SIFF 2019: Final Weekend, Final Thoughts

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (USA 2019, 115 min) Digital Screener, Sat 6/8 and Sun 6/9 Despite plans to see multiple movies over the final weekend of SIFF, I ended up seeing only one film, at home, and fell asleep for half of it (note: I fell asleep because I was tired and the …

SIFF 2019: An Interview with David Shields

During SIFF 2019, I saw a screener of the film Lynch: A History after a mutual friend put me in touch with the director/writer/producer, David Shields. Experimental films and I don't have a good track record, so I was surprised when I enjoyed the film, which builds a narrative entirely out of already-existing media. The …

SIFF 2019: Week Three Capsule Reviews

The Legend of the Stardust Brothers (Archival, Japan 1985, 100 min) Digital Screener, Sun 6/2 Makoto Tezuka (son of Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of Japanese manga) directed this wild Japanese musical at the age of 23. Basic plot: media mogul Mr. Minami (the late Kiyohiko Ozaki) takes rival singers Shingo (Shingo Kubota) and Kan (Kan …

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 2017: How I Almost Met Kore-eda — Anniversary Post

Since moving to Seattle, the only SIFF festival I didn't cover was in 2017. You can read my reasons for that here. A celebration of my ten festivals wouldn't be complete without a recollection from that festival, however, so here -- for the first time -- is a post from SIFF 2017. Artistic Director Beth …

Sssshhhh! It’s a secret. — Anniversary Post

I only wrote two posts for SIFF 2016: the one below, and my highlights post, which is the only one that includes information about the films I saw. The reason I decided to repost this one is because it's unlike any other post I wrote about the festival. More of an exercise in writing style …

SIFF 2019: Week Two Capsule Reviews

A Family Tour (Taiwan/Hong Kong/Singapore/Malaysia 2018, 107 min) Digital Screener, Fri 5/24 Of all the movies I've seen as screeners that I wish I'd woken up for and seen in a theater, this one is at the top (followed by Sibel), mainly due to the abundance of written information plastered all over the screener. Still, …

Tuesdays at the Harvy — Anniversary Post

Of all the posts I've written for the Seattle International Film Festival, this is the one I'm most proud of. So long, Harvard Exit! At the end of last year, the Varsity Theatre became the latest Landmark Theatre to close (it reopened earlier this year under the same management as the Admiral Theatre in West …

One Day, Six Films — Thursday, May 21, 2015 — Anniversary Post

I didn't receive a press pass for the 2015 festival, though I applied for one. Since I covered most of the festivals without one, that didn't stop me from covering the 2015 festival, where I saw a record-number of films (48). I also set a record for the most films seen in one day (with …