SIFF's last weekend--and some movies for the rest of the world

6/11/11

It's the last weekend of SIFF now, and Seattle movie nerds are frantically trying to catch as many films as possible before the real world descends once again. Here are some comments on a few movies that will show this weekend:

Sound of Noise--a very hard-to-describe, very entertaining Swedish film about a group of people (musical terrorists? guerrilla percussionists?) on a mission to make music in illegal ways and the policeman who is trying to stop them. Delightful--and a toe-tapper.

To Be Heard--a documentary about a high school writing program in the Bronx, focusing on three of the participants. Very well done, sort of like a less uplifting version relative of Louder than a Bomb.

Tabloid--another fascinating documentary by Errol Morris (The Fog of War), this one providing the details of a 1978 tabloid story about a kidnapped Mormon missionary. Stranger than fiction, sad and funny and amazing all at the same time.

Lys--a eco-sci-fi tale which demonstrates once again that you shouldn't mess with Mother Nature. Simultaneously predictable and incomprehensible. Very skippable, it felt longer than its 52 minutes.

All Your Dead Ones--very good Colombian movie about a farmer who finds a pile of bodies in his field. Dealing with this is no small task. Absurdist, a little surreal, and definitely worth seeing.

The Life of Fish--a thirtyish Chilean man at a party with friends from his youth, friends he hasn't seen for a while. It's not bad, but TVOR got tired of everybody and their problems and just wished he'd leave the party.

Por El Camino--a lovely road trip movie through Uruguay. A young Argentinian man gives a young Belgian woman a ride and the narrative unfolds. Very enjoyable, and it made TVOR want to go to Uruguay.

Spud--taking place in 1990 at a south African boarding school, this film chronicles the adventures of Spud, a kid with a weird family and a body that isn't maturing fast enough to suit him. TVOR wanted to like this more than she did, especially since John Cleese plays the English teacher.

Third Star--a very nicely done film about a group of longtime friends, one of whom is dying, who go on a camping trip. Not surprisingly, things do not go smoothly. Surprisingly, the movie avoids bathos and has some genuine humor along with the drama. The acting is good, too--thumbs up.

It has also come to TVOR's attention that not everyone is in a city where a film festival is happening. Fortunately for them, there are some good movies out in the rest of the world right now. Here are a few TVOR recommends:

Beginners

Written and directed by Mike Mills

This gets TVOR's vote as the movie to see right now. Beginners tells two stories. One is about Ewan McGregor as a guy whose 70-something father (Christopher Plummer) comes out as a gay man. The second follows a blossoming relationship between the McGregor character and an actress, played by Melanie Laurent. There is also a dog whose thoughts are indicated with subtitles, a gimmick which really shouldn't work but somehow does. This is a lovely, sweet film. Watching McGregor and Plummer together is bliss.

Submarine

Directed and co-written by Richard Ayoade

Submarine is a coming of age film about a 15 year old British boy who has two main concerns--trying to get himself laid, and saving his parents' marriage. He's a very busy guy. We really get a sense of the main character's world view and a very entertaining one it is.

Win Win

Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy

If by chance this film is hanging around in a theater near you, and you haven't seen it yet, go. It's another film by the writer-director of The Station Agent and The Visitor. Paul Giamatti plays a wrestling coach, with Amy Ryan as his wife, and Bobby Cannavale as his friend. You really don't need to know anything else.

Jane Eyre

Directed by Cary Fukunaga

This could also still be lurking in theaters, and it's another good one, even if you've seen every version of Jane Eyre out there. (And there are many.) Mia Wasikowska plays Jane, Michael Fassbender plays Rochester, and both are true to the characters as written in the book (although better-looking, of course). Fukunaga is two for two as a director. His first film, Sin Nombre, was a beautifully done film about people trying to get from Mexico and points south into the US, and was entirely in Spanish. That's what TVOR calls range.

Now, go to the movies!

Fifteen days down, ten to go for SIFF 2011

6/3/11

There are ten days left in SIFF 2011, and many interesting movies to check out. Here are some of them:

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey--the man behind (or maybe TVOR should say inside) Elmo of Sesame Street fame. You don't have to have ever seen Elmo in action to love this movie. And get a little misty. The director, as well as Kevin Clash, Elmo's human part, will be in attendance at SIFF!

