Steve Zahn, Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, and Janeane Garofalo star in Ben Stiller’s “Reality Bites,” which premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.
By Lucy Spicer
Autumn is just around the corner. Can you feel a nip in the air? Film lovers need not despair as the sun sets earlier and earlier — it may be dark outside, but cinema screens are alight this season with scores of new titles spanning all genres and tastes. And this fall is particularly exciting for fans of Sundance Institute alumni, as more than two dozen new releases feature filmmakers with earlier Institute–supported films you can watch right now.
So before you see the latest psychological horror, romantic period piece, action-packed thriller, reimagined literary adaptation, galvanizing documentary, offbeat comedy, or even a feel-good holiday flick, why not peek into the director’s archives first and get to know them through their indie roots?
BEFORE YOU SEE THE BALTIMORONS…
Cliff (Michael Strassner) and Didi (Liz Larsen) aren’t having the ideal Christmas Eve. Cliff needs emergency dental work after smacking his face in the doorway of his fiancée’s family’s house, and Didi has to get through the day knowing that her ex-husband got married that morning, forever tarnishing Christmas Eve for her. Oh, and Didi is also the dentist Cliff seeks out to fix his bloodied face. Despite their mutual bad luck and unfortunate first meeting, the two bond throughout the day, forming an unexpected but undeniably sweet connection. Directed by Jay Duplass, The Baltimorons was co-written by Duplass and Strassner. Coming to select theaters September 5.
… WATCH THE PUFFY CHAIR
When Josh (Mark Duplass) finds a replica of a puffy chair his dad used to like on eBay, he’s determined to take a road trip to pick it up so he can gift it to his dad for his birthday. Josh’s girlfriend, Emily (Katie Aselton), is along for the ride — and so is Josh’s brother, Rhett (Rhett Wilkins). Made on a microbudget, this meandering road movie features partially improvised dialogue and natural lighting and sound, making every conversation, argument, and antic feel more than plausible. Co-written by Jay and Mark Duplass and directed by Jay in the brothers’ feature debut, The Puffy Chair premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE THE HISTORY OF SOUND…
Adapted from two of Ben Shattuck’s short stories, The History of Sound is a calm ode to love and music, directed by Oliver Hermanus and starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. Set in the early 20th century, the film brings together quiet musical prodigy Lionel (Mescal) and wealthy but orphaned David (O’Connor) through their mutual love of folk music. Briefly separated during World War I, the two reignite their romance as they tour rural Maine to record folk songs. The History of Sound premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Coming to theaters September 12.
… WATCH LIVING
In Hermanus’ 2022 Sundance Film Festival premiere Living — a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru (To Live) — veteran civil servant Williams (Bill Nighy) spends his days surrounded by bureaucratic paperwork in post-WWII Britain. His routine screeches to a halt when he is diagnosed with a fatal illness. Williams begins to avoid his office and engage in erratic behavior, all the while hiding the news from his grown son. But Williams’ spiral changes course when a former co-worker inspires him to find purpose in a modest building project. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE LOST IN THE JUNGLE…
On May 1, 2023, a small aircraft carrying seven people crashed in the Amazon rainforest in Colombia. The pilot and co-pilot died immediately, and the only other adult — the mother to four children — died a few days later. The children — the eldest 13 years old and the youngest less than 12 months — were found alive 40 days later. In their new documentary, Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, and Juan Camilo Cruz hear the whole harrowing story from the children themselves, as well as the rescuers from the military and local Indigenous communities. Airing on the National Geographic channel and streaming on Hulu and Disney+ September 12.
… WATCH MERU
Not for the faint of heart, this documentary by Chin and Vasarhelyi includes footage of Chin and renowned climbers Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk as they make two attempts to summit Meru Peak in the Himalayas via the infamously difficult “Shark’s Fin” granite route, a feat that had never been recorded before. Featuring staggering footage of the mountain and the fearless men compelled to climb it, Meru premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award: U.S. Documentary. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY…
Do you ever wish you could relive scenes from your past? And what if you could take someone on that trip with you? In this romantic fantasy directed by Kogonada and written by Seth Reiss, Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell) meet as strangers at a wedding, but a peculiar car GPS brings them together and prompts them to take a fantastical journey through the memories that turned each of them into the person they have become. Coming to theaters September 19.
