Get thee to Park City! The Sundance Film Festival kicks off tonight. So far we've previewed the US Narrative, World Narrative, and NEXT competitions, taken a tour of the US Docu, World Docu and Docu Premieres, and checked in on every film playing in the full Midnight program. Today we wrap up our preview series by a quick look at the films playing in the other programs - including Premieres, Spotlight, and the new episodic-centric program dubbed Special Events.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Taika Waititi follows up his hilarious What We Do in the Shadows with this New Zealand outback adventure comedy.
Premieres
The Girlfriend Experience
Watch the first four episodes of the Steven Soderbergh-produced episodic adaptation of his film. These eps are directed by Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz and will premiere on Starz soon. Riley Keough, Paul Sparks, Mary Lynn Rajskub, James Gilbert, and Kate Lyn Sheil star.
Special Events
Miles Ahead
Don Cheadle's directorial debut is this Miles Davis biopic that premiered at NYFF and will be released later this year by Sony Pictures Classics.
Spotlight
The Hollars
John Krasinski directs himself alongside Anna Kendrick, Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, and Charlie Day in this comedy about a man and his pregnant girlfriend visiting his ailing mum.
Premieres
Complete Unknown
Maria Full of Grace and The Forgiveness of Blood director Joshua Marston has been focusing on TV direction a bit. He turns back to features with this story of confused identity that stars Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates, and Danny Glover.
Premieres
Green Room
If you haven't had a chance to see Jeremy Saulnier's Blue Ruin follow-up, you can check it out at Sundance or see it when A24 releases it in a few month's time. Or both. It's great!
Spotlight
Dazed & Confused, Live commentary by Jason Reitman and Richard Linklater
If you've always been disappointed that Linklater's classic Dazed and Confused failed to have a commentary track, then come hear the iconic director and pal Jason Reitman talk through the film live!
Special Events
Wiener-Dog
The latest by master of quirk Todd Solondz stars Greta Gerwig, Kieran Culkin, Danny DeVito, Ellen Burstyn, Julie Delpy, and Zosia Mamet.
Premieres
Ali & Nino
This dramatic Azerbaijani love story set at the outset of WWI is directed by Senna and Amy director Asif Kapadia.
Premieres
Embrace of the Serpent
It's not often that Oscar nominees play Sundance after they've been nominated. That's the case in Ciro Guerra's visionary trip down the Amazon that's being released by Oscilloscope.
Spotlight
American Epic
This preview of the Bernard MacMahon-directed mini-series about the birth of modern music will include a conversation with Robert Redford, T-Bone Burnett, and Jack White.
Special Events
Captain Fantastic
Matt Ross's follow-up to 28 Hotel Rooms is this Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, George MacKay, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, and Ann Dowd starring tale of a rural parent bringing his kids out of the deep Pacific Northwest woods and into society.
Premieres
Manchester by the Sea
Only the third feature by much-loved director Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me, Margaret), this story of a man forced to care for his 16-year-old nephew stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedges, and Kyle Chandler.
Premieres
Love & Friendship
Whit Stillman takes on Jane Austen in this period story starring Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel, Emma Greenwell, Tom Bennett, and Stephen Fry.
Premieres
O.J.: Made in America
ESPN 30 For 30 director Ezra Edelman will premiere the full 7 and one-half hour docu on O.J. and follow it with a Q&A.
Special Events