Festivals, Film
Apr 20, 2018

Tribeca Film Festival 2018: Top 10 Movies We’re Excited For

The 17th annual Tribeca Film Festival is set to kickoff in the heart of New York City on Wednesday. And with its arrival, a long lineup of anticipated titles naturally follow. But there are a select few films that have managed to catch our eye.

Here’s a list of  10 films to surface from this year’s festival that we are most excited to see:

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

This Desiree Akhavan-directed film won the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for a reason. Based on the praised novel of the same name, the film follows protagonist Cameron (Chloë Grace Moretz) as she’s sent to God’s Promise—a gay conversion camp—after she was caught engaging in sex with another female at prom. This film is said to feature standout performances from Moretz alongside her fellow castmates, and we’re way too ready to dive into this flick.

Jeong Park/FILMRISE/Tribeca Film Festival

Mary Shelley

Actress Elle Fanning is making rounds within the indie film circuit. Next up for the 20-year-old is Mary Shelley.  The Haifaa al-Mansour-directed film shows a young Mary Wollstonecraft and what led her to create the noteworthy novel “Frankenstein” before she turned 20.

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable

Surfer Bethany Hamilton’s story is inspirational, to say the least. Fans of the famed athlete will get to view never before seen footage from Hamilton’s life experiences, beginning from childhood to motherhood, in documentary Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable.

Tully

At Press Pass LA, we are very trusting in whatever director Jason Reitman does (especially after Juno and Up in the Air).  Tully is no different. In Reitman’s latest film, Marlo (Charlize Theron) is a mother of three. Her brother gifts her a nighttime nanny—Tully (Mackenzie Davis). The trailer leaves much to the imagination. But audiences can assume that they’ll get a better glimpse into Marlo and Tully’s relationship.

Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland

Sandra Bland’s name made headlines after she died of an apparent suicide in police custody following her arrest in Waller County, Texas, in 2015. Academy Award-nominated filmmakers Kate Davis and David Heilbroner film explore racial justice as they search with Bland’s family for answers to her untimely death.

Jonathan

Jonathan shows actor Ansel Elgort as audiences have never seen him before. Elgort’s Jonathan suffers from an unusual condition, and his brother—John—is the only person who can comprehend his struggle. But things begin to change in this windy sci-fi flick as Jonathan desires to deviate from his fairly mundane way of living.

The Seagull 

With a cast that includes the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Annette Bening and Elisabeth Moss, it’s hard not to be attracted to such a star-studded affair. The Seagull, directed by Michael Mayer, is based on the classic Chekhov play of the same name. It tells the tale of family and friends heading to the countryside for a weekend get-together, and drama naturally follows.

Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

The history of Barbie and how she came to be is fascinating, especially taking into consideration the extent to which the famed doll has evolved. And Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie is set to depict just that. Fans of the popular toy, like us, are going to want to see this film as it explores the untold history of Barbie’s existence and reinvention.

Blue Night

Sarah Jessica Parker is more than just Carrie Bradshaw, and she intends to prove that in Blue Night. The film sees her as singer Vivienne, who struggles to come to terms with unexpected news from her doctor. But she finds comfort in the streets of New York City in this Fabien Constant-directed film as she mulls over events from her past and present.

Disobedience

With the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements in full swing, Sebastián Lelio’s Disobedience begs the question: Is there a more timely film than this? After her husband’s death, Ronit Krushka (Rachel Weisz) returns home to a Jewish community that previously rejected her over her attraction to childhood friend Esti (Rachel McAdams), who is now married to their other childhood companion Dovid (Alessandro Nivola). But Ronit and Esti soon test the lines of their attraction for each other and religion.