Sundance Film Festival (July 28 - Aug 1)

He didn't just miss the mark; he spent the whole time dragging it, and Anderson looked so uncomfortable he just sat there in silence.. I'm done giving him any more credit than he deserves😁

At the very end, Anderson said, "See You Next Year." I really hope he’s being serious about that and plans on coming back to teach at the academy again next term.

By the way, Jose Miller17, did you happen to leave them your email address during that last lecture?

I just got back from the Sundance Film Festival, and honestly? "Okay" doesn't even begin to cover it... it was absolutely incredible! I’ve got a few gripes, but everyone has already pointed them out, so there's no point in me rehashing them... my only real headache was the transportation situation; I really wasn't feeling the vibe of those cramped little shuttle buses. But yeah, that's about it. I'll definitely be seeing Sonoma again next year!

C'Tebo said:I’ve managed to watch pretty much everything I could afford, specifically: Bowling for Columbine, Lilja 4-ever, Rat, Witness, Dragon, and Russian Arka—plus a few others, though my memory is failing me right about now...

I noticed you checked out that Blabanov movie.

So, what did you think of "Rat," C'Tebo? 😁

To me, it felt like Jakov Sedlar meets Stjepan Sabljak meets Chuck Norris. Honestly, there were moments where I thought it was veering right into parody territory.

Honestly, my experience at the Sundance Film Festival was anything but bad. I don't get why people complain about it being full of preppies and socialites—it wasn't really like that, except maybe on the final day... those "preppy" types were mostly just hanging out at that bamboo bar, while everyone else was actually watching films and grabbing drinks elsewhere. The vibe was honestly great all five days, the crowd was solid, and I’m definitely planning to head back next year...
And let's talk about the ticket prices—they’re steep! But honestly, I managed to catch almost every movie for free. They’d let people watch screenings in the plaza outside the hotel or over at Bauer, and even at that cinema by the walls, you could just slip in right as the movie started without a ticket... Even the shuttle bus passes worked the same way; you buy one and use it all five days without anyone giving you a hard time.

On a side note, if those two gorgeous goths who kept walking past me and my friend near that little pub—Muré, I think it was—are reading this, feel free to reach out... 😁 😁

Lars rules!!!!

Richard Hernandez13 said:I noticed you were watching the Blabanov film.

So, what’s your take on "War," lonescout2? 😁

To me, it feels like Jakov sedlar meets Stjepan Sabljak meets Chuck Norris. Honestly, some scenes bordered on pure parody.

"Some"?? 😁

In my eyes, the movie is basically a Michael Bay production 😁 (okay, fine, maybe not quite that bad). But I really think an Arnold Schwarzenegger-style entrance would have elevated the whole thing. For instance, it would have been perfectly fitting if that British woman said to Aslan (right at the start when he lets her go): "I'll be back." 😁

On the bright side, as far as action movies go, it’s perfectly decent 😁, but I didn't head out to Napa Valley specifically to watch Chucky-style action flicks. If that’s what I wanted, I’d watch Walker every single day on PBS.

That being said, I wouldn't stoop so low as to compare it to sedlar; sedlar is in a completely different league altogether. 🙂

From what I could tell, he seemed pretty thrilled. I even saw him out on the patio looking like he was in high spirits... so he should definitely be back next year (maybe once he expands his Hollywood footprint enough to bring Heather Graham along😁).
..Email? Hmm... I haven't seen anything. Clearly, I missed something here😕...What's the deal with the email anyway? Is it a subscription for next year?

Jose Miller17 said:..email????..hmm..I haven't... I clearly missed something here.😕 ..so what's the deal with the email thing? Is it for next year's subscription???

The last "presentation" was actually about the school itself—you know, focusing on feedback and suggestions...

They asked everyone who showed up (though there weren't many of us, unfortunately) to leave their email addresses so they could send out updates regarding the school's concept throughout the year and gather more input from us.

One suggestion that came up was to have the school take place a few days before the actual Sundance Film Festival starts, just so the schedule doesn't feel quite so slammed.

