Several films are heading into next week's Sundance Film Festival with a giant helping of buzz, and one of those is Paper Heart (pictured above) -- starring Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up) and Michael Cera -- which comes served with this description: "Combining elements of storytelling, reality and fantasy, Paper Heart brings a fresh perspective to the modern romance and redefines the classic love story." Since I kinda dig the randomness that defines the humor of both Cera and Yi, I've been waiting for a teaser of some kind to hit prior to the festival -- and while one has not found its way online, Karina over at Spout discovered Yi's YouTube page which is just packed with little nuggets of hilarity.

Karina highlighted a few videos in her post, but the ones that stood out for me were a series of conversations between Yi and SNL's Fred Armisen. It all started with an audition tape Yi made for Saturday Night Live, which she posted to YouTube in the hopes that it would become popular enough that Lorne Michaels would see it and put her on the show. Well, Michaels didn't see it, but Fred Armisen did and so was born a pretty funny series of videos featuring both Yi and Armisen communicating with one another -- with the last being my personal favorite. Are these real? Are these fake? What's the deal? Nevertheless, it gives us a better look at Yi, and the type of humor we should expect from Paper Heart (see images below).



Watch the audition tape below, then head after the jump for the rest (but make sure you watch them in order).

Above: An image from Sin Nombre (click below to enlarge)

In a little under a month from now, Cinematical will once again invade the Sundance Film Festival looking to bring back word on what's shaping up to be a pretty fantastic slate of new movies. But why wait until then to begin exploring some of these flicks -- consider us your one-stop-shop before, during and after the Sundance Film Festival for news, reviews, interviews, images, trailers, clips and posters. Click here for all our Sundance coverage.

Above you will see a brand new image from the buzzed-about dramatic thriller Sin Nombre, directed by the very talented Cary Joji Fukunaga. I've watched at least one of Cary's short films and he's definitely an emerging director who I know we'll see plenty from in the future (trust me -- remember that name). From the Sundance site: "A social-political thriller in the tradition of American film noir, Sin Nombre is set on the border, where Mexico becomes the crucible and the fearsome gangs of today's Mexican countryside, the gauntlet, to freedom. The stories of Sayra, a teenager living in Honduras and hungering for a brighter future, and teen gang members Smiley and Casper, for whom the Mara Salvatrucha is nearly their entire universe, become interlaced on the train to the border, a journey that will determine the future of their lives." Sin Nombre is screening in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section.

Cinematical has received this exclusive image from the film The Winning Season, which will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Monday, January 19th. Directed by Jim Strouse (Lonesome Jim, Grace is Gone), The Winning Season stars Sam Rockwell as an adult misfit who's brought on to coach the local girl's high school basketball team. Also appearing in the flick, which I've heard is like Bad Santa meets The Bad News Bears, is Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry, Shareeka Epps and Emily Rios. The Winning Season was a late addition to the Sundance slate, and my friend's who've seen it vouch that it's, well, a winner. Both Strouse and Rockwell (who also stars in another Sundance film called Moon) are veterans of the fest and have had good luck in the past. I see no reason why this one won't immediately sell and hit theaters at some point next year.

Of course, your friends from Cinematical will bring back the scoop early and tell you all about The Winning Season when we see it in Park City next month. Check out a larger version of the image above, and for more information on the film and the festival, check out the official Sundance film guide.

Cinematical's coverage of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival is already well underway, as we'll be highlighting a number of films (via images, clips, trailers and posters) for the next month leading up to the festival. This way it gives you at home a chance to become more familiar with the films, to pick and choose your favorites, and then let us know which ones you'd like to see covered here on the site. So, please, feel free to leave comments and help shape our coverage.

Today we have something real cool for you. Cinematical reader DJ S. pieced together this list of available trailers for a whole bunch of Sundance films. Check out the playlist below, then head after the jump for more info on each film. (And yes, we've covered a couple of these before, so please excuse the repeats.) The Sundance Film Festival runs from January 15 through January 25, 2009 in Park City, Utah. For more of Cinematical's Sundance coverage (including a complete list of films screening), go here.

