Sundance 08- Part 1
 | Author: Jauretsi | Posted: December 29th, 2007 | Filed under: Film, Film Festivals | | Comments Off |
A Toast for the New Flicks!
(Mysteries of Pittsburgh)
Right before the holidays, the Sundance Film Festival announced their 2008 line-up, which is going to take place January 17-27 in Park City, Utah. Some years ago, the line-up was drowning in “coming of age” stories. This year, the films are said to explore “individual ways of coping with a distressed world”. A festival for the collective conscience today.
Total films submitted? 2,051 narrative features + 1,573 docs. Movies picked? 121 Feature Films. There’s going to be 81 World Premieres. For those who never frequent film festivals, these Sundance picks are going to be the films bought, sold, distributed, hyped, and dissed. Some will win awards while others will totally get lost in the shuffle. Let the races begin, and congrats to the new (and veteran) team of filmmakers who made it this far….
The Starworks team recommends you keep an eye on these:
GREG KRELENSTEIN PICKS:
(1) The Mysteries of Pittsburgh [pictured above]
About sexual exploration and a tense father-son relationship. Starring Jon Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Sienna Miller, Mena Suvari and Nick Nolte. Directed/Written by Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball). Adaptation of Michael Chabon’s first novel
(2) The Wackness
A comedy about a teen drug dealer (Josh Peck) who falls for the daughter of his drug-taking shrink (Ben Kingsley). Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby, Mary Kate Olsen and Method Man also star. Directed/Written by Jonathan Levine
(3) Assassination of a High School President
High school drama that deftly captures a new kind of grown-up teenage angst. Reece Thompson (who Starworks booked for last year’s Dazed& Confused and V Magazine spreads as one-to-watch) plays a self-described newspaper dork. In a quest for a mint journalism career, his character breaks a story that undermines the social structure of St. Donovan’s high School — jocks to nerds. Bruce Willis plays an over-the-top principal here too. Director: Brett Simon. Screenwriter: Tim Calpin/Kevin Jakubowski
(4) Savage Grace
The story of Barbara Daly (Julianne Moore), a former actress who married above her class to become the wife of Brooks Baekeland (Stephen Dillane), heir to a plastics fortune. The charismatic but unabashed social climber becomes an embarrassment to her well-bred husband. Note: shocking climax. Director Tom Kalin. Screenwriter Howard A. Rodman. Based on the book by Natalie Robins+Steven M.L. Aronson.
(5) The Last Word
Evan Merck (Wes Bentley) is a writer with an odd LA job. He makes his living composing other people’s suicide notes. His reclusive world is thrown for a loop when, at a client’s funeral, Evan meets the beautiful, free-spirited Charlotte (Winona Ryder), the dead client’s sister. Of course Winona’s character is fascinated with the young writer without knowing his day job. Deception and chaos ensues. Director/Writer: Geoff Haley
(6) Choke
A colorful dark comedy about mothers and sons, sexual compulsion, and the sordid underbelly of Colonial theme parks.
Stars Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston. Directed/Written by (actor turned director) Clark Gregg. Based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk (“Fight Club”).
(7) Smart People
A darkly comic story. Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid), a widowed, acerbic, and self-absorbed literature professor who has alienated his son and turned his daughter into an overachieving, friendless teen. He also falls for his former student, Janet (Sarah Jessica Parker). All the intelligence in the world can’t unstick his life. Starring Thomas Haden Church, and Ellen Page. Directed by Noam Murro. Writer: Mark Jude Poirier
MARNI GOLDEN PICKS:
(1) Pretty Bird
An archetypal American story about three entrepreneurs whose partnership goes awry in nasty ways. Stars Billy Crudup, Paul Giamatti, Kristen Wiig and David Hornsby. Directed/Written: Paul Schneider (All the Real Girls). Marni says “I think he’s the new indie king”.
(2) Sunshine Cleaning
Two sisters (Amy Adams and Emily Blunt) try to climb out of poverty by working in biohazard removal and crime scene clean-up. Also stars Alan Arkin, Steve Zahn, and Clifton Collins Jr. Directed by Christine Jeffs. Written by Megan Holley,
Also echoed by Marni: (3) Choke and (4) Mysteries of Pittsburgh
SARAH JENKS DALY PICKS:
(who laments “I wish I were going to Sundance, but am going to Ireland for a wedding!”)
(1) Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Explores America’s win-at-all-cost philosophy and the steroid subculture in an effort to realize the American dream. Ingeniously beginning the film with 80′s heroes — Rambo, Conan, and Hulk Hogan — the director recounts how these role models led him and his brothers into power lifting and dreams of becoming all-star wrestlers. Directed by: Christopher Bell
Also echoed by Sarah: (2) Choke and (3) The Wackness
Whew. Ok. I’ll be posting Part 2 on Sundance docs — Of course I’m the doc girl here at Starworks.
J
