Sundance TwentyTen Wrap Up

Facts about Sundance TwentyTen: Most buzzed about film was "Winter's Bone." Most buzzed about film that lost steam: "Catfish." Out of the nine films I screened, none of the films had deals with theatrical distribution companies except for "The Runaways" (a biopic about Joan Jett's first band) and "Enter the Void." Since my departure, two of the films of the nine films have been acquired. Please find below the titles and ratings (just like in school - A being awesome, F being fail) of Sundance films that were screened in TwentyTen.

Winter's Bone (acquired by Roadside Attraction) - C + -- Over hyped melodrama. Other than a solid performance from leading actress Jennifer Lawrence, who really cares about her character's search for her deadbeat drug-addled father, who may or may not be in jail. Her character is unlikable as are the rest of the people she encounters. Nevermind the pacing of the film is super slow.

Enter The Void (acquired by IFC Films) - D (borderline F) - Sundance Programmers have declared director Gaspar Noé a genius. And yet they happily ask festival attendees whether they stayed for the entire screening. They don't need to ask; they know the answer. When half the theater walks out in the middle of the film, there is something seriously wrong. Enough said.

Jean Michel-Basquiat: The Radiant Child - B - see my report from Park City for my analysis.

The Runaways (scheduled to be released on March 19, 2010 by Sony's Apparition) - B - Story has been told before (legendary band rises and falls together) but there is something enjoyable about watching Dakota Fanning play a "bad" girl. Make no mistake -- this is her film; she kills in the Cherie Curry role (movie is based on Currie's autobiography) as does Michael Shannon, who plays the scrupulous band manager. Beautifully directed by former photographer Floria Sigismondi and of course the soundtrack rocks.

Holy Rollers - B + - see my report from Park City for my analysis.

High School - C - - Billed as a comedy, the film is not particularly funny as humor is very low brow. Film will no doubt become a cult classic for the stoner set given that the plot is about two high school students who lace the bake sale brownies with concentrated THC crystals.

The Romantics - C - A poor man's Big Chill and/or St. Elmo's Fire, "The Romantics" explore similar themes (friendship, love, betrayal) but the aforementioned films do it so much better. The characters in "The Romantics" are underdeveloped and unlikable. Film belongs on the Lifetime channel.

Exit Through the Gift Shop - B + - see my report from Park City for my analysis.

The Kids Are Alright (acquired by Focus Features) A - My favorite film of the bunch. The title is in reference to the teenage kids of a lesbian couple (played by Annette Benning and Julianne Moore), who search and ultimately befriend their sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo). Needless to say, things can't stay the same for this happy family unit now that the sperm donor is in the picture. "The Kids Are Alright" is relevant, authentic and poignant without being overly sentimental.

Art questioned in the Sundance hit “Exit Through the Gift Shop”

Anyone who is expecting to see a docu about famed international graffiti artist Banksy will be sorely disappointed should they decide to watch the well-received, spotlight surprise Sundance film “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” That said, the unexpected is what makes the film so compelling.

The docu introduces us to frenchman Thierry "Terry" Guetta, a Los Angeles retail shop owner by day, filmmaker by night. A passion for film, Guetta documents anything and everything with his camera. Even his family is fair game. But it isn’t until he decides to document graffiti artists that he discovers his true calling.

Without revealing any spoilers, Guetta earns the trust of local graffiti artists and as such is given permission to follow them around with his camera. These relationships prove to be paramount as they eventually lead him to Banksy, who takes a liking to him as well; Guetta becomes Banksy’s assistant.

When Banksy demands to see Guetta’s docu on graffiti artists, Guetta produces “Life Remote Control,” an unwatchable mess of a film. It is at this point Bansky takes matters into his own hands. Banksy decides to produce a docu that is better than the one Guetta put together. With that in mind, Banksy turns the camera on Guetta (who turns out to be a great subject) and that is when the real journey begins.

“Exit Through the Gift Shop” is that rare docu that plays like a narrative in that there are plot twists and there is a character arc. And while there is speculation that the story is inauthentic, one can’t help but be fascinated by the universal themes the docu addresses - celebrity obsession and what is popular versus high art. To that end, film should appeal to a broad audience.

Photography and Fair Use

You see it all the time in our digital age: someone as a spokesman for a corporate product.  President obama wore Weatherproof's charcoal coat while in China - and walla it's the billboard photo for the company's Time Sqaure/Fashion District billboard.  Did Weatherproof pay Pres O for his dapper look?  Nope. And hence the White House pulled the plug on this Madison Ave blatant attempt to curb and twist the fine line of America's capitalist legal boundaries.  Factually the firm is in the right side of the law because big O is a public figure.  He just couldn't collect an editorial fee.  For more on the legal use of public space check out Lubie Love - The Movie. 

Holy Rollers is one serious trip - Sundance

The following is the 3rd entry by The Art Quarterly's Sundance correspondent, Joanna Rudolph.

