Sundance movie thirteen: This movie is stupid.

I mean, it's really stupid! Hilariously, ridiculously, uproariously stupid.

If you love a good rom com, I can't decide if you'll love They Came Together from director David Wain.  Or if you'll be offended by the movie's willingness to roast the movie genre.  Although maybe this isn't a rom com.  Maybe it's a Sunromedy, a genre I created for last year's festival.

Paul Rudd plays Joel, an executive at CSR (Candy Services and Research), a mega candy store.  His company has set its sights on Molly played by Amy Poehler.  She's the owner of a mom-and-pop shop called Upper Sweet Side.  The movie opens as the two are enjoying dinner with friends.  They begin to tell the impossible story of how they met and fell in love.  They note that if it were a romantic comedy it would be the cheesiest romantic comedy ever.

What follows lives up to that promise.  It's  a relentless series of scenes that are goofy, bizarre, silly, and funny.  There's the time when they met, both dressed as Benjamin Franklin for a Halloween party.  There's Molly trying to decide what to wear when Joel shows up unexpectedly at the candy shop; in the end she goes with a suit of armor.  There's that moment, when they just can't control their passions and dive into each other, nearly destroying the apartment in the process. There's even the scene where Joel thinks all is lost and so returns to his ex-girlfriend which results in the most acrobatic make-up sex ever.  (The credits revealed the scene was choreographed and performed by Pilobolus Dance Company!)

Sure, those ideas as written here may not sound that funny.  But in the hands of bunch of goofballs, everything quickly becomes absurdly amusing.  This movie isn't going to garner any credits as an achievement in cinematic accomplishment.  But if you want to enjoy an evening at the movies (and you really want to laugh), They Came Together is pretty dang good film.

Sundance movie twelve: Rudderless

Members of the production team for Rudderless

Rudderless may be the best movie I saw at Sundance 2014. Although The Case Against 8 and To Be Takei are certainly in the running, each garnering five Jeffies.

Rudderless is the story of Sam, a big time advertising executive who waits at a bar for his son in hopes of sharing some good news. His son doesn't show and Sam sees a story on the bar's TV that there has been a shooting at his son's college.  Sam is devastated by the death of his son.

Sam loses his sleek ad-man look and becomes something of an alcoholic hermit, living in a docked boat.  After he is forced to confront a box of CDs filled with recordings of his son's songs, he ultimately decides to perform one of the songs at an open mike night.  In the audience is a young musician named Quentin.  He's emotionally taken by the song and after much effort convinces Sam to join him as a duo which ultimately becomes a band; a band that starts to experience just the tiniest bit of success.

Director William H. Macy (who has a small role in the movie) and his co-writers Casey Twenter and Jeff Robison deserve a lot of credit for crafting a startling movie that is funny, tragic, and brilliantly surprising.  This is one review that won't give any away any spoilers because the surprise in the movie is so well executed.  Few movies have delivered a twist in such a surprising and convincing way.

I also have to give a ton of credit to Mary Vernieu and Michelle Wade Byrd for some of the best casting I've seen in decades.  Billy Crudup is brilliant as Sam and his musical skills are epic.  His performance is matched scene for scene by Anton Yelchin as Quentin.  Performances by the rest of the band create a truly convincing musical drama.  Add in some adept cameos by Felicity Huffman and Selena Gomez and you have a movie that is a mighty rewarding experience.

Sundance movie eleven: If your dog and cat talk to you, be worried.

Let's say your cat talks to you. And your dog too. And this all seems normal. Let me give you a little advice. This is not normal. Get professional help immediately.

The Voices, directed by Marjane Satrapi and written by Michael R. Perry tells the story of Jerry (Ryan Reynolds) who works at the Milton Bathtub Factory. He's single and lives a life you might expect from a bachelor.  He's got a dog, Bosco and a devious cat, Mr. Whiskers.  When Jerry meets Fiona, a woman who works in accounting at the bathtub company, his conversations with his pets take a sinister turn.

If you like quirky, let's say downright weird movies that are well acted, well directed, and include bizarre scenes in which (SPOILER ALERT) people get killed in inventive ways, this movie is for you.  If like me, you find the dark comedy of strange serial-killer thrillers less than thrilling, you might want to be a little leery about seeing The Voices.

Sundance movie ten: Wow! Sundance just got really personal.

Every now and then, you attend a Sundance screening and the experience is unlike any other movie-going experience.  I've often wondered which plays a bigger role in making those experiences so rewarding.  Is it the fact that you're seeing an intriguing, inventive movie?  Or is it the fact that your seeing the movie with an audience full of movie buffs who are genuinely interested in the subject matter?

