It’s safe to say that ScreenCrave didn’t quite agree this years Sundance Film Festival Awards Winners, though we applaud those filmmakers and admit to not seeing some of the winning films, we liked a whole different group of film! Between three of us covering, Brendan Walsh, Christie Ko and myself, we saw over 40 films at the festival, and out of those 40, these are our top 10 films that we feel you HAVE to see out of this years ‘dance….

10. The Way, Way Back

One of the highly talked about films of the festival, not just for it’s quality but it’s price tag! Fox Searchlight bought the film for over $10 million, one of the highest prices at the fest. The film has already been a Summer 2013 release date by Fox and here’s what we thought…

“The Way, Way Back  is certainly enjoyable and charming enough to justify a wide release to broad audiences, and its quirky cast and sensitive performances make it a strong fit for the Sundance Film Festival.”

Full Review of The Way, Way Back

9. Mud

Jeff Nocholas has has another great Sundance. His film Mud was picked up and will be distributed later this year by Roadside Attractions on April 26, 2013. We thought….

“Director and screenwriter Jeff Nichols wowed us all in 2011 with Take Shelter and this year returns to Sundance Film Festival with Mud. Though Take Shelter was amazing, it was wonderful to see him return with something completely different, showing that he’s far more than a one trick pony, while still retaining a number of the qualities that we were first impressed by.”

Full Sundance Review of Mud

8. C.O.G

This is one of the only films that was so requested, that it had to have an additional Press & Industry screening added simply because it was so popular. BUT, the film has yet to sell. We’re sure it won’t be long though…

It does justice to the tone of the essay on which it is based and has excellent performances by Groff, Denis O’Hare, and the rest of the cast. It manages to be funny, scary, somber, and hopeful in a way that feels effortless.

Full review of C.O.G

7. Computer Chess

This is the only film on our list that does not have a release date but did actually win one of the award at the fest! It was awarded The Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, which received a $20,000 cash award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Personally, we loved it…

This has been the best surprise I’ve had at Sundance so far; I walked in, was confused for a few minutes… and then was positively swept away by the comedy and the strangeness that had me grinning from ear to ear, all the way through to the twisted ending.

Full Review of Computer Chess

6. Toy’s House

One of the least star-powered, but most creatively powered films, Toy’s House, pack emotion and laughs, and was bought by CBS Films while at the festival. It has yet to receive a release date but we’re hoping for a Spring release…

This was a genuinely fun film to watch. It had meaning and depth that came off quite effortlessly through it’s unique wit and perspective.

Full Review of Toy’s House

5. Sound City

The only film on this list left in limbo… no distribution is set for this film and it won no awards, but we still like it!

The Foo Fighters front man exhibits an intimate film with a playful nature, and the kind of forthright, unabashed enthusiasm for music performance that only Grohl himself could deliver… Dave Grohl is so sincere and charming that his movie washes over the audience with great ease.

Full Review of Sound City

4. The East

Another Fox Searchlight film, that was bought before the festival. It has yet to receive a release date but we can’t imagine it’ll be that long seeing at how star-studded and very fun film is released…

This film is big in presentation and scope, filled with recognizable and talented faces, and yet still packs some provocative punches. Probably one of the most enjoyably stressful films of the festival, this film has you on the edge of your seat and intrigued the whole way through… When done right, subversive is the best thing for a film, and this film knew exactly how to entice audiences without excluding them.

Full Review of The East

3. S-VHS

Far outdoes its predicesor with the fantastic directors all showing up and helping to create a fantastic horror film. The film is still in limbo, but it won’t be for long. Find it before it finds you…

This year, Barrett, Wingard & Co. return with a badass, stakes-raising collection of new films which elevate the series to a whole new level.  It’s exciting, impressive, and completely wild.  It’s easily more enjoyable than the first installment, and if the series continues in this vein, it may end up being a celebrated launching pad for the careers and collaborations of independent horror filmmakers for a long time  to come.

Full Sundance Review of S-VHS

2. Don Jon’s Addiction

It’s been proven, there’s nothing cinematically that Joseph Gordon-Levitt can’t do. This film was brilliantly made by Joseph Gordon Levitt’s company and Dimension Films and will be releasing it in the US and Canada on October 4, 2013. Don’t miss it!

Probably one of the most refreshing and unique comedies at the fest, this film does more than just deliver salacious sex scenes and big laughs, but also meaning and an important message about consumption.

Full Sundance Review of Don Jon’s Addiction

1. Stoker

This film is not to be missed. Luckily, while at the festival, getting gasped at by audiences, it received a release date of March 1st, 2013. Lucky for you, you won’t have to wait long to see it.

