BEST FILMS from SIFF 2010

This year I saw 125 new films at SIFF(starting May 3--Jun 13), and I'm pleased to report that I gave a grade of B- or better-- to 105 of them-----that's an astoundingly GOOD average!!!
Following are some of the highlights, specifically some GOOD things I saw for the 1st time during SIFF films.

>Exploited Turkish "street kids" learn to fight back in CHILDREN OF DIYARBAKIR, exacting vengeance on a murderer without using violence.

>Mature way beyond her 11 years, a smart precocious girl, cynical of adult hypocrities, still can't figure out how to keep her hair from becoming entangled in her eyeglasses, in THE HEDGEHOG--winner of the audience award Best Film (the Golden Space Needle), and the Fool Serious (Full Series) ticket holders.

>The engrossing thriller/prison movie CELL 211 does NOT contain a shower rape scene, but won best actor for Luis Tosar as the prison riot instigator from both the Golden Space Needle and the Fool Serious (Full Series) ticket holders.

>A desparate Ozark Teen trying to find her drug dealing father before the law siezes her house, gets beaten up by her own kin because they don't like her questions--in the stark, brilliant film WINTER'S BONE, which was the winner of Best Direction and Best lead Actress from both the Golden Space Needle and the Fool Serious (Full Series) ticket holders.

>Russia can make swinging, soulful, big colorful MGM-style musicals with eye-popping costumes and sets that are intelligent and adult--this one's called HIPSTERS. Winner Best music from the Fool Serious group and a top ten vote getter.

>In NOWHERE BOY, a John Lennon in his early teens finds out who (and what) his biological mother is--capturing the emotional core of all adoptees and adopters everwhere.

>Artist Vik Munoz uses garbage, literally, from WASTE LAND dumps, to transform the subjects into muses, heroes, and in most cases, better and more successful people. One of the top 3 vote getters (out of 32 documentaries.)

>In the mid 1970's, an all black high school jazz band from Texas was the greatest in the country. 35 years later they reunite to honor their now 92 year old leader/teacher, even though many have not played a note in all those years. The dynamic and upbeat THUNDER SOUL may not leave a dry eye in the house, even as you cheer. This was a last day, last minute addition, but I think it may have topped the documentary category if it had been scheduled earlier.

>Fourth century history is brought to vivid and intelligent life in AGORA, as the most famous antiquity library of all time in Alexandria, Egypt becomes threatened due to political disputes between Christians (the real, REAL bad guys, here,) Jews, and pagans. The politics is still disturbingly timely, and the film mixes epic themes with intimate realities for powerful results.

>A divorced father brings his 10 year old son from Rome to his home on a Mexican island for the summer, providing the child the education of a lifetime just by living on and in the water, in the beautifully etherial and dreamlike (and nearly like a documentary) ALAMAR.

>In THE BROTHERHOOD, two hardened racist skin-heads find a dangerous sexual attraction--to each other.

>In 1952 Warsaw, a young woman with a meddling, matchmaking mother and grandmother, tries to hide a gold coin from the authorities, repeatedly swallowing it daily. That turns out to be the "McGuffin" of a stylish, quirky thriller THE REVERSE, where no one is as they seem. A top vote getter from the Fool Serious group, and winner of best direction from the Golden Space Needle awards.

>A 15 year old French teen seeking (sexual) independance, and his needy neurotic single mother spar unmercifully (and amusingly accurately) at each other in the fantasy-titled I KILLED MY MOTHER.

>Two diverse women, strangers, end up in bed together in ROOM IN ROME, where they spend the night naked, making love and "peeling away" the lies and barriers that we all put up to avoid emotional intimacies. Very well done by SIFF favorite Julio Medem (SEX AND LUCIA, LOVERS OF THE ARTIC CIRCLE, VACAS, etc) but the subject matter divided the audiences.

>The TOPP TWINS: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS are New Zealand's biggest stars--singers, comediannes and social activists. They support indigenous rights, woman's issues, anti war and nuke causes, and gay rights/marriage with cheerful and amusing subtlety and effectiveness. One of the top three documentaries from both voting groups.

>A transplendant Tilda Swinton awakes from her cocoon of privelidge due to a passionate love affair that changes her life and those of her family forever, in the beautifully filmed I AM LOVE.

>The resourceful Edward Norton cleverly plays twin brothers of opposite moral platitudes in LEAVES OF GRASS, the amusing yet shocking tale of the drug culture in the South. It's a farce with a deadly edge.

>The happy musical BRAN NUE DAE is a singing, dancing miracle about Aboriginal rights and the struggle for self-determination which ends with some hilarious revelations straight out of a Shakespearean comedy.


HERE ARE SOME OTHER GREAT FILMS that are rated B+ or better--
AHEAD OF TIME, FAREWELL, LETTERS TO FATHER JACOB, BLESSED, BUS PALLADIUM, CASTAWAY ON THE MOON, FAMILY TREE, HENRY OF NAVARRE, HIDEAWAY, JOAN RIVERS; A PIECE OF WORK, K-20;FIEND WITH 20 FACES, STIGMATA, THE TILLMAN STORY, TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL, UNDERTOW.

The best of the films rated grade B.......
CAIRO TIME, COME UNDONE, THE CONCERT, FATHER AND GUNS, LEAVING, MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX, PROTEKTOR, REYKJAVIK-ROTTERDAM, SAMPSON AND DELILAH, SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, WHEN WE LEAVE, VENGEANCE, MAO'S LAST DANCER.


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A GREAT DEAL this weekend (June 18-20)-----SIFF CINEMA on MERCER at the Seattle Center is playing 14 of the BEST of the FEST---and you can buy a full weekend pass for only $60 bucks ($50 for members)---which is less than $4.50 per film if you see them all----and THEY ARE ALL WORTH SEEING!!!!!!! Scheduled are THE REVERSE, CASTAWAY ON THE MOON, THE HEDGEHOG, LEAVES OF GRASS, TOPP TWINS, GINNY RUFFNER-NOT SO STILL LIFE (highly rated but I missed that one), HIPSTERS, NOWHERE BOY, CELL 211, WASTE LAND, THE CONCERT, MAO'S LAST DANCER, and MARWENCOL, plus a SHORTS program. Of course, single ticket prices apply also.
Check out Siff.net for showtimes.


>>>>>>Also, check out my blogs for May and June (older blogs) for more detailed info on the films from SIFF 2010.......