On rare occasions, it's both.  After the screening of The Case Against 8, editor Kate Amend commented on how much fun it was to watch the movie with our audience. And she was right.  The crowd laughed at all the right places and even some surprising places. We cheered and applauded at just the right moments.  And there were times when it sounded like the entire audience was in tears.

But while the audience did its part, the filmmakers gave us an amazing film that we could react to. Yes, this is a movie about gay marriage. And as many of my friends know, I support the legalization of gay marriage even though I have no intention of ever getting married; gay, straight or otherwise. This movie, however made me believe that now is the time to legalize gay marriage. And with the recent court ruling that could make Utah the 18th state to legalize gay marriage, something I didn't think would become a reality for at least another decade or two, it feels like real change is happening.

The Case Against 8 from directors Ben Cotner and Ryan White follows two california same-sex couples who challenged California's Proposition 8, a 2008 measure that repealed the right of same-sex couples to marry. Early on, the story surprises as it introduces us to one of the lead attorneys in the case, Ted Olsen.  He's the guy who represented George W. Bush when the Supreme Court awarded Bush the presidency over Al Gore.  He becomes an unlikely ally with David Boies, the lawyer who represented Gore in that same case.

This movie reminds us that we are living through an important historical moment in the civil rights history of our country. And it's exciting to see America step up and move our policies in a direction that embraces diversity and inclusion. I haven't had to hold back the tears in a movie theater this much for a long time. And yeah, I'm not getting married any time soon. But this movie made me believe that maybe, just maybe, our society is finally willing to admit that it's OK to be gay.

Sundance movie nine: Were they talking to me?

Director/writer Justin Simien and other members
of the production team and cast.

Dear White People. I guess if that's the title of your movie, I have to assume that director and writer Justin Simien was talking to me.  The movie is a rollicking satire that raises a surprisingly complex set of issues. It doesn't matter what your race is, there will be moments in this movie when the filmmakers will make you feel uncomfortable. And  that might be the reason the movie succeeds.

The story introduces us to Samantha White, a biracial student at Winchester University.  Sam opens her militant radio show with, "Dear White Poeple, the amount of black friends required not to seem racist has just been raised to two.  Sorry, your weed man, Tyrone, doesn't count." And with that, a strange tension is created as the movie pits blacks against blacks, whites against whites, blacks and whites against each other.  And yet, the movie never feels mean spirited or angry.  Well, sometimes Sam and company are angry but only in the "hey that's kind of funny" sort of a way.

The most uncomfortable moment of the movie for me involved a party.  An all-white residential hall hosts an African American-themed party.  Turns out this is a thing on college campuses across the country; white students assuming black identities for fun and frivolity.  It all comes across as extremely insensitive and out of touch. It's definitely an awkward (yet effective) moment in the movie

Dear White People revels in making fun of stereotypes.  There was only one stereotype that didn't seem like a joke.  That was the portrayal of the gay black student.  While all the straight, black men in the movie are visions of masculinity, the gay student Lionel is effeminate and mousy. That might have been interesting if it too had been played for laughs. Instead, it just seems to further a tire stereotype.

Like many of my favorite movies at Sundance, this is a story I haven't seen before at the movies. Also like many of my favorite movies it's a little rough around the edges. For its inventiveness, humor, and social commentary, this movie is definitely worth the price of admission.

Sundance movie eight: A good idea . . . or not.

The filmmakers and star of 52 Tuesdays

Sophie Hyde's film 52 Tuesdays seems like a good idea.  It's definitely a great idea if you want to get into Sundance.  Here's the concept: film your actors every Tuesday for a year.  That's right: You only film on Tuesdays.  And you film for one year.  It's actually an interesting idea. And kind of a theme this year at Sundance what with Richard Linklater's movie Boyhood achieving rave reviews.  That movie was filmed over 12 years.  That's right, I said 12 years. I haven't seen Boyhood but I'd like to.

52 Tuesdays isn't garnering the same critical acclaim. (Alright, I wrote that statement before Sophie Hyde won the world cinematic directing award for this movie.  I told you Sundance would love this idea.) And I'm OK with that. The idea of filming this movie every Tuesday for 52 weeks seems more like a gimmick than a contribution to the story. In fact, I'm still not sure why it even matters. Even if  you chose that as your strategy for creating a movie, I'm not sure I would have made it the title. The process had nothing to do with the story.  In fact, I don't think the movie would have been any different if it had been filmed in a few weeks.

Good news: the story is somewhat interesting. It's a story about a women transitioning to be a man.  Actually it's the story of a child who has a mom who is transitioning to be a man. Strangely, that doesn't seem to be an issue. I just wish the idea of the movie made the movie better. While the film is a modern story told in a modern way, I wouldn't fork over the price of admission to see this film.