Despite my love for a number of the indie filmmakers at Sundance, there’s just no comparing Park’s expertise and keen eye for story-telling. His craft is far superior to others and he demonstrates this by creating a challenging, beautiful, expertly well made film, that is truly an inspiring… Stoker slowly unravels, revealing one piece of the puzzle at a time… [Park] meddles with perceptions of good and evil, with clever visual styles and characters that will have you wildly fascinated, repulsed, intrigued and completely enchanted by.

Full Review of Stoker

Runners Up:

We loved these three films, sadly they just skimmed our top 10 list, but still come very highly recommended!

• Sightseers
• Austenland
• Blue Caprice

Definitely one of the more mainstream films at Sundance this year, Fox Searchlight presents to us The East, star-studded with Sundance Darling Brit Marling, along with Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez and Patricia Clarkson. This film is big in presentation and scope, filled with recognizable and talented faces, and yet still packs some provocative punches. The film tackles political topics from difficult stances and does it all with a cult-worship premise. When done right, subversive is the best thing for a film, and this film knew exactly how to entice audiences without excluding them.

The Players:

• Director: Zal Batmanglij
• Screenwriter(s): Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
• Cinematographer(s): Roman Vasyanov
• Starring: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell, Shiloh Fernandez, Patricia Clarkson

Sundance Synopsis:

Ex-FBI agent Sarah Moss is hired to go undercover and investigate The East, a group of anarchists harassing corporate CEOS by forcing them to consume the harmful products that their companies make. The further into the journey she goes, the more she grows to sympathize with the powerful group.

The Good:

• The Suspense: Probably one of the most enjoyably stressful films of the festival (other than Stoker), this film has you on the edge of your seat and intrigued the whole way through. The end becomes a touch formulaic, but only compared to it’s wonderfully offbeat first and second act.
• Performances: They were all honest and felt important, not only to the story but in some kind of grander way. The ensemble was very equal across the board with Marling expectedly unexpected, Page bad-ass and yet vulnerable, and it was a relief to see Skarsgard without his fangs and with some depth.
• The Unfolding of the Story: The story doesn’t just let you in, it allows you to enter piece by piece. The first act does an especially good job at being a mainstream cop/thriller, while also being an odd indie film.
• The Cult: It’s hard to build a cinematic cult without it appearing contrived over indulgent. For “normal” people, there are certain aspects of a cult, that no matter how real they are, they’re hard to believe. Cinema is always trying to persuade you to believe the world you see on the screen, and when it’s trying to bring you into a world that audiences don’t believe or understand on principle, it’s tricky. Not impossible, simply tricky, and more often than not, people fail when trying. This film does not fail. It had just the right amount of crazy, mixed with just enough explanation to make it seem somehow real and possibly even justified.

The So-So:

• The Simple Twist: It’s too difficult to talk about the ending without ruining the joy of the film. So while intentionally trying to be both vague for those who haven’t seen the film, and clear for those who have, the scene at the end with Brit Marling and Patricia Clarkson felt like it was too obvious. Marling’s character would never have been so transparent at this point in the game.
• The Last Act: Though “bad” is too harsh of a word for it, the end was the least suspenseful part of the film and didn’t leave me pondering or as emotionally effected as I wanted to be, or as I was at the start. It feels as if there was a riskier choice that was passed by. Possibly another ending. This ending is probably better for a wide release, BUT I couldn’t help but wonder if there was another ending that would have been riskier and possibly more successful.

Overall:

Fun film, great topics, it’s challenging enough to make it enjoyable and different, but easy enough to swallow that it doesn’t alienate people and makes for an easy watch amongst almost any audience.

Rating: 8.8/10

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his feature directorial debut with Don Jon’s Addiction at this years Sundance Film Festival. A triple threat, Gordon-Levitt also stars in and writes the comedy, which focuses on his character’s journey to finding a more fulfilling sex life. Probably one of the most refreshing and unique comedies at the fest, this film does more than just deliver salacious sex scenes and big laughs, but also meaning and an important message about consumption. Damn, Levitt! Looks like you might be handing yourself an award at the award ceremony!

The Players:

• Director/Screenwriter: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
• Cinematographer: Thomas Kloss
• Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, Glenne Headly, Rob Brown, Brie Larson

Synopsis:

Don Martello objectifies everything in his life, including women, earning him the nickname Don Jon for his ability to score a ‘ten’ every weekend. Realizing that his satisfaction comes mainly from watching porn, he sets out to find a more fulfilling sex life and learns very different lessons of life from two women he meets along the way.

