Sundance Review: "Sunfish (and Other Stories on Green Lake)" is an Anthology Whose Parts Don’t Quite Make a Whole

by Abe Friedtanzer

Anthologies can be very appealing, probing a number of shorter tales within the span of a feature film. There are no set rules for how they have to connect or whether they really need to, but one particular place is a frequent commonality. Sometimes, however, the uniting force just isn’t all that compelling on its own, and the stories told around it don’t do much to help. There’s nothing inherently wrong with Sundance entry Sunfish (and Other Stories on Green Lake), but none of its four separate segments make much of an impression…

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Sundance Review: "Brides" is a Compelling Chronicle of Friendship with Terrific Leads

by Abe Friedtanzer

There are many stories of people running away from war zones, struggling to adjust to their new surroundings and longing for memories of home. But that’s not the sentiment everyone has, and it can be precisely the opposite for those who have never felt like they belong. Brides spotlights two best friends so disillusioned and unhappy with their lives in the United Kingdom that they decide to run away together to move to Syria and find a community that can truly appreciate them...

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Sundance Review: ‘Didn’t Die’ is a Subdued Take on the Zombie Genre

by Abe Friedtanzer

There’s no shortage of zombie films and TV shows out there, and, as a result, there are almost innumerable variations on the premise of the undead. The Sundance entry Didn’t Die is best summarized by its podcast host protagonist’s declaration: “Nobody told me the apocalypse was going to be so boring.” Still, this film finds a good deal of content to mine from that premise...

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Sundance Review: ‘Ricky’ is a Tough Watch with a Strong Message and Performances

By Abe Friedtanzer

There have been many films made about people getting out of prison and struggling to restart their lives. It’s rarely an easy journey and typically includes the threat of re-incarceration due to an inability to find work or a stable support system. Rashad Frett’s Ricky is the latest to explore this premise, and it does so in a gritty, realistic manner that speaks to the incredible challenges presented at every turn when someone only has good intentions but just isn’t able to fully control what happens to them...  

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Abe’s Sundance Jury of One

By Abe Friedtanzer

Pedro Pascal in Freaky Tales | Sundance Institute

This was my ninth time being in Park City for the Sundance Film Festival, and even though a family occasion meant I only arrived on Sunday (the festival started Thursday), I still saw twenty-five films in person and three before the fest. I did three days of five movies back-to-back, which is an incomparable thrill that can also prove quite exhausting. Fortunately, there was plenty of good fare worth remembering, and some of it is even coming soon to a screen of some sort near you!

Because there’s just so much playing, I didn’t actually see most of the official award winners, but you can peruse that list here. For my “jury of one,” here are my top ten films and a few other assorted honors. My reviews, if available, are hyperlinked, as well as notes on distribution if available...

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