Monday, February 2, 2015 – The Sundance Film Festival concluded its 2015 run this past weekend in Park City, Utah. Sundance, which officially began in 1985, showcases independent film and filmmakers from around the world. The Drexel staff always keeps an eye on what happens in Park City so that we can anticipate the films that may be coming our way.
This year, the big winner was ME & EARL & THE DYING GIRL, from director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. EARL tells the quirky, yet sincere, story of two high school filmmakers who befriend a girl with cancer. Thomas Mann, R.J. Cyler, and Olivia Cooke play the young leads. Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, and Molly Shannon also star. The film, shot in Laredo, Texas, won both the Grand Jury and Audience awards, just as WHIPLASH did last year. WHIPLASH continues to wow audiences in its second run here at the Drexel.
The other big news out of Sundance was the dramatic turn taken by two actors known more for their comedic talents. Funny woman Sarah Silverman drew rave reviews for her serious role as a drug-addicted, adulterous housewife in I SMILE BACK. IndieWire.com’s Playlist staff thinks Silverman could win an Oscar for her performance: “It’s certainly the kind of brave, twisted, playing against type that makes people notice, and with the right marketing and release, she could be a contender.”
By all reports, Jason Segal, who has made TV and film audiences laugh for the past decade, steals the show in James Ponsoldt’s THE END OF THE TOUR. Segal portrays celebrated author David Foster Wallace on a five-day road trip with a Rolling Stone journalist played by Jesse Eisenberg. “Segel’s performance is a master class in capturing layers of expression with one’s eyes,” says HuffPost’s Matthew Jacobs.
If you’re interested in reading more about the Sundance Film Festival and the awards given out this past Saturday, check out the Festival’s website.
Kevin Rouch
Drexel Theatre Director
