The Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, ended Sunday, after honors to a mythical film starring an 8-year-old girl and a documentary about the war on drugs. Beasts of the Southern Wild won the grand jury prize in the U.S. dramatic competition, and The House I Live In won the same honor in the U.S. documentary category. Directed and cowritten by filmmaker Benh Zeitlin, 29, Beasts follows a girl named Hushpuppy who lives with her father in the southern Delta; it also won the cinematography prize. Eugene Jarecki's documentary The House I Live In examines the social, human and financial costs of the war on drugs.
Etta James laid to rest
R&B singer Etta James was saluted Saturday at her funeral service by musicians including Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera, and eulogized by the Rev. Al Sharpton. James, who died Jan. 20 at age 73, was best known for ballads such as "At Last," and "I'd Rather Go Blind." Sharpton read a message from President Obama, which said, "Etta will be remembered for her legendary voice and for her many contributions to our nation's musical heritage."Weekend box office
The Liam Neeson-action film The Grey opened in first place in U.S. and Canadian cinemas; One for the Money, starring Katherine Heigl, opened third in its first weekend and Man on a Ledge debuted fifth. Rounding out the top five: Underworld: Awakening fell to second, and Red Tails landed in fourth.Catching up with Oscar
AMC theaters is bundling the nine best-picture Academy Award nominees into two days, Feb. 18 and 25. A two-day pass is $60 available only at AMC box offices. A one-day pass for Feb. 18, when War Horse, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life and The Descendants will screen, is $30. A one-day pass for Feb. 25, the day before the Oscar telecast, showcasing Hugo, The Help, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Artist, and Moneyball, is $40. Go to amctheatres.com/BPS for details or check local AMC theaters, Cherry Hill 24, Hamilton 24, and Neshaminy 24.This article contains information from Inquirer wire services. Contact "SideShow" at sideshow@phillynews.com.