Tribeca Film Festival 2023: 9 films we can't wait to watch
The Tribeca Film Festival is back in full swing in New York City this week, showcasing 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There is an endless list of incredible new films hitting the big screen at the festival. Check out some of our top picks…
Maggie Moore(s)
Jon Hamm and Tina Fey star in this twisted dark comedy that takes viewers on an "unexpected journey" through a seemingly normal small desert town. When two women with the same name are murdered two days apart, a strange series of events unfold. Determined police chief Jordan Sanders [Hamm] must solve the case whilst also dealing with his own personal struggles. Tina plays a nosy neighbor who becomes entangled with Jon's character after nosing around the investigation.
The Blackening
This horror comedy follows seven black friends who reunite for a Juneteenth weekend vacation in a remote cabin, only to find themselves trapped with a twisted killer. Forced to play by his rules, the group must decide "who among them is the Blackest — or else they all die". Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Dewayne Perkins, Antoinette Robertson and Sinqua Walls, the film confronts the horror stereotype that the black character is always the first to die.
The Adults
Starring Superbad's Michael Cera, the story follows Eric as he extends his short trip back home, which reunites him with his sisters Rachel [Hannah Gross] and Maggie [Sophia Lillis] and "unearths some old wounds as Maggie yearns to rekindle moments of their youth". He also reconnects with his old poker buddies, reinstating his title as the best poker player in town. "They gradually reveal their complicated inner lives, trauma, and relationships through theatrical performances and shared histories."
Downtown Owl
Based on Chuck Klosterman's 2008 novel of the same name, the film boasts a star-studded cast that includes Ed Harris, Lily Rabe, Henry Golding and Vanessa Hudgens. Set in a fictional rural North Dakota town in 1983, the story follows a new high school English teacher [Rabe] who upends the lives of locals right before a snowstorm hits.
Eric LaRue
Directed by Michael Shannon, the film is an adaptation of Brett Neveu’s 2002 play and follows a mother, Janice [Judy Greer], whose 17-year-old son shot and killed three of his high school classmates. While her husband, played by Alexander Skarsgård, has found comfort at a new church, Janice is struggling to move on from the tragedy.
First Time Female Director
Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Chelsea Peretti makes her directorial debut in this ensemble comedy set in a small local theater in Glendale, California. Chelsea, who served as a writer and producer on the film, leads the cast as Sam, a playwright working for the theater. "When the theater's director is fired for inappropriate behavior, Sam is thrust into the leadership role, where she quickly discovers that being a director may be a lot more challenging than she originally thought," teases the synopsis on the Tribeca Film website.
Hoping to pull off her dream production, a rural Southern drama, Sam is faced with an array of issues that threaten the production.
The Good Half
Calling all Nick Jonas fans! The singer stars as "emotionally distant" writer Renn, who returns home to Cleveland for his mother's funeral, having spent years avoiding his "high-strung sister" [Brittany Snow], "bumbling but well-meaning" father [Matt Walsh], and "untrustworthy" step-father [David Arquette]. While back in his hometown, he strikes up a new friendship with a "charming, energetic" stranger [Alexandra Shipp], who "pushes him to realize that he can’t avoid conflict forever — with his family or within himself".
Afire
Author Leon [Thomas Schubert] and photographer Felix [Langston Uibel] arrive at a holiday home belonging to Felix's mum on the Baltic coast, only to learn that they'll be joined by a couple who have been let the house, Nadja [Paula Beer] and her boyfriend Devid [Enno Trebs]. While initially annoyed by Nadja's presence, Leon soon finds himself gravitating toward her. As he contends with his hopeless crush, the dry summer heat slowly sparks a raging fire in the forest around them.
This is the third collaboration for German auteur Christian Petzold and his muse Paula Beer after Transit and Undine.
Cinnamon
Hailey Kilgore leads the cast cast as aspiring singer and gas station attendant Jodi Jackson, whose life is turned upside down when a robbery occurs at her work. David Iacono also stars in the thriller film as charming crook Eddie.
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