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Sundance Film Festival 2011 |OT|

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C

Count Dookkake

Member
Of course Exendable didn't like Hobo With a Shotgun. :p

Mark my words: it will be one of GAF's all-time favorites. It easily secures a spot in my top 5 for the year. Disgusting, offensive, great script, awesome Hauer performance, excellent music, "The Plague," clever use of budget, garish colors, knowledge of genre... I could go on and on.
 
M

MacGuffin

Member
Incendies / Canada, France (Director: Denis Villeneuve, Screenwriters: Denis Villeneuve with the collaboration of Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne, based on a stage play Incendies by: Wajdi Mouawad) — A mother's last wish sends Jeanne and Simon, twins living in Canada, on a journey to the Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Cast: Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Rémy Girard.

Incendies is very good.

I saw it at Telluride at its among my top 3 films of the year.

Poetry (South Korea) and Taqwacores were are my other two favorites so far.
 
S

Spire

Subconscious Brolonging
First Red State impressions are coming in:

David Chen – Red State is unlike anything Kevin Smith has ever done, in virtually every respect possible, and that’s what makes it the biggest surprise of the Sundance Film Festival. This film offers a non-stop barrage of violence and religious terror that will pin you to your seat. Michael Parks is a revelation (no pun intended) as the ultra-creepy religious/cult leader. But in my opinion, it’s Smith who earns the most respect from me as a result of this project. He’s taken a chance in creating something wholly different, shocking, and risky. I won’t be able to get this film out of my head for a long time to come.

Peter Sciretta – People are going to want to know how this compares to Smith’s other films. It’s so hard to compare because this is such a different movie in almost every aspect. I would say this is the best film he’s made since Chasing Amy. In this film, Smith has become something more than a comedy director — he shows real skill presenting action sequences which are both thrilling and well shot. The performances are great across the board, but particularly Michael Parks and Melissa Leo. The film is not just a horror movie but a statement (maybe too obvious at moments) about religion and government that shouldn’t be missed. That said, it isn’t without its flaws. Parks delivers a 20 or so minute sermon which should be cut down. It dragged. Also Smith inserts some comedy beats, which while funny, feel out of place in the middle of all the drama.

Germain Lussier – Yeah, that wasn’t what I expected. Red State is raw, it’s intense, it’s incredibly violent and it even has a unique voice. Kevin Smith proves that, when left to his own devices, the talent is still there. He does fall back into his old habits of letting characters talk for way too long and explain way too much all in one scene, but this really isn’t a movie that you ever expected from Smith. It’s different, flawed, but incredibly interesting and even powerful.
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Pretty much what I expected, can't wait to see it.
 
M

metsallica

Member
Mark Pellington's new film premiere yet? If so, any word? Daniel?
EDIT: Great to hear some positive word on Red State. Smith has so tightly controlled the message I was getting worried. Looks like he pulled it off!
 
E

Expendable.

Member
Red State was silly, but fun. An entertaining B-movie. It's not as smart as it thinks it is and is not really a horror film at all. The last half is a complete action movie reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan. I'm not kidding. I've give it a B-
 
S

sefskillz

shitting in the alley outside your window
expendable, get your ass to the oregonian tomorrow. i need impressions immediately, damnit
 
S

Spire

Subconscious Brolonging
Can you explain why Collider and Drew McWeeny and others are throwing such a bitch fit about Kevin Smith? Did he say something directly towards film blogs? I can't for the life of me figure out why they'd be so pissed about his new distribution model.
 
T

threenote

Banned
CaptYamato said:
I don't think I could ever walk out of a movie. No matter how shitty it is.
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Watch Antichrist with Willem Dafoe.

(I watched it on Blu, and finished it, though. Real piece of shit)
 
S

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
I want to see THE TERRYS, which will be featured in the short film catagory.

pMTHS.jpg


Two down-and-out losers conceive a child in a fit of drug-induced passion. They consider the child an abomination, but they learn that this 'special' child has a special purpose.
Click to expand...
 
S

Spire

Subconscious Brolonging
threenote said:
Watch Antichrist with Willem Dafoe.

(I watched it on Blu, and finished it, though. Real piece of shit)
Click to expand...

Wat? No.

Antichrist is also a great date movie, especially if you want to horrify your date into never having sex again for the rest of her life.
 
T

TheKaeptain

Banned
threenote said:
Watch Antichrist with Willem Dafoe.

