SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2014

A free trolley drives on Main Street during the on Thursday, in Park City, Utah. Pei Pei Cheng, left, a cast member in “Lilting,” poses with the film’s The independent film festival runs from Jan 16 -26, 2014. — AP photos writer/director Hong Khaou at the premiere of the film at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on Thursday in Park City, Utah. 10 most buzzed Sundance actors

here are hundreds of talented actors at this year’s Why She’s One to Watch: Director Jennifer Kent asks a lot of with the lonely wife of a mine executive (Elizabeth Banks) and a Sundance Film Festival but it’s impossible to give every- the ethereal Australian actress, who has to act paranoid while young local boy. This one may leave you haunted in the way a Tone their due without seeing the actual movies. With so conveying maternal warmth to her troubled young son. As her good drama should. many choices and such little time, TheWrap asked dozens of scary situation spirals out of control, the performance seems to First Screening: Wednesday, Jan. 22, 6:30 p.m. at the Eccles Hollywood types which stars are poised for breakout success at mirror the character’s debilitating state of mind, picking up this year’s festival. Here are 10 who could steal the spotlight this steam as the film goes along. Davis is a veteran actress who PAYMAN MAADI week, listed in alphabetical order. appeared in the two “Matrix” sequels, as well as ’s Movie: “Camp X-Ray” (US Dramatic Competition) “Australia,” but “Babadook” represents a real step forward and a Why He’s One to Watch: The press may fawn over Kristen MACON BLAIR great opportunity to maximize her exposure as a dramatic lead. Stewart but Maadi, who starred in “A Separation,” has a Movie: “Blue Ruin” (Spotlight) First Screening: Friday, Jan. 17, Midnight at the Egyptian chance to make headlines of his own with his turn as a Why He’s One to Watch: Blair may not look like a leading Guantanamo Bay prisoner who strikes up an unlikely friendship man but he sure does carry Jeremy Saulnier’s low-budget JOHNNY FLYNN with a female guard. It’s a complex character full of humanity revenge thriller, which could lead to bigger things in the future. Movie: “Song One” (US Dramatic Competition) and we suspect Maadi will seize the moment and leave audi- His quietly unnerving performance has already won over film Why He’s One to Watch: Flynn is a South African born ences wondering who stole the spotlight from K-Stew. critics who caught the film at either Cannes, AFI Fest or English First Screening: Friday, Jan. 17, 12:15 p.m. at the Eccles Fantastic Fest. While Blair previously co-starred in Saulnier’s musician who has been on the rise since 2005. Flynn is debut feature “Murder Party,” but that movie didn’t have hot blessed with rock star looks and if he shows even a flicker of MAIKA MONROE indie distributor Radius-TWC in its corner. chemistry with Anne Hathaway, she’ll be more likely to co-host Movie: “The Guest” (Park City at Midnight) First Screening: Friday, Jan. 17, 11:30 am at the the Oscars again with him than James Franco. Flynn is coming Why She’s One to Watch: Monroe has been sneaking up on off back-to-back Olivier Assayas movies in “Something in the Hollywood lately, popping up in Jason Reitman’s “Labor MARC ELLAR COLTRANE Air” and the upcoming “Sils Maria,” but it’s Kate Barker- Day” and Ramin Bahrani’s drama “At Any Price.” and Sofia Movie: “Boyhood” (Premieres) Froyland’s feature directorial debut “Song One” that could Coppola’s “The Bling Ring.” “The Guest” is her first lead role and Why He’s One to Watch: Because Richard Linklater has an establish him as a capable leading man. It all depends on who better to share the screen with than “Downton Abbey” star eye whether he hits the right note and the film strikes a chord with Dan Stevens as a homicidal veteran. Genre fans should get used for talent and he’s been using it to watch Coltrane for more audiences. to seeing her, as she also has a thriller with James Badge Dale than 12 years. We’re going to see the semi-professional actor First Screening: Monday, Jan. 20, 3:30 p.m. at the Eccles and a horror movie with Keir Gilchrist in the can. age from a young boy to a grown man in this potentially fasci- First Screening: Friday, Jan. 17, 11:45 pm at the Library nating cinematic experiment. You can bet that agents and BILL HADER managers will be lining up to sign him if he’s even half as tal- Movie: “The Skeleton Twins” (US Dramatic Competition) CAMERON MONAGHAN ented as Linklater’s past discoveries, which include the entire Why He’s One to Watch: Pre-festival buzz has indicated that Movie: “Jamie Marks Is Dead” (US Dramatic cast of “Dazed and Confused,” more or less. Coltrane also Hader comes into his own in this film and proves himself Competition) popped up in Linklater’s 2006 dramedy “Fast Food Nation,” so capable of so much more than Stefon on “Saturday Night Live” Why He’s One to Watch: Everyone knows Monaghan as gay clearly the director saw something he liked midway through and catchy T-Mobile commercials. If Will Forte can be taken teen filming. seriously thanks to “Nebraska,” why can’t Hader find success Ian Gallagher on Showtime’s “Shameless” but that could First Screening: Sunday, Jan. 19, 9:45 pm at the Eccles stepping outside of his comfort zone? In his first lead feature change if “Jamie Marks” lives up to its potential. The teenage role, Hader and fellow “SNL” alum Kristen Wiig play estranged thriller is Carter Smith’s follow-up to the underrated MARCELLO CONTE twins in despair who reconnect to repair their relationship in “The Ruins” and the fashion photographer’s knack for striking Movie: “Ping Pong Summer” (NEXT) attempt to fix their lives. If that doesn’t pique your curiosity, we imagery is said to be put to good use here. With upcoming Why He’s One to Watch: Like Liam James in last year’s “The don’t know what to tell you. turns in two high-profile Weinstein Co. releases between “The Way Way Back,” Conte does an admirable job playing a fairly First Screening: Saturday, Jan. 18, 2:30 p.m. at the Library Giver” and “Vampire Academy,” Monaghan is an actor on the passive character who is coaxed out of his shell one summer. rise, and “Jamie Marks” can only help his ascent to movie star- Conte excels at making the largely-internal character relatable, BOYD HOLBROOK dom. plus he looks like a young Emile Hirsch, which never hurts. This Movie: “Little Accidents” (Premieres) First Screening: Sunday, Jan. 19, 8:30 p.m. at the Library. slight but sweet coming-of-age film represents a promising Why He’s One to Watch: Holbrook is one of the hotter young — Reuters sign of things to come. actors in Hollywood, with roles in such films as “The Host,” First Screening: Saturday, Jan. 18, 11:30 a.m. at the “Jane Got a Gun” and David Fincher’s “Gone Girl.” While he’s been consistently solid each time out, he has yet to make a last- Library ing impression, though this drama could change his fortune and show audiences what casting directors see in him. He plays Movie: “” (Park City at Midnight) a man who survives a mining accident and comes into contact