Take Two: Hammond and McCarthy discuss the ups and downs of a sun dance that was a welcome return to normality

Note: Deadline presents the 48th episode of its video series Second try, in which Pete Hammond and Todd McCarthy explore the artistry of movies that hit theaters every weekend. Each has spent decades reviewing and writing about the craft, and has built up a remarkably broad knowledge of films past and present. When we asked them, we were hoping for a concise, mature and thoughtful conversation similar to what we saw from Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.

The Sundance Film Festival, which closed over the weekend, returned to normal for the first time in three years after the pandemic forced it to become a virtual festival for the 2021 and 2022 editions. But everyone returned to Park City and it was just like old times — except for one new feature that actually stemmed from these pandemic-hit editions.

In addition to the live screenings that took place on location, the festival had a thriving online edition with most of the films available to the press and public the day after their in-person premiere, a real plus for those who can’t travel to Utah. As a result, not only were we both able to review several films with our colleague Valerie Complex, which shot directly from Sundance (some were set up in Los Angeles screenings before the festival began), but we were also able to see others online. otherwise missed.

In this week’s Take Two, we look back at the highs and lows of this year’s Sundance filmmaking and share some stories from past Sundance experiences. In short, it was a promising return to the independent film scene badly damaged by the pandemic, and hopefully it means things are looking better. Sure, some big distribution deals have already been announced, and we’re adding to that by championing a few other Sundance films this year that deserve a wider view.

Click the link above to watch our conversation.

Hammond has been a columnist for Deadline’s Awards for the past decade, covering the Oscar and Emmy seasons year-round. He is also Deadline’s chief film critic, having previously reviewed films for MovieLine, box office Magazine, BackstageHollywood.com and maximumHow Film Guide by Leonard Maltin, for which he was an editor. In addition to writing, Hammond also hosts the KCET Cinema Series and the network’s weekly series Must see movies.

McCarthy is a veteran film critic, columnist and reporter who has also written several award-winning books and documentaries. He served two terms on staff diversity And The Hollywood Reporter and internationally acclaimed film festivals for both publications. his video Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography won the best documentary award from the New York Film Critics and the National Society of Film Critics Associations, and he won an Emmy for writing the documentary Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer. He also directed the documentaries Filmmaker: Pierre Rissient And Forever Hollywood.