Writing his musings officially for The Hollywood News, friend of the site Adam Mast of Utah’s Zboneman.com and The Independent, describes his experience and lists his top films from Sundance 2014.
Sundance 2014 was a bit of a milestone for me. Not only was it the 30th anniversary of the iconic fest, but it also happened to be my 20th consecutive year attending. Not to be outdone, I managed to take in a whopping 41 screenings in 10 short days. Insane, I know. While it was exhausting, it was also an incredibly magical experience.
The general consensus amongst many of the attendees I spoke to during the fest, was that there wasn’t a break out hit this year. I suppose that’s all a matter of perception. From where I was sitting, this might have been the most consistent Sundance in recent memory. Of the 41 films I took in, there were a few I thought were mediocre and only one that I straight up disliked. The majority of this year’s massive crop of films ranged from good to great. Again though, this is simply one crazed movie fan’s opinion. Art is, after all, completely subjective.
Before getting to my thoughts, let it be noted that Sundance is about so much more than just watching movies. Sundance is also about connecting. It’s about meeting like minded people and sharing your thoughts with one another. And what a wide range of folks I had an opportunity to talk to! Not only did I bump into a handful of online writers whom I greatly admire (Devin Faraci of Badassdigest.com, Drew McWeeny of Hitfix.com, Eric Vespe of Aint-it-cool-news.com, Matt Goldberg of Collider.com, Alex Billington of Firstshowing.net, Steve “Frosty” Weintraub of Collider.com, and Peter Sciretta of Slashfilm.com just to name a few), but I also found myself engaged in amazing conversations with folks I had only just met for the first time. Take the final night of the fest, for instance. I was fortunate enough to have an insightful chat with screenwriter/Slamdance volunteer Conor Holt. While wait listing for a midnight movie, we talked about everything from our pure love of sci-fi to our mutual admiration for Christopher Nolan.
Throughout the ten day fest I had many amazing conversations with countless individuals. Some were industry types while others were simply random film admirers looking to make a cinematic connection. This is to say nothing of the numerous film-makers I was fortunate enough to chat with (THE RAID 2 director Gareth Evans, RUDDERLESS screenwriter Jeff Robison, ALIVE INSIDE director Michael Rossato-Bennett, etc.)
Sundance 2014 was simply an overwhelming experience but it was overwhelming in the best ways humanly possible. In fact, the fest was so spectacular, so involving, and so inspiring, that I’m not even upset that I missed the opportunity to meet Steven Spielberg (in house for a screening Jake Paltrow’s “Young Ones”) and Christopher Nolan (on hand as a special guest speaker at Slamdance.) I was so enthralled by the folks I was meeting and the films I was experiencing, that the stuff I missed out on didn’t really seem to matter all that much. As previously stated, I managed to take in 41 screenings. Here’s a look at my “Top 10 Best of Fest” in alphabetical order. “The Best of List” is followed by a brief look at all the rest. Enjoy;
ALIVE INSIDE — Grade: A-
This compassionate documentary from director Michael Rossato-Bennett follows social worker Dan Cohen as he sets out to use music therapy as a way to better the lives of Alzheimer’s patients. With so much time, money, and effort going into the manufacturing of drugs in this country (the USA), it seems that the simple act of touching the human spirit has been forgotten. Cohen is looking to change that and as ALIVE INSIDE so beautifully illustrates, it looks as if he’s found the key.
This simple but stunning film is not only inspirational, it’s further proof that one man can make a difference. Kudos to Cohen for his efforts and to Bennett and his film-making team for helping this committed social worker get his message out there. The mere sight of joy on these patients’ faces as Cohen plays tunes from their past, is enough to melt even the biggest cynic’s cold heart.
ALIVE INSIDE includes interviews with Oliver Sacks–the physician who inspired Penny Marshall’s 1990 film, AWAKENINGS. At press time, ALIVE INSIDE had just won the Audience Choice Award but for whatever reason, the film has yet to be picked up for distribution. Given the difference this film has already made at facilities throughout the country, I trust it’s only a matter of time before everyone gets a chance to see this wonderful film.
THE BABADOOK — Grade: B+
Leave it to an Aussie to deliver the strongest film in Sundance’s legendary midnight movie category. Jennifer Kent has fashioned an old school, spook alley horror film that relies on tone and brilliant sound design rather than shock value and gore. THE BABADOOK might be derivative of landmark thriller/horror works like THE SHINING, THE EXORCIST, CARRIE, JU-ON, CREEPSHOW, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, POLTERGEIST, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREE and THE TWILIGHT ZONE, but it still manages to carve out an identity all its own thanks to Kent’s solid execution.
This tale of a single mom trying to recover from a gut wrenching tragedy, is creepy and intense. As the story progresses, this woman and her troubled son are haunted by the pages of an unsettling pop-up book called THE BABADOOK. But this movie isn’t just about things that go bump in the night. This horror show is also about a woman trying to get past the grieving and anger that consumes her life. THE BABADOOK is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while.
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