Sundance - Day Nine

Everything new is old again.

Today would have to be considered a down day for me here at the festival. The work of doing these daily reports is sending me to be between 4 and 5 a.m. most nights, so my ability to get it together for an 8 a.m. screening has lessened. But my evening was also occupied Thursday, as I was attending Lapdance.

Why Lapdance? Well, last year, in it's inaugural appearance, the one night anti-festival was a crazed and memorable trip into the heart of the movie business. Matt Stone showed his first film as a director, Le Petit Package, the black and white, French language story of a man who doesn't commit suicide because just before he does, he finds that his penis can dance to melodramatic French music, thus cheering him up. Inspired lunacy. The party was held up at the now-not-working Silver Mine and features X-rated actresses, go-go girls and dozens of TVs screening not only Matt's movie, but a dozen or so others. It was crazed.

And so tonight, I was willing to wait out in the cold for an hour after the time that the press conference was called for, in order to witness the mania again. And what did I find when we finally got in? Repeated warnings about photographing the evening…a press conference that had nothing to do with movies and everything to do with the sponsors (???) of the mini-fest…and a new corporate attitude that managed to actually be more jaded and callous than any Sundance sponsorship pitfalls.

Yes, after the press conference, there were scantily clad women and crazed dancing going on. It was a party. But it wasn't any different than any of the other parties that have been going on up at Harry O's every night of the festival. It wasn't about anything anymore. And that was depressing. Eight, nine days into a festival like this, you need something to take you away. Instead, I was taken to place that I have avoided for the last week. And then, I had to listen to, frankly, idiotic rambling about how the Internet would survive its own commerciality to change the world of film. Please! If Sundance has taught us anything about the brave new world of digital and underground movies out there it is that nothing much has changed. That is, except for the creatives' ability to delude themselves into thinking that becoming as money-obsessed as any "commercial" filmmakers is somehow a step towards better art. It is what it's always been…a step towards personal wealth.

Far be it from me to get between a bunch of guys and their cash flow, but do us all a favor and next year, think like 15-year-old horndogs again. There is nothing uglier than rebellion turned innocuous.

Now, about the movies I saw today…

I couldn't get into New Waterford Girl today. I happen to be a big fan of the film's director Allan Moyle and his films about young people. So, I will try to make it there again. After being turned away, I had just enough time to catch the second half of Saving Grace, the marijuana-growing comedy starring Brenda Blethyn, "The Drew Carey Show"'s Craig Ferguson and Tcheky Karyo. The story is about a women who faces financial trouble after her husband's death and ends up growing pot to earn enough to pay her back taxes and other debts. The actors were all charming and the small village that Blethyn lives in has all the charm and charming characters of the great Local Hero. Unfortunately, due to the efforts of director Nigel Cole and/or editor Alan Strachan, the film fails to hit the heartwarming and comic notes that it seems ready to hit. It was hard to tell who to blame. All I can tell you is that using the material that they showed, virtually every scene of the movie could have been cut more effectively. It's not really fair to assume it's the editor's fault because; a) he doesn't have final say and b) I can't tell you whether there was something flawed in the inches of film a head or behind each of the scenes I would have cut differently. All I can say is, if I were Fine Line, which picked up this film for a reported festival-high $4 million, I would bring in one of those big-name hard core cutters who get called in to fix broken films (see New Line's hire of Jerry Greenberg on American History X) and have it re-cut before release. It might cost a few hundred thousand, but it would really, really be worth it. A near miss is still a miss.

And then there is Urbania. Oy! At first, there was mediocre buzz on this film. Then, it got more intense. And so, I went. And for two acts, I suffered. The film had at least a dozen walk-outs. I like actors Dan Futterman, Matt Keeslar and Alan Cumming well enough. But the film seems to be going in little tiny grating circles forever. And then all of a sudden, as we get the groundwork clarified in the third act, the film suddenly clarifies its vision: It's a gay variation on The Sixth Sense. Why did the film have to tug at my teeth for near an hour before getting to the magic? Don't ask, don't tell.

Tomorrow is the last day of press screenings here at the festival. I will try to catch the much talked about Human Traffic and the less talked about Human Resources. Curiosity about Radha Mitchell's follow-up to High Art might get me to Everything Put Together. And I'd love to catch the rest of the Eyes of Tammy Faye. Unfortunately, despite many review requests, American Psycho has stopped screening. So, I'll have to wait for an L.A. screening. Sorry.

Tomorrow on KABC, George and I will welcome author Emmanuel Levy, who wrote Cinema of Outsiders, a book on indie film that focuses heavily on Sundance and maybe we'll have some other surprises too.

READER OF THE DAY: Ellen writes: "Here's my unadulterated Golden Globes review: Joan & Melissa need to hang up the mother/daughter pre-show act...it's trite & BORING! Speaking of boring, could Robert DeNiro have looked any more unamused? Oy vey Barbra...could your speech have been any longer? Hilary Swank & Halle Berry were very gracious & totally deserving of their awards. Kevin Spacey was ROBBED on the Best Actor award (sorry Denzel)!!! Was Sarah Jessica Parker nude? Did Michael J. Fox seem a little nervous? Oh, Barbra's, still talking...hey, what's up with the sparkly sweater dress thing?! Jim Carrey was very charming & funny, but Man On the Moon was NOT a comedy! Someone should have told Courtney Love to have her cat declawed...he ruined her dress! Gwyneth & Lara, were your stylists on vacation? On drugs? Now Barbra just said something about Jim Brolin being a genius...hahahahahaha!! American Beauty - Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Director...OK! Pedro Almodovar, you are no Roberto Benigni! TV show awards...uh, I really wasn't paying attention to that part. Well, it looks like Shirley Maclaine finally dragged Babs off to do some meditation & channeling! Good Night Folks!"

---

E ME: Ellen will be in the big room every Monday - Friday. Don’t forget to tip your waitresses!