Before Midnight - Surviving "Happily Ever After"

This is filled with spoilers. If you haven’t seen the film and read this anyway, you are not the smartest of people.

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I’ve already told you about my experience of seeing Before Midnight at Sundance. While I had a lot to say about the film back then, I didn’t want to post it all back in January given the fact that so few people had seen the film. Since only a small number of people would be able to read and discuss with me, I thought it’d be more fun to hold off until we could all commiserate together. This isn’t a straightforward review so much as it’ll be a series of impressions and thoughts.

Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Celine have come to mean a great deal to me. When I first saw Before Sunrise, I was surprised by how close I felt to these characters. They felt three-dimensional, and it’s entirely due to the dialogue-heaviness of the script. You have a chance to hear exactly what they think about so many things that you feel like you actually know these people in some way, almost like they were friends of mine. I really wanted to know what they might have thought about various things, and found it fascinating to see the way that they changed over time.

In the 9 years between Before Sunset and Before Midnight, I’d often wondered what had happened to Jesse and Celine. The last time we saw them, they’d reconnected after 9 years (sensing a motif here?) and the future of their relationship was in doubt, to say the least. That ending! “Baby, you are gonna miss. That. Plane.” This time around, I made a concerted effort to keep off of any internet forums or the like that would tell me the setup for the new film. I didn’t want to know how Jesse and Celine found themselves on the same patch of real estate and I’m so glad that I did it that way, because the revelation was one of the best gifts I’ve received in years.

After an opening sequence in a Grecian airport between Jesse and his visiting son (he’s so old now!), the camera follows him from behind as he walks outside as he walks to the car . . . and there she is. I’ve often described it since as feeling like a 13-year-old girl on the inside. The thought that they’d found a way to live happily ever after was almost too wonderful to imagine. “Oh, they lived happily ever after!!!” The rest of the film pokes some holes in that theory, but the idea that the end of the second film was not the end of their relationship is beautiful.

Throughout the film, there are a few little easter eggs dropped about what their life has been like. He really did miss that plane, and they blacked out the windows to have sex for days. After he got divorced, the two of them ended up moving to New York for 2 years before moving to Paris so that their twin daughters could be born there, which apparently almost killed Celine. They have never married, even though she has told her kids that they did.

It’s strange to see these characters in middle age. In some ways, I don’t think that Jesse’s ever really changed. He’s still idealistic, believing in true love and the idea of accepting a person exactly as he/she is without trying to make significant changes. I feel as though Celine has changed the most. She’s hit real life, and she’s hit it HARD. He has the luxury of remaining committed to his ideals through his writing, but she’s in the nitty-gritty reality of being a mother and wife (in everything but name). But even that’s not entirely true. She works all day and he stays home to write. It’s not like their relationship is founded in inequality as much as she thinks it is. Still, there’s something there that I identify with that a lot. I know a lot of people who like to deal with these abstract concepts at the exception of reality. I often want to shake them til they rattle to get it across that they only need to listen to what they’re saying to have some idea as to how little what they’re talking about has any bearing on the life of a regular person. Plus, thinking about these abstract concepts all the time doesn’t make one exceptional in any way other than that the corresponding person is often incredibly annoying.

The walk through to the hotel is the most reminiscent of the previous films. The signature two shot of Jesse and Celine walking and talking is one for the books. The amount of work that it must take for Hawke, Delpy and Richard Linklater to not only write that much dialogue but figure out a way to make it feel like it’s coming off the cuff is astounding. I like the way that their hands keep flirting with each other like little sparrows.

The scene in the hotel room is one of the most distinctive in the entire series because, for the first time, we really see Jesse and Celine get into it and the gloves are OFF. In the previous two films, they’ve just been so happy to be together that there’s not really any conflict and they quickly find a way to overcome what little there conflict there is. Here, they’ve been together for 9 years, and are trying to figure out what the future holds. Much of the time, I felt like Jesse was getting a raw deal, as he only wants to talk about the idea of moving to Chicago to be close to his son and Celine’s convinced that he’s trying to destroy her happiness. I don’t think that’s entirely fair, but it’s clear as time passes that she really does feel trapped in their relationship and he doesn’t realize exactly what he’s doing (or NOT doing). They went through a lot emotionally over the course of the first two films, and it’s apparent that they’ve been through a lot in the time since.

