Sundance A to Z: Before you go, you need to know . . .

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jan 16, 2005 | by Jody Genessy Deseret Morning News

Jennifer and Brad: Good news, fellas. In years past, reborn- bachelorette-to-be Jennifer Aniston has supported her former "Friends" at Sundance, and two of them -- Lisa Kudrow ("Happy Endings") and David Schwimmer ("Duane Hopwod") -- have movies entered. Bad news, ladies. Brad Pitt sent his RSVP regret.

Kung fu: What's an artsy film festival without a knee-slapping martial-arts comedy? "Kung Fu Hustle" is billed as delivering just that. But, sorry, no Jackie Chan.

Latter-day-Dance: Sundance will have to share the film-fest stage with moviemakers hoping to cash in on the Mormon crowd. The fourth- annual LDS Film Festival takes place in Provo from Jan. 20-22. Watch for such new movies as "31 and Over Singles Ward: Inspiration, Desperation and Menaces to Society"; "Protestants at Our Picnic" and "Mission Impossible: The Best Nine Months."

Music: As usual, these hills will be alive with the sound of music during Sundance. The Star Bar at PLAN B will host musicians day and night. The daytime shows, which will feature such artists as Suzanne Vega, Michael McDonald and Glen Phillips, are free to festivalgoers. Cover charges apply for evening shows, with the likes of Calexico, Yo Le Tengo and Special Guest (TBA).

Also, a roundtable discussion with the topic "Music and Film: The Creative Process" will take place at the Kimball Art Center on Jan. 26 at 11 a.m. Panelists include Kevin Bacon and George S. Clinton.

No Parking: Get used to those signs. Either park at Brighton and sled down, hire a chauffeur or look for the park-and-ride shuttle- lot signs.

Online: You don't have to brave the crowds or try to pretend you're important by wearing all black and walking around talking on your cell phone. You can also watch Sundance movies online at www.sundance.org. Just please, e-mail this message along to 10 people or something horrible will happen in 17.2 seconds.

Parties: The hottest and hippest parts of Sundance are the raging parties that go on from Main Street clubs to Deer Valley chalets . . . or so we've been told by cool people who actually got invited. But you don't need to be part of a celebrity's posse to go to one party: Park City's throwing a bash on Saturday, Jan. 22, on lower Main Street from 8 to 10 p.m. for everyone. Yes, everyone. Even those who don't know somebody who's brother's cousin's great-uncle-in-law knows a producer who got them a VIP pass to a Paris Hilton rave.

Queer Lounge: The guys with queer eyes will be thrilled to know the Queer Lounge is back for another go. Organizers want all to know that the hospitality suite on Main Street is an all-inclusive club for gays and straights.

Ringers: A film bound to get tons of publicity won't even be in Sundance, which turned down "Ringers: Lord of the Fans." So the documentary about how Tolkien's troops helped J.R.R., Peter Jackson, Frodo, Gandalf and Gollum storm Middle-earth (upper and lower parts, too) is opening at Slamdance. Seeing as all the main hobbits (Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan) and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) are scheduled to appear for its world debut, this could be the media and fan darling of Park City.