Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Review: Frozenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/05/frozen-review/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/05/frozen-review/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/05/frozen-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



By Eric Snider -- reprint from 1/24/10 -- Sundance Film Festival

You can picture Adam Green, the writer and director of Frozen, sitting on a ski lift one day, idly thinking, "What if I fell off? How high above the ground am I? No! What if the lift stopped moving and they couldn't get it started? What if I was trapped here!" We all have our moments of morbid fantasizing, but what separates Adam Green from me and you is that he turns his dark "what if?" scenarios into movies. His Hatchet had tourists terrorized in the swamps of Louisiana; Frozen pits the heroes against Mother Nature herself, that wanton trollop.

The setting is a ski resort in New England, where three college students are trying to talk their way onto the lift without buying tickets. Dan (Kevin Zegers) and Joe (Shawn Ashmore), best friends since grade school, come skiing here regularly, but today Joe is miffed because Dan has brought along his girlfriend, Parker (Emma Bell), in a flagrant violation of the Bros Before Hoes policy.

No one likes being the third wheel; it doesn't help that Joe and Parker don't really get along, each jealous of the other's relationship with Dan. It's the same old story: "We haven't seen you at Fezziwig's for dollar pitcher night all semester!" Joe complains. What, Dan would rather spend time with his beautiful girlfriend than drink cheap beer? It's like Joe doesn't even know him anymore.

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]]>frozenreviewCinematical staffFri, 05 Feb 2010 13:02:00 ESTSundance Review: Hesherhttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/04/hesher-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/04/hesher-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/04/hesher-review-sundance/#commentsFiled under:



Hesher is not a nice guy. He is rough with children, views women only in terms of whatever sexual pleasures they can provide and is a moocher with no jobs who has no qualms about destroying private property. On the other hand he might just be the homeless rocker equivalent of Mr. Miyagi, noisily allowing situations to unfold that will teach the new people in his life something about letting go. It is a risky balance for Spencer Susser to undertake in his feature debut and, against all odds, it manages to succeed with a pastiche of great casting and an unapologetic slant towards being anti-touchy-feely. Until it needs to be.

Young T.J. (Devin Brochu) is living in a house of sadness. And it's no wonder since when we first see him he's chasing down a tow truck to a junkyard where the remains of the family car will eventually be put to rest. His mom once sat in that vehicle. His dad, Paul (Rainn Wilson), sits in a funk all day, unshaven since the accident and only leaving the house to pick his boy up from school while his mom (Piper Laurie) quietly fixes their meals. Shortly after getting his cast off, T.J. has another accident and, in his frustration, awakens the sleeping shirtless giant of the unfinished housing complex. Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), with his cover blown, begins following around T.J. and soon settles into his house, washing his clothes and eating their food to almost no resistance from the nearly catatonic inhabitants.

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]]>Brendan HillBrendanHillDevin BrochuDevinBrochuJoseph Gordon-LevittJosephGordon-levittnatalie PortmanNataliePortmanPiper LauriePiperLaurierainn wilsonRainnWilsonspencer susserSpencerSusserErik ChildressThu, 04 Feb 2010 19:15:00 ESTSundance Review: The Kids Are All Righthttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/04/the-kids-are-all-right-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/04/the-kids-are-all-right-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/04/the-kids-are-all-right-review-sundance/#commentsFiled under: ,



No, The Kids Are All Right is not that documentary about The Who, as the name might have you thinking. That would be The Kids Are Alright from back in 1979. One look at the photo above will dispel any of those notions. Instead, this is a light drama that could have been called My Two Moms. Plus it left us with a much better impression of Mark Ruffalo than he'd left us with his Sundance directorial debut, Sympathy For Delicious. Here, he turns in a solid performance, along with some powerful acting from Julianne Moore and Annette Bening who shine as the two halves of a couple whose world is shaken when their kids meet their biological father.

