End Of The Tour
In director James Ponsoldt's film, Jason Segel takes on the vexing role of hyper-genius David Foster Wallace, the vulnerable meta-author with an isolating intellect. The film dramatizes unpublished tapes from a five day interview between Wallace and Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky, played by Jesse Eisenberg, on a book tour in 1996. - Zach Gayne
Premieres
Grandma
After far too long away, Lily Tomlin returns in Sundance's closing night film, Grandma, as a grandmother on a day-long journey with her estranged granddaughter. Throughout the day, the reunited relatives come to benefit from one another's company, and reflect on the past and future. This may not sound especially exciting, but in Tomlin I trust. - Zach Gayne
Premieres
Mississippi Grind
Sundance vets Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson, Sugar) return to the fest with this Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn starring poker playing road tripper. Sienna Miller, Analeigh Tipton, Alfre Woodard, and Robin Weigert co-star. -Ryland Aldrich
Premieres
Experimenter
From his modern day Hamlet to travel essay Paradise, not to forget his Pixelvision-shot doc At Sundance, Michael Almereyda is certainly just what the title of his latest film suggests. The film in question stars Peter Sarsgaard as infamous social psychologist Stanley Milgram, charting his now notorious (and quite literally shocking) 1961 Yale University obedience experiments. - Ben Umstead
Premieres
Last Days In The Desert
Ewan McGregor stars as both Jesus Christ and The Devil for Albert Nobbs director Rodrigo Garcia. Shot by Gravity's Emmanuel Lubezki, Last Days In The Desert sounds so bizarre that it could be just about anything: A totally glorious misfire, another misunderstood take on Biblical tales, or an under-the-radar fest fave. Fingers crossed for a combo of the latter two. - Ben Umstead
Premieres
Cop Car
Jon Watts' midnighter has such a great concept it really sells it all by itself: two kids steal a cop car... with Kevin Bacon! -Ryland Aldrich
Midnight
The Nightmare
Rodney Ascher's follow up to the insanely awesome Room 237 is a documentary that looks into the phenomenon known as sleep paralysis. I can't wait to see what he does with the subject. -Ryland Aldrich
Midnight
Wild Tales
Sundance has a pretty solid Spotlight section this year highlighting some of the best films from the last 10 months of festivals. Without a doubt, one of the best of those films is the Cannes-premiering Wild Tales. This Argentine series of short stories by Damián Szifrón explores the dark side of society to hilarious results. -Ryland Aldrich
Spotlight
The Forbidden Rooom
There are few directors more out of time or place than Guy Maddin. His films are a mix of nostalgia and surrealism. In this film, co-directed with Evan Johnson, we get a disparate group that includes a sub crew, forest bandits and a doctor as they apparently are trying to find out the nature of love. Sure, whatever, count me in.- Jason Gorber
New Frontier
Animals
Mark Duplass, Rob Corddry, and Nick Kroll are just a few of the humorists lending comedic voices to animated, native New York animals, like a love-sick rat, pan-sexual pigeons, and aging bed bugs. Animals is an independently produced series of absurdist toons that seems sure to garner laughs and drop jaws. - Zach Gayne
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