde (Rupert Everett) as he looks back on his failures.
Actor-Writer-Director Rupert Everett crafts an intriguing portrait of a dying man. He focuses on the years Wilde shared with his lover Bosie (Colin Morgan) and the events that circled around the relationship, creating the period in which Wilde lived but also the tragic events he lived through. Everett has devoted much of his craft to Wilde portraying him in the Play The Judas Kiss, which played in Toronto.
Everett is superb as Wilde. His passion and love for Wilde shines through every frame. He encompasses the wild, loving, funny, depressed and sometime angry Wilde effortlessly. Everett surrounds himself with a talented ensemble consisting of Colin Firth, Emily Watson and Edwin Thomas who elevate every scene.
The Happy Prince screens at Sundance on Jan. 21 at 9:30PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 22 at 9AM at PC Library, Jan. 24 at 9PM at Sundance Resort, Jan. 27 at 7PM at Redstone 2 PC, and Jan. 28 at 3:15PM at The Grand SLC.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
I Think We’re Alone Now takes place after the apocalypse and follows recluse Del (Peter Dinklage) who believes he was the only survivor, until fiery Grace (Elle Fanning) bursts into his hometown.
Director Reed Morano crafts a captivating and character driven atmospheric survival tale. Morano’s use of setting to introduce her characters personality adds gives a special touch to this beautiful story. Dinklage is great as the man whose happier to be alone but has a change of heart when Grace comes along. And Fanning is spellbinding as the mysterious Grace whonis full of life. When they come together their chemistry is magnetic. Top that off with a shocking twist and this is an exceptional end-of-the-world Film.
I Think We’re Alone Now screens at Sundance on Jan. 21 at 12:15PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 22 at 9:30PM at Redstone 1 PC, Jan. 23 at 9:30PM at Rose Wagner SLC, Jan. 24 at 9:30AM at The Ray PC, and Jan. 26 at 11:45AM at The MARC PC.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
On day five at the Sundance Film Festival the weather cleared up and people flocked to the cinemas.
There were two major Premieres tonight. One was for Ophelia and the other Beirut. Ophelia follows the same storyline as the play Hamlet but told through the Ophelia’s perspective. It has a huge Cast consisting of Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, Tom Felton and George McKay.  Beirut is about a U.S diplomat who is called back to Beirut by CIA Operatives after fleeing Lebanon in 1972. It stars Rosamund Pike and Jon Hamm.
There were also plenty of screenings happening in Park City tonight and plenty of buzz surrounding certain Films. The Tale about a woman remembering her first sexual experience and the lies she told herself about it, staring four-time Golden Globe winner Laura Dern, is garnering major buzz around the Festival. Two other Films that have screened and impressed audiences have been Eighth Grade and We The Animals. Eighth Grade follows a girl in her final year of middle school. And We The Animals is about three young boys coming of age while pushing against the volatile love of their parents. Look out for those three Fims throughout the year because they are sparking the most interest at Sundance, so far. Perhaps we will see them even at TIFF?
The final week of the festival is upon us, with plenty of more Films to see. Check back as we continue delivering Reviews of the most buzzed Titles.
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Burden is the true life story of Mike Burden (Garrett Hedlund) who opens a KKK Museum in South Carolina with fellow Klan members. When he falls in love with Judy (Andrea Riseborough) he makes the choice to leave the KKK and gets taken in by an African-American Reverend (Forest Whitaker).
What makes Burden a standout is that its told through the perspective of a previous Klan member. Writer-Director Andrew Heckler is unforgiving in his depiction of the horrifying acts which the Klan members practice. But also balances the KKK members’ ideals and the African-American ideals equally which entices the story.
Burden also sees Hedlund’s greatest performance to date. His performance is fearless and all-in. Hedlund physically changes his posture, walk and accent to become Burden. There’s also an incredible Ensemble consisting of Tom Wilkinson as the terrifying KKK leader, Riseborough as the passionate single mother and Whitaker as the conflicted Reverend.
Burden screens at Sundance Jan. 21 at 6:15PM at PC Library, Jan. 23 at 12PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 25 at 9:15PM at The MARC PC, Jan. 26 at 9PM at SLC Library, and Jan. 27 at 8:30AM at The Egyptian PC.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Sorry To Bother You follows Telemarketer Cassius Green (Keith Stanfield) in an alternate present-day version of Oakland, California. When he finds the key to success he gets thrusted into a macabre universe. This Film is out-of-this-world greatness. Writer-Director Boots Riley crafts an ambitiously bonkers satire.
Sorry To Bother You is the most unique Film is years. The entire Ensemble Cast makes this outrageous Comedy set in a realistic world no matter how crazy the story becomes. Stanfield is a powerful force and roots this off-the-wall Film and causes the audience to sympathize with the most outlandish scenarios. But the real show stealer is Armie Hammer as themanic drug-addicted CEO. Hammer is at his best in a role that is furthest from anything he’s played before.
Sorry To Bother You screens at Sundance Jan. 20 at 6PM at PC Library, Jan. 21 at 9:15PM at The Grand SLC, Jan. 22 8:30AM at Prospector PC, Jan. 24 at 12:15PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 26 5:30PM at The MARC PC, and Jan. 27 at 3PM at Sundance Resort.
It’s day four of the Sundance Film Festival and we are in full flight!
There were many Premieres once again tonight in Park City. I Think We’re Alone Now takes place during an apocalypse where a recluse feels the threat of companionship when finding out there is a second survivor. It stars Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning. BLAZE is the reimagining of the life of Blaze Foley who was the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas Outlaw Music Movement. It is written and directed by Ethan Hawke and stars recent Golden Globe winner Sam Rockwell, Edgar Arreola and Alia Shawkat. Come Sunday follows pastor Carlton Pearson during a crisis in faith where he risks everything when he questions the Church Doctrine, it is based on true events. It stars Chiwetel Ejifor, Jason Segel and Danny Glover. The Happy Prince is set during Oscar Wilde’s final days. It is starring, written and directed by a long-absent Rupert Everett and stars Colin Firth and Emily Watson. The Miseducation of Cameron Post takes place in 1993 and follows a girl who is sent to a Conversion Therapy Centre when she is caught kissing another girl. It stars ChloĂ« Grace Moretz and Sasha Lane. And Piercing which is a twisted love story about a married man who goes away on a business trip with the intent of murdering a prostitute, who also has plans of her own. It stars Christopher Abbot and Mia Wasikowska.
Down on Main Street in Park City, there were tons of stars out getting lunch, attending parties and press stops. Some of the stars spotted out on the street were Joan Jett, Idris Elba, Debra Messing, John Cho, Joel McHale, Chloë Grace Mortez and more. It was also a special day for Bill Skarsgård (It), who is at the Festival with Assassination Nation, he received the IMDb StarMeter Award.
This wraps-up the first weekend of the Festival. But there is still an entire week ahead with more stars coming into Park City and plenty more Films to be screened.
See some stars out and about today! Hover cursor left and right to navigate slideshow:
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Human Affairs tell the story of a 20-year-old (Julie Sokolowski) who decides to be a surrogate for an artistic couple (Kerry Condon and Dominic Fumusa).
The Film is written delicately by Charlie Birns who write an endearing script about the joy and complications both the surrogate and surrogate parents experience. They also layers each of the characters and humanize them in their darkest moments. Yet, if not for the talented ensemble cast consisting of Condon, Fumusa and Sokolowski who bring complex characters to life.
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