Next Sundance Movies | 2021 Sundance Film Festival Recap
/Sundance's Next section features the most daring, innovative and experimental movies of the festival. This year's selection didn't all live up to the name of the program to which they were selected. Which movie stood out from the Next pack?
The Blazing World
Decades after the accidental drowning of her twin sister, a self-destructive young woman returns to her family home, finding herself drawn to an alternate dimension where her sister may still be alive.
Director: Carlson Young
Writers: Carlson Young, Pierce Brown
Stars: Udo Kier, Carlson Young, Dermot Mulroney, Vinessa Shaw, John Karna, Soko
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on THE BLAZING WORLD on the Intercut Podcast!
Cryptozoo
As cryptozookeepers struggle to capture a Baku (a legendary dream-eating hybrid creature) they begin to wonder if they should display these rare beasts in the confines of a cryptozoo, or if these mythical creatures should remain hidden and unknown.
Director: Dash Shaw
Writer: Dash Shaw
Cast: Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Angeliki Papoulia, Zoe Kazan, Peter Stormare, Grace Zabriskie
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on CRYPTOZOO on the Intercut Podcast!
First Date
Conned into buying a shady ’65 Chrysler, Mike’s first date with the girl-next-door, Kelsey, implodes as he finds himself targeted by criminals, cops, and a crazy cat lady. A night fueled by desire, bullets and burning rubber makes any other first date seem like a walk in the park.
Directors: Manuel Crosby, Darren Knapp
Writers: Manuel Crosby, Darren Knapp
Cast: Tyson Brown, Shelby Duclos, Jesse Janzen, Nicole Berry, Ryan Quinn Adams, Brandon Kraus
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on FIRST DATE on the Intercut Podcast!
Ma Belle, My Beauty
A surprise reunion in southern France reignites passions and jealousies between two women who were formerly polyamorous lovers.
Director: Marion Hill
Writer: Marion Hill
Stars: Idella Johnson, Hannah Pepper, Lucien Guignard, Sivan Noam Shimon
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY on the Intercut Podcast!
R#J
Synopsis: A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, taking place through their cell phones, in a mash-up of Shakespearean dialogue with current social media communication.
Director: Carey Williams
Writer: Carey Williams, Rickie Castaneda, Alex Sobolev
Stars: Camaron Engels, Francesca Noel, David Zayas, Diego Tinoco, Siddiq Saunderson, Russell Hornsby
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on R#J on the Intercut Podcast!
Searchers
Synopsis: In encounters alternately humorous and touching, a diverse set of New Yorkers navigate their preferred dating apps in search of their special someone.
Director: Pacho Velez
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on SEARCHERS on the Intercut Podcast!
Son of Monarchs
Synopsis: After his grandmother’s death, a Mexican biologist living in New York returns to his hometown, nestled in the majestic monarch butterfly forests of Michoacán. The journey forces him to confront past traumas and reflect on his hybrid identity, sparking a personal and spiritual metamorphosis.
Director: Alexis Gambis
Writer: Alexis Gambis
Stars: Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Alexia Rasmussen, Lázaro Gabino Rodríguez, Noé Hernández, Paulina Gaitán, William Mapother
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on SON OF MONARCHS on the Intercut Podcast!
Strawberry Mansion
Synopsis: In a world where the government records and taxes dreams, an unassuming dream auditor gets swept up in a cosmic journey through the life and dreams of an aging eccentric named Bella. Together, they must find a way back home.
Director: Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley
Writers: Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley
Stars: Penny Fuller, Kentucker Audley, Grace Glowicki, Reed Birney, Linas Phillips, Constance Shulman
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on STRAWBERRY MANSION on the Intercut Podcast!
We’re All Going to the World’s Fair
Synopsis: A teenage girl becomes immersed in an online role-playing game.
Director: Jane Schoenbrun
Writer: Jane Schoenbrun
Stars: Anna Cobb, Michael J. Rogers
OUR RATINGS
Check out our discussion on WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR on the Intercut Podcast!
Pictures and images above are Courtesy of the Sundance Institute and the films’ respective Studios.
