In my mind, the Sundance Film Festival serves two great purposes for movie fans. First and foremost, it's a place where talented, lesser or unknown filmmakers, writers and actors can break in to the biz, show off their movies to eager eyes and make a splash. On top of that, the festival is a place of discovery for film buffs looking for the fresh and interesting perspectives.
And while I'm anticipating those miraculous finds, there's another draw to the fest: seeing our favorite actors taking a stab at a role completely out of left field. The independent film scene is a playground for top notch talent, and every year, a flock of familiar faces descend into Park City, Utah ready to prove their not just destined for studio romantic comedies, generic action movies or TV co-starring roles. They're actors! And they're very ready to remind everyone.
Here are a few of the big name celebrities that have made their way into Sundance selections in 2012. Mark these movies down—you'll see reactions pop up soon in our Sundance 2012 hub when the fest is in full swing, and again when they eventually hit theaters (plus don't miss links to a ton of Sundance preview coverage at the bottom of this page)!
The Stars: Bradley Cooper, Zoë Saldaña, Olivia Wilde
The Movie: The Words
The Words collects a trio of actors who have been commanding blockbuster cinema for the past few years (Cooper in The Hangover, Saldaña in Star Trek and Avatar and Wilde in Tron: Legacy and Cowboys & Aliens) for a character drama focused on the deceptive actions of a struggling writer. Star-studded at Sundance doesn't necessarily translate to quality (see last year's Flypaper, or even Margin Call), but Cooper, Saldaña and Wilde feel like untapped potential when it comes to talky, character-driven drama—we haven't seen them flex their muscles, but it's safe to assume those muscles are there.
The Stars: Kirsten Dunst
The Movie: Bachelorette
Kirsten Dunst shot into the spotlight last year with her physically demanding, award-winning role in Melancholia. But as we've seen in the past, the follow-up is the most important career move. Riding the wave of praise, Dunst is keeping the indie spirit alive with the Bridesmaids-esque comedy Bachelorette, a film that surrounds her with equally recognizable (and funny) co-stars, including Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan and James Marsden. If Dunst can deliver Bring It On-level laughs (you heard me right) in this dark comedy, Bachelorette should be a another stepping stone in reigniting her big screen career.
The Stars: Robert De Niro, Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver
The Movie: Red Lights
After a few years of churning out half-hearted comedies (the Fockers franchise, Showtime) and generic thrillers (Righteous Kill, Hide and Seek), De Niro finally seems to be stepping up his game once again (I'm going to forget his appearance New Year's Eve). The legendary actor has four movies slated for 2012, plus his Sundance outing, the paranormal mystery, Red Lights. Let's hope tackling a smaller-scoped movie resurfaces the old school De Niro we know and love.
The Stars: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth
The Movie: Arbitrage
There are some stars who fade from the limelight. There are others who I could never imagine doing so. That's how I feel about Richard Gere, a guy whose last few years have been a mixed bag. He's had a few middle-budgeted projects that never found an audience (The Double, the 2009 Sundance premiere Brooklyn's Finest) and a few larger-scale movies that came and went (Amelia, Nights at Rodanthe). But his wavering success are a non-factor in my interest in Richard Gere, Arbitrage, a finance thriller that pits him against the likes of Susan Sarandon and Tim Roth, piques my interest. Will it breakout amongst the fierce competition? I don't know. But what I do know is that it has Richard Gere.
The Stars: Chris Rock
The Movie: 2 Days in New York
Try not to think that the foul-mouthed comic Chris Rock's last movie was Grown Ups, or that his next Hollywood flick is What to Expect When You're Expecting. Let's be positive. His team up with French actress and indie darling Julie Delpy, the follow up to her film 2 Days in Paris, should give the actor a chance to do what he does extremely well (but rarely as the opportunity to do): act real. The underrated I Think I Love My Wife is all I need to build excitement for Rock's foray into the Sundance universe.
The Stars: Frank Langella
The Movie: Robot & Frank
Even after Frank Langella nabbed an Oscar nomination in 2008 for his work in Frost/Nixon, his resulting roles have been mostly of the supporting nature. That's the biz—there aren't a ton of leading man roles for an aging actor, even a great, famous one. Thankfully we have Robot & Frank, an odd sounding sci-fi/crime dramedy that pairs Langella with a computerized counterpart. And I'm not talking about Susan Sarandon—who also stars in the film, and poses to secretly dominate the entire festival.
The Stars: William H. Macy, Helen Hunt
The Movie: The Surrogate
If you're going to take the leap with a Sundance indie, having John Hawkes (Winter's Bone, Martha Marcy May Marlene) as your anchor is the way to go. William H. Macy and Helen Hunt join the festival veteran and should give this unconventional narrative, the story of a man locked to his iron lung striving to lost his virginity, a mainstream edge.
And for more Sundance 2012 previews, check out...
Daniel Walber at Movies.com's Six Shorts from Sundance's First-Time Feature Directors
Jordan Raup at The Film Stage's 10 Must-See Festival Favorites Hitting Park City
Christopher Rosen at Moviefone's Television Stars Invading Park City
Katey Rich at CinemaBlend's 5 Returning Sundance Successes to Watch
Alex Billington at FirstShowing's 10 Sundance Movies to Keep An Eye On