In the last scene, he re-enacts their meet cute, and it’s sweet to see him try to tell her yet again that he loves her completely and doesn’t want to throw that away even after she’s told him that she doesn’t think that she loves him anymore. Ironically, it’s only after he resigns himself to the fact that maybe they’re through that she looks at him and asks “so what about that time machine?” I think she knows deep down that he is her last, best hope at being happy. As angry as he makes her, I don’t think there is anyone she would rather be with. I don’t think that this is their last knockdown drag out fight. Even with the most unequal of relationships, it can be surprising to see the kind of almost desperate need that two people have for each other. I’m reminded of Johan and Marianne in Scenes From A Marriage. Despite the terrible things that they say and do to each other, you know that they will never find a way to be two separate people. Fortunately, Jesse and Celine never take it quite that far.

Seeing these two caught up in real life is something kind of strange. In the first two films, they’re either just meeting for the first time or are reuniting after many years, whereas here, they’ve been together for years and are trying to live out the peace. The reality is never as simple as the fantasy seemed. The future's here and it  hurts. Surviving “happily ever after” is not nearly as easy as it might have seemed in the other movies. Even if it's only until the next fight, I'm really glad that the two of them seemed to figure things out. The idea of them splitting up is almost too terrible to think about, at least for long. Jesse and Celine have traversed a lot of emotional territory over the course of the 18 years we’ve known them, but the love that they’ve built up is more important than the little things that drive them crazy. It might be a cliché, but Emerson was right. The things that unite us are stronger than that which drives us apart.

Love is hard. Even if you’re lucky enough to find it, the holding on can be the most difficult thing that you’ve ever had to do. People don’t stay the same and the emotions that they feel often undergo a transformation that, although it might seem glacial, can result in a change so severe as to bring even the mighty to their knees. But you know what? If Jesse and Celine with all their fighting and drama and joy and misery can find a way to be happy, then maybe the rest of us can too. That's a comforting thought.

Podcasting: Zero Dark Thirty

Good news! I thought that I was going to miss out on Out Now With Aaron and Abe's discussion of Zero Dark Thirty due to Sundance, but good fortune was on my side! I'm very glad to have been able to be a part of this one. The shownotes, in particular, are a veritable treasure trove of interesting bits of information. Make sure you take the time to check them out. 

You can listen to the entire podcast by clicking HERE to go to the episode's official page or by clicking the big ol' play button below. This discussion had a particularly good vibe. We were not only able to go into detail on the film, but also took the time to talk about Sundance/Slamdance as well as the upcoming Academy Awards.

Don't forget to share/post/link/tweet or whatever it is you do with things you like. Enjoy!

This episode features: 

• Aaron Neuwirth of The Code Is Zeek and Why So Blu?
• Abraham Moua of The Walrus Moose
• Jose Cordova of The Thoughtful Slacker
• Mark Johnson of The Awards Circuit

Tales from Park City - The Whole Shebang (2013)

Now that I've had several days to recuperate/thaw, I thought it'd be useful to archive Tales from Park City in a single post. To that end, you'll find a link to each piece below.

Tales From Park City - 2013

• Opening Day
  
  
• Unlikely Lunches, Jilted Lovers, and Broken Hearts
  
  
• Anger and Alternate Reality
  
  
• I Drank His Milkshake
  
  
• Dreams Come True At The End

If you're so inclined, you can find the full archive of last year's SmackDance column here.

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Whenever I go to a festival, I take my notebook. There are just too many films to keep track of to trust my memory to keep everything straight. This year alone, I saw 13 feature-length and 30 short films. Unfortunately, I realized too late that I'd left my favorite notebook at home, so I had to pick up another one upon arrival. 

Despite not having my battle-tested notebook on hand, perhaps the single thing that's most special to me about this year's trip is that I was able to take notes all week with my mother's pen. It means more than words can express, and I am thinking of her tonight.