… WATCH COLUMBUS
Jin (John Cho) travels from South Korea to Columbus, Indiana, when he hears that his estranged father has fallen into a coma there while he was in town lecturing about architecture. At a library near the hospital, Jin meets Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), a recent high school grad with an interest in architecture who is avoiding her future in favor of caring for her mother, a recovering drug addict. As the two wander around the town, they open up to each other about the complicated feelings they harbor toward their parents. Written and directed by Kogonada in his feature debut, Columbus premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER…
In this action-packed thriller with notes of absurd humor, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary who must jump back into the fray — after 16 years — when an old enemy reappears and kidnaps his teenage daughter (Chase Infiniti). Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland. Coming to theaters September 26.
… WATCH HARD EIGHT
When sophisticated gambler Sydney (Philip Baker Hall) meets John (John C. Reilly) outside a diner on the outskirts of Reno, the latter is at a low point in his life. One conversation over coffee and a trip to a Las Vegas casino later, the two have formed a friendship. Sydney teaches John everything he knows about gambling, but the younger man still lacks Sydney’s tact years later. When a tangled situation involving John, cocktail waitress Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), and John’s new friend Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson) arises, Sydney has to take matters into his own hands. Supported by the 1993 Sundance Institute Directors Lab and originally titled Sydney, Anderson’s feature debut is a continuation of his short film Cigarettes & Coffee, which screened at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE THE SMASHING MACHINE…
Based on the documentary of the same name, Benny Safdie’s biopic The Smashing Machine stars a nearly unrecognizable Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr, a wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter whose brutal titular nickname belies his soft-spoken manner. Taking place between 1997 and 2000, the film tackles Kerr’s rise to prominence, his opioid addiction, his relationship with Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), and the fallout from his first major loss. Coming to theaters October 3.
… AND MARTY SUPREME…
If one Safdie brother sports flick isn’t enough for you this year, fear not. In his first solo directing effort since 2008, Josh Safdie takes on professional table tennis, with Timothée Chalamet playing the titular ambitious Marty Mauser, loosely inspired by real-life champion Marty Reisman. Co-written with Ronald Bronstein, Safdie’s 1950s-set film also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin O’Leary, Fran Drescher, Odessa A’zion, and Tyler Okonma. Coming to theaters December 25.
… WATCH DADDY LONGLEGS
Divorced father Lenny (Ronald Bronstein) only gets custody of his two sons for one two-week period out of the year, and for good reason. Although in his 30s, Lenny doesn’t seem to have grown up yet, so it’s no wonder he hasn’t figured out how to parent. Still, he tries to make it fun. But there might be some dangerously long naps and dead salamanders along the way. Co-directed and co-written by both Benny and Josh Safdie and loosely inspired by experiences with their own divorced father, Daddy Longlegs screened at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival after premiering at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE AFTER THE HUNT…
In Luca Guadagnino’s new psychological thriller written by Nora Garrett, Alma (Julia Roberts) is a popular college professor who is friendly with her peers and the students in whom she sees potential. One day, her student and protégée Maggie (Ayo Edebiri) confides in her that Alma’s colleague and close friend Hank (Andrew Garfield) assaulted her. With her potential tenure and several of her relationships on the line, Alma finds herself reckoning with scandals from her own past. Coming to select theaters October 10.
… WATCH CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
In 1983, 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is soaking up the summer at his parents’ villa in northern Italy. After the charming 24-year-old doctoral student Oliver (Armie Hammer) arrives to assist Elio’s father in his research, Elio and Oliver begin to develop feelings for each other that will change both of their lives. Based on the novel of the same name by André Aciman, Guadagnino’s film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE ROOFMAN…
Directed by Derek Cianfrance and co-written by Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn, Roofman stars Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester, a real-life spree robber who became known as “Roofman” due to his practice of entering buildings he robbed by drilling holes in the roof. Part comedy, part crime biopic, this film depicts the period of time during which Manchester secretly lived in a Toys “R” Us store after breaking out of prison. Coming to select theaters October 10.