Sundance movie seven: The hipsters are gonna love this. Me, not so much.

Maggie Gyllenhaal (who stars int he movie) with Frank

Sometimes, Sundance movies are frustrating. There are lots of ways movies can be frustrating. One of the most common? When the idea behind a movie is inventive, unexpected, and something you've never seen before and yet the final product disappoints. Frank, by director Lenny Abrahamson is just such a movie.

The premise: An indie, avant-garde band hires a nerdy keyboard player.  They head to a mountain cabin to record a new album. All the band members are strange.  But the strangest of all is the band leader, Frank who is never found without his plastic or papier-mache or I'm-not-sure-what-the-material-is head. Frank's weird and friendly head matches his personality perfectly.

I loved the set up for this film.  But the delivery falls flat.  And when we finally learn that Frank is really just a troubled, depressed, possibly crazy character who uses his fake head to hide from his troubled youth, it makes the movie completely predicatable. That takes the movie from a surprising, fresh idea to something expected, even obvious.  Of course, this means that Frank must lose his head, confront his past, and move on.  But I didn't want him to.  I liked the strange, quirky, friendly character that was Frank with his strange, quirky, friendly head.

The disappointing plot turns aren't the only problems with this movie  Many of the performances don't live up to the ambitions of the story.  And the desire to be strange often feels forced. If the movie had relaxed its strangeness just a bit, it would have made for a more whimsical, lyrical film that I think might have been more endearing.  Although, I'm guessing the filmmakers probably weren't going for endearing.

Sundance movie six: It's hell in God's Pocket.

Director John Slattery at the Salt Lake City
screening of God's Pocket.

I'll start with the headline: I didn't like this movie.

God's Pocket is directed by John Slattery who plays Roger Sterling on Mad Men.  As a Mad Men fan, I wanted to like this movie.  But in the end, it's a little much like Roger Sterling; ruthless and uncaring. OK, maybe sometimes there's a little bit of heart.

This is the story of a working class man whose step son is killed in an accident in what I think is 1970s Philadelphia.  His wife thinks something fishy is going on and that it wasn't an accident. She's right but never vindicated.

If you like Quentin Tarantino movies I have a feeling you'll like this. Here's the subhead: I don't like Quentin Tarantino movies.  People like to label films like this "dark comedies."  I find them troubling.  Listening to the audience laugh uproariously at so many disturbing images was frightening, particularly when one character had his eyeball popped, blood squirting everywhere. Hilarious.

But it's not just my aversion to gratuitous violence that makes me not like this movie.  Many of the performances fell short. It felt like Philip Seymour Hoffman phoned in his performance.  He was lethargic, distant, and downright slow. Maybe that was the character he was going for. But if I didn't know better, I would have thought he was drugged up during the making of this film.

Oh, and there was the creepy local newspaper reporter hitting on the character played by Mad Men's Christina Hendricks. He was almost unwatchable. Really? An attractive, troubled woman would have sex with a slimy, old guy just because he took her to the country for a picnic. That's the dream of a lot of straight men I know.  And I can say that as an old guy.

I can't completely blame the filmmakers.  I felt the plot had plenty of problems. Sure, the local mortician was a bad guy.  But I find it completely implausible that any care taker would drag a body outside and leave it in the street without facing criminal charges.  You Tarantino fans will love it!

This movie has plenty of buzz and I'm bound to be wrong, So take my review for what it's worth. But I say God's Pocket is not worth seeing.

Sundance movie five: It's good to be Takei.

Left to right: Brad Takei, George Takei,
and Jennifer Kroot.

George Takei is brilliant! And in her new film, Jennifer Kroot showcases that brilliance with skill and charm.  To Be Takei follows the 75-year-old star/activist and his husband Brad. The movie offers plenty of opportunities to reveal the humor, love, and argumentative moments that make the couple so engaging.  The structure of the film also allows the filmmaker to flash back and reveal how interesting and important Takei's life has been.  The result is a documentary that fires on all cylinders; it's emotional, funny, charming, inspiring, and even educational.

From an emotional standpoint, the story of Takei and his family being sent to Japanese interment camps is powerful.  Kroot uses footage from the time period and snappy animations to accentuate Takei's dramatic telling of the story. This is a great movie if you want to learn and understand a tragic time in our nation's history.

