DIDI

Navigating adolescence is never easy and writer-director Sean Wang tackles the highs and lows of his personal experience in the semi-autobiographical “Didi.” The year is 2008 and Chris Wang (the director’s fictional counterpart) isn’t ready to deal with his last summer before the onslaught of high school begins in a few short months. His sights are set on the usual targets for boys his age, fantasizing about girls and getting into as much trouble as possible. This includes terrorizing his overworked mom and college-bound sister, adopting skate culture to fit in with the popular kids and crushing on an older girl who will challenge him in unexpected ways. Izaac Wang plays Chris with the exact amount of misplaced confidence most people will recognize from their own childhood, the feeling that everything is known and nothing in life could possibly be a mystery. That bittersweet energy of youth is what makes “Didi” shine and a true standout at this year’s festival.

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE

A lavish wedding party has been arranged for a close group of friends looking to let loose before the couple’s big nuptials. Games and booze are in the mix and things seem relaxed until an uninvited friend knocks at the door and asks to join the party. It’s not immediately clear why he wants to rejoin this group after being kicked out of their social circle but things come into stronger focus once he presents a surprise of his own. It’s a briefcase that’s full of unexpected secrets for everyone at the party and the less you know about its contents going in, the better your cinematic ride will be. What begins as a fun and harmless test amongst friends, quickly devolves into a diabolical and highly entertaining fight for answers. See it with a big crowd and enjoy the wild and depraved ride.

MY OLD ASS

Elliott (Maisy Stella) is a precocious teen who knows what she wants but isn’t quite sure how to get it. Encouraged by her best friends to take more chances, she absorbs this advice the wrong way when an experiment with mushrooms goes awry. In the aftermath of the comedic mishap, a stranger appears to Elliott, a stranger who is much older and looks a lot like her. Is this older version of Elliott (played by Aubrey Plaza) a reality or a figment of her imagination? The studio version of this premiere would take the two Elliotts and put them in broad situational pratfalls and misunderstandings for comedic effect. “My Old Ass” does the opposite and instead has the two women communicate in a more real and effective manner. Older Elliott talks to her younger self about life’s pitfalls and in the face of those same dangers, the teenager must decide if those life lessons are worth taking seriously or not.

PRESENCE

A ghost story told from the ghost’s point of view is a clever premise and when it’s made by Steven Soderbergh it becomes irresistible. Shot mostly with hand-held cameras, “Presence” grips you from its opening moments, introducing you to a suburban family moving into their new home. They have no idea an entity is present but that will soon change as the core mystery deepens and motivations become clear. The film’s ensemble, which include Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan and Callina Liang, work well together amongst the low-fi aesthetics that rely less on jump scares and more on character development for emotional power. You have never seen a ghost story quite like this and its staying power is the result of Soderbergh’s expert craft behind the camera.

A REAL PAIN

David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) are technically cousins but it hasn’t felt that way for a while. They’re estranged and seem fine with that arrangement until a sudden emergency changes things and forces them back together. Wary at first, but eventually succumbing to the inevitability of the situation, the duo take a trip through Poland to honor family wishes and uncover old secrets. This is where the film shines, putting both characters and their issues front-and-center, leaving real human emotion completely bare onscreen. Eisenberg wrote and directed “A Real Pain” and his talent behind the scenes is continuing to mature into a new facet of his artistic career. His work here is powerful and a true surprise, leaving the door open in anticipation for his next directorial venture.

All photos courtesy of Sundance Institute.