Nothing Personal

Sundance Favorite #2 Senna

The most inspiring sports story you (or at least I) didn’t know is in this documentary. Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian three time F1 Champion who died at the age 34 in a race. He was competitive, inspiring and a man of great faith. Senna has become one of the most talked about docs this year (#1 doc on imdb) and is currently racing around the international film festival circuit.

Release: July 2011

Sundance Favorite #3 Like Crazy

Winner of the biggest award at Sundance, The Grand Jury: Dramatic Film, Like Crazy is this years’ (500) Days of Summer or Blue Valentine. 

Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator Salvation) and Felicity Jones (Sundance Grand Jury Dramatic Acting Winner) star as college students who fall in love and are separated by an expired visa. Jones plays a British exchange student who overstays her welcome after graduation to be with Yelchin. But once she visits home and tries to return she is denied and the couple’s love is tested. 

The really cool thing about this film is aside from plot points, most of it was improvised by the actors. Plus, the director Drake Doremus was one of the coolest and nicest guys there. 

Release: Late Summer/Early Fall

Sundance Favorite #4 The Music Never Stopped

J.K. Simmons (Juno, Spider-man) stars as a father who tries to connect with his thirty-something estranged son who returns home after having a brain tumor that makes it impossible for him to gain new memories. The only way to do so is through the music that once divided them.

This family drama could have easily slid into cheesy-Hallmark movie of the week territory but instead is truly moving, mostly thanks to Simmons honest and sympathetic lead. You and your family will be moved. 

I really hope it gets a wider release soon.

Released: March 20, 2011 on 32 Screens

Sundance Favorite #5 Perfect Sense

Ewan McGregor and Eva Green star in this UK sci-fi drama as a couple falling in love as the world is ending. An epidemic breaks out where humankind start losing each sense starting with smell. Green is a scientist working on a cure while McGregor is a chef whose restaurant is adapting to the epidemic. While the film itself is awfully dreadful, it has a bright and optimistic ending in the midst of certain doom. It is really about finding a purpose to live at the end of the world. Extra points for originality and a beautiful message at the end.  

Release: There are no plans for release yet

In January, I volunteered at Sundance and checked out a dozen or so films. I’ll blog about my eight favorites the next few days.

8. Homework

Freddie Highmore put this film on my radar once the Sundance schedule hit the net. The British actor has been a favourite of mine since 2004’s Finding Neverland. Highmore is a high school senior in NYC who has never done a hard day’s work in his life until he finds some motivation when he crushes on Julia Robert’s niece. While Highmore’s performance is enjoyable, it is really just Catcher in the Rye-lite.

Release Date:  Limited Theatres/ June 17th, 2011 

Most Enteraining: Femme Fatale by Britney Spears

Femme Fatale is a horrible title, but it is Britney’s best disc since Oops!…I Did It Again (also a terrible title…) 

Britney is making a comeback, for like the sixth time. And all of the critics are raving about it (Rollingstone gave it 4 stars) 

Sure, Spears doesn’t have a show-stopping voice, write her own music, can’t dance like she used to, isn’t as hot and makes boring music videos. And we already have Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga way ahead in the race for the ‘Queen of Pop’ crown. But Britney sure can record some of the best pop/dance music out there

Her irresistible ear candy is made possible by the biggest champions in the pop world: Max Martin and Dr. Luke executive produced with collaborations from Toxic-producers Bloodshy & Avant, will.i.am and Travis Barker. 

If these tunes don’t get Britney dancing like she used to, they’ll at least get you moving and looking forward to many ‘comebacks’ in the future. 

Check out: “I Wanna Go” “How I Roll” & “Big Fat Bass” (no, it’s not about a fish)

#2 Most Entertaining: The Killing

If you love a good Agatha Christie novel or even the boardgame Clue, this show is for you. From AMC (Mad Men, Walking Dead, Breaking Bad) we have an American remake of an International Hit. 

One murdered teenage girl, 2 detectives, 1 family, and several suspects; let the speculation begin for this 13 episode ride. Maybe this will hold me over a little bit until Mad Men returns next year?

AMC also created a pretty cool online experience where you can discover clues and speculate on who the killer is at: http://www.amctv.com/originals/the-killing/

#3 Most Entertaining: Source Code

When previews for this movie first played months ago, I thought it looked like a rip-off of Inception. Then the RottenTomatoes.com score came out with 89% and all of a sudden I had to see it. Yes, I’m that easily swayed. 

I’m glad I did. If you love Inception, go see this movie. Jake (can’t he change his last name to something easier to spell and pronounce?) Gyllenhaal stars as a marine who is assigned to enter the memory of a dead man who was killed on an bombed commuter bus and figure out who the terrorist is and prevent them from preventing another attack. He has to do it over and over again until he finds the bomber. 

Sound confusing? I promise it is as cool as it is confusing. And the stress experienced from the first 2/3 will be relieved with a great ending. Some very original sci-fi stuff. Go see it.