2024 Sundance Second Weekend
After film Q and A
My Second Weekend this year was also very good, more diverse and more political that the First Weekend.
(Notes on my rating system at the bottom.)
Friday I rushed up to Salt Lake for:
150 minutes. The uranium for the Manhattan Project and our subsequent rush to build the Machina Doomsday came from the Belgian Congo. This became awkward in 1960 when enslaving colonies in Africa became too conspicuous and Independence came to the continent. This is the story of the attempt of the Congo to become a self-governing democratic state, and how it was thwarted by the CIA who installed a psychotic dictator who would promise not to sell uranium to the Soviets. Clearly, 70 years later, a lot of shameful material has been declassified. A complex story masterfully told, knitted together with the jazz music revolution here in the USA and the awakening civil rights movement. Just awesome. Totally engaging for 2-1/2 hours!
Overall - 5 out of 5
Engagement - 5/5
Emotions - 5/5
Brain Food - 8/5
Themes: Politics, Exploitation, State Sociopathy, Courage
A buddy movie about two bungling kidnappers in Haiti. Comedy and tragedy. I was gonna say I hope that Haiti is not as messed up as shown in the film —- but the accompanying article at the Sundance link makes it clear that yeah, it really is that messed up. (Some of the film crew was kidnapped during the filming).
Overall - 4.5 / 5
Engagement - 5/5
Emotions - 4/5
Brain Food - 5/5
Themes: Violence, Dealing with violence.
Saturday started off with:
From Norway, possibly the saddest movie ever made. The blurb might have you think this is a horror movie, but really it is a study in grief. Not a good date movie.
Overall - 4 Stars out of 5
Engagement - 5/5
Emotions - 4/5
Brain Food - 4/5
Themes: Grief, Grief, Grief.
“If you know, you know — there’s only one Luther.” Well, I didn’t know. My taste in music is exceptionally white. But yeah, Luther Vandross is super duper, and I am happy to have met. Quite a well-done movie. Quite a person, quite a career.
Overall - 5 of 5
Engagement - 5 of 5
Emotions - 5 of 5
Brain Food - 5 of 5
Themes: Amazing music. Amazing musicians.
My yearly actual Horror Film. Pretty good one. The twist was that it was shot almost entirely from the viewpoint of the monster. A bit of gore, but so over the top as to not really be gross.
Overall - 3 of 5
Engagement - 4 of 5
Emotions - 3 of 5
Brain Food - 2 of 5
Themes: teenagers having a campfire in the woods - what could go wrong?
—- After this, I was emotionally used up for the day. So only three films today. Next up, Sunday!
A very well-done history of policing in the USA, and how incredibly fucked up it is, and how the power structure is so entrenched it is unlikely to change much anytime soon. (Must watch - I think it is on Netflix.)
Overall - 5 of 5
Engagement - 5 of 5
Emotions - 5 of 5
Brain Food - 7 of 5
Themes: Power, Violence, Racism, Classism.
“Amidst the traditional pomp and circumstance of Filipino elections, a quirky people’s movement rises to defend the nation against deepening threats to truth and democracy. In a collective act of joy as a form of resistance, hope flickers against the backdrop of increasing autocracy”. But the bad guys win. Very interesting flick about the Filipines. Sounds a lot like the USA/Trump/etc- but turned up to 12!
Overall - 5 of 5 (I know, I keep saying this. But it is true!)
Engagement - 5 of 5
Emotions - 8 of 5
Brain Food - 7 of 5
“When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship, transition, and America.” I sure hope this becomes a big hit across America. Such a great movie. Must See!
Overall - 5 of 5
Engagement - 5 of 5
Emotions - 8 of 5
Brain Food - 5 of 5
and finally -
Based on the true story of Reality Winner, a quirky, brilliant young woman working for the NSA as a contractor, who discovers Top Secret documents related to Russian hacking of voting machines in 2016, which the Trump admin is lying to the public about. She releases them to The Intercept, who publishes photocopies that have her ID number hidden on them. She served the longest sentence of anyone under the espionage act to date. Boy that one document sure was uncomfortable for the Trump administration. The movie shows the harsh conditions (tantamount to torture) she was confined in awaiting trial. Wikipedia article HERE. (Hard to say what liberties were taken with the movie - but the intention was to not take much.)
Overall - 5 of 5
Engagement - 5 of 5
Emotions - 7 of 5
Brain Food - 5 of 5
Such a great movie. It was interesting to mix this character, Reality Winner, with the lead of the book I was ‘reading’ on my 4 x 5 hour drives, Lessons in Chemistry, and a similarly fierce Elizabeth Zott. Wow what a great book!
I coulda gotten in one more movie, but after 4 winners that day - time to hit the hay.
Thanks to Alicia and Ryan for putting up with me in the City of Salt. And to Sundance for just being great!