The Good:

• The Message: In this seemingly controversial film, packed solid with porn, was possibly one of the sweetest and most honest messages about romance. Love, sex, partnership, is something almost everyone strives for. So businesses have found ways to corner the market with porn, sexy advertisements and even romantic comedies to try and give people want they want — a fantasy about what love really is. A bit of pleasure isn’t a bad thing in any way, the problem is when we’re so inundated with fantasies, that sometimes people opt out of life. Through this non-rom-com, rom-com Gordon-Levitt was able to shine a light on a number of the ways that we distract and disillusion ourselves, in an attempt to buy the life we want or are told me want, instead of living the one we have.
• The Acting: Gordon-Levitt dominates this film. He obviously knew it from all angles and did a great job with directing himself. His accent was so spot on, it was hard to tell who was talking at first. That being said, his supporting cast was also just as amazing. I never could have imagined finding Scarlett Johansson anything but gorgeous, but when she gets going with her long nails, gum-chomping, Jersey accent, she was wonderfully hate-able. It was so much fun to watch her take that risk and wildly succeed. Tony Danza and Glenne Headly were amazing together, and it was great to see the two work off each other. Julianne Moore is a fantastic crazy lady who is always adds depth to every roll she’s in. And Brie Larson, brought the laughs and the knowledge with only one line — she rocks.
• The Presentation: The first 5-10 minutes of the film feel like they want to shock you, they feel almost pretentious and like they are trying to force your attention, but then the film drops into what it really is, and all that front, suddenly adds to the films depth and gives more meaning to the message.
• Sex Scenes: As stated, there’s a lot of porn in this film, BUT when you finally get down to the “real sex” in the film, it’s some of the most realistic, passionate and emotionally honest portrayals of sex on film. And the use of condoms in all the sex scenes, was not only realistic and important, but showed responsible filmmaking.

The Bad:

• Got nothing…

Overall:

This was a genuinely entertaining film, that is very well made, has no excess baggage anywhere, and reveals an important message about love and honesty through the veil of porn. Fun times!

Rating: 8.5/10

Korean director Chan-Wook Park and his team have created an absolutely stunning film, that demonstrates their truly advanced skills at bringing a story to life. With his first language film, Stoker starring Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska, and Matthew Goode premiering at Sundance and wowing audiences, it’s clear that Park’s about to show the US what filmmaking really is. Stoker slowly unravels, revealing one piece of the puzzle at a time, and always having you fully engaged to all that he’s presenting to you. He meddles with perceptions of good and evil, with clever visual styles and characters that will have you wildly fascinated, repulsed, intrigued and completely enchanted by.

The Players:

• Director: Chan-Wook Park
• Screenwriter: Wentworth Miller
• Cinematographer: Chung-Hoon Chung
• Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver

Sundance Synopsis:

After India Stoker’s father dies in a car accident, her mysterious and handsome uncle Charlie moves in with her and her unstable mother Evelyn. While sensing that her uncle’s motives are sinister, she startlingly begins to become infatuated with him, forming a disturbing rivalry between her and her mother. Time spent with her uncle also leads to the discovery of more haunting details of how her father really died.

The Good:

• The Acting: Truly amazing performances all around. Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode both give wonderfully complex performances, that are equally subtle as they are strong and captivating. Nicole Kidman gives a beautiful performance by playing a tragic character that you’re both sympathetic to and bewildered by. She also gives one hell of a monologue that will not soon be forgotten. And it was lovely to see Jacki Weaver pop in and show us once again why we love her.
• Lack of Words: Many indie films try to over explain what’s going on and how everyone is feeling. The beauty of this film is that you don’t need many words to understand exactly what’s going on. The film is dense and so packed with visual direction that the words merely add to the story without over explaining it.
• The Colors: You could pause this film at any moment and you would have a piece of work to hang on your wall. From the stunning uses of lighting and costumes, to the cinematography and the intriguing performances given by all, every detail in the film was beautiful, with purpose and packed with emotion .
• The Sound: Normally one of the most over-looked but shockingly important aspects of a film. The lead character in this film has a heightened ability to hear things, and the way that they play with this is eery and yet wildly alluring. You can’t take your ears off this film. The use of such fascinating sound design mixed with a beautiful score, keeps your attention on the screen at all times. A pencil sharpener has never been more interesting on screen before.
• The American Risk: Though this is one of Park’s most tame films, it still has those qualities that we’ve come to expect from him. His films generally are far riskier and more unique than a number of other films in its category. He manages to capture the qualities of his former films, with nods to them, all within an American setting. The story is unique, the film is well made, and I for one can’t wait to see how US audiences relate to his first English language film.  Hopefully it will be the first of many.
• Everything Matters: Filmmakers add things to a film because they’re “cool” all the time, but they don’t know how to  give those “cool” things meaning. I take the dress that Nicole Kidman wears in the end for my example. It’s stunning, could be out of place, and yet, it’s not. Yes, when she’s posed in from of a window with similar colors, it’s a piece of art, but there’s more to it than that. We see directors adding in dresses or other “cool” things to films all the time and we accept it by saying “well it’s cinema.” Then suddenly a film like this comes along and you understand where those “cool” ideas came from. With Park, those moments are not just placed into the film, they’re a part of it, and a thousand little details were woven into that one moment, the one choice. Therefore the beautiful dress was not just there to look stunning, but it made sense and important for the story. It made the film truly complete and well rounded. Proving that Park is not the imitation, he is what’s cool.