Joni (Mia Wasikowska of the upcoming Alice in Wonderland) is 18 years old, and therefore old enough to find out who her biological sperm-donor father is. After continual pestering by her brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson from Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant) she makes the call, and the two of them are introduced to the cool and exciting Paul (Mark Ruffalo), whose sperm was used to impregnate both Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore). However, he's also the monkey wrench that gets tossed right into the middle of this family.

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]]>Annette BeningAnnetteBeningJosh HutchersonJoshHutchersonJulianne MooreJulianneMooreMark RuffaloMarkRuffaloMia WasikowskaMiaWasikowskaSundance10The Kids Are All RightTheKidsAreAllRightKevin KellyThu, 04 Feb 2010 15:20:00 ESTSundance Review: Winter's Bonehttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/02/winters-bone-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/02/winters-bone-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/02/winters-bone-review-sundance/#commentsFiled under: ,



"Redneck" or "country noir" isn't anything new. Just look at Blood Simple and No Country For Old Men as examples. But when you replace the grizzled detective or outdated lawman with a 17-year-old girl trying to take care of her family, that's where things swing wildly off course in Winter's Bone. Jennifer Lawrence previously impressed in Lori Petty's autobiographical film The Poker House, and she turns in an incredibly powerful performance in this movie, directed by Debra Granik and based on Daniel Woodrell's novel of the same name, that explores the dark nature of family and secrets in the Ozark Mountains. It won both the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic category and the Waldo Salt screenwriting award, and is well-deserving of both.

Ree Dolly (Lawrence) is busy trying to take care of her younger brother and sister, her nearly catatonic mother, and a bevy of stray cats and dogs in a ramshackle cabin out in the boondocks when she's visited by the sheriff who has some unsettling news: Her father has put up both the land and the house for his bond for cooking crystal meth, and if he doesn't show up for his court date, they'll lose everything. So Ree has to find him before the law does, or before some of the other unsavory characters that live in this no man's land.

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]]>Daniel WoodrellDanielWoodrellDebra GranikDebraGranikJennifer LawrenceJenniferLawrenceSundance10Winters BoneWintersBoneKevin KellyTue, 02 Feb 2010 18:46:00 ESTThe 10 Sundance Films You Need to Watch Forhttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/02/10-sundance-films-to-watch-for/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/02/10-sundance-films-to-watch-for/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/02/10-sundance-films-to-watch-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



"Sure," you say as you sift through all the Sundance Film Festival coverage at Cinematical and elsewhere on the Internets. "This looks like a lot of fun for the people in Park City. But what about me? Which of these should I pay attention to? Which movies are liable to be coming to a theater near me? TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

There's no need to yell, but we understand your frustration. Sundance screened around 120 feature films, many of which, unfortunately, you'll never hear from again. Since there isn't room in anyone's brain to keep track of all of them -- heck, we're pretty sure even the Sundance programmers didn't watch a few of the movies they scheduled -- we've narrowed it down to these 10 that we think you'll be hearing about this year.

Blue Valentine Our Kevin Kelly loved it, and he wasn't alone -- the rave reviews for Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in this relationship drama far outnumbered the less-than-raves. The Weinstein Company, which has been looking for something to restore its prestige in the indie world, bought the film for a little over $1 million. Given TWC's recent history, this could mean Blue Valentine will never be seen again. On the other hand, if Harvey and Co. really are serious, maybe they'll aggressively push this one.

Buried Who wouldn't want to see Ryan Reynolds buried alive? We can start with the people who paid to see The Proposal. Erik Childress liked (but didn't love) Buried, which got a lot of buzz in Park City, especially after Lionsgate snatched it up for $3.2 million. It could be in theaters as soon as late spring.

