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PARK CITY '08 | Wasatch Deal Watch: Some 100 Features Seeking U.S. Distribution at Sundance '08
indieWIRE: Biz — ... unveiled. "The combination of the strike and the increased number of distribs will mean that the films deemed by the 'acquisitions cabal' to be commercial will go for big big bucks." But, he noted, "That may only be two or three films, though." "There will be a bunch of sales less than a million, and most films will go begging," Cohen prognosticated, "Again not dissimilar from other years." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance FIlm Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 | Buzzing About The Buzz and Managing The Chattering Class as Sundance Approaches
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... was much buzzed-about as daring in advance of the fesival because of a child rape scene involving Dakota Fanning. But terrible word-of-mouth and reviews, once it could be seen, killed it.) "Every year there's a star-driven film that the media need to write about without knowing anything about." [Steven Rosen is a Cincinnati-based freelancer and former Denver Post movie critic.] indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 | Swagdance, Brand Dance, and the Struggle to Focus on Film
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... rope trying to manage a roster of films that include numerous stars who arrive in Park City to be pampered. "For better or for worse, independent cinema has become co-opted by Hollywood," Redford recently told the local Deseret News. "More big-name stars are appearing in independent films, which does gives them more legitimacy, but that definitely has its negative aspects as well." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 | Redford Talking Change as Sundance Opens; Fest Touts New Frontier
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... and "Snow Mirror"), Jennifer Steinkamp ("Mike Kelley"), Eddo Stern ("Darkgame" and "Best Flame War Ever"), Marina Zurkow ("Poster Children" and "Heroes of the Revolution"), Cory Arcangel in collaboration with Paper Rad ("Next Year's Band News Bears"), Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky, that Subliminal Kid ("A Work in Progress--Terra Nova: The Antarctic Suite"). indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 | Sundance Opening Weekend: Docs in Focus - "Polanski," "Secrecy," "The Recruiter"
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... is screening at Sundance. "It was pretty hairy," he admits. "Sometimes we'd just grab someone and say, 'OK, you're the Czech First A.D.' -- only because he was the Czech dialect coach, and the only one who actually spoke Czech. Ultimately, it was great fun to watch our crew work in front of the camera and the authenticity they brought to their jobs was priceless and they had a great time as well." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | Docs Continue to Stir Sundance: "Teen," "Water," "I.O.U.S.A."
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... comedy set in Los Angeles, it follows Evan (Wes Bentley), a writer who makes a living writing other people's suicide notes. "Success as a filmmaker is as varied as there are filmmakers themselves," Haley said. "In my eyes, having the ability to make a personal statement with a film is my ultimate goal. If that statement is heard by a large number of people, that's icing on the cake." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Pretty Vacant: Rawson Marshall Thurber's "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... 100 years ago. Yet, even its few good scenes feel stitched together. 'Pittsburgh" has no flow, no depth and no emotional heft. Just as Thurber's previous directing effort, the Vince Vaughn comedy "Dodgeball" was a series of gags - appropriate for a slapstick comedy - "Pittsburgh" is also a chain of set pieces. In this case, serious drama demands more than Thurber could offer. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Looking for Stability in a Soggy Mississippi: Lance Hammer's "Ballast"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... Smith Jr.'s Lawrence is also compelling to watch, a strong hulk of a man who sags under the weight of depression. "Ballast" is a tough movie, no doubt. But it's far from impenetrable (the conclusion, in fact, is perhaps too obviously telegraphed.) On the contrary, what emerges is a crystal clear humanist vision of broken-down people who find a semblance of stability in each other. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 NOTEBOOK | Docs Shine at Sundance; "Teen," "Polanski," and "Myths" Among Hyped Titles
indieWIRE: Movies — ... gatherings have been popping up nearly spontaneously, including several get-togethers at the "American Teen" condo, where A&E; Indie Films has been hosting nearly nightly informal parties. Tuesday promises more opportunities to mix and mingle as the Sundance Channel, the International Documentary Association and Film Independent host back-to-back-to-back soirees. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | Buying Heats Up At Sundance; 3 Films Quickly Nabbed As Insiders Ponder The Market
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... Palahniuk, and centers on Victor Mancini, a sex-addicted med-school dropout. "I was given the book 'Choke' by Chuck Pahalaniuk to consider for a writing assignment in late summer of 2001," said Gregg. "[I] was immediately taken with the unflinching way it dealt with the difficult topics of childhood trauma and sexual compulsion in a way that was both painful and hysterically funny." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Bittersweet Dreams: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's "Sugar"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... where kids recite history lessons directly to the camera, "Sugar" improves upon the device with a brief, but brilliant little coda that beautifully illustrates the reality of Sugar's story. With these affectionate documentary-like glimpses and a heartfelt commitment to their subject matter, Boden and Flick give "Sugar" just the right amount of sweetness to help its sobering message go down. