It's the fourth year of the Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival, and since y'all know I love me some horror and fantasy movies, y'all also know that I am beyond excited. 

This year the fest is screening 5 features and over 40 shorts that focus on action, animation, fantasty, horror, and science fiction. You can get an entire festival pass for only $60 and see EVERYTHING, or pick individual screenings for $10 a pop. Tickets and passes will be availalbe at both venues: The SIFF Film Center and SIFF Cinema Uptown, or you can grab 'em online here. 

Among the features I'm personally exicted about are The Human Race, which has sort of a Series 7: The Contenders vibe to it, but likely WAY bloodier, as it involves way more people (the trailer is pretty wicked), and The Big Black, about heaven/hell/angels/demons - I don't know. It just looks awesome! There are too many great-looking shorts to mention, but I encourage you to peruse the schedule and pick a package that speaks to you. 

{Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival | Oct. 5-7 | SIFF Film Center, SIFF Cinema Uptown | $60 full series pass, $10 individual screenings (and shorts packages)}

A true 'best-of' SIFF 2012 program, IMHO, would include gritty French drama Polisse, Russian chiller Elena, Argentine road movie Las Acacias, French-Canadian melodrama Wetlands, Dutch sensuality experiment 170 Hz, and a number of exceptional documentaries (How to Survive a Plague, The Imposter, Wonder Women, and especially Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present).

And while I've never really claimed to be tuned to the collective frequency of the SIFFgoing public, it's still tough to fathom the dreary Any Day Now winning 2012's top audience award. But win it did, and it's among 18 features and one shorts package playing at SIFF Cinema's 'Best' of SIFF 2012 series unspooling this weekend. None of my personal favorites will be there, but some are indeed coming (again) soon to a theater near you.

Of SIFF's 'best of' films I've seen (75% of them, in fact, if you include the three which begin regular week-long runs at SIFF's cinemas on Friday), I only posted a solid-ish recommendation to one: Welcome to Doe Bay. But had I seen a few others earlier -- Extraterrestrial, King Curling, The Invader -- I'd've given them my version of a thumbs-up too and notified you about them before they screened. I'm glad I can give them some love now.

But I'm realistic about how much my opinion really counts for here, so proceed with cautious optimism as you leverage the opportunity to see some audience- and jury-award honorees (alongside a few non-winners that SIFF programmers apparently just saw fit to screen again), explore a few flicks the intrepid TIG film staff didn't make it to, and catch up on some of the general SIFFiness you may've missed out on over the past month. All screenings are at the Uptown unless otherwise noted.

DAILY, June 15-21; see siff.net listings for showtimes:

Extraterrestrial
{Runner-up: Best Director Golden Space Needle Award}
Julio wakes up in Julia's bed, after a night neither of them remembers very well; their awkward, hungover morning-after grows even stranger when they discover that colossal alien spaceships have appeared over Madrid. This is a quick and pleasant little romp by Timecrimes director Nacho Vigalondo, who did a charming and funny Q&A at the SIFF screening I attended. I can't promise Extraterrestrial will be quite as magical in his absence.

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Time's a-wastin', procrastinators: time to turn off the Netflickery and get yourselves to an actual cinematic event. SIFF 2012 comes to a close on Sunday, and here I present to you a handy list of six sure-fire hits -- some archival favorites, most recently-screened standouts -- all unspooling this weekend as the festival prepares to bid adieu for the year.

You'll notice that the Closing Night selection Grassroots, which chronicles Grant Cogswell's 2001 Seattle City Council bid (on a tenacious pro-monorail platform), isn't on this list; I got an early look and I can tell you it jumps the rails pretty early on, veers into unpleasantly manic territory and finally wobbles its way to a very silly finale. Not terrible, but far from great, and definitely not worth the gala-ticket pricepoint. I actually doubt the film will have much interest outside the 206 and adjacent area codes, and -- fun though it can be to see our Space Needle and our evergreens and our neighborhood haunts on the big screen -- a gigantic world-cinema celebration like SIFF reaffirms for us all that Seattle actually isn't the center of the universe. Right?

