Sundance Film Festival

Big weekend! I drove up to Park City yesterday to meet some friends for the Sundance Film Festival. We didn't actually end up seeing any of the films, but we did spend some time mixing and mingling with the rich and famous. Let me give you a brief recap of some of my star sitings--Tommy Lee, Scarlet Johansen, Shannon Elizabeth, Josh Hartnett, Greg Kinear (remember him as David from Sabrina?--oh, I love him), Lucy Lui, etc. The most exciting siting was of my dear friend Miss Jennifer Aniston! I was so excited that I nearly wet my pants. In fact, in one brief moment, she solved my weekly dilemma. After seeing her long hair, I've decided to endure to the end and resist cutting my locks. Anyway, Jen definitely waved at me. Notice that she signed this Volkswagen (the official car of the Sundance Film Festiva--gosh, Robert has great taste). Look at this hottie! I did have someone ask my friends who I was and if I was famous. Of course I'm famous. They recognized me from my Talk it UP Provo spots. It's tough being in the spotlight. Suddenly, I have no privacy.
Does this face look familiar? Yep, Anne Heche was standing like inches from me. It was funny because the security guard didn't recognize her and wouldn't let her in to the reception area to get her credentials. He told her publicist that he "didn't watch TV." So, Anne waited outside the gate with the rest of the unfamous.
One of the original missions of Sundance was to hold a competition for films made outside the Hollywood system. The idea was to showcase the movies, get publicity, and bring them to a wider audience. It has paid off in a big way. Some say too big a way. A look at this year's lineup may explain why.
The festival, which runs today through Jan. 29, opens with a screening of "Friends With Money." It's a drama that focuses on three married women, their husbands, and their one single friend. And the cast is straight out of Hollywood, including Jennifer Aniston, Scott Caan, Joan Cusack, Jason Isaacs, Catherine Keener and Frances McDormand. That's a pretty heady group. Think your next-door neighbor who just graduated from film school could round up that group?
The festival's closing film is "Alpha Dog," a crime story about a young, notorious drug dealer who became one of the youngest offenders ever to appear on the FBI's Most Wanted list. Once again, the screen credits read like a Who's Who of Hollywood. Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone are among the all-star cast.
Other films in the running this year feature the acting talents of John Malkovich, Sam Shepard, Jessica Lange, Eva Saint Marie, Ed Norton, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu and Tim Robbins. Mind you the films may be written, directed and produced outside the Hollywood system, but it must be nearly impossible for some independent filmmakers to land that sort of talent.
Still, there are dozens of films this year that do not boast big names or big budgets. The subject matters are diverse and decidedly non-Hollywood. Cancer, crosswords, local elections, disease and drugs, and the war in Iraq are among the themes.
And for fledgling filmmakers who may be discouraged by all the star power, there is this to remember. Of all the films entered in last year's Sundance, including such critically acclaimed movies as "Hustle and Flow," "Murderball," and "New York Doll," it was a little nature documentary that slammed them all. "March of the Penguins" was the big box-office champ. Sometimes, you get lucky. Sometimes you don't need all those stars — just a good, well-executed idea. Redford ("Bob" to the locals) must have been proud.