Our 10 Most Anticipated Movies on the 2023 Sundance Movie Competition
by Alex Billington
January 17, 2023
It is January once more, which suggests it is time for one more Sundance Movie Competition. After two years of solely a digital movie competition, Sundance returns in 2023 to an in-person occasion within the snowy city of Park Metropolis, Utah. And we’re again once more! Prepared to begin watching, diving into the spectacular line-up of movies this 12 months. That is my seventeenth 12 months in a row masking this movie competition; I am at all times trying ahead to returning and watching all the brand new movies premiering at Sundance. Packing in as many as I can catch. Out of the 100+ movies exhibiting on the 2023 Sundance Movie Competition, I’ve picked 10 movies that I am trying ahead to seeing probably the most. To maintain issues properly balanced, I’ve chosen 5 characteristic movies and 5 documentaries from the line-up. For 2023, the fest is leaning closely on unknown administrators, first-time filmmakers, and gems with breakout potential. As normal with Sundance, you by no means can actually inform what’ll good or unhealthy earlier than, however this is my early picks anyway.
For the complete line-up of movies exhibiting at Sundance 2023 – click on right here. Observe my critiques on Letterboxd. This will probably be my seventeenth 12 months in a row masking Sundance, beginning again in 2007 then ever since. I am nonetheless excited to be watching the most recent indie movies, even from afar, and I am hoping there’s some good discoveries regardless of the chaotic occasions we’re dwelling in. The fest is nearly to start, this is my Prime 10 most anticipated 2023 movies.
Alex’s Most Anticipated ~Sundance 2023~ Function Movies:
Drift
Directed by Anthony Chen
That is considered one of my most anticipated simply because it sounds so mysterious, because the competition would not need to give away an excessive amount of about what occurs and the place the movie goes. The unique Sundance description says: “Jacqueline escapes her war-torn nation to a Greek island. She meets an unmoored tour information and the 2 change into shut as they every discover hope within the different.” It is the primary English language characteristic from an acclaimed Singaporean filmmaker named Anthony Chen, greatest identified for his movies Ilo Ilo and Moist Season beforehand. This one stars Cynthia Erivo as the lady who finally ends up on the island, together with a solid together with Alia Shawkat and Honor Swinton Byrne. Sundance provides extra buzz saying: “The movie sensitively examines each Jacqueline’s fraught try to resume life within the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy and her rising bond with a fellow expat. Cynthia Erivo, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2019’s Harriet, vividly portrays Jacqueline’s bone-deep grief and all-too-fresh fears, in addition to her guarded makes an attempt at human connection.”
Rye Lane
Directed by Raine Allen Miller
I am unable to wait to look at this one!! Rye Lane appears to be like prefer it is perhaps the fashionable Earlier than Dawn/Sundown breakout from the 2023 competition. It is one other movie about two younger individuals who randomly stumble upon one another, and it follows them over the course of the day as they discuss romance and relationships and life and the whole lot else. Searchlight Photos has already picked this one up, with plans to launch it in a number of months (solely on Hulu within the US – solely in theaters within the UK). I am set to attend one of many first screenings on the competition. “For her visually creative characteristic debut, director Raine Allen-Miller launches us right into a playful and vibrant world, shaping a romantic comedy that celebrates assembly the fitting particular person on the unsuitable time. Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia’s recent characters leap off the web page at breakneck velocity within the palms of Oparah and Jonsson, channeling all of the frustrations of swiping fatigue whereas holding onto the hope of discovering the true deal.” It stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as the 2 leads Dom and Yas. Watch the first full trailer right here.
Well mannered Society
Directed by Nida Manzoor
Martial arts awesomeness!! Convey on the disclosing of Well mannered Society. I’ve received a sense this is perhaps one of many large breakouts from the Midnight part at Sundance this 12 months. Well mannered Society is a couple of younger lady from London who decides to disrupt her sister’s marriage ceremony as a result of she would not need her to change into a trophy spouse and quit on all of her desires. Which is a good setup for an motion comedy. “Aspiring martial artist Ria Khan believes she should save her older sister, Lena, from her impending marriage. With the assistance of her associates, Ria makes an attempt to drag off probably the most bold of all marriage ceremony heists within the identify of independence and sisterhood.” Starring Priya Kansara as Ria, and marking the characteristic directorial debut of filmmaker Nida Manzoor (additionally identified for creating “We Are Woman Elements”), this has cult hit potential throughout. Possibly it is going to even find yourself being a mainstream hit, too! Solely time will inform. I’ve received my ticket for the midnight premiere on the primary weekend, I do know the excitement from that first viewers will make it the right expertise on the competition.
