What the best movies of Sundance 2018 had in common

Sex and violence are overrated

Helena Howard and Molly Parker in 'Madeline's Madeline.'
(Image credit: Courtesy of Sundance Institute)

Film festival programmers often try to whip up some excitement before a screening by telling audiences about the "new voice" and the "new cinematic language" we're about to experience. More often than not, they're overselling. The "new voice" ends up being just another young artist telling a story about growing up as an introverted oddball, while the "new language" involves heavier-than-usual use of flashbacks.

But while it's easy (and justified) to be skeptical about hype, this year's Sundance Film Festival actually did feel a little different. Previously marginal sections of the fest — like the VR-focused New Frontier and the television-bound Indie Episodic — have become increasingly integral. Meanwhile, many of the best feature films (like Private Life, You Were Never Really Here, and The Tale) are bound for Netflix, Amazon, and HBO, coming soon to your TV screen. Plus, there were so many projects in Park City spearheaded by women, LGBTQ filmmakers, and/or artists of color that even if you said, "I really liked that movie that explored the black experience in Oakland," you'd need to be more specific.

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Noel Murray

Noel Murray is a freelance writer, living in Arkansas with his wife and two kids. He was one of the co-founders of the late, lamented movie/culture website The Dissolve, and his articles about film, TV, music, and comics currently appear regularly in The A.V. Club, Rolling Stone, Vulture, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times.