Tales From Park City - Dreams Come True At The End

The last day! 

My morning started off far too early. In anticipation of my pre-7 AM alarm, I tried to get some sleep by going to bed early, but things are tough when you're bunking with someone on a different schedule. Plus, I never really slept that great the whole time I was in Utah. Whatever. On the last day, I decided to treat myself and go off the beaten path a little bit so I figured that a little extra work was worth it. 

Whenever I go to Park City, there's typically one or two movies that I have to see for me. There are tons that I need to see for my job and I'm fully aware that I'm there to work first and foremost, even if that job involves watching movies all day. (poor guy!) Last year, the "me" movie was 2 Days In New York, and this year, it was Before Midnight. 

What's ironic is that I had the opportunity to meet Julie Delpy through my job last year and heard a journalist ask her if there were any plans to make a third film with Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke. She kept quiet about it and said that it might happen . . . but all the while she knew that they had a script and were leaving to shoot it in a month!

Anyhow, I didn't have a ticket for the film. To rushline a film at Sundance, you're supposed to be there about 2 hours early. Fortunately for me, as it was the first screening of the day, I was only required to be there 1 hour in advance. As the film was scheduled to start at 8:30 AM, I was supremely grateful for this. At each venue, they post a sign with the average number of rushline people who got into screenings at the venue the year before. At the MARC, that number was 50, (not terribly encouraging) and thanks to a misleading bus driver, I ended up with #95 (again, not very encouraging) Fortunately for me, a kind woman who was somehow able to buy a ticket, flipped my number around by giving me her spot at #59. 

Boom!

Now to the film . . .  (no spoilers per se, but don't read on if you don't want to know the basic premise, which I think is a kind of spoiler in the world of this series.)

• Before Midnight: I have loved this series since I was in my late teens. Jesse and Celine feel like friends of mine, and that's not exaggeration on my part. The films are so so well-written and the performances are wonderfully authentic that you feel like you know these people. In this one, we find the two together for nine years following the events of Before Sunset. In many ways, Before Midnight is about what "happily ever after" is really like. It's a very different kind of story than the previous two. With those, the characters still have rose-colored glasses on with regard to each other. But here? Here, they've been together for years and years, and the gloves come off. If the first two were about the fight to get together, this one is about the fight to stay together. Not surprisingly, the writing's great and the performances are strong. That said, I do wish that I'd watched the other two again before watching this one, as it'd been a while, and I think that, to have the maximum effect, a 1-2-3 approach would work best. These films are growers, and while I don't think that Before Midnight is the best individual entry in the series, the impact that they have as a trio is undeniable.
  
  
  Look, there's a lot that I could say about the film, but I'm going to collect as much as I can and post it once the film's come out for people to see for themselves. I want to talk about individual details and plot-points, but there's no reason to put that up when only a few people around the world have seen the film. Stay tuned, ok?

While I was disappointed to have to come home before the end of the Festival, I'm really glad to have been a part of the experience at all. It's an amazing thing to be a part of a town filled with so much energy all focused in one direction. I said this last year, and I'll say it again. It restores your faith a little bit to see people lying on the ground in front of the screen instead of missing the movie and people who'd rather get in line before 8 AM than risk missing a movie. This is my tribe, and I'm proud to be part of it.

Over and out,

-Adam

Tales From Park City - I Drank His Milkshake

Apologies for the late post. I needed to hit the hay early on Sunday night, and was busy yesterday tying up loose ends and getting ready to fly back. Monday's column will be up later today/tonight.

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Sunday’s films at Slamdance:

• Animation Showcase: As a medium, animation allows the filmmaker to create content without any connection to the physical world. It’s the rare place where the artist can literally create anything that he/she wants, regardless of how crazy it might sound. I found a few gems in this program, but on the whole, there were a lot of abstract pieces. I tend to fall a bit more on the narrative side of things with regard to form. That’s a personal preference of mine, and not a reflection on any of the filmmakers who, to a person, are all very talented artists. Here are a few that I really liked.
  