… WATCH BLUE VALENTINE
In Cianfrance’s sophomore feature, a nonlinear narrative deconstructs the romantic relationship between Cindy and Dean. Jumping between their passionate start and their strained present, this poignant story is built on emotional performances by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, who powerfully inhabit two characters holding onto a crumbling marriage. Featuring a score by band Grizzly Bear, Blue Valentine premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT…
When a man (Ebrahim Azizi) enters a garage after an accident damages his car’s engine, Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) recognizes the squeaking sound of the man’s leg as belonging to the intelligence officer who tortured him while he was a political prisoner. Vahid kidnaps the man and plans to bury him alive, but he starts to question the man’s identity. Hoping to banish his doubt, Vahid seeks counsel from others who endured the same torture that he did. Filmed without permission from Iranian authorities, Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or. Coming to select theaters October 15.
… WATCH THE WHITE BALLOON
On the eve of Iranian New Year in Tehran, 7-year-old Razieh (Aida Mohammadkhani) wants her traditional goldfish to be one of the big ones from the pet store, not the small ones in her family’s pond. After finally convincing her mother to give her the money to buy one, Razieh begins an arduous journey navigating through town with her precious banknote in tow, encountering numerous obstacles and enlisting the help of her brother along the way. Panahi’s feature directorial debut, The White Balloon screened at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival after winning the Caméra d’Or at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE FRANKENSTEIN…
Writer-director Guillermo del Toro tackles his dream project with his new screen adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. Del Toro’s version of the classic Gothic story stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, the scientist who goes to dangerous lengths to achieve his goals, and Jacob Elordi as the creature who results from his experiment. Coming to select theaters October 17; streaming on Netflix November 7.
… WATCH CRONOS
In del Toro’s feature debut (which screened at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival), an alchemist creates a device that can give its user eternal life. Four centuries later, the alchemist — who has turned a ghostly white — is finally killed when debris from a falling building pierce his heart. Jesús Gris (Fedderico Luppi), an unsuspecting antique dealer, later comes across the device and discovers that it can restore his youth. But immortality comes with gruesome consequences. Meanwhile, a dying businessman (Claudio Brook) knows what Gris has in his possession and sends his unscrupulous nephew (Ron Perlman) to retrieve it from him. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE BLUE MOON…
It’s March 31, 1943, and Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) is bitterly watching his former collaborator, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), with his new creative partner, Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney), as they open their sure-to-be-a-hit musical Oklahoma!. At least the bartender at Sardi’s will lend an ear to Hart’s misfortunes. Also starring Bobby Cannavale and Margaret Qualley, Richard Linklater’s new biographical comedy-drama features a script by Robert Kaplow. Coming to select theaters October 17.
… WATCH BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Before Midnight reunites audiences with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), now married with twin daughters after meeting again nine years ago. Almost two decades after their first night together, the couple spend a day talking — and arguing — while on vacation in Greece, taking stock of all that has changed between them as well as the feelings that have endured. The third installment in Linklater’s Before trilogy premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE THE MASTERMIND…
In suburban Massachusetts in the 1970s, hapless art school dropout James (Josh O’Connor) used to harbor ambitions of being an architectural designer, but now he’s making plans of a different kind while his wife, Terri (Alana Haim), is at work. With money loaned from his wealthy mother (Hope Davis), James aims to hire a few guys to steal some paintings from a local museum. But as art heists go, this one is far from thought out. Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt, The Mastermind premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Coming to select theaters October 17.
… WATCH RIVER OF GRASS
Thirtysomething Cozy (Lisa Donaldson) feels weighed down by the ennui of her life with three children in Florida. Yearning for excitement, she goes out to a bar, where she meets deadbeat Lee (Larry Fessenden). Later that night, Lee is showing Cozy how to hold a pistol when the gun goes off, leading the pair to believe they’ve killed someone. They flee the scene, but even being on the run proves to lose some of its excitement when the guy at the wheel has zero ambition. Reichardt turns the road movie on its head with her feature debut, which premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE STILLER & MEARA: NOTHING IS LOST…
Director Ben Stiller honors his late parents — Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, who together made up the comedy duo Stiller and Meara — in a new documentary that chronicles the impact of the couple both on pop culture and on Stiller’s life and family over the years. Coming to select theaters October 17; streaming on Apple TV+ October 24.
