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

Spooky: As usual, Sundance has its share of scares on the screen. Several years ago, "The Blair Witch Project" started scaring the daylights out of viewers here. Two years ago, zombie thriller "28 Days Later . . . " had audiences on the edge of their seats. And last year, Ashton Kutcher's "The Butterfly Effect" topped the scare-o- rama meter (though the horror for most viewers was that they actually spent money on it).

This year, "Wolf Creek" looks to be a leading fright flick. The program guide says it's based on "terrifying true events" and should do for Australian horror films what "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" did for the American genre. Scariest part: Expect a pointless remake in 20 years.

Thumbsucker: For all of you who've been longing for a movie about a teen who can't stop sucking his thumb, boy, wait no more. Introducing "Thumbsucker," featuring Keanu Reeves. No kidding.

Upside-downside: The upside of "Upside of Anger" is that it apparently has "a great and witty script," always encouraging for a comedic drama. The downside? It also has Kevin Costner, always discouraging for a comedy and/or drama since the mid-1990s.

Village people: (See Queer Lounge if you're looking for the construction worker, the biker, the Indian and their other Y-M-C-A pals.) The real Sundance Village people will offer visitors daily screenings, Native American spas, art exhibits, a rare collection of stunning Steinway pianos and performing jazz trios (not including Stockton, Malone and Hornacek).

What is it?: Never before has a movie seemingly been more aptly named than "What Is It?" So, you ask, what is it? Good question. Let's see, this Crispin Glover movie includes a minstrel in blackface who injects snail enzymes into his cheek hoping to become an invertebrate, a Nazi-garb-wearing Shirley Temple dictator, a naked man with cerebal palsy lying on a giant seashell, a naked woman wearing a monkey mask, talking snails that get salted and a "Dadaist deconstruction of the hero's journey as well as a hallucinogenic trip deep into the mind of its bizarre creator." More like, "Weird Is It!"

X-rated: If CleanFlicks were to help edit Sundance films, more celluloid would hit the floor than would end up on the screen. Sex is a hot topic (again) this year. There's even a panel discussion about how artists push the envelope. A few movies to steer clear of if you're bringing children or don't want to have to confess to your local pastor include "Inside Deep Throat," which is about the most famous porn flick of all-time; "9 Songs," a movie in which the preview claims "sex doesn't serve a larger story here, sex is the story"; "Green Chair," and so forth. Like when you're going to get on I-15, know before you go.

Yodeling: Who knows, this may turn out to be one of the words that five filmmakers will be required to make a movie about in Slamdance's "On-The-Fly" contest. The participants will get a word and then have five days to turn that word into a film. Just a suggestion, but "Yo- De-Lay-Hee-Hooooo!" would make for a fine title.