TwoOhSix Recap: 2019 Seattle International Film Festival

Twenty five festival days, Thirty eight movies, four interviews, and countless kernels of popcorn. Covering my home town film festival is always a major highlight of the year. Being immersed in film, film fans, and film makers is an experience well worth the late nights, popcorn dinners, and utter exhaustion by the time it's all said and done.

Booksmart - Movie Review

The Movie: Booksmart

The Director: Olivia Wilde

The Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Mason Gooding, Skyler Gisondo, Diana Silvers, Molly Gordon, Billie Lourd, Eduardo Franco, Nico Hiraga, Austin Crute

The Story: On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.

Men In Black: International - Movie Review

The Movie: Men in Black: International

The Director: F. Gary Gray

The Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Liam Neeson, Rafe Spall, Rebecca Ferguson, Emma Thompson

The Story: Thor and Valkyrie join forces with the guy from Taken and weirs stuff happens.

Dark Phoenix - Movie Review

The Movie: Dark Phoenix

The Director: Simon Kinberg

The Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Turner, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jessica Chastain, Scott Shepherd, Ato Essandoh, Halston Sage, Brian d'Arcy James

The Story:I have no idea.

TwoOhSix Interviews - Bob Byington and Kaley Wheless - Creators of Frances Ferguson for SIFF 2019

Frances Ferguson is a film about an unhappy young woman who goes to extreme lengths to escape the metaphorical prison that is her life by doing something that sends her to real prison. With screenings of the movie scheduled during the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival, director Bob Byington and  lead actress Kaley Wheless were on hand and set aside some time to sit down with me so that we could discuss this very particular creation.

TwoOhSix Interviews - Ben Kasulke Director of Banana Split for SIFF 2019

One of the first movies I watched for the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival was the super fun coming of age comedy Banana Split which was directed by Ben Kasulke who had worked for years in the Seattle area film industry before moving to California. Having an opportunity to sit down with Ben to discuss the new movie was a real treat as you can tell he has a real passion for film making and a ton of knowledge about his craft.

Support the Girls - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: Support the Girls

The Director: Andrew Bujalski

The Cast: Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Shayna McHayle, James LeGros, Dylan Gelula, AJ Michalka, Brooklyn Decker, Lea DeLaria, Jana Kramer, John Elvis

The Story: The general manager at a highway-side ''sports bar with curves" has her incurable optimism and faith, in her girls, her customers, and herself, tested over the course of a long, strange day.

The Review:
So, when the credits started rolling, I was genuinely surprised because I was still waiting for the story to start. Seriously. Nothing happens of any significance that would warrant this being a feature film. It was like four episodes of a bad sitcom strung together with no commercial breaks. Great cast, though so there's that.


Support the Girls is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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MEMORY - The Origins of Alien - SIFF 2019 Documentary Review

The Documentary: MEMORY - The Origins of Alien

The Director: Alexandre O. Philippe

The Story: The untold origin story behind Ridley Scott's Alien - rooted in Greek and Egyptian mythologies, underground comics, the art of Francis Bacon, and the dark visions of Dan O'Bannon and H.R. Giger.

Watch List (Maria) - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Watch List (Maria)

The Director: Ben Rekhi

The Cast: Alessandra de Rossi, Jake Macapagal, Arthur Acuna, Jess Mendoza, Angeli Bayani

The Story: After her husband is mysteriously killed in the drug wars of the Philippines, a widowed mother of three must confront her own darkness to protect her children from further harm.

The Legend of the Stardust Brothers - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Hoshikuzu kyôdai no densetsu aka The Legend of the Stardust Brothers

The Director: Makoto Teduka

The Cast: Shingo Kubota, Kan Takagi, Kyoko Togawa, Kiyohiko Ozaki, Issay

The Story: In 1985, Makoto Tezuka, the son of manga genius Osamu Tezuka, was still a film student with a few experimental shorts to his credit and who was entrusted with the mission to turn an album by Haruo Chikada into a musical film.