The Importance of Being Earnest--an HD recording of a live performance of the Oscar Wilde play, currently running on Broadway. Brian Bedford is superb as Lady Bracknell (yes, that's right), and the rest of the cast rises to his level. If you can't go to New York and see it, plant yourself at SIFF Cinema. These things tend not to ever show up on video.

Jucy--a womance about a couple of twenty-something BFFs in Australia. Tons of fun.

Kinshasa Symphony--a documentary about exactly that. These are not professional musicians, these are people who come together and make music, in spite of incredible difficulties. (They live in Kinshasa, after all, no bed of roses.) We meet several of the musicians, and learn about their lives. Very well done.

A Thousand Times Stronger--a Swedish film about young teen kids at school--the various cliques, who runs the school (the boys, FYI), etc.--and how that gets disrupted when a new student arrives. Entertaining for adults, good for kids as well. (Not tiny ones, as there are subtitles and some swearing.)

Sushi: The Global Catch--this movie makes you want sushi, then discusses some of the sustainability issues that you knew were coming. Well presented, thought-provoking.

The Empire of Mid-South--excellent documentary about Vietnam since the colonial era using amazing archival footage, and first-person narratives from various sources including the Vietnamese and the various people who have come through the country and attempted to run things. From the director who made Winged Migration.

The Names of Love--a French comedy that's actually funny, with some heart as well. TVOR liked it.

Norman--pretty good teen drama, shot in Spokane, WA of all places. The ending is a bit too tidy, but the acting and script are good. All in all a thumbs up.

Hot Coffee--you know how that lady got a huge award after spilling MacDonald's coffee on herself, that incident that became a poster child for the tort reform issue? This film tells the other side of the story. This is definitely a film with a point of view, and is good food for thought.

Flying Fish--TVOR liked this film, though it's not for everybody. It's a beautifully shot film from Sri Lanka (and when have you ever seen anything from Sri Lanka?), telling several stories happening in a small community. The downside is that it's hard to figure out the various stories, as there are few closeups, and sometimes it's hard to tell who things are happening to. The upside is that it does all come together in the end. And it definitely is beautiful.

Grandma, A Thousand Times--a documentary about the filmmaker's Lebanese grandmother, this film is a delight.

Now, go to the movies!

SIFF--one week in

5/27/11

SIFF continues, as does the parade of good movies. Granted, there have been a few not-so-good ones too, but TVOR will try to steer you away from those if she can. And let's face it, we don't all have the same taste, so my big dud can be someone else's favorite. Although that person would be wrong.

Here are some films with upcoming screenings:

Small Town Murder Songs--one of TVOR's favorites of the festival so far. A little gem, a story of a flawed man trying to be a better man. And it has a wonderful soundtrack. See it.

Page One: Inside the New York Times--the documentarians were in the newsroom of the New York Times for a year, spending most of their time on the Media desk. If you're interested in how we get information and the quality and accuracy of that information, you should see this. Fascinating and very well done.

Steam of Life--another good documentary, this one from Finland. It's basically a lot of naked Finnish men of various shapes and sizes sitting in saunas of various shapes and sizes, talking about a lot of personal stuff. Amazingly, it's interesting and affecting and worth a look.

Killing Bono--first of all, no Bonos were injured during the making of this film. It's not a documentary--it's a narrative film based on the real story of a guy who went to school with Bono, and then spent years trying to have his (Bono's) life. Which is not easy if you have a knack for seizing defeat from the jaws of victory. Amusing and entertaining.

Treatment--fairly amusing Hollywood satire of the mumblecore genre. As most of us have no trouble believing that Hollywood is an insane place, there aren't a lot of surprises here. But it's not a bad way to spend 84 minutes.

Lesson Plan--a documentary about an experiment done in a Palo Alto high school in the 1960's, which basically turned a classroom of kids into fascists in less than a week. Not a great film, but an interesting subject. Worth a look.

Letters from the Big Man--the story of a girl, a sasquatch, and the forests of Oregon. First of all, TVOR must fess up: against all odds, she kind of liked this movie. Many others didn't. It's ridiculous in many ways--there's a guy in a furry suit after all--but for some reason TVOR enjoyed watching it. Even though it's not a particularly good movie. The scenery is nice, however.