Director, Jennifer Kroot

I can't decide who is funnier, George or husband Brad.  George Takei, fast on his feet and ridiculously optimistic, had the sold-out crowd laughing throughout the screening. Brad, with his wise pessimism and relentless organizational skills, is the perfect straight man to Takei's unbridled fun.  Their 25-year-long relationship provides a solid backdrop against which to tell the story of same-sex marriage. I challenge anyone to watch this movie and not see gay marriage as the right thing to do. OK, it probably wouldn't change the minds of most of my conservative friends. But it might make them at least consider the idea from a new perspective.

The cast and movie team.

Takei is also a fascinating character for his ability to constantly reinvent himself.  He's not just Sulu from Star Trek. He's a politician. A force for American musical theatre. And an amazingly clever social media star.  All of these things combine to make him and Brad people you wish you could hang out with.

A note on the musical theater front.  The movie introduces us to Allegiance, a new musical about Japanese interment camps.  In a strange coincidence, George and Brad find themselves meeting Lorenzo Thione and Jay Kuo.  These two become the creative team who suggest creating a new musical based on some of Takei's experiences.  At the screening, Thione revealed that the musical, which debuted at the Old Globe Theater, is ready to move to Broadway as soon as a theater is available.

Lorenzo Thione

The movie has many cameo appearances. William Shatner comes off as a bit of a jerk. Leonard Nimoy is kind but a little bit out of touch.  And Howard Stern is weird, brilliant, uncomfortable, and a perfect addition to the movie.

The Q&A after the movie with the movie makers, George, and Brad was a delight.  At one moment, an audience member addressed a question to "Mr. Takei." George began his response with the question, "which Mr. Takei?" George Takei may just change the world.

For its wit, power, emotion, and downright goofiness, I give To Be Takei that most elusive of honors: Five Jeffies.  Maybe the  moviemakers  will scrawl that on the movie poster. One can dream.

Sundance movie four: Notorious indeed.

Part of the production team including
Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin

First, this review is compromised.  The screening didn't start until 9:45 and I'd had a long and busy day.  So I'll admit it, I occasionally nodded off during the film.  And when most of the language featured in the film is Russian, nodding off means you're not reading the subtitles. Which means you're missing a lot of what's going on. (By the way, I heard a woman in line the following day who had also been at the screening and complained that she couldn't stop falling asleep. So I wasn't the only one.) The fact that I found it difficult to stay awake doesn't speak well to excitement of The Notorious Mr. Bout from filmmakers Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin.

The movie tells the story of Viktor Bout, a Russian man who is a crafty character that ends up making a lot of money doing everything from dealing arms to transporting all manner of stuff as an airline tycoon.  He goes from rags to riches and then ultimately ends up in a US prison. He documents his own story with video he shot himself. In fact, most of this movie is video shot by Mr. Bout.  That makes the movie both interesting and annoying.  The story is surprisingly real because of the raw nature of the footage.  But that raw footage amounts to a lot of bad home movies, shot on equipment that's old enough it can sometimes be tedious, even uncomfortable to watch.  I don't think the filmmakers helped the situation by adding consistent visual noise to the tapes.  I understand the reasoning behind doing it; to try and bring a level of uniformity to the movie.  But in the end, I think the noise made the movie less watchable.

Viktor Bout is a shady character.  This movie is interesting in that it makes the case that Mr. Bouts decades' long incarceration in the US might be unfair considering most of what he did was perfectly legal.  I think they made the case convincingly. But I don't think they made the case from a literary perspective.  Because while Viktor Bout may have acted legally, is motivations still came across as then than honorable.  But with all the recent about the intense corruption surrounding the upcoming Olympics in Russia, Bout may have just been engaged in business as usual.

Sundance movie three: RRAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRRRR!

The Dinosaur 13 team including Peter Larson,
Kristin Donnan, and Todd Miller.

OK, I wasn’t one of those kids that could tell you everything you wanted to know about every dinosaur that ever inhabited the face of the planet.  But I did grow up in rural Wyoming.  And there were major dinosaur digs near my home.  In particular, the wooly mammoth is a local favorite. And there are some pretty serious dinosaur museums near my home, including a fancy new museum in my hometown.  I guess then, it’s no wonder that I was drawn to a Sundance movie called Dinosaur 13.  The movie by director Todd Miller is definitely a must see for any dinosaur fan.  And for anyone who likes a mystery.  I should note that the movie is based on the book by Peter Larson, Kristin Donnan, and Robert Bakker

The movie tells the story of Peter Larson, a commercial hunter/collector/seller of dinosaur bones.  There’s a chance that you'll have a recollection of the story as it played out quite prominently in the news.  Larson and his team discovered one of the most complete T-rex fossils ever which they nicknamed Sue.  They made a deal with the land owner to purchase the fossil for $5,000, a fairly fancy sum at the time.  The deal was made on a handshake with a kind of landowner named Maurice Williams.

