The 2021 Sundance Film Festival kicks off today with a mainly virtual festival that we all can attend from the comfort of our homes. As you consider taking in a likely pre-awards contender, here are our picks for the 20 best movies from past 20 festivals that you can watch right now.

2020 - "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" - Last year's breakout hit features a powerful breakout performance from Sidney Flanigan, and is already taking the 2020 awards race by storm. Look for it on HBO Max and other VOD platforms.

Sidney Flanigan in "Never Rarely Sometimes Always."

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2019 - "The Farewell" - Multi-hyphenate Awkwafina stars in Lulu Wang's pseudo-biographical dramedy. The film screened in that year's Dramatic Competition and went on to win numerous awards, including a Golden Globe for Awkwafina, but it was ultimately snubbed at the Oscars. Look for it on Prime Video and other VOD platforms.

LU Hong ZHAO Shuzhen and Awkwafina in The Farewell

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2018 - "Eighth Grade" - YouTube comedian Bo Burnham draws on his own experiences with social media anxiety with this coming-of-age dramedy. Told through the lens of a young 8th grade girl, "Eighth Grade" was praised for its authenticity, without pandering to the target audience. Look for it on Kanopy and other VOD platforms.

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2017 - "Get Out" - Jordan Peele stepped away from comedy with this powerful directorial debut in an entirely different genre. First premiering at Sundance, the film went on to win numerous awards, ultimately being nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Daniel Kaluuya) and Best Original Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards. Look for it on FuboTV, FXNow and other VOD platforms.

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2016 - "Captain Fantastic" - A fantastic Viggo Mortensen stars in this comedy-drama about a family that lives off the grid, but is forced to reconnect after the devastating loss of the family matriarch. After screening at Sundance the film also played at Cannes and Mortensen went on to be nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Globes and the Oscars. Look for it on Hulu, Kanopy and other VOD platforms.

Viggo Mortensen and Annalise Basso in "Captain Fantastic."

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2015 - "The Wolfpack' - Not to be confused with the guys from the "Hangover" movies, this stunning doc follows a clan of seven homeschooled siblings who were locked away in their family's apartment and their only view of the outside world was through the lens of popular movies. The doc won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance that year. Look for it on Hoopla, Kanopy and other VOD platforms.

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2014 - "Whiplash" - After watching "Soul" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," continue your cinematic blues and jazz fusion journey with this award winner from Damien Chazelle. After winning the top audience and grand jury prizes at Sundance, it went on to win numerous awards including Best Supporting Actor (J.K. Simmons) at the Oscars. Look for it on Starz and other VOD platforms.

Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons in "Whiplash."

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2013 - "Fruitvale Station" - Before they teamed up for bigger pictures "Creed" and "Black Panther," director Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan broke out with this still-timely, award-winning true story of a young man wrongfully shot by an Oakland transit police officer. Look for it on Netflix and other VOD platforms.

Michael B. Jordan and Melonie Diaz in "Fruitvale Station."

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2012 - "Beasts of the Southern Wild" - Director Benh Zeitlin broke out big with this fantasy drama following the story of a young girl (Quvenzhané Wallis) forced to find her own courage and seek her estranged mother. After winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the film was unstoppable, gathering more accolades including four Academy Awards, with Wallis becoming the youngest actress ever to be nominated for Best Actress. Look for it on HBO Max and other VOD platforms.

Quvenzhane Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild."

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2011 - "Martha Marcy May Marlene" - Elizabeth Olsen might now be best known for her role as Wanda/Scarlet Witch in the MCU, but her breakout was here in this award-winning family drama, where she plays a young girl who suffers from paranoia after escaping an abusive cult. Look for it on HBO Max and other VOD platforms.

Elizabeth Olsen and Sarah Paulson in "Martha Marcy May Marlene."

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2010 - "Winter's Bone" - Before she led popular franchises like the X-Men and "The Hunger Games," Jennifer Lawrence broke through with a powerful performance in this rural drama from director Debra Granik. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance that year and went on to nab four Oscar noms including Best Actress for Lawrence. Look for it on Hulu, Kanopy and other VOD platforms.

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2009 - "Sin nombre" -  While we wait, and wait, and wait for the release Cary Joji Fukunaga's Bond flick "No Time to Die," go back to his start with this adventure thriller about a young boy caught up in gang life, and the girl he's protecting, who looks to immigrate to the United States for a better life. The film screened in competition at Sundance that year with Fukunaga winning the directing award. Look for it on Prime Video and other VOD platforms.

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2008 - "Man on Wire" - Playing like a heist movie, filmmaker James Marsh's documentary details French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the iconic Twin Towers in NYC. After winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance the doc went on to nab more awards including the Oscar for Best Documentary Film, and was later adapted into a full-length feature, "The Walk," starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Look for the doc on Kanopy and other VOD platforms.

