Sundance Film Festival 2014 Movies Not To Miss

by Helen Earnshaw | 16 January 2014

A Most Wanted Man

Sundance Film Festival has brought together an eclectic mix of movies from around the world this year - it is a line-up that we are really excited about.

We take a look at a string of movies that we are excited about, as the festival gets underway today.

- A Most Wanted Man (Premieres)

A Most Wanted Man is the latest John Le Carre novel to be adapted for the big screen, as Anton Corbijn is back on the big screen.

It is the third feature film from Corbijn after Control and The American, as he teams up with Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Andrew Bovell has adapted the le Carre novel for the big screen and follows a Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught up in the international war on terror.

A great cast has been assembled for the film as Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright, Daniel Bruhl and Willem Dafoe are all also on board.

Corbijn is one of the most exciting directors - Control was just wonderful - and I cannot wait to see him but his own stamp on this well-known political novel.

- Camp X-Ray (U.S. Dramatic)

Kristen Stewart is set to return to the big screen with - Camp X-Ray, a movie that is unlike anything that she has starred in before.

Directed by Peter Sattler, Camp X-Ray follows a young who joins the military and is sent as a new guard to Guantanamo Bay. Here she strikes up an unusual friendship with one of the detainees.

The movie marks the feature film directorial debut for Peter Sattler - who has also penned the screenplay.

Sattler is best known for his work in the art department on a range of films, and now he is making the leap into the director's chair.

Now that the Twilight Saga is over it is going to be interesting to see in which direction Stewart is going to take her acting career.

- Fishing Without Nets (U.S. Dramatic)

Fishing Without Nets sees Cutter Hodierne return to the director's chair with a feature film on his short of the same name.

The short film won the Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, and it is great to see him tackling the same story in the longer form.

Fishing Without Nets is a story of pirates in Somalia, told from the perspective of the pirates.

The movie marks the feature film directorial debut for Hodierne, and was filmed in Africa last year.

Fishing Without Nets is one of the most talked about films as it is going to be exciting to see what Hodierne has done with the extended story.

- Laggies (Premieres)

Lynn Shelton is one of the female filmmakers to watch out for at the festival as she returns to the director's chair with Laggies.

Laggies is her first film since Touchy Feely, and brings together a great cast that includes Keira Knightley, Chloe Moretz, Sam Rockwell and Gretchen Mol.

The movie follows Megan who tells her boyfriend that she is going on a business retreat just after he proposes. Instead, she goes to hang out with a group of teenagers.

Laggies will receive its world premiere at Sundance - a festival where Shelton has a great track record.

- War Story (Next)

War Story will feature in the Next section of the festival; it recognises bold and forward-thinking approaches to storytelling and filmmaking.

War Story sees Mark Jackson return to the director's chair for what will be his second feature film - the first being Without back in 2011.

Jackson has brought together a fantastic cast as Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Ben Kingsley and Vincenzo Amato are all on board.

The movie follows Lee, a woman who arrives in Italy struggling to cope with and come to terms with her demons. However, she begins to pull herself out of her anguish when she vows to help a young woman.

Catherine Keener is a wonderful and often underrated actress, and I am excited to see her central performance in this movie.

- Cold In July (U.S. Dramatic)

Cold In July sees Joe R. Lansdale's novel get the big screen treatment as Jim Mickle returns to the director's chair.

Mickle has also penned the screenplay as he has teamed up with Nick Damici to adapt the novel.

In 1980s East Texas, two fathers pitted against each other in revenge, must band together to uncover a darker truth.

The movie marks the return of Michael C. Hall to the big screen, and Sam Shepard and Vinessa Shaw join him on the cast list.

Cold In July sees Mickle return to the festival for the second successive year, after We Are What We Are in 2013.

- God's Pockets (U.S. Dramatic)

We have already looked at one Philip Seymour Hoffman movie on the Sundance line-up, and now we look at a second.

God's Pockets is a big screen adaptation of the Peter Dexter novel, and sees actor Peter Slattery make his feature film directorial debut.

Slattery is no stranger to the director's chair with episodes of Mad Men under his belt - this project does see him move into feature film.

The movie follows Mickey, a man who gets out of his depth as he tries to cover up the accidental death of his stepson.

Hoffman leads an all-star cast as Christian Hendricks, Eddie Marsan, John Turturro, and Richard Jenkins are all on board.

- Only Lovers Left Alive (Spotlight)

I have had the chance to see Only Lovers Left Alive, and it is a movie that is absolutely not to be missed.

The movie sees Jim Jarmusch back in the director's chair and stars Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston.

Set against the romantic desolation of Detroit and Tangier, an underground musician, deeply depressed by the direction of human activities, reunites with his resilient and enigmatic lover.

Can these wise but fragile outsiders continue to survive as the modern world collapses around them?

Only Lovers Left Alive is a haunting and beguiling movie with two great central performances from Swinton and Hiddleston.