Streaming platforms were plentiful here this year with Netflix bringing 10 films to the fest, one of which won the Audience Choice Award for Documentaries, “Crip Camp,” and picking up at least one more film to include in the streaming service delivery system. Hulu made history with a record-breaking purchase for “Palm Springs” starring Andy Samberg for $17,500,000.69 (Did Samberg have anything to do with that number?) and another $8M for the horror comedy “Bad Hair.” Amazon Studios bought “Uncle Frank” for $12M and “Herself,” and Apple+ paid $10M for “Boys State” which will have a theatrical release thanks to A24.
Traditional studios brought and bought films to Sundance including Lionsgate’s “Ironbark” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Bleeker Street’s predicted mainstream hit “Dream Horse” starring Toni Collette and my favorite of the fest, “The Father” starring Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman purchased by Sony Pictures Classics just prior to the opening of Sundance.
The streaming options have certainly added a level of complexity atop the competition between the traditional companies. And the new giants like Netflix and Hulu, who most decidedly is upping their game this year, are spending more money than this festival has ever seen. But what can you, the viewer takeaway from all this besides the fact that you should probably sock away a few more bucks each month to pay for Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+, Netflix, and Amazon? Maybe it is cheaper to go to the theater, after all! Besides the aforementioned films here are a few more highlights from the fest that you’ll be able to see in theaters or stream now.
Valentine’s Day presents the not-so romantic dramedy “Downhill” starring Will Farrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Remade for American audiences from the Swedish “Force Majeure,” writers and directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash keep the tone of the premise the same—as an avalanche approaches, dad saves phone, runs, and ignores children while wife protects kids— but adds relatable and comedic elements making it a somewhat watered down version of the original. Louis-Dreyfus, however, finds such depth in her character that we can forgive the inane additional side stories of “Charlotte” and “Guglielmo.” The true humor comes from the dynamic between family members on vacation and a couple’s communication skills which have devolved over the years.
Director Nicole Newnham
Crip Camp
Tate Donovan WORTH