Continue reading The 10 Sundance Films You Need to Watch For

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]]>blue valentineBlueValentineburiedcatfishfeatureheshersundance10the runawaysthe tillman storyTheRunawaysTheTillmanStorytwelvewinters boneWintersBoneEric D. SniderTue, 02 Feb 2010 12:32:00 ESTSundance Review: Lovers of Hatehttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/01/sundance-review-lovers-of-hate/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/01/sundance-review-lovers-of-hate/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/01/sundance-review-lovers-of-hate/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Lovers of Hate is built around a gimmick that you either buy into or you don't. A colleague had suggested that the film feels like one Hollywood would buy just to remake it with more well known actors, because the premise is one that you'd so expect to find splattered across the next Will Ferrell movie. That's not to say the actors in this version are horrible at what they do; they're not. Nor is writer-director Brian Poyser (Dear Pillow), who, in a very emotional moment prior to the film's premiere, said that it was dedicated to his father who passed away one week after it was accepted to Sundance. Poyser definitely has an eye for the strange, uncomfortable comedy, and when things are strange and comfortable, Lovers of Hate really slips into the type of film you want to high five. However, its slower moments and refusal to fully commit to a particular tone drops it down a few notches, but not enough to skip it all together.

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]]>brian poyserBrianPoyserlovers of hateLoversOfHatesundance10Erik DavisMon, 01 Feb 2010 18:45:00 ESTSundance Review: The Freebiehttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/01/sundance-review-the-freebie/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/01/sundance-review-the-freebie/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/01/sundance-review-the-freebie/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Katie Aselton has turned up in a few indie films in recent years, including The Puffy Chair, where she played the girlfriend of Mark Duplass. Duplass is now her husband, and a fairly significant force in the indie film world himself, but he might have some competition at home. The Freebie, Aselton's debut as a writer and director, is an honest, unadorned relationship drama that suggests a new talent on the horizon.

Somehow this very good drama stars Dax Shepard. I don't think anyone saw that coming. He and Aselton play Darren and Annie, a married couple whose seven-year relationship is still full of love but lacking in lust. They adore spending every minute of every day with one another; they just can't remember the last time they had sex. Neither partner feels frustrated by this, though -- and the fact that they're OK with near-celibacy is what starts to alarm them.

They wonder if one solution might be to have a "freebie," a night where they each get to sleep with someone else, one time only, no questions asked, and let us never speak of it again. Perhaps this would reignite the spark in their own relationship. Annie's sister (Leonora Gershman) tells her this is a terrible idea (which hardly needs saying), but the two proceed with the plan anyway.

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]]>dax shepardDaxShepardkatie aseltonKatieAseltonsundance10the freebieTheFreebieEric D. SniderMon, 01 Feb 2010 14:02:00 ESTSundance Review: The Shock Doctrinehttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-review-the-shock-doctrine/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-review-the-shock-doctrine/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-review-the-shock-doctrine/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,



The optimum way to see a documentary like Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross' The Shock Doctrine is at a film festival, such as Sundance, where it made its North American premiere this week. Unfortunately, I saw it in my living room, which is probably how most people in the U.S. will see it thanks to the Video-On-Demand cable channel Sundance Selects, which began airing the film immediately following its Park City debut.

Not to say the festival experience makes it a better film, but at least attendees of the first Sundance screening had the benefit of a post-film discussion featuring the film's directors and Naomi Klein, the author of the book upon which it's based. It's safe to assume she explained her arguments regarding "disaster capitalism" and the faults of Laissez-faire economics better than the film does. And Winterbottom and Whitecross are possibly the only ones who can defend what they had intended with their ultimately disjointed translation of Klein's thesis.

I had only the internet to use as a reference and clarifier in the end. What I learned afterward about the film and Klein's involvement in its production is that she basically walked away due to its increasing departure from what she felt an adaption of her 2007 book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism should look like. From what I understand, Klein's work is more investigative journalism, while Winterbottom and Whitecross have concentrated on a history lesson based upon her expose of Milton Friedman's methods of economic shock therapy.

