Adam's Sundance Report 1

Rufus Wainwright - he wants to be in pictures.

25TH ANNIVERSARY PRESS CONFERENCE

It's hard to believe that Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival has been going strong now for a whopping twenty five years. It hasn't always been smooth sailing - folks have claimed the fest has sold out, suggesting that Sundance has become the very corporate beast that it stood against in the early days. Whatever the case may be, I've continued to attend the festival for the last twelve years for one simple reason; THE MOVIES! I don't care about the politics involved. Sure, I suppose I'm a little bothered that there are several worthy films that are submitted to the Sundance programmers each year that don't make the cut, but that's how it goes. They can't possibly show everything. And yes, I'm irritated that getting in to see the films becomes increasingly more difficult with each passing year (in 2006, fans weren't even allowed to camp out for tickets, an enormously entertaining process that became a regular part of the entire ritual for me-instead this year, Sundance experimented with a random wristband sale). Even the online selling of tickets was a big pain in the ass. By the time my registered sale time came along, everything was sold out. How could I not be irritated? I became particularly pissed after going on to e-bay and seeing the astronomical prices set by the numerous scalpers who have absolutely no interest in film. I suppose it all boils down to supply and demand, but it sure would be nice if this sort of crap could be policed. In the end though, I put up with all this bullshit because I love movies so much. I recognize that film isn't a necessity in life, but movies have been a life long passion for me so putting up with some of the red tape, is worth it, particularly when I have an opportunity to discover that next rare gem of a movie and share it with you the reader.

This year was of particular interest if for no other reason than the fact that I was being accompanied by our very own Boneman. This was his first time attending the legendary fest and as I stated in the Sundance preview, it's always fun to see the look in someone's eyes when they experience the festival for the first time. It also proved to be an enormous benefit for me because the Boneman was around to help cover all this stuff.

The Boneman and I have split writing duties here so that we can cover more films in a shorter period of time. While we hit many of the same movies, there are a few screenings that we attended separately. You may notice that there are a few films in my reports that I only gave grades to. That's probably because these titles were touched on more extensively in the Boneman's reports.

BINI & THE BONE

Upon arriving to Park City UT, The Boneman and I quickly parked in a fifteen minute zone so that we might make the Opening Day Press Conference. We did make the event, but by the time we got there, the hall was packed so we had to watch the conference on monitors in a little lounge area. As it turned out, it was a pretty uneventful affair. It was star studded to be sure (headed by Mr. Redford), but most questions asked were fairly uninteresting. Actually the true highlight of the afternoon came suddenly when a handsome woman broke through the crowd, accosted the Boneman and attempted to usher him into the midst of the festivities. The seeming victim of a bizarre case of mistaken identity, the Boneman opted to play along in case it might lead to something more interesting than this nap-inspiring press conference.

And sure enough it turns out that one of the Sundance jurors was late for the conference and upon our arrival it was the general opinion of the staff that the Boneman should quickly take his rightful seat alongside Terrence Howard, Alexander Payne and Alan Rudolph. He declined claiming not to want to disrupt the proceedings, but for the next 20 minutes we were watched like hawks by every staff member in the building. They pointed and stared and mumbled in their headsets and pointed some more - as far as the Boneman was concerned he was flattered that his reputation had spread so far and wide and would occasionally make eye contact with the woman and shake his head as if to say, "no - Sundance is about independent film and the people who make them, not about some brilliant humorist with the most entertaining website in the free world."

Upon attempting to exit the conference, the woman again tried to usher the Boneman into the midst of Redford and his posse, but being the gentleman he is, he explained the misunderstanding away gracefully by confessing that he'd only played along this far because he feared that the woman so frantic to lead him away may have been one of the thousands of warm and wonderful women that he'd romanced in his younger days. "I'll go to any length" he was heard to remark" to safeguard the honor and spare the feelings of the special ladies who have brought so much joy to my life." As it turns out the Bone bears an uncanny resemblance to famed documentarian Joe Bini, the missing member of the judging panel and upon inspecting Bini's photo in the press materials, it was easy to see why such an innocent mistake could have been made. Bini and the Bone are both dangerously attractive men who are not only dead ringers, but possess a palpable sexual aura that can have a confounding effect on conventional photography. Ah the magic of Sundance.

