Slow Burns and Club Classics: Every Film I Saw at Sundance, Ranked

Charli XCX in the movie “The Moment.” (Sundance Institute/TNS)

#9: “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (dir. Paloma Schneideman)

“Big Girls Don’t Cry” chronicles the life of 14-year-old Sid Bookman (Ani Palmer) over one summer, where she explores her sexuality, her friendships, and herself. This film was visually beautiful, with a good balance of long sweeping shots and close-ups of the characters’ subtle expressions. Ani Palmer made her acting debut and killed it, and I look forward to seeing her future works. However, the storyline felt dull to me. It felt like a copy of the film “Thirteen,” but slower and a bit boring.

#8: “Extra Geography” (dir. Molly Manners)

At an all-girls boarding school, best friends Flic and Minna work on their summer project together, which is to try to fall in love with the first person they see, who happens to be their awkward, frumpy geography teacher. Their project, as well as the summer play, puts their friendship to the test. I love how this film portrayed the pain of growing apart from a close friend. However, despite the wonderful acting from the leads, the characters got on my nerves, and I found myself rooting for neither of them. However, the two lead actresses, Marni Duggan and Galaxie Clear, crushed their acting debuts, and I can’t wait to see where their careers take them. This film was also Manners’ feature film debut. I think it missed the mark in some places, but I understand Manners’ vision, a witty comedy about best friends growing apart, with the added chaos of being theatre kids. I look forward to seeing her future work.

#7: “Run Amok” (dir. NB Mager)

I feel bad for putting all the teen movies at the bottom. I think I just love early 2000s teen films so much; nothing else hits the same. However, “Run Amok” was my favorite out of the teen films I saw at Sundance.

“Run Amok,” NB Mager’s directorial debut, follows Meg, a freshman in high school, who lost her mom, who taught at the same school 10 years ago, in a school shooting. Meg writes a musical reenacting the event to perform at the memorial that the school is holding.

Was the musical thing a little cringe? Yes. But was it an accurate portrayal of being a young teen in a country where you’re exposed to tragedy from a young age? Yes. Being 14 is inherently cringey. I love that this movie embraced the cringe and the awkwardness of that stage in life. Mager did a wonderful job integrating humor into the story, without taking away from the serious subject matter.

All of these teen films succeeded in one thing: casting age-accurate actors! I’m over actors who look 30 playing high school kids. Whether these actors were teenagers or just looked young, they all looked like they could’ve been in high school, making all of these films a lot more believable than the movies and shows I grew up with.

#6: “Josephine” (dir. Beth de Ajaujo)

The only reason this film isn’t higher on my ranking is that it gave me anxiety for the rest of the week, especially when I was taking Ubers at night. According to the summary I read on the Sundance website before booking my ticket, it said, “After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her.” I assumed the violent crime in question was a shooting or a hate crime against a minority, given the state this country is in. It was a graphic rape scene. There was a trigger warning for violence, but not specifically for sexual assault.

“Josephine” was beautifully shot, and breakout star Mason Reeves delivered a phenomenal performance, as did her co-stars Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan. This film offered a great exploration of how sexual assault affects a child’s brain, without depicting the child being abused. However, I never think a graphic rape scene is necessary, and it was extremely triggering to me as a woman who fears this every day.

#5: “BURN” (dir. Makoto Nagahisa)

“BURN” was a surrealist, experimental coming-of-age film about a girl named Ju-Ju who runs away from her abusive family and joins a gang of misfit teens on the streets. But her blissful utopia soon goes south when her best friend gets her into prostitution. Honestly, I loved this movie. It felt like “Euphoria,” but it didn’t romanticize drugs and trauma. This film was visually gorgeous, its raw, visceral themes contrasting with the candy colored landscape. Nagahisa didn’t shy away from depicting sexual assault and exploitation, but didn’t get overly graphic, focusing more on the victim’s emotions rather than the physical act. It was meant to shock and disturb the viewer, but in a more tasteful manner. As a female viewer, I felt a lot less anxious watching “BURN” than I did watching “Josephine.” This film was meant to be gut-wrenching, with deep and layered symbolism, powerful performances, and beautiful cinematography.

#4: “Queen of Chess” (dir. Rory Kennedy)

“Queen of Chess” tells the story of Judit Polgar, the number one female chess player in the world, and the record holder for the youngest grandmaster. The film follows Polgar throughout her life, and focuses on a 15-year battle between her and grandmaster Garry Kasparov. Chess can be fun to play, but unless you’re a professional, it can be boring to watch. However, Rory Kennedy brought a fun and fresh feel to Judit Polgar’s story, using footage of Polgar’s tournaments to create a narrative, and pairing it with lively early 2000s pop music. “Queen of Chess” isn’t just about chess; it’s the story of a young woman who defied all the odds in a male-dominated sport. This film celebrated the strength of women and encouraged them to never give up on their dreams.

#3: “Fing!” (dir. Jeffrey Walker)

If Wes Anderson made a children’s movie, it would be “Fing!” Adapted from a book of the same title, “Fing!” follows the story of a spoiled little girl named Myrtle who demands her parents get her a Fing, a furry, one-eyed creature that destroys everything in its path. But an evil Viscount kidnaps Fing, and Myrtle must save him.

In the Q&A after the screening, Jeffrey Walker talked about drawing inspiration from movies from his childhood, including “Labyrinth,” “ET,” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” While “Fing!” is technically a children’s movie, its nostalgia, witty dialogue, and sarcastic humor are geared towards adults, rather than the iPad kid generation. This film followed a traditional plot structure and was predictable, but the wide-angle shots, quirky characters, and bright colors gave it a unique feel. Predictable films are comforting, but in order for them to be enjoyable, they can’t be boring. And “Fing!” was the exact opposite of boring!

#2: “TheyDream” (dir. William D. Caballero)

“TheyDream” is an autobiographical film where director William D. Caballero chronicles his and his family’s lives over many years. He documents both his grandparents’ and parents’ struggles with immigration, health issues, and grief. He particularly sheds light on his mother’s role as a caretaker to both her husband and mother. While “TheyDream” is a true story, Caballero filmed it as a digital diary rather than a documentary. He used both 2D and 3D animation, as well as stop motion techniques, building miniatures of his old house and placing 3D-printed figures of himself and his family members in them. The characters are all voiced by his family members, with their voices pulled from old home videos and audio recordings.

“TheyDream” tells the story of love, family, and grief in the most unique way possible. I cried multiple times, but rather than leaving the theater sad, I walked out feeling grateful for my family.

#1: “The Moment” (dir. Aidan Zamiri)

Charli XCX could’ve made a concert film for the “Brat” tour, but instead, she blessed us with a hilarious, yet thought-provoking mockumentary, showcasing the highs and lows of her “Brat” era and the music industry as a whole. In “The Moment,” Charli plays an exaggerated version of herself as she prepares for the “Brat” tour and gets a movie deal for a concert film. “The Moment” is a 90-minute sensory overload, jam-packed with loud music, strobe lights, and shaky cameras, depicting the chaotic life of a pop star. Charli outwardly plays the part of a spoiled diva, but the film reveals her deepest insecurities, her need for external validation, and her fear of losing relevance.

Some people dismiss films like “The Moment” because they’re not “serious cinema,” but I think a film about a pop star can be just as deep as any other. “The Moment” was my favorite film at Sundance, and I thought it was a masterpiece.