By Erik Davis
The first couple of days of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival were fueled by some very early Oscar buzz and, well, farts. Here’s what you need to know…
Manchester by the Sea might be the first major Oscar contender of 2016
Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan returns to Sundance with another compelling family drama, and much like his Oscar-nominated hit You Can Count On Me, Manchester by the Sea is already the talk of the town, not to mention a film many are already tossing into the awards conversation.
What it’s about: Casey Affleck plays a man forced to return to his hometown to take care of his nephew after his brother (Kyle Chandler) dies unexpectedly. While there he’ll also have to confront the heartbreaking demons he left behind years ago.
Why we’re buzzing: Affleck is tremendous as this tortured blue-collar Boston boy, and while the film’s slice-of-life story about death, family and home is a familiar one, it is so brilliantly executed that it feels incredibly real and honest.
Bonus: Watch our interview with the director and cast of Manchester by the Sea below.
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So what’s up with Daniel Radcliffe’s farting movie?
You won’t be able to go anywhere at Sundance this year without hearing about the divisive Swiss Army Man, which boasts an opening that features Paul Dano riding Daniel Radcliffe’s dead body like a jet ski that’s fueled by Radcliffe’s farts. Oh, and it gets weirder.
What it’s about: Paul Dano plays a man stranded on what appears to be an island, and just as he’s about to kill himself a dead body washes ashore and changes his life forever.
Why we’re buzzing: Look, this film ain’t for everyone. It’s freaky and weird, but also kinda soulful. As Dano’s befriending of this dead body slowly spirals into a love affair with his own isolation, there’s some compelling stuff there – except you just gotta get past the farting and drinking of bodily fluids and bizarre cross-dressing make-out sessions with a dead guy first.
Three people to keep an eye on:
1. Rebecca Hall, whose performance in Christine is among the best of the fest so far. Her portrayal of Christine Chubbuck, a TV reporter who killed herself on live television in the mid-70s, is startling and heartbreaking.
2. J.D. Dillard, whose first feature, Sleight, may be one of the fest’s genre breakouts. The low-budget film plays like a superhero origin story disguised as a harsh drug-fueled thriller with gang bangers. The next Chronicle, perhaps?
3. Anthony Weiner, whose starring role in the documentary Weiner drew a huge response at its premiere. Put it this way: you’ve never been this close and intimate with a political scandal, as Weiner – whose bid to become the mayor of New York City failed following a sexting scandal – allows cameras to capture the dismantling of his campaign (and marriage) in startling detail.
Wannna watch more?
For all of our celebrity interviews at Sundance, as well as trailer for films premiering at the festival, hit up our special Sundance playlist right here.
And for a taste of what to expect, watch our chat with the cast of The Hollars below.
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Source:: http://www.movies.com/movie-news/manchester-by-the-sea-sundance-buzz/19953?wssac=164&wssaffid=news
