One of the staples of the film culture in New York City, the Tribeca Film Festival is back! Going from April 13th-April 24th, there are a ton of great films on this years slate.
For the lovers of film in New York, it’s that time of the year again. The Tribeca Film Festival will be taken over by film lovers all over from April 13th-April 24th, and The Knockturnal will be around this year to enjoy the fun. Looking at all of the films screening at the festival this year, there’s just so much to go around for everyone. From documentaries to indies to shorts, I can tell that I’m going to want to see everything. The only downside to the Tribeca Film Festival is that for a lot of films, there’s very little that’s actually known about them. Some don’t even have trailers yet. But when you look at the cast list for these movies, you don’t always need a trailer. So to narrow a list down to ten films that audiences should keep an eye on…I can promise you it wasn’t easy. But I’ll do my best. Before I reach my top ten though, here are a few honorable mentions…a quick way to cheat and get in five more films.
By Sidney Lumet: Sidney Lumet is one of the most iconic names in filmmaking, bringing us classics such as 12 Angry Men, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon. In a never before seen interview, Lumet himself guides us through his life and his work as a director.
My Blind Brother: Starring Adam Scott, Jenny Slate, and Nick Kroll, My Blind Brother focuses on a sibling rivalry reaching tensions that are ridiculously high. As a fan of all three of the actors listed above, I’m pretty excited to see what the three of them could bring when working together.
The Family Fang: A brother and a sister return to their childhood home to search for their world famous parents who have mysteriously disappeared. Only Jason Batemen’s second directorial feature, he’s surrounded himself with some pretty top notch talent in Christopher Walken and Nicole Kidman.
Team Foxcatcher: As seen with the dramatic adaptation in Foxcatcher, Team Foxcatcher is a documentary focusing on the same events revolving around the relationship with John du Pont and wrestler Mark Schultz. We all know Hollywood can make certain topics seem a bit bizarre and strange, but this time the reality outdoes the fiction.
The Last Laugh (not pictured): Many people say that tragedy + time = comedy. The Last Laugh is a documentary focusing on humor and the holocaust, featuring interviews with some of the most famous comedians working today talking about if it’s acceptable to use comedy involving a tragedy of such a large scale.
Custody
Written and directed by James Lapine. Starring Viola Davis, Hayden Panettiere, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Ellen Burnstyn
One of the best and most versatile actresses working today, Viola Davis is a name that will always catch the eye. Lately, she’s been making her mark on the small screen with her hit show, How To Get Away With Murder, winning herself an Emmy in the process. But with Custody, we may be seeing Davis back in top form on the big screen. Co-starring with Hayden Panettiere, Oscar nominee Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn, Custody focuses on three women who’s lives intersect with one another at a New York Family Court.
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Directed by Bill Purple. Written by Bill Purple and Robbie Pickering. Starring Jason Sudeikis, Jessica Biel, and Maisie Williams
Seeing Jason Sudeikis in a drama film is compelling to say the least. Mostly known as a comedy actor, it’ll be interesting to see him make the jump to drama. In The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Sudeikis will be playing the role of Henry, a rather shy architect who loses his wife Penny (Jessica Biel) in a car crash. He encounters a homeless teen, Millie (Maisie Williams), and decides to help her build a raft to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. Maisie Williams is one of the best young actresses working today and it shouldn’t be surprising to see her popularity increase with her jump to films. An extra bit of trivia here, but this will be the first film that Justin Timberlake will be composing a score for.
Don’t Think Twice
Written and directed by Mike Birbiglia. Starring Mike Birbiglia, Keegan Michael-Key, Gillian Jacobs, Chris Gethard, and Kate Miccuci
Mike Birbiglia is a name that’s unknown to many, which is sad since he’s one of the funniest comedians working today. A lot of people may recognize him for his small role in Orange Is The New Black, but that role really doesn’t do him much justice. In his second directorial feature, Don’t Think Twice focuses on an improv troupe who find themselves struggling with one of their members breakout success. With a cast including impressive names like Keegan Michael-Key and Gillian Jacobs, there’s no doubt Birbiglia will present something funny and original.
Elvis & Nixon
Directed by Liza Johnson. Written by Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal, and Cary Elwes. Starring Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, and Evan Peters
Elvis & Nixon, to put it simply, just looks like a fun time. There’s probably nothing sentimental hidden in the film or anything full on dramatic and I’m pretty okay with that. What we have is Kevin Spacey playing one of the most controversial figures in American history and Michael Shannon playing one of the most beloved figures in American history. I won’t say that Michael Shannon would’ve been my first choice to play Elvis, but he’s a damn fine actor and that’s really all that should matter. So all I can say is sit back with a big bag of popcorn and enjoy the ridiculousness.