DON'T MISS:

Best of SIFF 2012 shorts
{screens June 10 at 7pm at the Egyptian}
The full roster for this late-breaking collection of Audience and Jury favorites from the shorts programs won't be announced until day-of, but assuming the Shortsfest award-winners are prominent this should be an entertaining and enlightening package. I'm partial to Nudist Beach (from the Keep Calm and Carry On set of Brit shorts) and Paradise (from the Over The Edge program), the latter of which won the Documentary Short Grand Jury prize and will likely be screened here. Amie picked a nice roundup of standouts a couple weeks ago that just might get their second shots too.

Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
{screens June 8 at 4pm at the Uptown}
This outstanding examination of the remarkable life and groundbreaking work of the 60something Belgrade-born performance-art sensation documents the conception of her ultimate self-portrait -- a three-month 2010 MoMA retrospective whose centerpiece was the artist herself looking intently at whatever museum visitor sat facing her, every damn hour of every damn day MoMA was open -- and its glorious culmination. This is a smart, perceptive, beautifully assembled film that manages to make challenging art accessible, and to give us the sensation of gazing into Marina's eyes ourselves. It's my documentary best-of-fest pick, and one of my favorite films of any genre so far this year.

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One week remains of this year's movie gorge-fest -- which means if you have access to Seattle (or Kirkland) screens and you haven't yet partaken in the cinematic gluttony, it's not too late. Here's the intel on six films to see, three to avoid, and five to consider, all screening during SIFF 2012's final full week (6/4 - 6/10):

DON'T MISS:

Guilty
{screens June 4 at 9:30pm at the Harvard Exit}
Devastating French bloodboiler based on the memoir of Alain Marécaux, who, along with his wife, was wrongfully accused of involvement in a child sex ring in 2001. This is certainly not a feel-good film -- we see Marécaux endure the effects of false testimonies, horrific legal blunders, and several years of incarceration before he gets a proper day in court -- but the first-person travails pack this account of one of France's greatest judicial scandals with a shattering punch.

Hello I Must Be Going
{screens June 8 at 6pm at Pacific Place, June 9 at 3pm at the Harvard Exit}
Thirtysomething sadsack Amy (Melanie Lynskey), newly jobless and husbandless, reluctantly moves in with her high-achieving parents (Blythe Danner and John Rubenstein); an unexpected guest arrives arrives in the adorable form of her dad's client's 19-year-old son (Christopher Abbott, aka Charlie of HBO's Girls), and what follows is alternately charming and squeamy. The cast is wonderful and the Laura Veirs soundtrack is perfect for the material. A few silly, shticky missteps in the final third threaten to knock the story of the rails, but in the end the film's many charms win.

Moonrise Kingdom
{screens June 5 at 7pm at the Harvard Exit}
Wes Anderson's new film -- about troubled twelve-year-olds Suzy and Sam, who conspire to run away from their respective homes, and accordingly turn a New England island community upside down -- has many of the auteur's trademarks: it's drolly deadpan, visually controlled, and frequently wonderful. Whenever and however you see it (the single SIFF screening or in general release beginning June 8), be sure to stick through the closing credits for a perfectly thematic tribute to composer Alexandre Desplat. Delightful.

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Has the SIFFatigue gotten you down? Or (worse) have you not partaken of the SIFFtacularness at all yet?

Either way, don't fret, because there are plenty of worthy offerings unspooling soon. I know of six films scheduled to screen next week that are absolutely worth the exertion required to face the neverending queues, the redundant pre-film bumpers, and the passholes. Eight more flicks get honorary mentions, and I'd be remiss in not bringing a couple to your attention that are more irksome than an average visit to the Egyptian Theater men's room.

Highlights for Monday-Sunday, 5/28 - 6/3:

DON'T MISS:

170 Hz
{screens May 31 at 9pm at Pacific Place, June 7 at 7pm at the Uptown, June 9 at 2pm at Pacific Place}
Dark, absorbing, ferociously visual Dutch flick about two very attractive deaf post-adolescents who fall hard for each other and -- rebelling against their parents' various encroachments on their lives, of course -- cook up a plan to run away together. The leads' performances, the atmospheric handiwork, and the not-quite-linear storytelling are spot-on in the most purely sensual film I've seen in quite a while.