Overall:

Despite my love for a number of the indie filmmakers at Sundance, there’s just no comparing Park’s expertise and keen eye for story-telling. His craft is far superior to others and he demonstrates this by creating a challenging, beautiful, expertly well made film, that is truly an inspiring to any film-maker or film-lover.

Luckily, while at the fest, it received a release date in March 2013, so you don’t have long to wait!

Overall: 9.5/10

Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ Toy’s House introduces a new level of teenage angst through a comedic look at a group of boys who decide to fix their troubles by building a house in the woods and becoming men. A fresh cast of newcomers paired with some of the best comedians makes for a truly enjoyable coming-of-age comedy with some unique twists.

The Players:

• Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
• Screenwriter(s): Chris Galletta
• Cinematographer(s): Ross Riege
• Starring: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Alison Brie, Mary Lynn Rajskub

Synopsis:        

Frustrated by his single father’s lack of stability in his life, Joe Toy ventures off into the woods with his best friend and a strange acquaintance to build a house and finally have freedom over their lives.

The Good:

• Nick Offerman: He’s one of the best straight-faced comedians working today and although he’s absolutely the funniest part about this film, he also gives an in-depth and dare I say, sweet performance that shows that he potentially has a lot more than Ron Swanson to offer the world.
• Megan Mullally: She’s just the best at playing someone you love to hate.
• The Comedy/Tragedy: Watching so many heart-felt tragedies at Sundance sometimes leaves you a bit bruised and in need of a quality comedic experience. This film had some very serious topics, but if dealt with them in a very off-the-cuff, fun way, allowing for it to be a fast-paced and enjoyable way to tackle some family issues.
• New Faces: It’s hard to break into “the biz” and often times, you find teenagers who are still in the process of honing their craft, but not in this film. These boys were exciting to watch. They all owned their characters, came off as professional, and I never knew what to expect from them next. They keep your on your toes and all are impressive young talents who will likely be snatched up by more projects soon. There’s nothing better than being impressed by some up-and-comers.
• Unbelievable/Believable: One of the biggest tricks to these kinds of films is taking an unrealistic idea and selling it to an audience as something plausible. This film has heightened characters and a crazy premise, but it was incredibly easy to swallow.

The Bad:

• POV: This film and these characters are bursting with so much creativity, it would have been nice to see this film through a more imaginative, boyish perspective. These are young teenage boys who fix their problems by building a home in the woods with slide from the bedroom to the den. Though it was beautifully shot, it was hard, it was done so from a very grown-up, professional perspective and not a POV that supported the story.
• Timeline: There’s a HUGE chunk of the movie where things get a little tricky to understand, because you have no idea how much time they’ve spent doing all of this. The house seems to be built in a couple of hours and it’s not until the end of the film that you understand exactly how long they’ve been away for.

Overall:

This was a genuinely fun film to watch. It had meaning and depth that came off quite effortlessly through it’s unique wit and perspective.

Rating: 8.5/10

One of the more simple and yet extremely touching films of this years Sundance is Director David Lowery’s feature film starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints. The film tells the story of a passionate couple, who would do anything for one another, and are caught on the wrong side of law in the midst of a crime spree in Texas. Tense, powerful, and poignant, Lowery’s film captures the raw and painful truth as many of the best westerns do.

The Players:

• Director/Screenwriter: David Lowery
• Cinematographer: Bradford Young
• Starring: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine

Sundance Synopsis:

Bob Muldoon and Ruth Guthrie, passionately in love with each other, face the pains of separation when Muldoon takes the blame for Guthrie’s gunshot to an officer. He escapes four years later, determined to find Ruth and their new daughter who was born during his incarceration.

The Good:

• The Feel: This film looks, feels and sounds great. The color palate is beautiful and really helps embody the struggles of the characters. The costumes are extremely well done and most importantly, not over-done. The music is well used, and isn’t over-bearing, and when it kicks in, it’s powerful and highly effective. Overall, as with any western, the tone and ambiance play just as big of a role in the film as the actors and this film does a solid job at creating a beautiful world for this story to take place in.
• Relationships: This film takes it’s time developing its relationships between characters and really shows you every perspective of this tangled web. Relationships aren’t an easy thing and this one is especially complex. Where this film succeeds the most, is that is allows you to take in all the moments, it builds your trust as it goes and it lets you experience this story instead of just watching it.
• Acting: There’s not a bad performance in this film. Everyone in it, strongly grasped the world Lowery placed them in and indulged in it. Casey Affleck is somewhat of an indie champ, who’s no stranger to a cowboy hat, and though everyone in the film was wonderful, his performance was especially intriguing. Ben Foster seems to have one of the smallest egos for an actor, he shows up to serve the role and in doing so, is simple and yet wildly complex. Rooney Mara just keeps shape-shifting and with every film her career grows and she keeps impressing me.

