Sundance Recap

Sundance for the first time for a cinefile/film student is a bit like comic con for a comic junkie. You are surrounded people who make, produce, and appreciate film, and who are willing and want to talk about it non-stop. You are constantly watching movies, and when you venture out of the dark cinema the air is pure and cool. Oh, and celebs are everywhere. Coming back to real life/Baltimore has been hard, and far less glamourous.

But here's my rundown of 2011 Sundance.

Top Films:

SUBMARINE (Richard Ayoade)

Must-see British indie about a young boy. Quirky, funny, and just simply awesome.

WIN WIN (Thomas McCarthy)

Paul Giamatti coaches high school wrestling and learns a lot of humanity at the same time. Both light and dark. Also, Bobby Cannavale is hysterical.

THE DETAILS (Jacob Aaron Estes)

Totally twisted. Tobey Maguire's an asshole and Laura Linney is crazy.

MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (T. Sean Durkin)

Check out the Olsen twins' sister, Lizzy - yes, there's another one, but she seems like way less drama. This film has been criticized heavily, but its shocking portrayal of someone's psyche is refreshing and (I don't care what everyone's said) the ending is completely haunting.

Overrated:

CEDAR RAPIDS (Miguel Arteta)

If you've seen BLACK SWAN then you've seen the trailer for this movie. Looks like a lot of fun with John C Reilly, Ed Helms, and Anne Heche, right? Have you seen The Hangover? Yes. Have you seen any John C Reilly comedy? Yes. Have you seen a Judd Apatow film? Yes. Well, then you've seen CEDAR RAPIDS.

PERFECT SENSE (David Mackenzie)

An interesting, apocalyptic subject but wasn't pulled off successfully. A lot of gratuitous sex scenes (yes, we know Eva Green and Ewan McGregor are hot) and not enough explanation (if humans are becoming senseless animals, I'd like to know why). Watch the trailer to be totally deceived because it is nothing at all like what it pretends to be.

Films that Will Succeed Commerically

MY IDIOT BROTHER (Jesse Peretz)

Paul Rudd. Zooey Deschanel. Elizabeth Banks. Emily Mortimer. Rashida Jones. Hugh Dancy. Steve Coogan. Adam Scott. Do I need to say more? If I do, then how about this: Zooey and Rashida play lesbians.

MARGIN CALL (J.C. Chandor)

Does what WALL STREET 2 didn't. Kevin Spacey, Stanely Tucci, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Demi Moore, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker.

Honorable Mention

TERRI (Azazel Jacobs)

It's not easy being fat. Odd, but beautiful film about a kid just trying to get by.