Fast forward a year or two and Larson and team are raided by the FBI who over the course of three days hauls away all the fossils and associated documentation.  This will begin an incredible complex, lengthy series of legal challenges that will result in Peter Larson going to jail (for what seem like ridiculous charges), Sue being auctioned off at Sotheby's for a total of $8.26 million dollars ($7.6 million of which goes to the less than savory character Maurice Williams), and a blockbuster opening at Chicago's Cooper Hewitt museum.  

The best thing about this movie is the insight it provides into the sometimes shady world of the fossil market including the exciting auction scene.  If I have a critique for the movie, it would be that it feels a little one sided.  The filmmakers noted that they couldn't get many of the government officials involved in the situation to go on camera.  But not having more of those voices makes the credibility of the film suspect. But overall, it's a great movie.

Sundance Movie Two: Flipping Mormons!

Director Greg Whitely talking about his movie, Mitt.

It can be expensive and a pain in the neck to deal with all things Sundance.  From the staff to the ticketing to the fact that Salt Lake City audiences are mostly an after thought, Sundance is at times maddening.  And yet, there's a reason to put up with the frustration: brilliant, surprising movies. Movies like Mitt from director Greg Whitely.

Let me start by saying that this movies is just another thing that demonstrates how wrong our political system has gone.  It's a stunning revelation about the falsity of presidential campaigns. And it reminds us that the demands of the media, of special interest groups, of big corporations, and of each and every one of us forces politicians to be flat photocopies of themselves.

I'm a liberal guy.  Actually, I'm a really liberal guy.  And during the presidential campaign I pretty much saw Mitt as an out-of-touch enemy.  But watching this movie, I realized that Mitt and his sons are like my younger brother.  He's super conservative.  And he's a really good guy.  Sure we disagree on a lot of things.  Be we also respond to each other with kindness and respect.  After seeing this moving, I'm a little embarrassed about the way I talked about Mitt Romney. Yes he's super conservative. And we disagree on a lot of things. But he's a really good guy; who spends a surprising amount of time picking up trash.  In fact, in the Q&A after the film, the filmmaker commented that he could make a 90 minute movie of Mitt Romney picking up trash and turning off lights.  I like that.

Speaking of the filmmaker, I have to comment on the way he chose to make this movie.  It's all about the family.  That may not be the filmmaker's doing since he admitted that the campaign staff wanted absolutely nothing to do with this film. But by focusing on the family, he brought a humanity to the story that is wonderful.  Watching Mitt greet his grandchildren in such a sincere, friendly way changes your perception of the presidential hopeful.

I'll end with my favorite "Mittism" from the movie: Flipping Mormon.  Mitt mentions it twice in the film. He references it in terms of his problems with the media, suggesting that they see him in only two ways: As a flip flopper and as a Mormon. But I related to the term on so many other levels.  I'm a very different kind of Flipping Mormon.  And I'll absolutely adopt this term when I need to express my frustration with my Mormon friends and family, as in, "you flipping Mormon!" It just seems so Utahan.  Thanks Mitt.

Everyone should seek out this intimate, surprising portrait of a misunderstood family.  If they did, it would make our political system better.

Sundance Movie One: Canesbians!

Wow, my 2014 Sundance experience is off to a rough start.   I had hoped to see Mitt as my first movie but unfortunately, my locals only pass (which cost me an extra $100 this year) does not get me into any SLC screening as promised. Read the fine print and you can't get into the first screening.  So I had to rush to find another movie.  The only possibility was My Prairie Life directed and written by Chelsea McMullan.  I hate to embrace stereotypes and clichés, but this movie absolutely confirms the idea that Canadians are boring. 

Don’t get me wrong; I love a good movie about troubled gay twenty-somethings.  But I’ve seen this movie tens of times at Sundance.  And I’ve seen it done much better at Sundance.  I’m starting to feel like Sundance needs a reset; a rethinking of the movie themes they should showcase.

But before I get too critical, let me embrace the things I liked about the movie.  The cinematography was spectacular.  There was more than one moment that had me marveling at the beauty of the Canadian plains; the small town weirdness; the epic beauty.  I also liked some of the “music video” sequences performed by the star of the show, Rae Spoon.  In fact, they were the only musical moments in the film that truly spoke to me.  And there were a lot of musical moments that weren't great.

What didn’t work was the direction and the editing.  I frequently found myself embarrassed at the fact that I was giggling out loud at the absurd length of some cuts.  Or the fact that we were forced to endure the monotonous narrations of the central Canadian lesbian character. Actually she'd probably not like me referring to her as a lesbian because I think she considers herself more gender ambiguous. Oh, how can you tell these days. She'd really hate that I'm referring to Canadian lesbians as Canesbians.

