(Part three in a series of reports from the 2007 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.) Statistically speaking, it’s another banner year for Sundance. More movies were picked up by distributors for more money than ever before. The independent films that will dominate media attention in 2007 and be seen at festivals and in theaters premiered daily to audiences hungry for the next big thing. Statistically speaking for me, it was a struggle three screenings a day, five or more parties, averaging four hours a sleep a night, while living on four zone bars and one decent meal at a restaurant a day, it was a struggle in a race to see the best of the best. But all I had to do was watch movies. For my first two days, I was bound to serve my TV masters at G4 covering the fest. (There's video on the G4 web site, if you care to check it out.) When I was finally cut loose from my obligations, going to a screening was like gulping water after trudging through the desert. Seeing films at Sundance is nothing short of inspiring. The "peace sign" photo on my press badge failed to inspire others to do the same as rampant apathy took hold as the trendiest attitude to adopt. THE SUNDANCE SCENE The best way to describe the scene at Sundance is crowded. Merely stopping for a moment to chat with a pal on Main Street will cause a pedestrian traffic jam as the streets are clogged with film freaks getting to screenings, locals seeking celebrities (I personally spotted Joey Pantoliano, Wes Bentley and Gary Coleman) and partiers without a name on the list just looking for a way in. If you can get past the air of craziness resulting from the vibe that everyone is trying to get somewhere very important and, they themselves are all, very important, it all comes down to the movies. As a reaction to growing media attention on celebrities and parties and sponsors and goodie bags and everything but the films, Robert Redford began this year’s Sundance festivities at a press conference in which he announced a new motto: Focus on Film. These words could be seen on all the marketing materials for the fest as well as free buttons readily available anywhere and I’m sure can now be found for sale on eBay. The tiny mountain town of Park City, Utah was never meant to accommodate the more than 20,000 people who trek from all parts of the world to celebrate film. Posters and flyers litter officially designated posting areas and signage is everywhere. It was odd this year to see so many give-aways everywhere. I’m used to buying a case of water or two to combat altitude sickness, but I shouldn’t have bothered since water of every brand were handed out on the streets and nearly everywhere. And not just water, everything from energy bars to scarves to energy drinks to ski caps were practically tossed at passersby who were not even looking for a freebie. The most amusing was a ski cap promoting a new, more efficient replacement for Botox called “StriVectin-SD.” Would you wear a hat with that on it? Um, I wouldn’t. Parties on Main Street were a bust because of the invasion of non-film folks. The MySpace party was a disaster partly due to the incompetence of the doormen, but also because the Eagles of Death Metal were no-shows. The nightlife in Park City is odd. It is dominated by the dedicated hipsters driven to get into the most exclusive parties. One good friend commented to me that they should have “asshole police” to deal with some of these obnoxious folks. I simply found them entertaining. The most amusing aspect is the lengths to which many women will go to impress. It was common to see women in sandals, high heels, open-toed shoes all worn in sub-freezing temperatures which lingered in the single digits the entire first weekend. Really? How much alcohol does it take until one is unable to feel their toes? I’d like to know. The Film Threat crew in Park City wore original hats designed by SG girl Noir - this pink delight modeled by FT writer Sally Foster. Standing out from the crowd is both useful and fashionable. If you can get past all of these distractions, the real purpose of the festival will emerge. Films. And not just any independent films, movies that move you. Each time I attend the festival having seen inspiring work made by deeply passionate filmmakers, there’s a feeling that anyone can be a part of this community of like-minded artists. Sundance recharges my own creative batteries after a grueling year of mainstream factory films from Hollywood. This year was no different as I experienced an amazing array of original work by some familiar and emerging filmmakers. SUNDANCE FILMS Some were saying that this was an off-year for Sundance as there was no consensus regarding standout films. What stood out to me was the number of quality movies. Here's just a taste... The fast-paced doc Chasing Ghosts took audiences back to an era in the early 80s when the arcade ruled the world. Chasing Ghosts As a portrait of a period in time circa 1982 when the arcade ruled the world, Chasing Ghosts delivers more than what is promised. Retro gaming is as hot as ever, and this glimpse into the world of the very first hardcore gamers, the guys who dropped quarters and went pro, is as hilarious as it oozes a fondness for 80s nostalgia. From the music to the fast-moving graphics, the style that filmmaker Lincoln Ruchti uses to tell this tale starts at full speed and never lets up. Y’know, kind of like a video game. The focus of the film is a group of gamers who achieved the highest scores and went pro. Assembled in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1982 near the Twin Galaxies arcade for the historic photo-shoot for Time magazine that made them all famous, we meet them today, more than 20 years later for a reality check. It’s no surprise to learn that this oddball group that began as geeks all remained geeks. Each of them come equipped with their own quirks and various levels of nerdiness and that is where the film succeeds best - as a portrait of not just a time, but of a group of geeks worthy of celebration. Grace is Gone reveals a whole new side to John Cusack. Grace is Gone John Cusack is very different from the romantic lead we are used to seeing in films like High Fidelity. In Grace is Gone, he plays a dad worn down by life as the manager of a home store. His wife Grace has gone to fight the war in Iraq and he is left to father his two