That's right, after a day away from the festival pace, I was again awake at the crack of dawn, showered, caffeinated, and out the door by 7am. My first screening was in Park City at 8:30am. I didn't want to miss out on free parking or a good seat in the theater. So off I went, on the wet, icy roads through Emigration Canyon. I found my rental car slipping from time to time as I wound my way up Emigration Canyon Road and out toward Park City, for today's activities. I was soon back in Park City, found my daily parking space, and walked across the street to my first film at the Library Center.

This morning's film was Robert Stone's "Earth Days". "Earth Days" is a poignantly told story about the history of Earth Day, an environmental movement founded on April 22, 1970. With the help of historians, environmentalist, and activists, Mr Stone's tale was both informative and inspirational. Including dialog with former astronaut Rusty Schweikert, Former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, and 7 other talking heads, Stone's film chronicled the birth of this annual event and the struggles it has faced over the past 40 years. What is revealed in this film is the ebb and flow of the Environmental Movement's efforts. Just like the environment for which this special day was founded, the efforts have thrived AND suffered at times. While some administrations have embraced the efforts, still others have selfishly ignored the cause and its necessity and still others have squashed the momentum. Where does our Country go from here? What about the World? How do we emphasize the importanceof these efforts and its intentions? These are questions that are posed within this moving cinematic wonder. I was again inspired to personally take on a bigger role in these efforts, through grassroots efforts and personal consideration. This film, unlike "Al Gore's blockbuster "An Inconvenient Truth", is not told with endless facts and figures, but instead with simple truths and examples of the multitude of actions taken by the American People. SEE THIS FILM.

After a brief stroll into town, and quick stop at Cow's for my annual ice cream cone, I continued my trek to The New Frontiers on Main, where my friend Cory McAbee's "Stingray Sam" was enjoying a successful premiere. Cory is one of these multi-faceted talents, whatever he does turns to gold. He's a singer, a musician, a songwriter, and an actor, and of course... a filmmaker. He's also a friend of mine and a friend of our SouthSide Film Festival. He's a Tour de Force and is ALWAYS on the cutting edge. With no formal Film School training, he took Sundance by storm a few years ago with his "An American Astronaut". It's cut its own little niche as a Cult Favorite around the World. Cory's latest film, "Stingray Sam", is another fine example of Cory's talents. This piece crosses the line between film and alternative/new media. Stingray Sam is a 6 episode series, with a TRT of 66 minutes. The series has been designed for all forms of media, from TV to your handheld devices, to the bigscreen. And it's a masterpiece, a gut-buster, and simply a remarkable piece of work. In Cory's own words, "Stingray Sam" is a "Musical, Space-Western Miniseries".

"Stingray Sam" follows the adventures of, of course, Stingray Sam. Sam is a lounge singer, on release from an overcrowded prison somewhere deep in the cosmos. Stingray teams up with a fellow former prisoner, the Quasar Kid. Their mission: to save the carpenter's daughter. Each 11 minute episode is told with wry storytelling, smart witticism, and musical numbers (performed by Mr McAbee's band, American Astronaut). Presented in B&W, the imagery is vivid, the sets done on the cheap, but done incredibly well, reminiscent of Cory's earlier "An American Astronaut". The musical interludes are hilarious and down right BRILLIANT. I recommend you see this film, no matter HOW, no matter WHERE, just see it, damn it, or Stingray Sam and the Quasar Kid may just pay YOU a visit. And don't forget to hunt down "An American Astronaut". This is awesomeness in filmmaking, people. And I'm not just saying that because Cory's a friend.

The presentation was well attended and well received. I couldn't have been prouder of my friend. After Cory's screening I was able to spend a little time with Cory, catching up on things, chatting about Sundance, and planning some screenings in Bethlehem, PA. Unfortunately today's schedule was tight and I had to run like the wind. I quickly headed out after my conversation with Cory, wandered over to the Old Town Transit Center, and grabbed a bus for Eccles Theatre, for my annual screening of the Animation Spotlight. I was soon aboard the Theatre Loop bus, which took me directly to Eccles Theater, the largest venue in Park City, with a capacity for some 1200 people. Off the bus and into the theater I went, well ahead of the screening time.

After a bit of lingering in the lobby, the ticket holder line began to form, and soon I was in my seat in the middle row, with 20 feet between my feet and the row in front of me. These are sweet seats if you can get there early enough. I was and I DID! The Animation Spotlight is often a potshot. I grew up on cartoons and animation, and so it is just an annual tradition of mine while visiting Sundance. Ironically, but I'm sure not coincidentally, each time I've screened the Animation Spotlight over the past five years, it's been on Saturday afternoon at Eccles. Animation is a funny thing, some filmmakers spending loads of money on production value and the latest technology, but in the end for me, it comes down to story and talent and patience. I'm not fooled by high end computer graphics done by a league of assistants on high speed computers. Guess what I'm saying here is this, yes there are some worthy films each year in this program, but I always seem to be most impressed by thesimple story, the hand-drawn diligence of a singularly focused talent.

To that extent, I was here to support another friend of mine and my festival's, Don Hertzfeldt. I had already seen Don's latest when I helped bring him to my hometown back in November. I am not only here to screen films, but also to support the efforts of my talented friends. As I said earlier in a recent entry, Saturday was "reunion day" for me at Park City. I had already screened Cory McAbee's "Stingray Sam" and visited with him after the screening, and now I was planning to screen the Animation Spotlight and catch up with Don Hertzfeldt and his girlfriend, Roxy.

in my opinion, and again I don't say this just because Don's a friend, Don Hertzfeldt's "I Am So Proud of You" reigned superior in the Animation Spotlight. Yes, there were some other worthy films, which I'll try to list in my next blog, but bottom line is this: there was a lot of money thrown at some of these projects, with large teams of animators, and high tech animation techniques, but I'll be damed if any of them compare with Don's hand-drawn animation, shot on an antique 35mm camera rig. Combining his hand-drawn cels with grainy film images, Don has moved beyond the more simplistic line-drawing imagery of his earlier works. He now uses multiple matting and other camera tricks to tell his stories. "I Am So Proud of You" is the second of a trilogy, the sequel to his Sundance Award-Winning "Everything Will Be OK". The film's simply amazing. Saturday was certainly a good day of screenings. I'll tell you more about the Animation Spotlight another time, but it's your loss if you don'tfind the time to screen Hertzfeldt's "I Am So Proud of You'.

I caught up with Don and Roxy after the screening and after a lengthy conversation, it was time for me to head back to the house.

More to follow. In the meantime... Butter up that popcorn, turn down the lights, and crank up that projector baby, I want to see some more films!

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