|
Between the parties and press opportunities, it seems like it has become
harder than ever to actually fit in movies during a trip to the Sundance
Film Festival. Luckily, sleep isn't an option in Park City, Utah, so you can do
it all (maybe). Here is a rundown of some titles from the festival's first
weekend that you should be hoping hit your local multiplex, and a couple of
others you'll definitely want to avoid.
Great
"U2 3D": Capturing arguably
the world's most famous band during a live performance in Buenos Aires, this
concert film is an intoxicating breakthrough for 3D technology and should
encourage other filmmakers to use it in other genres.
"The Wackness": The first
great film of the fest, this coming-of-age comedy set in New York during the
summer of 1994 is a major breakthrough for writer/director Jonathan Levine. Josh Peck (Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh") shows true
star power as a high school graduate trying to balance lost love, disappointing
parents and his part-time pot-dealing gig, but it's Ben Kingsley's turn as his psychiatrist that has
everyone talking. Oh, and Mary-Kate Olsen isn't half bad either.
"What Just Happened?": Based
on the memoir by Art Linson, Robert De Niro is very funny as a movie producer
trying to finish one picture and begin another over the course of a week while
still juggling his hectic personal life. Directed by Barry Levinson ("Rain Man"), this dramedy may be too insider for many, but for
anyone who has spent some time working in the movie industry, it will kill.
Good, but Not Great
"Just Another Love Story":
This Danish thriller about a man who gives up his old life when mistaken for the
boyfriend of a beautiful woman (who has conveniently lost her memory) has its
share of clichés, but also features some absolutely fantastic and tension-filled
scenes.
"Smart People": Imagine "Wonder Boys" mashed up with the wisecracking characters of "Juno" and you'll get this new Miramax flick. Ellen Page and Thomas Haden Church steal the show
from co-stars Dennis Quaid and Sarah Jessica Parker, who are more
than fine, but their characters' romantic motivations leave a little to be
desired.
"Stranded: I Have Come From a Plane That Crashed on the
Mountains": Chronicling the miraculous survival of
a group of young Uruguayan men who survived a 1972 plane crash and were forced
to resort to cannibalism, this documentary overstays its welcome at almost two
hours, but features some genuinely moving moments.
"Yellow Handkerchief":
Besides some beautiful cinematography, the performances of Maria Bello and William Hurt are the primary reasons
not to dismiss this predictable road trip movie.
Not So Good
"Be Kind Rewind": You'd think
the combination of Jack Black, Mos Def and director Michel Gondry would be the perfect formula for a
crowd-pleasing, eclectic comedy. Unfortunately, you'd be wrong.
"The Last Word": Ray Romano's fine supporting turn notwithstanding,
this dramedy about a professional suicide note writer (Wes Bentley) who becomes romantically involved with
the sister (Winona Ryder) of one of his ex-clients feels like a
short film stretched a bit too far.
"Blind Date": Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson are truly two of the better actors
working today, but this character piece, which Tucci directed, isn't just too
challenging for an audience, it's painfully grating.
Look for a roundup on other films at the festival in Friday's
column.
Sound off: Comment on this story | Also: Features archive
Next: Gossip girls and Friday blackout |