Enormous: The Gorge Story - 2019 SIFF Documentary Review

The Documentary: Enormous: The Gorge Story

The Director: Nic Davis

The Story: "The Gorge" has brought over 7 million fans, and the world's biggest musicians, to a patch of rural Washington farmland "150 miles from nowhere."

Ten Years Thailand - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Ten Years Thailand

The Directors: Aditya Assarat, Wisit Sasanatieng, Chulayarnnon Siriphol, Apichatpong Weerasethakul

The Cast: Boonyarit Wiangnon, Kidakarn Chatkaewmanee, Tanasawan Thepsatorn, Sakda Kaewbuade

The Story: Four directors from Thailand are asked to tackle an important social or political issue and imagine how it will play out ten years into the future.

Here Comes Hell - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Here Comes Hell

The Director: Jack McHenry

The Cast: Jessica Webber, Margaret Clunie, Charlie Robb, Tim Renouf, Tom Bailey

The Story: A 1930's dinner party descends into carnage, gore and demonic possession in Here Comes Hell, a genre-clashing horror comedy.

Greener Grass - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: Greener Grass

The Directors: Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe

The Cast: Jocelyn DeBoer, Dawn Luebbe, Beck Bennett, Janicza Bravo, Neil Casey, Mary Holland, D'Arcy Carden, Jim Cummings

The Story: Suburban soccer moms find themselves constantly competing against each other in their personal lives as their kids settle their differences on the field.

The Review:
Imagine a movie where the creators fill every scene and every moment with the most absurdly unexpected twists and turns leaving your brain in a constant state of "WTF". That's this movie and every bit of it works brilliantly. The end result is an extremely original and insanely hilarious comedy that pokes fun at the nuances of polite society while mixing in elements of the thriller and horror genres because why not.


Greener Grass is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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The Death of Dick Long - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: The Death of Dick Long

The Director: Daniel Scheinert

The Cast: Michael Abbott Jr., Virginia Newcomb, Andre Hyland, Sarah Baker, Jess Weixler

The Story: Dick died last night, and Zeke and Earl don't want anybody finding out how. That's too bad though, cause news travels fast in small-town Alabama.

The Review:
This movie is an interesting exploration on decision making under extreme duress, especially when needing to keep a deadly secret under wraps. The two primary characters, Zeke and Earl, are about as stereotypically Alabama as it gets and their constant stream of bad decisions makes for a lot of fun comedic moments. Not quite as insane as I was expecting but still a wild ride.


The Death of Dick Long is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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Frances Ferguson - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Frances Ferguson

The Director: Bob Byington

The Cast: Kaley Wheless, Nick Offerman, Keith Poulson, David Krumholtz, Martin Starr, Jennifer Prediger, Bill Wise

The Story: A small town's reaction to scandal.

Swinging Safari - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: Swinging Safari

The Director: Stephan Elliott

The Cast: Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Julian McMahon, Asher Keddie, Jeremy Sims

The Story: A teenager comes of age in a small Australian town during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.

The Review:
This movie tries to be a lot of things. It tries to be hip and edgy and over the top funny and, while it does hit those notes here and there, the entire production is a bit of a mess and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I tried to buy in to the style and tone of the film, it just didn't work for me.


Swinging Safari is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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Go Back to China - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Go Back to China

The Director: Emily Ting

The Cast: Anna Akana, Richard Ng, Lynn Chen, Kelly Hu, Kendy Cheung

The Story: When spoiled rich girl Sasha Li blows through most of her trust fund, she is cut off by her father and forced to go back to China and work for the family toy business.

House of Hummingbird (벌새) - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: House of Hummingbird

The Director: Bora Kim

The Cast: Park Ji-hu, Kim Sae-byuk, Lee Seung-yeon, Jeong In-gi

The Story: Seoul, 1994 -- in the year the Seongsu Bridge collapsed, 14-year-old Eunhee wanders the city searching for love.

