It’s finally (already?) here: the 41st Seattle International Film Festival, in which we, as a city, embrace our fondness for popcorn and lines, hatred of sunlight and fresh air, and love of film in a twenty-five day marathon of movie-watching! As you prepare yourself for nearly a month of moviegoing, scour the SIFF website and refer to our timeless pro-tips
Josh: Opening Night represents the only day where the festival doesn’t force you to make difficult decisions between simultaneous filmgoing experiences: it’s either Spy and a fancy boozy party where some Seattleites will break the ice, converse with strangers, and just maybe get sugar buzzed enough to dance or a night at home watching the Scandal season finale and studying the SIFF program. We haven’t seen Spy yet, but Paul Feig’s (Bridesmaids ) C.I.A. comedy starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham Jude Law, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, and Allison Janney made it out of SXSW with universal acclaim, which at least provides a sense of hope that you might spend the party rehashing hilarious moments (rather than tearing it apart like last year’s controversial Hendrixpic).
Tony: When it comes to the Opening Night film, I always try to keep an open mind. With the positive word on Spy, I’m hoping for Our Man in Havana quality, but bracing for Pink Panther (Steve Martin-era) stinkiness. Either way, there’ll be cocktails at the post-film fete to take any potential sting off. Oh, and Megan Griffiths gets the Mayor’s Award tonight, which is really cool.
Josh: As always, there are plenty of movie groupings by mood, genre, etc. Any categories that you’re particularly intrigued by?
Tony: One of the indisputable highlights of SIFF’s programming each year is the Fest’s bushel of reissues and restorations, and this year maintains SIFF’s strong RBA (Reissues Batting Average). Among the many intriguing offerings: Saved From the Flames (director Serge Bromberg’s compilation of rescued old reels, including a restored print of Georges Melies’ 1902 A Trip to the Moon); silent movie heartthrob Rudolph Valentino’s 1926 smash Son of the Sheik, scored by the Alloy Orchestra; a triple feature of Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy films in luminescent 4k digital restoration; and a screening of one of auteur Max Ophuls’ few American films, the 1949 film noir Caught.
Given my track record, it’ll likely surprise no one that I’m also extremely jazzed about SIFF’s Midnight Adrenaline and cult cinema picks for 2015. It’s hard to deny (for the right kind of freak) the allure of a heavy-metal demon-summoning New Zealand comedy with dildo fights (Deathgasm, playing tomorrow night’s Midnight Adrenaline slot at SIFF Egyptian), or a retro-futuristic BMX-bikesploitation action movie boasting gouts of blood and bad-assed character actor Michael Ironside (Turbo Kid). But there are also classier-sounding offerings like the locally-grown thriller The Hollow One and the Danish werewolf film When Animals Dream.
Josh: I’m looking forward to a little bit of everything from the films I’m planning on seeing for Opening Weekend. I’ll probably browse around based on whims and word on the street, but these are a few at the top of my list:
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Anyone even tangentially paying attention to the buzz coming from the year’s Sundance will have probably at least heard about Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s story of two socially inept teen dudes who make goofy movie parodies and their burgeoning relationship with a girl with leukemia. An audience and jury favorite, it also features Nick Offerman and Connie Britton alongside the teen actors. The director will be in attendance for Saturday’s screening, which will be followed by a party at the mall.
- May 16, 2015 AMC Pacific Place 11 6:30 PM
- May 17, 2015 SIFF Cinema Uptown Festival 2:30 PM
The New Girlfriend (Une Nouvelle Amie). François Ozon. Hitchcockian psychosexual drama. Romain Duris. Cross-dressing. That’s probably enough to let you know this one’s for you.
- May 16, 2015 SIFF Cinema Egyptian 9:30 PM
- May 17, 2015 SIFF Cinema Uptown Festival 11:30 AM
Results What’s that you say? A new Andrew Bujalski film is playing during SIFF’s opening weekend? Funny Ha Ha and Mutual Appreciation are so dear to my heart that I almost don’t need to know anything else before committing to a couple hours in the theater. When last we saw him, he’d swerved from being at the vanguard of mumblecore (a term I use with the utmost affection) comedies into the Twilight Zone of nerds and new agers intersecting in Computer Chess. With Results he’s working in color with actors whose names you’ll probably recognize on a love triangle amongst personal trainers and their slacker clients in Austin, Texas.
- May 15, 2015 SIFF Cinema Uptown Festival 3:30 PM
- May 16, 2015 SIFF Cinema Uptown Festival 9:00 PM
Love and Mercy. John Cusack and Paul Dano play Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson at different points in his career, with a score from Atticus Ross (scheduled to attend Friday’s screening), a script from one of the writers of Todd Haynes’s chameleonic Dylan biopic I’m Not There, and direction from Bill Pohlad, whose otherwise accomplished biography also includes a mention of his father’s multi-decade ownership of the Minnesota Twins. I’m so there.
- May 15, 2015 SIFF Cinema Egyptian 6:30 PM
- May 16, 2015 AMC Pacific Place 11 12:30 PM
Tony: You hit the nail on the head earlier, Josh: Most days, SIFF is a total Sophie’s Choice. I count at least 9 films over the weekend that I’m really aching to see (including the ones you mentioned). Here are three others that I think merit must-see status.
The Red Shoes. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s 1948 fable about a ballerina pursuing stardom richly deserves its rep as one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. It’s a smart and knowing peek into the guts of a dance company, a fairy tale resonant with metaphor, and a visual feast so lushly colorful and gorgeous it’ll take your breath away. You’re nuts not to see it on the Egyptian’s huge screen.
- May 16, 2015 12:30 PM SIFF Cinema Egyptian
The Hallow. I’m really intrigued by Corin Hardy’s reputedly atmospheric chiller about an Irish family encountering a forest full of extremely scary things.
- May 16, 2015 MIDNIGHT SIFF Cinema Egyptian
- May 20, 2015 8:30 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown Festival
Personal Gold: An Underdog Story. Directed with birds-eye immediacy by former Olympic kayaker (and Seattle native) Tamara Christopherson, this doc chronicles the struggles of the underfunded but scrappy US Women’s Track Cycling Team as they go for the Olympic Gold in the 2012 London Games. The inspiration feels genuine and hard-won, and it offers a fascinating peek at modern technology’s role in helping athletes achieve personal bests without performance-enhancing drugs.
- May 16, 2015 12:00 PM SIFF Cinema Uptown Festival
- May 19, 2015 7:00 PM Pacific Place
Keep track of the SunBreak’s SIFF coverage in the coming weeks here, plus news updates and micro-reviews on Twitter @theSunBreak.
