Another year of the Seattle International Film Festival has come to a close, and thankfully, our strictly virtual options this year were plentiful. Check out our full coverage on 2022's iteration of the festival, after the jump. A LOVE SONG This new romance drama depicting a beautiful night spent between two people out on a … Continue reading SIFF 2022 Wrap-Up
SIFF 2022: Moneyboys
★★★★ For my final film at this year’s Seattle International Film Festival, I am so happy things went out in a metaphorical bang with queer drama, Moneyboys. Filmed on location in Taiwan, this gorgeously-shot movie in Mandarin with English subtitles is a sexually-charged depiction of male prostitution set in China. The subject matter alone would … Continue reading SIFF 2022: Moneyboys
SIFF 2022: Doula
★★★ My interest in SIFF selection Doula was primarily sparked for one reason and one reason only: Troian Bellisario. Long before Pretty Little Liars went off the rails, Troian consistently impressed with a performance that transcended the ABC Family setting of its twisty, borderline nonsensical narrative. Now with Doula, Troian plays a grumpy, deeply pregnant … Continue reading SIFF 2022: Doula
SIFF 2022: The Duke
★★★★ Fueled with a decidedly British flavor of true-story based dramedy, The Duke gave me exactly what I needed. Starring Oscar winners Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren as an aging couple whose marriage is rekindled after a shockingly easy turn of events, a tale this wildly unbelievable could only be true. In 1961, Goya’s portrait … Continue reading SIFF 2022: The Duke
SIFF 2022: The Ghastly Brothers
★★★★ A creepy comedy in the vein of classics such as Beetlejuice and Casper, The Ghastly Brothers is a collaboration between two real-life brothers: director, writer, and star Michael Van Ostade, with co-writer and costar, Andrew James Van Ostade. This dark Belgian comedy reminds us that the scariest thing of all are the inner demons … Continue reading SIFF 2022: The Ghastly Brothers
SIFF 2022: Cop Secret
★★★★ Try to imagine the cheesiest imitation of a Bruce Willis 80s film like Die Hard, but injected with a magnum-sized dose of gay, and one will come close to picturing the delightful vibes of Cop Secret. This surprisingly great Icelandic action spoof plays up the inherent cliches of the genre to an exaggerated, preposterous … Continue reading SIFF 2022: Cop Secret
SIFF 2022: The Passenger
★★★★ I haven’t seen a film approaching the zany insanity of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead in quite a long time, but along comes Spanish parasite-alien flick The Passenger. It somehow ends up filling that perfect slot where Drag Me To Hell once occupied as well. Goopy, nasty effects work and richly drawn characters abound. … Continue reading SIFF 2022: The Passenger
Film Review: Censor
★★★★ Paired at the Seattle International Film Festival with Nasty, the short film that inspired it, Censor brings a grainy ode to horror excellence to the virtual fest. Set in grimy 1980’s Britain, it documents the mental unraveling of a feisty film censor, Enid (Niamh Algar). Video nasties, Britain’s censorship answer to the panic around … Continue reading Film Review: Censor
SIFF 2021 Festival Wrap-Up
This year, the Seattle International Film Festival went virtual! From April 8th - April 18th, I checked out 17 total films, and 3 short films. It was a pretty fascinating selection of unique (and often challenging) films. Anything not afforded full coverage is included here, as well as a personal top 5 favorites from the … Continue reading SIFF 2021 Festival Wrap-Up
SIFF 2021: The Legend of Hei
★★★★ The Legend of Hei, hailing from China where it struck box office gold, replicates a very smooth and specific style of 2D animation. Studio Ghibli would be proud of the lushness and splendid rendering that puts thrilling Chinese landmarks on full display, while centering solely on the richness of the characters and their relationships. … Continue reading SIFF 2021: The Legend of Hei