Jack NyBlom, co-owner of our local Camera Cinemas chain, sends greetings from the Sundance Film Festival, where, per usual, it’s around-the-clock shuttles to the hot tickets in independent cinema.
Of the titles he has screened so far, Jack reports he’s most excited about a quartet of quirky comedies: WIN WIN, TERRI, LIKE CRAZY and CEDAR RAPIDS.
“Win Win” — not to be confused with the recent Dutch film of the same title — is from actor-director Thomas McCarthy, who wow’d Sundance audiences eight years back with “The Station Agent.” McCarthy’s latest is a one-off sports yarn about a New Jersey lawyer / high school coach (Paul Giamatti) who happens upon an unlikely but talented wrestler (Alex Shaffer). Complications ensue when the boy’s hard-case mother (Melanie Lynskey) shows up at practice.
Jacob Wysocki, John C. Reilly in "Terri"
“Terri” — directed by Azazel Jacobs, who scored at Sundance with “Momma’s Man” — stars newcomer Jacob Wysocki as the target of high school jeers and indie darling John C. Reilly as the vice principal who takes an interest in the boy. Like last year’s “Cyrus,” this one looks to be a deadpan comedy about the pain of not fitting in.
Drake Doremus’ “Like Crazy” — snatched up by Paramount — co-stars Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones as seriously in love college students whose blissful all-nighters are interrupted by — timely plot device alert! — Uncle Sam and the lads from immigration.
Miguel Arteta, an old hand at Sundance (“The Good Girl,” “Chuck and Buck“), is back with the comedy “Cedar Rapids,” about an insurance agent (Ed Helms) who falls under the spell of three serious party animals at an annual convention. Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Reilly at his most lovably raunchy co-star.
“Been crazy here,” reports Jack, behind bruised orbs. “Looking forward to slowing down and digesting it all.”
If he has his way, Jack will see to it that these and other intriguing indies soon find their way to San Jose’s Camera 12, Campbell’s Camera 7 and the Los Gatos Cinema.
CinemaDope 
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