Last week the films selected for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah were announced. Relatively little is known about the majority of the films beforehand beyond a brief synopsis released in a press release. This year there is a distinct lack of big Hollywood celebrities promoting their own small projects or forays into indie film. While there are certainly some recognizable names on this year's list—Kevin Smith, Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear and John C. Reilly—the majority isn't the usual tabloid fodder and as a result even less than usual is known about the films.
This January I'll be attending the second week of the festival and covering it for the Daily Cardinal, so starting Jan. 25, check back for festival updates, early reviews and more. But in the meantime, I've highlighted some of the films that piqued my interest.
""Cedar Rapids""
Ed Helms stars as a Wisconsin businessman attending an insurance conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The film also features John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Sigourney Weaver. The film sounds to be right in the wheelhouse of Helms, who is best known for his role as Andy on ""The Office,"" and the director, Miguel Arteta, who has directed several episodes of ""The Office."" And to top it off, the script made the 2009 Blacklist.
""Terri""
A socially ostracized and bullied orphan develops an unlikely friendship with his school's vice-principal (John C. Reilly) that helps him gain a new outlook on life. Last year John C. Reilly, a Sundance veteran, starred in my favorite comedy at the festival, ""Cyrus,"" and he does a great job at playing those weird-but-loveable characters, giving me high hopes for this flick.
""Another Earth""
A sci-fi flick in which two strangers become lovers in the wake of a horrible tragedy just as the world discovers another Earth. I have a soft spot for quality, philosophical sci-fi movies like ""Moon,"" which premiered at Sundance 2009, and I think it's a tragedy that the genre is as neglected as it is these days in Hollywood. If ""Another Earth"" is anywhere near as great as ""Moon,"" I'm on board and ready for launch.
""My Idiot Brother""
Ned (Paul Rudd) just got out of jail for selling weed and moves in with each of his three sisters (Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer) one after the other while he attempts to put his life back together. I've enjoyed Paul Rudd as the straight man in his Apatow and Apatow-ish roles, but it will be interesting to see how he plays the loser for once. And Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel on screen can't hurt either.
""Red State""
Kevin Smith takes a stab at the horror genre with this tale of religious fundamentalism gone wrong in Middle America. Kevin Smith is a man who was made at Sundance. The story of Harvey Weinstein negotiating the rights to the original ""Clerks"" after its first screening at Sundance over a plate of potato skins in a local bar is a festival staple.
Almost two decades later, Smith has returned to the festival with his new indie-horror flick ""Red State."" While some have taken it as a bad sign that the film wasn't selected to be in competition at the festival, entertainment is guaranteed since Smith has stated that he plans to hold an ad-hoc auction for the film's distribution rights in the theater immediately following the film's first screening.
""Abraxas""
A Zen monk suffering from depression turns to heavy-metal music to revitalize his spirit. Last year, Joseph Gordon-Levitt played an eccentric heavy-metal drifter in ""Hesher"" with good, but incredibly weird, results. ""Abraxas"" sounds like it could warrant a similar description.
""Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey""
A documentary exploring one of our quintessential childhood characters, Elmo, and the man behind him, Kevin Clash. It seems like such an obvious documentary subject that it's surprising it hasn't been done before. Sesame Street has been one of the cornerstones of American Childhood for decades and it's actually a lot more controversial and interesting than you may think.
""Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same""
A lesbian space alien, tracked by government agents, begins a relationship with an unwitting girl working at a greeting card store. I'll admit it: it's all about the title. It has that ""Snakes On a Plane"" vibe of just putting it all out there. It really could go either way but the boldness alone earns a look.
""Bobby Fischer Against the World""
He was the 11th World Chess Champion and went on to become an international fugitive. As one classic SNL skit put it, ""Bobby Fischer, where is he? I don't know, I don't know."" This documentary may not feature Will Farrell in a male cheerleading outfit, but it still has my interest.
