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.

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.