Friday was the last day for us at this year’s Sundance Film festival, so before we get all sentimental and clingy we should probably talk about the movies you should (and one you shouldn’t) keep an eye on when they come out on general or limited release.

Emanuel and the Truth about Fishes has the worst name of any film at this year’s festival. By far. It’s also the worst film we’ve seen this week. By far. Kaya Scodelario plays Emanuel, a moody teenage girl seemingly at odds with the world, who uncovers a sinister secret about her new neighbour that gradually consumes her life. It’s hard to know where to start with this one. The dialogue is appalling, the visuals are empty and overblown, the music is clichéd and the entire thing hangs by such a thin thread that it totally falls apart by the half way point. Quite frankly, it’s a disaster, and you’d do very well to avoid it.

That’s that out the way. Now onto the good stuff. American comedian Mike Birbiglia’s debut film, Sleepwalk With Me, a semi-autobiographical comedy drama about a man trying to kick off a career as a comedian while fighting struggling to save his relationship, is certainly an improvement on the last one. A neurotic, awkward comedy about a man watching as the woman he loves fade out of his life screams Woody Allen, and it’s hard to escape the comparison, but on its own terms Sleepwalk With Me is a very witty, surprisingly dark little movie, and one of the funniest we’ve seen all week.

A.C.O.D., directed by Stu Zicherman and starring Adam Scott, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O’Hara, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clarke Duke and Amy Poehler, stands for Adult Child of Divorce, a title belonging to Carter, a restaurateur who is forced to reconcile his warring parents for the sake of his brother’s wedding. In spite of the amazing cast, nothing about A.C.O.D. only has one or two standout moments, and the rest never seems to take off. It’s indie by numbers, and it really should’ve been a lot better.

Finally, Mud, a film that played in competition at last year’s Cannes film festival, so you kinda know what level of quality we’re dealing with here. Starring Matthew McConaughey as a mysterious fugitive who enlists the help of two young boys to reunite him with his girlfriend, Mud might just be the best film at Sundance so far. Jeff Nichols’ masterful direction is reminiscent of Spielberg in his pomp, the performances are universally brilliant and the story is absolutely riveting from start to finish. A seriously strong way to finish our week at the O2.

See y’all next year!

Words: Matt Mansfield (Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmansfield_)

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Sundance is where the brightest talents of American independent cinema go to show off their movies, so its presence on British soil is kind of a big deal. The London iteration of the world famous festival, now in its second year, offers a selection of the films screened at Sundance plus a number of fresh new British works, live music and panel discussions, all over the course of a long weekend at the O2. We’ll be reviewing the festival once it begins at the end of April, so stay tuned.

1. Upstream Color

In 2004, Shane Carruth’s fascinating debut, the time travel maths lesson Primer, premiered at Sundance where it won the Grand Jury Prize. Although his second film, Upstream Color, didn’t win the big prize at this year’s festival it was well received by audiences and critics alike, even if nobody seems to have any idea what it is they saw.

But that’s understandable. Details on the film are pretty thin on the ground, but we do know Carruth writes, directs and stars (among other things) alongside mumblecore darling Amy Seimetz (Tiny Furniture, Silver Bullets) in a film he describes as a mythic romantic thriller. Sounds great, right? And if it’s half as good as Primer we’re in for one helluva treat.

2. Mud

Since he made waves with 2007’s Shotgun Stories writer-director Jeff Nichols has gone from strength to strength, with his second film, Take Shelter, premiering at Sundance in 2011 and his new one, Mud, screening in competition at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and this year’s Sundance.

Mud follows two teenage boys in America’s deep south who discover a charming fugitive (Matthew McConaughey) living in the woods and attempt to hide him from the authorities, all while helping him reunite with his ex-girlfriend (Reese Witherspoon). The film looks to be a coming-of-age story reminiscent of the novels of Mark Twain and 80s Spielberg which, considering Nichols is one of American cinema’s most interesting storytellers, is something we’re really excited about.

3. Peaches Does Herself

Berlin based Canadian electro-shock-pop star and artist Peaches has made a docu-musical about her life and career. Do you really need to hear anything else? Filmed at one of her live performances in Berlin, Peaches Does Herself marks her debut as a writer-director, and looks set to be as vibrant and confrontational as her music, famed for its thematic exploration of gender identity and sexuality.

Peaches will also give a live performance downstairs in the IndigO2 at the festival to accompany the film, so that’s something to look forward to (read: prepare for).

4. The Look of Love

“My name’s Paul Raymond. Welcome to my world of erotica,” proclaims Steve Coogan in the trailer for Michael Winterbottom’s new film, The Look of Love, a biopic of London’s most controversial publishing magnate, strip club owner and so-called “King of Soho”.
Imogen Poots, Stephen Fry, Anna Friel and Tamsin Egerton round out the cast of this wholly British drama which, in spite of the mixed critical acclaim levelled at it following its Sundance premiere in January, looks set to find its audience in London.

5. Running From Crazy

Barbara Kopple’s career as a documentarian is an undeniably impressive one. The winner of multiple awards, including Oscars for her films Harlan County U.S.A and American Dream, Kopple has directed numerous documentaries about people as diverse as Woody Allen and Mike Tyson, and now she’s turning her lens to Mariel Hemmingway, granddaughter of celebrated novelist Ernest.

Running From Crazy documents the Hemingway family’s battle with mental illness and suicide through the eyes of Mariel and her two siblings, and the word from its premiere at this year’s Sundance suggests it’s as bleakly riveting as the subject matter suggests. Colour us intrigued.

The festival takes place between the 25th and 28th of April. Tickets are on sale now. www.sundance-london.com

Words: Matt Mansfield

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