(I watched it on Blu, and finished it, though. Real piece of shit)
Click to expand...

That is different. Walking out of a cinema is not right. People might follow suit.


Count Dookkake said:
Of course Exendable didn't like Hobo With a Shotgun. :p

Mark my words: it will be one of GAF's all-time favorites. It easily secures a spot in my top 5 for the year. Disgusting, offensive, great script, awesome Hauer performance, excellent music, "The Plague," clever use of budget, garish colors, knowledge of genre... I could go on and on.
Click to expand...

I'm holding you to this. How brutal is it?
 
G

Grimmy

Banned
Just came back from the Magnolia karaoke party with Bong Joon-ho. So awesome!!

Liked THE DEVIL'S DOUBLE a lot - Dominic Cooper is so hot!
 
C

Count Dookkake

Member
CaptYamato said:
I'm holding you to this. How brutal is it?
Click to expand...

Well, at one point
a female character has her arm chopped off and she has to use the protruding bone to fight back
. It's silly, but gross. There's also a lot of sexual violence like
people chained up and stabbed as a prelude to orgies
. Plus, when was the last time you saw a bad guy take a flamethrower to a
bus full of children
?

Imagine a smarter, better-made Troma movie set in a world on its way to becoming Escape from New York.
 
P

Prime crotch

Banned
Ahahaha Smith's bitch fits about movie critics have culminated into him self distributing his flick, I'm curious to see just how much his drooling fans will support it.
 
T

TheKaeptain

Banned
Count Dookkake said:
Well, at one point
a female character has her arm chopped off and she has to use the protruding bone to fight back
. It's silly, but gross. There's also a lot of sexual violence like
people chained up and stabbed as a prelude to orgies
. Plus, when was the last time you saw a bad guy take a flamethrower to a
bus full of children
?

Imagine a smarter, better-made Troma movie set in a world on its way to becoming Escape from New York.
Click to expand...
Ok that sounds awesome.
 
E

Expendable.

Member
metsallica said:
Waiting for word on I Melt With You. Huge fan of Arlington Road and The Mothman Prophecies.
Click to expand...

Tons of walkouts, people seem to hate it. My writer really liked it though. Review will be up soon.
 
E

Expendable.

Member
and even more coverage, but before that I saw The Convincer (a huge pile of meh), Margin Call (very strong. It is a bit repetitive, but I dug it.), The Catechism Cataclysm (low-budget, but absolutely hilarious. Stars Steve Little from EB and Down, produced by all those guys).

The Truth About ‘The Son of No One’ Sundance 2011 Press & Industry Screening
[Sundance Review] Perfect Sense (B)
[Sundance Review] Life in a Day (A-)
[Sundance Review] Circumstance (A-)
[Sundance Review] The Green Wave (A-)
[Sundance Review] Senna (A-)

Leaving tomorrow. My remaining schedule: All Your Dead Ones, Salvation Boulevard, Higher Ground, The Lie, and I Saw The Devil.
 
E

Expendable.

Member
our complete Sundance coverage!

sundance_2011.jpg


After over 100 combined viewing hours, 9 days, 5 theaters, many sleepless nights, and nearly 100 posts, our first Sundance Film Festival has come to an end. Raffi Asdourian, Daniel Mecca, and I (Jordan Raup) want to share our personal favorites from the 2011 fest. Check out our top ten below and a complete wrap-up underneath.

The Best

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (review)

elmo.jpg


The one film that really stole my heart at Sundance was Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, the inspiring and heartwarming story of Kevin Clash, the voice and genius behind one of the world's most iconic children's personality. Taking you from his childhood ambitions to a chance encounter with Jim Henson, it's hard not to be bowled over by the remarkable story of the charismatic Clash. If you grew up watching Sesame Street, then seek out Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey for an amazing journey that will leave you feeling happy like a kid again. - R. A.

Circumstance (review)

circumstance.jpg


At once a star-crossed romance and a parable for the revolutionary spirit, this Iranian drama features some of the best cinematography, writing and acting around these days. It’s a story told a dozen time in a dozen ways, but rarely this good. - D. M.

