"I think I'm always tormented by guilt." Utopia has revealed a brand new official US trailer for the intimate documentary film Jane By Charlotte, which originally premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival last summer. It's opening in the US starting in March coming soon. The film is the directorial debut of renowned actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, which "charts her complex relationship with her actress and singer mother Jane Birkin." Produced by Nolita Cinema and Deadly Valentine, along with Mathieu Ageron as a producer. "Gainsbourg looks at her mother Jane Birkin in a way she never did, overcoming a sense of reserve. Using a camera lens, they expose themselves to each other, begin to step back, leaving space for a mother-daughter relationship." This received mixed reviews out of Cannes (I did not care for it at all) but it is a unique film in the way Birkin and Gainsbourg open up as mother and daughter, discussing fascinating subjects of all kinds. https://onfs.net/3HAxuyo

"It is way more than a club... it teaches you the skills of life!" Disney has revealed the first official trailer for More Than Robots, a documentary film marking the feature directorial debut of actress Gillian Jacobs. The film is premiering at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival coming up soon in March this year, before launching streaming on Disney+. Similar to a few other science competition documentaries made recently (see Science Fair or Inventing Tomorrow) this one follows students as they plan and prepare for a robotics competition. Four teams of teenagers from around the world prepare for the 2020 First Robotics Competition, but in a year like no other, the kids learn that there is more to the competition than just robots. It focuses on teams from Los Angeles, Mexico City + Chiba, Japan. Disney has also been a supporter of the "FIRST" competition with financial, in-kind and mentorship resources for years. This looks superbly inspirational! Check it out. https://onfs.net/34tKHdS

"How will I do it?" "By not believing God is with you, but by believing you are God." Saban has revealed an official trailer for Exorcism of God, an intense new horror film from Mexico. This initially premiered at the 2021 Sitges Film Festival last year, and also played at Fantastic Fest, arriving in the US on VOD starting this March. Peter Williams, an American priest working in Mexico, is possessed by a demon he was trying to expel in a botched exorcism and ends up committing the most terrible sacrilege. Now eighteen years later, the consequences of his sins have returned to haunt him, unleashing the greatest battle within. Directed by Alejandro Hidalgo (The House at the End of Time), the film stars Joseph Marcell, María Gabriela de Faría, Will Beinbrink, Hector Kotsifakis, and Irán Castillo. It's good to see another reinvention of the exorcism subgenre, as there have been way too many copycat exoricsm films recently. This looks wicked. https://onfs.net/3glJs38

"Tonight is move night." And tomorrow, and the next day, and the... New movies! Every week! Bring it on. Netflix has unveiled their Netflix 2022 Movie Preview, a 3-minute long trailer with exciting glimpses at MOST of their upcoming movies launching in 2022. There's so many in here! "Need ideas for your next movie night? Netflix has you covered: whether you're looking for a laugh, cry, scream or cheer, we've got an A-list cast for any mood with new movies every week all year." There's a first look at Rian Johnson's Knives Out 2 with Daniel Craig (and others), a first look at the Russo Brothers' action movie The Gray Man with Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, a first look at Francis Lawrence's family adventure Slumberland with Jason Momoa, and a first look at Matt Charman's sci-fi drama The Mothership with Halle Berry. Netflix knows what they're doing! And they're one of the only studios to publicly release a preview for the entire year, as they have a strong brand & they're confident in their 2022 offerings. Which films are you looking forward to? https://onfs.net/3uorEga

"We got the element of surprise... and we got violence." Vertical has released an official trailer for a generic action thriller titled A Day to Die, yet another boring new Bruce Willis movie to ignore. Even the title is generic and forgettable. After killing a drug syndicate member while protecting a parolee, Connor Connolly has one day to pay two million dollars in reparations he doesn't have to Tyrone Pettis. He is forced to ask his old military ops crew, led by Brice Mason, to come together and somehow get two million dollars before Connor loses everyone he loves. Bruce Willis co-stars with Kevin Dillon, Frank Grillo, Leon, Gianni Capaldi, Johnny Messner, Vernon Davis, and Brooke Butler. Not a bad cast, but nah... These dime-a-dozen Bruce Willis movies are as bad as they've ever been, and I really hope no one is wasting their money on them. Just stay away. There's plenty of other better movies to watch than this. At least the trailer is free. https://onfs.net/3HqmO5r

