I’ve forgotten what day this is, but it was another beautiful day. Plus I got that unexpected surprise I always like to have at Sundance.
First film of the day was exactly the type of thing you expect here, an indie comedy with a bunch of unknown actors, and then John C. Riley was thrown in to steal every scene. Terri is a funny little story about outsiders and the confusion that comes along with adolescence.
My second film of the day was the surprise that makes coming here so much fun. Another Earth starts out so similarly to many other indie dramas that you could miss it, but then it took a turn with the discovery of another planet — and not just any planet, but a perfect mirror of our own. This movie has stuck with me through the last 24 hours, when many others have been lost in the clutter of my pop culture brain. I recommend this film for the pure fact that, while you’ve seen this story before, the take is so fresh you’ve never seen anything like it.
The Details may be my favorite film so far. It’s an unconventional black comedy that gets every ounce of talent from an already talented cast. Toby McGuire and Elizabeth Banks play a not-so-happily married couple who face temptation and morality at every turn. Toby’s character Dr. Lang doesn’t fair very well in either. The rest of the cast is so integral to carrying this movie through to it’s conclusion and Laura Linney is absolutely terrific as the crazy next door neighbor. Infidelity is the good news and this film just gets better with the details.
I ended the evening with a movie that at first glance I thought I’d seen before. Like Blindness, Perfect Sense is about the idea of humanity losing it’s sense, but it’s ratcheted up. The film has an excellent cast with Ewan McGregor and Eva Green. Where the previously mentioned Blindness was more about humankind, this film is more personal and showed the connection two people feel and how those emotions are shared by all of us.
It’s been a good trip and I hope it continues. I have not seen but am hearing very positive reviews for three documentaries — Buck, Being Elmo and Troubadours — so keep an eye out for those as well.
Great review! Thanks!