Sundance 2008

Ok, so here is my Sundance wrap-up. I have included a tinsy review of each thing I did during the festival in case you are at all interested. But before we get into all that, I have a few things to comment upon...

I have to say that I think the festival fulfills different things for different people. I think you have your film snobs, your celebrity watchers, your industry posers, your locals hoping to make a buck, etc. And while I would like to say that I only go for the films it would be slight lie. I too enjoy a celebrity sighting, otherwise I wouldn't have been so giddy about my U2 moment. But having said all that, I DO think this festival is about the films. It's sad to me that it seems almost 'cool' in some circles to diss on the festival. To the film snobs it has become too commercial, to the celebrity watcher it has become to big, to the industry poser it has lost its indie credibility, and to your locals hoping to make a buck it has become a pain in the bum. Poo poo on all of you naysayers, I think it's still one of the most interesting and fulfilling things to do around town. And given the fact that it brings in about 50 million dollars in revenue to the state each year, people should quit their whining. Of course, it's easy for me to say all that because this year was a GREAT year for me at Sundance.

Ok, I am done pontificating now, please enjoy the rest...

In Bruges, starring Colin Farrell (present), Brendan Gleeson (present), and Ralph Fiennes (not present – darn it). This one is just your typical hit men with a heart, job gone wrong so hide out in Belgium, love story. I have to admit, this movie is full of foul language and should have its mouth washed out with soap, but I laughed my proverbial behind off during one extremely filth laden dialogue between Ralph and Brendan in which the ‘Atonement’ word is used quite frequently. If you don’t already know, I cannot tell you what the ‘Atonement’ word is, so don’t ask. I give this one 3 ½ stars.

The Wave (Die Welle) – starring a bunch of Germans. This movie is the depiction of a true story which occurred in Palo Alto California. A High School teacher in an attempt to teach the dangers of Autocracy leads his students in an experiment that goes horribly wrong. After 5 days the students in his class have formed a group, which they name ‘The Wave’ – The Wave doesn’t allow outsiders, it requires that everyone dress alike, it requires a hand salute, it pro-actively ostracizes, etc. I like that they set this movie in Germany, as it evokes the inevitable comparisons to the time in Germany during the dictatorship of Hitler. The teacher (Ron Jones) whose story this is was in attendance and was kind enough to answer a few questions after the screening. He informed us that the ‘experiment’ occurred in 1967 deep in the heart of the Vietnam era, and that some of his students went so far as to join organizations like the Black Panthers, some of his students have refused to join ANY organizations, and that there is even one student who is still underground. I give this move 3 Stars on technical merit, and 4 stars for thought provoking subject matter.

Sunshine Cleaning stars Emily Blunt (present), Amy Adams, Alan Arkin, and Steve Zahn. Two Sisters get into the business of crime scene clean up and restoration. There are also tender moments of family quirkiness, dredged up memories of High School, rotting shrimp, Steve Zahn’s bare bottom, and a guy with one arm who makes model airplanes. I give this one 3 stars.

U2 3D – Starring well…U2 (present). I give this one five stars with a cherry on top. Enough said.
Be Kind Rewind, starring Jack Black (present), Mos Def (present), and Danny Glover (present). This one was a bit of a disappointment. It tells the story of a two best friends who try to fix the problem of a store full of erased video tapes due to one of the friend’s accidental magnetization. Yah I know pretty ludicrous, right? In an effort to save the store they decide to film their own 20 minute versions of stories like Driving Miss Daisy, Ghostbusters, etc. Sounds cute, right? It has its moments, but all in all it is a weak attempt at film making which is so disappointing considering that the director is the same person who brought us ‘The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, I guess every great director needs their Spielberg like ‘1941’ in order to have street cred. I give this one 1 ½ stars and that is mostly for the ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ re-enactment, because that one amused me.

Panel Discussion - On Comedy:
Are We Laughing in Dark Times?
Depression, substance abuse, family strife,
and suicide—has life always been this
funny? Humor seems to be tackling pretty
dark stuff. Is the comedy of perversity,
taboo, and dysfunction just a means of
coping? What are we allowed to laugh at?

Panel – Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno), Clark Gregg (Choke), Marianna Palka (Good Dick), Mark and Jay Duplass (Baghead), Pam Brady (South Park, Hamlet 2), Taika Cohen (Eagle vs. Shark), and some other guy.

Panel discussions are one of my favorite things about the film festival, because you have the unique opportunity to listen to industry insiders discuss the mechanics of how things are done and why. Also you usually get about 30-45 minutes to ask your own questions. Fascinating stuff I tell you.


World Dramatic Prize Winner - The King of Ping Pong (Sweden)
A story about 2 brothers, one thin and popular and one chubby and tormented, their single mother, their drunkard Father, and a balding older guy who may or may not be one of the brothers father. The only thing that brings any joy to the 'chubby' brother is his knowledge that he is the King of Ping Pong. I didn't love this movie, it was very 'Swedish' if you know what I mean, full of angst and stark white scenery. I give this one 2 1/2 stars.


Documentary Grand Jury Prize Winner - Trouble the Water
Kold Medina, an aspiring Rap singer, and her husband weather Hurricane Katrina in their home. With a 20 dollar home video camera purchased for birthday parties and family gatherings, Kold Medina, captures the Hurricane experience from the very heart of the storm and the 9th Ward. What is fascinating about this Documentary is not the Hurricane necessarily but that Kold Medina is a force of nature in and of herself. This story is also compelling because it tells the tale of someone who triumphs in the face of tragedy. I give this one 5 stars.

Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Winner - Frozen River
A Mohawk woman and a white woman team up to make money by smuggling illegal aliens across the Canadian border in upstate New York. This movie is very good, the story is interesting, the acting is great, and even though the subject matter is quite serious there are moments of humor. I liked this movie; it's a shame that it isn't more commercial, as I am sure it won't make very much money in the theaters. Too many people would much rather have their minds dulled by watching Spiderman 15 than actually see a movie with a well told story. With no special effects, no big name stars, and no chance of any explosions, I fear that this movie will fade away into nothing. Anyway, enough of my bitterness, I give this movie 4 stars.

Dramatic Audience Award Winner - The Wackness
Yes this is the one with Mary Kate Olsen in it, but despite that, it is a pretty good movie. It is the story of a guy on the fringes who makes his money for college by selling pot. One of his customers is a Psychiatrist. He starts out by trading weed for sessions, and ends up in an odd sort of friendship. Oh and he also falls in love with the Therapist's step-daughter (not played by Mary Kate Olsen). This movie unlike Frozen River is definitely commercial; it comes with a catchy hip-hop soundtrack and an edgy storyline. I give this movie 4 stars.

All in all I give this year's Sundance Film Festival 4 1/2 out 5 stars. The only thing that could have made it any better is if Bono had personally invited me back to his pad to discuss world peace. Bono, can you hear me?