Technically, this is day three, but I never count opening night, because it’s usually one movie and that’s it. Day Two is always the real start, making it Day One in my mind, but… anyway…
The morning started off strong with a great Sundance-themed radio report / interview with Merle Bertrand (a Film Threat vet and current Saturday morning movie talk show host), and then I made my way back up Main Street to visit Slamdance for the first time in a few years so that I could interview Randy Quaid and director Randall Cole of the opening night flick “Real Time” (which was quite good… not that I thought it would be bad, honestly didn’t have any thoughts ahead of time about it). The interview was solid, and then I caught up with my friend, and Slamdance co-founder, Dan Mirvish. We chatted about a new film project of his which is moving forward rapidly (if you have deep pockets and want to help a good guy out, talk to Mirvish and get him some money).
Post-Slamdance fun, I wandered down Main Street and found my way into various lounges and gifting suites, mainly to get the lay of the land (as I’ll be visiting many of them for interviews in the next few days). Then it was over to the Racquet Club for the Premiere of “American Son.” I ran into the man, the myth, the legend that is Joel Michaely at the screening, and all was good (because if you know Joel, and many of you know Joel, you know that he’s a good guy to hang out with). The flick? Was very good, a nice snapshot of 96 hours in a young man’s life, very well done. Nick Cannon was superb, and I know my buddy Random Bag Check has his feelings about Nick after last year’s “Weapons,” but I think he was great. Very charismatic.
Anyway, the rest of my day has been tame, lame, simple to deal with. Mostly just getting reviews edited and scheduled for publishing on the site. We had Stickam going, but it was boring because it was just me staring at the computer and, uh, that was it. Yeah.
I have to wonder how Sundance has managed to remain relevant when many of the movies reviewed are hardly worth the effort to go staggering in the snow. The negative review for August aside, it has become clear that Sundance exclusively caters to “hip” films with A or B-list stars who want to prove their “street cred”, defying the conventional wisdom that a film festival is an open forum for all films of quality regardless of budget or cast.
Sounds like you guys had an exciting day. I was stuck behind the counter serving concessions all day at the Holiday Village Cinemark saw Chris Gore but didn’t have the chance to chat.
PS: sorry for no redbull chris next time you come I will have some on hand.