Day 2

With a wakeup time of 6:30 mountain time (5:30 emotionally) I woke up, showered, grabbed a quick bite to eat and then loaded up in the van to head to our first meeting. My morning commute was gorgeous! The sun was painting the sky with pastel yellows and pinks and the deep snow and silent town seemed as if it were all frozen (it was also very cold) in time. Ten foot icicles dripping from the roof to the ground of surrounding houses and cars covered in feet of snow made for quite a scene.

We met up with the other half of our group and had a time of introductions, light breakfast and began our discussions on culture, being cultural leaders and just touched on some of the Bonhoffer texts we had been reading. One element I loved that was brough up was the difference between trying to change people and trying to love people. Are you supposed to say, “Man, I wish those writers from Knocked Up and Superbad would just change” versus “Why don’t we produce and contribute quality stuff?” It was an interesting point and thought to really dwell on. Awesome.Really the purpose was to set up a framework to discuss and watch the upcoming movies. We left there and went straight to a Q&A session with the writer, director, actors and producer of a movie we hadn’t seen yet. Though I don’t recommend going to a session where people talk about something you have no knowledge (though arguably this is how my entire junior year of English was in high school) it was still pretty interesting.

Sundance is known as a film festival showcasing upcoming talent and culturally conscious and aware movies. That’s the idea, at least. I left with a small group and headed to my first film the dark comedy, Choke. It was…interesting. You can look it up if you want. It was adapted (7 years in the making) from a book of the same author of Fight Club. This one had a very similar feel of disconnectedness and you find yourself questioning the reality and who you can trust. There was a very blatant God element in it that says people are not born bad or wrong but they choose it and you can just change yourself and choose away from that. Interesting thought.

After that I busted a move across the “campus” area and got a number for the wait list on another movie I wanted to see called, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, and I was number 151 on the list. You have to arrive 2 hours before the movie to get a number then come back 30 minutes before and stand in line…outside…in the snow and very cold temps. WORTH IT! So I made some phone calls in a warm lobby and then headed back. I stood outside for about 25 minutes and then found out I was 30 people too deep in the pack to get in and the movie was sold out!

So I decided to go to mainstreet and eat and look at over-priced snow trinkets. I grabbed lunch a pizzeria that had somehow legally price fixed it’s limited menu for this festival. I seriously doubt people normally pay close to $20 for a 10-inch pizza. I mean I live in LA and that’s expensive. It was above average but not more than a Midwestern steak dinner!

I spent some time walking around downtown and the snow began to crash around me. Huge flakes and snowstorm-like conditions led me to take the bus instead of walking the half-mile back to the headquarters. It was packed and took forever to get to my next movie, The Year of Getting to Know Us. Sharon Stone, Lucy Lui, Jimmy Fallon, Tom Arnold and my friend Tony Hale. It was a very interesting movie that dealt with deep issues of family, especially father-son and father-mother. After sticking around for a Q&A with the cast—where Tom Arnold rambled like the drunk uncle making a wedding toast—I took off with some friends and went to a second dinner.

We had FANTASTIC conversation talking about industry stuff, wives (again), and totally unpacking some of the movies we had seen during the day.

After we left (around 11:00p.m.) I decided I wanted to see if there was a chance I’d make a movie that had caught my eye, The Sunshine Cleaners. So I left and asked a group of people where the theater was and some girl said she was going there so we walked together to the bus stop and got to the theater. Neither of us had a ticket so we were hopeful. We got there and I pulled a number (171) for the wait list knowing the theater only holds 400 and she pulled a 172. We decided to try our hand outside and ask for tickets. Finally we found a guy who we bought a ticket from and also gave us a #8 waitlist—almost certain to get in. Danielle took the ticket and I took the number. Turns out that number had been given to a guy in our group b/c some guy he met in line left early then this guy bought a ticket so gave it to the guy I got it from. I didn’t realize this divine transaction occurred until after the movie when I was talking about it with our group. Pretty cool. It felt like the whole thing (last minute decision, meet girl and we exchange cards, get #8, see movie) was purposed.

I really liked this movie. The delightful Alan Arkin and the hideous and not even slightly attractive duo of Amy Adams and Emily Blunt made it hard to watch but worth it. I won’t spend time with the synop but there are some really touching scenes. Maybe it was b/c I was tired, maybe the 100% packed theater, maybe I was watching a movie starting at midnight but I was moved big time!