Reeling in the year
Reeling in the year
With the recent wave of independent films such as Clerks and Hoop Dreams bringing both public and critical acclaim, the Sundance Film Festival has become the premier American movie showcase. The Bruin was there and offers a sneak into the future of cinema.
By Michael Horowitz
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Although dismissed by some as too predictable, Parallel Sons throws a few twists into the economical mix, and stands out as thoughtful and original.
PARK CITY, Utah -- Hype and momentum, two unpredictable forces always at work in the film industry, are cornerstones of the Sundance Film Festival. As the annual awards were presented on Saturday night to the dramatic and documentary deserving, the films that emerged with the most festival buzz were a varied lot. The best of the movies may or may not have received their share of the plaques, but quality pictures found recognition one way or another.
The Brothers McMullen, Edward Burns' well-liked story of three Irish Catholic brothers coping with relationships and their pitfalls, received Sundance's highest accolade, the Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic Competition. Crumb, the Terry Zwigoff-directed study of cartoonist R. Crumb's work and dysfunctional family, was chosen as best documentary of the year and picked up another award for best cinematography.
Yet the night's two big winners were joined by a handful of other pictures given awards in differing capacities.
A few of these films have distribution set up already, and hopefully some of the others will be able to acquire it based on their reception here at Sundance. With some luck, these independent films will make it to theatres over the course of the next year.
Here's a look at the best of the films in competition and the awarded movies. The 1-6 rating (6 being excellent) used by the Bruin for reviewing the following films is also the system employed by Sundance Film Festival. At the screenings, festival-goers are given ballots to decide the winner of the Audience Award.
Dramatic:
Brothers McMullen: This overrated triple character study had its share of humorous moments and honestly attempted to tackle issues of love and religion, but Burns' picture was weakened by amateur performances, simple editing and poor camera work. The small budget was no doubt a factor in the jury overlooking its serious debts, but nothing can explain bad lines delivered seriously, such as "It's got nothing to do with my balls, and everything to do with my heart!" Rating: 4
Living in Oblivion: Tom DiCillo's behind-the-scenes ode to independent filmmaking, starring Steve Buscemi, got one of the biggest buzzes of the festival. Well-tailored to the sophisticated Sundance audiences, but deemed accessible to a larger audience, Living in Oblivion has been picked up for domestic and foreign distribution. DiCillo won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for the movie. Rating: 5
Parallel Sons: Director John Young's tale of friendship between a white, small-town teen and a black correctional facility escapee was one of Sundance's most polished pieces. Although dismissed by some as too predictable, Parallel Sons throws a few twists into the economical mix, and stands out as thoughtful and original. Rating: 5
Picture Bride: Held back a year before entering the competition, Kayo Hatta's deeply personal Picture Bride ended up as the audience award winner in the dramatic set. Set upon the sugar cane plantations of colonial Hawaii, this is the story of a woman arriving to marry a man she's never met, and ultimately the experience of a generation of immigrant women. Rating: 5
Angela: Writer/director Rebecca Miller's Angela overcame early discouraging words to score big with Miller's filmmaking peers. Sundance's independent directors awarded Miller the Filmmakers Trophy for her passionate picture of two girls planning to save their manic-depressive mother. Rating: 4
Party Girl: Parker Posey's new film is destined to become both a cult classic and favorite of teenage girls everywhere. Director Daisy Von Scheler Mayer's light touch guides Posey's rave scene queen into library clerk with doses of fun and romance without striving for severe artistry. Wonderful fun with great music. Rating: 5
Four Corners of Nowhere: Steve Chbosky's ensemble of Ann Arbor twentysomethings is full of funny scenes and interesting characters, surely a better take on our generation than the studio slush we're force-fed. Yet, Nowhere's ending is equal parts ambitious and pretentious, and the message is less memorable than the jokes that tell it. Rating: 4
Heavy: Director James Mangold received an honorable mention for his work on this deliberately paced film, where the story moves an inch during the length of the film. Slow, but with strong performances, Heavy is a well-crafted piece of work. Rating: 4
Documentary:
Crumb: Brilliantly constructed over nine years, Terry Zwigoff's portrait of pop artist R. Crumb is unflinching and amazingly candid. A must see. Rating: 6
Unzipped: Co-winner of the documentary audience award, Douglas Keeve's Unzipped one-ups the latest fashion movies by following Isaac Mizrahi as he creates his annual fall fashion show. Light, but very entertaining. Rating: 5
Ballot Measure 9: Heather MacDonald tracks Oregon's controversial ballot measure to restrict civil rights for gay people with precision and insight. Rating: 5
Black Is ... Black Ain't: This picture won the Filmmakers Trophy due to its exhaustive search to discover the constitution of the black identity. Director Marlon Riggs, who died of AIDS prior to the completion of the film, was both praised and second-guessed for the wide range of issues he tackled. Rating: 4
When Billy Broke His Head ... and Other Tales of Wonder: This hard-hitting look at America's treatment of the disabled earned Billy Golfus the Freedom of Expression Award for educating the public. Rating: 4
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