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 NOTEBOOK | International Films Shine At Sundance: "Abu Raed"; "Absurdistan"; "Mermaid"; "Stranded"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... gangster flick, but it delves into novel territory when the troublemaking lead is forced out of town by a dangerous crimelord and finds himself immersed in a jungle community where drumming provides an essential component of the town's meditative qualities. There's an argument to be made for relying on the cinema to access other worlds, but these works allow us to visit unlikely places in our own. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | True Grit: Trygve Allister Diesen's "Red"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... satisfying finale seems out of place. It feels like a fuzzy afterthought, a chance for audiences to decompress and see Ludlow in a better light. I don't remember Raymond Chandler stories ending in such a sentimental manner and I do wish Diesen would have stayed true to his pulp instincts and allow "Red" a grim finale. Still, Cox makes "Red" a journey worth taking despite the closing stumble. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | Immigration and Water Make a Sundance Splash
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... you can claim success on a film when you feel that the story in your head translates on the screen, when you capture what's in your head on the screen. I think that a film is successful when it works on and captures all five senses, when it looks/feels/tastes/sounds/smells like what you wanted it to be; when the film on screen exceeds what it was in my heart and on my mind, then I have succeeded. " indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Surprisingly Ordinary : Clark Gregg's "Choke"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... to Vincent's unhappy childhood only serve to disrupt the film. "Choke" never rebounds after its great opening and you end up wishing someone with more experience behind the camera adapted the book. Author Chuck Palahniuk and independent cinema is a match made in heaven. Granted, Gregg's adaptation of "Choke" isn't hell but he has hell to pay for screwing up a chance at something great. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 SHORTS COLUMN | International Shorts and Five-Minute-or-Less Flicks Dominate Sundance
indieWIRE: Movies — ... 18 mins). Kudos to the Sundance programming team of Matt Anderson, George Eldred, Trevor Groth, Todd Luoto, Shane Smith, Hebe Tabachnik, and Kimberly Yutani, who reviewed 5,107 submissions to cull the officially selected 83 films. Their picks are indeed work that anyone who is truly interested in independent film should pay attention to. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Scary Ha-Ha: Jay and Mark Duplass' "Baghead"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... Duplass Brothers' improvisational style of storytelling, shoestring production and trademark and close-up-fixated cinematography. That's a welcome relief. What's different is a youthful tale of friendship and romantic longing boosted by the appearance of a menacing figure with a bag over his head. Seldom has genre been this warm and fuzzy. "Baghead" is funny, a little scary but always honest. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | Queer Cinema Then and Now at Sundance '08
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... one of those people who was at Woodstock," she joked. "It felt like these movies were your only shot, you've got to say it and if you didn't say it right then that was it, because you could be dead the next day. It really did feel like that... Its amazing to me that I can even say it with a smile now. Because honestly at the time it really felt like it was such an atmosphere of death and despair." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Hope Despite A Cold Despair: Tom Hines's "Chronic Town"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... Luckily, Hines, a longtime character actor making his directing debut, rights his drama by putting Truman back on the Fairbanks streets. Truman is someone who pounds his head against his table in frustration when life becomes unbearable. He's a broken man and yet, powerfully charismatic. He's everything a protagonist needs to be and makes "Chronic Town" a male journey not to be missed. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 NOTEBOOK | Under Construction: The Nonfiction New Wave Takes Root at Sundance
indieWIRE: Movies — ... Towers. One major U.S. film critic told me how much he admired the film, set against the backdrop of the World Trade Center. for avoiding sentimentality and cliche. "Man on Wire" joined "Stranded" amongst the most admired docs in the World Documentary Competition. There was also positive word-of-mouth for "Alone if Four Walls," "Be Like Others" and "Derek." indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Up, Up and Away: Paul Schneider's "Pretty Bird"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... It is a rare club, those talented actors who are just as skilled behind the camera. George Clooney, Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro come to mind. "Pretty Bird" is an impressive first step for Schneider, granted, one with expected flaws. But it's good enough to make Schneider part of this elite group and to start referring to him as a filmmaker who also happens to act. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | Name Actors Not Needed: "Baghead," "Ballast," "Momma's Man" Shine in Park City