All Grime Roads Style of Salt
Directed by Raven Jackson
Sundance is a competition the place experimentation and innovation in filmmaking are inspired, and this feels like one of many movies that may stand out for its originality and authenticity. That is one other movie produced by the very gifted filmmaker Barry Jenkins (who additionally produced final 12 months’s Aftersun). The brief description is: “A decades-spanning exploration of a girl’s life in Mississippi and an ode to the generations of individuals, locations, and ineffable moments that form us.” However the longer intro from the competition provides a number of extra particulars: “Raven Jackson’s placing debut is an assured imaginative and prescient, unafraid to immerse us in moments of grief and longing, or inside the thickness of issues left unsaid. Her digital camera is affected person and loving, capturing the great thing about Black our bodies and life. Rural quietness is crammed with the transportive sounds of crickets, frogs, and water in its many types. Jackson’s nontraditional narrative borrows from the language of reminiscence.” I am positively in.
Panorama with Invisible Hand
Directed by Cory Finley
After raving about the Hugh Jackman movie Unhealthy Training a number of years in the past, I am now a giant fan of filmmaker Cory Finley. He ought to already be a mainstream identify, however I believe this movie will lastly put him on the map in a giant means. He additionally premiered Thoroughbreds (with Olivia Cooke & Anya Taylor-Pleasure & Anton Yelchin RIP) at Sundance in 2017, returning with this sci-fi story in 2023. It is tailored from the e book of the identical identify by M.T. Anderson, about aliens on Earth. “The Vuvv, a species of hyper-intelligent extraterrestrials, introduced wondrous expertise to Earth, however solely the wealthiest can afford it. The remainder of humanity, their livelihoods now out of date, should scrape collectively cash within the tourism trade. Within the case of Adam and his budding love curiosity Chloe, meaning livestreaming their courtship for the amusement of the coffee-table sized Vuvv, who discover human love unique and fascinating. When Adam and Chloe’s scheme goes sideways, Adam and his mom have to search out their means out of an more and more nightmarish alien forms.” I have to see this.
Different Options I am Wanting Ahead To: Generally I Suppose About Dying with Daisy Ridley, Sophie Barthes’ sci-fi The Pod Era, Susanna Fogel’s Cat Individual (primarily based on that one article), Ira Sachs’ new movie Passages, Roger Ross Williams’ Cassandro, Elijah Bynum’s Journal Goals with Jonathan Majors.
Alex’s Most Anticipated ~Sundance 2023~ Documentaries:
Deep Rising
Directed by Matthieu Rytz
To not be confused with the cruise ship monster horror film from 1998 additionally titled Deep Rising, this can be a entire different movie – although it is also concerning the ocean. I am a sucker for any movies about our planet and the way we ought to be taking higher care of it, so I am already bought on this one. Very curious to study what’s within the deep. It sounds prefer it is perhaps profoundly necessary in discussing much more exploitation and destruction. The competition introduces this as: “Narrated by Jason Momoa, Deep Rising illuminates the important relationship between the deep ocean & sustaining life on Earth. The documentary additionally follows mining startup The Metals Firm, because it pursues funding, public favor, and permission from the Worldwide Seabed Authority to mine large swaths of the Pacific Ocean ground.” I positively will not be lacking this documentary on the competition.
Incredible Machine
Directed by Axel Danielson & Maximilien Van Aertryck
One more movie about how social media is ruining society. Among the finest docs from Sundance 2022 that nobody watched after the fest was All Gentle In every single place, analyzing of the origins of the digital camera and the way it connects to police physique cams. This one sounds prefer it follows up on that doc with one other fascinating visible research. “A meticulous dissection of image-making and a mapping of its motion via society, administrators Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck use a mind-boggling array of archival footage to collage this sociological research by monitoring the transmogrification of photographic philosophy and expertise over human historical past.” The competition will not say it outright, nevertheless it sounds prefer it’s additional important of our society immediately. Their shorter description says “the visible sociologist filmmakers widen their lens to reveal each humanity’s distinctive obsession with the digital camera’s picture and the social penalties that lay forward.” I am positively in.
