METTEL RAY

Thursday Movie Picks: Sundance Favourites

Not going to lie, this week I had to Google my way through picking movies for this theme. In other words, I looked at the list of Sundance winners, and picked movies that I have seen and liked, that won an award at the Film Festival. And with the help of that list, I get to recommend four pretty good movies!

1. THIRTEEN (2003) won the Directing Award: Dramatic

What a blast from the past it was to see this movie there on that list. Thirteen was one of those movies that I loved as a teenager! I have seen it more than 5 times for sure, and I think it was the shock of it that kept me so interested in this film for so many times.

2. ADAM (2009) won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize

I saw this movie outside, during a film festival, and it was a warm Summer evening and it made the experience of Adam all the more special. Years later I hardly remember it, I just remember the feeling of watching this movie, and sometimes that’s all you need to remember a movie.

3. AN EDUCATION (2009) won the World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic 

Another one from 2009 that I really liked. I’m always curious about movies that explore relationships that are unconventional. We see so many movies casting young actresses and older male actresses, but there are also the movies that explore that idea by stating it out loud.

4. THE SKELETON TWINS (2014) won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award

Comedians in dramatic roles are a sight to always witness, even if for instance The Skeleton Twins doesn’t really come together as well. Wiig and Hader as the twins works because it just does, and it’s always fascinating to see how transforming they can be as people when you take away the humour.

 THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES

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21 responses to “Thursday Movie Picks: Sundance Favourites”

  1. Sonia (A Film A Day) Avatar
    Sonia (A Film A Day)

    I haven’t seen any of these but they all sound interesting. As a matter of fact, they already are on my watchlist.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      I recommend Thirteen for sure! It’s such a bold movie!

      Reply
  2. Brittani Avatar
    Brittani

    I don’t see anything wrong with using Google for help lol. The only one I haven’t seen is Adam but I love all of your other choices! The Skeleton Twins is still the only thing I can stand Kristen Wiig in.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Well, I usually want to avoid it until the last minute because then I feel like my picks are all memorable. 😀 Though these movies all almost are, Adam’s still a little more a memory pick for me. Wiig is hit and miss, I for instance, disliked Bridesmaids… a lot.

      Reply
  3. joelnox Avatar
    joelnox

    An Education is a terrific film with a brilliant turn by Carey Mulligan at its center, I also love Emma Thompson’s diamond hard cameo. I liked Adam but honestly don’t remember much about it. I’ve been meaning to see Skeleton Twins for a while but haven’t gotten there yet. Sorry to say I loathed Thirteen and barely made it though. I know others love it but it just made me mad.

    I did exactly the same thing as you to come up with my picks this week!

    Silverlake Life: The View from Here (1993) – Won the Grand Jury Documentary Prize at Sundance. Mark Massi and Tom Joslin are in a long time committed relationship, they have also both been diagnosed with AIDS which at the time was a death sentence. We live through their final journey with them. The film has touches of gallows humor but it is a harrowing, heartbreaking trip to an inevitable destination that will leave you emotionally bereft.

    Big Night (1996) – Won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci-who co-wrote and co-directed this film) are immigrant brothers who operate an Italian restaurant in America. Primo is a culinary genius, but hot tempered and determined not to squander his expertise making the routine dishes that customers expect. Secondo is the smooth front-man, trying to keep the restaurant financially afloat, despite few patrons other than a poor artist who pays with his paintings. Their friendly competitor who owns a nearby enormously successful restaurant offers a solution, a special benefit lead by a big-time jazz musician who is a friend of his. Excitedly Primo begins to prepare his feast of a lifetime for the brothers’ big night. Amusing comic drama with a terrific cast alongside Tucci and Shalhoub including Isabella Rossellini, Minnie Driver and Live Schreiber.

    You Can Count on Me (2000) – Won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Independent, responsible Sammy Prescott (Laura Linney) is a single mother working as a loan officer in upstate New York who is at first delighted when her errant, feckless brother Terry (Mark Ruffalo) shows up unexpectedly for a visit after a long period of not being in touch. When his short visit stretches into an extended stay they both slowly begin to reexamine their lives as their childhood bond strengthens anew. Beautifully acted this is one of the best looks at sibling rivalry and connection ever made.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Cool, our theme matches, woop! I think I have heard of yours last pick but I haven’t seen it.

      Reply
  4. Dell on Movies (@w_ott3) Avatar
    Dell on Movies (@w_ott3)

    No shame in using Google. I had to do it myself, this week.

    Haven’t seen Thirteen yet, but I’ve been meaning to for quite some time. Thanks for the reminder.

    The only one I have seen is An Education which I hated. A whole movie justifying a man in his 30s being with a 16 year old, and with no other takeaway was too much for me. If she had been 20-21, I probably would’ve liked it better no matter how old he was. But her being a high school reeked of him taking advantage of a child no matter how mature she was or how much she thought it was her choice. I’m sorry. I’ll step off my high horse.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      I think almost everyone had to, which is good, I didn’t want to be the only one, lol.

      Thirteen is a must watch from this list!

      Well I guess it’s the perspective, here in Estonia we become legal adults at the age of 18, so 16 for us is pretty much close to adulthood in my eyes. I don’t know, it’s a very complicated topic, and it’s very complex as well, but for me, I sometimes manage to switch my brain and morals off. As it was with An Education.

      Reply
  5. sati Avatar
    sati

    Oh I loved The Skeleton Twins! We need more Hader in general , I wish he was still on SNL

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Hader indeed needs to be more present in our lives. I just saw that he’ll have a TV-show called Barry out this year!

      Reply
      1. sati Avatar
        sati

        if you ever need a laugh watch his Dateline SNL sketches, I should make some reaction gifs from that for our Sam livetweets 😀

        Reply
        1. mettelray Avatar
          mettelray

          Oh, the Stefon character? I love that character!

  6. ninvoid99 Avatar
    ninvoid99

    I’ve seen all of these films and these are damn good picks.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Thank you! That rarely happens when someone has seen all my picks! 😀

      Reply
  7. Big Screen Small Words Avatar
    Big Screen Small Words

    Thirteen and Adam are on my watch list. I liked The Skeleton Twins; I usually find it hard to like Wiig in dramatic roles, but she was okay here.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Thirteen is so good! Let me know what you thought!

      Reply
  8. Courtney Young Avatar
    Courtney Young

    Dude! Thirteen! What a great selection…that movie still haunts me to this day!

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      I know right, it has some heavy heavy stuff and I still remember it all!

      Reply
  9. Sofia da Costa Avatar
    Sofia da Costa

    Ahh Thirteen is a classic. I LOVE An Education, great pick.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Thanks!

      Reply
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