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]]>alfonso cuaronAlfonsoCuaroneconomicsfargojonas cuaronJonasCuaronkieran obrienKieranObrienmat whitecrossMatWhitecrossmichael winterbottomMichaelWinterbottommilton friedmanMiltonFriedmannaomi kleinNaomiKleinnoam chomskyNoamChomskyshock treatmentShockTreatmentsundance selectssundance10SundanceSelectsthe road to guantanamothe shock doctrineTheRoadToGuantanamoTheShockDoctrinevideo on demandVideoOnDemandChristopher CampbellSun, 31 Jan 2010 19:02:00 ESTSundance Interview: Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine on 'Tucker & Dale vs. Evil'http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-interview-alan-tudyk-and-tyler-labine-on-tucker-and-dal/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-interview-alan-tudyk-and-tyler-labine-on-tucker-and-dal/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-interview-alan-tudyk-and-tyler-labine-on-tucker-and-dal/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



If you're a Firefly fan, or a Reaper fan, then this post probably had you at Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine. If not, then you need to get your geek on if you want some street cred. Although both shows were canceled early, they were perfect vehicles for sci-fi and horror, and were backed by terrific performances from these two actors. Both of them are a lot more comedic than you'd expect, and they really got to show that off in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, the wacky Sundance comedy horror film (which, of course, we reviewed for you right here.)

We spoke to Tudyk and Labine the day after their midnight premiere, where they were alternating between pints of beer and mocha lattes, which is probably the best hangover cure in Park City. We talked to them about the film, their geek appeal, and what's next (Tudyk's answer will probably surprise you, unless you're the webmaster of AlanTudykMegaFan.com). Head on after the break for the video interview.

Continue reading Sundance Interview: Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine on 'Tucker & Dale vs. Evil'

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]]>Alan TudykAlanTudykSundance10Tucker Dale vs. EvilTuckerDaleVs.EvilTyler LabineTylerLabineKevin KellySun, 31 Jan 2010 15:02:00 ESTSundance in 60 Seconds. Saturday, January 30, 2010http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-in-60-seconds-saturday-january-30-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-in-60-seconds-saturday-january-30-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-in-60-seconds-saturday-january-30-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



Awards: The big winners include Winter's Bone (Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic), Restrepo (Grand Jury Prize, Documentary), Animal Kingdom (World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic) and The Red Chapel (World Cinema Jury Prize, Documentary), with audience awards going to happythankyoumoreplease and Waiting for Superman. Check out the full list of winners here.

Celebrity Sightings: Most of the celebs have left town by now, so let's check out a few leftovers: People has a rundown of where celebs were seen eating in Park City. The main course in the article looks at an East-meets-West feast with Orlando Bloom, Mark Ruffalo and Juliette Lewis of Sympathy for Delicious. As for photos from the awards, the LA Times has a photo of host David Hyde Pierce (with festival director John Cooper) during his rap performance, in case you missed it live (hopefully it ends up on YouTube).

Deals: In line with their penchant for controversial films, IFC has picked up Michael Winterbottom's polarizing crime drama The Killer Inside Me for a reported $1-1.5 million. They're looking at a late summer/early fall release. Now the world (well, U.S. moviegoers) can experience the same disgust as the audience member who shamed Sundance for showing the film. Later in the day, Roadside Attractions bought Debra Granik's Winter's Bone for low six-figures with plans to release the film this summer. Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey has bought the documentary A Family Affair to air on her new network and Aamir Khan tells Anne Thompson that he'd like to distribute Peepli Live himself.

Our coverage, some tragic news and other near-end linkage after the jump:

Continue reading Sundance in 60 Seconds. Saturday, January 30, 2010

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]]>a family affairaamir khanAamirKhanAFamilyAffaircatfishdavid hyde pierceDavidHydePiercedebra granikDebraGranikdiego lunaDiegoLunaerrol morrisErrolMorrishappythankyoumorepleasekaren schmeerKarenSchmeerkristen stewartKristenStewartmalin ackermanMalinAckermanmark lewismark ruffaloMarkLewisMarkRuffalomichael winterbottomMichaelWinterbottomoprah winfreyOprahWinfreyorlando bloomOrlandoBloompeepli livePeepliLiverestreposebastian jungerSebastianJungersundance10the red chapelTheRedChapelwelcome to the rileysWelcomeToTheRileyswinters boneWintersBoneChristopher CampbellSun, 31 Jan 2010 11:46:00 ESTSundance Interview: 'Frozen' Director Adam Greenhttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-interview-frozen-director-adam-green/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-interview-frozen-director-adam-green/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/31/sundance-interview-frozen-director-adam-green/#commentsFiled under: ,



It's not possible to watch Adam Green's Frozen without thinking of Open Water. Well, it is possible, but that means you've never seen nor heard of Open Water. Frozen takes the same premise -- divers stranded in the ocean -- and turns it into three skiers stuck on a ski lift with no hope of being found until the resort opens again a week later. Plus, it's cold. A fact that the title should have clued you in to. The film opens in a week, and you can check out Cinematical's review of it here.

