Sundance '09 Winners

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Grand Jury Prize, U.S. Dramatic and Audience Award, Dramatic:: Push: Based on a novel by Sapphire, d: Lee Daniels. HE comment: Didn't choose to see it during Sundance because I didn't care for Daniels' Shadowboxer ('05). I'll see it down the road, but I'm from Missouri. Mordbid obesity is not an affliction in the sense of being hit by a disease or having a tree fall on you. It's a choice.

Grand Jury Prize, U.S. Documentary: We Live In Public, d: Ondi Timoner. Provocative and probably prophetic doc about how online obsession can (and did, in the case of internet pioneer Josh Harris ) about where most of us who live online are headed. Unflinchingly delves into Harris's neurotic-obsessive head. I'm not sure how attractive or engrossing this will seem to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Computer Nerd.

World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic: The Maid, d: Sebastian Silva.

World Cinema Jury Prize, Documentary: Rough Aunties, d: Kim Longinotto.

Audience Award, Documentary: The Cove, d: Louise Psihoyos.

World Cinema Audience Award, Dramatic: An Education, d: Lone Scherfig-

World Cinema Audience Award, Documentary: Afghan Star, d: Havana Marking.

Excellence in Directing, U.S. Dramatic: Sin Nombre, d: Cary Joji Fukunaga.

I'm bored. That's it. Here's the Variety link for the rest.

Good Talk<< previous | next >>Works This Way

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 25, 2009 at 8:41 AM

comment #1

actionman says ...

Really want to see An Education.

Watched Boy A last night. Very strong film. Andrew Garfield was incredible and Peter Mullan, as always, exuded class.

Posted by actionman at January 25, 2009 10:56 AM

comment #2

Rod32303 says ...

Don't necessarily disagree with you (though isn't the main character, like, 11? Not sure how much choice there is if the parent is stuffing you like a pig), but hoping that, by that rationale, you and most Missourians also believe that alcoholism is not a disease, but a choice.

Posted by Rod32303 at January 25, 2009 11:13 AM

comment #3

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

So, in other words, Jeff's well-known problem with HWP-challenged folks kept him from seeing what turned out to be BOTH the Jury and Audience prize winner?

You know, when your personal hangups start interfering with your journalistic responsibilities, you might have a problem that needs a serious self-adjustment.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at January 25, 2009 11:19 AM

comment #4

George Prager says ...

Found the trailer for PUSH. Looks good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIwTYL1fwJk

Posted by George Prager at January 25, 2009 11:19 AM

comment #5

Edward says ...

Funny Prager.

Posted by Edward at January 25, 2009 12:10 PM

comment #6

MindlessObamaton says ...

Say it with me: Jesus, Wells.

Posted by MindlessObamaton at January 25, 2009 12:41 PM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

"I'll see it down the road, but I'm from Missouri. Mordbid obesity is not an affliction in the sense of being hit by a disease or having a tree fall on you. It's a choice."

This comment was actually on the outer end of my assumed timeline. And yeah Wells, considering this films prominence, I must call dereliction of duty.

Posted by BurmaShave at January 25, 2009 12:57 PM

comment #8

LexG says ...

Prager's video = HA! OWNED.

Wow, "Shadowboxer" was unbelievably terrible (other than Mirren and Stephen Dorff.) Never would've expected this development.

Though the OTHER "Push," from GENIUS Paul McGuigan, looks like pure, uncut brilliance. Cannot wait.

Posted by LexG at January 25, 2009 1:31 PM

comment #9

Hallick says ...

Oh God, George...I'm going to hell. That sound at the 1:05 mark ellicited TEARS from me. Awesome, totally awesome.

Posted by Hallick at January 25, 2009 2:04 PM

comment #10

DarienStyles says ...

The choice comment caught me by surprise. I didn't expect such shallowness. So, what am I supposed to gather from this comment, that morbidly obese folks deserve to be despised because they choose to be fat ?
So what if someone is fat or thin, does that change what a person is as a human being ? I respect people for who they are, not for how they look like.

Posted by DarienStyles at January 25, 2009 2:19 PM

comment #11

MindlessObamaton says ...

Darian: You need to know that if you are an awesome and soulful fattie (a la Phillip "Philly" Seymour Hoffman) then Wells will never mention how fat or bald (a la Ed Harris, Richard Jenkins) you are.

Posted by MindlessObamaton at January 25, 2009 2:51 PM

comment #12

LuckyWilbury says ...

It's a damn good thing that Che Guevara wasn't fat, or
else Wells wouldn't have been able to love Soderbergh's
movie -- or write 10,000 posts saying how much he
loved the movie.

Posted by LuckyWilbury at January 25, 2009 2:57 PM

comment #13

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Mindless - do you happen to notice a gender trend in your apologist post? Because that rule does not apply to any possible gifted women (proof: Jeff's silence on Misty Upham lack of award recognition whereas every other critic has singled her out since the film's release).

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at January 25, 2009 5:34 PM

comment #14

fredderf says ...

HE commentator's condescending comment is off the mark. PUSH is obviously about more than obesity. he would know this if he saw the film.

Posted by fredderf at January 25, 2009 6:53 PM

comment #15

Kim Voynar says ...

Didn't choose to see it during Sundance because I didn't care for Daniels' Shadowboxer ('05). I'll see it down the road, but I'm from Missouri. Mordbid obesity is not an affliction in the sense of being hit by a disease or having a tree fall on you. It's a choice.

Jeff, must you let your obsession with superficiality affect every other thing you write? Had you bothered to see Push, you would have realized that the reason Precious is obese is because her crazy mother, who is jealous -- yes, jealous -- that Precious' father rapes her has been force-feeding her since childhood. She's fat because her mother made her fat, first by shoving food down her nonstop, and then by subjecting her to a constant barrage of verbal and physical abuse. And the film is not about the main character's obesity, it's about her overcoming horrific abuse and illiteracy to rise above the circumstances life handed her.

Christ almighty, could you get any more shallow here? You're smarter than that.

Posted by Kim Voynar at January 25, 2009 8:56 PM

comment #16

MindlessObamaton says ...

DTG says:

MO replies:

I used PSH as an example because I can't even remember the last time Wells ever mentioned the guy's weight. I didn't even bother with thinking of a larger actress because I tihnk we all know already how Wells feels about them. He has a blind spot for his best bud in the world "Philly." So, I wasn't really being sexist or anything, certainly didn't mean to make my earlier post appear so. Thanks!:

Posted by MindlessObamaton at January 26, 2009 9:48 AM

comment #17

televisiontears says ...

I know I'm late on this, but Jesus Christ, Jeff. Try to think in fucking grays every once in a while.

I loved Jeff's awkward pullquote from the SBFF Writer's Panel (from AICN). Andrew Stanton was explaining the loss of bone density that would occur during a deep space trip, resulting in WALL*E's ginormous spaceship populous. AICN's "Quint" then writes:

"This wasn’t enough for Jeff Wells, apparently, who was first at the mic to ask why Stanton is keeping the political answer when it’s clear to anybody that the “big, fat Teletubbies in the third act” were a commentary on modern middle-American culture."

Stay classy, Wells.

Posted by televisiontears at January 26, 2009 1:13 PM

comment #18

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