Sundance 2011—The Return (1)

Sundance Film Festival 2011*

Park City, Utah

The Main Event

Among Day Three’s assortment of films and stars was a nice diversion to the heart of Park City and the Sundance Film Festival: Main Street. Nestled between the Wasatch Mountains and adorned with quaint and sleek storefronts, the main strip is alive with celebrities, tourists and industry hopefuls.

The Wasatch Mountains surround Park City. (Credit: Marvin Brown)

With mountains peeking over every roof and around every bend, Main Street seems at once an upscale getaway and an inviting hometown. Great shops and eats on every block. Friendly crowds, which is status quo for Park City, never took away from attractive smallness of the Main.

Lunch was had at The Eating Establishment—yes it was—a great restaurant near the top of the ascending Main Street. The breakfast portions are huge and the burgers have to be held with two hands. Interestingly, some store facades are manipulated to hype up the Sundance angle, so you might wonder why your favorite shop suddenly has a new name.

Main Street was great. If you’re going to take a break from screening films, yeah, this will do the trick!

Eccles Theater is one of several theaters around Park City that screen Sundance films. (Credit: John Brown)

My brother seems surprised to find a Playboy store on the main strip. It’s either new, or one of those Sundance Surprises.

Snow alert: Up until today it’s been clear skies. But today on Main Street, Sundance got its snow. And snow. And more snow. By the time lunch was done, the sidewalk and streets were covered.

OK, on to the shows.

| Movie reviews from Sundance screenings:

Beats, Rhymes &  Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest

Red State

Meek’s Cutoff

Hobo with a Shotgun

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Win Win

John Brown at Eccles Theater in Park City (Credit: Marvin Brown)

| Lights come up. Saying goodbye to Park City.

*Note: Since marvincbrown.com had not been created at the time of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, I decided to go back and repost these reviews and festival  items, which were catalogued elsewhere—mainly because I needed to get these reviews into my archives, but also because it was an enjoyable experience I’d like to share.