Here's some stuff (and things) to take with you into the weekend:

-- We'll be highlighting and previewing some of the films from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival real soon, but you horror hounds HAVE to check out this freakishly over-the-top trailer for the German Norwegian flick Dead Snow, which will premiere in the Midnight section in Park City. It's in Norwegian, but I believe some teenagers find Nazi gold during their snowy camping trip and then have to deal with its Nazi owners who rise from the dead ready to kick white-boy ass. That's a photo from the film above. [via Shock, who have more pics)]

-- And, ahem, speaking of Nazis, how would you like to take a trip to New York City with your entire book club? Well, in conjunction with the film The Reader, they're hosting a sweepstakes where the grand prize allows five people (or one book group) roundtrip airfare to NYC, hotel accommodations and lunch with The Reader author Bernhard Schlink. Visit the official website for more details.

-- Back to the living dead, seems like Sigourney Weaver is talking Ghostbusters again -- but, unlike previous times, now she's interested in returning for another go-round. She told MTV that she's "supposed to get in touch with Bill Murray next week" regarding the sequel, and also offered up a potential new character: "I would hope that my little Oscar would be one of the Ghostbusters even if I'm not in it!" Oh, and the Ghostbusters video game is finally coming out this June; check out a trailer for it below.



After the jump ... Shia Labeouf's hand screws up again, Miley Cyrus needs a babysitter and more.

Browsing through the Sundance schedule is like walking through a supermarket when you're hungry -- there's so much brand new unopened content that you can't help but want to devour it all. One film that caught my eye was Mystery Team, screening in the Midnight section at this year's (but technically next year) Sundance fest. Here's the synopsis: "A group of kid detectives called The Mystery Team struggle to solve a double murder to prove they can be real detectives before they graduate from high school." I'm such a sucker for dorky high school comedies, and so this flick immediately leaped onto my radar. Cinematical reader DJ S. turned us on to a trailer that's floating around for Mystery Team -- and let me just say that something about it (silly humor, awkward glances, nicely timed foul-mouthedness) cracked me the hell up. Check it out below.

Warning: The following trailer contains foul language.



Check out the trailer for Helen, starring Ashley Judd, after the jump.

Yesterday we shared with you the competition slate for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, which, depending on the paper you read, was full of the dark and disturbing or the sad and melodramatic. Good to know we'll be smiling in the cold mountains of Utah come January. Today, the Sundance Institute has announced their non-competition films; this includes the Premieres section, which is usually full of studio flicks -- stuff that's set to debut in theaters the following month or so, and films that feature big stars; the big guns. Then we have the Spectrum section (with 16 dramatic films and seven docs), the Midnight section (eight films), and the Frontier section (six films).

Among the ones that stand out to me at first glance are:

• I Love You Philip Morris (Premiere), with Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor playing prison lovers.
• Adventureland - The director of Superbad follows that flick up with a comedy set in a theme park.
• The Informers (Premiere), based on the popular Bret Easton Ellis novel, and starring Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, Winona Ryder and Mickey Rourke.
• Moon (Premiere), which is that freaky space flick starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey.
• Manure (Premiere), starring Billy Bob Thornton as a manure salesman.
• Spread, starring Ashton Kitcher as a guy who seduces older women. (Wonder if he's right for that role?)
• Helen ( Spectrum), starring Ashley Judd as a psychiatrist who fights her own depression.
• The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle (Spectrum) -- I just love that title.
• Spring Breakdown (Midnight), starring Rachel Dratch, Amy Poehler, Parker Posey, Will Arnett, Rachel Hamilton.

As we do every year, Cinematical will be on the ground in Park City, Utah bringing you reviews, interviews and enough Sundance flavor to send a brisk mountain chill through your soul. Check out the full non-competition slate (with descriptions) after the jump.

Once again, your friends at Cinematical will be braving the arctic cold in Park City, Utah to bring you the best and brightest from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009. The films in competition this year, spread across four different categories (Documentary Competition, Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition and World Cinema Dramatic Competition) were just announced and we've got 'em right here.

