The 2022 Tribeca Film Festival has started with hundreds of films culminating in a week-long pop culture/celebrity event. This year the festival has returned to in-person screenings but has added additional time to its festival for an online screening platform. This online platform will allow anyone to screen a select number of films from the comfort of their own home. As excitement has begun building for the festival, we have had the opportunity to screen some of the films in this year’s lineup and have listed five that we highly recommend. Here’s a look at our must-see movies, from documentaries to dramas and possible Oscar contenders.
Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival
Space Oddity
Synopsis: Planets and lives collide in this Kyra Sedgwick-directed feature. Alex (Kyle Allen) longs to travel to outer space and finally gets the opportunity to do so thanks to a privately-funded Mars colonization program. In the midst of his rigorous preparation, he meets Daisy (Alexandra Shipp), the new girl in town who’s trying to start over.
Starring: Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Simon Helberg, Kevin Bacon, and Andrew Polk.
Reason to go: This is one of our favorite films at the festival. Audience reactions aided in making this a charming communal film with a beautiful message behind it about living life to the fullest. In our post-Covid times, there has never been a sentiment we needed more. Allen does a fantastic job of making you feel all the emotions of trying to escape life while at the same time living it. A charming movie that all should see. We should also note there are some seriously great performances from all involved.
Buy tickets here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/space-oddity-2022
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival
Body Parts
Synopsis: For too long cinema has been dominated by the male gaze. An insightful and revealing documentary feature, BODY PARTS shows the evolution of desire and “sex” on-screen from a female perspective––allowing women to reclaim the parts of themselves that have been objectified and exploited for decades. Illuminating the closely-held secrets of a tight-lipped industry still ruled by capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy, BODY PARTS uncovers the often invisible processes involved in creating intimacy for mainstream American film and television, the toll these scenes exact on those directly involved, and the impact on women and girls in the real world. The documentary features courageous and candid interviews with actors and creators who are advocating for real change, including Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette, Joey Soloway, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Rose McGowan, Alexandra Billings, Emily Meade, and David Simon. It highlights the voices of women like Sarah Scott and Sarah Tither-Kaplan who bravely spoke out against abusive behavior on their sets, were punished for it, and who helped spark lasting improvements at major studios, including the groundbreaking introduction of intimacy coordinators.
Starring: Jane Fonda, Joey Soloway, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Rose McGowan, and David Simon.
Reason to go: In an era of the #Metoo Movement and women empowerment this film is one to be reckoned with at the festival. This documentary really takes you on set and behind the camera to understand what it means to film any type of sex scene on camera. The film talks about not only the exploration of women but points out the serious lack of industry standards and protections for the actors. This is a true look behind the lens and into a world that most of us have never even seen. Did you know there is a document that lists all of the sexual positions or sexual content that might be shown on camera that an actor needs to sign before coming on to set to film? We didn’t either. Go see this film.
Buy tickets here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/body-parts-2022
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival
Peace in the Valley
Synopsis: The specter of gun violence hangs over Peace In The Valley, a new drama about a family’s struggle to make sense out of a senseless act. In the opening scene, Ashley Rhodes (Brit Shaw) and her husband John (Michael Abbott Jr.) are in a supermarket with their son Jesse (William Samiri) when a gunman begins randomly firing into the store. John, a firefighter and a veteran, rushes towards the attacker and dies a hero. But that brings little comfort to Ashley, who’s not only mourning her husband but struggling with Jesse’s budding interest in hunting. The re-emergence of John’s identical twin Billy — also played by Abbott Jr. — into Ashley and Jesse’s lives further complicates this already volatile situation, forcing Ashley to conquer her grief for the sake of both herself and her son. Anchored by Shaw’s wrenching lead performance, this timely, resonant film illuminates the sobering, real-world consequences of gun violence.
Starring: Brit Shaw, Michael Abbott Jr., Dendrie Taylor and William Samiri.
