The 2026 Sundance Film Festival is officially underway, and Andrew Stanton’s ambitious sci-fi drama, In the Blink of an Eye, has quickly become one of the most talked-about premieres of the week. The film, which recently took home the 2026 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize for its outstanding depiction of science, is being hailed as a “visually stunning” and “deeply human” epic. Spanning 45,000 years, the story weaves together three distinct timelines: a Neanderthal family’s struggle for survival, a present-day anthropologist’s (Rashida Jones) romantic journey, and a tense medical crisis aboard a futuristic spacecraft led by Kate McKinnon.

Critics are comparing its scope and philosophical weight to classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar. While some noted the film’s grand themes of mortality and connection are “familiar,” the overwhelming consensus is that Stanton has crafted a “meaningful, often beautiful reflection” on the human experience that avoids being heavy-handed.

For those of us following Skywalker Hughes’ rise—especially ahead of her highly anticipated role as Mary Ingalls in the upcoming Netflix Little House on the Prairie reboot—there is excellent news. Her performance in In the Blink of an Eye is already being cited as a standout. Reviews from the festival have specifically highlighted her “raw emotional honesty” and “commanding screen presence,” with several attendees noting that she brings a profound vulnerability to her role that anchors the film’s emotional stakes. This positive reception is a fantastic sign for the Little House reboot, proving that the 14-year-old actress has the dramatic range needed to step into such an iconic historical role. In the Blink of an Eye is set to stream on Hulu starting February 27.