So, I was at a screening last week and I overheard some people saying they were glad they weren’t at Sundance, because it was really tiring and not as fun as it seemed. I couldn’t decide if they actually believed this, or if they were just trying to make the best of their disappointment. Between you and me: I wish I had been at Sundance! I’ve always been curious about it. On the one hand, it sounds really overwhelming. Maybe too overwhelming for this antsy introvert who has trouble sitting still for extended periods of time. On the other hand: what would it be like to metabolize that many movies at once? I’ve always wondered. So, if anyone wants to send me to Sundance, I’ll go. I’ll watch all the movies. I’ll drink all the coffee. And when I come back, I’ll tell you all about it. (For a good, and surprisingly optimistic round-up of this year’s festival, see Manohla Dargis’s recent Critic’s Notebook.)
In the meantime, I’ve been looking at the year ahead in movies and picked out some interesting titles that are written and/or directed by women. It looks like it could be a good year, with a lot of titles from established mid-career directors, as well as some promising debuts. I also wanted to give a shout-out to Elizabeth Banks for her upcoming film Cocaine Bear and Nia DaCosta for The Marvels. I can’t say that I’m going to be running out to see a movie about a marauding bear or anything to do with the Marvel cinematic universe, but I’m happy that two women are helming these films that stand to make a lot of money.
So, here’s what I’m looking forward to in 2023. Thank you to all my subscribers for supporting me this year, it means a lot.