When it was announced that HBO and A24 was working with Olivier Assayas on a series of his meta-remake Irma Vep, my skepticism ran high. Back in college a friend sat me down to watch his original, saying it was the most amazing thing he has seen. Afterword, I remained mostly mum. The film, despite having some interesting ideas, left me cold. A segment of critics still love this movie for its commentary on art and commerce in the film industry. Although I do concede that, couldn’t it be filled with more defined characters?

After about twenty-five years later, it would seem that the director is remaking his remake. What sounds like a celluloid ouroboros is made surprisingly whole, primarily from its length. Instead of a crammed ninety-nine minutes, eight episodes allow Assayas to make subplots and character arcs more substantial.

Legacy sequels are a different breed altogether. With your typical follow-up, usually only a short time has passed between films. But when that duration spans decades, pressure begins to mount. You are no longer looking to please one demographic but multiple. Is the subject/theme even relevant anymore? How does one remain faithful to countless fans of original source material while ushering in future devotees? In recent years, only a select few have managed to thread that needle.

Film fests have been a breeding ground for the next generation of talent. From major leaders like Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino, to niche filmmakers like Wes Anderson, they all got their start at one place: The Sundance Film Festival. Started in 1978 and spearheaded by Robert Redford, the event has happened every January in Park City, Utah. Many features and shorts are presented and attended by bigwigs in Hollywood. If you happen to be the lucky director, bid wars between studios are common. And with the need for more content means more competition. But some are just hype.