BLOGGING SUNDANCE: You have the right to like good movies. And sponsors.

[Plenty of folks] have [weighed in] on Sundance's "Focus on Film" badges, which have been widely distributed since the beginning of the festival (Robert Redford and fest director Geoff Gilmore sported them during the opening press conference). The pin comes equipped with a notecard stating that those who wear it imply that they've agreed to a number of conditions. The first three conditions are cute and harmless:

"I want to see film that I know I'll never get to see anywhere else; My idea of 'celebrity' is the filmmaker who directed my favorite film at the Festival; I'm willing to wait in the cold for two hours to see a hot documentary..."

So far so good. I mean, a lot of stuff that at Sundance will probably make it to New York at some point, redefining the word "celebrity" to give it a positive connotation seems disingenuous, and I'm not sure how well I can manage two hours in the cold regardless of what great documentary achievement awaits...but that's beside the point. It's more about the commitment to respecting the integrity of movies. The last two conditions, however, kinda irk me:

"I love that for 10 days I have something in common with over 50,000 people in a small ski town; (and) I understand that without the support of the official sponsor community, I would not have the opportunity to Focus on Film at the Sundance Film Festival."

What, exactly, do I have in common with that gigantic number, other than numb fingertips and a handy free bus system? Oh yeah, the movies. But that sort of blanket decree suggests a homogenization of taste, which is exactly the sort of thing that most of us who love to discuss movies hate. Also, there are people here who want to find the A-list celebrities, who want to catch a movie or two and spend the rest of their time skiing, who want to enjoy the festival vibe without joining the rush of the crowd. Of course, it would be great if we could spark the passion for movie mania in these people, but it isn't really fair to wear criticism of that valid mindset on your sleeve.

As for the last item...we call know that money makes things happen. But don't rub our noses in it.