SFIFF 2014: Actual Picks
After all the previous heuristic eliminations, there are an even dozen movies left. It'll be a miracle if I make it to two, what with work and the boy's birthday and visiting relatives and writing for Nanos. But here's what's left, in approximate order of my desire to see them:
20,000 Days On Earth
As stated before, @janesuperstar wants to see this, and I'm game. Alas, only rush tickets are available at this point. Ha ha. On another note, I am completely unsurprised that Nick Cave claims to spend all his time writing yet the trailer shows him typing with two fingers.
White Shadow
Coming of age in Tanzania, and staying alert for organleggers who want your albino body parts. Now there's a twist! The trailer looks intriguing and a little exploitative.
Pioneer
Typical Norwegian oil drilling platform political thriller. That's good! Also Rod Armstrong-approved - extra good!
Stephen Merritt accompanying The Unknown
Merritt's accompaniment to "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" a couple of years ago had a lot of filler, but some great moments. And there's also audience participation during the short, "Sissy Boy Slap Party" (embedded above)!
Tip Top: This might be too far out on the quirky tip, but the characters look 200% alive and the music is peppy (the music is in some other trailer).
Borgman
Trailer: WTF? Online commentary says the movie indeed has plenty of WTF. This movie could be twice as good as Cable Guy or twice as bad as Cable Guy.
If You Don't I Will
Wry French late relationship movie. Relationship movies about grownups, for grownups, probably count as experimental at this point.
Calvary
A guy tells a priest in confession that he's going to kill him for no reason. OK, I'm in.
Dear White People [NO TRAILER]
There's no actual trailer on the official YouTube channel, which is kind of a red flag, but they do have some other funny stuff ("The official number of black friends you need to not be racist has been raised to 2")
Impossible Light
Doc about the Bay Bridge light project. Not a lot of tension, therefore, but the screening is likely to be a lovefest, which is always fun (past examples: Dogtown and Z-Boys, Murderball).
American Dreams In China
Entrepreneurs in not-entrepreneur-friendly China. Feel good story.
Yves Saint Laurent: All the shots in the trailer are so stylish and I'm sure it's a fascinating story, but I just know if I was watching this I would be constantly saying, "Wait, is that a different dress? I think it's the same dress."
20,000 Days On Earth
As stated before, @janesuperstar wants to see this, and I'm game. Alas, only rush tickets are available at this point. Ha ha. On another note, I am completely unsurprised that Nick Cave claims to spend all his time writing yet the trailer shows him typing with two fingers.
White Shadow
Coming of age in Tanzania, and staying alert for organleggers who want your albino body parts. Now there's a twist! The trailer looks intriguing and a little exploitative.
Click to viewPioneer
Typical Norwegian oil drilling platform political thriller. That's good! Also Rod Armstrong-approved - extra good!
Stephen Merritt accompanying The Unknown
Merritt's accompaniment to "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" a couple of years ago had a lot of filler, but some great moments. And there's also audience participation during the short, "Sissy Boy Slap Party" (embedded above)!
Tip Top: This might be too far out on the quirky tip, but the characters look 200% alive and the music is peppy (the music is in some other trailer).
Borgman
Trailer: WTF? Online commentary says the movie indeed has plenty of WTF. This movie could be twice as good as Cable Guy or twice as bad as Cable Guy.
If You Don't I Will
Wry French late relationship movie. Relationship movies about grownups, for grownups, probably count as experimental at this point.
Calvary
A guy tells a priest in confession that he's going to kill him for no reason. OK, I'm in.
Dear White People [NO TRAILER]
There's no actual trailer on the official YouTube channel, which is kind of a red flag, but they do have some other funny stuff ("The official number of black friends you need to not be racist has been raised to 2")
Impossible Light
Doc about the Bay Bridge light project. Not a lot of tension, therefore, but the screening is likely to be a lovefest, which is always fun (past examples: Dogtown and Z-Boys, Murderball).
American Dreams In China
Entrepreneurs in not-entrepreneur-friendly China. Feel good story.
Yves Saint Laurent: All the shots in the trailer are so stylish and I'm sure it's a fascinating story, but I just know if I was watching this I would be constantly saying, "Wait, is that a different dress? I think it's the same dress."