Anyone wanna take a road trip to Utah? The Sundance Film Festival has announced its 2014 lineup, and the new world premiere films are jam-packed with Broadway stars! Festival-goers will be treated to performances by Cheyenne Jackson, John Lithgow, Billy Crudup, Paul Rudd, Michael Shannon and many more. Read below to find out which flicks feature your favorite Broadway stars, then catch them from January 16 through 26 in Park City, UT.
Five films filled with Broadway stars have been selected for the festival’s U.S. competition program:
God’s Pocket, directed by John Slattery (Rabbit Hole) and co-written by Slattery and Alex Metcalf, stars three-time Tony nominee and Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks and John Turturro. The film tells the story of Mickey, a man who tries to bury the bad news with the body after his stepson Leon is killed in a construction "accident."
Happy Christmas, written and directed by Joe Swanberg, stars Anna Kendrick (The Last Five Years and Into the Woods films, High Society) and Lena Dunham. The movie tells the story of a young woman who moves in with her older brother, his wife and their two-year-old son after breaking up with her boyfriend.
Low Down, directed by Jeff Preiss and written by Amy Albany and Topper Lilien, stars Tony winner Glenn Close (Sunset Boulevard), Peter Dinklage (Things We Want) John Hawkes and Elle Fanning. Based on Amy Jo Albany's memoir, the movie tells the story of a woman's heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany.
The Skeleton Twins, directed by Craig Johnson and co-written by Johnson and Mark Heyman, stars SNL alums Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, Tony winner Joanna Gleason (Into the Woods) and Ty Burrell. The movie centers on estranged twins Maggie and Milo, who coincidentally cheat death on the same day, prompting them to confront the reasons their lives went wrong.
Cold in July, directed by Jim Mickle and co-written by Mickle and Nick Damici, stars Michael C. Hall (Cabaret), Sam Shepard (Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright for Buried Child) and Don Johnson. The movie tells the story of a small-town Texan whose life unravels into a dark underworld of corruption and violence.
Other star-studded films premiering at the festival include:
Love Is Strange, directed by Ira Sachs and co-written by Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias, which stars John Lithgow (Dirty Rooten Scoundrels, Sweet Smell of Success), Alfred Molina (Red), Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu, All Shook Up) and Marisa Tomei (Salome, Top Girls). The film tells the story of Ben and George, two newlyweds who must sell their New York apartment and live apart to make ends meet.
A Most Wanted Man, directed by Anton Corbijn and written by Andrew Bovell, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright and Willem Dafoe. Based on John le Carre's bestselling book, the film is a modern-day thriller.
They Came Together, directed by David Wain and written by Wain and Michael Showalter, stars Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd (Grace, Three Days of Rain), Ed Helms and Cobie Smulders. The comedy features a Jewish leading man, a klutzy leading lady, and New York City.
The Voices Inside, directed by Marjane Satrapi and written by Michael Perry, stars Anna Kendrick, Ryan Reynolds and Jacki Weaver. The movie tells the story of a lovable but disturbed factory worker who yearns for attention from a woman in accounting.
Young Ones, written and directed by Jake Paltrow, stars Michael Shannon (Grace), Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult. Young Ones centers on Jerome, a child who is forced to make very adult choices.
Rudderless, directed by William H. Macy (Oleanna) and co-written by Macy, Casey Twenter and Jeff Robison, stars Billy Crudup (Waiting For Godot and No Man’s Land), Felicity Huffman, Macy, Selena Gomez and Laurence Fishburne (Thurgood). The movie tells the story of a grieving father who stumbles upon a box of his deceased son's original music and decides to form a rock 'n' roll band.
Our Netflix queue is about to get very crowded.