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Sundance Channel Blog
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Film

Christian Bale should do more movies like RESCUE DAWN and fewer like BATMAN

Article: Christian Bale should do more movies like RESCUE DAWN and fewer like BATMAN

Posted October 05th, 2012, 3:10 PM by

Very few people speak ill of Christopher Nolan’s BATMAN trilogy. The series shattered box office records, earned multiple Oscar nominations (and wins), and is often considered the greatest superhero trilogy in movie history. And yet, deep down in my heart, I’ll never be able to forgive Nolan for wasting precious years of Christian Bale’s productive career, when the versatile actor could have been making more passionate, provocative films like Werner Herzog’s stirring RESCUE DAWN — airing tonight at 10P on Sundance Channel.

30 years of Armani onscreen: AMERICAN GIGOLO to STEALING BEAUTY and beyond

Article: 30 years of Armani onscreen: AMERICAN GIGOLO to STEALING BEAUTY and beyond

Posted October 05th, 2012, 10:10 AM by

Nothing says sharp like a man in a Giorgio Armani suit. And the ladies usually look pretty good in his duds, too. The Italian designer has lent those fine lines to more than a hundred feature films, including a few modern classics. And because Il Maestro has remained current for more than three decades, the wardrobes in these five films have come to define more than just the characters who wore them.

Brian De Palma and the power of THE UNTOUCHABLES

Article: Brian De Palma and the power of THE UNTOUCHABLES

Posted October 04th, 2012, 10:10 AM by

Back in in 1987, when Brian De Palma came out with THE UNTOUCHABLES — which airs tonight at 10P — nobody quite knew what to expect. True, it was a much-anticipated crime epic about the small group of Chicago law enforcement officials led by Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) who brought down Al Capone (Robert De Niro) at the height of Prohibition, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and filmmaker David Mamet, but nobody quite knew which Brian De Palma was going to show up.

In THUMBSUCKER, Keanu Reeves is (finally) in on the joke

Article: In THUMBSUCKER, Keanu Reeves is (finally) in on the joke

Posted October 03rd, 2012, 2:10 PM by

Piecing apart the broader coming-of-age themes in Mike Mills’ THUMBSUCKER may not be a fruitful exercise. I’m not saying the film isn’t worth discussion or parsing; not at all. There’s just a more diplomatic (read: cute) way of celebrating the director’s feature-length debut. Like this: Keanu Reeves plays a New Age orthodontist who, for a change, is in on the joke. Doesn’t that already sound more intriguing?

In THUMBSUCKER, Keanu Reeves is (finally) in on the joke

Article: In THUMBSUCKER, Keanu Reeves is (finally) in on the joke

Posted October 03rd, 2012, 2:10 PM by

Piecing apart the broader coming-of-age themes in Mike Mills’ THUMBSUCKER may not be a fruitful exercise. I’m not saying the film isn’t worth discussion or parsing; not at all. There’s just a more diplomatic (read: cute) way of celebrating the director’s feature-length debut. Like this: Keanu Reeves plays a New Age orthodontist who, for a change, is in on the joke. Doesn’t that already sound more intriguing?

Mitt Romney has a thing or two to learn from MELQUIADES ESTRADA

Article: Mitt Romney has a thing or two to learn from MELQUIADES ESTRADA

Posted October 03rd, 2012, 10:10 AM by

When it comes to the issue of immigration, Mitt Romney has two faces. There’s the one he wore at his now-notorious behind-closed-doors fundraiser in Boca Raton, where he “joked” to a roomful of fat cats that “it would be helpful to be Latino.” Then there’s the noticeably browner face he wore to a forum on the Spanish-language network Univision, where he spouted meaningless rhetoric about how the answer to illegal immigration is “self-deportation.” He seems so unconcerned with understanding what life is like for Spanish-speaking immigrants (illegal or otherwise) in this country, it’s a milagro he can discuss issues of concern to that community while keeping a straight face.