The Guard (review)

guard.jpg


Brendan Gleeson should get an Oscar for his nuanced performance as Sergeant Gerry Boyle, an Irish police office rife with contradictions and razor sharp comedic jabs. The film is a kind of mish mash of a generic crime caper wrapped in a delightful Irish comedy that feels like an Irish version of Hot Fuzz. However unlike in Fuzz where the style of Edgar Wright's filmmaking steals the show, The Guard's champion is clearly Gleeson crafting an unforgettable performance that is equally comedic as it is dramatic. - R. A.

Higher Ground

higher_ground.jpg


Vera Farmiga's directorial debut is packed with wit, laughs, and strong performances led by Farmiga herself. Higher Ground tells the life story of a woman and her spiritual struggles. While the concept may seem dry, this new director is able to keep the pace moving, while still building to a heavy emotional payoff, up to the final shot. - J. R.

I Saw The Devil (review)

devil.jpg


Every so often there comes along a foreign film that is so intense, so brutal that it quite literally leaves your jaw wide open. Such is the case with I Saw the Devil, directed by Korean filmmaker Ji-woon Kim (The Tale of Two Sisters, The Good, The Bad, The Weird) and starring the amazing talented veteran Korean actor Min-sik Choi, of Oldboy fame. Taking that same vengeance conflict cat and mouse dynamic at the center of so many classics, Kim pushes the frenetic pace of painful possibilities constantly leaving you guessing what next gruesome fate will splatter your soul. - R. A.

Life In A Day (review)

life_day.jpg


Premiering online simultaneously with the world premiere in Park City, this eye-opening doc speaks more about humanity than most narratives seen at the festival. It is a monumental achievement for crowd-sourced filmmaking and I look forward to future incarnations after Kevin Macdonald and Ridley Scott broke the ground. - J.R.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (review)

martha.jpg


One Sundance film stood above them all for me this year. I saw Sean Durkin's masterpiece early on in the fest, and it has yet to exit my mind. The striking images powered by Elizabeth Olsen's breakout lead performance, is an early contender for my best of 2011. - J. R.

The Nine Muses (review)

nine_muses.jpg


Part documentary, part experimental film, part audiobook. John Akomfrah's passionate work will challenge all those who watch it, but those who stick with it are in for a contemplative experience like nothing else. - Dan M.

Take Shelter (review)

take_shelter.jpg


After Shotgun Stories, Jeff Nichols' second film was my most anticipated coming into the fest. While it is slightly repetitive, Michael Shannon's performance, along with the the stand-out third act, makes Take Shelter one of the most memorable films coming out of Sundance. Picked up by Sony Pictures Classics pre-fest, this psychological drama will see a release by the end of the year. - J.R.

Tyrannosaur (review)

tyrannosaur.jpg


A violent love story between two incredibly scarred people, Paddy Considine’s directorial debut announces his presence as a very serious filmmaker. Featuring intense performances by Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman. - D. M.


The Rest
(click title for review)

The Honorable Mentions: The Interrupters, Win Win, My Idiot Brother, The Future, Cedar Rapids, A Few Days of Respite, The Green Wave, Senna

The Good: Margin Call, The Catechism Cataclysm, Reagan, I Melt With You, The Devil's Double, Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, The Last Mountain, Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Like Crazy, Project Nim, Elite Squad 2

The So-So: The Lie, Terri, Red State, Submarine, Shorts Program Volume 1, These Amazing Shadows, Hobo With a Shotgun, The Off Hours

The Bad: The Convincer, The Details, The Music Never Stopped, Homework, All Your Dead Ones

The Ugly: The Son of No One, The Ledge

sundance.jpg


The Interviews

‘Perfect Sense’ Director David Mackenzie
Building A Dream Project: ‘Nine Muses’ Director John Akomfrah
‘I Melt With You’ Filmmakers Talk Critical Response
‘The Last Mountain’ Director Bill Haney
Kevin Smith Talks ‘Red State’ Self-Distribution Model & More
‘Submarine’ Writer/Director Richard Ayoade
Sundance 2011 Opening Press Conference Highlights

View our complete coverage here (including all Sundance-related news) and we'll see you next year in Park City!
 
0

06nbarnhill

Member
I like like.....10 min away from Park City (great place to live btw) and never been to a single film. Someday I will rectify this.
 
E

Expendable.

Member
06nbarnhill said:
I like like.....10 min away from Park City (great place to live btw) and never been to a single film. Someday I will rectify this.
Click to expand...

I stayed with someone that works/lives on Main Street. Really beautiful area, I'd love to come back for vacation. This was my first Sundance though, had a great time.
 
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