Adam Green came up with this idea when he saw a background weather forecast shot of empty ski chairs at the Big Bear ski area in California, which reminded him of how scary it can be when the lifts stop. As the movie illustrates, there's a lot more to fear than just the drop to the ground. We talked to Adam at Sundance, and he let us know about the production, the actors, and what it took to bring this to the screen. One thing I accidentally caught off-camera was how many Iceman jokes Shawn Ashmore had to put up with. The answer: tons.

Head on after the break for the full video interview from a snowy exterior in Park City.

Continue reading Sundance Interview: 'Frozen' Director Adam Green

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]]>Adam GreenAdamGreenEmma BellEmmaBellFrozenKevin ZegersKevinZegersShawn AshmoreShawnAshmoreSundance10Kevin KellySun, 31 Jan 2010 11:02:00 ESTSundance Interview: Director Vincenzo Natali on 'Splice'http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/30/sundance-interview-director-vincenzo-natali-on-splice/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/30/sundance-interview-director-vincenzo-natali-on-splice/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/30/sundance-interview-director-vincenzo-natali-on-splice/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Splice was my favorite dark, science fiction horror film at Sundance. What's that? It was the only one in that particular niche category? Fine. I'll kick it up by saying it was one (it's a short list) of my favorite films at the festival this year. Yes, it's dark. It's scary at times, and it's got a ton of genetic experimentation in it, landing it squarely in the sci-fi camp. It's one hell of a freaky ride, and with any luck this will be gracing a big screen near you soon so you can see it with an audience. It's definitely not for everyone,

Before this, director Vincenzo Natali had crafted films that were far outside the typical Hollywood fare you'd see at a multiplex. Movies like Cube, Cypher, and Nothing. He's even directed the Getting Gilliam documentary on the Tideland DVD. So when I saw his film in the program, I knew I'd have to see this film, and it doesn't disappoint with powerful performances from Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody (and yes, David Hewlett is in it, after all, it's a Natali film!) I'd blather on, but I already did that in my review over here.

However, Natali is the real star of this show, and we spoke to him at length about Splice, his other films, and what his next project will be. Jump on through for the full video interview straight from Sundance.

Continue reading Sundance Interview: Director Vincenzo Natali on 'Splice'

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]]>Adrien BrodyAdrienBrodyCubeCypherDavid HewlettDavidHewlettNothingSarah PolleySarahPolleySpliceSundance10Vincenzo NataliVincenzoNataliKevin KellySat, 30 Jan 2010 19:32:00 ESTSundance in 60 Seconds: Friday, January 29, 2010http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/30/sundance-in-60-seconds-friday-january-29-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/30/sundance-in-60-seconds-friday-january-29-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/30/sundance-in-60-seconds-friday-january-29-2010/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Celebrity Sightings: The sightings become slim to none when any festival rounds up, so I'll leave you with just two: First, Kevin Zegers -- the Transamerica star is one of the leads in the stuck-on-a-ski-lift flick Frozen. And second, E!Online pits Naomi Watts and Katie Holmes in a winter fashion showdown.

Deals: Even though the celebs wave sayonara, the money is still changing hands. With the deal silence broken, Variety reports that The Weinstein Co. has grabbed Blue Valentine and is zeroing in on The Tillman Story. And according to Screen Daily, Michael Winterbottom's The Killer Inside Me should get bought soon.