The So-So:

• Bit Slow: Personally, I was invested in these characters and their story, but there were a number of people who wanted it to clip along a bit faster and I can’t say they were completely wrong. This is one of those stories you either buy or you don’t, and if you don’t, it could potentially be a snooze-fest.
• The Ending: NO SPOILERS! There were possibly a few more cards to play here, and it would have been nice to see the B-story come in a bit sooner and play a bigger part in the ending.

Overall:

This was a well-made film with beautiful performances. It’s not the easiest watch, as it asks its viewers to pay attention, get invested and come up with their own opinions. But if you’re up for it, it’s a solid film and well worth watching.

Rating: 8/10

Sundance is getting geeky! In most of the modernized world, searching for information no longer requires a trip to the library or an interview with an elder, but simply a few words in the search engine to get whatever you need. It seems second nature, and it’s an almost foolproof way of finding information-but what if Google wasn’t satisfied just yet? Director Ben Lewis documents the controversial actions of Google to digitize every printer word on the planet and break the already stretched out boundaries on just how much you can find online in Google and the World Brain.

The Players:

• Director: Ben Lewis
• Cinematographer: Frank Lehmann

Synopsis:        

Unknown to most of the world, Google has set in motion plans to scan and digitize everything printed on the planet, but not with much support. Protesters claim that it will be a form of theft due to copyright laws, dominate our cultural heritage, and slow down our minds by accustoming them to short and easy sentences rather than complex ideas.

The Good:

• Research: There’s no doubt that these filmmakers know their stuff. They have delved deep into this argument and understand it on a level that is mind-boggling. Without having or being able to show us just about anything from Google’s perspective, they were able to take an extremely difficult topic to understand and break it up into easily digestible pieces. They also made it apparent how important all of this is, not only to writers but to humankind and progression.
• Building the Drama: This is essentially a film about making copies with little a lot of footage to back it up. You could tell the filmmakers did their best to add drama and make something out of the little they were able to show. No doubt that there may have been or possibly will be lawsuits surrounding this film.
• Want to Know More: I couldn’t help but wonder if this would have made for a better series, because of all the different ways Google effects different businesses, people and life in general.  They had to simplify the film so that audiences could take it all in, but I left wondering about what else we didn’t know about and how we may be effected in other ways that we don’t know yet.
• HG Wells: As a fan of his work, it was great to see how his works and films were weaved into the story. It showed how truly insane and yet real some of the technologies we use everyday actually are.

The Bad:

• Lack of Footage: Since Google refused to speak on the matter or let the filmmakers into the building, the film is extremely one sided. It builds up Google to be the villain, and though it’s fascinating and intriguing, without a balanced argument, you can’t trust the film. Though it’s obvious that the filmmakers are passionate and fighting for the little people, the way the film is presented is as if they’re attacking Google and not supporting the people Google have attacked. Since Google was given no voice, there was no way to know if any of this was real of merely the perspective of a group of people.
• Too Many Words: Because of the lack of footage, there were many section where their research was were merely put on screen as text with extremely dramatic music. The facts themselves are interesting, but it’s hard not to want to see or hear the facts being presented on numerous occasions.

Overall:

This is a good film, well researched and the filmmakers attempt to build up the drama on a story essentially about making copies of books is well done. Sadly, it’s hard to really side with the filmmakers because of how the film is presented. I applaud them for trying to tackle such a large beast, Google is extremely powerful and there business model is not only secretive but nearly incomprehensible to the outside world. There’s no doubt these filmmakers shed light on a issue that deserves to be listened, it’s just that they needed to be able to show more in order to have a greater effect on audiences.

Rating: 5.5/10

Director and screenwriter Jeff Nichols wowed us all in 2011 with Take Shelter and this year returns to Sundance Film Festival with Mud. Though Take Shelter was amazing, it was wonderful to see him return with something completely different, showing that he’s far more than a one trick pony, while still retaining a number of the qualities that we were first impressed by.

The Players:

• Director: Jeff Nichols
• Screenwriter(s): Jeff Nichols
• Cinematographer(s): Adam Stone
• Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard

Synopsis:

Ellis and Neckbone, two best friends who are approaching adolescence, venture into the hiding place of captivating outlaw Mud. Mud quickly connects with the boys, and decides to take them along with him on his search for true love and a safe escape to somewhere new.

