With the biggie announcements in the Premieres sections, I think I’m officially batting .300 with my predictions. Tons of Park City alumni are bringing their latest films, but I’m a bit surprised that March-pegged releases of The Weinstein’s All Good Things and Focus Features’ Greenberg aren’t getting a Park City push. Instead, as expected, Sony Pictures Classics will show up and they get to showcase Get Low and A Prophet (Spotlight section) once again, and they’ll preem Holofcener’s Please Give. Overture will introduce Philip Seymour Hoffman’s directing debut (Jack Goes Boating) and Fox Searchlight will preem Duplass Bros.’ untitled comedy, which I’m calling Center of Attention – because its a great title considering the subject matter.
Among the titles that I forgot to mention in my predix and were blatantly going to show up in Park City are John Well’s debut film The Company Men (Wells the Killer Films producer) and Diego Luna will be presenting his directing debut (headline here). The “Y Tu Mama Tambien” Luna and G.G.Bernal pairing are consider family to the festival.
With the Cane Toads: The Conquest, I think we might have our first 3D film (I’m drawing blanks here), and out of all people we have Joel Schumacher closing out the fest with Twelve (the pic from above is from Cannes), and we can expect the Main Street to be rocking this year with Joan Jett, as Kristen Stewart will book a 10-day condo deal for yesterday’s Welcome to the Rileys announcements and The Runaways world preem. Finally Nowhere Boy finally crosses the Atlantic. Here is the full list below.
Abel/Mexico (Director: Diego Luna; Screenwriters: Diego Luna and Agusto Mendoza)—A peculiar young boy, blurring reality and fantasy, assumes the responsibilities of a family man in his father’s absence. Cast: José María Yazpik, Karina Gidi, Carlos Aragon, Christopher Ruiz-Esparza, Gerardo Ruiz-Esparza.. World Premiere
Cane Toads: The Conquest/USA (Director and screenwriter: Mark Lewis)—In 3D, Mark Lewis explores one of Australia’s greatest environmental catastrophes as he follows the unstoppable march of the cane toad across the Australian continent. World Premiere
The Company Men/USA (Director: John Wells)—Three company men attempt to survive a round of corporate downsizing while trying to fend off its affects on their families and their identities. Cast: Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Rosemarie DeWitt. World Premiere
The Extra Man/USA (Directors: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini; Screenwriters: Robert Pulcini, Jonathan Ames and Shari Springer Berman)—A down-and-out playwright who escorts wealthy widows in Manhattan’s Upper East Side takes a young aspiring writer under his wing. Cast: Katie Holmes, John C. Reilly, Paul Dano, Kevin Kline, Alicia Goranson. World Premiere
Get Low/USA (Director: Aaron Schneider; Screenwriters: Chris Provenzano and C. Gaby Mitchell)—A film spun out of equal parts folk tale, fable and real-life legend about a mysterious, 1930s Tennessee hermit plans his own rollicking funeral party… while still alive. Cast: Robert Duvall, Bill Murray. U.S. Premiere. Salt Lake City Gala Film
Jack Goes Boating/USA (Director: Philip Seymour Hoffman; Screenwriter: Bob Glaudini)—Glaudini)—A limo driver’s blind date sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tom McCarthy. World Premiere
The Killer Inside Me/USA (Director: Michael Winterbottom; Screenwriter: John Curran)—Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford is a pillar of the community in his small Texan town; patient, polite and well liked, until he starts killing people. Cast: Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Simon Baker, Elias Koteas. World Premiere
Nowhere Boy/UK (Director: Sam Taylor Wood; Screenwriters: Julia Baird and Matt Greenhalgh)—A teenage John Lennon confronts wrenching family secrets and finds his musical voice in late 1950s Liverpool. Cast: Aaron Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Thomas Sangster, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey. International Premiere
Please Give/USA (Director and screenwriter: Nicole Holofcener)—In New York City, a husband and wife butt heads with the granddaughters of the elderly woman who lives next door. Cast: Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Keener, Sarah Steele. World Premiere
The Runaways/USA (Director and screenwriter: Floria Sigismondi)—In 1970s LA, a tough teenager named Joan Jett connects with an eccentric producer to form an all-girl band that would launch her career and make rock history. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Scout Taylor-Compton, Michael Shannon, Alia Shawkat, Tatum O’Neal. World Premiere
Shock Doctrine/USA (Directors: Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross)—Based on the book by award-winning journalist Naomi Klein, “Shock Doctrine” exposes how shock is used to implement economic policy in vulnerable environments. North American Premiere
Twelve/USA (Director: Joel Schumacher; Screenwriter: Jordan Melamed)—A chronicle of the highs and lows of privileged kids on Manhattan’s Upper East Side involving sex, drugs and murder. Cast: Chace Crawford, Emma Roberts, Kiefer Sutherland, 50 Cent, Zoë Kravitz. World Premiere. Closing Night Film
Untitled Duplass Brothers Project/USA (Directors/screenwriters: Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass)—A recently divorced guy meets a new lady. Then he meets her son who is well…interesting. Cast: John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill, Catherine Keener. World Premiere
