Sundance 2025 Wrap-up

Now that the dust has settled after the Sundance 2025 Film Festival has come to a close, I have to say this was definitely a stronger festival than last year's with a really strong selection of films overall. There were very few movies I didn't enjoy on some level (I'm looking at you By Design). Here are the ten that I loved the most. I can't wait for more audiences to get to enjoy these, hopefully sooner rather than later.

10 - THE UGLY STEPSISTER

This dark retelling of the classic Cinderella story is not for the faint of heart, but horror fans (even though this isn't strictly horror at all), will be delighted. I love how we get a different perspective on the fairytale without completely betraying the story we all know and love. Lea Myren makes for a sympathetically awkward protagonist who desperately wants a better life for herself and is convinced the only way she can obtain it is by catching the eye of the prince. The fun (if we can call it fun) is just seeing the lengths she'll go to make that wish come true. You can find more of my thoughts on The Ugly Stepsister HERE

9 - OH, HI!

Now, I know this film got a lot of mixed reviews from people who saw it, but I gotta say the group I was with all LOVED this. Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman have such great chemistry, and the movie is really hilarious. As I said in my original recap HERE it really is a movie where you have to suspend disbelief and just roll with how absurd it all is. Look at it as a funny commentary on dating in the digital age where one person is commitment-phobic while the other is all too ready to settle down, and not anything too literal. For anyone who has been there where they felt they'd do anything to make something work, to make someone like them... they'll get it.

8 - TWINLESS

This dramedy starring Dylan O'Brien and James Sweeney was one of the most well-received movies at the festival and for good reason. This story of two unlikely friends who meet in the most unexpected of places (a twin bereavement group), is both earnestly funny while simultaneously providing us with a portrait of real grief. This film goes to some interesting places and I'm really excited for more people to see this one and the discourse it will inevitably bring forth. To read more of my thoughts on Twinless click HERE

7 - IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU

Rose Byrne gives a career-best performance in this anxiety attack of a film about motherhood. This is definitely not an easy watch, and certainly not a movie for everyone. Even as a mother who could relate to her struggles and feel some sympathy, it was incredibly hard seeing the character make such destructive choices over and over. At times it felt like an endurance test to see how much of my own goodwill she could squander throughout the course of the film. But the last shot of the film brought it all into focus for me and was the beating heart the film had been looking for all along--really reminding the audience of the reason why moms go through all the hell that they do. To read more thoughts on If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, click HERE

6 - THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR

This documentary comprised of police body camera footage chronicles the escalating arguments that led to a tragedy between one cantankerous woman and the neighbors who crossed her. I don't always go for documentaries at Sundance, but when this one started getting some buzz I had to check it out...and I'm so glad that I did. This is not a mindless true crime documentary, but a thoughtfully told real-life story about prejudice that is unfortunately all too common. It sucks you in too its storytelling, and by the end, you're so much more invested than you ever realized. To read more of my thoughts on The Perfect Neighbor click HERE.

5 - TRAIN DREAMS

Train Dreams is a meditative drama whose slow pace may turn away viewers (especially casual Netflix watchers who are only half paying attention...which unfortunately may be the film's exact fate). But patient audiences will be rewarded with a gorgeous film in every sense of the word. With beautiful performances, stunning cinematography, and an affecting score, Train Dreams will stay with you. For more of my thoughts on Train Dreams, click HERE.

4 - THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND

Of all the films on this list (apart from maybe my top pick), I am the most excited to see this one again. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a continuously funny film that's all but guaranteed to put a smile on your face at some point. It has such a wholesome and hopeful quality to it that is so rare in a movie these days; it truly feels like a gem. Luckily we won't have to wait long for this one as it is due in theaters sometime this Spring. For more thoughts on The Ballad of Wallis Island click HERE.

3 - SORRY, BABY

Sorry, Baby is another one of the most hailed films of the festival, with many critics heaping praise for Eva Victor's debut film. I'll echo their sentiments and count myself as someone who will be watching Eva Victor's career with great interest. Sorry, Baby proves Eva is a true talent, in writing, directing, and acting. It's a powerful film that's both deeply affecting and genuinely hilarious. To read more of my thoughts on Sorry, Baby click HERE

2 - OMAHA

Omaha is a deeply beautiful film filled with such heartbreak that I still haven't been able to shake it. This story and the three incredible performances at the center of it have stayed with me to the extent that I found it difficult for any other movie to surpass it. This is one of those movies that as Roger Ebert eloquently put it is "a machine that generates empathy." On paper, a story like this translates so much differently to how it is pulled off on screen, but here we're put into the shoes of a desperate man and asked to sympathize with situations that we might not otherwise ever understand. I can understand the aversion some might have for this just being too much, but I appreciated the filmmakers being willing to tell this story. To read more of my thoughts on Omaha click HERE.

1 - TOGETHER

I was really not expecting this to be my top film out of Sundance, but I just had such an absolute blast with this that I couldn't see myself picking anything else in the top spot. This body horror film about a co-dependent relationship taken to the next level is equally funny, horrific, and thrilling. Alison Brie and Dave Franco's real-life familiarity translates effortlessly here and lends their characters some lived-in legitimacy. They're great together and really sell this premise in a truly committed way. I honestly can't wait to see it again. For more of my thoughts on Together click HERE.

And with that, I can now finally, at long last declare a wrap on my Sundance 2025 coverage! So fare thee well Sundance, I hope next year is not our last.