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11 highlights from the premiere indie film festival
By Geoff Berkshire, Metromix
"Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Atmospheric and unpredictable, "Martha" was the clear standout among Sundance's narrative features. Starring Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of Mary Kate and Ashley) in a stunning breakout performance as Martha, a young woman who escapes from a dangerous cult, the movie also marks an incredibly assured feature debut for writer-director Sean Durkin.
Shifting effortlessly between Martha's experiences with the cult (led by Oscar nominee John Hawkes in a sinister turn) and her difficulties adjusting to a "normal" life with her older sister (a magnificent Sarah Paulson), the film emerges as a slow-burning psychological thriller of the highest order.
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