  
  -An Elegy for Eden – I’m not entirely sure what the proper term is for the technique director Jason Gay McLagan used to create this one, but it’s lovely. It’s ironic too, because I thought that the film was a strange take on the Eden myth, but it’s apparently meant to represent the breakdown of personality in the digital age.
  -Gum – hilarity. This is probably the best in the punch if you’re going pound for pound. There’s really just not any fat.
  -Home – A sweetly raunchy (or is “accurate” a better term?) look at what makes a house a home.
  -I Am Tom Moody – probably my favorite in the bunch. Tom Moody is about to play his first concert, but has to have a quick conversation with someone who doesn’t want him to. I guess I’m a sucker for pieces about self-actualization, particularly when they feel true to life and avoid the corny factor.
  -Noodle Fish – beautifully animated in what appears to be a sandbox. A story about a little fish who decides that he would like to see the world outside the water. He also encounters some aquatic philosophers, which was terrific.
  -Tap to Retry – this made me laugh. A series of quick vignettes (though I think that vignettes is a poor term to use for a description) related to the emotional impermeability of the modern world.
  -Triangle – wonderfully inventive piece more than a little inspired by the “Pink Elephants on Parade” sequence in Dumbo.
  
  
• Between Us – anytime one of the Festival’s founders makes a film (and it’s actually programmed by the team!), they do what’s called a Founder’s Screening. You might recall last year’s Wild In The Streets? This time around, it’s Dan Mirvish. I was supposed to see another film, but after it sold out, I decided to watch Between Us instead of waiting in the rush line for something that wasn’t a sure thing. Plus, I didn’t want to sit on the floor, which people are wont to do at Slamdance if seats are no longer available. Mind you, I think it’s awesome when people do that. I just don’t want to do it myself. Also, Dan promised milkshakes to those who came to the screening. Honestly. I scored a vanilla shake that was pretty good too.  Props to editor Dean Gonzalez for going to the trouble to make them at all. Based on a play by Joe Hortua, Between Us is about the alternately ascending/descending relational trajectories of two different couples. One (Julia Stiles and Taye Diggs) seems like the better adjusted of the two at first, while the other (Melissa George and David Harbour) . . . not so much. Let’s just say that things get kinda out of hand at a reunion. Make that two reunions. The best thing about the film is the way that the two reunions (with two years between them) are intercut in such a way as to illuminate certain parallels and show just how much these people have changed over time. It’s a nice movie, but nothing to really write home about. The performances don’t really hit as hard as they might have been intended to, and I think that the writing could have stood a little more punch to make things a bit tougher. That said, I liked the film’s black sense of humor.
  
  
• Visitors (Die Besucher) – with a big tip of the cap to BigWords, this is the best film I’ve seen at Slamdance 2013. It’s a wonderfully mature look at family dynamics, the way they change over time, and the nature of child/parent interdependence in modern society. Jakob, in his late 50’s, goes to visit his three adult children in Berlin for the first time in years, but doesn’t tell his wife, Hanna. Let’s just say that they’re not on the best of terms, and the family has to deal with a lot of stuff that they’ve been sweeping under the rug. Part of what makes the film so interesting is the way that it explores the way that kids these days are having to rely financially on their parents much, much longer they used to, and the subsequent tension, resentment, confusion that can come as a result. There’s a particularly lovely scene in which one character makes one of the most heartfelt speeches I’ve heard in a film in a long time. I’d say more, but that would give away too much.  The performances are terrific, the writing is terrific, and I was really surprised to learn that Visitors is director/co-writer Constanze Knoche’s first feature film. This is one to look out for.

At the close of the night, I ended up at the Between Us party for a little while before heading back to the condo to try and catch some sleep before heading out early in the morning. Before Midnight was set to roll at 8:30 AM, and I needed to be there an hour early to get in the rushline. I’ll let you guess as to when this pillow hawk needed to get up to make that happen.

More later,

-Adam

P.S. And here’s Rand’s Dave Grohl story in his own words . . .

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Scene: VIP lounge pre Chef-Dance dinner/concert

Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters wonders behind the small bar to hand out beers.

Dave: Do you want a drink?