The Rescuers--a documentary about a number of diplomats who saved Jews from the Nazis, often against the official policies of their countries. Not a good film, though--there's a Rwanda story which doesn't really fit in the structure of the movie, there are bad recreations of events, and an irritating score. If you can get past the film itself and focus on the information, it's interesting, though.

Viva Riva!--a movie from the Congo that may convince you (if you weren't already convinced) that things are a mess in the Congo, crime and corruption are rampant, there's little hope for progress, and you never want to go there. It's actually a fairly well put-together film, but it's filled with bad people doing bad things to each other. Be warned.

Now go to the movies!

SIFF 2011 opening weekend

5/23

It's been a good first few days at SIFF 2011. Opening night was great fun, and although reactions on the opening night film (The First Grader) were mixed, the accompanying party got universal raves. TVOR had approximately 15 seconds of fame, appearing in the background of a red carpet photo of a person in a giant panda suit interacting with a television personality that appeared in the Seattle Times. Yes, it's true, Kung Fu Panda was the biggest celebrity in town for the event.

Once the festival got seriously underway, TVOR saw some very good films, and no people in panda suits. Here are some brief thoughts:

How to Die in Oregon--a documentary about Oregon's Death with Dignity law, telling the stories of people who made the choice to take some control over their deaths. This is not for everyone, but it's suprisingly watchable, filled with humanity and humor. It's very well made, and definitely worth seeing. It will show up on HBO shortly, so watch for it.

Submarine--the coming of age genre gets a bad rap these days, but this British take on it, with excellent performances and lots of deadpan humor, is a good one.

The Trip--Michael Winterbottom directs Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing fictionalized versions of themselves on a restaurant tour of northern England. It's not Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, but it's pretty darned funny. TVOR laughed a lot.

The Future--Miranda July, who directed Me and You and Everyone We Know, has made another odd yet appealing (at least to TVOR) film. This is in spite of the fact that it's narrated by a cat, which TVOR was surprised to find that she didn't hate.

Beginners--Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer in Mike Mills' lovely film about fathers and sons and families and love. There's even an excellent performance by a dog. See it.

May 2011--time to go back to the movies

5/18/11

TVOR has been away from her keyboard for a very long time. She didn't really plan it that way, but after frenetic movie-going (and blogging) during last year's Seattle International Film Festival, she spent the summer recovering and interacting with real people in the real world. The summer movies were, in general, a pretty sorry lot, so time spent away from them was especially appreciated. There were a few exceptions (like The Kids Are All Right, Winter's Bone, Cyrus, Get Low, and a few others), but they were few and far between.

Then fall and winter rolled around, and the end-of-the-year Oscar bait came along. Some of those were pretty good (The Fighter, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Social Network, True Grit, etc.), and some were not (The Black Swan and Inception). Since last year's SIFF, The Millenium Trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) has been good and gritty fun. There were a few smaller movies that TVOR enjoyed as well--films like Jack Goes Boating, Somewhere, Cedar Rapids, Win Win, Jane Eyre, and Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.

But now SIFF 2011 is looming, and TVOR is ready for some serious movie-going. And blogging. And maybe a little tweeting. The 25-day festival starts on May 19th, but press screenings have been going for weeks already. TVOR has caught quite a few of those, and has seen other SIFF 2011 films in other festivals earlier in the year. Here is her take on what she's seen:

Young Goethe in Love—looks very Hollywood-like, all the people are pretty and seem to act in very contemporary ways. A biopic of Goethe that’s basically fluff. Strange.

Everything Will Be Fine—TVOR liked Boe’s first film, Reconstruction, but it’s been downhill from there. This just didn’t do it for her.

Silent Souls—thumbs up on this one. It’s slow, meditative, all sorts of things TVOR usually doesn't like, but this one worked for her.

The Poll Diaries—a historical drama of the not-so-pretty sort, it’s the kind of movie that makes you appreciate your own family. Well done.

Perfect Sense—a good, not great sci-fi love story.

Circumstance—Audience Award winner at Sundance—TVOR thought it was pretty good, but wouldn’t have rated it that high. Interestingly, at Sundance, they called it an American film—at SIFF, they’re calling it an Iranian film. It feels more like an American take on the story, even though it takes place in Iran.