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... is a trained actor from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, also felt the magic of shooting with Azazel's parents. "When we finished shooting the film I would stay up late dreaming about this incredible loft. It was like I always visualized Aza's Dad like a Willy Wonka and I thought if he pulled a book out that the walls were gonna change and I'd fall into something." [James Israel] indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Cat's Out of the Bag: David and Nathan Zellner's "Goliath"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... It's as if the Zellner Brothers changed directions in order to offer audiences a more ordinary movie-going experience; something they can immediately recognize. "Goliath" is a wonderfully strange movie, experimental realism at its best that near its end attempts to be ordinary. This raises one question for the talented Zellner Brothers: What's so bad about being strange? indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 NOTEBOOK | Slamdance Docs "Dear Zachary" and "My Mother's Garden" Offer Personal Stories; "Portage" and "Jetsam" Thrill
indieWIRE: Movies — ... "Stage Six Pandemic" by Barbara Marshall Award for Best Horror Competition Screenplay "The Punished" by Tony Mosher Creative Excellence Award for the Horror Screenplay Competition "Child in the Dark" by Damian Lahey & Ian Ogden Special Award: Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography "Portage" cinematography by Sascha Drews & Ezra Krybus indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Kicking and Screaming: Azazel Jacobs' "Momma's Man"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... struggles, but no less welcome: A scene involving his macho friend's unlikely appreciation of Indigo Girls' "Closer to Fine" is among the funniest Amerindie moments in many moons. But the film's heart is in the drama. Without giving it away, I'll just say that "Momma's Man" culminates in a scene of overwhelming beauty, one that resonates equally for mother, father, son, and audience. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 DISPATCH | "Frozen River" and "Trouble The Water" Win Top Prizes at Sundance '08, "Man On Wire" Wins World Doc Jury and Audience Awards
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... by Nicolas Provost "W.," directed by The Vikings Alfred P. Sloan Prize "The Sleep Dealer"; directed by Alex Rivera Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award Alejandro Fernandez Almendras for "Huacho" Braden King for "Here" Aiko Nagatsu for "Apoptsis" Radu Jude for "The Happiest Girl In The World" indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 NOTEBOOK | Overlooked Frontier and Midnight Sections Offers Standout "Half Life" and Well-Directed "The Broken"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... in part to their concession to showing two non-world premieres, Nacho Vigalondo's "Time Crimes" and "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead", that represent the best of what the current midnight festival circuit has to offer. Both films, which screened previously in the US at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX, are two of the best Midnight offerings Park City has seen in years. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Dancing Fool: Stanley Tucci's "Blind Date"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... successful in the film if only because her classic beauty and range of emotions are a joy to watch. She also seems to be having some fun, hiking up her black dress to spice up one date. Clarkson is the better banterer, yet, not good enough to call "Blind Date" a movie success. Tucci, however, never fully gets into character. It's as if his responsibilities on both sides of the camera took his toll. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section. In the film's best moment, Janna downs a ...

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Love Rollercoaster: Dennis Dortch's "A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... matter. "Black & Sexy" is about bed sheet dialogue and backseat flirtations and the how back-and-forth battles between men and women can be funny. Dortch shows the face of Black America in his debut feature, especially the face of male Black America as lewd, rude and frequently lascivious. "Black & Sexy" is more Fred Williamson than Barack Obama, which is exactly how it should be. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 | Catching Up: 100+ Dispatches, Buzz, Photos, Notebooks, Reviews, and Interviews From Sundance '08
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... - Review "Chronic Town" - Interview "Goliath" - Review "A Good Day To Be Black & Sexy" - Review "The Linguists" - Interview "Momma's Man" - Review "Quid Pro Quo" - Interview "Red" - Review Park City at Midnight "Donkey Punch" - Interview "Timecrimes" (Los Cronocrimenes) - Interview indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | American Wine: Randall Miller's "Bottle Shock"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... aims. In the oversized cast, Eliza Dushku comes off best as a tough young barmaid named Joe, mainly because her extended cameo allows the least opportunity for embarrassment. In the end, where a blind taste-test brings "the future" of winemaking (and a spiffy blazer for Pine's reforming hippie), "Bottle Shock," albeit true, isn't a ripe grape so much as pure American corn. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 | Sundance Buying Spree Stirs Talk; Sony Classics Adds "Baghead," "River," and "Wackness" to '08 Slate
indieWIRE: Biz — ... Director Levine suggested if they want the movie to make that much money, they should all go see it numerous times. Sony Pictures Classics, which is currently distributing "Persepolis" and will open "The Band's Visit" next week, plans to release both "The Wackness" and "Baghead" in the late summer, while "Frozen River" is being targeted as a 4th quarter possible Oscar push. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Crazy/Beautiful: Anthony Haney-Jardine's "Anywhere, USA"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... "Anywhere" may be an experimental film in structure, similar to a Harmony Korine film, its spirit is self-effacing, easygoing, worlds apart from many serious-minded, experimental films Haney-Jardine takes risks, reaches constantly and is unafraid to go for easy laughs with 'Anywhere.' It doesn't matter if the film fails on some levels. That's benefit of being good old boy, carefree moviemaking. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Chit-Chat Love: Geoff Haney's "The Last Word."