Me: I couldn't go back to my normal life on Orange County if I refused a drink from Dave Grohl... But you have to do a shot with us!

Dave: Only if it's whiskey.

Me: (trying not to look elated) Perfect!

Dave pours 3 shots. My boss, friend and I take a shot of Crown Royale. 

The end.

Tales From Park City - Anger and Alternate Reality

The week is already starting to catch up with me. It’s probably a bit too early to admit this, but it behooves a writer to be honest.

The streets of Park City were the more crowded on Saturday than they have been all week. It’s understandable, given the arrival of first full day of weekend screenings and the coming of audience members enjoying their day off. It does make for a challenging time getting around, not only with foot traffic but also with the free shuttles.

That’s one of the single best things about Sundance. Not only is it easy to find out where you need to go, but there’s very little need to rent a car of any kind, provided you can just get to Park City in the first place. In fact, you’re actually discouraged from renting a car by the Festival itself. My friend, however, had to transport some stuff up here, and wasn’t so lucky. When he told me that he was driving up to Main Street to make a delivery, “good luck” were the only words I could think of to offer him. Fortunately, he found a great parking place. After driving around for 30 minutes.

Ok, onto today’s screenings at Slamdance:

Where I Am: another strong Slamdance documentary. The film tells the story of Robert Drake, an American writer, who was brutally attacked while living abroad in Ireland. The real tragedy is that the only reason he was attacked was because he is gay. While the film runs a little longer than it needs to and begins to repeat itself toward the end, it’s an emotional piece that does a good job of exploring the complex feelings that Robert and those around him have about the attack. I was struck by the idea of a man who has to depend on other people for just about everything being able to so readily forgive his attackers, even though they’d gotten off extremely easy and “justice” wasn’t done. He’s a remarkable man, and it was a pleasure to see him at the screening with his long-time assistant, Butch.

The Bitter Buddha: one of the funniest things I’ve seen this year. The Bitter Buddha takes a look at the career of comedian Eddie Pepitone. He’s one of those long-suffering guys that other comedians swear by, but just hasn’t had the big break that he deserves. A big part of what makes him so likable is he’s incredibly open about his anger and insecurity. There’s a more than ample supply of both. There’s a ton of interviews with other comics, most notably Patton Oswalt. The film goes to video-on-demand in February, and you’d do well to catch it. Here’s a link to Eddie’s Twitter page.

The Institute: this is one of the single best things I’ve seen at the Festival so far this year. The Institute documents an “alternate reality game” that lasted for 3 years and had, at one time or another, over 10,000 participants in and around San Francisco. Jeff Hull, the game’s mastermind, created a convoluted narrative about rival organizations fighting over who was going to control the future of human happiness. Director Spencer McCall was initially hired by Mr. Hull to shoot footage that would become part of the gameplay, and after ending up with over 1000 hours of footage, decided to move forward with the film. It’s fascinating stuff, particularly as you begin to wonder if what you’re watching is even a documentary at all. At certain junctures, it seems impossible that some of these people could be serious about what they’re saying with a straight face. What makes the film really shine is that it’s able to create within the mind of the viewer the same effect that I’d imagine it had on the participants. On some level, you’re not only wondering how people could take this stuff seriously, you’re also wanting for this to be true on some level because it’s been so skillfully put together.

The Brotherhood of the Traveling Rants: Meh. This is the “official documentary” of Canadian comedian Gavin McInnes’ tour in promotion of his book. I’m not going to deny that he’s funny, but only sporadically. There’s also just far too much material that’s clearly been staged for the camera. His best friend comes along for the ride, and there are certain bits where they’re clearly riffing off of each other, and that’s fun to watch, but then later there are just far too many attempts at emotional authenticity that are being attempted by guys who aren’t the greatest actors. Additionally, the film’s introduction makes it seem like Gavin’s setting out to make a film about whether or not comedy is a learned behavior or instinctive ability, but this is quickly abandoned to document the tour. I wish that the film had either stuck with the framing device, or just allowed the camera to roll when the guys were out doing their thing. The latter would have been a lot more fun. There’s enough history between these two to make this thing a lot more fun than it ends up being.