The Good:

• Tye Sheridan: This kid out-acts just all the pros around him. That’s not to say that others didn’t put in great work. Matthew McConaughey’s on a kick of doing the unexpected and really pushes himself with this film. It was nice to see Michael Shannon in another Nichols’ film with a completely different character, smiling and reassuring… but Tye Sheridan is fearless, effortless and he dominates this film.
• The Look: Cinematographer Adam Stone returns from Take Shelter and once again beautifully captures the style, tone and feel of this film with the camera. You feel like you can smell the sweat on the characters and and dirt in the environment. Truly beautiful film.

The Bad:

• Reese Witherspoon: We’ve seen her in these types of roles before (not for some time but she has) and she can be amazing, but this character just doesn’t add up. There’s no convincing arch to the role. She’s simply the damsel in distress that changes her mind constantly, while getting our favorite characters into trouble. It’s fine to play the foil, but there was nothing endearing or interesting about the role.
• Perspective: The film starts out from one of the children’s perspectives, and although the story hints at it all being through his eyes, it loses track of it at times and needed to follow it through on it more. Nichols’ has taken us into the mind of a seriously ill man (or not?!) and he could have capitalized on whose story this was and whose perspective we were watching it through.
• Too Much Dialogue: The film is so beautiful, the actors are really great, it seemed like there were just a few too many words on the page for them to say.

Overall:

Good film, worth seeing, interesting and beautiful to watch… just not all that I had hoped for walking into the theater. Perhaps my expectations got in the way of my experience.

Rating: 7/10

Award winning director Michael Winterbottom re-teams up with Steve Coogan to tell the story of Paul Raymond the man formally known as “The Richest Man in Britain” for his gentlemen clubs and work in the adult entertainment industry. The story shows us the obstacles he faced along the way to his frowned upon empire in Look of Love. And though Coogan’s name leads the way, be sure to note that this is NOT a comedy. It’s a drama with a number of witty lines and comedic moments, that ultimately tells the story of charismatic man’s climb to the top and what he lost on the way…

The Players:

• Director: Michael Winterbottom
• Screenwriter: Matt Greenhalgh
• Cinematographer: Hubert Taczanowski
• Starring: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Imogen Poots, Tamsin Egerton

Synopsis:        

Paul Raymond, known as the “King of Soho”, decides to revamp London’s 1950’s adult entertainment industry with a chain of classier gentleman’s clubs and magazines. His shoot to fame leads to a failed marriage, troubled children, and negative press, along with one very personal tragedy.

The Good:

• The Ladies: In a film all about a charismatic, rich, lecherous highly successful business man, surrounded by topless women, it was lovely to see so many strong female performances. Anna Firel, Imogen Poots ann Tamsin Egerton, all did more than just look good naked, they created strong, interesting, dynamic characters that really made this film so strong.
• The Topic: Aside from all the naked women, covering someones life is always tricky and can be tiring for an audience. They tackled the topic in a very balanced way, and did a great job at showing numerous vast moments in his life, and hinting at where it all comes from without spelling it out. Which in turn allowed for them to cover far more than a normal bio-picture and let the audience do some of the work on their own.
• Coogan/Winterbottom: The two are equally as unpredictable in their film choices and both create characters that few filmmakers would table.  It was lovely to see them together again and giving this story life.

The Bad:

• No Heart: It’s hard to watch a character, who while entertaining, really does nothing good with his life. He spends his time getting laid and never really taking care of anyone else, and the one big devastation in his life, it’s hard not to see coming. Paul Raymond is a strong character, and though it was clear what drove him and what we wanted in life, I never cared about him or for him on any level and therefore couldn’t really feel much for the film.

Overall:

I left this film feeling moderately entertained but not really effected. This was one of those films that was just fine, but other that all the nudity (which can only take one so far), there wasn’t much about it that was outside of the box.

This film could use a little trimming and sprucing up around the edges, and hopefully it will before it gets released. It’s a fun ride, but by no means something that will blow you away.

Rating: 6.5/10

Every Sundance needs a darling and a film that leaves you lost in your own thoughts. Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes is one of those defiantly Sundance films, with everything from it’s long and mysterious title, to it’s opening voice-over narration, to it’s quirky characters who don’t follow the rules of decorum, and it’s unique perspective on one tiny crack in the world where a group of people are just trying to get by.

This was not my favorite film here, but it’s the one I can’t shake…

The Players:

• Director/Screenwriter: Francesca Gregorini
• Producers: Matthew R. Brady, Francesca Gregorini
• Coproducers: Rooney Mara, Tatiana Von Furstenberg,
• Cinematographer: Polly Morgan
• Principal Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Frances O’Connor, Jimmi Simpson, Aneurin Barnard

Sundance Description:

Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes is a hyperstylized and often darkly humorous film that vacillates between surrealism and realism while it incorporates suspenseful drama. Writer/director Francesca Gregorini’s tightly constructed script fuses pain with poetry and explores the complexity of being complicit in the lives of our loved ones.

