Sundance can be the greatest experience for film lovers. It also can be an internal struggle and mind draining ten days. What will be the next big hit? What is the can’t miss revolutionary film? What is the worst film here?
Between our Sundance contributors Ty Cooper and Nathan McVay, the two saw nearly 30 films. While we have published some of their full length reviews the two wanted to let everyone know their brief takes on all the films they caught.
Below is their very brief one sentence reviews and star ratings of all the films of Sundance.
Hearts Beat Loud
Ty- The annual obligatory Sundance musical that features songs that were obviously not written for their leading lady.
2/5 Stars
Nathan- Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons are fantastic but this film is too heavy and pretentious for its own good.
3/5 Stars
Blindspotting
Ty- A jarring and engaging film that leaves viewers asking themselves: who the $%*$ is Rafael Casal and why isn’t he in everything!?
4/5 stars
Nathan- Fresh, Smart, Innovative, Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal will take over the world.
4/5 stars
The Kindergarten Teacher
Ty-Maggie Gyllenhaal stands 5 inches away from everyone’s faces and makes tons of poor decisions.
4/5 stars
Nathan- A parent teacher conference’s worst nightmare and please just give Maggie Gyllenhaal all the awards!
4/5 stars
Wildlife
Nathan- Paul Dano is just as amazing a director as he is actor and pulls phenomenal performances from his actors.
4/5 Stars
Catcher Was a Spy
Ty- Not Ben Affleck starring in a not so thrilling spy thriller that is not directed by Ben Affleck.
2/5 Stars
Science Fair
Nathan- Incredibly fun documentary about the world Science Fair Championship that resembles a real life Christopher Guest film.
4/5 stars
Assassination Nation
Nathan- Exhilarating, Beautiful, Smart, Thrilling, Near perfect- my favorite experience of the festival.
5/5 stars
Ty- A jaw-dropping sociological thriller made all the more terrifying for it’s implications on modern life.
5/5 Stars
Puzzle
Nathan- Heart warming, inspiring and oh so enjoyable, I believe this will be the biggest hit of the fest.
5/5 stars
Ty- An emotionally engaging love story revolving around one of the most monotonous of pastimes.
4/5 Stars
American Animals
Nathan- Innovative movie that’s half documentary half narrative and fully awesome.
4/5 Stars
Ty- A genre bending blend of film making that makes you wish all documentaries were filmed this way.
4/5 Stars
Tyrel
Nathan- Imagine if someone remade Get Out but decided for it to be a complete unentertaining, uneventful mess.
1/5 stars
Ty- Interesting premise expanded to a narrative with no substance, climax or purpose.
1/5 stars
Beirut
Ty- Hamm is to Beirut as Timothy Dalton is to Bond; make of that statement what you will.
3/5 stars
Nathan- Jon Hamm is good, the writing is good, action is good but feel like I’ve seen this before.
3/5 stars
The Happy Prince
Ty- Rupert Everett runs around doing a terrible Donald Trump impression for two hours in a great example of why some actors shouldn’t direct themselves.
0/5 stars
Nathan- A complete missed opportunity
1/5 stars
An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn
Nathan- So weird, so original, so much fun and oh so weird!
4/5 stars
Ty- Jim Hoskins expands upon the niche genre of comedy he pioneered two years ago with Greasy Strangler
4/5 stars
Monster
Ty- An engaging courtroom drama based on the bestselling book of the same name by Walter Dean Myers.
4/5 stars
Nathan- Stirring drama I’ve seen a million times but told with such innovation, fresh vision and a pitch perfect ending.
4/5 stars
On Her Shoulders
Ty- A moving documentary about Yazidi activist Nadia Murad that is sure to drain every last drip from your tear ducts.
4/5 stars
4/5 stars
Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist
Ty- An overly-long scatterbrained documentary about fashion icon Vivienne Westwood.
2/5 stars
2/5 stars
A Kid Like Jake
Ty- Claire Danes and Jim Parsons are a match made in heaven in this moving film about gender identity that features some of the best screenwriting in Sundance history.
4/5 stars
Piercing
Ty- A mix between Audition and 50 Shades of Grey that is visually stunning yet completely lackluster in its execution.
2/5 stars
Nathan- Great actors, engaging premise but it completely fails to live up to its potential.
2/5 stars
Skate Kitchen
Ty- One of the best films about skating since Lords of Dogtown and Kids.
3/5 stars
White Fang
Ty-Jack London’s famous story plagued by poor animation and stilted voice acting.
2/5 stars
Nathan- A great story and cast squandered by a script that appears to be written by 8 year olds.
1/5 stars
Damsel
Ty- An off-beat western comedy with jokes that never seem to hit with their intended effect.
1/5 stars
Never Goin’ Back
Ty- Maia Mitchell and Cami Morrone star in what can only be described as the next generation of the buddy comedy.
4/5 stars
Nathan- The most fun I had at any movie, Maia and Cami are incredible and I wish Kyle Mooney was in everything.
4/5 stars
Search
Ty- One of the most innovative films of the last ten years that unfortunately falls apart in its third act.
3/5 stars
Nathan- Never seen anything like it, completely flawless in execution yet it does border on the edge of ridiculousness at the end.
3/5 stars
Sorry To Bother You
Ty- Boots Riley is a renaissance man as he takes over directing/screenwriting/music duties for what can only be described as one of the most jaw-dropping films of the festival.
4/5 stars
Nathan- Can’t shake this movie from my mind, just weird, hilarious and bonkers yet brilliant.
4/5 stars
White Rabbit
Ty- An interesting social piece that suffers from stale acting and an over-long narrative.
1/5 stars
Madeline’s Madeline
Nathan- Inventive, powerful, beautiful; while not for all one can’t argue the promise of this filmmaker.
4/5 stars
Find all our coverage from the 2018 Sundance Film Festival here. See you next year!
