Day Two | Sundance 2021
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Concise opinions about the films I watched during Day Two of Sundance 2021, including links to the respective reviews.
Movies present in this article:
In The Earth
John and the Hole
On the Count of Three
Wild Indian
Passing
In The Earth
Full Review
In The Earth is one of those movies most viewers will feel uncomfortable watching. From the headache-inducing flickering flashing lights to the extremely confusing, creepy imagery, passing through some shocking visual moments, Ben Wheatley’s film is surrounded by an eerie, mysterious environment that simply fails to transmit anything slightly captivating or significant to the audience. Its slow pacing and ambiguous development leave tons of questions unanswered, but it’s the lack of emotional investment in both the story and the characters that ultimately damage the movie. Despite some terrific performances (namely Joel Fry) and an undeniably impactful score from Clint Mansell, there are no other elements that will make me appreciate this film more.
John and the Hole
Full Review
John and the Hole is yet another ambiguous entry in this year’s edition of Sundance, but this time, it actually comes close to satisfy me. Ignoring a particular storyline that I don’t fully understand yet (second viewing required), Pascual Sisto’s direction and Nicolás Giacobone’s screenplay leave too many pending questions to my taste, but I can’t deny some of them generate quite an interesting debate within myself. Either I’m just scratching the surface of something greater, or the underwhelming, uneventful, basic developments of intriguing situations are nothing more than exactly that. The phenomenal performances from everyone involved (and I genuinely mean everyone), the exquisite camera work, and the addictive score all add to the incredibly suspenseful atmosphere that kept me invested until the very last second. Still, that ending… I don’t know.
On the Count of Three
Full Review
On the Count of Three is one of those films I know I’ll undoubtedly rewatch more than just a couple of times. Boasting two phenomenal performances from Christopher Abbott and Jerrod Carmichael (also the director), the genuine chemistry between the two actors elevate a close friendship into something that makes the viewers deeply care about their fate. Tremendous praise to Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch’s screenplay, which is definitely the element that makes this movie one of the best I’ve seen this year. By writing it with extreme care and responsibility, the predictable yet impactful ending doesn’t leave a margin for doubts about what’s right or wrong. Everyone deals with the bad moments in life differently, but life is always worth living. I felt emotionally invested in the main characters to the point of wishing the film was longer so that the writers could dive deep into these protagonists. Technical shoutouts to the impressive camera work and remarkable score. In the end, I couldn’t recommend it more.
Wild Indian
Full Review
Wild Indian is a strong feature directorial debut from Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr., who I recommend following closely for the next few years. Boasting a compelling narrative, Michael Greyeyes and Chaske Spencer take the viewers through a dark, emotional journey of understanding that life isn’t always fair and that making amends only works for people who can actually feel guilt or remorse. Both actors offer notable performances, but it’s Spencer who really impacts me at an emotional level, elevating the only character I truly cared about. On the other hand, the protagonist is an incredibly unlikeable person who tries his hardest to forget the tragic past through deplorable actions. Jesse Eisenberg sadly sticks out like a sore thumb. The short runtime partially compensates for the slow pacing, but overall I still had a good time.
Passing
Full Review
Passing is a solid feature directorial debut for Rebecca Hall, but she must learn to focus on just one central theme. Otherwise, such a beautifully shot movie boasting outstanding performances will lose its precious message in the middle of so many irrelevant, superficial romantic endeavors. Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga carry the plot forward with charm and elegance, as does everyone else in the cast, but these two share such remarkable chemistry that I feel that the slow pacing was actually quite adequate. While the main plot revolves around the “passing as white” debate, I couldn’t feel more engaged by the narrative and its opposite-sided main characters. However, this fascinating matter gradually loses energy, ultimately fading completely to an underwhelming jealously story between women, culminating in a climax that feels slightly out-of-place and exaggerated. Still, it’s more entertaining than I anticipated it to be, and it still leaves the viewers with a very interesting “what if it was me” scenario to think about.