The Good:

• Women with Mommy Issues: Film festivals are packed with sons and their mommy issues and daughters with their father issues, but rarely do you get a female driven film, where the men play the support to women with mommy issues. It’s a refreshing POV and extremely well handled. It’s in no way whiny or overly feminine, while still allowing the woman to run the show.
• Visuals: This film lives in a world all its own and does a beautiful job at creating an environment that sucks you in and allows you to visually experience the fantasy of the story. With hyperstylized looks, beautiful costumes, bright colors and some lovely uses of water and light, this film is visually very well crafted.

The Bad:

• Over Darling-ed: As much as Sundance darlings are needed, this film had a number of convenient moments, forced scenes, dialogue for dialogues sake, overly childish reactions from characters, and a little too much of pushing and saying the issues, rather than letting us experience them. This is a common problem with dramatic films are the festival and one that out in the real world, often leads to a film becoming great or buried.

Overall:

This film was not a fun ride, it had moments that felt contrived and a lead character that was given too much dialogue and overly indulged… and yet it’s left me in this mind-melt. The film has its faults, but I couldn’t shake it and still can’t. It leaves you off balance and in need of finding your own stability all while toying with your own thoughts and perspectives.

It was powerful, it was meaningful, and if there’s one thing I think the world of cinema is missing, it’s exactly this kind of filmmaking.

Rating: 7.5/10

Get on-demand Hot Cocoa Saturday and Sunday morning (the 19th and 20th) at Sundance! That’s right, the on demand car service Uber is offering an on-demand gourmet hot cocoa service! Tomorrow morning, while you’re waiting in line for tickets in 10 degree weather, access #UberCocoa via the Uber app and they’ll deliver your hot drinks directly from The Riverhorse on Main (a Forbes 4 Star/ DiRōNA Award winning restaurant)….

Here’s how it works: download the Uber app for your iPhone or Android.  Give it a tap the instant you need a ride, and a warm SUV will be cutting through the cold to give you a ride to your destination.  And since your card information is saved on the app, you won’t be forced to pass around any credit cards, either.

And as an added bonus,Uber will even throw in a pair of touch screen gloves per order to keep your iPhone-needy fingers from getting frozen. Not bad, right?  Check out the details:

• Select the Hot Cocoa option at the bottom right of the screen.
• Set your location and tap Set Delivery Location.
• You’ll receive an alert and #UberCocoa will arrive.
• #UberCocoa will be available in Park City only.
• Dates for #UberCocoa will be available Saturday morning (1/19) and Sunday morning (1/20) starting at 7am. **in addition to other select times**
• Make sure you take photos and tweet love to @Uber_Sundance #UberCocoa!

And if you’re looking for a ride, the shuttle isn’t showing up, taxis are no where to be found, or you just want to look cool showing up to a party in a fancy car with a driver, Uber! It’s a private driving service that provides SUVs that can pick you up in minutes via your iPhone or Android.

It’s the best way to stay warm (and on time) during the busy fest!

Will you be using Uber at Sundance 2013?

Sundance Film Festival 2013 is right around the corner and it looks to be a great year! Though there will be many surprises and breakthroughs by newcomers, some of my favorite films every year are from the returning Sundance Directing Champs. Those who, despite their giant careers, still believe in indie darlings, taking risks, pushing themselves and making films that they believe in.

Though there are a number of returning directors, actors, producers, and all kinds of filmmakers, below at the top 5 films I’m most excited to see from returning directors…

5. Prince Avalanche – Director David Gordon Green

At this point, David Gordon Green is probably better known for his popular, mainstream releases Pineapple Express, Your Highness, The Sitter, and multiple episodes of the HBO series Eastbound and Down, but he started out in the snow at Sundance.  Green broke onto the scene back in 2003 with All the Real Girls, for which he won two jury awards. He also wrote and directed Undertow and Snow Angels, which played at the Festival in 2007.

It’s great to see that despite his major releases, he’s still an indie filmmaker with films at Sundance. And though he’ll soon have the film Joe (starring Nicolas Cage) out in theaters everywhere, I’m interested to see what he’s been doing on a smaller front — often those tend to be the more interesting projects because they don’t have the same pressures to please.

Showtimes:

• 1/20/2013 2:30 pm Library Center Theatre, Park City
• 1/21/2013 3:00 pm Egyptian Theatre, Park City
• 1/24/2013 8:30 am Library Center Theatre
• 1/25/2013 9:00 pm Salt Lake City Library Theatre

More Film and Ticket Info – Sundance Website

4. Don Jon’s Addiction – Director Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is actually a returning director to the festival, as he directed a short film entitled Sparks back in 2009, but that’s not what makes him a Sundance Darling or Champ. The fact that he’s been in seven Sundance films including Hesher, (500) Days of Summer, Brick, Mysterious Skin, and Manic, had an installation for his own company hitRECord in 2010 which had a live premiere last year at the festival 2012, and maybe the fact that he’s hosting the awards this year (I wonder what will happen if he has to give himself an award?), is what makes him a mighty returning champ.