11:34 AM MST - Park City, UT:

Based on a true story, the film “Holy Rollers” explores the theme of loss of innocence by following 20 year old Sam Gold (played fantastically by Jesse Eisenberg), a Hasidic Jew who transforms into a secular Jew as he takes up a new vocation-- Ecstasy smuggling.

Initially wide-eyed to the drug smuggling trade, Sam eventually embraces the 1998 Ecstasy / rave culture. In doing so, he falls further aways from his faith as evidenced by his change in attire and in a powerful scene, he chops off his curls.

Much like how Sam loses his innocence, visual artists have been known to do so as well. For example, the death of a close friend represented Picasso’s growth into adulthood and a loss of innocence, which were expressed in his paintings. Basquiat’s personal life also impacted his work in that as he became famous, his paintings became more political in terms of the themes he explored. And of course there’s the self-portrait of Van Gough, who cut off his ear, an act that can also be interpreted as a loss of innocence.

It is this "character arc" that is explored in "Holy Rollers" and seen in fine art that makes for complex and fascinating work.

Jean-Michel Basquiat is the "The Radiant Child"

This is the second entry by our Sundance TwentyTen Fest writer, Joanna Rudolph.

2:08 PM MST - Park City, UT:

Director Tamra Davis uses archival footage from youtube (a sign of the times) amongst other sources and interviews with artists such as painter turn director Julien Schnabel and Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore to pay tribute to her friend Jean-Michel Basquiat in the documentary “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.”

Not overly sentimental, "The Radiant Child" successfully chronicles the life and career of Basquiat, which significantly includes interviews with the man himself. Davis also goes one step further by turning the camera on herself, a decision she debated but ultimately went with because she wanted the film to be personal. Filmmakers are not the only artists to “turn the camera” on themselves; painters have as well in the form of self-portraits (e.g. Picasso, Rembrandt, Warhol and Schnabel). As it so happens, Warhol and Schnabel were good friends of Basquiat and their relationship with the artist is explored through Radiant Child.

The story of Basquiat (told for the big screen) is not uncharted territory. Schnabel directed a narrative film about his friend in 1996 (“Basquiat”). However, unlike Davis, he was unable to get the rights to use Basquiat’s paintings from the Basquiat estate, which is overseen by his father. As per Davis during the screening's post Q & A, Jean-Michel gave paintings to his friends as gifts and yet his friends would profit from these gifts by selling them. This exploitation greatly upset the artist and his father. Davis was one of the few to keep her gifts, which automatically instilled trust in Basquiat’s father. It is this act that ultimately rewarded Davis with the consent to use the paintings for her docu. Meanwhile, Schnabel (who may or may not have sold his Basquiat paintings) had to resort to recreating Basquiat’s work for his 1996 film.

The review of "Basquiat" on imdb.com states that the film is "a work of art." The same can be said of “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.”

Art in Motion - Sundance Twenty Ten first report

The Art Quarterly's on site correspondent, Joanna Rudolph, is at the dance reporting the in's and outs of this annual winter gathering. Due to limited connectivity (called weak wi-fi), Rudolph's first report follows:

8:02 PM MST - Park City, UT:

Having arrived in Park City on Friday, it is not surprising to discover that Sundance is more than just a launch pad for filmmakers; it is a venue for visual artists to reach audiences as well. Case in point -- the New Frontier on Main, which is the home of art installation projects and hitREcord.org, a multimedia company founded by actor Joseph Gordon Levitt. Fittingly, it was also the location for the panel “Migrating Imaginations: Visions from the Art & Music Worlds.” Moderated by Elvis Mitchell, he conversed with "leading" artists Shirin Neshat and Piplotti Rist to explore the intersections of art and film. Known for their photography and/or video art installations, both artists have followed in the footsteps of visual artists Matthew Barney, David Lynch and Julien Schnabel; they are visual artists turned filmmakers. Neshat is at Sundance with her film “Women Without Men” and Rist with “Pepperminta.”

They gravitated towards filmmaking because of their desire to challenge themselves but also because film has the ability to reach a broader audience. While video art installations and the like make it difficult for artists to control the audience attention span, thereby making the relationship between the piece of art and artist fleeting, a filmmaker can command the attention of an audience for nearly two hours. Not to mention, art installations typically explore abstract concepts whereas storytelling in film is universal. Then there is the issue of cost; ownership of a movie as a DVD is much less costly than ownership typically of a unique work of art. By blending art installations seamlessly into the film world, Sundance is not only making art more available to the wider masses, it is educating audiences on the connectivity between the two media.

A dervish of a movie - Un prophète

When Sony lent it's hand, nod of approval for the French equivalent of Goodfellas mixed with the Sopranos, they did so with more than a handshake. Un Prophète (A Prophet), amazingly carries the unsuspecting into the societal issues that confront the French - and American criminal system today. With America hypersensitive to Islamic advances, and it's own jail system overflowing and in disarray, this Sundance film can open the eyes to classic issues deeply routed in each of these developed countries.

