The 2022 Sundance Film Festival got underway on Thursday, January 20th, so the release calendar is going to change quite a bit as distribution deals get signed. In the meantime, it’s going to be a little quiet on the release front but I’ll continue to do my part. The theme of the week appears to be book adaptations and period pieces, so let’s get to it.
The King’s Daughter (Theaters)
Screenplay: Ronald Bass, Barry Berman, James Schamus, and Laura Harrington
Based on the Novel: Vonda N. McIntyre | Director: Sean McNamara
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, William Hurt, & Kaya Scodelario
It is really difficult to tell what to make of this adaptation of Vonda N. McIntyre’s book. The return of King Louis XIV’s illegitimate daughter coincides with his plan to capture a mermaid’s spirit in pursuit of his own immortality. Things become even more complicated as his daughter discovers the secret. Director Sean McNamara has been behind the camera since 1989 and has a wide range of credits to his name, including straight-to-video B movies such as 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain along with critically acclaimed films like Soul Surfer and Spare Parts, so he’s got all the experience to make this work. It has elements of The Little Mermaid, The Princess Bride, and Rob Letterman’s Gulliver’s Travels (2010) and, while the latter wasn’t well-received at all, I saw it again recently and it’s still fun. If the focus is in the right place, I could see The King’s Daughter working as a fun, period, fantasy adventure.
Redeeming Love (Theaters)
Screenplay: Francine Rivers & D.J. Caruso | Based on the book by: Francine Rivers
Director: D.J. Caruso
Based on the book by Francine Rivers, she co-wrote the screenplay about a girl who was sold into prostitution as a child and must confront her past as she is faced with the possibility of real love in an environment that fosters the opposite. Typically, I would skim right past this kind of movie as it’s very much geared in a certain direction. However, I have a soft spot for westerns and I generally don’t see these kinds of “romance” films in this setting. Roger Stoffers’ cinematography looks incredible and director D.J. Caruso has made a number of other films I have enjoyed, so I am willing to take a chance here.
The Tiger Rising (Theaters & Apple TV+ Feb. 8th)
Writers: Ray Giarratana (screenplay), Kate DiCamillo (book) | Director: Ray Giarratana
Starring: Christian Convery, Dennis Quaid, Queen Latifah, and Katharine McPhee
In another adaptation of author Kate DiCamillo (Because of Winn-Dixie), comes another family-friendly story about a boy who is introduced to a caged tiger in the woods. Ray Giarratana hasn’t sat in the director’s chair in 22-years, so it’s tough to tell what to expect. This is also the type of movie I’d typically skim right past, but it actually looks pretty cute and I’m interested to see this cast work together. If you are looking for something family-friendly this is a good option.
WarHunt (Theaters + VOD)
Writers: Mauro Borrelli, Reggie Keyohara III, and Scott Svatos
Director: Mauro Borrelli
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Jackson Rathbone, and Robert Knepper
I have noticed a handful of horror films lately that have been set around the World Wars of the 20th century, whether it be Overlord, Shadow in the Cloud, or Ghosts of War. In WarHunt, it’s 1945 when a US Army plane crashes in the German Black Forest. A mysterious dark figure covered in black feathers begins to torment the soldiers as they fight to survive the crash and the forest. There’s a reason this movie is going to theaters and video-on-demand at the same time but the trailer made it look much more appealing than I would have anticipated. The setup and the idea are both solid starts, so I’m much more curious to check it out now than I was at first glance.
What Else Is New…
A Hero (Amazon Prime Video Jan. 21st)
Written & Directed by: Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, and Sahar Goldust
This is Oscar-nominated filmmaker Asghar Farhadi’s latest film about a prisoner who tries to settle debt while out on leave but only continues to dig himself a deeper hole. It had a short theatrical run and makes its way to Amazon’s streaming platform which should make it more accessible. It won the Grand Prix Award (2nd overall) at the Cannes Film Festival and also took home the festival’s François Chalais Award which recognizes the film that is most dedicated to the values of journalism and life affirmation. The release to streaming is a good reason to put this on your watchlist over the weekend.