By Other Voices voices@moviecitynews.com
Sundance Sales Chart 2009
Film
|
Section |
Sales
Co |
Odds
|
Pros
|
Cons
|
First
Screening |
Today’s Top Five | ||||||
Brooklyn’s Finest |
Prem
|
WM/
CAA |
2:1
|
Gere, Cheadle, Hawke, Snipes, Barkin and “Training Day” director doing what they’ve done best: cop drama | With all these surefire elements, why does it need a Sundance rampup to sell? | 1/16, 6:15p. Eccles |
Spread |
Prem
|
CAA/
End |
2:1
|
Gigolo satire from sexpert helmer of “Young Adam” | How many good Ashton Kutcher or Anne Heche comedies can you name? | 1/17, 9:15p, Eccles |
I Love You Phillip Morris |
Prem
|
CAA/
End |
2:1
|
A Carrey/McGregor prison romance from writers of “Bad Santa” | First-time helmers tackle subject matter that could go very wrong in the wrong hands. | 1/18, 9:30p, Eccles |
Other Narratives In Play | ||||||
Amreeka |
Dr Comp
|
WM
|
8:1
|
Sometimes humorous, very topical struggle of Palestinian mom on West Bank
|
No stars, Iraq war backdrop… it better be great
|
1/17, 12:15p, Eccles
|
Cold Souls |
DrComp
|
Cin
|
4:1
|
Giamatti, Strathairn, Watson, Ambrose in a unique “metaphysical tragi-comedy”
|
A metaphysical tragi-comedy
|
1/17, 5:15p, Racquet Club
|
Arlen Faber |
Dr Comp
|
CAA/
ICM |
4:1
|
Daniels, Graham, Pucci in romantic tale of reclusive author
|
Might be too navel-gazing or quirky for its own good
|
1/18, 5:15p, Racquet Club
|
Big Fan |
DrComp
|
Andr
Hur |
5:1
|
Good buzz on sports fanatic spoof directed by “The Wrestler” scribe…
|
…who also wrote “The Onion Movie.” Star Patton Oswalt an unproven commodity
|
1/18, 8p, Racquet Club
|
Black Dynamite |
Mid
|
End
|
8:1
|
Blaxploitation satire with potential for cult following
|
Too culty for its own good?
|
1/18, 11:30p, Library
|
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men |
Dr Comp
|
CAA
|
5:1
|
Hot star John Krasinski directing, starring and adapting from David Foster Wallace novel
|
Adaptations are tricky, and not every sitcom star is Zach Braff. Slot after heated sales lineup weekend
|
1/19, 3:15p. Eccles
|
Dare |
DrComp
|
xCin
|
7:1
|
Sex-charged teen romance featuring Emmy Rossum
|
Supporting cast (Gasteyer, Cumming, Bernhard) from many an indie stinker
|
1/19, 5:15p, Racquet Club
|
Don’t Let Me Drown |
DrComp
|
Loeb
Loeb |
20:1
|
Latino high schoolers in post-9/11 romantic drama
|
No stars, depressing premise
|
1/18, 12:15p, Eccles
|
An Education |
World DrComp
|
CAA
|
4:1
|
60s coming-of-age romance from scribe Nick Hornby with Sarsgaard, Molina, Thompson and a breakout Mulligan
|
Subject matter too familiar and trite if not done right
|
1/18, 3p, Egyptian
|
Endgame |
Prem
|
End
|
5:1
|
Good cast (Hurt, Ejiofor) in South African apartheid thriller
|
CNN currently chock full of other real-life political thrillers
|
1/18, 6:16p, Eccles
|
Five Minutes of Heaven |
World DrComp
|
UTA
|
5:1
|
Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt and director of “Downfall”
|
Violence in Northern Ireland. Good times.
|
1/19, 6:30p, Egyptian
|
World’s Greatest Dad |
Spectrum
|
CAA/
Cin |
3:1
|
Robin Williams in another dark comedy from “Sleeping Dogs Lie” writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait
|
Williams sometimes a selling point, sometimes a liability
|
1/18, 5:30p, Library
|
The Greatest |
DrComp
|
End/ CAA |
4:1
|
Tearjerker with Brosnan and Sarandon called “as fine a debut as we can present”
|
Son dies in car accident, for those who didn’t get their fill in “Revolution Road”
|
1/17, 3:15p, Eccles
|
Helen |
Spectrum
|
Little
|
5:1
|
Ashley Judd sinks her teeth into bipolar role
|
Mental illness, depression… Lifetime movie?
|
1/16, 8:45, Library
|
Humpday |
DrComp
|
Sub
|
5:1
|
Straight best buds link for gay porn; getting great buzz
|
Will need great buzz to overcome no stars, and a premise not for the squeamish
|
1/16, 12:15p, Eccles
|
In The Loop |
Premieres
|
Prot
|
4:1
|
James Gandolfini in satire of war and politics could be a sleeper hit
|
Small, filled with unknown Brits |
1/19, 11:15a, Yarrow
|
The Killing Room |
Mid
|
CAA
|
5:1
|
Psychological thriller with compelling premise and solid indie cast
|
Possibly just a pretentious “Saw”
|
1/16, 11:30a, Prospector
|
Mary & Max |
Opening Night
|
Icon
|
20:1
|
Quirky Aussie claymation from Oscar-winning director good enough to attract Hoffman and Collette
|
Too quirky for many at the opening night screening, garnering mixed to negative reactions
|
1/15, 6p, Eccles
|
The Messenger |
Premieres
|
UTA
|
7:1
|
Talented scribe Oren Moverman’s directing debut
|
Another Iraq war drama; Foster, Harrelson have spotty track records
|
1/19, 9:30p, Eccles
|
The Missing Person |
Spectrum
|
Visit
|
8:1
|
Contemporary film noir with welcome return of Amy Ryan and breakout star Michael Shannon
|
Too arty for its own good?
