Hey folks, Harry here -- I've been out of the loop so far from commenting on SUNDANCE this year due to me having no internet during the blizzard in Boston and then recently I've been nursing a severly sprained ankle I got on my way back from Boston - (Beware of icey gantries) I have to say - I'm dying to see CHUMSCRUBBER and the musical REEFER MADNESS and can't wait to bring both to Austin as soon as possible. Anyway - for the billionth year in a row - we got Memento Man giving us the rundown on the competition playing out there. If you're there - let us know what's sailing your flag, sounds like a good fest so far! Here ya go...

Snow for the first time at this year's festival!  Here's what I've been seeing while people outside have been slip-sliding around:  

THE CHUMSCRUBBER * * * (Arie Posen, 2005)

The DONNIE DARKO of this year’s festival: a dark and trippy vision of a suburban neighborhood where parents are unaware of what’s happening with their children.  When Dean (Jamie Bell [also in DEAR MARY at this festival]) discovers his best friend Troy has hung himself he doesn’t bother to tell Troy’s mother or her many party guests because he figures they wouldn’t really care.  And honestly, in this suburb, they don’t.  A group of kids decide to kidnap Dean’s brother Charlie in order to force Dean into getting some pills out of Troy’s room for them.  Unfortunately, they kidnap the wrong Charlie, and nobody in the neighborhood—not even his parents, one of whom is the police chief—seems to notice that he’s missing.  Meanwhile, a headless videogame hero called “The Chumscrubber” seems to have morphed into Troy and begins visiting Dean.  A fresh script along with strong supporting actors such as Glenn Close (her third film at this year’s festival), Ralph Fiennes, Carrie-Anne Moss, Rita Wilson and others help this film rise above the usual chum of teen angst movies.  

BETWEEN  * (David Ocanas)

Insipid acting and lackluster directing will have you sleeping in your seat.  You know you’re in trouble when the director introduces the film by asking you not to leave it early.  

LOVERBOY  * * * (Kevin Bacon, 2005)

Kyra Sedgwick sizzles as Emily, a mother who sleeps with multiple men in order to conceive a child, Paul, and then becomes obsessive about him.  When Paul is six, he keeps wanting to go to school, but Emily doesn’t want to give up her control of him and instead takes him on a trip to a nearly deserted island.  This film could be a bookend to last year’s THE WOODSMAN in that it contains a stunning lead performance in a work of great sensitivity and compassion.  

HIGH SCHOOL RECORD  * ?  (Ben Wolfinsohn, 2005)

Pseudo-documentary about students in an art high school.  Too messy for its own good.  

THUMBSUCKER  * * * (Mike Mills, 2005)

Well-crafted tale of Justin Cobb (in a strong performance by first-timer Lou Taylor Pucci [whose secondary role in CHUMSCRUBBER must have been made after this]), a 17-year-old high school student who sucks his thumb.  His wholistic orthodonist (Keanu Reeves) uses hypnosis to make Justin’s thumb seem to taste like echinacea.  This helps for a bit but then the anxiety becomes so great that medication is prescribed.  This helps Justin find the clarity to help him start winning on the Vince Vaughn’s debate team and thus impress Rebecca (Kelli Gardner).  Rich characterization strengthens this film.  

REEFER MADNESS  * * * (Andy Fickman, 2005)

The most fun you’ll have at Sundance this year.  Outrageous musical adaptation of the LA/Off-Broadway stage production that was itself a parody of the 1938 propagandistic film warning parents about the dangers that marijuana pose for their youngsters.  Here, Christian Campbell is Jimmy who, along with girlfriend Mary Lane (Kirsten Bell) are seduced into using weed by the insidious Jack (Steven Weber) and his addict-girlfriend Mae (Ana [so this is what I’ve been doing since I disappeared from SNL] Gasteyer).  Alan Cumming steals the show, however, as the Lecturer who presents the film REEFER MADNESS to the parents of the town.  Between its extreme violence, its blasphemy of Catholic ritual, and its unfair depiction of Satan, REEFER MADNESS should have something to offend just about everyone.    

CELEBRITY ALERT!

Steve Buscemi used the bathroom again today in the Eccles theater (his bladder must be even smaller than mine!) only this time he used water, but no soap when washing his hands.