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Sundance Film Festival · 2008

Sundance Film Festival 2008

Premieres

The Spectrum section of the festival, is 24 selections of "the latest work from established American and international directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films". Films included in the 2008 section of the festival are below, with more reviews coming once the festival begins in Park City.

Programme

25 films · 12 reviews

Jump to a film

Assassination Of A High School President

A rookie journalist for the school paper unravels a mysterious plot involving the class president, drugs, and a ring of stolen test scores in this noir caper set at a quirky Catholic High School.

(Country: USA; Year: 2008; Director: Brett Simon; Writer: Kevin Jakubowski; Stars: Reece Thompson, Bruce Willis, Mischa Barton, Michael Rapaport, Kathryn Morris, Josh Pais)

Be Kind Rewind

Review preview for Be Kind Rewind

Oddball, endearing, and very, very funny.

Anton Bitel · 4.5 out of 5
After accidentally wiping all the tapes in the video store where they work, two enterprising clerks decide to re-shoot the films themselves.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Michel Gondry; Writer: Michel Gondry; Stars: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz, Sigourney Weaver, Irv Gooch, Chandler Parker, Arjay Smith, Quinton Aaron, Gio Perez, Basia Rosas,Tomasz Soltys) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Jack Black press conference on Be Kind Rewind

CSNY Déjà Vu

Review preview for CSNY Déjà Vu

What lifts Déjà Vu above the crowd is the raw emotion emanating from the musicians to audiences who are often shocked by the uncompromising nature of their stance.

Angus Wolfe Murray · 4 out of 5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young go back on the road to protest against the continuing loss of life in the war in Iraq.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Neil Young; Writer: Neil Young, Mike Cerre; Stars: David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Mike Cerre) , Official site

Full review

The Deal

A long-time Hollywood producer on the verge of suicide cons a major studio into financing a $100-million film based on a non-existent script, starring a black action star who has converted to Judaism.

(Country: Canada; Year: 2008; Director: Steven Schachter; Writer: William H Macy, Steven Schachter; Stars: William H Macy, Meg Ryan, LL Cool J)

See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day Six

Death In Love

A self-assured but neurotic 40-year-old bachelor attempts to make sense of his complicated life as he negotiates his sexual relationships in the shadow of his mother’s concentration camp experience.

(Country: USA; Year: 2008; Director: Boaz Yakin; Writer: Boaz Yakin; Stars: Josh Lucas, Jacqueline Bisset, Adam Brody, Lukas Haas)

See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day Seven

Diminished Capacity

Learning that his senile uncle harbors a priceless baseball card, Cooper embarks on a road trip intent on selling it to save money for his uncle's later years. He and his friends become entangled in the oddball world of baseball memorabilia and love.

(Country: USA; Director: Terry Kinney; Writer: Sherwood Kiraly; Stars: Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda, Virginia Madsen, Dylan Baker)

The Escapist

Review preview for The Escapist

Proficient entertainment that marks debut writer/director Wyatt out as a filmmaker to watch.

Paul Griffiths · 3.5 out of 5
A prison inmate must break out to make amends with his dying daughter.

(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Rupert Wyatt; Writer: Rupert Wyatt, Daniel Hardy; Stars: Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Damian Lewis, Dominic Cooper, Seu Jorge, Steve Macintosh, Liam Cunningham)

Full review See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day Six

The Great Buck Howard

When a law school dropout answers an advertisement to be a personal assistant he unknowingly signs on to work for a belligerent has-been magician struggling to resurrect his career. This leads to a journey across the country staging the comeback of a lifetime.

(Country: USA; Director: Sean McGinly; Writer: Sean McGinly; Stars: Colin Hanks, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Tom Hanks, Steve Zahn)

The Guitar

The life of a woman is transformed after she is diagnosed with a terminal disease, fired from her job and abandoned by her boyfriend. Given two months to live, she throws caution to the wind to pursue her dreams.

(Country: USA; Director: Amy Redford; Writer: Amos Poe; Stars: Saffron Burrows, Isaach De Bankole, Paz De La Huerta)

Hamlet 2

In this rambunctious comedy, a high school drama teacher injects love and passion for theatre into his students by creating a musical sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet.

(Country: USA; Year: 2008; Director: Andrew Fleming; Writer: Pam Brady, Andrew Fleming; Stars: Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Joseph Julian Soria, Skylar Astin, Phoebe Strole, Melonie Diaz, Arnie Pantoja, Michael Esparza, Natalie Amenula, Marshall Bell)

Henry Poole Is Here

Henry Poole abandons his fiancée and family business to spend what he believes are his remaining days alone. The discovery of a "miracle" by a nosy neighbor ruptures his solitude and restores his faith in life.

(Country: USA; Director: Mark Pellington; Writer: Albert Torres; Stars: Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Cheryl Hines, Adriana Barraza)

In Bruges

Review preview for In Bruges

This comedic and profane tale of not-so-cold-blooded killers seems to be the fusion of two movies, a very funny buddy comedy and a ruthless gangster thriller.

Tony Sullivan · 3.5 out of 5
No country for hitmen.

(Country: UK, Belgium; Year: 2008; Director: Martin McDonagh; Writer: Martin McDonagh; Stars: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jordan Prentice, Clémence Poésy, Eric Godon, Ciaran Hinds, Zeljko Ivanek)

Full review

Incendiary

Review preview for Incendiary

If a member of cast could save a film, Michelle Williams would be the person to hire, since her central performance in this muddle of a movie is the only thing that stops it being unwatchable.

Amber Wilkinson · 2 out of 5
A London mum tries to cope with the grief of the loss of her family in a terror attack.

(Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Sharon Maguire; Writer: Sharon Maguire, based on the novel by Chris Cleave; Stars: Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, Matthew Macfadyen, Sidney Johnston, Jonathan Andrews, Ehti Aslam, Sasha Behar, Robin Berry, Gavin Brocker, Nicholas Courtney, Natalie Dormer) , Trailer

Full review See: Sharon Maguire interview on Incendiary , Sundance 2008: Day Four , Sundance 2008: Day Three

The Merry Gentleman

Review preview for The Merry Gentleman

There is both a warmth and a reserve to this film which, while covering serious ground, has a gentle humour running throughout.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
A woman who has fled her past strikes up a relationship with another loner - not realising he works as a hitman.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Michael Keaton; Writer: Ron Lazzeretti; Stars: Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald, Tom Bastounes, Mike Bradecich, Debbi Burns, Maritza Cabrera, Bobby Cannavale, William Dick, Jay Disney, Sean Fortunato, Shaun Gayle) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day 2

A Raisin In The Sun

Will is the eldest son in a family with a strict moral and religious view and has never been allowed to mix with other people, listen to music or watch TV. That is until he finds himself caught up in the extraordinary world of Lee Carter, the school terror and maker of bizarre home movies.

(Country: USA; Director: Kenny Leon; Writer: Paris Qualles; Stars: Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Sean Patrick Thomas)

Savage Grace

Review preview for Savage Grace

Always engrossing, at times decidedly uncomfortable viewing, Savage Grace is accomplished cinematic storytelling that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.

Paul Griffiths · 4 out of 5
Accomplished telling of a real life upper class family's disturbing meltdown.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Tom Kalin; Writer: Howard A Rodman; Stars: Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane, Eddie Redmayne, Elana Anaya, Simon Andreu, Anne Reid) , Official site , Trailer

Full review

Sleepwalking

A young man ill-equipped to raise his abandoned niece is forced to take responsibility when faced with the prospect of losing her to a foster home.

(Country: USA/Canada; Year: 2008; Director: Bill Maher; Writer: Zac Stanford; Stars: Nick Stahl, AnnaSophia Robb, Charlize Theron, Dennis Hopper, Woody Harrelson, Deborrah-Lee Furness)

Smart People

Review preview for Smart People

Anyone who believes there’s also a place in cinema for old-fashioned stuff like a good script, top-notch acting and the occasional attempt to ask (if not always answer) some of the Big Questions should make a bee-line.

Jeff Robson · 4 out of 5
Can a little romance and a bit of brotherly bonding help a self-absorbed professor confront his life?

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Noam Murro; Writer: Mark Jude Poirier; Stars: Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Elliot Page, Ashton Holmes) , Official site , Trailer

Full review

Towelhead (Nothing Is Private)

The life of a 13-year-old Arab-American girl is illuminated as she navigates the confusing and frightening path of adolescence and sexual awakening.

(Country: USA; Year: 2008; Director: Alan Ball; Writer: Alan Ball; Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, Toni Collette, Summer Bishil))

See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day Five

Transsiberian

Review preview for Transsiberian

One increasingly unlikely incident follows another, saddling the characters with exceptionally dumb behaviour and silly dialogue until the whole thing goes off the rails.

Tony Sullivan · 1.5 out of 5
Mystery on the Tran Siberian Express.

(Country: UK/Germany/Spain; Year: 2008; Director: Brad Anderson; Writer: Brad Anderson, Will Conroy; Stars: Woody Harrelson, Eduardo Noriega, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Thomas Kretschmann)

Full review See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day 2

U2 3D

Review preview for U2 3D

If you are a fan, or enjoy new cinematic encounters, this is an intermittently awesome experience.

Paul Griffiths · 4 out of 5
The Irish mega-band take it to the Imax.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Catherine Owens, Mark Pellington; Stars: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr) , Official site , Trailer

Full review

The Visitor

Review preview for The Visitor

McCarthy’s script is spot-on, enchanting us with its characters and giving us food for thought with its wry comment on our world of immigrants and neighbour-strangers.

Emma Slawinski · 4 out of 5
An ageing, lonely man rediscovers his love of life when he visits New York and shares his home with two strangers.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Thomas McCarthy; Writer: Thomas McCarthy; Stars: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbas, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Interview with Tom McCarthy, Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass about The Visitor , EIFF Diary Episode Two

What Just Happened?

Review preview for What Just Happened?

It’s the cinematic equivalent of Morris dancing: there’s lots going on, it’s entertaining enough – but you’re not entirely sure what the point is.

Maria Realf · 3 out of 5
A desperate film producer tries to stop his latest project (and himself) from going into meltdown.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Barry Levinson; Writer: Art Linson; Stars: Robert De Niro, Robin Wright Penn, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Bruce Willis, Michael Wincott, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro) , Official site , Trailer

Full review See: Sundance 2008: Day Three

The Year Of Getting To Know Us

A commitment-phobic man reunites with his estranged, ailing father and comes to terms with his own childhood.

(Country: USA; Director: Patrick Sisam; Writer: Patrick Sisam, Rick Velleu, Ethan Canin; Stars: Jimmy Fallon, Chase Ellison, Sharon Stone, Lucy Liu, Tom Arnold, Illeana Douglas, Armando Acevedo, Christian Andreas, Karl Anthony, Eugenie Bondurant, Connor Boyle)

See: Sundance Film Festival 2008: Day Five

The Yellow Handkerchief

A recently released convict and a pair of disillusioned young people, three strangers of two generations, bound by loneliness, reach out to one another, embarking on a road trip through Louisiana.

(Country: USA; Director: Udayan Prasad; Writer: Erin Dignam; Stars: Maria Bello, William Hurt, Eddie Redmayne, Veronica Russell)