After leaving the Press Conference, we headed over to the press office where The Boneman waited roughly ninety minutes to get a mug shot for his credentials. There would be no more mistaken identity.

A COLD RECEPTION

Then it was off to Eccles to attend the Opening Night Gala. The only problem with that is we didn't have tickets and press credentials are worthless for Opening Night. We were going to have to wait-list for this bad boy and it wouldn't be the only time that we would do so during the festival. When we got to the screening facility we were delighted to discover that there were only twenty or so people in line. Miraculous given that the Opening Night film was to start a mere two hours after we got there. Figuring that this was too good to be true, we quickly found out that it was too good to be true. There were already two hundred people inside. The chances of us getting in were extremely slim. This was, after all, the opening night film (an ensemble called "Friends With Money"). Still, I remained un-detoured. We were already here so we might as well wait it out.

Through the course of the next hour, it became increasingly cold. Finally, The Boneman had enough. He opted to go inside the lobby even though we were told it was off limits to peasants. But by using the old "I have to take a pee" strategy he was soon staving off the first stages of "chill blain" and enjoying the flow of blood to his extremities, and became even more heated when he noticed that there was plenty of room in the downstairs lobby. For whatever reason, the venue was forcing people to wait outside in the freezing cold, even though there was plenty of room inside. According to Boneman theory, an obvious University of Utah experiment to learn just what inhumane conditions people are willing to endure for the possibility of rubbing up against Jennifer Aniston. Sadly, the evening did not have a happy ending. After two hours of waiting in the cold and being taunted by studio reps who were offering free tickets to those who drive Volkswagens (Volkswagen is a sponsor at the festival-I drive a Farfugnuging Saturn), we were told that no one in the wait list was getting into the screening. The house was at capacity. Sundance was off to a rousing start for The Bone and I. Happily though, The Boneman would get into a screening of Friends With Money the next morning. It wasn't easy, and involved a taser and an elderly couple, but he managed to pull it off. You can read the review in his first report.

After leaving Eccles, we went and grabbed some dinner than it was off to sleep so that we would be well rested for our first real day at Sundance.

LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN
Starring Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, and Bruce Willis
Directed by Paul McGuigan

Lucky Number Slevin is an intricate puzzle of a movie that is quite often too complex (and self conscious) for it's own good. It works awfully hard to fool the audience, and sometimes this proves to be distracting. Thankfully though, Lucky Number Slevin is very entertaining, thanks mostly to a diverse and effective cast that appear to be having an enormously fun time.

In Lucky Number Slevin, Josh Hartnett is Slevin, a young man who's about to have one unlucky day. After using a buddy's apartment to clean himself up after a rough morning, he is quickly caught up in an enormously complex case of mistaken identity (much like the recent scenario involving The Boneman at the Opening Day Press Conference), one that brings him face to face with a couple of feuding mob bosses (wonderfully played by veterans Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley), a soft spoken, but extremely deadly assassin (Bruce Willis), and a quirky but cute mortician (a lively Lucy Liu).

Paul McGuigan (who also directed Hartnett in Wicker Park) is clearly inspired by noir thrillers, but the movies Lucky Number Slevin most reminded me of were Bryan Singer's outstanding Usual Suspects and Brian Helgeland's underrated Payback. With a twisty plot structure and numerous characters, this thriller offers up moments that don't appear to make sense at a first glance, but by the end of the picture, everything comes together. With the aid of assured cinematography and crisp editing, McGuigan has fashioned a slick production.

Screenwriter Jason Smilovic does a good job keeping the audience guessing, but Lucky Number Slevin still requires a great deal of suspension of disbelief. Without giving too much away, things end a little too perfectly. There are plot threads in this film that are wrapped up a little too neatly, and the fashion in which a certain character so precisely calculates everything to perfection, left me scratching my head. I had a similar reaction to David Fincher's The Game. Furthermore, Smilovic appears hellbent on spelling everything out for the audience. Sometimes a little ambiguity is good. Still, I like the overall tone of the movie, and I got a big kick out of the little winks at the numerous films that clearly inspired this movie (watch for references to James Bond and North By Northwest).