Our Coverage: On Friday we got a new review and interview. First up, Kevin Kelly reviewed Exit Through the Gift Shop and wrote: "this is a film I wouldn't have missed for the world, and it was my favorite documentary at Sundance this year, even if we didn't get a hint as to Banksy's real identity." Kevin also sat down with the Duplass Brothers for a video chat about their Sundance pleaser Cyrus.

It might look like we're slowing down, but there's a slew more on the way -- lead by a nice video chat with Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine -- you know, the guys from Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, and the men from Firefly/Dollhouse and Repear, respectively.







Continue reading Sundance in 60 Seconds: Friday, January 29, 2010

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]]>Cinematicalfestival round-upFestivalRound-upSundance in 60 Secondssundance10SundanceIn60SecondsMonika BartyzelSat, 30 Jan 2010 15:48:00 ESTSundance Review: Exit Through The Gift Shophttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/Review-Exit-Through-The-Gift-Shop-Sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/Review-Exit-Through-The-Gift-Shop-Sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/Review-Exit-Through-The-Gift-Shop-Sundance/#commentsFiled under: , ,



What is art? This is not a question the film Exit Through The Gift Shop, which is "directed" by famous street artist Banksy, attempts to answer. However, it is a question that you'll be asking yourself after watching this documentary. I say "directed" because this is a film that stumbled towards completion, and no one set out to make it. Confused yet? Good. Banksy probably wants you exactly that way. He's managed to keep his identity a secret all these years, and has narrowly escaped arrest at places like Disneyland while creating his art.

But that's not what this movie is about, and Banksy is only the subject in a peripheral fashion. He didn't attempt to make this film, and it's strange that he's calling himself the director. Or actually, it's called "A Banksy Film," which makes me think he might just be screwing with us, the same way he does with his identity and his artwork. Or is the real purpose to show you that artwork can be whatever you want it to be, including this film? I can't answer that, but I'll try and sum up what we watched.

Continue reading Sundance Review: Exit Through The Gift Shop

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]]>ArtBanksyExit Through The Gift ShopExitThroughTheGiftShopShepard FaireyShepardFaireystreet artStreetArtSundance10Thierry GuettaThierryGuettaKevin KellyFri, 29 Jan 2010 12:48:00 ESTSundance in 60 Seconds: Thursday, January 28, 2010http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/sundance-in-60-seconds-thursday-january-28-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/sundance-in-60-seconds-thursday-january-28-2010/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/sundance-in-60-seconds-thursday-january-28-2010/#commentsFiled under: ,



Celebrity Sightings: As we already know, Joan Rivers has been chilling at Sundance, and here's a video interview of the iconic plastic surgery fiend straight from Park City. But she's not the only person who might seem like a surprising addition to the fest circuit -- Sir Elton John was also getting his movie on. In other circles, celebrity stylist Naz Kupelian was doing his part to make all the celebs look sexy for their interviews, and Diego Luna, Mark Ruffalo, and more actors posed for cozy Sundance pics wrapped in scarves, jackets, and intertwined legs. And last, but not least -- some Romantics premiere photos.

Our Coverage: The fest might be slowing down, but the coverage continues to pour in. Erik Childress reviewed Welcome to the Rileys and thought: "It is almost worth recommending for the honest moments turned in by Gandolfini and Leo, but the bizarre shifts in tone and the single-note communication by Stewart -- that she is most certainly not the daughter produced by these two great actors -- leaves us a little too hollow in the end."

Meanwhile, Eric D. Snider reviewed Please Give, and thought it was a decent, if not repetitive turn for Nicole Holofcener: "It could be said that Please Give is simply a retread of Holofcener's other movies, especially Lovely & Amazing -- but, then, most people didn't see those movies, so maybe it doesn't matter. Still, while Please Give is often very funny, it feels a little perfunctory. It's a movie you'll like but probably not love."

Finally, Kevin Kelly reviewed the drama Blue Valentine, stating that it "is a great movie with what one hopes are not the defining roles from two of the best young actors working today, but that's how important and moving they are in this film. ... This is nothing but a tribute to all of them."

