FAIR PLAY

The grueling workplace romance and social politics of a young couple working at a large New York hedge fund are put under a microscope in this tense and claustrophobic morality tale. Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are gearing up for life-changing news after hearing rumors that he is up for a major promotion and they couldn’t be happier. But when things take a turn and she gets the promotion instead, the insecurity and manipulation that follows will make many couples watching this film extremely uncomfortable. Writer-director Chloe Domont’s fierce debut navigates hot button issues with ease, giving viewers a ringside seat to the cutthroat battle of love and money. Her screenplay’s sharp dialogue is a true standout, with Dynevor in particular handling the assignment confidently.

MAGAZINE DREAMS

A tense and chaotic rollercoaster, there was no film that turned my stomach more than “Magazine Dreams,” and yes, I mean that as a compliment. Jonathan Majors may be currently battling CGI creatures in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” or boxing away his past sins in “Creed III,” but this is the film that will make his mark in 2023. In fact, he maintained the muscular frame from “Creed III” and slightly tweaked it to portray Killian Maddox, a troubled bodybuilder sinking deeper and deeper into a pit of despair and self-harm. Shades of “Taxi Driver” are impossible to ignore but Majors and the film as a whole, carve out its own identity. What starts as a desperate man looking for any kind of recognition, quickly escalates to tragedy and Jonathan Majors ferociously descends into madness.

PAST LIVES

Nora and Hae Sung have been friends going all the way back to their childhood in South Korea. The dynamic between the two shifted when Nora and her family moved to the US and now, 20 years after she initially left, they have an opportunity to reunite as adults and judge their current lives against the possibilities of what might have been. “Past Lives” is writer-director Celine Song’s first feature and the finished product could fool you into thinking she’s been making movies for a while. Her confidence in letting conversations breathe with the natural rhythms of reality is refreshing. Greta Lee’s central performance as Nora dominates the film in a way that is equally hopeful and tragic at the same time.

POLITE SOCIETY

Ria Khan (Priya Kansara) is a dreamer, living in a world where everything pulsates with energy inside her imagination. Everyday occurrences are exaggerated to full effect with music, graphics and equally energetic best friends to match. Things come to a head when older sister Lena (Ritu Arya) announces her engagement, leaving the curious Ria imploding with anger since she doesn’t approve of the groom. After many pleas to reconsider fall on deaf ears, it’s up to Ria and her friends to stop the wedding at all costs, even if it means saving Lena from herself. “Polite Society” may take visual and stylistic cues from previous films like “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” but its wild ride is unique and entertaining.

ROTTING IN THE SUN

Director Sebastian Silva makes movies that don’t feel like movies. Instead, they feel like chaotic vignettes that start slow and seemingly aimless but casually build to a triumphant peak you’d never see coming. His latest is no different and is also one of his best where Silva plays himself, an insecure filmmaker hanging out in Mexico City while his latest project comes together. A trip to a nude beach for inspiration leads to a hilarious domino effect where Silva goes missing and real-life social media personality Jordan Firstman steps in to investigate. Firstman suspects the cleaning lady (Catalina Saavedra from Silva’s previous film “The Maid”) is hiding something but the truth will blow him away. As good as the film is, Saavedra runs with it and takes things to a whole new level in her understated performance.

SHORTCOMINGS

Actor and comedian Randall Park (“Fresh Off the Boat”) has changed things up and stepped behind the camera to make his directorial debut “Shortcomings.” It’s a Bay Area-fueled story of love and friendship, with all the messiness in between. Based on the novel of the same name and adapted to the screen by its author Adrian Tomine, the film centers on three distinct Asian-American characters (played by Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola and Ally Maki) whose lives are intertwined in very unique ways. With an equal amount of heart and laughs, Park manages to make “Shortcomings” a fun and hysterical ride through the modern dating scene.

theater camp

A beloved but decrepit theater camp in upstate New York is on its last legs and to make matters worse, the institution’s matriarch (Amy Sedaris) has fallen ill. In order to save the upcoming summer session from being cancelled, two of the organization’s top talent (Ben Platt and Molly Gordon) will band the remaining crew together to have a great season for better or worse. Formulaic in nature but bountiful in charm, “Theater Camp” is a labor of love for co-directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, whose real passion for the stage bleeds onscreen. Closer in tone to Christopher Guest’s “Waiting For Guffman,” this comedy is not just for theater kids, but those who share a love for the dramatic will have a little extra to smile about.

YOU HURT MY FEELINGS

Writer-director Nicole Holofcener’s latest quick-witted satire is also one of her best, focusing on the insecurities of a New York novelist (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who begins to unravel once she asks for honest feedback on her latest opus. It doesn’t help that the bearer of harsh criticism is her own husband, turning the tables on both their marriage and social circle. Holofcener’s clever dialogue and strong ensemble cast make “You Hurt My Feelings” one of Sundance’s biggest crowd-pleasers, and stands in the company of the director’s best efforts, including “Walking and Talking,” “Lovely and Amazing” and “Please Give.” Couples who see this biting comedy together will have plenty to discuss after the credits roll.

All photos courtesy of Sundance Institute.