… WATCH REALITY BITES
Stiller’s feature directorial debut follows four friends (played by Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, and Steve Zahn) living together in Houston, Texas, each of them trying to find their way in the world after graduating college. When Lelaina (Ryder), an aspiring filmmaker, starts dating sleek TV executive Michael (Stiller), cool but aloof Troy (Hawke) seems to take issue, a sign that his indifferent façade may hide deeper feelings that Lelaina would have once reciprocated. A classic portrait of twentysomethings in the ’90s, Reality Bites premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE BUGONIA…
In director Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest absurdist collaboration with actors Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, Stone plays Michelle Fuller, the CEO of a high-profile pharmaceutical company who one day gets abducted by a beekeeping conspiracy theorist named Teddy (Plemmons). Apparently, Teddy believes that Fuller is an alien with nefarious plans for Earth, and he’s the only one who can stop her from giving her mothership the signal to attack. Featuring a screenplay by Will Tracy, Bugonia is an adaptation of Jang Joon-hwan’s film Save the Green Planet!. Coming to select theaters October 24.
… WATCH THE LOBSTER
Coupledom is law, and David (Colin Farrell) is newly single. In order to find a mate, David goes to a resort where residents have 45 days to enter a relationship or else be transformed into an animal of their choice — in David’s case, a lobster. This unsettling dark comedy, which screened at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, is Lanthimos’ first English-language film. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE…
Kathryn Bigelow’s newest political thriller (starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Tracy Letts, Greta Lee, and more) takes an already terrifying scenario — nuclear war — and adds another bone-chilling element: complete uncertainty. In A House of Dynamite, the U.S. government discovers that a nuclear missile is headed toward the Midwest, only no one knows whose missile it is. In just 19 minutes, millions of people could be killed, and the question of whether or not to retaliate becomes infinitely more precarious when your enemy is unknown. Coming to select theaters October 10; streaming on Netflix October 24.
… WATCH BLUE STEEL
Rookie NYPD officer Megan Turner (Jamie Lee Curtis) kills an armed robber during a grocery store holdup, but the criminal’s gun disappears, leading to Turner’s suspension at work. What she doesn’t know is that Ethan Hunt (Ron Silver), one of the hostages, took the gun for himself so he could go on a killing spree. In addition to committing murder, Hunt also starts dating Turner. But he can’t conceal his obsessions for long, and Turner must reckon with a deadly situation that only she can resolve. Co-written by Bigelow and Eric Red, Blue Steel premiered at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE HEDDA…
Tessa Thompson stars as the titular Hedda in Nia DaCosta’s dynamic adaptation of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. In addition to transporting the action to midcentury England, DaCosta’s reimagined story exchanges the character of Eilert — a former lover of Hedda’s — for Eileen (Nina Hoss). But the heart of the play remains: In order to maintain the lush lifestyle she craves, Hedda sets out to help her husband secure a lucrative professorship, manipulating everyone around her as she endeavors to control her own fate. Coming to select theaters October 22; streaming on Amazon Prime Video October 29.
… WATCH LITTLE WOODS
On probation after illegally crossing into Canada, Ollie (Tessa Thompson) is determined to get her life on track. But when her pregnant sister Deb (Lily James) turns to her for help, Ollie must weigh the potential consequences of returning to her old sources of income, including selling prescription drugs and crossing the border once more. Written and directed by DaCosta in her feature debut, Little Woods was supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, Catalyst, and Producers Program. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE NOUVELLE VAGUE…
An homage to the French New Wave movement that changed the face of cinema, Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague fictionalizes the filming of Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless. Starring Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg and a host of uncanny French newcomers in most other roles (including Guillaume Marbeck as Godard and Aubry Dullin as Jean-Paul Belmondo), this cinephile’s love letter was fittingly shot in black and white with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Coming to select theaters October 31; streaming on Netflix November 14.
… WATCH BOYHOOD
Filmed between 2002 and 2013, Linklater’s epic Boyhood chronicles the childhood of Mason Evans Jr. (Ellar Coltrane, who was cast at 6 years old and had turned 19 by the time production ended), who grows up in Texas with his sister, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), and divorced parents Mason (Ethan Hawke) and Olivia (Patricia Arquette). After premiering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, Boyhood garnered a long list of accolades, including six Academy Award nominations, with Arquette winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE HALLOW ROAD…
In this psychological thriller directed by Babak Anvari, Maddie (Rosamund Pike) and Frank (Matthew Rhys) are awoken in the middle of the night by a frantic phone call from Alice (Megan McDonnell), their teenage daughter. Alice has hit someone with her car, and she doesn’t know what to do. Paramedic Maddie gives Alice instructions over the phone while she and Frank rush to her location in their own car, but someone else comes across her first — someone who could be more harmful than helpful. Coming to select theaters October 31.
