DIFF 2017: 7 Films We Cannot Wait to See

At South by Southwest (SXSW) 2017, A Bad Idea Gone Wrong won the award for Best Ensemble. The premise involves two thieves awful at their jobs get stuck inside the house they’re attempting to rob with an unsuspecting house sitter. On those two facts, I’m already more than sold on this indie comedy flick. With only stills and positive reviews to use for predictions, Bad Idea sounds like it’ll be full of tons of quirk, character, and unpredictability. Why wouldn’t we be excited?

Zoe Lister-Jones has been a talent I’ve long followed. In Whitney, New Girl, and Life in Pieces, I’ve watched her deliver many laughs through brilliant character work. Now she tries her hand at writing/directing/producing, and I could not be more thrilled to see the end result. The picture has already screened at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to positive results, which is certainly reassuring…but not surprising considering her aforementioned skills.

Furthermore, as a songwriter myself, the premise of a married couple turning their arguments into therapeutic songs immediately grabs me. I’d also be remiss if I left out Band Aid‘s stellar cast of Lister-Jones herself, Adam Pally, Fred Armisen, Hannah Simone, Retta, Chris D’Elia, Brooklyn Decker, Erinn Hayes, Colin Hanks, Jerry O’Connell, and so many more adept comedic faces. Band Aid is certain to not be lost in the shuffle among these potentially-outstanding DIFF 2017 films.

Bomb City tells the tragic true story of Brian Deneke: in Amarillo, a punk musician murdered in a deliberate hit-and-run by high school football player. The crime brought to light all of the frequent harassing those in the punk scene endured on a daily basis. This Texas-made film aims to enlighten and move audiences, and we’re excited to bear witness to it.

The next of the 6 DIFF 2017 films we’ll mention is a unique documentary covering an unbelievable subject. Card magician Richard Turner is one of the world’s most renowned, but is completely blind. This picture, Dealt, covers Turner’s youth – a period where his vision began failing – all the way to present day. It’s bound to be a compelling, triumphant story that’s also likely to mystify via card tricks.

Arguably one of the biggest screenings among these DIFF 2017 films is of The Lost City of Z. Adapted from the book of the same name, the James Gray-directed feature has been gaining momentum since its premiere at last year’s New York Film Festival. Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, and Tom Holland star in this telling of a non-fiction adventure to discovering a previously-unknown, advanced civilization. Unfamiliar with the novel myself, my motivation to view Lost City stems from its vigorous word of mouth, gripping synopsis, and top-heavy cast.

The anticipation for Sundance and SXSW favorite Patti Cake$ is tangible. Often compared to 8 Mile and even Sing Street, this possible gem follows the pictured Patti, an often-bullied girl who seeks to become a famous gangster rapper. It sounds simultaneously ridiculous and charming. With the critics thus far assessing this picture as a triumph, we can’t even disguise our eagerness to have our Cake$. (Okay…that sounds wrong, but unadulterated excitement can inspire ugly puns.)

Lastly, we discuss likely the weirdest selection among this list of DIFF 2017 films: The Void. This horror flick puts an unsuspecting (aren’t they always?) cop in a hospital full of, what appears to be, non-human and very hostile entities. The visuals presented in the trailers certainly paint The Void as more than its brief synopsis discloses. I say, bring on all the strange, as “strange” holds my attention captive.