No parties for me at the end of the night. I got out of my last film at 11:30 PM so my party connections were already kinda shut down. 

I’ve got 3 screenings on the docket for today, but am hoping to catch a bit of the 49er game. My buddy’s a HUGE fan and has been making new friends all over town with his authentic (and pretty stylish) Niner gear. I want to watch him watch the game more than anything. Also, he’s got a GREAT Dave Grohl story that I’m going to try and get on camera so I can share it with you tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s the big one for me. I’m going to rushline a screening of Before Midnight at 8:30 AM, which means that I’ll have to be there around 7 AM. Which means I’ll have to get up at . . .  ug. On top of all that, I fly out tomorrow night and have to move house tomorrow morning. Should be fun. Those films mean a lot to me, and I’m really hoping for another stellar entry in the series.

OK, off to a busy day.

More later,

-Adam

Tales from Park City - Unlikely Lunches, Jilted Lovers, and Broken Hearts

So, there's this place, and I'm surprised to say that I'm a fan. 

I've never been to Park City except for during the Festivals, but I'd imagine that Main Street would look very different at any other time of year. There's a plethora of vendors setting up pop-up stores, companies using retail space for lounges, heck, even pop-up nightclubs. 

And perhaps the best deal in town is Morning Star's veggie burger bar. Free veggie burger! Free chips! Free beverage! Tasted pretty good. Unfortunately, after going on Thursday before the place was very well known . . . the tables have turned, and now EVERYBODY wants one. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can grab another before I have to head home.

On to today's films at Slamdance:

• Bible Quiz: a documentary about the lives of a few kids from Tacoma Life Center in Washington that are heavily involved in competitive Bible memorization. This was one that was particularly interesting for me, having formerly been an active Christian for most of my life. Director Nicole Teeny manages to bring a perspective that's at once honest about what might seem to be very odd about these people's beliefs while remaining very respectful of a group of entirely sincere people. That's important. One of the main subjects, Mikayla, has a real star quality to her. She's alternately hilarious and wonderfully honest about her life and the people in it.
• The Court of Shards: this one missed the mark. A German film about a group of people with varying degrees of physical and/or neurological problems that do . . . stuff. I found the whole thing pretty confusing. From what I can tell, Nora (Caroline Fricke) seems to have epilepsy, along with a host of other emotional problems, and lives with Isabel (Silvia Giehle), a paraplegic. It's tricky. One of the first credits on screen was "lip-synched" by, and that's an unfortunate thing. For the duration of the film, the dialogue seems to be entirely looped, and it's BAD looping at that. There are a multitude of cut-away shots, voice-overs, shots with other objects obscuring mouths, you name it. Anything to keep folks from seeing how out-of-sync it was.
• Big Words: this won the day for me. It's got a wonderfully warm vitality to it that really didn't come through the synopsis that I'd seen when I was selecting my schedule. The narrative is set on the night of Barack Obama's first election, and involves three guys who used to be a part of a hip-hop group before life took them in different directions. Naturally, their day brings them together unexpectedly, but there's so much fun in the lead up to the inevitable meeting. Strong performances and a wonderful script from writer/director Neil Drumming.
• Fynbos: a tricky one. It's a bit slow at first, but gets under your skin. The film definitely tips its cap to L'Avventura in its examination of what happens when a woman goes missing under very strange circumstances. Richard (Warrick Grier) is trying to sell his home in South Africa to keep himself afloat financially, but something is very wrong with Meryl (Jessica Haines), his wife. It's hard to figure out what's going on in that head of hers. I did find myself wishing that the filmmakers would have done more to keep things in focus, as characters often are out of focus before walking to their mark. I'm not sure what the technical term is, but I'm sure you understand. It's certainly a film that I admire, even if I'm not sure exactly how to pin it down.

