Since last summer, the movie and TV industries have been worrying about a strike by writers and theatrical actors during 2001. Contracts for both the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild are set to expire this May and June, respectively, with negotiations beginning well before that. But if last year’s protracted commercial-actors strike is any indicator, talks could stretch on for months.
That means there’s a higher premium on films already in the can and ready to be released. So although much of the early Sundance buzz has centered on anticipated films that already have distributors—such as “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” based on the off-Broadway play about German-transsexual-wannabe rock star, and “Series 7,” a spoof of reality TV—the talk of the festival may ultimately be the large number of films bought by worried studio execs.
At least a dozen movies, none of which have been seen by buyers or the media, will be up for grabs. Their screenings are expected to be major draws among acquisitions executives. Here’s a first look at what they’ll be fighting over:
“Donnie Darko”: Produced by Drew Barrymore, the film takes place at a high school in an upper-class suburb. The lead (Jake Gyllenhaal) is not just a maladjusted teenager, but borderline delusional. A monstrous rabbit, which comes to him repeatedly in visions, is just one of the many demons he fights. Barrymore has a supporting role.
“Double Whammy”: The latest from Tom DiCillo, director of the hilarious “Living in Oblivion,” “Double Whammy” presents Denis Leary as a goofy, hash-smoking New York City homicide detective who can’t get out of his slump. Steve Buscemi is his partner and Elizabeth Hurley, a chiropractor who falls for him. Co-stars “Sex and the City’s” Chris Noth.
“Enigma”: Directed by Michael Apted (the “7 Up” series and the recent “The World is Not Enough”) and written by Tom Stoppard (“Shakespeare in Love”), this British spy thriller is set in London in March 1943, at a turning point in World War II. It stars Kate Winslet, Jeremy Northam and Saffron Burrows and was produced by Mick Jagger. An intriguing mix.
“The Business of Strangers”: Stockard Channing is a lonely executive on the brink of being downsized and Julia Stiles is her young, reckless assistant. Channing’s promoted instead, the two go out for an evening celebration—and through a series of dramatic turns that night, get to know far much more about each other than they’d ever expected.
“The Deep End”: A middle-class mother (Tilda Swinton) finds her son’s gay lover dead one morning on the beach near their home. She quickly enters into a world of blackmail and extortion. The psychological drama co-stars “ER’s” Goran Visnjic.
“Jump Tomorrow”: Director Joel Hopkins based this film on his acclaimed short, “Jorge,” which screened at Sundance in 1999. It’s a layered romantic comedy about George, an introvert about to enter an arranged marriage with a childhood friend from Nigeria. But then he meets Alicia, who’s about to get married herself.
“Lift”: DeMane Davis and Khari Streeter’s film looks at a dysfunctional African-American family in Boston where the daughter’s a professional shoplifter. Turns out, she’s actually stealing it all for her mother.
“Intimacy”: Based on Hanif Kureishi’s controversial fourth novel about an affair between two people who don’t even know each other’s names, “Intimacy” studies the differences between love and desire. It stars Mark Rylance (“Angels and Insects”), Kerry Fox (“Shallow Grave”) and Timothy Spall (“Topsy-Turvy”).
“Green Dragon”: Timothy Linh Bui directed this story about the wave of Vietnamese refugees who came to America in 1975, when they were put in camps in the Southwest. It’s a loving, textured study of the community—its children, leaders and eccentrics—and all its varying stories. Brother Tony Bui (“The Three Seasons,” a Sundance winner from 1999) co-wrote the screenplay for the film, which features Patrick Swayze and Forest Whitaker.
“In the Bedroom”: Todd Field’s debut feature looks closely at an upper-middle-class New England family dealing with a sudden tragedy. The character study stars Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek as a doctor and his wife and Marisa Tomei in a crucial supporting role.
“Wet Hot American Summer”: The slasher genre from the ’80s had its “Scream.” Now the sexploitation movies from that era are parodied in “Wet Hot American Summer,” set on the last day at fictional Camp Firewood in 1981. Janeane Garofalo plays camp director Beth and the film co-stars David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd and Molly Shannon. Sounds like fun. We’ll take it!
title: “Cold Air Hot Buys” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-04” author: “James Jackson”
Since last summer, the movie and TV industries have been worrying about a strike by writers and theatrical actors during 2001. Contracts for both the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild are set to expire this May and June, respectively, with negotiations beginning well before that. But if last year’s protracted commercial-actors strike is any indicator, talks could stretch on for months.