Terri—very entertaining—John C. Reilly is great as usual.

The Bengali Detective—TVOR got a kick out of this one, although it’s not a great movie.

Bobby Fischer Against the World—very well-made and fascinating doc about Bobby Fischer—some of which was shot in Iceland. TVOR kept seeing places she'd been. Chess knowledge and/or interest not necessary.

Magic Trip—TVOR was predisposed to like this movie, and if you’re interested in those folks (Ken Kesey, Neal Cassidy, etc.) and the era, you’ll probably like it too. If not, it may not be for you. The film itself is a bit trippy.

The Off Hours—a pretty decent Northwest film, but not a must-see.

Mondays in the Sun (available on video)—Good actors (Javier Bardem for example), but not a very interesting film, at least to TVOR. Many others disagreed.

Amador--the newest one by the same director as Mondays in the Sun, and TVOR liked it a lot. Contemporary Spanish film about a young immigrant woman taking care of an old man.

Paper Birds--A Spanish Civil War-era historical drama made accessible and audience-friendly. TVOR didn't particularly like it, although some others did.

Win/Win--Pretty decent film about the downside of success in financial markets.

Venice--Yet another World War II drama where it is pointed out that Poland was not a good place to be. TVOR was not impressed.

Something Ventured--Very good documentary about the early (starting in the 1950's) venture capitalists.

The Most Important Thing in Life is Not Being Dead--Very weird movie about an insomniac piano tuner. TVOR liked it.

3--The newest film from Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run and The Princess and the Warrior), 3 tells the story of a love triangle, in his usual fairy-tale-like way. TVOR liked it.

A Barefoot Dream--A typical sports movie, with the ragged underdogs, led by a coach in search of redemption, playing the bigger and better teams, yet triumphing in spite of all odds. The twist is that the film is based on reality, the team is an East Timor youth soccer team, and the coach is Korean. Predictable but fun, and when else are you going to get a glimpse of East Timor?

Dance Town--North Korean woman escapes to the south, but life is still no bowl of cherries. Well done but grim.

Black, White and Blues--TVOR really didn't like this film. The look wasn't horrible, but the script was, and most of the actors, who, to be fair, had nothing to work with, were floundering. Unintentionally funny.

Microphone--TVOR liked this Egyptian film about the underground music scene in pre-Arab Spring Alexandria.

Buck--Very well done documentary about a real-life horse whisperer. Well, he doesn't exactly whisper, but it's the same idea. You don't have to be interested in horses to like this.

Touch--After a very shaky start (inexperienced actors, cheesy look), this film about a Vietnamese American manicurist and a mechanic with dirty hands has some decent moments. It's not too bad if you're feeling benevolent.

An African Election--a very interesting documentary about the 2008 Presidential election in Ghana.

On Tour--Mathieu Almaric is the star, director, and co-writer of this meandering film about an American burlesque troupe touring France. It's probably too long, and acting is not the strong suit of the burlesque artists, but TVOR enjoyed the slice-of-life aspect of the film, not to mention the burlesque. Almaric is very good as the obnoxious, tenacious, yet easily distracted manager. Thumbs up.

That should be enough to get you started. Go to the movies!

The Best of SIFF 2010

6/16/10

SIFF 2010 is over, and TVOR had a great time. She saw a lot of movies, and enjoyed most of them. But before she moves on to other subjects, there’s one more very important thing to comment on, and that’s The Best of SIFF 2010, happening at SIFF Cinema from June 18-20. This is a chance to catch some of the top films of this year’s SIFF. Maybe you missed them during the festival, or maybe you were intimidated by the whole idea of a festival. Now you have a pre-screened collection of winners and popular favorites. You really can’t lose. TVOR has seen most of the films, and will give her two cents on them. They’re listed in order of when they’re playing.


Friday June 18, 2010
2:00 PM
The Reverse
(Winner Best New Director - SIFF 2010 Grand Jury Prize)
TVOR really liked this film, a darkly comic story of three generations of Polish women and what happens when the youngest of them meets a man. It’s quite a ride, with great visuals and wonderful use of music, especially at the end. See it if you can.


Friday June 18, 2010
4:30 PM
Castaway on the Moon
One of TVOR’s favorites of SIFF 2010, this film is sweet and funny and charming. Sometimes a suicide attempt gone wrong can turn out so right. SEE THIS FILM.