The usually blasé Hartnett is slightly more animated here than he has been in the past, but it is the stellar supporting cast that really give Lucky Number Slevin it's kick. Freeman and Kingsley are wickedly entertaining as two aging crime bosses who think they know everything. Kingsley in particular has a blast as a Jewish mobster out to protect his gay son. Lucy Liu is a ball of unlimited energy as love interest Lindsey. Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump) is a hoot as a dim-witted henchman. Stanley Tucci is at his manic best as the confident cop whose in constant pursuit of Slevin. Finally, we have Bruce Willis who, despite a role that requires very little emotion, manages to bring a strange sort of sweetness to his deadpan assassin Mr. Goodkat.

Lucky Number Slevin suffers from being a little too long and it doesn't have the balls to follow through on a potentially gutsy move in the final act, but ultimately, I was entertained. At the very least, it's a major step up for McGuigan whose Wicker Park was a fairly dull tale about obsession. With this effort, the director really allows his expert cast to shine, and the end result is a labored but very entertaining movie that constantly challenges the audience to figure out what might happen next. The Usual Suspects it ain't, but it's fun nevertheless.

Grade: B

KINKY BOOTS
Grade: B- (Read The Boneman's review)

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SESAME STREET
Starring the many wonderful Muppet creations and those who've brought them to life.

First things first. I adore Sesame Street. Always have and always will. Whenever it's on I try to watch it with my kids. It's just a special show and in a cynical world, it's a pleasant alternative to the numerous other shows even children's programming has to offer.

Through the years, Sesame Street has grown into a world wide phenomenon and is viewed in several other countries. The new documentary The World According to Sesame Street is a fascinating exploration into the lives of the creative teams that alter this show and it's characters to represent the unique qualities of the respective countries it now airs in.

Included in this insightful expose is a piece on the South African version of the show which stirred up quite a bit of controversy when they introduced Kami, an HIV positive muppet. Almost immediately, crazed leftist politicians in the U.S. vented their disgust at the very idea that a TV. show would go in such a direction, and they did so without really looking at the true nature of the storyline. Thankfully, there were many U.S. figures (including Jerry Falwell of all people) who did come to the show's defense. I needn't remind anyone that the aids epidemic has had a huge impact there and, as sad as it may be, children in that country have to deal with it as an every day fact of life. Sesame Street has dealt with this subject matter in a sensitive manner. There's nothing exploitative or demeaning about it. But then that's always been Sesame Streets main agenda. To educate and to embrace.

The segment I was most moved by in the film features the Sesame Street team courageously attempting to bring together Albanians and Serbs (who are currently at war) so that they might unite the children of two struggling people. Watching this portion of the film unfold is both uncomfortable and incredibly hopeful as a small group of Serbs and Albanians work together to create this show for their children as their respective tribes engage in bitter and deadly racial conflict. Again, this scenario displays in heartfelt fashion just what kind of show Sesame Street is. In a world where many of our young art taught to hate, Sesame Street's goal is to spread messages of love and unity. The World According to Sesame Street isn't anything groundbreaking in terms of documentary film making, but quite frankly, it doesn't need to be. The film's subject speaks for itself. Sesame Street is a wonderful show and continues to strive to make the world a better place. It all starts with the children, and even though it may sound idealistic and even a little naive, this movie, and more importantly the show that it documents, proves with flying colors that even a handful of people in a small room can make a world of difference.

Grade: B+

THE MUSIC CAFÉ
Through the past few years, Sundance Film Festival has broadened it's horizons. It's now a great venue for music. The Music Café is a tiny, incredibly intimate venue and a showcase for veteran musicians and up and coming artists. The Boneman and I were lucky enough to fit a few bands into our hectic film schedule.

ROBERT POST
Yet another outstanding import from the good old U.K. Post dazzled the crowd with his simplistic, acoustic based pop songs. His tunes, with Post's soaring vocals leading the way resemble the works of Radiohead and Muse.

