I returned to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah again this January. My sister Joanne, her husband Charlie & I had so much fun last year that we plan to return as often as possible. Lucy Bull joined us this year. Thank heavens she was with me as we spent 28 hours in the Seattle Airport during the epic ice storm. She termed Sundance as “movie boot camp.” The untimely flight delays caused Lucy & me to miss our first day of the film festival. We experienced our remaining 4 days in a blur of sleep deprivation, adrenaline, coffee & excitement.
Here are some of the photos…..
One of the cool things about Sundance is that there is a Q&A after each film. Almost always the director is there, but often one or more actors show up.
Joanne reports that she was very good & they enjoyed the movie. Lucy & I still stuck at SeaTac. Lucky for us Joanne kept me updated via text messaging about all the wonderful things we were missing.
Another cool thing about Sundance is that celebs are often sitting in the audience.
Celebs sometimes stand in line drinking lattes while they wait to get into the films. Joanne & Charlie are way ahead of us in the seeing star spotting department.
Lucy & I finally made it at 9 PM Friday! We walked around Park City & it was hopping.
Our first movie—-finally!
Audience was sooo excited to see her at the Q&A. The movie is a paranormal thriller with Robert de Niro (he was not there). Movie should come out in theaters. When the four of us were discussing it later we wondered if we had seen the same movie–it’s kind of ambiguous. As always, Sigourney Weaver rocks.
When he walked on stage the director commented that he didn’t know who was prettier–Sigourney or Cillian. Not sure if Cillian appreciated that. I thought he was terrific in the movie. The Spanish writer-director was Roderigo Cortes. He made a movie called “Buried” with Ryan Reynolds a couple of years ago where the only character is confined in a coffin with only a cell phone for the duration of the film. It would take a “Clockwork Orange” situation where I was tied to a seat with my eyes forced open to get me to watch that movie.
She is the Olsen twins’ younger sister. She was in “Martha Marcy May Marlene” at last years’ Sundance. I didn’t see it but have read good reviews of it. Liked her in this movie.
Don made my favorite film. It’s a 20 minute animated film called “It’s Such a Beautiful Day.” He is a cult figure in the animated film world and was even nominated for an Oscar for one of his films a few years ago. He lives in Austin. Here’s another cool thing about Sundance–I saw him outside the venue afterwards & walked up to him to tell him how much I loved his movie & he was very nice & conversational. I suppose it never gets old to be appreciated by your audience. You never know where you are going to find your favorite movie. Lucy & I went to the animated shorts program because it was the only one in that time slot available. And that’s where I saw my favorite.
We were literally in a windy blizzard when we went to see “Wuthering Heights” at 10 PM Saturday. The film was British & made you feel like you were living on that muddy farm with Catherine & Heathcliff–very authentic & made me grateful for the comforts of home. The scenes of hanging live dogs on fence posts & necrophilia were a bit over the top unfortunately. They made an interesting casting choice with the black Heathcliff but it wasn’t enough to save the film.
Lucy & I happened to be riding the wrong shuttle on our way to the condo one night & John Goodman got on. And B.D. Wong (of Law & Order SVU) was sitting right across from us. Cool, huh?
Richard Gere was not present for the Q & A on “Arbitrage” at Sunday am showing. I was so looking forward to seeing him. Loved the movie–Susan Sarandon in it too & she is terrific. It’s a great Richard Gere vehicle. He is rich, powerful & sexy with a big hint of bad boy. Who could ask for more? Will be coming soon to a theater near you.
Lucy & I were wandering the streets of Park City looking for the coffee shop & she said –Look that’s the guy on Parks & Recreation!– So we stopped & he posed very nicely for Lucy.
He made quite a splash with his colorful language & strong comments about how Hollywood movies don’t know anything about making movies about black people. The movie had incredible gospel music, a tough story line, long scenes of philosophical dialogue, & a few hard truths thrown in. I thought I didn’t like it that much, but in the days that followed it kept popping up in my mind.
She was part of a documentary called “About Face” about the subject of bygone super models. Engaging film, was financed by HBO so I assume it will air on that channel.
I didn’t see this but numerous people I talked with said it was fabulously wonderful. One man who saw it said he cried like a baby. It’s about a guy in an iron lung (Hawkes) who wants to have sex so a sex surrogate counselor (Hunt) “counsels” him. Macy is a priest. It’s based on a true story. It will probably come out in theaters.
My 2nd favorite film about a 13 year old girl engulfed by the Catholic culture of her Italian community. This is one to watch for when it comes out on net flicks. Cool thing–I saw this director in Safeway after the movie & managed to gesture my appreciation of her movie.
Remember “Before Sunrise” in ’95 with her & Ethan Hawke where they met on a train & talked all night walking around Vienna? It’s a fun romantic movie.
He was the straight man around all these zany French people. He was really funny. The movie was a hoot–pure entertainment.
We had just seen these guys in “Bachelorette” Tuesday morning, then we spotted them at the restaurant. “Bachelorette” is a cross between “Bridesmaids” & “Hangover.” Kirsten Dunst was in it. The demographic is 30 & 40 somethings so perhaps I didn’t appreciate it as much as I could have. These guys were good though & quite hunky in person.
Parker Posey eating at next table over in restaurant. She’s known as the indie movie queen. Remember her in “Best in Show”? And I notice she’s making appearances on the TV series “The Good Wife” this season.
She made a documentary called “Gypsy Davy” about her estranged father from Alabama who ran off to Spain to become a flamenco guitarist. Davy was a serial fatherer–had many women, many children. She was at the Q & A with her Israeli husband who almost got in a fight with an obnoxious drunk guy in the audience that he thought insulted his wife. Luckily she guided hubby away from situation so fisticuffs were avoided. The movie was good too.
Clive Owen (who unfortunately was not at the Q & A) was also in this quiet Irish thriller. It was about the IRA peace process in the early ’90’s.
Ellensburg Film Festival 