sundance

Everything we saw at this year’s remote film festival.

“Sometimes,” says self-made musical impresario Jan Lewan (Jack Black) in The Polka King, “to make money you have to spend money.” The problem with Jan is he didn’t spend money sometimes, he did it every time. Every get-rich quick scheme he ever hatched up in his Pennsylvania gift shop required more investment than potential profit. He sold his polka fans on a “premium Pope package,” a lavish vacation to Rome that included a private audience with the Pope. But Jan had no way to deliver on his promise, so he just showed up at the Vatican with a briefcase full of cash. He got his audience, and delighted his tour group. But his “premium” vacation surely cost him more than he made.

There’s always a stupid reason why the couple in a romantic comedy can’t be together until the closing credits. An ex-girlfriend or boyfriend appears at the most narratively conveniently moment, or one of the leads becomes a ghost, or there’s a misunderstanding that could easily be cleared up if the characters just sat and talked to one another for literally 15 seconds. One of the best things about The Big Sick is that the obstacles (plural, there are several) facing this relationship are real and relatable and believable and hugely serious.

Last year a Minnesota winery served samples at the independent film festival, and this year they got the call to be the official wine provider of Sundance.

This set of pictures is awesome, Lil' Jon at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.  I love Lil' Jon playing ping pong, yeaaaahhhh!