He’s a filmmaker that has put in his time and worked his way up the indie (and mainstream) ladder. Though sometimes we cringe at actors turned directors, it seems like Gordon-Levitt has a solid chance at being able to cross the divide. Hopefully this year he shows us that he’s got the ability to pull off a feature film from in front and behind the camera.

Showtimes:

• 1/18/2013 6:30 pm Eccles Theatre, Park City
• 1/19/2013 9:00 am Eccles Theatre, Park City
• 1/19/2013 6:30 pm Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Salt Lake City
• 1/21/2013 6:00 pm Sundance Resort Screening Room,
• 1/22/2013 2:30 pm Library Center Theatre,
• 1/26/2013 12:15 pm Eccles Theatre, Park City

More Film and Ticket Info – Sundance Website

3. Mud – Director Jeff Nichols

Two words – Take Shelter. Back in 2011 I was utterly blown away by this film. Jeff Nichols took a high concept, mixed in a detailed character drama, added some of the most talented up and coming actors, and then sprinkled in some well-used VFX that showed he wasn’t afraid to take risks and break boundaries. Though the film didn’t go on to win any awards at Sundance that year (sadly), it did proceed to premiere at Cannes and win the Grand Prix award.  Nichols’ newest, Mud, premiered at Cannes back in May 2012, and I can’t wait to see it finally.

That coupled by the fact that Matthew McConaughey has become wonderfully unpredictable as of late, makes for a potentially fascinating film.

Definite must-see despite it’s long runtime of 130 minutes.

Showtimes:

• 1/19/2013 8:30 pm The MARC
• 1/20/2013 6:30 pm Peery’s Egyptian Theater
• 1/22/2013 9:00 pm Tower Theatre
• 1/23/2013 6:30 pm Redstone Cinema 1
• 1/26/2013 8:45 pm Egyptian Theatre

More Film and Ticket Info – Sundance Website

2. The Look of Love – Director Michael Winterbottom

Michael Winterbottom has won more festival awards than most of the people on this list, he’s original, dynamic, and unafraid, but what I love about him is that his screenings aren’t boring. He churns out good films, but also good reactions. Back in 2010, after The Killer Inside Me, I’ll never forget the hush that fell over the 500 some viewers in Eccles (listen now), only to be followed by one woman screaming obscenities at Winterbottom himself while others screaming at her for being rude and EVERYONE wanting to voice their opinion — one thing Winterbottom can do is ignite passion and emotion in his viewers.

Seeing as he also had The Shock Doctrine there that year, it seemed he had some aggression he needed to get out of his system. This year he’s back with a seemingly very different kind of film, and with one of his own returning acting champs, Steve Coogan. Coogan and Winterbottom make for a great team, with The Trip and the classic 24 Hour Party People under their belts.  As such, I can say they have my attention and I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with for this years fest.

Showtimes:

• 1/19/2013 6:00 pm Eccles Theatre
• 1/20/2013 9:00 am Eccles Theatre
• 1/23/2013 6:30 pm Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
• 1/24/2013 9:00 pm Sundance Resort Screening Room
• 1/26/2013 8:30 pm The MARC

More Film and Ticket Info – Sundance Website

1. Stoker – Director Park Chan-Wook

Out of all the vampire films over the last decade, Park Chan-Wook’s Thirst is the only must see. Probably his most well known work, Oldboy made its premiere at Sundance back in 2003, followed by Lady Vengeance in 2005. This is a director who needs very few words because his images and the performances say it all. Stoker will be his first English language film, which is a little off-putting, but I guess that’s the only way for for his film to have a shot at receiving a wide release. His films may be violent but his quality of filmmaking and the beauty in which he shows such grotesque images cannot be paralleled.

Luckily he cast his film with Sundance acting champs, Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver and Nicole Kidman.

No doubt there’s going to be something interesting to see her and that this will likely be one of the most visually stunning films of the festival. Don’t miss it!

Showtimes:

• 1/20/2013 6:30 pm Eccles Theatre
• 1/21/2013 9:00am Eccles Theatre, Park City
• 1/23/2013 9:00 pm Sundance Resort Screening Room
• 1/25/2013 6:30 pm Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
• 1/26/2013 6:30 pm Peery’s Egyptian Theater, Ogden

More Film and Ticket Info – Sundance Website

What films are you most excited to see or hear about from Sundance 2013?