Monday, July 30, 2018
Lights Cameras sheesh those cameras!
Lights Cameras sheesh those cameras!
Last night, my wife and I attended the Park City Opening of the Sundance Film Festival. When I first started attending these glitzy and glamorous events over 15 years ago, I was much more caught up with the feeding frenzy. But, I have to admit that I would have rather rented the movie, perused a People magazine to see the stars, and sat next to my 2 cats and a wife rather than fight the traffic, paste on my best plastic smile and put up with the cell phones and paparazzi. That said - it was a pretty decent film and Bob Redfords terse remarks before the movie started renewed my faith in independant films and the reason for the Sundance Institute.
"Hello, everybody, Im Bob Redford." As if anyone was wondering who the icon was addressing the audience of 1500 at the Eccles Theater in Park City. Redford marked the opening of the festival, and the 25th anniversary celebration of his Sundance Institute, by getting nostalgic. Recalling the first years Sundance ran what was in the 1980s the U.S. Film Festival, Redford said he had to lure audiences to the festival. "I was like a circus barker out there," Redford said. "Id say, You want to come in and see? And theyd say, Yeah, if you come in with me. " But thats a far cry from this years festival, which is screening 120 feature films and will draw thousands of movie-industry workers, journalists and Hollywood stars - including the cast of Thursdays opener, "Friends Wtih Money": Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, Joan Cusack, Jenn Fee and Frances McDormand.
Both my wife and I enjoyed the movie very much although the people by whom we were sitting didnt like it at all. Perhaps because it doesnt really have the traditional movie arc. In fact, it felt as if we were just plopped into four interesting womens lives for a little while and then, without much pomp and circumstances, were pulled back out. It was a script full of subtle intellectual dialogue and light chuckles throughout.
What was least enjoyable for me was the incessant blinding falshbulbs during the pre-film activities. Some of the biggest applause was reserved for when all the press exited the room. Oh well - the film festival does so much good for independant film and our local economy - its worth all the hassle.
