For ten days in January, independent filmmakers, and the occasional Hollywood celebrity, descend upon Park City to screen their movies at the Sundance Film Festival and, hopefully, find studios willing to distribute them for wide-release. It is an absolutely magical time for film lovers (some travel from all over the world to be here) because many of the films are world premieres. I always try to see at least one film every year but this year I decided to go for it and see as many films as my schedule (I didn't take any time off but I am thinking about it for next year) would allow. I had the opportunity to see ten films in seven days at six venues and I loved every minute of my Sundance experience! Monday night I saw Unexpected at the Broadway Theatre. A high school Biology teacher (Cobie Smulders) discovers, unexpectedly, that she is pregnant and is conflicted about potentially losing her identity. When her best student also discovers that she is pregnant, she channels all of her emotions into getting her student into college at any cost with disastrous results. I really related to this movie because I've worked with students to help them get into college and sometimes it was what I wanted rather than what they wanted. I cried during a particularly heated scene. Tuesday night I saw Entertainment at the Broadway. This is one of the strangest films I've ever seen. A third rate comedian (Gregg Turkington) travels through the Mojave Desert to perform at a series of dubious gigs (one is in a prison), stay in one run-down motel after another, and take some bizarre field trips (an airplane graveyard) to pass the time. It was a powerful character study of a man being driven to desperation which made me uncomfortable (but that was rather the point). Wednesday night I drove all the way to Ogden (about an hour north of where I live) because I really wanted to see Brooklyn. This is a very sweet film about an Irish girl (Saoirse Ronan) who emigrates to New York in the 1950s. I really loved Ronan's performance and this is one of my favorites of the festival. Thursday night I saw People, Places, Things at the Rose Wagner Theatre. Will Henry (Jemaine Clement) is a graphic novelist who is getting over a breakup, learning how to relate to his twin daughters, and trying to date again. This movie was absolutely hilarious with lots of quick and witty dialogue ("I'm a sassy little hobbit"). I also really liked the use of actual comic strips to tell the story. Friday night I saw a double feature. First was Z for Zachariah at the Grand Theatre (a really great venue). I was so excited when I was able to score a ticket to this film at the last minute because I read the book in Jr. High and it has always stayed with me. After a nuclear war, Ann Burden (Margot Robbie), who lives in an isolated valley protected by mountains, believes that she is the only survivor. After a year on her own, she is visited by two other survivors who may not be all that they seem. The movie deviated from the book quite a bit with the addition of a third character but I enjoyed it. Next I saw Hellions at the Broadway as part of Sundance's Midnight Madness series. A pregnant teenager (Chloe Rose) must survive Halloween when a group of demon children attack her to steal her unborn child. This was actually a really awful movie but I had a lot of fun watching it at midnight with a fun crowd. Saturday afternoon I saw The Diary of a Teenage Girl at the Grand. A fifteen year old girl (Bel Powley) has a sexual awakening in 1970s San Francisco. Powley gives an astonishing performance and is considered by many critics to be the break-out star of the festival. I really loved all of the 1970s music used throughout the film, especially Heart's "Dreamboat Annie." (I really love that song). Saturday I saw another Midnight Madness film, The Hallow, at the Broadway. Adam (Joseph Mawle), along with his wife and infant son, moves from London to a remote area in Ireland to evaluate the forest for future development but he is soon warned by his superstitious neighbors that the forest is haunted by spirits. Soon, these spirits attack and try to take his son. It was a predictable plot but the tension leading up to the attack was almost unbearable and the creatures were quite scary. I spent Sunday morning at the beautiful Sundance Resort for a screening of 71. A British soldier (Jack O'Connell from Unbroken) is left behind after a riot on the streets of Belfast during "the Troubles." As he tries to make his way back to the barracks, he his both helped and pursued by various factions and doesn't know who to trust. It was a very powerful and suspenseful movie. Finally, my friends Rob and Esther gave me a ticket to see the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize winner at the Eccles Theatre in Park City Sunday afternoon and it turned out to be Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. I was excited because I really wanted to see this film but was unable to get a ticket! Greg (Thomas Mann), an awkward teenager, and his only friend, Earl, spend most of their time making movies based on classic films (Their version of Midnight Cowboy just about killed me). Greg's mother asks him to befriend a girl who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia and their friendship is both touching and heartbreaking. I absolutely loved this film and I laughed and cried through the whole thing. It is definitely my favorite film of the festival. The films this year were really great but my favorite part of the festival was getting to have so many wonderful conversations with people from all over the country. Sometimes I think that people find me to be a bit much when I start talking about music, books, theatre, and movies so it was great to talk to people who are just as passionate as I am. I am already looking forward to next year!
Note: For the past five years I have taken my students to see free screenings at Sundance. Go here for an article in the Salt Lake Tribune.
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