SIFF 2018 Edition: Get in the (VR) Zone — Anniversary Post

My last anniversary post is, ironically, about the future. While I'm of the opinion that VR isn't the future of film, I also believe that we're just beginning to discover its applications and its potential. Note: there was no VR at SIFF this year, so if it's the future, the future will have to wait. …

Shorts at Shoreline — Anniversary Post

This is the fourth year that SIFF is showing films at Shoreline Community College. While I didn't go to any films there this year (I've moved since last year, and not closer to Shoreline -- which is unfortunate, since I love the venue), I'd encourage anyone who can go to check it out. It's away …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Final Thoughts

On June 10, SIFF 2018 ended. During the 25 days of the festival (plus press screenings, which add 10 more days to the total), I saw 19 feature-length films (including one archival), 2 collections of shorts (and yes, I count the Found Footage Festival as a collection of shorts), and a handful of VR. That's …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Get in the (VR) Zone

In 2016, SIFF dedicated a part of its festival to emerging virtual reality work. Held at Seattle Center, the event was a mini-festival-within-the-festival dubbed SIFFX. Last year, it transformed into 360 Storytelling, which was offered by WonderTek labs every weekend of the festival, and a "PlayTank" at the Film Center the last day of fest. …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Best of Week Three — The Taste of Betel Nut

In the opening scenes, we see Li Qi (Shen Shi Yu) put on clown makeup and perform with a seal. We then see him after the performance, alone except for his animal partner. He washes off his makeup and cleans his clothes in the sink with soap. He pauses to look at the soap bar, …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Best of SIFF, Week Two — Tigers Are Not Afraid

Tigers Are Not Afraid starts in fact and ends in myth. Much like Pan's Labyrinth, the film follows a girl (named Estrella and played by Paola Lara) who uses fantasy to deal with a grisly reality. In Pan's Labyrinth, the reality was Franco's Fascist rule of Spain. Tigers Are Not Afraid deals with a more recent nightmare: …

Shorts at Shoreline

For the third straight year, Shoreline Community College (SCC) was one of the satellite venues for SIFF. This year, however, was the first year I attended a screening there, and the screening I attended launched the first-ever Episodic Content category: WebFest at Shoreline (this was the only screening of this content during the festival). Besides …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Best of Week One — Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Most people would be daunted by the subject of Won't You Be My Neighbor? Just the archival material alone, from all the shows of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood that aired (920 episodes, according to director Morgan Neville), would give a lesser man a headache. Luckily, Morgan Neville is not a normal man, yet the story of …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Capsule Reviews, Week Three

Here are all the capsule reviews for week three in alphabetical order, including the entire final weekend of SIFF. Release dates are included where applicable. Again, my rating system: 1=Awful. Major flaws in plot/characters/writing/filmmaking. No reason to see this film unless you have to, and then I still wouldn't. 2=Okay to average. Some major/minor flaws …

SIFF 2018 Edition: Capsule Reviews, Week Two

Here are my capsule reviews for the second week of the festival. None of these films have release dates outside of the festival, except for some of the web series. Again, my ratings are: 1=Awful. Major flaws in plot/characters/writing/filmmaking. No reason to see this film unless you have to, and then I still wouldn't. 2=Okay …