The night ended at the Slamdance Opening Night Party, which was a lot of fun. Parties like that are really one of the best parts of my job, and I'm not talking about the free drinks. I really enjoy having the opportunity to talk to filmmakers/journalists/distributors, particularly at a festival like Slamdance. These people are incredibly passionate about what they do and it comes through in spades. Right before I left, I struck up the best conversation with a filmmaker with whom I had a lot in common. I think that's the biggest blessing of an environment like this. Sure, I was there for a practical purpose for my job, but I just made a new friend. 

More later,

-Adam

1/1/2013

Happy New Year. 

I'm particularly glad to have escaped 2012. It's funny. The most obvious sentiment to express is one that 2013 will have great things in store, but that seems too obvious. As arbitrary as a flipping of the calendar is, I suppose that I'll take any inspiration I can get to re-focus on goals both personal and professional. 

There's no rest for the weary, 'cause 2013's starting with a bang! That's right, I'm headed back to Park City! I've got a badge for the Slamdance Film Festival and will mostly covering their lineup, though I'm working on a few angles that might get me into a Sundance screening or two. I'll be there from the start of the Festival(s) until Monday (1/21). I had a great experience last year, and had been very disappointed at the (all-too-real) prospect of not being able to make the trip this year. Fortunately, things worked out at the eleventh hour. Needless to say, I'm very excited! We'll see how many films I can squeeze into a short period of time, though I've got to say that I'm particularly excited to have the chance to see friends of mine from around the country. 

Each year tends to move me in different directions than I'd intended, and I'm sure that this one will be no exception. I've got a few ideas as to where I'd like to take the site over the next 12 months. In particular, I've been struck by how little the site reflects my love of certain films and filmmakers. While my focus has been on reviewing contemporary films, I'd like to change that a bit and take the time to share a bit more of what I'm most passionate about. 

Thank you so much for your support of Things I Know About The Movies in 2012. That anyone would take the time to read something I've written is something I do not take for granted, particularly given how saturated the web is with film content. As always, I welcome your comments, and would love to hear from you if there's something in particular you'd like to see on the site. 

Here's to you. 

-Adam

SmackDance: On The End

--From Thursday, 1/26/2012

Dear Wide World,

This is it.

Here we go…

Today’s screenings:

Price Check: Perennial Sundance favorite Parker Posey plays Susan, a newly hired, incredibly manic boss who turns her department upside down and inside out, wreaking particular havoc on the life of nice guy/worker-bee Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius). She’s one of those charismatic managers who leaves no prisoners in her wake, while simultaneously making those around her desperate for her approval. For the most part, Price Check is . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Early Mornings at the End

--From Wednesday, 1/25/2012

Dear Wide World,

Four screenings on the docket today, so let’s get to ’em:

Goats: A chance to go to this Sundance screening popped up at the last minute yesterday, when a colleague offered me an extra ticket, and I grabbed it, despite it’s 9 a.m. starting time. Goats is an entertaining look at . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Graffiti, Mental Athleticism, Comic Books and the French

--From Tuesday, 1/24/2012

Dear Wide World,

Now that the weekend’s screenings and events are behind us, Park City’s a much quieter town. Personally, that’s just fine with me. As terrific as all excitement’s been, it’s nice to know I’ll be able to make it up Main Street to a screening without having to fight my way past a ton of people. It’s been warmer over the past few days, but, as I write this, it’s 18 degrees (F). That’s eighteen degrees, people. This is the kind of temperature at which your memories of the fourth grade start feeling the cold.

Now for today’s screening report . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Day 4

--From Monday, 1/23/2012

Dear Wide World,

My quads are sore from walking uphill. My body grows weary of the late nights and early(ish) mornings. My… well… every fiber of my being resounds against trekking through the slush for hour after hour.

