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| Tuesday
December 2nd, 2003 |
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SUNDANCE SHINES LIGHT ON JANUARY 2004 LINEUP
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The hipsters, hustlers and hucksters are gearing up for former indie showcase known as Sundance.
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Kevin Bacon and Courtney Cox Arquette are among actors
whose films are entered in the 2004 Sundance Film Festival,
an annual 11-day movie party staged in Utah.
Festival officials on Monday announced entries for dramatic,
documentary and "American Spectrum" categories of the
festival, which kicks off Jan. 15 in Park City.
Bacon and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, are teamed with hip-hop
artist Mos Def in "The Woodsman," a drama directed by
Nicole Kassell that tells the story of a convicted child
molester trying to rebuild his life. (Isn't it nice
that Hollywood cares so much about child molesters?
Ed.)
This year's films in the dramatic competition include
"Harry and Max," by director/screenwriter Christopher
Munch, which tells of two brothers -- one a down-and-out
musician and the other up-and-coming teen idol -- who
must come to grips with their dysfunctional past.
There is "Evergreen," from Enid Zentelis, about a poor
girl seeking to gain acceptance in her boyfriend's affluent
life, and "Napoleon Dynamite," by director Jared Hess
that tells of a kid in rural Idaho whose dazzling combination
of dance and ninja skills help him triumph over adversity.
Stars turning up onscreen will include Billy Bob Thornton
in "Chrystal" about an ex-convict returning home to
his estranged wife.
Joe Pantoliano and Jennifer Tilly star in a film "Second
Best," in the section of the festival known as American
Spectrum that showcases U.S. filmmakers.
Documentaries in competition range from Stanley Nelson's
"A Place of Our Own," which looks at upper middle class
Black American society to "Imelda" about former Philippine
First Lady Imelda Marcos and "In the Realms of the Unreal"
which details the life of janitor/novelist Henry Darger.
Other dramatic entries include "We Don't Live Here Anymore,"
the story of a man's affair with his best friend's wife.
The film, directed by John Curran, stars Mark Ruffalo,
Laura Dern, Peter Krause and Naomi Watts.
Cox Arquette stars in "November," directed by Greg Harrison.
The actress plays Sophie Jacobs, a photographer who
struggles to cope after her boyfriend is shot to death
in a convenience store.
Festival director Geoffrey Gillmore said "November"
exemplifies the thread of anxiety running through many
of this year's films.
"This is the first group of movies" conceived and produced
since Sept. 11, 2001, he said. "There's a sense of anxiety
- in a lot of the work, a sense of disruption." (Yeah,
the Hollywood elites should be anxious that people are
even less likely to buy their inane views and products
following 9/11.)
Documentary entries include "Chisholm '72 - Unbought
and Unbossed," an examination of Congresswoman Shirley
Chisholm's 1972 presidential bid; "The Fight," a look
at the historic heavyweight boxing match between American
Joe Louis and German Max Schmeling on the eve of World
War II; and "Word Wars," an examination of the lives
of expert Scrabble players.
Music gets exposure, too, with the documentary "Metallica:
Some Kind of Monster" - an unusual look at the heavy
metal band undergoing group therapy to help its members
through addiction, fatherhood and "near-total disintegration"
while recording their first original studio album in
six years.
On Tuesday, the festival will announce its opening night
film, as well as those in the premiere, world cinema
and several other categories. Short films appearing
at the festival will be announced Dec. 8. |
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| "Listen
up kids... this is what too much sundance does to
your face." |
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