indieWIRE: Movies — ... confrontation lacks payoff since they never fully bond in the film. Its random moments of sweetness turn into aggravating lulls because "Last Word" simply does not have enough laughs to keep its story afloat. It doesn't have much credible romance either. In fact, on all levels, "Last Word" comes up painfully short. Considering Haley's sly premise, his failure to deliver is doubly disappointing. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Broken Mountain: Matthew Stanton's "North Starr"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... Cliche characters and clumsy supporting performances add to the beginner's feel of "North Starr." Frequent flashbacks to a terrible crime in Trublin further fragment the film. By film's end, Demetrious' nightmares are solved with little surprise, satisfaction or impact. Its one consistent quality is lethargy; making the story of Demetrious' journey the movie equivalent of a road to nowhere. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

REVIEW | Quiet Anger: David Gordon Green's "Snow Angels"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... his sense of deliberately paced naturalism or you find it lulling. Point Blank: I am a fan and will always celebrate his work. [For more about "Snow Angels," read David Gordon Green's interview with indieWIRE from the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.] ABOUT THE WRITER: Steve Ramos is an award-winning film writer based in Cincinnati, Ohio. When not on assignment, he maintains the blog Flyover Online. Get the latest coverage of Park City '07 in indieWIRE's special section here at indieWIRE.com

REVIEW | High Times in the 90's: Jonathan Levine's "The Wackness"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... A fantasy where his high school yearbook comes alive never hits it comic target. Luke's narration quickly becomes redundant. Still, flaws and all, "Wackness" remains a straight-shooting, coming- of-age tale with a happy ending where it matters most -- a teenage boy's maturity into a self-respecting man. Will Levine's creative fairytale fizzle with film number three? "Wackness" says otherwise. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '08 REVIEW | Women of the Year: Courtney Hunt's "Frozen River"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... in a part of the country stripped of good jobs and financial opportunities. For Leo, somewhat recognizable thanks to her years on the TV cop drama "Homocide: Life on the Street" and the films "21 Grams" and "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada," Hunt's incredible film offers her a chance to truly stand out and shine. In return, Leo makes "Frozen River" a movie to champion. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

Looking for Stability in a Soggy Mississippi: Lance Hammer's "Ballast"
indieWIRE: Movies — ... Smith Jr.'s Lawrence is also compelling to watch, a strong hulk of a man who sags under the weight of depression. "Ballast" is a tough movie, no doubt. But it's far from impenetrable (the conclusion, in fact, is perhaps too obviously telegraphed.) On the contrary, what emerges is a crystal clear humanist vision of broken-down people who find a semblance of stability in each other. indieWIRE's coverage of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival is available in iW's special Park City section.

PARK CITY '09 | Fewer Star Driven Premieres, Larger Spectrum Section on Sundance Non-competition Roster
indieWIRE: On The Scene — ... socialization and life experience and takes us back to the world of childhood as a pretext in order to evoke the anxiety of adults. You Won't Miss Me/U.S.A (Director: Ry Russo-Young)--A portrait of a modern day rebel, Shelly Brown, a twenty-three year-old alienated urban misfit recently released from a psychiatric hospital. Cast: Stella Schnabel, Rene Ricard. World Premiere Get the latest coverage of the Sundance Film Festival in indieWIRE's special section.