Top 10 untouchable real-life movie gangsters

Article: Top 10 untouchable real-life movie gangsters

Posted October 02nd, 2012, 10:10 AM by

Where would the cinema world be without gangsters? The gun-blazing standoffs, ballsy bank stickups, mobster massacres… they’ve all contributed to some of the biggest moments in movie history. But there’s a special subset of the genre that blurs fantasy and reality, those films that portray the real, bigger-than-life gangsters.

CASSANDRA'S DREAM and the complicated legacy of Woody Allen

Article: CASSANDRA'S DREAM and the complicated legacy of Woody Allen

Posted September 28th, 2012, 2:09 PM by

Anytime Woody Allen releases a new film, moviegoers naturally debate where it ranks on his filmography. Is it a triumphant return to form like last year’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, or a dud like 2009’s WHATEVER WORKS? Is it a vibrant echo of his early masterpieces, or a dispiriting reminder that he’s now 76 and his best years may be behind him? There’s rarely a middle ground: It’s either Good Woody or Bad Woody.

BIG FAN and the real blood sports both on and off the field

Article: BIG FAN and the real blood sports both on and off the field

Posted September 28th, 2012, 10:09 AM by

After Washington Redskins wide receiver Josh Morgan committed a penalty that may have cost his team a recent game, he received death threats on Twitter. Who would be crazy enough to do such a thing? Meet Paul Auferio (Patton Oswalt), a 36-year-old schlub who works at a dead-end day job and spends his nights calling in to a sports-radio station to proclaim his undying love for the New York Giants — and his murderous hate for the divisional rival Philadelphia Eagles. He’s the tragic title character in the super-dark comedy BIG FAN (airing tomorrow night at 8P on Sundance Channel).

Now Playing on Sundance Channel: TRIAD ELECTION, FISH TANK, THE CENTER OF THE WORLD

Article: Now Playing on Sundance Channel: TRIAD ELECTION, FISH TANK, THE CENTER OF THE WORLD

Posted September 27th, 2012, 12:09 PM by

Autumn is now in full effect — the carefree days of summer are behind us and we’re left to ponder the oncoming cold and the meaning of our existence as we watch campaign ad after campaign ad. To us, that makes the season all about two things: complicated relationships… and elections. Thankfully, we’ve got the appropriate films for any occasion. We’re an all-season network!

Five hot women of horror

Article: Five hot women of horror

Posted September 27th, 2012, 10:09 AM by

Horror pushes characters to their limits — especially female characters, who generally have to stay alert and fight back if they want to make it through two hours alive. To be a horror hottie, it’s not enough to have good looks. You need smarts, resourcefulness, strength and a special something extra. In THE WIG, airing tonight at midnight, you’ll see just how hot horror heroines can be and how, sometimes, good deeds become their own punishment.

New York Film Festival preview: LIFE OF PI, FLIGHT and more

Article: New York Film Festival preview: LIFE OF PI, FLIGHT and more

Posted September 26th, 2012, 2:09 PM by

The 50th New York Film Festival is bookmarked by two films in which disasters lead to personal awakenings. The opening movie on September 28 is Ang Lee’s LIFE OF PI, a 3D adventure tale about an Indian boy’s antics with various wildlife after a shipwreck sets them adrift on the ocean. The closing night attraction is Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT, about a pilot, played by Denzel Washington, who saves a plane — if not necessarily his life — from crashing.

PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE: Rock schlock that's a brilliant hot mess

Article: PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE: Rock schlock that's a brilliant hot mess

Posted September 26th, 2012, 10:09 AM by

Anyone can make a bad film, but it takes considerable craft, talent and personality to make something intentionally B-grade that’s really, really good. So what Brian De Palma does in the 1970s bouillabaisse of American culture PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (playing tonight at 12:20A) is nothing short of a brilliant hot mess, if not the template for great schlock.