… WATCH UNDER THE SHADOW
In Anvari’s feature directorial debut, medical student Shideh (Narges Rashidi) is dismissed from her studies in 1980s Tehran due to her political leanings. When her husband is called to serve in the military, Shideh is left alone with their daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi), in a building whose residents are leaving in increased numbers to get away from the bombings. After one of those shells hits their building, Dorsa begins acting disturbed, leading Shideh to wonder what malevolent spirit managed to break through. Supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, Under the Shadow premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT…
Directed by Bonni Cohen, Pedro Kos, and Jon Shenk, The White House Effect exclusively uses archival footage from the George H. W. Bush administration to track how global warming went from being a bipartisan concern to having its validity deliberately tarnished, marking a pivotal point in the climate crisis. Streaming on Netflix October 31.
… WATCH AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER
A decade after An Inconvenient Truth put climate change on the public’s radar, Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk brought a powerful sequel to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Amid a contentious U.S. presidential race where the fates of environmental protection projects were on the line, Al Gore continued to travel around the world to advocate for climate policies and acknowledge — and encourage — the progress that has been made to embrace renewable energy. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE DIE, MY LOVE…
Couple Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson) move from New York City to rural Montana to embrace a more serene way of life, but the stress of becoming parents soon wears on Grace, whose intense feelings of isolation lead to a psychotic break. Directed by Lynne Ramsay and featuring a screenplay co-written by Ramsay and playwrights Enda Walsh and Alice Birch, Die, My Love is based on Ariana Harwicz’s 2012 novel of the same name and premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Coming to select theaters November 7.
… WATCH YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
Based on Jonathan Ames’ novella of the same name, You Were Never Really Here stars Joaquin Phoenix as Joe, a traumatized veteran who specializes in rescuing trafficked girls. When a New York state Senator hires Joe to find his missing daughter, Joe approaches the job with his typical stoic demeanor — and a hammer — only to find himself tangled in a network of crime that will change every part of his life. This tense thriller written and directed by Ramsay had its U.S. premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival after debuting at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where Ramsay won an award for Best Screenplay and Phoenix for Best Actor. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE SENTIMENTAL VALUE…
Estranged sisters Nora (Renata Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter) reunite when their father, the once celebrated but now obscure film director Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård), asks stage actor Nora to star in his new autobiographical film. When Nora declines, Gustav casts Hollywood starlet Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning) instead, complicating his relationship with his daughters further even as the family tries to repair their bond. Directed by Joachim Trier and co-written by Trier and Eskil Vogt, Sentimental Value premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Grand Prix. Coming to theaters November 7.
… WATCH REPRISE
In Trier’s feature-length debut (also co-written with Vogt), best friends Phillip (Anders Danielsen Lie) and Erik (Espen Klouman Høiner) are aspiring writers in Oslo attempting to launch their respective literary careers. The first installment in Trier’s Oslo trilogy, the film follows the two young men as their paths diverge, with Phillip’s sudden success and whirlwind romance leading to a breakdown while Erik struggles to get his career off the ground. Reprise screened at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE THE RUNNING MAN…
Filmmaker Edgar Wright’s fast-paced, kinetic style is on full display in his new adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel The Running Man. Glen Powell stars as Ben Richards, an impoverished man desperate for funds to help his family in a dystopian, totalitarian America. Blacklisted from employment, Richards gets himself cast on a deadly government-run game show called The Running Man, where he has the chance to win $1 billion if he can survive on the run for 30 days while hired hunters chase him with intent to kill. Coming to theaters November 14.
… WATCH THE SPARKS BROTHERS
With high-energy archival footage, interviews with myriad admirers, and quirky animations not typically found in your standard band documentary, Wright’s The Sparks Brothers pays loving tribute to Sparks, your favorite band’s favorite band. Conversations with the Mael brothers themselves as well as commentary from names such as Beck, Weird Al, Jane Wiedlin, Jack Antonoff, Jason Schwartzman, Patton Oswalt, and many, many more come together to spotlight a band whose influence has been greater than most people realize. The Sparks Brothers premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE JAY KELLY…
Directed by Noah Baumbach and co-written by Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, Jay Kelly is a coming-of-age story for adults starring George Clooney as Jay Kelly, a famous film actor who reflects on his life choices and legacy while he travels around Europe with his manager, Ron (Adam Sandler). Shot on 35mm film, the comedy-drama features an ensemble cast including Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Greta Gerwig, Jim Broadbent, Lenny Henry, and more. Coming to select theaters November 14; streaming on Netflix December 5.