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2007 - "Black Snake Moan" - Director Craig Brewer will soon be delivering some well-needed laughs with the anticipated Eddie Murphy sequel "Coming 2 America." But as you wait, take a trip back to Brewer's dark dramedy that premiered in 2007 at Sundance. Featuring a chained up Christina Ricci and a way-out-there Samuel L. Jackson, critics were not sure what to make of the film upon release, but filmmaker Kevin Smith, filling in for Roger Ebert on Ebert's TV review show, called it the best film of the year. Look for it on Prime Video and other VOD platforms.

Christina Ricci and Samuel L. Jackson in "Black Snake Moan."

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2006 - "Friends with Money" - Nicole Holofcener's comedy-drama opened Sundance that year. A look at economic disparity through the lens of four women friends, one of whom struggles to make ends meet, Holofcener's film can still feel relevant today, as it did when it first premiered. Look for it on all VOD platforms.

Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener, Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand in "Friends with Money."

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2005 - "Hustle & Flow" - Before director Craig Brewer confounded critics and audiences with "Black Snake Moan," he delivered this raw music drama about a hustler who aspires to become a rapper. After winning the Sundance Audience Award and the Cinematography award, the film went on to receive more accolades including an Oscar for original song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." Look for it on all VOD platforms.

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2004 - "Primer" - Got a lot of time to kill? Take out a pad and a pen and try to unravel the complicated timeline from this low-key, mind-bending time travel movie. Director Shane Carruth's indie sci-fi drama proves that you don't need a mega-budget to create a sci-fi film that can blow your mind. Look for it on all the major VOD platforms.

David Sullivan and Shane Carruth in "Primer."

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2003 - "American Splendor" - Documentarians Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini step away from non-fiction for this Grand Jury prize winner that's part comic book adaptation, part biopic, but also part actual documentary featuring real-life interviews about artist Harvey Pekar. It's a strange combination that works, especially if you know the source material. Look for it on HBO Max and other VOD platforms.

Hope Davis and Paul Giamatti in "American Splendor."

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2002 - "Better Luck Tomorrow" - Justin Lin's breakout crime drama is technically a part of the "Fast & Furious" franchise. The connection comes via smoking and snack loving criminal Han (Sung Kang), who crossed over to make his first "F&F" appearance in Lin's "Tokyo Drift." Due to fan popularity he has appeared in five more "F&F" films and the short "Los Bandoleros," and was even hinted at coming back in the upcoming "F9." Look for it on CBS All Access, Crackle, PopcornFlix and other VOD platforms.

Sung Kang, Jason Tobin, Parry Shen in "Better Luck Tomorrow."

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2001 - "Memento" - Christopher Nolan was pretty unknown when his mind-bending neo-noir thriller played the festival circuit. "Memento" started its tour at Venice in 2000 and finished its rounds in 2001 at Sundance, impressing critics along the way. It wouldn't be long before Nolan amassed a huge cult following, eager to watch any of his films whenever they release. Look for it on the Roku Channel, Hoopla and other VOD platforms.

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Instant 20: Best Sundance Movies to Watch

What to Watch

Movie Lists

"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" was the movie to call this weekend at the box office. The spooky nostalgic comedy took the number one spot, beating expectations with $44M. The fourth entry in the nearly-40-year-old franchise, and a direct sequel to 1989's "Ghostbusters II," "Afterlife" proved there are signs of life, not just in the aging I.P., but also in broad family-friendly entertainment.

Directed by Jason Reitman, "Afterlife" claimed the second-best opening weekend of the franchise. Its $44M opening gross puts it under 2016's female-led reboot, which had captured $46M in its debut weekend. That film cost more to produce and was therefore considered a bomb when it opened. "Afterlife" benefits from positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth, with a decent 62% Rotten Tomatoes score and an "A-" CinemaScore. It's also a theatrical exclusive, which means "Afterlife" should keep performing well into the Thanksgiving weekend, where it faces more competition.

The Will Smith-led "King Richard" was the only major competition for "Afterlife." The tennis biopic shanked on its opening weekend, netting only $5.7M. It's been a struggle for adult-oriented dramas during the pandemic, and the opening performance of the awards hopeful, with its same-day drop on HBO Max, was nothing short of an unforced error for the studio. But when put into perspective, it's not all bad news for the film. "King Richard" opened stronger than W.B.'s previous adult-oriented dramas, "Cry Macho" and "The Many Saints of Newark." Moreover, the power of Will Smith, combined with an inspirational story that targets the younger side of the adult demo, should work in the film's favor, as it benefits from strong reviews and an "A" CinemaScore.

Holdovers rounded out the remaining Top 5, with Marvel's "Eternals" leading the pack at Number 2. In its third week, the superhero ensemble landed $10.8M and pulled in a total of $135M. Paramount's "Clifford the Big Red Dog" lapped up an additional $8.1M taking the Number 3 slot, while "Dune" fell to Number 5 with $3.1M. Denis Villeneuve's space opera is on its way to cross $100M this week.