Continue reading Sundance in 60 Seconds: Thursday, January 28, 2010

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]]>CinematicalSundanceSundance in 60 Secondssundance10SundanceIn60SecondsMonika BartyzelFri, 29 Jan 2010 11:18:00 ESTSundance Interview: Mark and Jay Duplasshttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/mark-and-jay-duplass-interview-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/mark-and-jay-duplass-interview-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/29/mark-and-jay-duplass-interview-sundance/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Brothers Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass are responsible for movies like The Puffy Chair, and Baghead, and they're back at Sundance with their new film Cyrus. However, they're also here as producers on The Freebie (directed by Mark's wife Katie Aselton), on Bass Ackwards, and on Lovers of Hate, directed by their friend Brian Poyser. So they've virtually transformed themselves into a mini-major on their own, directing their own films and helping others get theirs made.

But it hasn't gone to their heads. Which is very lucky, because it means they're still fans of Cinematical. Once you get to superstar Scorsese-level, who has time for film blogs? We talked to Mark & Jay at Sundance, and you can watch the video interview after the jump. They talk about Jonah Hill (who is impressive in this movie, which has as much drama as it does comedy), John C. Reilly, and Marisa Tomei, and what they've been up to at the festival. Head on through and check it out.

Continue reading Sundance Interview: Mark and Jay Duplass

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]]>CyrusJay DuplassJayDuplassJohn C. ReillyJohnC.ReillyJonah HillJonahHillMark DuplassMarkDuplassSundance10The FreebieTheFreebieKevin KellyFri, 29 Jan 2010 09:45:00 ESTSundance Review: Blue Valentinehttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/blue-valentine-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/blue-valentine-review-sundance/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/blue-valentine-review-sundance/#commentsFiled under: ,



Blue Valentine is a movie about two halves of a relationship: the first moment you fall in love with someone, and the realization that comes when everything is over and there's no chance of recovery. This is an extremely painful film with undeniably powerful performances from both Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. They go through both physical and emotional transformations during the five year period of the film: Williams from shy and adorable to cranky, dour and 15 pounds heavier, and Gosling shifts from charming blue-collar loverboy to disconnected father with a receding hairline.

The story is nothing new: boy meets girl and then loses girl, but this is about what takes place between the cracks. Relationships might begin virtually overnight, but it takes time for them to die, and that's where Blue Valentine turns tragic. Told in flashbacks from when they first meet to the death throes of their love, both the pounding heart moments and the bottom of your stomach falling out moments are here. When the story opens, Dean (Gosling) is awoken by his daughter Frankie (the adorable six-year-old Faith Wladyka), who tells him their dog Megan is missing. They go off to briefly look for her and return as Cindy (Williams) is fixing breakfast.

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]]>Blue ValentineBlueValentineDerek CianfranceDerekCianfranceMichelle WilliamsMichelleWilliamsRyan GoslingRyanGoslingSundance10Kevin KellyThu, 28 Jan 2010 21:02:00 ESTSundance Review: Please Givehttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/sundance-review-please-give/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/sundance-review-please-give/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/sundance-review-please-give/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



By the looks of things, Nicole Holofcener's muse must be Catherine Keener. The tart-tongued, throaty-voiced actress has appeared in all four of her feature films, Walking and Talking, Lovely & Amazing, Friends with Money, and the new Please Give. Keener, one of the most reliably entertaining actresses currently working, specializes in sardonic, flawed characters -- a perfect fit for Holofcener's image of the modern American woman.

Please Give has Keener playing Kate, a New Yorker who owns an antique-furniture shop with her husband, Alex (Oliver Platt). Kate is plagued with the guilt of the well-to-do. She'll give $20 to a homeless man but won't give her teenage daughter, Abby (Sarah Steele), the money to buy a pair of jeans. She looks for volunteer opportunities in the community, but everything just makes her feel sadder and guiltier.

