This year’s Sundance YouBETcha!, where we guess the odds for the films most likely to win the Grand Jury Prize seems to only be pointing San Francisco Bay Area. Beth De Araújo’s Josephine starring Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan and newcomer Mason Reeves seems set to continue her brand of hard hitting cinema seen in Soft & Quiet. Cinematographer Greta Zozula re-teams with De Araújo after their first collaborations stylish one take aesthetic, expect a more measured but subtly vulnerable perspective here. Following 8 year-old Josephine’s struggle to come to terms with a violent crime she witnesses in Golden Gate Park, this sophomore feature should continue the director’s exploration of depravity and the quick infestation hate that begets on the mind. Premiering day 2 of the fest at the Eccles, Josephine’s mix of impressive actors and a budding and talented director could propel it to major success and it became one of the rare films to world premiere in a competition section at Sundance and then compete for the Golden Bear at the Berlinale; the recent Past Lives played at both fests but did not have this distinction.
Carousel from Sometimes I Think About Dying filmmaker Rachel Lambert is also a strong contender. The cast includes Chris Pine and Jenny Slate and features the kind of two hander love / anti love story that should play well to a festival audience. Following Pine’s carefully constructed Noah’s life managing his families medical practice in his hometown his existence is suddenly upended with the return of his high-school girlfriend – romance (or not?) ensues. Lambert’s exploration of loneliness and human connection may strike a chord and have the crowd-pleasing chops to offer some cozy respite during hard times.
Liz Sargent’s Take Me Home has like Josephine just been announced in the Berlinale line-up in the debut features competition Perspectives programme. What raises our eyebrows is the unique sounding mix of a narrative with offbeat characters that might go against the stereotype. Following a 38 year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability caring for her disabled parents, the film seems to be offering a conflicting tale of interests and responsibilities rarely seen before. The director’s own sister (Anna Sargent) plays the titular role of Anna and could prove to be a breakout performance.
Down in fifth but with plenty going for it is Josef Kubota Wladyka’s Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!. Haru and Luis compete together in Tokyo’s ballroom scene but after a tragedy she becomes a hermit. When coaxed back to the dance floor she becomes infatuated with the new instructor. For a Tribeca Film Fest selection, Josef Kubota Wladyka’s Catch the Fair One had a solid run (Kali Reis landed a Best Female Lead nom for the Independent Spirit Awards) and he has seemingly written a unique story with multiple clashing cultures. The film seems to be keen to explore themes of identity, lust and life after grief and features Oscar-nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi. Cinematographer Daniel Satinoff recently worked on HBO hit “Tokyo Vice,” which may suggest a more confident and stylish approach to the film’s camerawork and dance scenes. Here are our “Vegas” odds.
2/1 Beth de Araújo JOSEPHINE (120 mins – WP Jan 23rd)
4/1 Rachel Lambert CAROUSEL (103 mins – WP Jan 22nd)
7/2 Adam Meeks UNION COUNTY (97 mins – WP Jan 25th)
4/1 Liz Sargent TAKE ME HOME (91mins – WP Jan 26th)
4/1 Josef Kubota Wladyka HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! (122 mins – WP Jan 22nd)
9/2 Stephanie Ahn BEDFORD PARK (121 mins – WP Jan 24th)
5/1 Hossein Keshavarz & Maryam Ataei THE FRIEND’S HOUSE IS HERE (96 mins – WP Jan 24th)
6/1 Ramzi Bashour HOT WATER (97 mins – WP Jan 23rd)
7/1 NB Mager RUN AMOK – (103 mins – WP Jan 26th)
9/1 Giselle Bonilla THE MUSICAL (84 mins – WP Jan 25th)