All in all, this is a tedious, yawner of a movie.

The sunromedy fun from Sundance.

In a recent post, I introduced a new genre of movie that I hope will catch on: The sunromedy, a romantic comedy with the edginess and quirkiness of a Sundance movie.  The movie that inspired the term is "In a World . . . " written, directed, and starring Lake Bell.  That movie won the Sundance Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. On the second to the last day of the festival, I saw Austenland from director Jerusha Hess who co-wrote the film with Salt Lake City native and University of Utah graduate, Shannon Hale.   Hess is a graduate of Brigham Young University and co-wrote Napoleon Dynamite with her husband, Jared Hess. Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of seven young-adult novels.  This movie, offers a story with a slightly more adult appeal.  This was a little bit of a locals-only dream team.

Austenland is the story of Jane Hayes, a modern young woman who is a self-proclaimed, Jane Austen super fan. That obsession is probably getting in the way of Jane getting on with her life.  But in a last effort to realize her dreams of an Austen-like romance, she spends all of her savings and heads to England for a stay at Austenland.  Once there, she renounces her modern life and lives the life of a Jane Austen character, although maybe not quite as lavishly as she had hoped since she didn't pay for the platinum package. At Austenland, Jane is courted by handsome young men played by actors.  And the charade even promises a proposal of marriage before the week ends.

Jane's adventures are numerous.  She befriends Miss Elizabeth Charming, a delightfully over-the-top guest played by Jennifer Coolidge. She falls for the "non-actor" stable boy Martin played charmingly by Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame.  And she even manages to both ignore and romance the cold yet devastatingly dreamy Mr. Henry Nobley.  This Darcy-esk character is perfect as played by JJ Feild.  I challenge any Jane Austen fan (or even non Jane Austen fan) to not fall for Mr. Nobley.

Austenland is a delight. And you really don't need to know anything about the works of Jane Austen to enjoy the movie.  Just the general knowledge of Austen and the time she wrote about will ensure you'll have a good time at this quirky film. I'm glad it's already been picked by Sony for a release later this year.  Because I'd like to see it again, if for no other reason than the numerous, quotable lines.

Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, and Barry Manilow walk into a recording studio.

OK, I'll admit it.  I was never cool enough to "get" Nirvana.  Sure I understand their importance in the history of popular music.  But I always thought they were more of a cultural phenomenon than a group of truly talented musicians.  Dave Grohl, in his new documentary Sound City, shattered that perception.  This is another film that fit into my schedule more that it inspired a desire to see it.  But it's a fantastic film about a recording studio located in a rather grungy industrial neighborhood of Van Nuys, California.

Sound City opened in 1969 and after struggling a bit, began to get some attention.  Part of that attention came from the soundboard which was one of only a few built by Rupert Neve.  Neve is interviewed in the film and is every bit the nerdy British engineer you want him to be. The board and the somewhat trashing studio setting came together to create a unique sound that the rock and roll world came to adore. As the studio had early successful albums from the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Rick Springfield, more and more musicians wanted to record at Sound City.

Artists who released albums recorded at the legendary studio include Foreigner, Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young, REO Speedwagon, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Joe Cocker, and whole bunch of other blockbuster acts.  Many of these acts are interviewed for the film and tell great stories about the time they spent at the studio.  The filmmakers also interviewed Barry Manilow who recorded one album at Sound City.  While he tried to reminisce fondly about the experience, I couldn't help get the feeling that he didn't really like it all that much.

I've largely written off the idea that there's a big difference between analog and digital recording.  Sound City makes a convincing case that there is a difference.  It also makes it clear that there are no digital tricks or shortcuts when you're recording with analog equipment.  And that means, the musicians have to have the necessary musical chops rather than rely on the auto tuning or digital hi jinks.  I might now believe it.

I don't want to give away too much about this film because you should see it and it will be more fun if you don't know all the details.  Suffice it to say that Grohl ultimately gives new life to the legend of Sound City as he creates recordings with many of the studio's original inhabitants.

Grohl wasn't at the screening but Kenny Stoff, the director of photography was.  And while the movie absolutely convinced me that Grohl and his collaborators are supremely talented musicians, Stoff made comments that further elevated my opinion of Grohl. Grohl has refused to sell the movie to a studio.  Instead, he's making the movie available in as many places and ways as possible on Februrary 2.  His goal is to inspire a whole new generation of musicians who rely more on practice and talent than they do on the shortcuts of digital recording studios.  That's not a bad thing to do.