Dammit... I clearly missed that last lecture, even though I was at pretty much all the others.🙄
Well... I wouldn't mind pointing out a few things that need fixing—and sure, giving some credit where it's due too.😁
Look, if they end up emailing you, just give them my address, or I'll just check the website myself and take a look.

Former volunteer—just another way to say I gave my time to causes that likely didn't deserve it.
😁 😁 😁

It was worth the effort—solid films, great crowd—just the way things should be.
Good wine—it’s a rare thing to find these days. I remember sitting in a small bistro back in Napa Valley, nursing a glass that actually lived up to its label—unlike most of the swill they serve now.
My top picks—if you can call them that—are Bowling for Columbine and Ljilja4ever.

How many days did it take out of your schedule? When exactly were you there, and when did you head out? Also, did you actually manage to catch any good movies?

Arrived Sunday, left Saturday—just five hours of work a day. I expected to be exhausted, but somehow I'm not—in short, it was actually decent.

I just got back from the Sundance Film Festival and honestly, it was such an incredible vibe 😁
Sure, it was way less crowded last year, which made it easier to catch more screenings and stuff... but even with the crowds this time, Napa Valley still had that special magic 🙂

I feel like everyone’s already said everything there is to say about the festival itself... but for those of you who haven't been yet:
Just get down here, soak it all in, and then tell us what you think....

Regarding volunteering—from what I've heard, they usually pull about 5 or 6 hours a day. Plus, you get free passes to all the movies, plus housing and food... sounds pretty sweet to me. I know a bunch of people who have been doing it for years, so it seems totally legit....

I’m definitely going back next year... actually, I'm already counting down the days
😁
The only thing is, I might skip the final night because those crowds are... man, they are intense....

Volunteers get free lodging right in the heart of Napa Valley (which is priceless) plus meals. They don't carry tickets; they use accreditation to catch screenings whenever there's an open seat.

I love these geniuses who try to criticize the festival by complaining about the price of burgers. 😁 😁
What, do they think the Sundance Film Festival is in the business of flipping burgers? 😉

Are you absolutely certain that they actually provide guaranteed housing for the volunteers? I have my doubts, to be quite honest...
Anyway, on a completely different note, I was just reflecting on my recent trip and I have to say—it was nothing short of spectacular 🙂

I’m certain about this, since I helped organize the 😉
This year, we had the volunteers staying at the local 😉, which was completely empty, just a few hundred yards from the main square.

Man, I’m from out in Northern California and I finally made it out to the Sundance Film Festival for the first time this year! Honestly? It was killer. My only gripe was having to hike up and down all those hills while clutching a bus pass in my pocket like a total amateur... the buses were absolutely packed, zero room to breathe, especially for my friend who deals with asthma, so we ended up just trekking everywhere on foot. Such a drag. But hey, what can you do? Everything else was solid. If I hadn't run into SOME PEOPLE, though... it would've been way, way better.

Just so everyone knows, there are definitely people who go out of their way to avoid Napa Valley during festival season, only to head right back there once it's over... This year, I'm rolling in on my Cannondale.

banderas said:Since I am actually part of the festival organizing committee, 😉
this year we had our volunteers staying over at the local Senior Center (which was completely empty, obviously, 😉), just about 300 yards from the main town square.

so it turns out 😢

I’ve heard two different versions of the story—some say it was fully insured and others swear it wasn't—so in the end, I decided to pass on the whole thing just because of the accommodation uncertainty. Well, I suppose I'll just have to sort that mess out next year. 🙂

There was actually one volunteer this year who had the exact same mindset: "Man, this is awesome. I'm volunteering, but let's be real—I get free lodging and meals at the hotel, I'll dodge the heavy lifting, spend my days hanging out at the beach with my boyfriend, and just have a blast." For the first two days, her plan worked perfectly. But then, her boss decided he wasn't having it, dumped a mountain of work on her, and she ended up totally stressed out and frustrated. Boo-hoo... I guess she won't be "volunteering" in Napa Valley anymore.

ruggedmarlin15