The 2025 Sundance Film Festival has wrapped, and what a ride it was. With relocation rumors swirling, unexpected weather challenges, and an undercurrent of political tension, this year’s fest had a different energy. But through it all, the films remained the main attraction. Some were incredible, some were odd little gems, and others… well, they tried. Here’s the first of three deep dives into the movies that made an impression.
Didn’t Die
What if the zombie apocalypse wasn’t about the zombies? That’s the question Didn’t Die asks, and it answers it with a quiet, reflective intensity. Instead of nonstop gore, the film follows Vinita, a podcaster preparing for her 100th episode, where she interviews people who “didn’t die.” Director Meera Menon makes a bold choice in presenting this story in black and white, heightening the emotional depth and grounding the characters in a world that feels both familiar and unnervingly altered. While the epilogue stretches on a little too long, Didn’t Die is a compelling, surprisingly moving entry in the genre, one that values introspection just as much as the traditional undead thrills.
The Ugly Stepsister
Imagine Cinderella, but through the lens of body horror and dark comedy. That’s The Ugly Stepsister, and it’s every bit as wild as it sounds. The film, picked up by Shudder before the festival even started, follows Elvira, the so-called “ugly” stepsister, as she undergoes increasingly grotesque procedures in her desperate attempt to outshine her sister and win the favor of the prince. From DIY rhinoplasty to an unsettling tapeworm incident, the film leans hard into the grotesque, while still finding humor and humanity in Elvira’s twisted pursuit of beauty. It’s campy, shocking, and at times unexpectedly poignant, an absolute treat for horror fans with strong stomachs.
Jimpa
John Lithgow steals the show in Jimpa, a tender, messy story about family identity and generational disconnect. The film follows Hannah and her nonbinary teen, Frances, as they visit her free-spirited father, Jim (affectionately called Jimpa), in Amsterdam. Frances sees the trip as a chance to escape their rural Australian life and fully embrace their identity, but Hannah isn’t so sure Jimpa’s bohemian lifestyle is the right influence. The film balances humor and heartbreak well, but it does drag in places, with some storylines feeling stretched too thin. Still, Lithgow’s performance alone makes Jimpa worth watching, and the film’s candid approach to queerness and family dynamics is refreshing.
Omaha
From the first scene of Omaha, you know something isn’t right. A father wakes his kids up early one morning for a spontaneous road trip, but there’s a weight to his words, an urgency that doesn’t quite add up. As young Ella pieces things together, so do we, and the film becomes an emotional gut punch of a thriller. Child actors Molly Belle Wright and Wyatt Solis deliver stunningly natural performances, and it sometimes feels like we’re watching something too real. Omaha doesn’t just tug at heartstrings; it yanks them. Raw and intense, it’s one of the festival’s most affecting films.
By Design
You’ve got to love Sundance for highlighting films that take big swings, even when they don’t always connect. By Design is one of those movies. The premise? A woman and a chair switch bodies. Yes, really. Juliette Lewis plays Camille, the unfortunate woman who ends up trapped in chair form, while Olivier, the unsuspecting recipient of the chair, starts to develop an unsettling attachment to his new furniture. There’s definitely some Andy Warhol energy here, and while surrealism can be thrilling, By Design often feels like it’s being weird for weird’s sake. Some might find it brilliant; others (myself included) might leave the theater wondering if they should’ve spent that time at another screening.
Find more of our Sundance 2025 coverage at this link.