SUNDANCE: 25 Reviews!!!

Harry here with Jay's extensive report on the films he saw at Sundance this year. 25 - capsule reviews with star ratings through out. Looks like he confirms what others have said, that this was a good year at Sundance!

Well, it was a great Sundance! I saw 25 movies (including one repeat) over 5 days. I'm still tired (duh!). Here is a list of all the movies that I saw, with a quickie review and my rating (1-4 stars). Overall, a great time:

I arrived in Salt Lake City around 1:30 pm Central time on the 15th (6th day of the 11 day festival). There were no problems on the American Airlines flight (whew!). Other than the delay at Baltimore-Washington International for the checking of the shoes, everything went rather smooth. I took a 40 minute van ride to Park City, site of the festival. It was snowing lightly, but not enough to delay the trip. I arrived around 3:00 pm and quickly unpacked and made my way to the Eccles (the largest venue-over 1400 seats) to see the first movie of the marathon-to- be:



Tuesday 1/15:

Coastline (**)
One of the 2 premiers that I saw (premiers are films that are already picked up for distribution so it's best to stay away from these unless you want to see the movie stars involved with the film.) This was one of the weaker films that I saw. Not a good start to the festival. It was made by the director of "Ulee's Gold" (Victor Nunez) which earned Peter Fonda an Academy Award nomination. I did get to see Josh Brolin up close and personal, though.

Human Nature (***1/2)
The 2nd and last premier that I saw, this one was a winner! Written by Charlie Kaufman, the writer of "Being John Malkovich", a brilliant satire! Don't miss it!! I got to see Patricia Arquette and, the main star, Rhys Ifan, up close and personal.

Taboo (0-as in zero stars)
The worst movie I saw at Sundance. A complete throwaway of a movie. Terrible script and acting. I want those wasted 81 minutes back!!



Wednesday 1/16:

13 Conversations About One Thing (***1/2)
One of the best movies I saw. Great script and acting. It was picked up at the festival and will be released sometime this year. Not to be missed!

Intacto (**1/2)
Near miss Spanish movie with Max von Sydow. Interesting script dealing with the idea that some people have luck and good fortune by design and not by accident.

Rain (**1/2)
Just o.k. New Zealand movie (there was a U.S. movie there by the same name). A little too slow to reach its shocking conclusion. Good acting, though.

The Last Kiss (****)
The winner of the week! Absolutely the best movie I saw. It was the co-winner of the World Cinema Audience Award (it was in 2nd place by 4 decimal places, so the jury gave it co-winners status). This Italian movie was wonderful. As the director stated, it has played successfully it all the countries where it has been shown (many) and is one of the most acclaimed movies this year in Italy. I can see why. It is a fast paced, comical, but realistic, look at 4 man/woman relationships. It deals with the problem of men and women growing up and dealing with commitment in relationships. Great movie!!! Don't miss it.



Thursday 1/17:

Paradox Lake (**)
Movie about autistic children at an existing camp in New York state. Interesting idea using the actual children in a scripted tale. Artistically shot but very confusing, ultimately.

Tadpole (***)
Winner of the Dramatic Directing Award, this was one of the better films I saw. First film by Aaron Stanford (who was there with the director), it co-stars Sigorney Weaver about a 15 year old kid (Stanford) who is in love with his step mother (Weaver). Quite funny!

The Execution of Wanda Jean (**1/2)
Interesting documentary on the execution in Texas of a legally retarded women. HBO produced.

Narc (***)
Extremely well done gritty police movie. Great acting by Jason Patric and Ray Liotta (almost unrecognizable) in the leads. Very realistic and an interesting story. Well done!

Texas (**1/2)
Documentary about Russell Crowe's rock/blues band. Yes, he was there. Yes, I saw him. Yes, I took about 10 photos. I even sat 2 rows directly behind him. After introducing the flick, he did about 20 minutes of Q & A with the audience (about 150). The documentary was pedestrian, but it was interesting to see a major star who really doesn't take himself, or anything, real seriously. (He WILL win the best actor Academy Award for "A Beautiful Mind".)



Friday 1/18:

World Traveler (***1/2)
Another good one! Billy Crudup ("Almost Famous") & James Legros ("Point Break", "Living In Oblivion", "Psycho") were there and this one is not to be missed as it was also picked up at the festival. Excellent character study of a guy who, without notice, suddenly leaves his wife and child to try and find himself.

