Sundancers

The Bone and I - Good times in warmer climes.

Given that it's new year, I've made two simple New Year's resolutions; Spend more time with my family, and see more movies. 2005 was a rather rough year for me, and as a result, I saw considerably less films than I have in the past. I'm optimistic that 2006 will take me in a new direction, and The Sundance Film Festival will certainly be a good start.

This year, I'll be braving the freezing cold temperatures of Park City, Ut with our very own Boneman. This will be my twelfth year while, surprisingly, it will be the funny man's first. I suppose that isn't entirely true. The great one did attend a screening with me a couple year's back, but this will be the first time he's ever run the full cinematic marathon. This adds a heap load of excitement, as it's always fun to experience the festival through a first timer's eyes.

Sundance 2006 promises to be the strongest festival yet boasting hundreds of titles from film makers all over the world. Some amateur and some veteran. Included; a satirical look at the tobacco industry called "Thank You For Smoking" directed by Jason Reitman (son of Ivan), the rock fest documentary "Glastonbury" from director Julien Temple, the thriller "The Descent" from "Dog Soldiers" helmer Neil Marshall, and the latest from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind director Michel Gondrey, "The Science of Sleep". Of course these mentioned titles hardly scratch the surface. As I stated, there are literally hundreds of films to chose from and every year, there are titles that eventually emerge as hits. Sundance was the launching pad for a wide range of movies including The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Memento, Napoleon Dynamite, and last year's Hustle and Flow, just to name a few. The odd thing is, there is no buzz barometer at Sundance, because those who attend the screenings, become the buzz. In a sense, this is where it all starts. Most of the films have never been screened.

Sadly, Sundance 2006 has shaped up to be the most successful fest yet. I say sadly because this means that most screenings for the entire ten day run are already sold out. However, there are still several ways to get tickets. No, I'm not referring to e-bay (those scalpers have a lot of damn nerve). Often, there are extra seats for most screenings at Sundance. The two best ways to get tickets to sold-out films are to check out the box office in Park City or simply get in the wait list lines. Should you chose to wait list, make sure you're there a good three hours ahead of time, as these lines are usually quite massive. While three hours sounds like a long time to wait, it really isn't. The time flies particularly when you mingling with your fellow film fans in line.

Sundance has other events to offer including various film related seminars, and if music is your thing, be sure to hit The Music Café--An amazing, intimate venue (it holds in the neighborhood of 250 people) that boasts an impressive line up of talented musicians. On this year's slate; Rufus Wainwright, Imogen Heap, Bruce Hornsby, Athlete and a slew of others.

If you're a fan of movies, Sundance is worth the trek, particularly if you want to see something fresh. True, the fest has become somewhat corporate in terms of it's presentation, but the bottom line is, it's all about the films. That's why I go. I'm always looking for something new.

Look for a big Sundance report from myself and The Boneman here in the next week or so.

The Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 19-Jan. 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Sundance Canyon, and Ogden Utah. For all information, log on to sundance.org.

On a side note, rumors are swirling that Sundance might move to New York City. I believe this to be an obscene rumor, but I will check into it and report back