JOY DIVISION and more music docs that break your heart and rock your soul

Article: JOY DIVISION and more music docs that break your heart and rock your soul

Posted September 25th, 2012, 2:09 PM by

Though Joy Division’s time on the music scene was brief, their influence continues to be felt to this day. Guitarist Bernard Sumner’s aggressive, driving riffs — coupled with singer Ian Curtis’ hypnotic lyrics — inspired such musical acts as the Cure and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to name just a few. And while their short-lived musical career was a mere burst in the flaming circus that is rock ‘n’ roll, the Joy Division story has fueled two feature-length films, one of which —- Grant Gee’s JOY DIVISION —- makes its Sundance Channel debut tonight.

William H. Macy: Five must-see roles of an indie darling

Article: William H. Macy: Five must-see roles of an indie darling

Posted September 21st, 2012, 2:09 PM by

Any real film fan will recognize William H. Macy. Chances are, you’ve seen his Oscar-nominated role in FARGO and his supporting turns in MAGNOLIA and BOOGIE NIGHTS. But if that’s all you know of this indie Everyman hero, are you ever missing out. Both awkward and intelligent, apprehensive and over-eager, Macy conveys a jittery familiarity — you know a guy like this, however far-fetched a character he may be playing. Here’s a William H. Macy sampler that will give you the full picture of his considerable talents — and, lucky for you, you can even catch two of these movies this weekend on Sundance Channel.

Signs you may be bi-curious, Ă  la ROOM IN ROME

Article: Signs you may be bi-curious, Ă  la ROOM IN ROME

Posted September 21st, 2012, 10:09 AM by

Homosexuality is such a political hot potato these days — what with television shows about gay couples and surrogates popping up, and transsexualism being so popular amongst the youth — that people are drawing lines in the discussion. But polarization happens to be taking the place of the great gray space where, I think, most people’s sexuality resides. And that’s a drag. The uproar is having a negative effect with the absurd notion that being bi-curious is wishy-washy, not firm enough of a position for either side. Like, what ever happened to appreciating a good ol’ B.U.G.?

Robert Redford to honor Roger Ebert at "Celebrate Sundance Institute" benefit

Article: Robert Redford to honor Roger Ebert at "Celebrate Sundance Institute" benefit

Posted September 20th, 2012, 2:09 PM by

Sundance Institute today announced that its president and founder Robert Redford will present journalist and film critic Roger Ebert with the Vanguard Leadership Award in recognition of his advocacy of independent cinema. The award presentation will take place at the third annual “Celebrate Sundance Institute” benefit, on June 5, 2013, in Los Angeles.

Did DEATH WISH kill gun control?

Article: Did DEATH WISH kill gun control?

Posted September 20th, 2012, 2:09 PM by

Once upon a time in America, there was a gun-control debate. Then came Charles Bronson. In 1974′s DEATH WISH — tonight at 10:10P on Sundance Channel — the journeyman character actor shot to superstardom as Paul Kersey, a self-confessed “bleeding-heart liberal” who becomes a pistol-packing urban vigilante after his daughter is raped and his wife is murdered. Made for a modest $3 million, the gritty flick earned back more than seven times its budget and spawned four sequels over the next 20 years. Now director Joe Carnahan (THE GREY) is planning a remake.

5 kick-ass feminist exploitation films

Article: 5 kick-ass feminist exploitation films

Posted September 20th, 2012, 10:09 AM by

Feminist exploitation movies have a way of turning violence against women on its head, taking the kick-ass female heroine to an extreme, turning women from victims into predators. They make radical ultraviolence a commentary on the treatment of women in society — and reclaim female power, especially when they come from female directors like the Soska sisters, the women behind DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK, airing tonight at midnight.

VOLVER and Pedro AlmodĂłvar's second golden age

Article: VOLVER and Pedro AlmodĂłvar's second golden age

Posted September 19th, 2012, 2:09 PM by

Over the past three decades, Pedro AlmodĂłvar has become one of the most widely beloved filmmakers in the world. His 2006 drama VOLVER — on Sundance Channel tonight and all month — was one of his biggest popular and critical hits, garnering its star Penelope Cruz a Best Actress Oscar nomination and helping cement his status as one of the few foreign filmmakers who could rightfully be called a household name in the U.S. To those of us who have been following his career since the beginning, this has come as a welcome surprise.