“Sundance 2011 Wishlist: 30 Films That May Head to Park City”

The lineup for the Sundance Film Festival will be announced soon. IndieWire put together this wishlist of 30 movies they’d like to see there. A few examples:

The Beaver, directed by Jodie Foster

Perhaps a dark horse for inclusion here, but the fact “The Beaver” was being sold in the American Film Market recently, and that it has official European release dates in January and February, suggests it’s now or never for Summit Entertainment to get the film out and into the world. And if it as good as some have suggested, Sundance would be the place to start. The reason why the film has been so delayed, of course, is that it stars PR nightmare Mel Gibson as a clinically depressed toy company CEO who finds solace through a beaver hand puppet. Gibson’s character uses said beaver to communicate to his wife (Jodie Foster). A bizarre but intriguing choice for Foster’s long-awaited directorial follow-up to 1995’s “Home For The Holidays,” its script — by Kyle Killen — topped the 2008 “Blacklist,” which ranks the best unproduced screenplays. Filming was completed in November 2009, and while mass public hatred for Gibson will be no small obstacle to overcome, there’s more than a few people curious to see what this “Beaver” has to offer. [Peter Knegt]

Butter, directed by Jim Field Smith

A massive ensemble cast that includes the likes of Jennifer Garner, Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman, Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Green and Ty Burrel rounds out Jim Field Smith’s “Butter.” A Weinstein Company picture, the Louisiana shot film follows a number of competitive characters who become entwined in an annual butter-carving contest. Garner, who also serves as a producer on the film, plays the wife of a former butter sculpting champion who tries to her hand at the craft, only to be thwarted by an adopted girl who has a natural knack for it. [Nigel M. Smith]

Detachment, directed by Tony Kaye

Director Tony Kaye hasn’t successfully reached a big audience since back in 1998 with “American History X.” For his latest, Kaye has assembled an impressive cast headed by Adrien Brody, that might make this one to look out for. Brody plays a New York substitute teacher who spends three weeks drifting between several schools, in what is being billed as an expose of the American public school system. Rounding out the cast is Christina Hendricks, James Caan, Lucy Liu, Marcia Gay Harden, Bryan Cranston, Blythe Danner and TIm Blake Nelson. [Nigel M. Smith]

The Details, directed by Jacob Aaron Estes

Tobey Maguire and Elizabeth Banks star in this film about a couple pit against a pack of raccoons who are ravaging their beautiful new garden. Matters are further complicated when the couple begin to realize that they might not be even able to stand each other, let alone the pesky critters. The dark comedy is directed by Jacob Aaron Estes, whose “Mean Creek” saw success in the festival circuit back in 2004. Laura Linney, Ray Liotta and Kerry Washington complete the film’s cast. [Daniel Loria]

The Future, directed by Miranda July

July made a splash at Sundance back in 2005, picking up a Special Jury Prize as well as an NHK Award for “Me and You and Everyone We Know.” The film went on to pick up a number of prizes at festivals around the world, including in Cannes where July was presented with the Camera d’Or and the feature was released in theaters via IFC Films. She once again stars in her latest, along with David Warshofsky and Isabella Acres about a young couple whose relationship is put to the test when one of them goes on an ecological mission. [Brian Brooks]

The Good Doctor, directed by Lance Daly

Irish “Kisses” director Lance Daly heads for the mainstream with Orlando Bloom vehicle, “The Good Doctor.” Bloom plays Dr. Martin Ploeck, a man who has spent most of life trying to earn respect. When he meets 18-year-old patient Diane, suffering from a kidney infection, he gets a boost of confidence. But when her health shows signs of improvement, Ploeck begins tampering with her treatment to keep her sick and next to him. Along with Orlando, Daly has cast a slew of Sundance alumni that include Taraji P. Henson, Michael Pena and Riley Keough. [Nigel M. Smith]

Higher Ground, directed by Vera Farmiga

Oscar-nominee and Sundance vet Vera Farmiga makes her directorial debut with “Higher Ground,” based on Carolyn S. Brigg’s memoir “This Dark World.” The film chronicles one woman’s immersion into Fundamentalist faith, and her decision, 20 years later, to leave it behind. Farmiga stars in her own film, alongside Donna Murphy, John Hawkes and Bill Irwin. Shot just this past summer, it’s unsure whether the film will be ready in time to premiere at Sundance. [Nigel M. Smith]

