The first day of Sundance wasn’t my best movie day. I started the day with Martha Marcy May Marlene, a title that rolls off the tongue. I did enjoy parts of the story, which follows a young girl played by Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the Olsen twins), who escapes from a cult. It centers around the anxiety she and her sister must deal with as she attempts to return to an upper middle class lifestyle.
Next up was The Ledge. While I enjoyed the cast and thought the acting was terrific, the complexity of the plot and some of the characters’ choices felt forced.
I have seen The Future, and shades were not required. Miranda July’s quirky comedy centers around a young couple whose lives are about to change, as narrated by a recently adopted, terminally ill shelter cat. Go ahead and read that last line again. Don’t get me wrong — PawPaw had most, if not all, the best lines, but there just wasn’t enough outside the oddities to keep me interested.
I ended my evening with Tyrannosaur, from first-time director and renowned actor Paddy Considine. The cast was excellent and while some scenes felt over the top, they fit the tone and my expectations spot on.
I have high hopes for today with Paul Giamatti in Win Win, a Morgan Spurock doc, and My Idiot Brother starring Paul Rudd.