THE WEEPIES
Folk darlings The Weepies made quite a stir at Sundance after one of their songs was featured in the buzzed about film "Friends With Money." I wasn't familiar with the band, but The Boneman had nothing but kind words after hearing their tune in the previously mentioned movie. I was impressed by their set. They were mellow, tight, and light on their feet. It was clear they were having a great time, as they had a friendly rapport with the audience. I can't wait to hear their CD. It comes out later this year.

IMOGEN HEAP
Known as the front woman for band Frou Frou, Ms. Heap made a huge splash with her band when the tune "Let Go" (a song featured in the film Garden State) broke her outfit into the limelight. At Sundance, she was appearing solo unveiling songs from her new record Speak For Yourself. Truth be told, I was left a little cold by her set. She's cute and lively, but there wasn't anything particularly memorable about these new songs. I hate to sound pretentious, but the highlight of her set was a pretty arrangement of "Let Go". Just her and a piano. Simply stunning. I wish the rest of the set measured up.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
I've been a huge fan of Rufus Wainwright for quite a while. His powerful, overly theatrical singing chops are simply sublime, and he's a great story teller to boot. Seeing him in such a tiny venue was an added bonus. His near hour long set consisted of favorites including "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" the Boneman's favorite "The Art Teacher" and a gorgeous cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." The audience was clearly moved, and in fact, a gal who was filming the set from just behind me fainted. Rufus see what you do - even to women.

DESTRICTED (NR)
Experimental porn featuring guest directors Gaspar Noe, Larry Clark, Marco Brambilla, and Matthew Barney

Earlier on in the morning, The Boneman suggested that Friends With Money was very Woody Allenesque. Well, if that movie is Husbands and Wives, then I suppose Destricted is Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask-and then kind of wish you hadn't.

I'm not going to spend too much time delving into the madness that is Destricted, for it isn't a narrative film, but rather a series of experimental shorts based around the endlessly fascinating topic of porn and sex.

The shorts were directed by a wide range of film makers known for pushing the sexual envelope. They include Matthew Barney, Larry Clark, Gaspar Noe, and Marco Brambilla. Truth be told, not many of these films had much to say which would be fine had they engaged me on some level. I suppose the Boneman and I had a great time making jokes, but it was all we could do to stay awake. Once you've stared at a penis for ten minutes, it loses it's luster. And let me tell you - there were more dicks on display in this film than in Porky's 2.

The film's most interesting segment was directed by Kids helmer Larry Clark. In the short, Clark interviews several young men about their sexual habits. He even allows one of the lucky gentlemen a chance to have sex with a porn star. Surprisingly, the short is strangely compelling until we are witness to the young man screwing his porn star of choice. Then it becomes just plain dull. But then I suppose that's the point Clark is trying to make. The thought of the act is quite often better than the act itself.

In Death Valley, a man struggles to masturbate in the heated climate of the desert. Propping himself up push-up style among the cactus, he is ultimately unable to close the deal. The film could have easily been a metaphorical representation of any number of things, but mostly, I just felt really bad for the guy.

Marco Brambilla's short is worthy of an editing award as it is a two minute opus that simply splices together thousands of nudie shots.

Gaspar Noe (who made the startling-and nauseating-Irreversible) fashions a short with an interesting point. It's too bad it takes twenty minutes to get to that point when it could have taken three minutes. Adding insult to injury, the majority of the short is shot with a head ache inducing strobe light.

In another segment, we are witness to a man having sex with an oil rig for fifteen minutes. John Deere must be turning over in his grave.

In the end, Destricted is basically porn masquerading as art. I will give it this. I was shocked and it was clearly the most sexually extreme film I've ever seen at Sundance, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good film. Quite frankly, I was more bored by Destricted than anything else. The only highlight of the experience is that we were sitting just down the row from Kelly and Jack Osbourne who had as their guest Rufus Wainwright. I fear even mama Sharon would have been shocked by all this nasty business. Ozzy has cleaned better material off the rug.

Grade: C-

Watch for my next report. Included, reviews of Adam's Apples, The Night Listener, and Glastonbury.