daughters. The eight and twelve year-old are told they can’t even watch TV as it might add to their already anxious lives. When Cusack receives the news that Grace is dead, he becomes catatonic. It’s already difficult enough to “talk” to his daughters, much less tell them that their mother is dead. This leads to a road trip to Enchanted Gardens in Florida as dad avoids telling his daughters the truth. It’s the best performance of Cusack’s career as he dresses and even walks funny to accentuate his schlumpiness. Screenings of the film elicited more tears than any film I have ever seen at Sundance. The Signal is now the must-see horror film for 2007 and was picked up for distribution after its very first midnight screening. The Signal Rejecting the current trend of "torture porn horror" and going straight for "intelligent and gory" is The Signal. The premise is simple: All electronic devices in the town of Terminus suddenly do not work as they begin to emit an irritating, yet hypnotic signal. At first, it seems like a glitch, until overexposure to this signal drives one into a murderous rampage. Traditionally, horror films like to ease you in and do things like "get to know the characters" so that you "care" about them. You won't find that coming from the three-headed Atlanta-based co-directors of The Signal David Bruckner, Jacob Gentry and Dan Bush. These boys begin the movie with a bloody kick in the nose and never stop smacking. It truly is a horror film made by horror fans. What's also interesting is the approach they took as a trio of co-directors - the film was broken up into three acts and each one of them took on one act. The film still feels as if there is one voice, yet each act has its own tone that fits the whole. Act one is creepy and suspenseful, act two delves into the bloody and comedic and act three is shocking, gory and triumphant as the final act messes with your head. Upon leaving the screening, I was both elated and awestruck as I found I needed time to "come down" from this relentless movie. There is no doubt that The Signal will be among the best horror films of 2007 when it debuts later this year. The "bestiality" documentary Zoo was highly anticipated due to the racy subject matter -- fucking horses. However, the artful recreations of taboo sex simply bored audiences. Zoo No film had more buzz going into Sundance than Zoo. And no film's buzz disipated faster than Zoo. The description in the program guide seemed to promise full-on bestiality. A man is dropped at a local hospital - his death the result of the rupturing of his internal organs. It is later discovered this was caused by having sex with a horse. The family wants answers and though, we the audience never see it, the loved ones are treated to a showing of the video of this sex act because they have to see for themselves how it happened. The sanitized recreations are simply dull as the filmmaker attempts to create some type of understanding for why anyone would want to stick a horse's cock in their ass. The answer is about "getting closer to nature" or something but ultimately, there is no answer. It's unfortunate as Zoo could have been something truly controversal but ends up being a dull disappointment. Co-directors Crispin Glover and David Brothers pose in front of the poster for their film It is Fine. Everything is Fine! It is Fine. Everything is Fine! The second in Crispin Glover’s planned art film trilogy began with What is It? and continues in It is Fine. Everything is Fine! The film is written by and stars the charming and cerebral palsy afflicted Steven C. Stewart, a man who will not allow his handicap to stop him. The story involves Stewart who is a ladies man, seducing young women, getting them naked, then getting them in bed, then getting them into a chokehold to kill them in an almost comedic fashion. It’s hard to feel sorry for a handicap serial killer, but Steven is just too likeable as he grunts his way through his lines. He’s impossible to actually understand, yet, in the context of each scene, we know what he’s saying. It’s like a John Waters film from the 1970s, as Glover and Brothers force you to see this crippled person as a suave leading man. To say the film is weird would be cliché, it’s way beyond that the film drew laughs and gasps from the audience. The odd thing about it all it works. It’s actually refreshing to see someone who actually has cerebral palsy in a film rather than some actor playing someone with cerebral palsy, y’know, like Daniel Day Lewis. It wasn’t long ago that Hollywood would dress up Caucasian actors to play Asians or other races in movies (John Wayne, Marlon Brando, Mickey Rooney). Perhaps some will get the idea that the handicap have a right to play themselves on screen. Even when it is a “turn-off” to general audiences who need to be challenged. The climax features Stewart in a hardcore sex scene as he receives a blow job leading to a close up of full penis-vagina penetration. The tight shots of the actual act do not linger, so one could hardly call it porn, but it is rather jarring. Glover and Brothers felt it was important to see that Stewart actually had sex and that this wasn’t some sanitized Hollywood love scene with bits of nudity. Crispin Glover plans to tour festivals with the film combining screenings with a live performance starring himself. An experience not to be missed. SLAMDANCE FILMS The SlamDance Film Festival took place at the always friendly Treasure Mountain Inn. Their motto By filmmakers, for filmmakers, was ever present in all the films. Ultimately, it's a fest without the big business trappings featuring movies with a DIY-vibe and a punk rock spirit. There were a lot of great movies, but two films deserving of attention include... Grace Lee's American Zombie uses this horror genre staple as a way to address issues of immigration and equality in Los Angeles. Lee also had perhaps the most inventive promotional item -- this soft cell phone cleaner. American Fork creates a humorous and thoughtful character portrait of a man whose life revolves around food. Until the next fest, Gore is gone. Way gone. Chris_Gore is an author, a filmmaker and the creator of Film Threat. Chris’ book, The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide, is the bible for filmmakers touring on the festival circuit and a 4th edition will be published in 2008. (Written by: Chris_Gore)