The Trouble With Sundance

Once an exciting alternative to Hollywood, Richard Corliss argues, the indie films that come out of the well-hyped festival have gone fat and soft

Kevork Djansezian / AP

Christian Slater poses with a fan for a picture along Main Street during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007.

Correction Appended: February 1, 2007

Everybody, I mean everybody who's anybody in movies, or hopes to be, is in Park City, Utah, this week for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. In this Lourdes of independent movies, hermitty young auteurs will schmooze with Hollywood's BlackBerry set. From the ferment of high art and hype art will emerge new faces, new voices and, I can almost guarantee, at least one film that will figure in next year's Oscar race--just as Little Miss Sunshine, from Sundance '06, is being touted for a Best Picture Academy Award nomination.

The kind of indie film...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!