James Whale’s 1935 film The Bride of Frankenstein has long been revered as one of the best Frankenstein films ever made, even better than its predecessor. But, as Maggie Gyllenhaal points out in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “The movie’s called The Bride of Frankenstein, but she’s not really in it. It’s just a Frankenstein sequel, and she literally doesn’t speak.” With her new film, The Bride!, Gyllenhaal sets out to give the woman the voice, autonomy, and spotlight she deserves. What ensues is a ferocious, bold swing from the filmmaker and a movie unlike any Frankenstein-adjacent film we’ve seen before.

Olivia Wilde’s The Invite is the type of film Sundance seems designed to champion: an intimate, character-driven dramedy that feels small in scale but big in emotional honesty, a film that will likely be one of this year’s hidden gems. This remake of Cesc Gay's The People Upstairs leans less on punchlines and more on meaningful conversations about sex and marriage. With a sharp, perceptive script from Reshida Jones and Will McCormack, The Invite is the type of thought-provoking, uncomfortably relatable film that holds a mirror up to the audience, gently pushing viewers to reflect on their own relationships.