A perfect Sunromedy.

Lake Bell: Director, writer, and star of In a World . . .

If you love a a charming romantic comedy, but also like the edge of a Sundance film, have I got the movie for you.  In a World . . ., written, directed, and starring the perfectly charming Lake Bell has a wondrous combination of quirky, irreverent humor and pure romantic delight.  It's inspired me to suggest a new movie genre, the "sunromedy;" a Sundance-worthy romantic comedy. I'd like this term to catch on so please feel free to use it liberally.

In a World . . . offers an unconventional story about the stars of the movie-trailer voice over industry. Carol (Bell) is the daughter of Sam (Fred Melaman), one of the greatest voices in all of movie-trailer history. He's set to receive a Golden Trailer for lifetime achievement.  Carol can't seem to break into the voice-over industry but has a knack for accents and dialects so she's struggling to make a career as a vocal coach.  She's currently trying to help Eva Longoria (who is brilliant in this brief cameo appearance) fix a botched accent in her latest film. While helping Eva, Carol is commandeered to record a movie-trailer voice over.  The producers love it and soon she is on her way to becoming the new "it" girl.  She's even being considered as the voice for the upcoming "quadrilogy," Amazon Games.  That trailer will use the storied phrase, "In a world . . .," which hasn't been used in a movie trailer since the death of Don LaFontaine, the legend who first coined the phrase.  While all of the is going on, the awkward Louis (played perfectly by Demetri Martin) is trying to catch Carol's romantic attention.

Wow, as I reread that synopsis, this movie sounds stupid.  But in the hands of Bell In a World . . . is a sparkling gem.  She owes a lot to the great performances in the movie, including her own.  In addition to everyone listed above, I loved Michaela Watkins as Carol's sister Dani.  And Rob Cordry is perfect as Dani's boyfriend.  The cameo by Geena Davis certainly doesn't hurt.

Lake Bell attended the screening.  And at the Q and A afterwards she was just as charming, gracious, and funny as I'd hoped she be.  I really hope that all of her Sundance and Hollywood dreams come true.  And I'm sure she'd really be happy if you went to see this fantastic film.

The unintentional Sundance comedy.

Xavier Samuel and James Frechevile
in Two Mothers

I'm not sure whether to title this post the unintentional comedy or the unintentional tragedy.  Here's why.  What no one wants to have happen at Sundance is for the audience to laugh all the way through your movie when you hadn't intended it to be all that funny.  So while the audience laugghed all the way through Two Mothers from director Anne Fontaine, it was mostly tragic.  Because the movie came across as a bit of a laughing stock.

Two Mothers is the story of a pair of women who have been friends for life.  They've grown up together living near each other in the same Australian town. As they move through life they each have a son at about the same time.  The boys grow up to handsome (oh let's just say it: sexy) young men.  And before you know it, each woman his having a torrid affair with her best friend's son.  I'd argue that the basic premise is flawed from the start, but not an impossible story line.  The problem is the story doesn't stop there.  The women finally come to their senses and stop.  The sons get married and have kids. (Imagine that mother-in-law relationship.) And maybe one of the moms didn't really stop having sex with her best friends married son.

All these plot twists and turns combined with the super-dramatic screenplay result in a movie that's hard to believe.  And it's not because the filmmakers didn't try.  It's easy to understand why the four main characters might end up in a sexual situation.  Naomi Watts and Robin Wright are beautiful as the mothers.  And Xavier Samuel and James Frechevile are just downright hot.  Put them in an awe-inspiring Australian beach setting and there's bound to be some sexual tension. And I actually think there are some interesting ideas to explore in that story.

Two Mothers is beautifully shot and artfully directed.  But as the story becomes evermore dramatic and ridiculous, the film dives further and further into the territory of a bad soap opera.  No one from the film was there for the Q and A.  And that might be for the best.  I'm not sure how the boisterous laughter during the film would have resonated with those involved.

Harry Potter and the Beat Writers Murder.

Kill Your Darlings director John Krokidas.

I've got to give Daniel Radcliffe credit; he's not afraid to take some risks.  And those risks seem to pay off. He got naked on Broadway for Equus, a show I didn't see but which was critically acclaimed. I did see him for his debut in a Broadway musical starring as J. Pierrepont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Here at Sundance Radcliffe stars as Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings directed by John Krokidas with a screenplay by Krokidas and Austin Bunn.

