Robert Redford wanted this Sundance season to be about diversity of voices and young voices, too. We covered some of that in the last buzz installment but this here's installment of buzz is mostly about women. Well, and Logan Lerman. He's one of many stars hoping to up their game and thus career by way of indie drama success. That is a quick way to up your cred as an actor -- look what it's done for Kristen Stewart recently -- but its weird that it works so well to keep careers going since box office is so rarely part of the equation. At least for festival pick-ups in the increasingly fragmented post-festival market. Do you go video on demand, streaming, theaters, or some weird ass combo of both?
The trick for actors is being great in a movie and also lucking out and having that movie around you be up to your level or at least accessible enough to provide you a nice showcase.
Christine, Certain Women, and more female led films after the jump...
Christine
I've been a little cool on Antonio Campos formal rigor but opaque films like Simon Killer and Afterschool but the reviews for Christine -- at least from the skimming i've done (I don't read full reviews before seeing a picture) -- suggest that this is a departure for him, and not just because he's doing a true story for the first time. Rebecca Hall, who is so undervalued but getting sensational notices for this, stars as suicidal anchorwoman Christine Chubbuck who infamously shot herself on air in 1974. Response seems a bit mixed outside of Rebecca Hall's leading commitment
#Christine...Wow. I'm shattered. Incredible portrait of a woman falling apart as an industry does the same. Rebecca Hall slayed. #Sundance
— Roth Cornet (@RothCornet) January 25, 2016
Rebecca Hall is next level great in CHRISTINE, an utterly devastating look at ambition, success, and isolation. #Sundance
— John Oursler (@JMOursler) January 25, 2016
Christine: Black Swan in the newsroom. Rebecca Hall is sensational. #Sundance
— Nigel M. Smith (@nigelmfs) January 24, 2016
Indignation
James Schamus, an important figure in cinema though he hasn't been in the director's chair, adapted the Philip Roth novel of the same name (are any of his books unfilmed at this point?). Indigation takes place early in the 50's and stars Logan Lerman as a college freshman conflicted with the rigidity of various institutions: college, christianity, etcetera. The Film Stage mostly recounts the plot in their review but says that its Lerman's best work yet. Vanity Fair seems to agree saying he might just be a movie star yet.
INDIGNATION: euphoric that James Schamus is still making Focus features. the jewish Atonement? Sarah Gadon for president. Loved. #Sundance
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) January 26, 2016
Sarah Gadon breaks out in James Schamus' directorial debut Indignation, an elegant coming of age college story based on Philip Roth.
— Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) January 25, 2016
Clea DuVall & Melanie Lynskey in "The Intervention"The Intervention
Clea DuVall the actress works both sides of the camera for this one (she also wrote and directed!) about couples having a vacation by the lake but its a guise for the title happening. Reviews aren't in yet but it co-stars Cobie Smulders, Melanie Lynskey and Jason Ritter and people are saying it's sweet, sharp and funny.
THE INTERVENTION: Bit bumpy on takeoff, bit too smooth on landing, but plenty of genuine laughs. Lynskey for president. #Sundance
— Jason Bailey (@jasondashbailey) January 27, 2016
THE INTERVENTION: Lively ensemble comedy, terrific direction from Clea Duvall. Very funny, sharp. Tasty balance of acid and sweet.
— Russ Fischer (@russfischer) January 27, 2016
THE INTERVENTION is funny, snappy, and sweet. Perfect midpoint-of-#Sundance movie to get the energy back up.
— Kate Erbland (@katerbland) January 27, 2016
we miss Michelle Williams. She's back in multiple Sundance filmsCertain Women
You probably already know if you're a fan of Kelly Reichardt for her distinctive quiet cinema like Wendy & Lucy and Meek's Cutoff. Guy Lodge at Variety loves her new film and calls it "among her richest and most refined works". It's a triptych of character studies headlined by Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, and Lily Gladstone.
Certain Women is sure to stick with me. Beautiful, meditative film with deeply felt performances across the board. #Sundance
— Nigel M. Smith (@nigelmfs) January 25, 2016
CERTAIN WOMEN: getting harder and harder to remember a time before Kristen Stewart was a guarantee of a good movie. #Sundance
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) January 25, 2016
CERTAIN WOMEN: Reichardt's framing is a marvel. Long takes & composition with such meaning. Wonderful performances. #Sundance
— Alex Heeney (@bwestcineaste) January 25, 2016
#Sundance alumni really on their game this year. Utterly enthralled by Kelly Reichardt's CERTAIN WOMEN (and I'm not usually a fan).
— Noel Murray (@NoelMu) January 25, 2016