Willie Nelson doc to premiere at Sundance
“Willie Nelson and Family,” a documentary chronicling the career of the Texas icon, will premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in January.
The five-part film was directed by filmmakers Thom Zimny and Oren Moverman. It traces the many ups and downs of Nelson’s life and seven-decade career with interviews with friends and relatives.
Sundance 2023 will show all five parts. The film festival will take place Jan. 19-29 in Park City, Salt Lake City and Sundance Resort in Utah. A selection of films will be available online Jan. 24-29.
In Sundance’s preview, Nelson is described in bold terms: “A badass American outlaw cowboy who transcended his humble beginnings in small-town Abbott, Texas, he remains beloved in blue states, red states, and let’s not forget — altered states.”
Moverman’s production company, Sight Unseen, is the film’s producing and financing partner. The project was developed by Mark Rothbaum, Nelson’s manager, and Keith Worman, Blackbird Presents’ founder. It was announced this summer.
“Telling Willie’s story has been a lifelong dream of ours, and we feel privileged to realize this dream with Thom, Oren and Sight Unseen,” Rothbaum and Wortman said in a statement.
Nelson is a Grammy nominee for Best Country Album (“A Beautiful Time”), Best Roots Gospel Album (“The Willie Nelson Family”), Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song (“I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die”), along with Rodney Crowell and Chris Stapleton). The 65th Grammy Awards will air on Feb. 5.
Nelson also got in the holiday spirit this month by appearing on “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.”
Eric Geier
Tech Advice
It’s almost 2023! If you’re making new year resolutions, don’t forget about your tech life! Here are some resolutions to consider regarding your computers and gadgets:
Upgrade to Windows 11: Back in October of 2021, Microsoft released a new version of the Windows operating system. The upgrade is technically free for devices running Windows 10. However, Windows 11 has much stricter system requirements than prior Windows versions. If your computer is compatible, think about giving Windows 11 a try.
If you still have an older Windows version (XP, 7, Vista, or 8) I strongly suggest getting a new computer as support for those versions ended long ago. Microsoft made some noticeable changes to the look and feel of the main screens of Windows 11. But if you’re a simple user that only uses one or two applications, the changes shouldn’t bother you much. For instance, if you mostly just browse the web, you shouldn’t notice any changes there as the websites you go to won’t have any changes between the different Windows versions.
Microsoft allows you to do an in-place upgrade to Windows 11 where it’s supposed to keep all your data and programs installed, but I actually don’t recommend that upgrade method. I suggest having a computer tech backup your data, wipe the drive, install a clean copy of Windows 11, and then restore your data and programs. Though this method is more involved, it provides for a much better upgrade outcome and also gives your computer a good refresh. It also provides a great time to upgrade your hard drive to a solid state drive, which will give your computer a real noticeable boost in performance and extend its life.
Setup automatic backups for your computer and devices: Backing up files and documents is one of the biggest things computer users ignore. And they tend to regret that when their computer crashes or experience a disaster, and lose all their data. So, ensure any important data is backed up to a separate drive and/or online to the cloud. The same goes with cellphones and tablets. If you take photos with them and don’t want to risk losing them, you should ensure they are backed up online in case your device becomes lost or stolen.
Don’t fall for phone or computer scams: There are endless scams and scammers out there, and falling victim usually costs you a few hundred dollars. But it could cost you even more if your identity is compromised. Just remember, if the situation doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.
If you get a phone call out of the blue saying something is wrong with your computer or internet, or if your computer says to call someone, just ignore it and find a local reputable computer tech to get advice. Don’t trust anyone to remotely fix your computer unless you know you’re talking to someone from a local reputable company.
Try some new tech: This is a great time to try out new technology, whether that’s buying a new gadget or just using what you already have. There are literally endless things you can do on your computer and mobile devices. If you have a smartphone or tablet, maybe check out new apps; start by searching for apps on any interests or hobbies you have. If you don’t have a smartphone yet or yours is old, consider getting a new one. If you could use a secondary computer, like a laptop to move around the house instead of being limited to a desktop PC, consider a Chromebook. These are just a few ideas. If you need help, and family/friends can’t help, contact a computer shop.
Get a check-up and tune-up: Even if you aren’t having any apparent issues, I strongly suggest having a tech check your computer every year (or more for businesses) and do some general cleaning and tune-up tasks. This can help catch any issues before they become a real problem, such as a hard drive starting to die or slowness due to junk buildup. This helps safeguard your files, documents and photos. Plus, it can also better help protect you from hackers, viruses and phishing attempts that could impact your credit and financial accounts.