That means there’s a higher premium on films already in the can and ready to be released. So although much of the early Sundance buzz has centered on anticipated films that already have distributors—such as “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” based on the off-Broadway play about German-transsexual-wannabe rock star, and “Series 7,” a spoof of reality TV—the talk of the festival may ultimately be the large number of films bought by worried studio execs.
At least a dozen movies, none of which have been seen by buyers or the media, will be up for grabs. Their screenings are expected to be major draws among acquisitions executives. Here’s a first look at what they’ll be fighting over:
“Donnie Darko”: Produced by Drew Barrymore, the film takes place at a high school in an upper-class suburb. The lead (Jake Gyllenhaal) is not just a maladjusted teenager, but borderline delusional. A monstrous rabbit, which comes to him repeatedly in visions, is just one of the many demons he fights. Barrymore has a supporting role.
“Double Whammy”: The latest from Tom DiCillo, director of the hilarious “Living in Oblivion,” “Double Whammy” presents Denis Leary as a goofy, hash-smoking New York City homicide detective who can’t get out of his slump. Steve Buscemi is his partner and Elizabeth Hurley, a chiropractor who falls for him. Co-stars “Sex and the City’s” Chris Noth.
“Enigma”: Directed by Michael Apted (the “7 Up” series and the recent “The World is Not Enough”) and written by Tom Stoppard (“Shakespeare in Love”), this British spy thriller is set in London in March 1943, at a turning point in World War II. It stars Kate Winslet, Jeremy Northam and Saffron Burrows and was produced by Mick Jagger. An intriguing mix.
“The Business of Strangers”: Stockard Channing is a lonely executive on the brink of being downsized and Julia Stiles is her young, reckless assistant. Channing’s promoted instead, the two go out for an evening celebration—and through a series of dramatic turns that night, get to know far much more about each other than they’d ever expected.
“The Deep End”: A middle-class mother (Tilda Swinton) finds her son’s gay lover dead one morning on the beach near their home. She quickly enters into a world of blackmail and extortion. The psychological drama co-stars “ER’s” Goran Visnjic.
“Jump Tomorrow”: Director Joel Hopkins based this film on his acclaimed short, “Jorge,” which screened at Sundance in 1999. It’s a layered romantic comedy about George, an introvert about to enter an arranged marriage with a childhood friend from Nigeria. But then he meets Alicia, who’s about to get married herself.
“Lift”: DeMane Davis and Khari Streeter’s film looks at a dysfunctional African-American family in Boston where the daughter’s a professional shoplifter. Turns out, she’s actually stealing it all for her mother.
“Intimacy”: Based on Hanif Kureishi’s controversial fourth novel about an affair between two people who don’t even know each other’s names, “Intimacy” studies the differences between love and desire. It stars Mark Rylance (“Angels and Insects”), Kerry Fox (“Shallow Grave”) and Timothy Spall (“Topsy-Turvy”).
“Green Dragon”: Timothy Linh Bui directed this story about the wave of Vietnamese refugees who came to America in 1975, when they were put in camps in the Southwest. It’s a loving, textured study of the community—its children, leaders and eccentrics—and all its varying stories. Brother Tony Bui (“The Three Seasons,” a Sundance winner from 1999) co-wrote the screenplay for the film, which features Patrick Swayze and Forest Whitaker.
“In the Bedroom”: Todd Field’s debut feature looks closely at an upper-middle-class New England family dealing with a sudden tragedy. The character study stars Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek as a doctor and his wife and Marisa Tomei in a crucial supporting role.
“Wet Hot American Summer”: The slasher genre from the ’80s had its “Scream.” Now the sexploitation movies from that era are parodied in “Wet Hot American Summer,” set on the last day at fictional Camp Firewood in 1981. Janeane Garofalo plays camp director Beth and the film co-stars David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd and Molly Shannon. Sounds like fun. We’ll take it!
