Sundance Film Festival Midnight Lineup Looks Impressive
12.04.09 By: Alison Nastasi
Utah isn't just for lovers--It's also for the Sundance Film Festival. Every year the fest rolls around I am jealous of those who get to attend the premiere of some of the most talked about independent films. This is the largest indie film festival in the U.S. and this year's lineup for the Park City at Midnight category looks like good stuff. The festival runs January 21 - 31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Many popular horror films got their start at the festival, including Saw. I wonder if Weinberg was there... After the jump you can get up close and personal with the lineup for Sundance's Midnight movie series. Keep your eyes here for more info on the films as we get it. I also gave you my picks. Tell me yours?
So far I'm pretty psyched for Splice, directed by the stylish Vincenzo Natali (Cube), starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley as two scientists who splice human and animal DNA to create a beautiful but deadly creature. The film was getting buried for a while because of budget issues, so it's nice to see this one finally come around. Some initial reviews of the film were positive and I look forward to hearing what others have to say.
Also on my watch list is The Violent Kind by The Butcher Brothers (The Hamiltons) starring Taylor Cole, Christina Prousalis, Tiffany Shepis (Night of the Demons remake), David Fine and Joseph McKelheer. A secluded farmhouse, bikers, boobies, blood, ghostly Rockabillies and possession? Sold! Bloody-Disgusting has some more images for you to peek at and the official Facebook page launched yesterday.
I will probably check out The Killer Inside Me which is based on the 1952 novel by Jim Thompson of the same name. The film is directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People) and stars Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba and Elias Koteas. Ok, the cast does nothing for me, but I have to see everything Elias Koteas is in. Most of his recent roles have been a complete mismatch for me, including his underwhelming part in The Fourth Kind. He has an amazing range and I keep fantasizing that he'll work with Cronenberg or Atom Egoyan again.
Last but not least I'm curious about All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, directed by Tim Rutili whose roots are in music. The film stars Angela Bettis (May -- YES!) and features an original soundtrack by Califone.
Behold--the Park City at Midnight lineup:
Director: Rodrigo Cortes; Screenwriter: Chris Sparling
A U.S. contractor working in Iraq awakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap. Cast: Ryan Reynolds. World Premiere
Frozen / USA
Director and Screenwriter: Adam Green
Three skiers are mistakenly stranded on a chairlift, forced to make life-or-death choices that prove more perilous than staying put and freezing to death. This comes from the director of the popular cult slasher Hatchet. Cast: Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers. World Premiere
Splice / France/USA
Director: Vincenzo Natali; Screenwriters: Vincenzo Natali, Antoinette Terry Bryant, and Doug Taylor
From the director of Cube. Clive and Elsa are young, brilliant, and ambitious. The new animal species they engineered has made them rebel superstars of the scientific world. In secret, they introduce human DNA into the experiment. Cast: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chaneac, David Hewlett. North American Premiere
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil / Canada
Director: Eli Craig; Screenwriters: Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson
Two West Virginian hillbillies go on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin, but their peaceful trip goes horribly awry. Cast: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss. World Premiere
The Violent Kind / USA
Directors and screenwriters: The Butcher Brothers a.k.a. Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores
Fro the director of the indie smash The Hamiltons, a group of rowdy young bikers party it up at a secluded farmhouse when, tormented by a mysterious force, things take a turn for the worst. Cast: Taylor Cole, Christina Prousalis, Tiffany Shepis, David Fine, Joseph McKelheer. World Premiere.
7 Days (Les 7 Jours du Talion) / Canada
Director: Daniel Grou; Screenwriter: Patrick Senecal
A doctor seeks revenge by kidnapping, torturing and killing the man who murdered his young daughter. Cast: Rémy Girard, Claude Legault, Fanny Mallette, Martin Dubreuil, Rose-Marie Coallier. World Premiere
HIGH School / USA
Director: John Stalberg, Jr.; Screenwriters: Erik Linthorst and John Stalberg, Jr.
A random drug test coincides with a high school valedictorian's first hit of pot. Cast: Sean Marquette, Matt Bush, Adrien Brody, Michael Chiklis, Colin Hanks, Mykelti Wiliamson, Andrew Wilson, Yeardley Smith, Michael Vartan, Curtis Armstrong, Erica Phillips. World Premiere
The Perfect Host / USA
Director: Nick Tomnay; Screenwriters: Nick Tomnay and Krishna Jones
A criminal on the run cons his way into the wrong dinner party where the host is anything but ordinary. Cast: David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford, Helen Reddy, Nathaniel Parker. World Premiere
The Killer Inside Me / USA
Director: Michael Winterbottom; Screenwriter: John Curran
Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford is a pillar of the community in his small Texan town; patient, polite and well liked, until he starts killing people. Cast: Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Simon Baker, Elias Koteas. World Premiere
All My Friends Are Funeral Singers / USA
Director and screenwriter: Tim Rutili
Probably not a film to be covered here on Bloody Disgusting, but it does involve ghosts and our beloved Angela Bettis (May). In the film a fortune teller lives and works in and old house crowded with ghosts. When a mysterious light appears in the woods, the ghosts realize they are trapped and begin to rebel. Cast: Angela Bettis. World Premiere
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Reader Comments (1 of 1)
deathxrebirthat 12-06-2009
Everytime I see that pic, all I can think is that she looks like Bjork. Heh..
Alisonat 12-07-2009
oh gosh....you're right. she does resemble her!