Wow, the weekend is here and it’s FULL of MOVIES, MOVIES, MOVIES! Oh, whoops, excuse me, that should be FILMS, FILMS, FILMS! (heh heh) And all at the 13th annual Independent Film Festival Boston (notice I removed the “of” because they have removed the “of”…takes me a while to notice this things, heh heh heh).
Last night, Kim and I took in the documentary “Do I Sound Gay?” from filmmaker David Thorpe, and it was funny and fascinating, as Thorpe looked to rid himself of “sounding gay”, which is a lot more complicated than it sounds. Excellent film, and Sundance Selects will be releasing it later this year, and I highly recommend it.
Today, things kick into all-day mode for the next two days, as IFFB begins to cram a TON of films in at both the Somerville and Brattle theatres. So here we go – films noted as “rush tickets only” are techincally sold out but may have some tickets available at the last minute. Descriptions are from the IFFB official website. An asterisk means Kim and I are planning to attend this film so if you see us, come over and say Hi!
Somerville 1, 12 PM – The Year We Thought About Love
A behind-the-scenes look at the Boston-based True Colors: Out Youth Theatre.
Somerville 1, 3 PM – GTFO
Investigates the prevalent misogyny in video game culture and questions the future of this 20 billion dollar industry.
Somerville 1, 7 PM – Call Me Lucky
CALL ME LUCKY is a passion project for Bobcat Goldthwait. The director traces the career of the film’s subject, his mentor Barry Crimmins
Somerville 1, 10 PM – 7 Chinese Brothers
Jason Schwartzman portrays Larry, an inebriated sad sack who rides a tide of booze onto the shores of an undiscriminating Quick-Lube.
Somerville 2, 2:45 PM – H.
Two women descend into madness after an alleged meteor strike sets off a series of strange events in their town of Troy, N.Y.
Somerville 2, 5: 15 PM – Lost Conquest
Vikings invade America in the motion picture event of 1000 A.D.
Somerville 2, 7:30 PM – Slow West (Encore screening – Rush Tickets only)*
At the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas (Michael Fassbender), a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by a gang of outlaws.
Somerville 3, 12:15 PM – The Great Alone
The inspiring comeback story of champion sled dog racer, Lance Mackey.
Somerville 3, 3 PM – City Of Gold*
Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold’s culinary odyssey of his hometown Los Angeles.
Somerville 3, 5 PM – Western
In Eagle Pass, Texas, where the U.S. and Mexico meet along the Rio Grande, a cattleman and the mayor face the looming specter of cartel violence. Screening Supported by The DocYard.
Somerville 3, 7:15 PM – Wildlike
Mackenzie, a troubled but daring teenage girl, is sent by her struggling mother to live with her uncle in Juneau, Alaska. Screening Supported by The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film
Somerville 3, 10 PM – Shorts program F – Documentaries
Somerville 4, 12 PM – Shorts program J – Documentaries (Rush Tickets Only)
Somerville 4, 2:20 PM – Shorts program B – Narratives (Rush Tickets Only)
Somerville 4, 5 PM – Shorts program E – Documentaries
Somerville 4, 7 PM – Shorts program C – Narratives
Somerville 4, 9:30 PM – Shorts program H – Documentaries (Rush Tickets Only)
Somerville 5, 12:15 PM – Stray Dog
A contemplative portrait of Ron “Stray Dog” Hall: biker, Vietnam Vet, and lover of small dogs. Screening Supported by The DocYard
Somerville 5, 2:45 PM – Radical Collaboration: The Director/Editor Relationship – Panel
Director Debra Granik (WINTER’S BONE, IFFBoston 2010; DOWN TO THE BONE) & Editor Victoria Stewart (STRAY DOG, AFTER TRAYVON) will discuss their process of bringing the story of “Stray Dog” to life.
Somerville 5, 4:45 PM – Welcome To Leith*
A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Somerville 5, 7:15 PM – Iris (Rush tickets only)
A vibrant portrait of the legendary, flamboyant 93-year-old style maven Iris Apfel by Albert Maysles.
Somerville 5, 9:45 PM – Day Release
During the first weekend of his parole, Mark Rodriguez witnesses the armed robbery of a security van. He decides to follow it, setting in motion a chain of bloody events. Screening Supported by The Boston Latino Film Festival
Brattle Theatre, 2 PM – Circus Without Borders (Rush Tickets only)
The inspiring story of two youth circuses from remote corners of the world.
Brattle Theatre, 4:30 – Best of Enemies
Chronicles the 1968 televised debates between liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley Jr. Screening Supported by The DocYard
Brattle Theatre, 7:15 – Morphine: Journey of Dreams (Rush tickets only)
In MORPHINE: JOURNEY OF DREAMS, the group’s surviving members and associates tell their story intercut with passages from saxophonist Dana Colley’s vivid tour journals.
Brattle Theatre, 10 PM – Deathgasm
A splatter horror/black comedy about two metalheads struggling to stop a malevolent force which they inadvertently unleashed. Co-presented by Wicked Bird Media
WHEW! That’s a LOT of films! Trying to cover them all is impossible, but we’re working on it! In the meantime, there’s plenty more to come – we’re only at the halfway point of the festival, and we’ll have more tomorrow.
If you’re looking for a bite around Davis Square in Somerville, you should check out Boston Burger Co, across the street from the theatre. We went for the first time last night, and OMG the food is OUT OF THIS WORLD. The Conch Fritters are incredible…what an odd thing for an upscale burger joint to have, but man, were they ever good! Also, for the best Chicken Alfredo on the planet, try Mike’s, just down the street, across from CVS – they also have unbelievable desserts too!