Movies!

Saturday went much better than Friday. We spent a lovely 12 hours at the picturesque Sundance Resort and saw a total of five movies (two feature-length films and three short films.) Between films, we walked along a postcard-worthy stream to hang-out in another building which houses a restaurant, bar, gift store and deli/coffee shop. Everyone there was friendly, the staff was very accommodating and the facilities were top notch. Now that we know how comfortable it is to see movies at the Resort, I’m sure we will make it a point to spend at least one day there every year.


Pariah

Our first movie of the day was our favorite of the day. Pariah tells the story of a teen African-American lesbian whose family is having difficulty accepting her lifestyle. This film is remarkable for several reasons. First, it shed lights on a common issue for gay teens in a very authentic and honest manner. Second, it is beautifully acted. Each actor portrays his or her character were such sensitivity that you find yourself sympathizing with all of them. And third, this is a very complete and polished film created by a team of mostly young, unknown talent. It is Director Dee Rees’ (photo below) debut film. Newby Cinematographer, Bradford Brown, did an amazing job and the cast poured its heart and soul into it. By the end of the movie everyone in the building was crying, including the cast and crew.

Documentary Shorts II

Three short films were bundled together to make this shorts program. The first two should be seen by every American, the third … not so much.

Living for 32

This is the story of Colin Goddard, a Virginia Tech shooting survivor who is now dedicated to lobbying for gun law reform. In light of our recent experience in Tucson (we were on vacation there and not far from the site of the shooting when it occurred) this young man is my new hero. He was shot four times and is one of seven survivors in a classroom of 17 people. After dedicating himself to getting better physically, he has now dedicated himself to making America a better place. He is involved in the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. I plan to get involved when I get home. Here’s the link if you are interested in knowing more: http://www.bradycampaign.org/.

The Barber of Birmingham

This film provides a snapshot of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of 85-year-old James Armstrong. Armstrong was a Civil Rights Foot Soldier, his sons were the first black kids integrated into a Birmingham elementary school and you cannot help but cheer along with him as he tearfully watches Obama’s inauguration. A hard-working barber, this delightful man fought the fight with humor, grace and relentless dedication. He passed away shortly after the film was made and I hope this film will find audiences across America so his story will continue to be told. Much of his family attended the screening and his legacy will definitely live on through them.

Animals Distract Me

The group was split on this film. Personally, I thought it was a frivolous waste of time and film. Directed by Isabella Rossallini, she tells about her infatuation with animals in a completely meaningless, nonsensical way. If you have ever seen her two-minute shorts series on the Sundance Channel called Green Porno, you will have a sense of the film. It starts with charming childhood photos of her very famous family and their pets. From there, it goes downhill fast. It is a series of cheesy segments that range from a visit to Mario Batali to discuss guilt-free eating to Isabella dressed as a bug that lives on eyelashes being smeared with mascara. This film tells us nothing new and can't even be called art. To me it seems to exist merely as a vehicle for Isabella to put herself in front of the camera.

The film seemed even more frivolous in that it followed two hard-hitting, well-made documentaries about serious social issues. My sister is a big Isabella Rossillini fan, so we did get a photo of the two of them together. My “big dork” moment came earlier in the day when we saw Ms. Rossillini at the restaurant and, seeing a familiar face, I said “Hi.” Even though I did not look a bit familiar to her, she was gracious enough to say “hello” back. This is why I don’t talk to celebrities.

Restoration

A very quiet, slice-of-life film about an Israeli man trying to save his antique furniture restoration business and sort through his feelings about his son, this film is not very everyone. It drags in places, has very little action and is in Hebrew with English subtitles. That being said, it is beautifully made and acted. This is a case where I liked the film better after hearing the director discuss it than I did while watching it. I didn’t like the fact that many parts of the story are left untold, so it was nice to have the Director fill in some of those holes at the end. I doubt it will find U.S. distribution, but if it does, skip it.