This week on Episode 519 of the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed our favorite movies that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Sundance has seen some great films over the years, including some all-timers, making this exercise both really fun and challenging simultaneously. We’ll see in time how 2023 stacks up historically, but for now, we focus on what’s made the festival so compelling since its inception. That said, here are our lists:
(Note: Please keep in mind that we each had different criteria for our selections)
JD
1) Get Out
2) Once
3) Take Shelter
4) Sex, Lies and Videotape
5) Brick
Brendan
1) Before Sunrise
2) Au revoir les enfants
3) The Last Black Man in San Francisco
4) Mary and Max
5) Cobain: Montage of Heck
Ryan
1) Sex, Lies and Videotape
2) Before Sunrise
3) Once
4) Leave No Trace
5) IN Bruges
Jay
1) Hoop Dreams
2) Manchester By the Sea
3) Blue Valentine
4) Heathers
5) In Bruges
Honorable Mentions (Combined)
Missing, Blood Simple, On Golden Pond, Sophie’s Choice, Hoosiers, Moonstruck, The Grifters, Clerks, Reservoir Dogs, Raise the Red Lantern, Reality Bites, Bound, Chasing Amy, Lost Highway, American Psycho, Love & Basketball, The Virgin Suicide, Sexy Beast, Waking Life, Man on Wire, Kung Fu Hustle, Hard Candy, Mysterious Skin, Half Nelson, Little Miss Sunshine, The Science of Sleep, Garden State, Thank You for Smoking, Away From Her, In Bruges, Sugar, Transsiberian, The Visitor, 500 Days of Summer, Moon, Sin Nombre, Winter’s Bone, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Before Midnight, Fruitvale Station, The Spectacular Now, Boyhood, Calvary, Frank, Whiplash, The End of the Tour, Brooklyn, The Witch, The Raid 2, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Swiss Army Man, The Big Sick, Call Me by Your Name, Columbus, Hereditary, A Ghost Story, Blindspotting, Eighth Grade, Leave No Trace, Mandy, Private Life, Wildlife, Apollo 11, The 40-Year-Old Version, Minari, The Nest, The Sparks Brothers, Fire of Love
Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are many great films to premier at the Sundance Film Festival and perhaps your list looks different than ours. That being said, what would be your Top 5? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].
For the entire podcast, click here or listen below.
For more lists done by the InSession Film crew and other guests, be sure see our Top 3 Movie Lists page.
