Sundance Film Festival

There are a couple of things about me that make January a very special time of year: (1) I am a pretentious cinephile, and (2) I live in Utah. That's right! It means I have the opportunity to attend the Sundance Film Festival - an event that brings pretentious cinephiles from all over to the snowy slopes of Park City, UT, to watch independent films and make ourselves feel like we are smarter than everybody else. (spoiler alert: we're not). Robert Redford gave us all a place to gather and nerd out together.

I had the great joy of attending this year's Sundance festival - my review will be coming very soon. This was my second year attending. Both years I've only had the time and means to attend one film and so, obviously, I had to make my choice count. Last year my intuition told me to go see Beasts of the Southern Wild which took the festival by storm, winning the top awards. It was quickly picked up by a distributor, had a run through the rest of the year at the top festivals, made it into theaters across the country, and now is up for four oscars for Best Picture, Actress, Director, and Writing. I loved it. I had the opportunity to see the film at only its second public screening ever and enjoyed the Q&A with the cast and crew following the film. Most impressive was the performance of Quvenzhané Wallis, who plays the young girl, Hushpuppy, at the center of the film. She enjoys the distinction of the being the youngest person ever to be nominated as Best Actress. She's now nine years old and played the role at the age of five.

So naturally after that experience I'm sure you suspect I have prophetic abilities. That's not a responsibility I'm likely to accept - but I'll thank you for admitting merely that I have good taste. My pick for this year, the documentary Cutie and the Boxer, was awarded Best Direction in its category for the work of Zachary Heinzerling. (See my review here)

The interesting thing about Sundance is the number of films each year that make it to a wide release, either in theaters or through other avenues. Redbox, for example, usually has a number of independent films you can find that give you a better option than the usual offerings of the latest blockbusters, low quality action and horror flicks, and a string of straight to video releases. Some of the independent films I've spotted at Redboxes in my area over the past year include Another Earth, Safety Not Guaranteed, Sound of My Voice, and many others. You can find Beasts of the Southern Wild there right now. Do yourself a favor next time you head over to that crimson container and let your finger pass over The Expendables 2 and Step Up: Revolution and try on something a little more unique.

Brit Marling is a darling of Sundance. She seems to have a new movie to premiere every year.

As I reflect on the festival I can't help but think of my biggest Sundance regret. I am a humongous U2 fan - not that my actual person is large, I'm more regular-sized. I just really love U2 and their music. My favorite group made cinematic history when they premiered their 3D concert film U23D at the Sundance Festival back in 2008. I'd heard about the movie and knew it was going to be at Sundance. I just didn't make the connection that the premiere - which the entire band attended - was happening less than an hour from where I lived and that I could potentially go. Luckily I had the chance to see it in all its IMAX 3D glory on the night I proposed to my now lovely wife - and by "now lovely wife" I mean she is now my wife when before she was not. She's always been lovely.

I could've gone to a movie with Bono