|
1/16, 6p. Library
|
Motherhood |
Premieres
|
End
|
4:1
|
Harried-mom comedy with Thurman, Edwards, Driver
|
Urban anxiety can make for anxious audiences
|
1/21, 9:30p, Eccles
|
Mystery Team |
Midnight
|
Sub
|
10:1
|
Potential sleeper with foul-mouthed teens; could hit right chord…
|
…or extremely wrong one. Online trailer looks iffy; no-name cast
|
1/17, 11:30p, Library
|
Paper Heart |
DrComp
|
UTA
|
4:1
|
Two words: Michael Cera. Possibly offbeat hit
|
Muted response to screener making rounds
|
1/17, 8p, Racquet Club
|
Peter & Vandy |
DrComp
|
End
|
5:1
|
Some good buzz behind Manhattan romance with Sundance “Teeth” award-winner Weixler
|
Stage adaptations risk being stagey; Star Ritter must live down last year’s “Good Dick”
|
1/19, 8p, Racquet Club
|
Shrink |
Premieres
|
WM
|
5:1
|
“In Treatment” has proven the appeal of therapy dramas
|
Spacey’s star power has shrunk; Hollywood inside baseball?
|
1/18, 11:15a, Yarrow
|
Toe To Toe |
DrComp
|
WM
|
10:1
|
Complicated relationship between two female high school teammates; interracial issues a hot topic
|
Virtually all unknown cast; tough sell
|
1/16, 3:15p, Eccles
|
The Vicious Kind |
Spectrum
|
ICM
|
10:1
|
Tough portrait of emotionally damaged father
|
See “Pros”
|
1/17, 8:30p, Library
|
The Winning Season |
Cin
|
4:1
|
Female “Bad News Bears” centering on high school basketball team
|
Sam Rockwell films sell big at Sundance, buthaven’t performed
|
1/19, 8:30p, Library
|
|
Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire |
DrComp
|
Cin
|
5:1
|
Audacious portrait of abused girl; vivid performances by Mo’Nique and wacky supporting cast (Mariah Carey, Sherry Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz)
|
From the man who brought you “Shadowboxer”; could be too over the top
|
1/16, 8p, Racquet Club
|
Other Documentaries In Play | ||||||
Art & Copy |
Doc Comp
|
Sub
|
10:1
|
Ad industry study getting good word of mouth
|
Risks being too academic
|
1/16, 5:30p, Prospector
|
Big River Man |
World Doc Comp
|
Salt
|
20:1
|
Slovenian man’s attempt at record swim could be Michael Phelps meets “Grizzly Man”
|
Drowned by competition?
|
1/16, 3:15p, HV4
|
Good Hair |
Doc Comp
|
ICM
|
5:1
|
If every black hair magazine reader buys a ticket to producer/star Chris Rock’s comic, celeb-filled take on the topic, it’s a hit.
|
Interest in niche topic could be hair today, gone tomorrow
|
1/18, 9p, Temple
|
Passing Strange |
Spectrum: Docu Spotlight
|
End
|
6:1
|
Spike Lee filmed this unconventional, Tony-nominated musical, and both names will help sell the project
|
Must prove worthy of life beyond PBS
|
1/16, 2:30p, Library
|
No Impact Man |
Spectrum: Docu Spotlight
|
Cin
|
8:1
|
Family undertakes controversial experiment to live a year with no carbon footprint; could tap “An Inconvenient Truth” audience
|
Another inconvenient truth: many socially conscious docs have no theatrical impact
|
1/16, 11:30a, Library
|
Reporter |
Doc Comp
|
Films
Trans |
6:1
|
A New York Times reporter’s valiant attempt to put an African crisis on the map speaks volumes about the state of journalism today
|
Most political docs have had a tough boxoffice ride
|
1/16, 9:30P, Temple
|
The September Issue |
Doc Comp
|
CAA
|
5:1
|
Rare inside look at the alleged inspiration for “The Devil Wear’s Prada,” Vogue’s Anna Wintour
|
Won’t be in vogue if it’s as cold as its subject
|
1/16, 6:30p, Rose?
|
We Live In Public |
Doc Comp
|
Sub/
Cin |
6:1
|
Stranger than fiction dot-com boom art experiment from Web entrepreneur
|
Must rise above Discovery Channel audience interest to sell
|
1/19, 6p, Temple
|
The Cove |
Doc Comp
|
Sub/
WM |
8:1
|
Fascination with dolphins may propel sale of this dark tale
|
Animal Planet shows wade in similar waters
|
1/18, 3p, Temple
|
When You’re Strange |
Doc Comp
|
Sub/
Cin |
4:1
|
Indie vet Tom DiCillo unveils all-original footage of The Doors
|
Video sales assured, but will it break on through to theatrical?
|
1/17, 9p, Temple
|