Sundance 2009: Final Scorecard

Sundance 2009 began two weeks ago, and while I still have a few mini-reviews to post, I'll join the chorus of commentary to present a final scorecard. My overall impression of the festival is that there were few films at the extremes — I saw no masterpieces and no awful films — but the mid-section was rich with movies that tried something new even if they found only partial success. I think it's unlikely that many of these films will end up as favorites at the end of the year — although a few might — but I still feel...  read more

Sundance 2009: Young Romance

I've joked in the past about teen romances at Sundance. They seem to collapse into a subgenre all their own, each one telling the cute and touching story of a troubled loner (male) who is brought out of his shell by a perky new friend (female). I understand why young, inexperienced (male) filmmakers make these movies; I just don't understand why the Sundance programmers find them so interesting year after year. But in 2009, I'm glad to say, the filmmakers have been trying to break the mold. Some are finding more success than others, but I appreciate every effort. *...  read more