Jan. 24: Little Miss Hit
Toni Collette
Jeff Vespa / Wireimage
The Friday screening of the film, which stars Toni Collette, Steve Carell and Greg Kinnear as a dysfunctional family traveling to a children's beauty pageant, was interrupted repeatedly by applause and finally drew a standing ovation. Expect this gem to turn up in multiplexes this summer.
On the festival's opening night (Jan. 19), the Jennifer Aniston film Friends with Money – also starring Catherine Keener, Joan Cusack and Frances McDormand – received a warm reception from audiences and critics. The ingratiating comedy about four longtime pals, written and directed by Nicole Holofcener (Lovely and Amazing), is slated to hit theaters in April.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Jeff Vespa / Wireimage
Sundance Snapshots
• When the cast and crew of Off the Black, an affecting little drama about an umpire (Nick Nolte) who befriends a high school baseball player, introduced themselves, Nolte joked: "I was a grip."• Jessica Biel, who rode horseback while playing a 19th-century Hungarian countess in The Illusionist, said she let a stunt person take over in scenes with speedy galloping: "I didn't want to break my neck," she said.
• Paul Giamatti, who is also in The Illusionist, said he took his role as a Viennese police inspector because "I got to smoke a pipe and wear a cool hat."