Friday June 18, 2010
7:00 PM
The Hedgehog
(Winner Best Film - SIFF 2010 Golden Space Needle Audience Awards)
TVOR fell asleep during this film due to severe jet lag and has no opinion. Obviously much of the non-sleeping audience loved it, as it won SIFF’s audience award.


Friday June 18, 2010
9:30 PM
Leaves of Grass
Edward Norton plays identical twins and does it brilliantly in this strange combination of pot comedy and crime drama. TVOR liked it.


Saturday June 19, 2010
11:00 AM
The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girl
(Winner Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision, presented by Women in Film/Seattle)
A documentary about lesbian identical twin yodeling singer-songwriter-social activist-performance artist-sketch comediennes from New Zealand. What’s not to like about that? Answer: there’s nothing not to like about that. Go see this film.


Saturday June 19, 2010
1:00 PM
Ginny Ruffner: A Not So Still Life
(Winner Best Documentary (Tie) - SIFF 2010 Golden Space Needle Audience Awards)
TVOR missed this documentary about Seattle artist Ginny Ruffner, but plans to be in the audience on Saturday.


Saturday June 19, 2010
3:30 PM
Hipsters
This Russian musical is another one you have to see, even if you think you don’t like musicals. In mid-1950’s Moscow, the young and the hip are bumping up against the drabness of the Soviet system. The visuals are amazing, the music is fun, and the story and characters are engaging.


Saturday June 19, 2010
6:30 PM
Nowhere Boy
The story of John Lennon’s teenage years, his relationship with his mother and the aunt who raised him, and his early music career. Very good, with wonderful performances, especially by Kristin Scott Thomas and Anne-Marie Duff.


Saturday June 19, 2010
9:00 PM
Cell 211
(Winner Best Actor, Luis Tosar - SIFF 2010 Golden Space Needle Audience Awards)
A Spanish prison riot drama that won loads of Goya Awards (the Spanish version of the Oscars) including Best Film, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s a good one.


Sunday June 20, 2010
11:00 AM
Best of SIFF Shorts
A selection of both Audience and Jury favorite short films from SIFF 2010. When shorts are good, they’re very very good, and these are likely to be good. TVOR plans to be watching.


Sunday June 20, 2010
1:00 PM
Waste Land
(Winner Best Documentary (Tie) - SIFF 2010 Golden Space Needle Audience Awards)
From SIFF’s description: “Photographer Vik Muniz returns to his Brazilian homeland to develop an art project in the world's largest garbage dump. An audience award-winner at both Sundance and Berlin.” TVOR heard very good things about this documentary, but missed it. Now is a chance to see it.


Sunday June 20, 2010
3:30 PM
The Concert
A lot of people loved this French film (which is about Russians and largely takes place in Russia), but TVOR was not one of them. It’s the story of a former Bolshoi orchestra conductor who gets a bunch of his buddies to masquerade as the current Bolshoi orchestra for a concert in Paris. She found the plot so preposterous that she couldn't get into it at all. One can only suspend disbelief so much. If you like uplifting films, you might like it a lot. TVOR doesn’t really like uplifting films as a rule.


Sunday June 20, 2010
6:00 PM
Mao's Last Dancer
Another film quite a few people liked—but not TVOR. In addition to not liking uplifting films (see above), TVOR doesn’t much care for inspirational ones, and Mao’s Last Dancer fits into the latter category. At least the plot doesn’t strain credibility (see above again)--it’s the true story of a young boy taken from his village in 1970’s China and trained by the state as a dancer. After traveling to U.S. through an exchange program to dance with the Houston Ballet, he decides he doesn’t want to return to China. This decision does not go down well with the Chinese authorities. It’s unfortunate when a fact-based film feels artificial, but that was the case with this one.


Sunday June 20, 2010
8:30 PM
Marwencol
(Winner Best Documentary - SIFF 2010 Grand Jury Prize)
TVOR really liked this documentary about a man, who after surviving a brutal beating that left him severely brain-damaged and without his memories, devotes himself to a project that becomes his art and his therapy and his life. Fascinating. Definitely one to see.