Kim’s Video
Directed by David Redmon & Ashley Sabin
Any of you keep in mind Kim’s Video? The well-known video retailer in New York Metropolis? This documentary is about Kim’s Video, nevertheless it appears to be one other considered one of these “stranger than fiction” tales about what occurred to Kim’s and the entire 50,000+ films they used to have. So the place did they go? Did this disappear? Are they locked up someplace? Discover out on this documentary movie. “In a bid to revitalize tourism, the small Italian village of Salemi, Sicily grew to become residence to the archive. However after the preliminary publicity light, so too did any signal of the gathering. Enter filmmaker David Redmon, who credit Kim’s Video for his movie training. With the ghosts of cinema previous main his means, Redmon embarks on a seemingly quixotic quest to trace down what occurred to the legendary assortment and to free it from purgatory.” I am so curious what he finds over there and Italy and if he can in some way get his palms on all these misplaced films. Very curious to see what this exhibits.
The Everlasting Reminiscence
Directed by Maite Alberdi
I’m large fan of Chilean director Maite Alberdi’s earlier movie, The Mole Agent, which ended up with an Oscar nomination in 2021. Alberdi is again at Sundance once more with one other pretty documentary about aged individuals, although this one sounds a bit extra heartbreaking and unhappy. “Augusto and Paulina have been collectively for 25 years. Eight years in the past, he was recognized with Alzheimer’s illness. Each worry the day he not acknowledges her.” It is one more movie about Alzheimer’s illness and the way harsh it’s, particularly with this story a couple of couple. “Day-to-day, the couple face this problem head-on, adapting to the disruptions introduced on by the taxing illness whereas counting on the tender affection and humorousness shared between them that is still intact.” I am nervous this doc will probably be actually emotional to look at, however I am unable to miss it on the fest anyway.
Nonetheless: A Michael J. Fox Film
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Everybody is aware of & loves Michael J. Fox! After all they lastly made a documentary about him, and about his struggles with Parkinson’s illness. It is made by the acclaimed director of the doc movies An Inconvenient Fact and Ready for Superman earlier than. “Fox’s inconceivable story sounds just like the stuff of Hollywood, so what higher strategy to inform it than via scenes from his personal work, supplemented with trendy recreations? Proudly owning his personal narrative, the actor playfully recounts his journey with intimacy, candor, and humor. Within the palms of Davis Guggenheim, Nonetheless reveals what occurs when an everlasting optimist confronts an incurable illness.” This may even be unhappy and hard to look at at occasions, however I even have a sense it will lean extra into being triumphant and uplifting, as Fox looks like the sort of man who desires us to be empowered by his story not introduced down by it. Wanting ahead to being on the world premiere of this doc on the weekend.
Extra Docs I am going to Be Watching: Tracy Droz Tragos’ Plan C, Laura McGann’s The Deepest Breath, Rebecca Landsberry-Baker & Joe Peeler’s journalism movie Unhealthy Press, Milisuthando Bongela’s poetic Milisuthando.
For all of Alex’s Sundance 2023 critiques and updates: Observe @firstshowing
For extra Sundance 2023 previews across the net, highlighting early picks and potential breakouts, additionally see: The Movie Stage’s 20 Most-Anticipated Premieres, Indiewire’s 27 Should-See Movies at This Yr’s Competition, Rolling Stone’s 20 Films We Cannot Wait to See at Sundance 2023, and Hidden Distant’s 2023 Sundance most anticipated films. You by no means know what is perhaps a giant hit, and it is important to have a pulse on the early buzz – even earlier than the fest begins. There’s loads of intriguing movies discovered within the choice this 12 months, tons of discoveries from first time filmmakers and up-and-coming expertise, so let’s soar proper in and begin watching.
You possibly can comply with our Sundance 2023 protection and critiques proper right here and on Alex’s Letterboxd. The competition begins on January nineteenth and runs till January twenty ninth, with movies premiering on-line + domestically. Glad to be again.
