Score today: Kate – 20, Nan – 16.
Me at the Zoo (US Documentary): On thing I really love about Sundance is the opportunity, through film, to meet people whom I would otherwise judge and disdain if I chanced across them in real life. The issue is not that Chris Crocker exudes a flamboyant gay personality, but rather that he lives his life on the internet. An activity, as my children well know, that I do not condone. I have to admit, though, that Chris used the medium, particularly when he had no other outlet, as an effective means to grow through tumultuous teen years and establish a sense of self. The real hero of the film is Chris’s grandmother, who is raising him. Her patience with Chris, her acceptance of his off-the-charts behavior, her trust that he will turn out OK together constitute a model for anyone living with and raising a teen.
For Ellen (US Dramatic): Flat movie in all respects. Nothing else to say about this one. Not worth your time.
Save the Date (Us Dramatic): Cute, fun chick flick/sister movie/romantic comedy. Light and easy to watch. I still think that people would be better off if they kept their pants zipped in the company of strangers. But then there wouldn’t be as many interesting stories to tell.
Chasing Ice (US Documentary): Follows geo-photographer James Balog (look him up on TED) and the Extreme Ice Survey documenting global warming through time-lapse photography of glaciers throughout the world. Well put together. Another Sundance get-the-word-out on environmental-and-social-justice films.
Kate and Nan at Sundance 