It's mid-week, the fest is half over and things have slowed down considerably. The nightly parties have ended (there'll be a few more here and there over the weekend) and the theaters aren't quite as full.

It's actually the perfect time to hit Sundance if your primary interest is the movies. Most of the titles, including nearly all the buzz films, still have one or two screenings left. And if you're willing to hit an early morning or midnight showing in one of the larger venues you can arrive at the start time and still get a ticket (that's unthinkable during the first weekend).

Seven days in and I'm still making discoveries. "Sleepwalking," which is playing in the spotty "premieres" section, has some name actors—Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Hopper—and a familiar indie storyline—irresponsible mother (Theron) abandons her daughter (AnnaSophia Robb) with a the girl's young uncle (Nick Stahl) and dark family secrets build to a violent confrontation.

The surprise is that it's really pretty good. Well made, well acted (Stahl and Robb are excellent in the lead roles and Theron is a scene-stealer in her supporting turn) and genuinely moving.

My other "premieres" screening of the day, "The Deal," was considerably less interesting. Yet another limp Hollywood satire (following the Sundance disappointment "What Just Happened?"), this one stars William H. Macy as a down-and-out producer who tricks his way into a new project and falls for a  pretty studio exec (Meg Ryan).

Ryan's character describes the film best with her line "It may not be a total piece of crap. Worst case: straight to video."

Sundance often makes a space for films by actors turned directors, and they're often not very good. But Paul Schneider's dramatic competition entry "Pretty Bird," is as weird and funny as the actor himself (that's a compliment).

Schneider (who played Ryan Gosling's brother in "Lars and the Real Girl" and one of the James gang in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford") makes it easy on himself with the casting of Billy Crudup and Paul Giamatti as unlikely collaborators on a one-man jet-pack.

Crudup plays the idea man while Giamatti is the one with the scientific know-how. Their tenuous partnership creates plenty of quirky comedic sparks and both actors are excellent as their characters push past the boundaries of respectable behavior.

In the post-film Q&A Schneider revealed "I don't know who I like more or less, or who annoys me more or less." He may sound confused, but "Pretty Bird" proves he knows exactly what he's doing.

Finally, "Trouble the Water" has been generating heavy buzz since its premiere screening culminated in applause, tears and hugs for the main subjects, and it's easy to see why.

The movie re-visits the tragedy of hurricane Katrina through first-hand video footage captured by 24-year-old New Orleans resident Kim Roberts (who only bought the camera two weeks before Katrina hit, hoping to record birthday parties and family events). Roberts didn't have a car, so she couldn't leave and decided instead to stay and document the events. She got it all—before, during and after the storm. Her videos are combined with the directors' footage of Roberts' return to New Orleans two weeks later, to discover a city still in ruins.

The festival programmer who introduced the film mentioned he had seen at least seven Katrina docs this year, but none had the impact of "Trouble the Water." It's powerful stuff and will be required viewing for anyone looking for a further understanding of what it was like to live through this history-making disaster.

You will be prompted to register or log in when posting.

Comment

Please note that by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.