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    Sundance Film Festival 2014

    Real stars of Sundance: Documentaries on dinosaurs, dancers, Romney and legal battles

    Jane Howze
    Jan 26, 2014 | 11:30 am

    PARK CITY, Utah — Dramas at the Sundance Film Festival can be hit (Little Miss Sunshine or Winter’s Bone) or miss (too numerous to name), but year in and year out the real stars are documentaries, which are consistently outstanding. The 2014 lineup includes stories of social injustice, historical and political issues, and subjects covered only superficially by the mainstream press. And, naturally, there are those that are uniquely Sundance in their weirdness.

     

    Among the many documentaries are these five that will soon be available on the big or small screen (or perhaps your nearest dance club) :

     

     Mitt

     

    In the past, Sundance has featured documentaries on Dick Cheney and Ronald Reagan. Moving down the Republican chain of command, Mitt follows presidential candidate Mitt Romney in his two failed presidential runs, beginning in Christmas 2006 through his concession speech on election night in 2012.

     

     

      One thing is clear about the film. Romney's bond with his family is incredibly strong. 

     
     

    Filmed by fellow Mormon Greg Whitely, the film avoids any discussion of political strategy (because Whitely was denied access to advisors) and instead focuses on Romney's relationship with his family (because Whitely had almost unfettered access to Romney, his wife and five sons). It is an intimate, fascinating and sometimes painful film to watch as the family experiences the disappointment of defeat in Romney's final run for the nation's highest office.

     

    Most of the time, though, Romney appears loving, funny and often quirky. He eats spaghetti out of a carton and irons the cuffs of his shirt while wearing it. He also riffs on his favorite movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? One thing is clear from watching the film: Romney's bond with his family is incredibly strong.

     

    In the Q&A following the film, a member of the audience admitted that she wasn't a big fan of Romney but liked him more after watching the film. It's available now on Netflix.

     

     Dinosaur 13

     

    Featured in the coveted opening night film reserved for Sundance’s strongest documentaries, Dinosaur 13 tells the story of the discovery of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton (nicknamed Sue) ever found and the custody battle between the government and the paleontologists who loved her.

     

    The South Dakota scenery is dramatic and the film illuminates, without being political, the arcane laws governing fossils, Indian lands and the fate of an average American against the federal government unleashed. It was purchased by Lionsgate and CNN Films, and will be released later this year.

     

     Private Violence

     

     Private Violence follows a professional advocate for abused women as she works with a victim who presses charges against her husband who kidnapped and nearly killed her, only to be released by the police. There are pictures of burns, bruises and lacerations that made me turn my head away, but the film also shows how current laws work against the victims and that the penalties are stiffer for abusing a stranger than your spouse.

     

    HBO will show the film in its summer lineup and it will be introduced in women’s centers throughout the country later this year. More importantly, after the showing, the filmmaker was surrounded by people who were so moved by the documentary that they wanted to help on a local level. That's the beauty of Sundance.

     

     The Case Against 8

     

     The Case Against 8 offers an inside look at the five-year legal battle to overturn California's Proposition 8, passed in 2008, that barred same sex marriage in the Golden state. The film puts a human face on the issue by following two same sex couples whose lawsuit over the initiative eventually was decided by the Supreme Court. The film also focuses on the unlikely relationship between co-counsel Ted Olson and David Boies who had been on opposing sides in the legal battle that resulted in George W. Bush's 2000 election win over Al Gore.

     

    The film, which received a standing ovation, will probably not change anyone’s mind about gay marriage but is a primer for the time, emotional and financial commitment it takes to argue a case that ultimately ends up before the nation's highest court. It was acquired by HBO and will be shown in June.

     

     Living Stars

     

    The 63-minute film, Living Stars, is a string of 30-second vignettes of Argentineans from all walks of life who show off their dancing skills. I loved seeing the middle-aged dentist grooving out by his dental chair to Lionel Richie's "All Night Long" with unabashed joy. But after the 20th amateur dancer, it seemed like I was trapped in an audition of So You Think You Can Dance? with dancers who didn't make the cut.

     

    There is no plot or dialogue — just average people dancing. Feel good? Yes, for 10 minutes. Memorable? Not really. Marketable? Maybe, if it's shown at dance clubs nationwide where you, too, can join the danceathon.

    Dinosaur 13

    Sundance Film Festival, Dinosaur 13
      
    Photo by Todd Miller
    Dinosaur 13
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    Movie Review

    New Superman movie forges into the future while honoring the past

    Alex Bentley
    Jul 11, 2025 | 3:30 pm
    David Corenswet in Superman
    Photo by Jessica Miglio
    David Corenswet in Superman.

    When the character of Superman was invented in 1938, it was perhaps easier to see the world in good and bad terms. Fascism was already on the rise in Germany under Adolf Hitler, and the idea of an all-powerful superhero who stood up for people in need was a welcome one. In the nearly 90 years since, though, the world and the character have undergone multiple evolutions, and the thought of someone who is purely good is often met with cynicism or worse.

    The new Superman, written and directed by James Gunn, puts the superhero (or metahuman, as the film calls him and similar creatures) squarely in the midst of the modern world, with geopolitical conflicts, mega-corporations, and social media all combining to make the altruism of Superman/Clark Kent (David Corenswet) questionable. That skepticism even extends to his coworker/girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), whose knowledge of his exploits puts her in a tricky position personally and professionally.

    Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is out to dominate the world and take down Superman, with his eponymous corporation and vast group of underlings dedicated to doing both. Superman is generally a one-man fighting crew, but he’s occasionally aided by a group calling themselves the Justice Gang, comprised of heroes many have never heard of like Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), a version of Green Lantern; Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), a flying metahuman; and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), who knows all kinds of technology.

    One of the best things about this new version of Superman is that it mostly dispenses with introductions, putting the audience in a world where Superman is already a well-known quantity who’s adored by many and hated by some. Gunn has used his new position as co-CEO of DC Studios to honor the past of the hero and take him into the future. With the 1978 John Williams theme song echoing throughout and Corenswet giving off Christopher Reeve vibes, it’s clear Gunn wants audiences to feel nostalgia while still getting something new.

    He also appears to want viewers to fight against the negativity that the modern world can bring. The plot involves manipulation of the public, usually at the hands of Luthor, through bombastic talk shows, political theater, and social media, the latter of which — in a great joke — comes to involve hundreds of typing monkeys. The film could be read as a rebuttal of many real-world ills as, despite Luthor’s machinations, many choose to continue to believe in the goodness of Superman.

    There is a lot going on in the film, but somehow it never comes off as overly complicated. Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane and Luthor’s attempts at taking him down are given the most prominence, with everything else supporting those two main things. The Justice Gang is a fun addition, with Mr. Terrific becoming the breakout hero of the group. The addition of the (CGI) dog Krypto provides levity, poignant moments, and unexpectedly great action scenes. The only part that gets somewhat short shrift is the crew of The Daily Planet, with everyone besides Lois and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) getting little more than face time.

    Being the new Superman is a lot to live up to, but Corenswet is completely up to the job. He, like Reeve, plays the character as someone who is earnest but not naive, a quality that comes through even when he’s in the middle of fight scenes. Brosnahan is also fantastic, providing a nice balance to the relationship while also proving the character’s own worth. Hoult makes for a great new version of Luthor, and Gathegi nearly makes the case that Mr. Terrific should get a starring film of his own.

    Just as he did with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Gunn has shown that success can be found through making characters people want to see. Not everyone in this Superman will be familiar to viewers, but in the end a group of people working together toward a goal that serves the common good is one worth watching and cheering for.

    ---

    Superman is now playing in theaters.

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