The first Sundance since Robert Redford’s death will open on January 22nd in Park City, Utah.
Hollywood icon and Sundance creator Robert Redford dies at 89
Oscar-winning actor and director Robert Redford has died at the age of 89 at Sundance in Utah, his representative announced.
The Sundance Film Festival is back to shine a light on the best in independent cinema.
For more than 40 years, Sundance (running through February 1) has been the launching pad for iconic filmmakers (including Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, David O. Russell, and Wes Anderson) and many great indie films. Utah has produced Oscar-nominated films such as “CODA,” the only Sundance film to win Best Picture, as well as cult oddities such as “Napoleon Dynamite,” and a plethora of horror films from the original “Saw” to the summer hit “Talk to Me.”
This year’s event will feature yet another premiere of films looking to make their mark, from the Charli
This is a historic Sundance, the last festival to be held in Park City before moving to Colorado, and the first since the death of founder Robert Redford. For movie lovers who can’t make it to the venue in person but still want to participate from the comfort of their couches, tickets to screenings can be purchased online. But if you also want to celebrate the festival’s long history, here are the top 10 all-time movies to stream from Sundance’s biggest hits.
“Sex, Lies, and Videotape” (1989)
Before winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes, Steven Soderbergh’s directorial debut made waves at Sundance, where he starred as James Spader, who videotapes women discussing their sexual fantasies and involves his college friends. The film sparked an independent film revolution that included Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, another Sundance debut two years later.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon
“Clerk” (1994)
That year’s festival schedule included such heavyweights as “Hoop Dreams” and “Four Weddings and One Funeral,” but Kevin Smith’s first low-budget comedy stands out as a black-and-white tale of two convenience store clerks (Brian O’Halloran and Geoff Anderson) that has timeless resonance for hard-nosed working men everywhere.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Paramount+
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
Remember the found footage phenomenon of the 2000s? Blame it all on the original. The spooky extravaganza of filmmakers venturing into the Maryland woods to document a local legend has wowed a generation of horror fans with its shaky camera antics and constant sense of dread.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home
American Psycho (2000)
Sorry, Batman, Christian Bale’s best role is Patrick Bateman, the Huey Lewis-loving yuppie serial killer in Mary Harron’s darkly comical and bloody thriller. Not only is the cast (Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon) outstanding, but the satire of the 1980s is as sharp as Bateman’s axe.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime
“Brick” (2005)
Writer and director Rian Johnson, best known in the mainstream for his films Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Knives Out, first drew attention to the indie scene with his masterful take on film noir turned teen movie. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a hard-boiled high school detective who investigates cliques and children’s criminal organizations to find out who killed his ex-girlfriend.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon
“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006)
A hilarious and heartwarming misadventure begins when a dysfunctional family boards a Volkswagen bus for a cross-country trip to send their youngest family member (Abigail Breslin) to a beauty pageant. The film stars Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette as a bickering father and mother, Steve Carell as a suicidal gay uncle, and Alan Arkin as the coolest grandpa ever.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Hulu
“Fruitvale Station” (2013)
Ahead of his sensational collaborations Creed and Black Panther, debut director Ryan Coogler teams up with Michael B. Jordan to create this biopic about the final days of Oscar Grant (Jordan), a young Oakland man killed by a police officer in 2009. This powerful and influential work only grows in relevance as the years pass.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Starz
“Whiplash” (2014)
Before Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land,” dramas transformed music into a beautiful and brutal art form. Miles Teller is a freshman drummer at a major conservatory who aspires to be the next Buddy Rich, and JK Simmons won an Oscar for playing the hellishly abusive, perfectionist jazz band director.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon, Netflix
“Get Out” (2017)
Scary movies have long had a socially conscious side, but Jordan Peele brought it to the fore in a big way with his directorial debut, resulting in one of the best horror films in recent memory. Daniel Kaluuya plays a black photographer who visits his white girlfriend’s parents and is horrified to learn the very insidious reason for his invitation.
Where to watch: Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon, HBO Max
“CODA” (2021)
This tear-jerking drama featured a breakthrough role from Emilia Jones, an Oscar-winning and scene-stealing turn from Troy Kottle, and a thoughtful story that drew audiences into the personal lives of a deaf family with one deaf member.
WYou can watch it here: Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango at Home