Strangely, it seems like much of my education about the Beat revolution has occurred through film and particularly Sundance movies.  In 2010 it was Howl (starring James Franco as Ginsberg) about the poem of the same name and the associated obscenity trial.  This year's episode takes us to Columbia University in 1944 where Ginsberg is a student along with Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster). The three troublemakers along with Lucien Call (Dane DeHaan) invade New York City with the energy and intellectualism that will ultimately lead to the Beat revolution.  Their shenanigans ultimately result in the murder of David Kammerer (Michael C.  Hall) at the hands of Carr.  Depending on who you ask, Kammerer either stalked Carr from the time he was 14 years old or the two were involved in a strange friendship that may have included a sexual interest.

Krokidas with some of his creative team including co-writer
Austin Bunn (second from left) and editor Brian Kates.

There is a lot to like about this movie.  The story is strong and not something I think a lot of people know about.  The screenplay brings the story to life in a way the writers admitted is not always based on actual events.  But I think the writers' willingness to imagine what might have happened between the known facts makes the movie better.  The production design gives the film a beautiful, romanticized view of the 1940s and yet offers just enough darkness and chaos to suggest the beginnings of the Beat revolution.

But it's when many talents combine that this movie is at its best.  Take the moment when Carr stabs Kammerer to death.  The editing by Brian Kates is brilliant as we flash from the murder to scenes of Burroughs shooting up and Ginsberg having sex with a stranger who looks suspiciously like Carr. Krokidas's directing is bold and the acting is superb, particularly Radcliffe whose performance is real and raw.  Kill Your Darlings is a movie that unquestionably belongs at Sundance.

Idea for a new internet meme: Porny Sundance movies featuring James Franco.

James Franco as Hugh Hefner in Lovelace.

Let's face it, sex has always been a big part of the Sundance films festival.  There are no ratings requirements at the festival so just about anything goes.  This year has been a banner year for sex.  In fact, I'm starting to wonder about my choices. First there was Interior. Leather Bar. made by and featuring James Franco.  Then there was Kill Your Darlings (review to follow) featuring Daniel Radcliffe as Alan Ginsberg in a surprisingly revealing gay sex scene.  And now comes Lovelace, from directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and screenwriter Andy Bellin. It's the story of Linda Lovelace and her 70s porn spectacle, Deep Throat.

I, of course, have not watched Deep Throat.  But this movie made me kind of want to.  The reenactments of some of the scenes made me realize that the movie might be about more than just sex.  It might be about humor and camp and cultural phenomena.  Those are all things that I find interesting.

But let's get back to our original premise of this most.  Because this is a movie about porn that features James Franco.  Yes, Sundance darling James Franco makes a somewhat weird appearance as the mostly weird Hugh Hefner.  And since he was so involved in Interior. Leather Bar., I'm hoping we'll see an internet meme featuring real or imagined photos of Porny Sundance movies that feature James Franco.

I suppose I should talk more about the movie.  Lovelace is well acted, well directed, and features all kind of 70s stuff that makes me happy.  But there a lot of better movies at this year's Sundance Film Festival.

Wow! I didn't expect to see that at the library.

Actor Christian Patrick

The Salt Lake City library is the most recent venue for Sundance movies in Salt Lake City.  This year it was host to Interior. Leather Bar. from filmmakers Travis Mathews and James Franco.  If you're uncomfortable with the idea of gay sex, this might not be a movie you want to see, particularly at your local library.  Because there are plenty of erect penises in this film.

Here's the concept. In 1980 Al Pacino starred in a movie called Cruising about murder in the New York gay leather bar scene. The movie was highly controversial and ultimately the director had to cut 40 minutes from the movie in order to avoid an X rating.

Interior. Leather Bar. attempts to re-imagine what those 40 minutes (which have never been shown publicly) might have looked like. As the movie begins, we are led to believe that this is documentary about the recreation of those 40 minutes.  But not long into the film, you realize that the filmmakers are messing with the audience and that the entire movie is a fabrication.  That only makes this film more interesting.

James Franco may not really be an actor or filmmaker any more.  I think he's officially made the move to "Artist."  The Art world is enamored with him. He's had numerous gallery shows recently.  And his performance art is getting quite a bit of attention.  This movie adds to the perception that he wants his work to live in a fine-Art setting. Franco and other actors in the movie raise interesting issues about how we express ourselves creatively and how sex factors into that expression.

Only one person was there for the Q and A after the screening.  Christian Patrick, who happily admitted that he's involved in the gay leather scene in his personal life and that he works as a porn star seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the questioning Sundance crowd.  But in the end he offered some interesting musings on the power of creative and sexual freedom.  He also admitted that he enjoyed the attention from the Art crowd who praised him for doing what he pretty much does for the porn crowd; turn people on.  And it's exactly that conundrum that makes Interior. Leather Bar. an interesting Sundance movie.