Hey folks, here's a helping of a whole smorgasborg of various films... So take a gander and see what you want to put on your tray... I'll be seeing ya...

I wrote to share my thoughts on a few movies that I saw at the Seattle
Film Festival.

Money Buys Happiness, this movie was getting hyped up by the
local press, and it was made by a Seattle filmmaker. Those were the two
reasons I was seeing it. This movies embodies all I hate in Independent
Cinema. Why does every other low budget director feel they have to make a
movie like this. The set up is the same as most. A couple having
relationship trouble, someone commits suicide, coffee shops, endless
talking about obscure subjects. Now don't get me wrong I like Independent
Films, hopefully some other movies at this Festival turn my opinions
around.

Next film I saw was Speedway Junkie. Only thing I really knew about this
one was that it was produced by Gus Van Sant. Going into it I thought it
was going to be the other kind of indy film, the Tarintino rip-off.
Thankfully I was wrong. The first feature length film for the
director, it's similar to two of Van Sant's earlier movies Drugstore
Cowboy, and My Own Private Idaho. This is a story of a young run-away who
has big dreams of becoming a race car driver. We meet him in Vegas where
he manages to lose his few possessions very quickly. He meets others like
himself, and gets dragged into their world of prostitution, drugs, and
guns. In a surprise role Jonathan Taylor Thomas is actually good as one of
the young hustlers. Darryl Hannah shows up as the hooker with the heart
of gold. Was a decent little film, well put together, but it was nothing
I hadn't seen before.

The Interview, I saw this cause it's Australian, and I think the Aussie's
have been making some of the finest films in the past few years. Great
country for up and coming filmmakers. The cops break down the door of Hugo
Weaving (Agent Smith from The Matrix), and drag him away to the police
station. I love these openings, where your instantly thrown into a
situation where you need to find out the who's, what's and why's. Most of
the movie takes place in a interrogation room, where we slowly find out
why he's been brought in. Similar to the Usual Suspects, but without all
the flashbacks. Your never really sure who's in control of the interview.
Hugo is great as he goes from being scared to being scary. Shot noir
style, in color but feels black & white.

Red Violin. One of the bigger films playing at the festival. I expect
this one to go a long way. This is the kind of film that wins awards, and
I wouldn't be surprised to see it up for a few Oscars next year. The
biggest name in the film is Samuel L. Jackson, there are a few other
recognizable faces. This is the story of a perfect violin. We are
introduced to it at an auction, we then flash back to the story of how it
got there. Built by an Italian master, played by a young French protege,
an English virtuoso, and hidden during a revolution in China. The violin
possesses whoever plays it, makes them better musicians, but ruins the
rest of their lives. It is all perfectly intertwined. In my favorite scene
the violin trades hands, while it stays stationary, the people and
backgrounds change. Beautiful violin music throughout, and we are treated
to four different languages.

Last Film I caught was Twin Falls Idaho. A weird, funny, and touching
film all in one. They are conjoined twins looking for their mother, who
abandoned them at birth. They are staying at a sleazy hotel, and call a
prostitute to help them celebrate their birthday. And like in all movies,
she is once again the hooker with a heart of gold, it doesn't take away
from the movie. She gets to know them as people, not freaks, and we get
to see what kind of life they live. They hold a nasty secret, that is
hinted at throughout, and is finally brought to the forefront at the climax
of the film. The twin brother actors manage very well to pull off
looking and feeling like Siamese twins. The rest of the actors leave a
little to be desired.

That's it. I would have seen a lot more, but being poor is a bitch. At
least I get to see films, unlike some of the other festival's where you
have to be "somebody" to get in. Optimus Prime signing off.