Countdown
{screens June 2 at 6pm and June 4 at 3pm at the Uptown}
This Korean pulse-pounder asks the viewer to take many leaps of faith; I suggest you strap in and just go with it. The wild yarn commences with a badass debt collector who finds himself with terminal cancer and 10 days to live. (Remember what I said about the leaps of faith? Keep reading.) He seeks out a viable liver-donor candidate with issues and drama and action-movie potential of her own, and has to work hard at keeping this potential savior safe. The ticking clock charges the film's first half with breakneck narrative thrust, and a midpoint revelation adds unexpected emotional depth to the frenzied proceedings; by the (unnecessary) tear-jerkin' final coda you realize you've ended up with a completely different film than you started with.

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A gritty South African noir, a gorgeous French-Canadian melodrama, and a cloying gay "message movie" from right here in the US of A are among the hits and misses on offer during SIFF 2012's first full week.  

Highlights for Monday-Sunday, 5/21 - 5/27:

DON'T MISS:

Elena
{screens May 24 at 7pm at Pacific Place}
Gripping, stylish, gorgeously crafted Russian tale of a coveted bequest, pitiless class conflict, and the misdeeds of a tenuous marriage. He's rich, in poor health, and drawing up a will; her lazy son's trashy family needs dough. But noted filmmaker Andrei Zvyaginstev (The Return) doesn't allow their story to follow any prescribed path. Tension arrives in slight movements and subtle unravelings; it's a beautifully slow burn, and patience is rewarded manifold. Feast your eyes.

How to Survive a Plague
{screens May 21 at 9pm at Pacific Place}
Outsiders throughout history have been organizing to solve seemingly insurmountable problems; the dilemma du jour in mid-'80s NYC was the AIDS crisis. This marvelously thorough documentary focuses on organizations ACT-UP and TAG, their struggles with prevailing ideas of the day and their roles in the mid-'90s breakthrough of combination therapy. Via amazing archival footage we see the activists age and progress over the course of three presidential administrations and millions of deaths. A passionate and extraordinarily moving account of a hard-won turning point.

The Imposter
{screens May 23 at 8:30pm at the Uptown, May 29 at 9pm at the Harvard Exit}
Spellbinding, infuriating, beautifully executed documentary thriller about a French Algerian mystery-man who in 1997 passed himself off as a missing San Antonio teen, fooling international officials and (most astoundingly) the boy's actual family. Queasiness in the first half ends abruptly when an awesomely old-school local P.I. rolls in (complete with Johnny Cash fanfare) and gets the show on the road, leading the crazy-ass story to an edge-of-your-seat climax. The film satisfies, even if the real-life outcomes do not.

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It’s time once again to run down the highlights of this year’s Face the Music program for the Seattle International Film Festival!

There are a ton of great things this year, but the film I think our Imaginaries will be most excited about is the documentary Welcome to Doe Bay, which chronicles the community and camaraderie of Doe Bay Fest—a camping trip/music festival/weekend-long party at Doe Bay Resort on Orcas Island that brings Pacific Northwest music stars and fans together for a relaxing musical retreat, and apparently, some slip-n-slide action and s’mores. The trailer is packed with engaging commentary and familiar faces (Hi, Jace!) and I’m sure the music featured by Sera Cahoone, Lemolo, the Maldives, Fly Moon Royalty, Champagne Champagne, and … wait for it … The Head and the Heart will be the draw for fans of the scene. {Screens June 3, 9:15pm, The Egyptian & June 5, 9:30pm, SIFF Cinema Uptown}

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Emerald City Visions (A Hip Hop Reinterpretation of The Wiz) looks pretty radical. The description promises OC Notes, Don’t Talk to the Cops, and “some of the hottest names in hip hop” (I guess it’s a secret, but I know who I’m pulling for) will infuse the musical score of The Wiz with some fresh flavor and beats. Word. {Screens June 1, 7pm and again at 9:30pm, The Triple Door—and if you see the 7pm showing, you’ll still have plenty time to make it to our Rockstar New Wave Karaoke show!}

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I’m always most excited about SIFF’s Northwest Connections showcase, and more so this year than ever, since Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister is screening on opening night! If I had my way, a film by a Seattle director would ALWAYS open the fest. But uh, until I’m charge, I guess that probably won’t happen. Anyway! Let’s dive into this year’s schedule.