Among some of the highlights we have Doug Pray's doc Art & Copy about the advertising world, Good Hair (comedian Chris Rock examining African-American hair?), John Krasinski's (The Office) directorial debut Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Paper Heart (that secret Michael Cera flick we told you about), Cold Souls (with Paul Giamatti and Emily Watson) and An Education (from writer Nick Hornby). Festival director Geoffrey Gilmore noted that "This year's films are not narrowly defined. Instead we have a blurring of genres, a crossing of boundaries: geographic, generational, socio-economic and the like. The result is both an exhilarating and emotive Festival in which traditional mythologies are suspended, discoveries are made, and creative storytelling is embraced." Tomorrow we'll have the non-competition films.

Check out the entire slate (with descriptions) after the jump, then tell us what looks good to you.

Cinematical has received this exclusive clip from Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, a new documentary written and directed by a very talented friend of ours, Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room). The film, which premiered back at the Sundance Film Festival, chronicles, well, the life and times of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas); Gonzo journalist, author, psychedelic supporter and all-around nutty dude. James reviewed the film back at The Dance, and said: " ... Gibney's documentary captures Thompson's bizarre orbit though American letters and politics with extensive use of archival footage but also through recreations, animation and more." IMDb has it at a 9.2 rating out of 10, and Rotten Tomatoes is showing 82% so far for a film I know a lot of people are anticipating. If there's one man you'd want to see a documentary about, it's Thompson. I'm definitely looking forward to this one. You? (For more, also check out James' audio interview with Gibney.)

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson hits theaters on July 4th.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the opening night premiere of American Teen (in theaters July 25) as part of the third annual Sundance Institute at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music). The Sundance fav launched an eleven-day festival of sorts, showcasing the best of the best from this year's Sundance Film Festival; 22 features and 36 shorts in total, plus filmmaker Q&As, parties, art installations and tons of Brooklyn hipster-watching.

The screening itself was completely sold out and held inside the gorgeous BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, where, conveniently, free popcorn and bottles of water were handed out at the door. And as my wife pointed out after we sat down: "They're smart -- free things always put a person in a good mood before a film." Indeed! Before the curtain rose on American Teen, a number of folks approached the mic for some words, while the crowd cheered every time 'Brooklyn' was used in a sentence. The speakers included BAM President Karen Hopkins, Sundance executive director Ken Brecher, Brooklyn Borough President (and an awesome guy) Marty Markowitz, Katherine Oliver, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, BAM Cinema Club Chairs Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, and, finally, American Teen director Nanette Burstein (sporting a very pregnant belly) and one of the film's teenage stars, Hannah Bailey (pictured above).

Check out a gallery from the premiere, the film and the prom-themed after party below -- then head after the jump for my thoughts on American Teen. (All pictures courtesy of the fine folks at the Sundance Institute and Paramount Vantage.)

For those who live in and around the New York City area, tonight the Sundance Institute launches their very popular series at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), in which they'll screen a whole bunch of films (22 features, 36 shorts) from this year's festival over the course of the next eleven days. Yours truly will be in attendance this evening for American Teen, followed by a prom-themed after party. A doc about teens? The prom? I'm soooo there!

Other films of note that will be screening include Man on Wire, Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, Choke, Frozen River, Captain Abu Raed, American Son, Anvil! The Story of Anvil and Ballast, among others. This Sunday, Cinematical's Eric Kohn will be on hand for Sundance Shorts Sunday, featuring 12 hours of short film programs, Q&As with filmmakers and more. He'll report back on what he sees, hears, learns, etc.

They're screening some excellent films this year and I believe tickets are still available for most, so definitely swing by the official website and check out the scene. Sundance Institute at BAM runs from May 29 through June 8. (And if you make it down there tonight, do say hello!)

Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for the film Baghead (click on the image to enlarge), written and directed by two very good friends of this site, Jay and Mark Duplass. Baghead marks the brothers' second feature-length film and follow-up to the very funny (but very uncomfortable) 2005 flick The Puffy Chair. Starring Ross Partridge, Elise Muller, Steve Zissis and my personal fav Greta Gerwig, Baghead tells of four struggling actors who retreat to a cabin in the woods in an attempt to write a screenplay they can produce and star in themselves. Will they succeed or will their personal relationships crumble? Oh, and is there really a stranger with a bag over his head lurking in the shadows, tracking the group's every move?