The main character, knows no one and has nothing upon his arrest, and through classic stereotypes undergoes a transformation required of survival. The film properly diagnoses the moral decisions that a "convict" has to face: do you knock off someone to ensure your own chances of survival? In a whirling dervish of a dash, this film might be the underdog at Sundance. Like it's premise - you're either with us or against us (Dar al Harib or Dar al Islam). Of course, handshakes only go as far as one can see.

National Artist teams up for Haitian Relief in Denver

When Haiti was rocked by the 7.0 earthquake, global citizens watched intently. Denver's own GALLERY M reached out to select fine artists who could ideally relate and legitimately assist with the turmoil before this country.

Enter Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen. Jay's role as a leading social justice advocate, along with being a world class international artist, immediately offered his works as a basis for a 24 hour relief fund raiser. Recognized for his flowing and vibrant performers, the Baltimore native has selected his "Haitian Dancers", an original acrylic, cut-out on paper as the lead painting in the 24 hour effort. The significance of the work is actually more than just the Haitian Dancers flowing on paper - it was completed in 1995 during the same period that Schlossberg-Cohen used the technique for a memorable work in President Clinton's private residence at the White House (now on display at the Clinton Library).

Keeping with the gallery's standard leadership role in the community, local artists are encouraged to stop in and choose from a beautiful selection of exhibition frames that might contain the next great masterpiece. A minimum donation of $10 is requested to assist in the overall goal of $100,000 from this local, independently owned gallery.

Citizens and collectors interested in participating in the 24 hour event can do so through GALLERY M in three methods: In Person between 11AM and 8PM on Wednesday or on Thursday from 10:30A to 11A; by phone between 8P til 11A, and online. All donations to be directed toward Unicef/RedCross/Yele relief efforts.

Electric Cars That Speed Ahead of Gas Guzzlers

As part of the LUBIE LOVE - GRID installation, the following entry from our friends at The Street.com features some insight into what you might drive sooner than later. Or perhaps these are just more "Tuckers" in a mirage.

Electric Cars That Speed Ahead of Gas Guzzlers

By: Jonathan Blum

DETROIT (TheStreet) -- Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and General Motors might soon face increased competition from electric carmakers, whose custom cars offer more power and better performance than gas-powered vehicles.

Even worse for traditional automakers, these new electric muscle cars will be street legal and affordable for even people with average-car salaries.

Photo Gallery: Auto Show: Take a Look at Some Cars

The star here is Santee, Calif.-based

SSI Racing
. The two-person firm, with less than $250,000 in sales last year, was founded by software engineer and car nut Michael Kaide. His move to electric cars started in 2006, when he wanted a vehicle he could use for weekend drag races and his daily commute to work.

Kaide spent a year building himself his dream car: a Type 65 racer, which looks a lot like the Shelby classic racer and drives like one too. It can go from zero to 60 mph in as few as 2.9 seconds with 800 horsepower. It's racetrack fast, but street legal.

Kaide, who's attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, is getting ready to make 10 of these super-fast racers for real consumers. The SSI will cost $120,000 to start, which is about average for electric cars. The car, which might hit the market next year, will be able to ride in California's exclusive HOV lanes with just one passenger.

San Jose, Calif.-based

Saba Motors
is gearing its equally small car toward consumers who can't afford a $120,000 car. Chief Executive Simon Saba wants his pocket rocket to be the model of affordability and fun.

The Saba Roadster is cut from the classic roadster block, with two seats, an open cockpit and not much else. There's no roof, radio or operational doors. You get in and out by climbing over the side of the car.

Saba's simplicity adds to its fun factor. It goes from zero to 60 mph in a respectable 6 seconds, with a top speed of 105 mph.

Saba plans to mass produce the car and sell it for as little as $30,000. If he lands the necessary financing, he could be in medium-range production by the end of the year.

This new breed of electric car may prove its mettle this summer. Kaide expects electric-car racers to be allowed to enter the hollowed National Hot Rod Association Finals this year. In some categories, he believes his electric cars will be faster than gas-powered rivals.

"There is no way a gas-powered engine can compete in terms of smoothness and instantaneous power for drag racing," says Kaide.

Politics and green factor aside, if you're running gas, you are running slow. The age of the gas-powered muscle car is over.

-- Reported by Jonathan Blum in Detroit.

The art of a code - missed by Microsoft

The tech world is all about using form, function and design to let little gizmos make our life simpler. With a camera fairly standard on phones Microsoft hopes you can shoot straight. They want you to point and shoot on little graphics in ads, on walls and probably in your sleep to win copies of the latest offer - theirs and others. After 4 snaps the curve's camera just wouldn't register. What gives Balmer?

A larger vision unedited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0USn7eufXps