Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s long-gestating experiment filmed over thirty-nine days spread across twelve years, beginning when its star Ellar Coltrane was just six years old, is the star of this year’s Centerpiece Gala (Saturday, 5:00 PM at the Egyptian, followed by a party at the DAR Rainier Chapter House on Capitol Hill). I can hardly make it through the 90 second trailer without getting misty, I expect to be a blubbering mess by the end of the film’s whopping 164-minute running time. Linklater is scheduled to attend for a post-screening Q&A. There’s a second screening on Sunday June 1st at Harvard Exit, but both are on standby.
But even if your luck fails in the standby line, there are plenty of movies to keep you out of the sun this weekend. Some suggestions from the SunBreak’s film prognostication squad below:
Chris’s picks:
Aaron Schwartz, the Internet’s Own Boy
Hellion Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul stars as a slowly imploding, Texas father who is watching his family fall apart. He has custody of his two children, but his oldest is the neighborhood troublemaker and the other might be better off with his aunt (Juliette Lewis). It’s a nice character study that unfortunately descends into predictable melodrama, but the first 90 minutes are compelling to watch. (Director Kat Candler scheduled to attend.)
- May 30, 2014 Friday 9:45 PM Pacific Place
- May 31, 2014 Saturday 3:30 PM Pacific Place
The Internet’s Own Boy Brian Knappenberger made a very even-handed and fascinating documentary about “hacktivists” at SIFF 2012 (I interviewed him here). Here he delves into the life and death of Reddit founder Aaron Schwartz. Initial reports say that the press screening was an emotional experience for some filmgoers. Press materials call it “A must see for anyone invested in the future of the freedom of information on the Internet.” (Director Brian Knappenberger scheduled to attend.)
- May 31, 2014 Saturday 3:00 PM Kirkland Performance Center
- June 1, 2014 Sunday 5:00 PM Harvard Exit
X/Y I fell hard for Ryan Piers Williams and America Ferrera’s first film together (they’re married; he directs, she stars) The Dry Land when it played at SIFF 2010. It was a probing character study that explored Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome after coming home from serving in Iraq. X/Y seems to be of a slightly lighter fare, exploring the romantic entanglements of six New Yorkers. With their knack for developing fully-formed characters, I can’t wait to see this sophomore effort from Williams. (Director Ryan Piers Williams is schedule to attend both screenings; America Ferrera scheduled to attend Sunday’s screening.)
- June 1, 2014 Sunday 6:30 PM Pacific Place
- June 2, 2014 Monday, 4:15 PM Pacific Place
Tony’s Picks:
Frank features Fassbender behind a mask.
Frank Michael Fassbender, currently starring in this week’s highest-grossing movie blockbuster, swaddles his head in a giant papier-mâché mask as an eccentric musician in an avant-garde rock band: Domhnall Gleeson plays the band’s fill-in keyboardist in this reputedly daft but very well-reviewed comedy.
- May 30, 2014 Friday 9:30 PM Egyptian
- May 31, 2014 Saturday 2:00 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Kevin Costner still wants to be Gary Cooper when he grows up. Exhibit A for the prosecution, your honor: This Frank Capra-directed Cooper starring vehicle from the Golden Age of screwball comedy, which gets a handsome restoration from the original negative. This just might be the oldest movie you’ll ever see on a screen at the shiny, multiplex-y Pacific Place, and I’ll be damned if it doesn’t still hold up.
- May 31, 2014 Saturday 1:00 PM Pacific Place
Lady Be Good: Instrumental Women in Jazz I’m a complete sap for music docs that unearth overlooked figures in popular music, so this chronicle of the unsung heroines playing jazz and big-band swing throughout the 20th century has me as happy as a little girl with a shiny new Easy-Bake Oven. (director Kay D. Ray and co-producer Cathy Wadley scheduled to attend)
- June 1, 2014 Sunday 5:30 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
- June 2, 2014 Monday 4:00 PM Harvard Exit
Josh’s Picks:
God Help the Girl
God Help the Girl Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch makes his debut as feature film director. Although he claims that it wasn’t intentionally autobiographical, it’s about the start of a twee chamber pop in a town that looks a lot like Glasgow while dealing with personal issues related to health and spirituality. Oh, and it is a musical whose look and feel owes a lot to French New Wave. I saw it at SXSW this year and was so utterly charmed and delighted that I might try to see it again at SIFF.
- June 1, 2014 Sunday 1:30 PM Egyptian Theatre
- June 3, 2014 Tuesday 7:00 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
The Trip to Italy Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon hit the road again, this time entertaining each other on a culinary tour.
- May 30, 2014 Friday 4:30 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
- May 31, 2014 Saturday 8:00 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
The Red Knot Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men’s Pete Campbell) and Olivia Thirlby make the unconventional decision to honeymoon on an Antarctic research vessel and find that things are “not great, Bob“. The photography, which pits the majesty of nature as context for mere human concerns, is getting strong reviews. (Director Scott Cohen scheduled to attend)
- May 31, 2014 Saturday 6:00 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
- June 1, 2014 Sunday 2:30 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown
Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead The sequel to 2009’s hilariously gory take on what happens with a cabin full of Norwegian co-eds accidentally rouse an army of undead Nazis picks up right where the the original left off. This version features an unfortunate surgical mix-up, American zombie nerds, and as the title suggests, a vengeance grudge match that has reanimated Soviets against those pesky frozen Nazis. Even the pans praise the film’s craftsmanship, which might be enough to stoke your midnight adrenaline. Actor Martin Starr scheduled to attend
- May 30, 2014 Friday 11:55 PM Egyptian Theatre
Keep track of the SunBreak’s SIFF coverage on our SIFF 2014 page, plus news updates and micro-reviews on Twitter @theSunBreak.