I can’t say enough good things about Your Sister’s Sister, and I’m sure it will open soon after the fest in Seattle, so if you’re unable to attend Opening Night, don’t fret—you should be able see it soon enough! It’s a really fantastic piece of REAL storytelling. With relatable characters and a lot of laughs … I mean, duh. It’s Lynn Shelton! But seriously, I really, really, really think it’s her best work yet. And now I can’t wait to see her recently completed film,Touchy Feely. {Screens at the Opening Night Gala, May 17, Marion Oliver McCall Hall}

A second standout that I’ve was lucky enough to preview is Eden by Megan Griffiths. Can I tell you guys how pleased I am about two of my favorite female directors being spotlighted at SIFF? I AM VERY PLEASED. FOR REALS. And even more pleased that Eden is fucking spectacular, and worthy of that Stranger Genius Award. Chronicling a young girl’s abduction and capture at the hands of a super-icky gang of dudes who run a sex slave house near Vegas, Eden tells the story with non-exploitive delicacy, beautiful care (it’s based on a true story), and some goddamn amazing performances. Obviously, this film makes me want to swear. But only because I REALLY loved it. {Screens  May 19, 9:15pm, The Egyptian, & May 29, Everett Performing Arts Center}

SIFF is obviously trying to win my heart by choosing a filmed-in-Seattle gem as their Closing Night film. Grassroots (Kudos, Stephen Gyllenhaal, for actually filming a movie about Seattle IN Seattle, and not in Vancouver like a lot of other jerks), is about an obnoxious music critic (OH, WE HAVE THOSE??) who decides to run for City Council in order to make his dream of public transportation a reality. Politics + monorail hilarity + my hometown = this on must-see list. {Screens at the Closing Night Gala, June 10, 6pm, SIFF Cinema Uptown}

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Here we go again! Our local month-long cine-megathon hits this Thursday, with Lynn Shelton's fantastic new film Your Sister's Sister -- Imaginary Amie's favorite opening night selection in seven years -- headlining the kickoff festivities.

But then what? Well, of the twenty opening weekend features I've been able to catch in advance, I've come across handful of absolute must-sees, a couple of total stinkeroos, and a whole slew of mid-level entertainments with at least a lil' somethin' to enjoy (and usually a lil' somethin' not to enjoy, too).

And if these early films are any indication, well, fasten your seatbelts. It's gonna be a bumpy SIFF.

Are you ready? Well, we are. Highlights for Friday-Sunday, 5/18-5/20:

DON'T MISS:

Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry
{screens May 18 at 6:30pm and May 19 at 4pm at Pacific Place}
Ai Weiwei is arguably China's most polarizing contemporary artist, frequently harassed by authorities for conveying (through his art and otherwise) criticisms of his government's blatant disregard for civil rights and heinous lack of transparency. Filmmaker Alison Klayman got amazing access to Ai himself and makes great use of archival footage in crafting a compelling portrait. But even after the artist finds himself silenced, it's really the work that speaks, however large in scale, boldly and beautifully.

Elena
{screens May 18 at 11am and May 24 at 7pm at Pacific Place}
Gripping, stylish, gorgeously crafted Russian tale of pitiless class conflict, a coveted bequest, and the misdeeds of a tenuous marriage. He's rich, in poor health, and drawing up a will; her lazy son's trashy family needs dough. But noted filmmaker Andrei Zvyaginstev (The Return) doesn't allow their story to follow any prescribed path. Tension arrives in slight movements and subtle unravelings; it's a beautifully slow burn, and patience is rewarded manifold. Feast your eyes.

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{The Manhattan Short Film Festival screens at the Kirkland Performance Center on 10/1 at 5 and 8 pm}

Many of you out there know I have a fondness for short films. Partly because I think that creativity loves constraints. The best shorts enthusiastically demonstrate that truism. There's also the law of large numbers aspect to the equation; when you sample more film, the odds of you really liking something goes up. Or at least that's been my experience. These rationales plus my borderline addiction to film in general seemed like great reasons to sample the ware of the Manhattan Short Film Festival...and I was not disappointed.

This two-hour set of ten films is a true international festival. In the sense that over one week 10 finalists, whittled down from 598 entries, play in over 200 cities across the globe. Audience members in all locations vote for a single winner. Though having seen the whole program, I'd have to say the true winners are gonna be the attendees. Cheesy perhaps, but oh so true. Best I can tell, your last chance to catch these films in the Seattle area is on October 1st - so plan your weekend accordingly.

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