Adding to Kate's guilt is the way she and Alex stock their store: They buy furniture from the next of kin of recently deceased people. The grieving relatives are usually in a hurry to get rid of Mom's old stuff, and they tend not to know whether it's worth anything. Kate and Alex have taken this line of thinking into their personal lives, too, buying the apartment next to theirs, to take effect upon the death of the current tenant. They hope she will die soon so they can knock down the wall and combine the units. It's every New Yorker's dream.

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]]>catherine keenerCatherineKeenernicole holofcenerNicoleHolofcenerplease givePleaseGivesundance10Eric D. SniderThu, 28 Jan 2010 16:33:00 ESTWatch Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly in Two Clips From 'Cyrus'http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/watch-jonah-hill-and-john-c-reilly-in-two-clips-from-cyrus/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/watch-jonah-hill-and-john-c-reilly-in-two-clips-from-cyrus/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/watch-jonah-hill-and-john-c-reilly-in-two-clips-from-cyrus/#commentsFiled under: ,



Cyrus features John C. Reilly and Jonah Hill as two characters who are having a hard time cutting ties and apron strings. Reilly continues to hang out with his ex-wife (Catherine Keener) even though they've been divorced for seven years, and Hill has a very dependent relationship with his mom (Marisa Tomei) and continues to live at home, even though he's 21 years old. I could keep going on about this movie, which is both funny and sentimental, or you could just read Cinematical's review right here.

Even better, you can head through after the break to watch two clips from the film, which give you a taste of what you should expect. In the first one, Marisa Tomei has interrupted John C. Reilly while he's relieving himself into a bush in the backyard of a party. Unfortunately they didn't include her first line in the film, which is "Nice penis." In the second clip, Jonah Hill has asked Reilly if he'd like to hear some of his music, which sounds like Ray Lynch meets Paul Oakenfold. Head on through and give them a look.

Continue reading Watch Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly in Two Clips From 'Cyrus'

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]]>Catherine KeenerCatherineKeenerCyrusJay DuplassJayDuplassJohn C. ReillyJohnC.ReillyJonah HillJonahHillMarisa TomeiMarisaTomeiMark DuplassMarkDuplassSundance10Kevin KellyThu, 28 Jan 2010 15:45:00 ESTSundance Review: Welcome To The Rileyshttp://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/sundance-review-welcome-to-the-rileys/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/sundance-review-welcome-to-the-rileys/http://www.cinematical.com/2010/01/28/sundance-review-welcome-to-the-rileys/#commentsFiled under: , ,



They say the guys who feel guilty about going to strip clubs are reminded of their daughters, or at least that the gals doing their thing are someone else's daughter. Though I doubt the Spearmint Rhino is going to lose any business after the release of Welcome To The Rileys. It is about one particular father, a grieving wife and the New Orleans "dancer" who is about the same age as their daughter was when she perished in a fiery car crash. Grasping onto surrogate family figures is not a new method of psychological healing in the cinema and Rileys certainly doesn't cover any new territory. But thanks to an earnest performance by James Gandolfini anchoring it, we can almost forget the weight of Kristen Stewart dragging it down with every hair flip and tug.

Gandolfini plays Doug Riley, successful in the plumbing racket, who leaves his agoraphobic wife, Lois (Melissa Leo) at home during his weekly poker game. Poker including cards, chips and the waitress who serves him waffles at the nearby diner. When another tragedy in his life brings him around to the cemetery where his daughter is buried, he notices that Lois has already bought their headstone. So, on a business trip to New Orleans, he announces to Lois that he is going to be spending some extra time down there. This decision is partially inspired by his wife pre-planning him for an early grave (as he reminds her), but also by meeting Mallory (Stewart). Naturally, that's not her stripper name.

Continue reading Sundance Review: Welcome To The Rileys

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]]>in the loopInTheLoopjake scottJakeScottjames gandolfiniJamesGandolfiniKen HixonKenHixonkristen stewartKristenStewartmelissa leoMelissaLeoPlunkettMacleaneSundance10twilightWelcome to the RileysWelcomeToTheRileysWhere the Wild Things AreWhereTheWildThingsAreErik ChildressThu, 28 Jan 2010 14:17:00 EST