Sundance

If there is one thing that we can take away from director Lynn Shelton’s awkward sex comedy Humpday, it is that there is nothing more uncomfortable to watch yet strikingly hilarious than two straight men who set out to have sex on camera.

In general, I have a rule about walking out of movies. I just don’t do it. And while writer/director Emily Abt’s melodramatic soap opera Toe to Toe didn’t have me reaching for acid to pour on my face, it will go down as the first film of Sundance 2009 that had me eying both my watch and the exit door.

Heading into Moon, the Sam Rockwell led low-budget science fiction film from first time director Duncan Jones, I was both excited and skeptical. It is easy after all, to be skeptical of any low-budget, ambitious science fiction film. Thankfully, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

There is something so unintentionally funny, yet terrifying about the monster that is Mike Tyson. We all know him as one of the most controversial…

The idea behind arriving to Park City two days prior to the start of the ’09 Sundance Film Festival was to rest up and get comfortable. Unfortunately, that didn’t exactly happen as planned. However, the movies have begun and Sundance is off to a wonderful start.

It seems fitting that the 2009 Sundance Film Festival would open with a film like Adam Elliot’s Mary and Max. It is a film festival built on the celebration of unique and innovative films, and in that regard this year’s opening night selection is right at home.

Sure, the 2009 Sundance Film Festival doesn’t start until Thursday night. I decided to get into town on Tuesday. And while there are no films, that doesn’t mean there aren’t stories to tell.

As you’ve probably already figured by now, I am whisking my way off to the snowy, majestic mountain town of Park City, Utah for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. And just like last year, I will be bringing you updates from the ground all week long, including reviews, news and spotlights on the festival’s hottest tickets and events.

There are a lot of films playing at Sundance over the next two weeks. And personally I’ve watered down all of the information to a list of 37 films that I intend to see. I’ve gone even further for this article, pinpointing 13 films that I would recommend to all of you based on early word of mouth, pedigree of its cast/crew or just my own intuition.