Baghead premiered to all sorts of great buzz back at Sundance, where our own James Rocchi said it "has warmth and innovation, and the mischievous good sense to subtly make fun of the type of film that it is." As Mark Duplass told us when we interviewed the boys during Sundance, "Baghead is a movie about the funny, horrific, tragic, terrible life of being a desperate actor." Needless to say, we highly recommend it.

Baghead arrives in theaters on June 13, after making a stop at the Tribeca Film Festival later this month.

One of the more buzzed-about flicks coming out of Sundance this year was Hamlet 2, starring the very funny Steve Coogan as a drama teacher who, with no other ideas, attempts to rally his Tucson, Arizona students around a politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet -- featuring a song called (I kid you not) "Rock Me, Sexy Jesus." Hamlet 2 also marked one of first and biggest sales at the festival, with Focus Features snatching it up for a reported $10 million. Was it worth that amount?

Well, Moviefone just debuted an R-rated (aka Red Band) trailer for Hamlet 2 that, truth me told, looks kinda funny. Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to see it at Sundance, so all I have to go on is James' not-so-nice review, AICN's very nice review and word of mouth, which, so far, seems to be fairly positive (see more praise from Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone). Hey, any film that features the Devil making out with the President of the United States during a wacky theatrical production of a sequel-ized Shakespeare play is okay in my book. Hamlet 2 stars Coogan, Catherine Keener, David Arquette and Melonie Diaz. It was directed by Andrew Fleming and it's due out in theaters on August 22.

Whatcha think?

I bet you'll look at this for a second and go, "Um, did they remake The Breakfast Club, or .... what?" No, they did not remake the John Hughes cult classic, but they did remake the poster for the new documentary American Teen. One of the more popular films from the Sundance Film Festival, American Teen was quite often the subject of debate. People loved it, but couldn't understand how someone would market it. After all, how do you sell a documentary about teenagers to teenagers? Sure, it works on MTV ... but would it work on the big screen?

Obviously, Paramount Vantage is running with the quote most often heard amongst critics in Park City: "It's like The Breakfast Club, but a documentary." Even our own James Rocchi was in agreement when he opened up his Sundance review with, "Nanette Burstein's documentary American Teen opens not far from John Hughes country, both geographically and artistically: we're introduced, in quick order, to four students at the high school in Warsaw, Indiana, on the first day of class."

Is American Teen the next Breakfast Club? I guess we'll find out when it arrives in theaters on July 25. (Oh, and for fun we've included the original Breakfast Club poster after the jump.)

[via Film School Rejects]

My favorite part of attending a film festival comes when you discover a smaller film that hits you in a way that almost forces you to throw up everything you know about the flick whenever someone asks. They could be, like, "So, how ya feeling today?" And then you can't help but answer, "I'm good ... but you HAVE to see this friggin' film. It's called (insert the title) and it's unbelievable -- easiest the best thing I've seen in the history of best things I've seen ... times a gabillion!"

Okay, maybe you don't flip out like that -- but you get the idea. So far this year I've hit up Sundance, Slamdance and SXSW, with plans to soon visit the Gen Art Film Festival here in New York, as well as Tribeca soon after. Thankfully, I've seen two films that absolutely rocked my world, and if I could use every other post just to write about them -- in the hopes all of you will go see these films, and champion them -- I would. But I can't. So from time to time, I will pop in, mention the titles and hope something sticks. As of right now, these are the two films I am championing this year: The Hottie and the Nottie and ... just kidding. Kidding, people. I'm KIDDING! God! Chill out.

AnyWAY, here are the two films: Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father (Slamdance) and The Promotion (SXSW). The first is a gripping, tear-jerker of a documentary from a very cool dude named Kurt Kuenne. Alex from First Showing went to see Zachary at SXSW on my recommendation and it blew him away. It will blow you away. Fingers crossed a deal comes soon ... and you bet I'll be back telling you all about it.

The Promotion, on the other hand, is all the way on the other end of the spectrum. It's a comedy. A dry comedy ... where Seann William Scott plays the straight man -- go figure. Not sure if the Weinstein Co. know they have a little gem in their basket; hopefully Kirk Honeycutt didn't scare them stupid. This one is set to come out on June 6, so make sure you're there.

Which films are you absolutely nutty about this year -- to the point where you stop random strangers in the street to tell them all about it?