High-Rise
Directed by Ben Wheatley. Written by Amy Jump. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, and Elizabeth Moss
Even for the fans of Tom Hiddleston, High-Rise may be a bit off-putting for most audiences. Ben Wheatley (who I know from directing a couple of Doctor Who episodes) appears to channel his inner Nicolas Winding Refn, creating what looks to be a visually stunning film with compelling performances from all who are involved. High-Rise focuses on a battle of classes that takes place in a luxury high rise complex, with the people on the upper floors living a lavish and luxurious lifestyle while the people down below struggle to live at all.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Written and directed by Taika Waititi. Starring Julian Dennison, Sam Neill, Rachel House, and Rhys Darby
Easily my most anticipated film of the Tribeca Film Festival this year. Sure, Hunt for the Wilderpeople looks overly silly and most people may not be into the brand of humor from New Zealander Taika Waititi. But after watching his previous film, What We Do In The Shadows, I will watch anything directed by Waititi. Hunt for the Wilderpeople made its premiere at Sundance Film Festival and has received its share of positive reviews. The trailer is full of great moments and laughs, but with Waititi’s knack for the comedic moments of films it’s almost a guarantee that the best moments have yet to be seen. After Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Waititi will be directing Thor: Ragnorak, taking place in the 3rd phase of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.
The Man Who Knew Infinity
Written and directed by Matt Brown. Starring Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, and Toby Jones
Maybe it was just me, but I could not care less for The Theory of Everything. I don’t know what it was about the movie, and I know Eddie Redmayne’s performance brought him home an Oscar…but there was just something about it that felt artificial. I bring up The Theory of Everything since our next movie, The Man Who Knew Infinity, appears to follow the same formula as the Stephen Hawking biopic. The difference, at least for me, is I find myself interested and intrigued by this story. Starring Dev Patel, The Man Who Knew Infinity follows Srinivasa Ramanujan, a mathematician who after growing up poor in India, earns admittance into Cambridge University during the years of World War I. I can’t say why this movie in particularly speaks to me, but I already know it’s a movie I want to see do well.
Mr. Church
Directed by Bruce Beresford. Written by Susan McMartin. Starring Eddie Murphy, Britt Robertson, and Lucy Fry
There’s not a whole lot to go on when it comes to Mr. Church. A little girl and her dying mother retain the services of a cook and from there, a family bond is created throughout the span of 15 years. What’s grabbed me in for this movie is, shockingly, Eddie Murphy. This is the first time Murphy has taken on an actual dramatic role in about 10 years, when he was one of the best parts of Dreamgirls. Since then, Murphy hasn’t exactly done a whole lot with his career. He’s not someone whose films I actively seek out, but he’s always been someone I’ve enjoyed in the past. Whether his leading role in Mr. Church can get him back into stardom is something we’ll have to wait and see on.
Special Correspondents
Written and directed by Ricky Gervais. Starring Ricky Gervais, Eric Bana, Vera Farmiga, Kelly McDonald, America Ferrera, Benjamin Bratt, and Kevin Pollak
It looks ridiculous in every way, and I can’t even tell if this is actually going to be a good movie. But the combination of Eric Bana and Ricky Gervais is too good to pass up. Gervais may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I will gladly take in any show or movie that he works on. As for Eric Bana, it’s rare that we get to see him take on a role in a comedy. The last one that comes to mind is his role in the Adam Sandler-led Funny People. With Gervais writing and directing Special Correspondents and the superb cast that’s been put together, I have hope that this will be one of the funnier films of 2016. Best part though is that it’ll be available on Netflix at the end of April. So everyone can watch it!
Youth in Oregon
Directed by Joel David Moore. Written by Andrew Eisen. Starring Frank Langella, Christina Applegate, Billy Crudup, and Josh Lucas
With a resume that spans over 50 years, it’s always nice to see Frank Langella star in an indie film. For every big budgeted film he may make an appearance in, he always knocks it out of the park when given the chance to star in a film and shine. Just a few years ago, many raved about his performance of an aging jewel thief who’s forced to live with a domestic robot in Robot & Frank. This year, we’re presented with Langella playing Raymond Engersol, an 80-year-old man who’s being driven by his son-in-law (Billy Crudup) on a cross country road trip to Oregon to be legally euthanized while his family tries to help him rediscover reasons for living. There’s a lot of movies to keep an eye on this year at the Tribeca Film Festival, but Youth in Oregon is my sleeper hit of 2016.