Sandra Oh Tagged Articles at Cinematical

When juries are put together for these film fests, chances are the everyday person wouldn't have the slightest idea who most of the people are -- perhaps they make ultra-arthouse films, or they work behind the scenes in some capacity. But for Sundance, they've collected a bunch of names that are pretty recognizable -- coming from both the world of big-budget film and indie wonder. The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Marcia Gay Harden, Sandra Oh, Quentin Tarantino, Jason Reitman, and Alan Alda are heading the list of 24 jurors chosen to hand out prizes at Sundance this year, which starts later this month.

There are six juries selecting the prizes, and this is how it is broken up:

Dramatic Competition Grand Jury -- Harden, Diego Luna, Oh, Mary Harron, and Tarantino.

Documentary Competition Grand Jury -- Michelle Byrd, Heidi Ewing, Eugene Jarecki, Steven Okazaki, and Annie Sundberg.

World Dramatic Competition Jury -- Shunji Iwai, Lucrecia Martel, and Jan Schuette.

World Documentary Competition Jury -- Ilda Santiago, Leena Pasanen, and Amir Bar-Lev.

American & International Shorts Jury -- Jon Bloom, Melonie Diaz, and Jason Reitman.

Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize Jury -- Alda, Michael Polish, Evan Schwartz, Benedict Schwegler, and John Underkoffler. (It's awarded to a film focusing on science or technology, and most of these names are in the biz.)

Ah, if only I could be there! Stay tuned to Cinematical for lots of Sundance goodies as the fest heats up.

Haven't you always wondered if celebrities have more fun at Christmas or other holidays? Does George Clooney have to exclaim with delight when a great-aunt gives him a package of gray socks? Can you imagine Johnny Depp's kids giving him a garish necktie that requires all his powers of acting to look delighted about? Does Britney Spears' mom demand that she go back into the bedroom and not come out again until she's dressed like a proper young lady?

I have to admit that normally I don't wonder about any of these things, because usually at Christmastime I have a number of other things occupying my mind, whether it's worrying about what to give my own grandmother, or looking forward to seeing all the nieces and nephews. Still, I realize there's a certain amount of amusement you can derive from imagining celebrity holiday celebrations. This year, celebrity holiday news includes pregnancy news, divorce, injury, a fire and a little charity. Sounds like a normal holiday to me.

Enough time has passed since 9/11 that filmmakers are beginning to feel comfortable talking about it in their films. In Sorry, Haters, writer and director Jeff Stanzler wonders if, for some, tragedy is an addiction. New Yorkers, in particular, pride themselves on their ability to unify in the face of adversity. The blackout of 2003 and the "blizzard" of 2006 each had newscasters (and the Mayor) standing on street corners, lauding the citizens and their willingness to band together. Would we be so concerned with that image if we didn't have to live up to the expectations created by 9/11? We have a duty to fulfill, it seems, and for some life was never better than it was in the shadow of no towers.

Phoebe (Robin Wright Penn, frenetically overacting) has a thankless job at Q-Dog, an MTV-type conglomerate. Her closest friends are well-meaning, but ultimately oblivious, not to mention richer and more successful; Phoebe's jealousy is palpable. In tragedy, however, all are equal, and this becomes her focus and biggest fantasy: how to make it happen—to recreate that feeling of belonging—all over again? The premise is an interesting one, and not unfathomable. Tragedy does bring a community closer together, not to mention the pride that comes with "living through" said tragedy. In a time where war, for many, is an abstract, far-away thing fed to us piecemeal by network talking heads, just living through seemingly random violence  is equivalent to courage, and as we know from all war films, courage equals bonding. What to do, then, when the camaraderie fades away?

We reported during Sundance that The Night Listener, Patrick Stettner's adaptation of the Armistead Maupin novel, sold North American rights to Miramax. The film, about a radio talk show host who gets involved in the tale or horrific abuse of a young listener - and then questions whether the tale, and the boy, are even real, stars Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh and Rory Culkin. 

Things just keep getting better and better for the flick - the film has been added as a "surprise screening" (well, it's not so much a surprise, really, as a previously unannounced engagement) to the 2006 Berlinale, which starts today. In addition to scoring a slot a the Berlinale, Indiewire notes that even before the Berlinale's all-important European Film Market, Fortissimo Films, the flick's sales co, is reporting The Night Listener has scored sales in Germany, Israel,  Taiwan, Thailand, Czech Republic, Turkey, UK, Australia, and Scandinavia - which doesn't leave too much of the free world for the film to still conquer.

 

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The Outfest Queer Brunch is one of the hottest parties for actual filmmakers at Sundance. You won't find Paris Hilton getting jiggy in her fur boots there, but you will find a good percentage of the folks actually involved making movies - and lest we forget, that's really what Sundance is all about. Most of the filmmakers at Sundance must have been there yesterday morning, because the Grub Steakhouse was packed wall-to-wall with people schmoozing, networking, and trying to work their way to the buffet lines and the open bar. Our own C.K. Sample came with me to act as photographer, and he must have a vibe about him or something, because he was come onto twice - one guy grabbed C.K.'s rear in the buffet line and told him, "It's so crowded here, you have to just push your way through and be....aggressive". I'm sure C.K. was flattered.

I ran into lots of directors at the brunch, including Quinceañeara director Richard Glatzer, All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise director  Shari Cookson, small town gay bar director Malcolm Ingram, and Oscar-award winning director Freida Lee Mock, who is here with her film Wrestling With Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner. Queer film historian Jenni Olson was on hand, as was novelist Armistead Maupin (scoring at the brunch buffet, left), whose novel The Night Listener was made into a film starring Robin Williams and Sandra Oh, which is premiering here at Sundance.

The biggest draw at the brunch was legendary director John Waters, who is so cool and amazing in his natural state, he doesn't even have to put on any pretense.  Waters is practically the messiah of Outfest and of queer film - he was unabashedly taking Hollywood by storm as an openly gay man long before it was cool to do so,  and paving the way for every gay person working in film today. It was fascinating watching people's reaction to Waters - waiting patiently to get a picture taking with him, to shake his hand, to touch his sleeve. C.K. bravely got right up there to introduce himself and give Waters a Cinematical tshirt - Waters was a little startled by C.K. at first, but warmed right up when offered a pumpkin-colored Cine shirt.

Director Maurice Jamal and his crew (pictured, right) had the best tshirts at the Outfest Brunch. Well, except for ours, of course.

 More photos of the Outfest Brunch below the fold.

Sandra Oh, the surprise winner for Grey's Anatomy in the category with the longest, most idiotic name in the history of the world (I'll just called it "TV Supporting Actress," because that's what it is) reacts to her win by looking incredible, laughing hysterically, and getting lost on the way to the stage. Then, her speech consists of such explosions of genuine feeling as "I feel like someone set me on fire," and "Oh God, I don't remember ANY of your names!"

As a result, all six people in the US who hadn't already fallen in love with her as a result of either Sideways or Grey's Anatomy were officially smitten. Sandra, we bow before you.