The Jimmy Show (**1/2)
Just o.k. movie by Frank Whaley (who wrote, directed, and starred). I loved his last movie at Sundance in 1999 ("Joe The King"-which I HIGHLY recommend renting the video). This is a downer of a flick, though, about a guy who tries to make it as a standup comic. However, instead of telling jokes, he talks about his life with his invalid mother and his family. The wife eventually leaves him, his mother dies, and his life spirals down from there. Excellent acting but I was depressed at the end. It just didn't grab me.

Better Luck Tomorrow (***1/2)
Outstanding, powerful film dealing with Asian high school students. Not a teen flick but a really well done, and controversial movie dealing with social issues these kids face as Asians growing up in Southern California. All the stars were there and the Q & A afterward was electric. I was told Roger Ebert was at an earlier screening and when someone came down on it because of the violence (which really was not that excessive), he jumped up from his seat and berated that person saying he wouldn't criticize Martin Scorsese for using violence in his movies. I take it Roger really liked this one, as I did!

Shorts I (*** overall)
One of 5 shorts program. I lucked out on this one. One of the 5 shorts ended up winning the jury prize: "Gasline".

Pumpkin (***1/2)
The best satire I've seen since "Spinal Tap" & "Being John Malkovich". Hilarious film about a college sorority which picks handicap participants of "challenged" games in order to woo the Greek council. Christina Ricci produced and starred in this offbeat love story with a killer script and great acting. I start laughing every time I think of the Black poetry teacher who talks like a Black Panther. Great fun!! Don't miss this when it comes out later this year.

Britney Baby-One More Time (***)
John Waterish-type flick which stars Mark Borshardt, the director and star of "An American Movie" (which won the 1999 Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize). It also stars Robert Stephens who is trying to meet the real Britney after he wins a Britney Spears look-alike contest (believe me-he/she looks better than the real McCoy!) Totally outrageous and fun! The perfect midnight movie. Great way to end a 6 movie run for the day. (I'm tired just thinking about it!)

Saturday:

2 Towns Of Jasper (***1/2)
Excellent documentary about the black and white residents of the town of Jasper, Texas and their reactions to the death of James Byrd (who chained to a truck by 3 white supremacists and dragged for 2 miles in 1998). A black crew interviewed the black residents, and a white crew interviewed the whites. Quite powerful! It will be shown on PBS' "American Experience" in early 2003.

Animation Spotlight: On-line On Screen (**)
Just o.k., this compilation of shorts featured on-line animation. For computer geeks only.

Love In The Time Of Money (***)
Interesting, well acted film with Steve Buscemi involving multiple stories involving 2 characters in each segment. Each succeeding segment involves one of the two characters from the just concluded segment until it circles back to the first segment. Interesting concept which works with an excellent script. Different.



Sunday (1/20):

Blue Vinyl (winner of the Documentary Excellence in Cinematography Award) (***1/2)
The best documentary that I saw. Using brilliant editing, this film deals with the way industry is poisoning our environment with vinyl products. Done in a personal and humorous way, this is one documentary not to be missed!

Personal Velocity (winner of The Dramatic Grand Jury Prize) (**1/2)
That's right. Only 2 1/2 stars for this mediocre stinker. Not that it was that bad, but compared to the other films I saw, I just don't get it. The film, written and directed by Rebecca Miller, consists of 3 unrelated stories profiling 3 women which depicts how their upbringing affected their adult lives. The first segment is the best starring Kyra Sedgwick (Kevin Bacon's better half). The entire movie should have revolved around her! The other 2, starring Parker Posey and Fairuza Balk, respectively, are weaker. The film just didn't grab me at all. By the way, the movie was produced by Gary Winnick, who was the director of the winning Tadpole. It was a good Sundance for Gary, to say least!

Bloody Sunday (**1/2) & The Last Kiss (co-winners of The World Cinema Audience Award)
(Bloody Sunday)-Ultra-realistic presentation on the events of 1/30/72 in Northern Ireland when British troops killed 13 unarmed civilians during the nonviolent march. Done in a style like cinema verite, it puts you square in the middle of the events that transpired that day. Very realistic and the production values were superb, but the bottom line for me was that it is not my kind of movie. (The Last Kiss-see above. I was ecstatic to see this one more time. Well deserving of the award!)

Well, that's it. This is one man's opinion. Of course, I could be wrong (but I doubt it).

Jay