On the specialty side of the box office, A24's awards-hopeful "C'mon C'mon" surprised everyone with a $134K opening. This might not sound like a lot, but the film only opened in five theaters across New York and L.A. This gave the drama a better per-screen average than Searchlight's "The French Dispatch." This is a good sign for struggling arthouses as more award hopefuls open in the coming weeks, including A24's next major releases "Red Rocket" and "The Tragedy of Macbeth."

This weekend looks to provide more boom for the "Turkey Day" box office. Disney opens their original animated musical "Encanto," featuring new songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Also ahead is MGM's star-studded awards entry "House of Gucci," starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto and Al Pacino. Sony will deliver more chills with "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City," a reboot of their popular movie franchise based on the video game series. On the specialty side, MGM is also serving up "Licorice Pizza," Paul Thomas Anderson's '70s-set coming-of-age drama starring Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, and Bradley Cooper.

"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (Sony) - $44,000,000 [NEW]

"Eternals" (Disney) - $10,825,000 / Total: $135,817,163

"Clifford the Big Red Dog" (Paramount) - $8,100,000 / Total: $33,512,835

"Dune" (WB) - $3,065,000 / Total: $98,191,988

"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" (Sony) - $2,800,000 / Total: $206,500,066

"No Time to Die" (MGM) - $2,705,566 / Total: $154,688,693

"The French Dispatch" (Searchlight) - $970,000 / Total: $13,298,043

"Belfast" (Focus Features) - $940,000 / Total: $3,436,010

"Ron's Gone Wrong" (20th Century) - $888,000 / Total: $22,098,722

Box office data comes to us from Box Office Mojo.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

The French Dispatch

Red Rocket

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Encanto

House of Gucci

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

Licorice Pizza

King Richard

Cry Macho

The Many Saints of Newark

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Eternals

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Dune

C'mon C'mon

Box Office - Ecto-1 chasing Muncher in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

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Box Office: 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' Captures $44M In Debut

Movie News

The iconic Ghostbusters franchise has been reborn for a new generation of youngins to enjoy! This weekend, we get to see the resurgence of some freaky-looking ghosts along with some antique ghost-capturing equipment. We've even been told that we'll get to see some familiar faces. With such a beloved film series, it can be daunting as a filmmaker to produce a sequel film. Especially when it's decades later. But when done the right way, it can be a beautiful thing. So far, we've heard that this new flick is considered a very welcome addition to this legendary franchise. To make sure you're ready for "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," these are the 9 things to know before you see it in theaters this weekend.

Directed by Jason Reitman

This Is a Direct Sequel to "Ghostbusters II"

Dedicated to Original Film Actor Harold Ramis

Introducing the New Generation of Ghostbusters

We're Not in New York Anymore

Get Ready for the Ecto-1

Will Feature Some of the Original Cast

It's a Perfect Mix of Humor and Horror

Look Out for Easter Eggs and References

Ghostbusters: Afterlife: 9 Things to Know Before You Watch

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'Ghostbusters: Afterlife': 9 Things to Know Before You Watch

Many years ago, a group known as the Ghostbusters were busy at work keeping civilians safe from spirits that were trying to take over New York City. Now, 30+ years later, it appears as though there are still some phantoms lurking around a small town in Summerville, Oklahoma. Because the busters have disbanded by this point, a new generation of ghost hunters will have to step up to keep this town safe. Without the original crew, will these newbies be able to fend off these ancient apparitions on their own? We hope so. Before you decide whether or not you'll watch "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," you should review our review first.

This young cast of new Ghostbusters knocks it out of the park. The ragtag group of kids all have their particular roles they play. Although they're nothing like the original crew, it's entertaining all the while.

Director Jason Reitman does an incredible job of incorporating everything we love about the franchise. He's also able to appeal to a modern-day audience. It's a slightly different story with different characters but in a way it's also the same great story that we enjoyed years ago.

For the late "Ghostbusters" actor Harold Ramis, this film provides a very moving tribute to his legacy and his role in this iconic franchise. The plot itself centers around his character's family as they try to learn what kind of a person he was.

We get to see all of the antique equipment being dusted off and put to good use on some ghastly-looking ghosts. These new spirits have been upgraded with some killer special effects.

It can be argued that the film leans too much into the past films. The main intent seems to be evoking nostalgia for fans of the franchise. If you haven't seen the previous films, you may feel less attached to the characters.

The film has a lot of similarities to the original 1984 movie so those who compare the two may feel like the same story is being told twice.

There's a missed opportunity with the less-than-ideal amount of humor and shock we've come to expect from these films. The dire situations didn't feel that life-threatening and there should have been more comic relief.

With "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," we recommend you go watch it now!

Watching this new generation busting ghosts made us feel good. Jason Reitman takes a legendary franchise that's beloved by all and freshens it up for a new audience to experience. We would encourage moviegoers to first watch the 1984 "Ghostbusters" before checking out the new flick. But even if you're unable to do so, there's plenty of adventure here to be excited about.

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