tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post2896105783524603995..comments2024-03-25T15:38:16.880-07:00Comments on Surrender to the Void: Thursday Movie Picks: Sundance Favoritesthevoid99http://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-63520319139203550302018-01-26T15:38:51.650-08:002018-01-26T15:38:51.650-08:00@Chris-Same here. That is what documentaries are ...@Chris-Same here. That is what documentaries are supposed to do.thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-52095818754821431022018-01-26T13:35:43.773-08:002018-01-26T13:35:43.773-08:00I loved how that Sugarman documentary introduced m...I loved how that Sugarman documentary introduced myself (and many others) to the music and life of Sixto Rodriguez. A story worth telling.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09395044055566348346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-22634612903869294462018-01-25T12:37:05.718-08:002018-01-25T12:37:05.718-08:00@joel65913-I've seen Big Night and You Can Cou...@joel65913-I've seen <i>Big Night</i> and <i>You Can Count on Me</i> as they're both great films as they're pretty much essential. <i>Silverlake Life</i> is a film I'm not sure I've heard but I hope to see it out.<br /><br />@Wendell-<i>DiG!</i> is kind of an obscure film to find but I was fortunate to see it during my time as a volunteer at the 2004 Atlanta Film Festival.<br /><br /><br />@Brittani-I think it's time for a re-watch of <i>Hoop Dreams</i> as it is one of the best.<br /><br />@Kevin-Documentary films are the reasons why I love Sundance despite some of its unfortunate tie-ins with corporate sponsors and attracting celebrities who are there for parties and bullshit.thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-31056044814737889462018-01-20T16:05:21.837-08:002018-01-20T16:05:21.837-08:00Love that you went with docs. Hoop Dreams and Sear...Love that you went with docs. Hoop Dreams and Searching for Sugar Man are both excellent! Kevin Powershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04219017960488448934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-28547257584734254032018-01-19T04:38:34.182-08:002018-01-19T04:38:34.182-08:00Searching for Sugarman surprised me. I wasn't ...Searching for Sugarman surprised me. I wasn't expecting to be all that into it, and I enjoyed it. I'm still trying to remember if I have seen Hoop Dreams or not. For some reason I keep thinking I watched it in school. Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-68089864661377577382018-01-18T22:36:02.216-08:002018-01-18T22:36:02.216-08:00As you know, we have a match in Hoop Dreams. Searc...As you know, we have a match in <i>Hoop Dreams.</i> <i>Searching for Sugar Man</i> is another great doc. It's one of the most fun I've ever seen. Haven't watched your other pick, though.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-68806382364657499342018-01-18T15:30:49.925-08:002018-01-18T15:30:49.925-08:00A documentary theme within the theme! The only one...A documentary theme within the theme! The only one I've seen is Hoop Dreams which was very good and shows what a documentary that is well made is capable of. <br /><br />I haven't seen the other two though I've read about Sugar Man and will get to it eventually. Dig sounds worth seeking out as well.<br /><br />This week was tough in a way since I had no clue which films played the festival but a little Googling fixed that. <br /><br />Silverlake Life: The View from Here (1993) - Won the Grand Jury Documentary Prize at Sundance. Mark Massi and Tom Joslin are in a long time committed relationship, they have also both been diagnosed with AIDS which at the time was a death sentence. We live through their final journey with them. The film has touches of gallows humor but it is a harrowing, heartbreaking trip to an inevitable destination that will leave you emotionally bereft. <br /><br />Big Night (1996) - Won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci-who co-wrote and co-directed this film) are immigrant brothers who operate an Italian restaurant in America. Primo is a culinary genius, but hot tempered and determined not to squander his expertise making the routine dishes that customers expect. Secondo is the smooth front-man, trying to keep the restaurant financially afloat, despite few patrons other than a poor artist who pays with his paintings. Their friendly competitor who owns a nearby enormously successful restaurant offers a solution, a special benefit lead by a big-time jazz musician who is a friend of his. Excitedly Primo begins to prepare his feast of a lifetime for the brothers' big night. Amusing comic drama with a terrific cast alongside Tucci and Shalhoub including Isabella Rossellini, Minnie Driver and Liev Schreiber.<br /><br />You Can Count on Me (2000) - Won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Independent, responsible Sammy Prescott (Laura Linney) is a single mother working as a loan officer in upstate New York who is at first delighted when her errant, feckless brother Terry (Mark Ruffalo) shows up unexpectedly for a visit after a long period of not being in touch. When his short visit stretches into an extended stay they both slowly begin to reexamine their lives as their childhood bond strengthens anew. Beautifully acted this is one of the best looks at sibling rivalry and connection ever made.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.com