Heading into SIFF's last week

6/7/10

TVOR is way behind on her SIFF updates, but to be fair, she has been tweeting. Here are some slightly longer blurbs. Most of these films have more screenings to come, so there's still time!

Cell 211--a gripping prison riot drama--definitely one to see. There are not nice people doing not nice things to one another, but the characters are interesting and it's totally worth it.

Run If You Can--German film about a guy in a wheelchair, the guy who is his assistant, and a woman they're both interested in. This sounds like it could be pretty bad, but it's actually quite good.

Reykjavik-Rotterdam--very entertaining Icelandic crime flick. Will the ex-con try to pull off one more job? And if he does, will he succeed? A U.S. remake is unfortunately in the works.

Gordos--the title means 'fat people' in Spanish, and it's about a group of them, the weight loss counselor who's helping them get thinner, and their families and the people around them. It's a strange movie, but if you're willing to go along for the ride, you may like it quite a bit. TVOR did. The ending is wild.

The Dancer and the Thief--TVOR liked this film a lot. Taking place in Santiago, Chile, it tells the story of two men who get out of prison on the same day, and weaves in some of the fallout of the Pinochet era.

For the Good of Others--pretty interesting Spanish film about a doctor who has a particular gift for healing.

Bride Flight--a fairly entertaining soap opera about a group of young women who emigrate from the Netherlands to New Zealand in the early 1950's, a hunky fellow passenger on their flight, and the directions their lives take in the following years.

Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel--an interesting film about an interesting guy, this documentary focuses on the social changes in the 50+ years since the magazine was founded, and Hefner's involvement in them. And then there's the naked women. And the mansion. And the clubs.

Tsar--Russian biopic about Ivan the Terrible being really, really terrible. Religious fervor plus absolute power plus craziness does not make for good government. The visuals are great.

Patagonia--a very pretty film (it takes place in some particularly scenic areas of Patagonia and Wales) but ultimately a tough slog for TVOR. A yuppie Welsh couple go to Patagonia and act in an irritating manner, and an old Patagonian woman and a young man go to Wales, and are much less irritating. The Welsh people really needed to be told to shape up but unfortunately no one did.

Agora--did you know that in 4th century Alexandria, they spoke British English? Neither did TVOR. Everything seemed hunky-dory as long as the pagans were running things (well, there was that pesky slavery, but a lot of the masters seemed really nice to their slaves, except for when they weren't). Then there were the Christians--and the Jews, but mostly the Christians. They got riled up and then everything went awry. It turns out that sometimes religious leaders incite their followers to violence against people of other faiths. And that women have trouble getting respect for their abilities and achievements, other than those of caring for families. Hmmm, TVOR wonders if there are any modern parallels. There's nothing like being hit over the head with a 2x4 by a filmmaker trying to make a point. TVOR wonders about the possibility of much success for a film (in the West, anyway) in which the Christians are the bad guys. In addition to the fact that the film isn't very good.

Meet Monica Velour--actually, don't meet her. TVOR met her so you wouldn't have to. The film has some decent actors (Kim Cattrall does a nice job in the title role) but the lead character is an unappealing idiot and the story is ridiculous.

Blessed--this is a well-made film that TVOR really wanted to like a lot more. It takes place in one day in Melbourne, Australia. The first part tells the stories of several children, and the second covers their mothers. It would probably not reveal too much to say that life is not a bowl of cherries for any of these people. It may be that TVOR is just to shallow to fully appreciate this film.

Garbo: The Spy--fascinating and entertaining documentary about a double agent during World War II. The filmmaker adds a lot of clips from old movies and archival footage to balance out the requisite talking heads. (The guy was a spy, it's not like they could get a lot of film of him at work.)

Leaves of Grass--sort of a pot comedy, sort of an acting exercise for Ed Norton (he plays two roles), and sort of a why you should not get involved with criminals movie. Amazingly, it works pretty well, and Norton does a great job.

All That I Love--a nice little Polish Solidarity-era coming of age, punk rock film.

Double Take--an interesting film that's really more video art than film (TVOR saw it in a Chelsea art gallery last year) but plays well on the big screen. It's about doppelgangers, Hitchcock, and the cold war.

American Faust--Condi Rice sells her soul to you-know-who. If you're on board with that view of the world, you'll probably enjoy this film.

One more week of movies in SIFF 2010!