Set amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Manhattan, and overlooked by One World Trade Center, there really is nothing like the Tribeca Film Festival. Attended by everyone from bona-fide cinephiles to suits trying to broaden their cinematic horizons, the festival will cater to every type of moviegoer when it runs between April 19 and 30.
This year's Tribeca Film Festival includes the premieres of studio films led by some of Hollywood's biggest names, pet projects from cinema's most talented storytellers, as well as lower-budgeted but still exhilarating efforts from burgeoning filmmakers on the cusp of reaching the next echelon. But what movies from the Tribeca Film Festival will everyone be talking about? There will be quite a few actually. In fact, here are 10 movies screening at the festival over the next two weeks that will demand your attention soon after.
The Circle
Fresh from the mega success of Beauty And The Beast, Emma Watson's next film The Circle pairs her up with Tom Hanks and director James Ponsoldt, who combine to examine the increasing prevalence of social media and privacy. In The Circle, Emma Watson plays Mae, who quickly rises through the ranks of the world's largest and most powerful tech and social media company. After coming into contact with its founder Eamon Baily (Tom Hanks), Mae is encouraged to take part in an experiment that pushes the boundaries of ethics, privacy, and her own freedom, as each of her decisions affects the lives and future of not just those around her, but also humanity. The Circle's cast also boasts John Boyega, Karen Gillan, and Patton Oswalt, as well as giving us a chance to say goodbye to the late great Bill Paxton, too.
Chuck
After last year's Hands Of Stone and Bleed For This failed to build off of the success of Creed, it's up to Chuck to breathe life into the boxing genre again. There's every chance it will do just that, as Liev Schreiber bares an uncanny resemblance to the Bayonne Bleeder Chuck Wepner, while his story is ripe for the biopic treatment, as well. It's not just that Chuck was the real-life inspiration for Rocky, a subject that's touched upon in the film, but he also fought Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, and even a real-life bear. Try and tell me you're not interested in seeing that. Liev Schreiber is joined in the film by Elisabeth Moss and his now ex-wife, Naomi Watts, which also adds an extra ounce of intrigue to the film.
The Trip To Spain
Those of you who have seen The Trip and The Trip To Italy already know that watching Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon bicker, trade impressions, and discuss fame, male friendship and all of its trappings over the course of a few days produces comedic gold. This time, the duo are taking on Spain's finest fine dining, while it unfolds off the back of Steve Coogan being critically lauded for a recent film performance, which he obviously reminds Rob of at every opportunity. Michael Winterbottom is back in the director's chair again, which means that The Trip To Spain has all the ingredients to make one hell of a movie dish.
Aardvark
Jenny Slate's outstanding performance in 2014's Obvious Child proved that she was one of the most beguiling comedic presences on the big and small screen, something she backed up with her work in Zootopia, The Secret Life Of Pets and Gifted. In the comedy-drama Aardvark, Jenny Slate takes the role of therapist Emily Milburton, who struggles to deal with her new patient Josh Norman (Zachary Quinto). Especially because of his estranged relationship with his brother Craig (Jon Hamm), a famous TV actor that just so happens to be in town for a visit. Aardvark's main allure comes from the fact that it possess one of the finest leading ensembles at the Tribeca Film Festival, which is particularly impressive when you consider that it's Brian Shoaf's feature film debut.
Manifesto
Even though no one needs any additional reasons to adore Cate Blanchett, the Oscar-winning actor continues to provide them. Not only does she look utterly terrifying in Thor: Ragnarok, but Tribeca Film Festival will also feature a screening of Manifesto for fans to fawn over. Previously shown at the Australian Centre For The Moving Image and the Park Avenue Armory, Manifesto sees Cate Blanchett taking on 13 different roles. In each of these she performs a variety of manifestos from Karl Marx, Yvonne Rainer, and Dogma 95, while the vignettes are also broken up and set against different backdrops and locations. They also question the true nature of art, and, with the help of artist/director Julian Rosefeldt, see Cate Blanchett transcend class, gender, and nationality, while also blurring the lines of conventional story.
Dog Years
20 years after the release of Boogie Nights proved that Burt Reynolds hadn't lost any of his screen presence, and even earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, Dog Years marks the umpteenth return of the legendary actor. In it he plays Vic Edwards, an aging actor whose Hollywood glory days are long behind him. After being humiliated when picking up a lifetime achievement award at the International Nashville Film Festival, Vic decides to take a road trip with his driver for the weekend, Lil (Modern Family's Ariel Winter), to his hometown of Knoxville, which proves to be rather eventful. Dog Years incorporates archival footage from Burt Reynolds' past films, and might just also have provoked one final evocative performance from the 81-year-old actor, too.
The Clapper
With a cast that includes Ed Helms, Amanda Seyfried and Tracy Morgan, it's hard not to be a little intrigued by The Clapper. Ed Helms plays the hilariously named Eddie Krumble, who after the death of his wife decides to move to Los Angeles and, alongside his best friend Chris (Tracy Morgan), becomes a professional paid audience member of live studio tapings. Eddie soon catches the attention of a late night talk show host, and they quickly turn him into a national obsession, which in turn threatens his budding romance with the sweet gas station attendant, Judy (Amanda Seyfried). A biting satire on the current meme-obsessed generation, The Clapper is actually an adaptation of writer and director Dito Monitel (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints)'s own novel, and considering its leading trifecta, should possess a copious amount of laughs.
Rock'n Roll
Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon aren't the only pair playing fictionalized versions of themselves at the Tribeca Film Festival, as real-life partners Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet follow this trend in the satirical comedy Rock'n Roll. After being told by his younger co-star that he's not cool anymore, Guillaume Canet decides to try and reclaim the lifestyle and image that he pines for. His pursuits become more and more extreme, to the point that he starts to ruin the marital bliss he's built with Marion Cotillard. As well as taking the lead role, Guillaume Canet has also written and directed Rock'n Roll, which is heavily inspired by Curb Your Enthusiasm and revels in poking fun at celebrity culture.
Sweet Virginia
Described as a neo-western with nods to the work of the Coen Brothers, there's every chance that Sweet Virginia could prove to be the Hell Or High Water of 2017. After a burglary-homicide rattles the inhabitants of a small Alaska town, particularly the two women left widowed by the incident, Jon Bernthal's Sam decides to befriend Christopher Abbott's Elwood, who has a propensity for violence, in an attempt to try and calm the situation. Sam is a former rodeo champ who's firmly an outsider in the town, but as the violence increases and more secrets are revealed, he wrestles with whether or not to get involved. Rosemarie DeWitt and Imogen Poots also co-star in Sweet Virginia, which is the sophomore film from Jamie M. Dagg after the criminally underlooked River.
Pilgrimage
While most of Tom Holland's summer will be taken up with his antics as Spider-Man, there's an even more enticing film of his that's premiering at Tribeca. Pilgrimage revolves around a small band of Catholic monks traveling through the 13th-century Irish countryside, which is filled with warring clans and Norman conquerors, all the way to Rome so that they can give the Pope their most sacred relic. Along the way the group's faith and loyalty to one another is tested, as they are confronted with increasing violence. Pilgimage marks Brendan Muldowney's third feature film after Savage and Love Eternal, and from all accounts it could end up being a more visceral version of Martin Scorsese's recent flop Silence.