I Melt With You, directed by Mark Pellington

Known in the early ’90s for his video documentary on U2 during their Achtung Baby album, Pellington went to Sundance in 1997 with “Going All the Way” in 1997, which screened in competition that year. He is now in post-production with the thriller, “I Melt with You.” Starring Carla Gugino, Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven, Rob Lowe and Sasha Grey. The film centers on four men facing middle age as their lives intersect. [Brian Brooks]

Jane Eyre, directed by Cary Fukunaga

Two years ago, Cary Fukunaga took Sundance by storm with his very well-received feature debut “Sin Nombre.” Given his anticipated follow-up — an adaptation of Charlotte Bronte “Jane Eyre” — already had an April release date, a return to Sundance seems like an inevitable place to launch it. Featuring an impressively drool-worthy cast including Mia Wasikowska (as Jane Eyre), Michael Fassbender (as Edward Rochester), Sally Hawkins (as Mrs. Reed), Jamie Bell (as St. John) and Judi Dench (as Mrs. Fairfax), “Eyre” is a far cry from the entirely unknown cast that filled “Sin Nombre.” But one can hope that the films will have in common their use of Fukunaga’s clear talent and further suggest he’s a filmmaker to pay attention to. [Peter Knegt]

Jeff Who Lives at Home, directed by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass

The Duplass Brothers have been mainstays at the Sundance Film Festival ever since their film “The Puffy Chair” debuted in Park City in 2005. They’ve returned many times including with their debuts for “Baghead” in 2008 and “Cyrus” last year. Mark Duplass also starred in Lynn Shelton’s “Humpday,” which debuted at the festival in 2009. Now the duo are likely to return with their latest comedy, “Jeff Who Lives at Home.” Starring Jason Segel, Judy Greer, Ed Helms and Susan Sarandon. The film revolves around Jeff (Segel) who sets out on a routine errand for his disgruntled mother, but finds that the universe is sending him signs about his future. [Brian Brooks]

The Lie, directed by Joshua Leonard

“Blair Witch” star Joshua Leonard steps behind the camera for the first time with “The Lie,” a movie based on a short story by T.C. Boyle, that appeared in The New Yorker, which tells the story of man’s life turned upside down after telling a lie to get out of work. Leonard, who appeared in Sundance darling “Humpday,” also stars in the movie alongside Mark Webber, Jess Weixler, Kelli Garner and James Ransone. [Nigel M. Smith]

Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus

Drake Doremus’s film tells the story of two young students, one British and one American, whose relationship becomes complicated when they have to part ways. The couple is played by two rising young actors, Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”) and Anton Yelchin (“Star Trek”). Doremus and Lawrence were both presenting films at last year’s festival, and this new romantic film is already showing strong potential. [Daniel Loria]

Live With It, directed by Jonathan Levine

Formerly titled “I’m With Cancer,” this film is Sundance alum Jonathan Levine’s follow up to the well received 2008 entry “The Wackness.” Based on an autobiographical script by Will Reiser (son of Paul), and featuring a extremely promising cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall, “Live With It” is a comic take on a 25 year-old guy’s cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to deal with the disease. Like many other films on this list (“The Beaver,” “Take This Waltz”), the script once made the Black List (which highlights the best unproduced screenplays), and if it makes Sundance’s lineup would definitely be one of its most high-profile additions. [Peter Knegt]

Margaret, directed by Kenneth Lonergan

If indieWIRE had published this list regularly for the past decade, this might be “Margaret”‘s fifth annual time making the cut. Kenneth Lonergan’s intensely delayed follow-up to “You Can Count On Me,” the film apparently has been completed, but history is against hedging any bets on it popping up at this year’s festival. Starring Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Kieran Culkin and Rosemarie DeWitt, the film follows a 17 year old (Paquin, 23 at the time of shooting, 28 now) upset with the potential role she played in a traffic accident. If it were to premiere at this year’s fest, it would appropriately be the ten year anniversary of when “You Can Count On Me” won the Grand Jury Prize. [Peter Knegt]

A lot of interesting movies and talents on the list, many of which we have tracked here on GITS including The Beaver, Live With It (formerly the spec script “I’m With Cancer”), the Duplass brothers, and Jennifer Lawrence (Like Crazy) who I have posted about for her amazing performance in this year’s Winter’s Bone. 

What movies on the list are you excited about?