Am I having a great time? YES! There’s really nothing like Sundance for giving industry professionals the opportunity to meet, network and lay the groundwork for future collaboration. Today, I was able to attend a Filmmaker’s Brunch, a reception hosted by the Utah Film Commission, and a terrific party hosted by Telefilm. I also met one Paul Giamatti . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Recharging

--From Sunday, 1/22/2012

Dear Wide World,

Fortunately, today was quite a bit warmer than the icy deluge that was Saturday night, and by warmer, I mean it was in the mid-30′s (F) with the sun out. It’s strange how fast one grows grateful for the slightest hint of sun when it’s been absent for any length of time. My Monday will be packed with screenings, receptions and post-events, but today (Sunday) evolved into an unexpected day to recharge my batteries. . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Park City Under Siege

--From Saturday, 1/21/2012

Dear Wide World,

It’s cold. No, it’s VERY cold. The first couple of days were relatively mild, with some light snowfall and rain. That’s all changed very quickly. I left the condo at 9:20 a.m., caught the bus to Main Street, and spent the next 10-15 minutes walking uphill with the snow in my face. Let’s just say I picked a lousy day to wear my glasses. My coat hat and gloves were soaked when I sat down for the first screening of the day, which was . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Jumping In

--From Friday, 1/20/2012

Dear Wide World,

I am pleased to report that, despite spending more than 48 hours in an environment dominated by snow, I have not yet fallen victim to that horrible beast known to Californians as “the wipeout.” Sadly, not all members of my party have known my success in matters such as these, but I, above all else, count myself truly fortunate.

After day one, I’m on the board with four screenings at the Slamdance Film Festival, . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

• Click HERE To visit the full SmackDance archive of posts from the Festival.

SmackDance: On Arrival

--From Thursday, 1/19/2012

Greetings from Park City, UT! The temperature’s currently 37 degrees Fahrenheit, the snow’s been falling fairly steadily, and the plows that clear that snow out are parked… yep, right outside the door of my condominium. Hello 6:00 a.m.! Ready to rock and roll?

The cinematic world is closing in on this little town even as I speak. Today’s a light day for me . . . to keep reading at MovieSmackdown! click HERE.

1/1/2012

Happy New Year. For me, 2011 was a strange bird, filled with incredibly lofty highs and terribly harsh lows. As always, I look forward to the chance, however arbitrary the waypoint, to start afresh.

2012 promises great things! In only a few short weeks, I'll be bringing you live coverage of both the Sundance Film Festival and Slamdance Film Festival direct from Park City, Utah. I'm so excited! Also, keep an eye out for my list of 2011's best films, as well as a special feature on one of the past year's most thought-provoking films.

I'm hoping to take the site in some new directions this year, and look forward to the opportunity to tell you about them in greater detail.

I'm very thankful for your support of Things I Know About The Movies over the last year. That a single person would take time out of a busy schedule to read something that I've written, particularly with millions of other options to choose from, isn't something I take for granted, and I'm sincerely grateful.

This isn't your typical site, and I recognize that. While other blogs are certainly more prolific, my commitment (to providing first-rate, first-person pieces on films that matter) remains the same. I have no desire to post subpar content just for the sake of posting content, and hope that you'll pardon my quiet stretches (which I hope to reduce!) to that end. If there's anything you'd like to see on the site, please don't hesitate to let me know.

More than anything, I enter the new year with a renewed commitment to cherish the special people in my life, because, more than anything, they're what make it worth living at all. I hope that you feel the same way.

Mazel tov!

-Adam

P.S. If you see something you like, don't forget to comment or share!

"I'll take one for 'Mindless,' please."

Roger Ebert is back at the Sundance Film Festival after a 3 year absence. Because he's there and we're not, I'd highly recommend you keep an eye on his blog for updates direct from Colorado, unless you've already discovered it for yourself. Roger Ebert's Journal is one of the finest blogs I've found on the web, and his readers are the type of insightful, intelligent folks that should be the envy of any publication, web-based or otherwise.

This is something he wrote in his first entry from Sundance. It rang true, and I wanted to share it with you.

"When you're here it's easy to lose sight of the real world of "Avatar" and "Sherlock Holmes." The town is jammed. The screenings are packed. The Park Record observes that parking has become as hard to find as tickets. It's said that financing has dried up. That audiences don't hunger for intelligent films. And yet all these films got made. They will all get seen. The word will go forth from this time and place that some of them were wonderful. And in all but a few cases, the market won't care. Average American moviegoers cheerfully buy tickets to movies they expect will be junk. But confront them with something that might be great and they start looking all alarmed."

This is terribly sad and, unfortunately, far too true.