"Don't you see, child, we all have our sin!" Totally nuts, eh? Indican Pictures has released an official trailer for an indie horror thriller titled Sin Eater, from filmmaker Carmelo Chimera making his feature debut. This hasn't shown up anywhere else yet and is arriving directly to VOD in March. When a woman on the run from her past suffers a terrifying injury, she becomes stranded in a town with a dark secret. As the bizarre phenomena intensify and with no one to trust, she'll have to face her inner demons before a real one takes her soul. The film has a crazy twist where this girl wakes up with her jaw wired shut. Freaky. It stars Jessie Nerud as Christine, with Bill Moseley, Danny Bohnen, Scotty Bohnen, and Scott Moore. This looks like a cult thriller mashed up with religious horror, which is almost too scary. Check out the footage below. https://onfs.net/34wjI1t

"He made his name in blood. No one could touch him." Saban Films has unveiled an official trailer for an indie horror mystery film called So Cold the River, arriving on VOD and in theaters this March. Described as a "bone-chilling, supernatural thriller," adapted from the book by the bestselling author of "Those Who Wish Me Dead." The story revolves around documentary filmmaker Erica Shaw who's hired to profile ailing millionaire Campbell Bradford, whose sole clue is an antique bottle filled with water from a local spring. While staying at a luxury resort in town, Erica meets a descendant of Bradford's and learns of a familial curse of mysterious suicides and deaths, and as she begins drinking from the antique bottle, she is subjected to terrifying visions and unleashes an unspeakable evil. Starring Bethany Joy Lenz, with Katie Sarife, Deanna Dunagan, Andrew J. West, & Alysia Reiner. Looks better than it sounds. Might not be so bad. https://onfs.net/3gnLuzO

The 2022 Sundance Film Festival wrapped up last week after a series of virtual premieres. Now it's time to present our annual Best of the Fest list. I was able to catch a total of 60 films this year (my full list on Letterboxd), watching online from home (to stay safe and save some money). This is my 16th year in a row covering Sundance, and this fest still has a special place in my heart. I am always excited about the films and filmmakers they bring. I am presenting one big list of my 10 favorite films - a mix of docs and features. All of these below are worth watching, and I highly recommend seeking them out whenever they show up at your local cinema. I am glad Sundance has continued to do their best with a film festival even in this crazy times during an ongoing pandemic, because we all need good cinema like this. Below are my favorites, the films that connected with me and have remained on my mind all the way through the 10 days of the festival. https://onfs.net/3olXztu

Werner wants love, but Klaus has other plans. Okay this is amazing. There's a marvelous new short film to watch called My Dinner with Werner, made by filmmaker Maverick Moore. It's a terrifically witty riff on My Dinner with Andre, but about a mythical maybe it happened, maybe it didn't, dinner in the 1980s with Werner Herzog. While on a blind date dinner, a young Herzog is suddenly confronted by deranged actor Klaus Kinski. Things get even crazier as the evening goes on – of course. "Inspired by the real-life, totally bonkers 'friendship' between legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog and controversial actor Klaus Kinski, the film is a wildly bizarre comedy about a mid-80s blind dinner date with a murder plot as the main dish." This stars Matthew Sanders as Werner, Andrew Perez as Klaus, Chynna Walker as Christine, along with Grant Virtue, Trey Dickerson, Brenda Henderson, Ka Beesler. It's even better than you're hoping - the performances are all spot on and, while a bit too long, the whole film is so damn good. Available below. https://onfs.net/3se7dzI

"Forget about the girl! Get out of here." Epic Pictures has revealed the trailer for an indie hitman action movie titled The Last Mark, yet another movie repeating pretty much the same plot of a hitman who has to do one last job before he retires. But he can't take out this person because it's a woman. Oh how original. This film opens on VOD at the beginning of March if anyone wants to watch. After a young woman witnesses a mob hit, a seasoned assassin and his psychotic partner must track her down before she turns them in, but she proves to be the hardest mark to kill. The Last Mark is directed by Reem Morsi and stars Alexia Fast, Shawn Doyle, Bryce Hodgson, Josh Cruddas, and Jonas Chernick. There's not much to see here, it doesn't look any good. The poster is the best part about this release, and it's not even that impressive either. https://onfs.net/3LlZRmD

"To us teenagers, she was a babe!" Madman Films has released an official trailer for the documentary film Elizabeth, a biopic profile of the iconic Queen of England. This film is made by the acclaimed filmmaker Roger Michell, known for his many features over the years including Notting Hill, Changing Lanes, Venus, Morning Glory, Hyde Park on Hudson, Le Week-end, My Cousin Rachel. His latest is this - a documentary on the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-lived, longest reigning British monarch and longest serving female head of state in history. Why now? Who knows! "With extraordinary access to rare footage from the Royal Archives, Elizabeth is a cinematic celebration of an icon that reveals a unique glimpse of the woman behind the legend." It sounds like it won't be critical because it's more of a look at this woman and her life, not so much a commentary about the Royal Family and what they do. But the interviews here do seem fun. https://onfs.net/3AUWM89