Reason to go: An impressive film about survivor grief that would have stood on its own as a successful film. However, this film goes further into the exploration of what it’s like to survive a shooting, how to move on from losing someone, and what happens after the media leaves. It doesn’t spend too much time on the shooting itself, instead, it explores the aftermath and the ripple effect. While this film can be triggering to some, it is delicate in that you never see the shooting, and spends a lot of time on character development. This movie is sure to cause some much needed conversations afterward.
Buy tickets here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/peace-in-the-valley-2022
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival
Vengeance:
Synopsis: Vengeance is B.J. Novak’s feature directorial debut, a darkly comic thriller about a journalist who travels from New York City to West Texas to investigate the mysterious death of a young woman.
Starring: B.J. Novak, Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher, Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron, Dove Cameron, and Isabella Amara.
Reason to go: This is a coming-of-age story about a thirtysomething man finding his voice through some weird twists. Through this story, Novak (who plays a simple man trying to create a podcast) is able to show his personal frustrations with the divisions that have taken over the United States. He harps on the “truth” and even goes as far as showing the fundamental differences between those who consider themselves conservative versus libral. The film is able to accomplish this through a slew of characters you get introduced to along Ben’s journey. While a lot of mind-opening scenes happen at a funeral, this film is really able to thrust controversial ideas in your face through the mass amount of talent that appears throughout the film. This is a thematically ambitious screenplay that cuts deep to the heart of many issues plaguing the country to this day on how disconnected we are from each other and reality itself, B.J. Novak’s writing is the film’s most significant asset. This is worth the watch.
Buy Tickets here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/vengeance-2022
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Courtesy of Tribeca Film Festival
Acidman
Synopsis: Maggie (Dianna Agron) arrives at a small, run-down house in the middle of nowhere to find it defaced by big orange letters reading ACIDMAN and learns that this is the locals’ nickname for her reclusive father (Thomas Haden Church). After a decade apart, Maggie’s offhand explanation for her visit is that she just wanted to check in on him, but this doesn’t ring true considering how difficult he was to find. The two awkwardly want to get to know one another (Dad seems more comfortable talking through his dog Migo, or through Bobby, Maggie’s childhood sock puppet friend), but are at the same time scared about what increasing familiarity will bring. After Dad reluctantly brings her on one of his nighttime outings, Maggie realizes that his obsession with UFOs and communicating with extraterrestrial beings has only intensified over the years. She struggles to understand him, his single-mindedness and deteriorating mental health, all the while with her own life-changing news to share. Letting their relationship ebb and flow through anger, silly jokes, tender gestures, and sadness, director Alex Lehmann leads the film in a beautiful meditation on the cyclical nature of parenthood and the longing for connection.
Starring: Thomas Haden Church, Dianna Agron, and Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris.
Reason to go: Whether or not there is life out there, Acidman is a meaningful story about a father and daughter finding connection at their most vulnerable. Although there has been a significant separation between Lloyd and Maggie, there is something about the acting that makes the viewer feel right at home. Agron and Church are able to tug at your heartstrings as the two awkwardly spend time together trying to reconnect. There are a ton of stand-out moments sprinkled throughout the film. These moments allow the viewer to become emotionally attached to their relationship and remain invested from beginning to end. Although the movie focuses solely on the relationship between father and daughter, it gives just enough space and time to mental health, isolation, and the need for connection. This film can not be missed. Also, little side note, do not forget your yellow tape.
Buy tickets here: https://tribecafilm.com/films/acidman-2022
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Monica has a BA in Journalism and English from the University of Massachusetts and an MS in Journalism and Communications from Quinnipiac University. Monica has worked as a journalist for over 20 years covering all things entertainment. She has covered everything from San Diego Comic-Con, The SAG Awards, Academy Awards, and more. Monica has been published in Variety, Swagger Magazine, Emmy Magazine, CNN, AP, Hidden Remote, and more. For the past 10 years, she has added PR and marketing to her list of talents as the president of Prime Entertainment Publicity, LLC. Monica is ready for anything and is proudly obsessed with pop culture.