… WATCH MISTRESS AMERICA
Co-written with Greta Gerwig, Baumbach’s Mistress America stars Lola Kirke as Tracy Fishko, a lonely college freshman in New York City who gets whisked into the whirlwind life of Brooke (Gerwig), her soon-to-be-stepsister. Endlessly quotable even when others are stealing things from her — like business ideas, her fiancé, and even her cats — Brooke and her screwball antics bring Tracy out of her shell. Mistress America premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY…
Daniel Craig is back as eccentric private detective Benoit Blanc in the third installment in writer-director Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series of mysteries. This time, the “impossible” murder of a priest (played by Josh Brolin) in a sealed room drags Blanc into his darkest investigation yet. Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Mila Kunis, Andrew Scott, and more make up the film’s ensemble cast. Coming to select theaters November 26; streaming on Netflix December 12.
… WATCH BRICK
In Johnson’s feature debut, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays it cool as high school loner Brendan Frye, who receives a panicked phone call from ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin) mentioning a cryptic “bad brick,” “Tug,” and “Pin.” Determined to uncover whatever trouble Emily has fallen into, Brendan begins investigating and stumbles onto a drug ring and a cast of characters straight out of a classic noir detective story. Inspired by Johnson’s love of Dashiell Hammett novels, Brick premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a special jury prize for originality of vision. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE HAMNET…
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning novel of the same name, Hamnet is a fictionalized exploration of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway’s grief following the death of their only son, Hamnet, at age 11. Directed by Chloé Zhao with a screenplay by Zhao and O’Farrell, the film stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley as the couple navigating the profound loss that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Coming to theaters November 27.
… WATCH SONGS MY BROTHERS TAUGHT ME
Showcasing primarily nonprofessional actors, Zhao’s poetic feature debut follows teenage Johnny (John Reddy) as he prepares to leave the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend. While some encourage him in his decision to leave, Johnny begins to feel conflicted in light of a family tragedy and his strong bond with his sister Jashaun (Jashaun St. John). Supported by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and Producers Program, Songs My Brother Taught Me premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE OH. WHAT. FUN.…
Directed by Michael Showalter and co-written by Showalter and Chandler Baker, Oh. What. Fun. begs the question — would Christmas cheer even happen if Mom weren’t around to organize it? Starring Michelle Pfeiffer as the fed-up family matriarch, this Christmas comedy’s ensemble cast features Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Eva Longoria, Jason Schwartzman, Felicity Jones, and more. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video December 3.
… WATCH THE BIG SICK
Based on the real love story of the film’s screenwriters, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick stars Nanjiani as a fictionalized version of himself, an aspiring stand-up comedian who secretly dates Emily (Zoe Kazan) while his traditional Pakistani family endeavors to coax him into an arranged marriage. When Emily gets sick and needs to be put into a medically induced coma, Kumail must navigate awkward — and often humorous — culture clashes as he gets to know Emily’s family. Showalter’s award-winning film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Check viewing options here.
BEFORE YOU SEE SONG SUNG BLUE…
Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, Craig Brewer’s Song Sung Blue stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as Mike and Claire Sardina, two struggling Milwaukee musicians who fall in love and form Lightning & Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute band that would become a popular local fixture. Coming to theaters December 25.
… WATCH HUSTLE & FLOW
DJay (Terrence Howard), a pimp in Memphis, Tennessee, comes out of a midlife crisis with ambitions to pursue a hip hop career. With help from his friend Key (Anthony Anderson), a sound technician, DJay starts recording tracks about his lived experiences, such as “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp.” Though his talent is evident, DJay’s road to recognition is far from smooth, and some setbacks prove to have serious consequences. Also starring Taraji P. Henson, Taryn Manning, DJ Qualls, and Ludacris, Brewer’s Hustle & Flow premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic and the Excellence in Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic. Check viewing options here.