"My motive: I want to change the world." Super LTD has debuted the full-length official trailer for the film Ted K, from filmmaker Tony Stone. This originally premiered last year at the 2021 Berlin Film Festival, and it played at Camerimage and the Stockholm Film Festival. Sharlto Copley stars as the infamous madman bomber. The film is an exploration of Ted Kaczynksi's life in Lincoln, Montana in the years leading up to his arrest as The Unabomber. Based on Kaczynski's diaries and writings, it's a kaleidoscopic true crime journey into the life of one of America's most complex and eccentric killers. It features a tour-de-force performance by Copley who portrays the complexity of this unique outsider, raging at the forces of both the inescapable technological society that plagues him and his inner demons. Also with Drew Powell, Travis W Bruyer, and Wayne Pyle. Both trailers are superb, not only gripping but edited to make me want to watch this now. https://onfs.net/3uGI8Ar

"A minute late, the deal is off!" Brainstorm Media has revealed an official US trailer for an indie thriller titled Nightride, arriving in the US starting in early March. The film is a "realtime one shot" thriller from BAFTA-nomninated director Stephen Fingleton and starring Moe Dunford (of Vikings, Texas Chainsaw Massacre). A small-time dealer tries to pull one last deal with cash borrowed from a dangerous loan shark. When the handover goes wrong and the deal is off, he races against the clock to find his missing product and secure a new buyer before the loan shark finds him. In addition to Moe Dunford as the driver, the small cast includes Joana Ribeiro, Gerard Jordan, Ciaran Flynn, John Travers, and Stephen Rea. This first premiered at last year's Toronto Film Festival as well, but there wasn't much buzz then. It looks quite good. https://onfs.net/3AY3yK9

"What's inappropriate? Inappropriate, says who?" Kino Lorber has unveiled the official US trailer for an indie drama from Israel called Ahed's Knee, the latest from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Nadav Lapid. He won the top prize Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival a few years ago for his film Synonyms, and this is his follow-up - an extremely critical takedown of Israel and its many problems with censorship and hypocrisy. It originally premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival in competition last year, and ended up winning the third place Jury Prize during the fest. An Israeli filmmaker throws himself in the midst of two battles doomed to fail: one against the death of freedom, the other against the death of a mother. Lapid wrote the film soon after the death of his own mother, who worked as an editor on many of his works. It offers a sharp critique of censorship, hypocrisy, and violence instigated by Israel & repressive governments. Starring Avshalom Pollak & Nur Fibak. I'm a big fan of how this film lashes out and fights for the truth. https://onfs.net/3AXMiEO

"I'm really worried about this industry going down..." SOMM TV has revealed the official trailer for a new documentary film titled Saving the Restaurant, marking the feature debut of cinematographer Andrew Ackerman. This film follows the Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey for the entire pandemic lockdown, as he struggles to fight to keep restaurants alive and keep restaurant employees paid during the last two years of the ongoing pandemic. "This is the story of one of the greatest restaurateur's struggle to save restaurants in America." Featuring appearances by Bobby Stuckey, Danette Stuckey, Dustin Wilson, and Thomas Keller. It's hard to watch anything about the pandemic because we're still in it, and it is still affecting everything around us. But I do sympathize with this issue. Especially because at the end of the day, food IS an essential part of daily life for everyone. Even during a pandemic. And restaurants shouldn't have to suffer this much. https://onfs.net/3HwSqX6

"Out here, things start to get real strange..." Screen Media Films has revealed the official US trailer for the film Gold, which is arriving in theaeters in the US starting this March. When two drifters traveling through the desert stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found, the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other remains and must endure harsh desert elements, ravenous wild dogs, and mysterious intruders, whilst battling the sinking suspicion that he has been abandoned to his own fate. Zac Efron co-stars with Anthony Hayes, who also directs the film. Not to be confused with the other Gold film starring McConaughey. We featured the first trailer a few months ago. This still reminds me of David Michôd's film The Rover with its gritty post-apocalyptic style. Who wants to bet it's not actually gold they found? Maybe. https://onfs.net/3Gp0xUl

"If I couldn't be best at being best, I'd sure as hell be best at being worst." Netflix has unveiled a fun teaser trailer for their upcoming crime series Clark, made by Swedish filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund (known for the films Spun, Lords of Chaos, Polar). Clark tells the story of the Swedish criminal who gave rise to the idea of "The Stockholm Syndrome" during a failed bank robbery in Stockholm in the 1970s. Clark Olofsson has been referred to as a "celebrity gangster", and over his many decades has managed to escape prisons and commit robberies all over Europe. Åkerlund explains: "Clark is the story about the most politically incorrect man, who lived the most politically incorrect life. These are the kinds of stories I always look for. It’s an ultra-violent, witty, emotional, real and surreal biography to put a face to the name 'Stockholm Syndrome', but it isn’t just about the Norrmalmstorg Robbery. It’s about his whole life and what made him who he is, the truth and lies of his incredible career." Bill Skarsgård stars as Clark; he's joined by Alicia Agneson, Vilhelm Blomgren, Sandra Ilar, Kolbjörn Skarsgård, and Hanna Björn. This teaser rocks! I'm sold. https://onfs.net/3sovEdY

Who would've thought that a documentary about some bozo that invented a new bulletproof vest would be this fascinating and this unsettling?! But that's exactly why I had to watch this film and find out what it's all about and holy sh*t, it's totally nuts! This guy is nuts! But that is the story, that's the entire point of making this film. Another tale of the "American Dream" gone wrong. Iranian-American filmmaker Ramin Bahrani (making his first doc after many features including Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, At Any Price, 99 Homes, The White Tiger) has cooked up his version "Tiger King" with this documentary called 2nd Chance, which just premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. The engrossing documentary tells the story of Richard Davis, a doofus from Michigan that somehow invented some lightweight bulletproof vests as part of a police fanboy fantasy. The way it plays out from there is totally crazy, and it gets even crazier as the story goes on. https://onfs.net/3uvLaXU

"The goal was to see how far his dreams would take him, but I had no idea where life would take us next." Netflix has debuted the full-length official trailer for their epic three-part documentary series jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, looking back at the prolific rise & musical genius of hip-hop mastermind Kanye West. This doc just premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival recently. Their intro: "You can't manufacture a project like jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy; it takes decades of vision, commitment, prayers, and perspective to produce. It seems providential that Coodie & Chike should be the ones to make the definitive film about [his] career thus far, as they were the filmmakers who introduced him to the masses with their documentary music video for 'Through the Wire.' This epic three-film doc features hours of fly-on-the-wall footage and paints a sweeping portrait of one of pop culture’s most controversial figures." What a killer trailer. I like the twist midway in, when the directors admit they've grown apart from Ye, but still feel they must tell his story. https://onfs.net/3JarrRP

"I'm not making this up!" Dark Sky Films has revealed a new trailer for Take Back The Night, an intense vigilante horror-thriller made by filmmaker Gia Elliot. This premiered at a bunch of genre film festivals last year, including the Telluride Horror Fest, and is arriving on VOD in March this year. Finding herself the victim of a violent monster attack, Jane launches a vigilante campaign to hunt the beast that tried to kill her. Her troubling history of drug use & mental illness causes her family, community, and authorities to question the authenticity of her account. Suddenly alone in her fight, Jane starts to doubt if this Monster exists at all. Emma Fitzpatrick (seen in Before We Go, Sleepwalker, and "Dan Is Dead") stars as Jane, with Angela Gulner, Jennifer Lafleur, Sibongile Mlambo, Corina Kinnear, Kati Sharp, Natalie D'Amico, and Jess Varley. This looks stylish & terrifying, but also looks like an extremely obvious metaphor about sexual assault "monsters" (which they are!) and how hard it is to fight them. I still hope she gets rid of this bastard. https://onfs.net/3uv9mdc

"What if I told the police where you buried Barcelo?" Netflix has revealed the official trailer for a French action-thriller titled Restless, also known as Sans répit, arriving on Netflix later this month. Another of these French films about a sketchy cop getting into trouble. After going to extremes to cover up an accident, a corrupt cop's life spirals out of control when he starts receiving threats from a mysterious witness. When the investigation of the missing person is given to one of his colleagues, and an anonymous witness tries to blackmail him, things start to get really out of hand. Franck Gastambide stars, with Simon Abkarian, Michael Abiteboul, Tracy Gotoas, Jemima West, & Serge Hazanavicius. Damn this looks intense! When the French want to go big on action, they go all out with all kinds of explosive action. Check this out. https://onfs.net/34mPPAT