The Review:
Brilliant. Just. Freaking Brilliant. This coming of age story is exactly what we needed right now. It is real, it is raw, and it is authentic. Bora Kim's story of a young girl dealing with the ups and downs of adolescence is a real treat to watch unfold even as it runs you through just about every emotion possible. Also, Park Ji-hu is absolutely stunning in her debut feature performance.


House of Hummingbird is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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Lynch: A History - SIFF 2019 Documentary Review

The Documentary: Lynch: A History

The Director: David Shields

The Story: Lynch: A kaleidoscopic look at NFL star Marshawn Lynch and his use of silence as a form of protest and how his journey parallels the black experience in America.

International Falls - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: International Falls

The Director: Amber McGinnis

The Cast: Rachael Harris, Rob Huebel, Matthew Glave, Kevin Nealon, Erik Griffin

The Story: A wife and mom with secret dreams of being a stand-up comic uses a one night stand with a burned-out touring comedian to face the harsh but funny truths of her failing marriage, neglected aspirations, and individual identity.

The Review:
As this year's festival unfolded, this movie was nowhere near my radar until a friend spoke highly of the acting performances so I figured why not give it a try. As the credits started scrolling on the screen and I started typing this review, I have to say I am in full agreement with my friend. Rachael Harris and Rob Huebel are fantastic in their roles and really sell their characters with an honesty and vulnerability that I wasn't expecting from what seemed like would be a pretty simple comedy film.

While the story is essentially a comedy, and it is very funny, there is a very mature and dramatic tone to the film that, in lesser hands could have come off as just a depressing mess. The pair play off ff each other perfectly and you really understand the struggles they are going through in their respective lives and what that baggage brings to their chance meeting. The magic of the story comes from how the two characters needed to cross paths in order to take a necessary turn in life that they have each been avoiding for years.


International Falls is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

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Official Secrets - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: Official Secrets

The Director:

The Cast: Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans

The Story: The true story of a British whistleblower who leaked information to the press about an illegal NSA spy operation designed to push the UN Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The Review:
This is Gavin Hood's first film since Eye in the Sky which also shed light on questionable activity from the U.S. government. Keira Knightley is pretty freaking amazing in the lead role and also look for a strong performance from Ralph Fiennes because that's kind of what he does. If you enjoyed Spotlight then this is definitely a film you want to check out as it has a very similar tone and style.


Official Secrets is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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The Art of Self Defense - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: The Art of Self Defense

The Director: Riley Stearns

The Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Imogen Poots, Alessandro Nivola, Steve Terada, David Zellner

The Story: A man is attacked at random on the street. He enlists at a local dojo, led by a charismatic and mysterious sensei, in an effort to learn how to defend himself.

The Review:
So, you're looking for a dark, dry comedy filled with social satire? This movie does all of that brilliantly and so much more and features a performance from Jesse Eisenberg that will make you think he was born to play this role. This is the second full length feature from Riley Stearns and it is one you do not want to miss.


The Art of Self Defense is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

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Metal Heart - SIFF 2019 Movie Review

The Movie: Metal Heart

The Director: Hugh O'Conor

The Cast: Jordanne Jones, Leah McNamara, Moe Dunford, Aaron Heffernan, Sean Doyle

The Story: There is much rivalry between twin sisters Emma and Chantal, quite different in just about every way, when their mysterious young neighbour moves back in.

Sink or Swim (Le grand bain) - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: Sink or Swim

The Director: Gilles Lellouche

The Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoit Poelvoorde, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Virginie Efira, Leila Bekhti, Marina Fois

The Story: A depressed man joins a synchronized swimming team made up of middle aged men.

The Review:
Oh man, this was such a fun, heart warming, and inspirational movie. The time tested underdog triumph formula is executed to perfection complete with training montages and  dramatic side stories. More importantly, the film makers do some real exploration into mental health topics and presents them in very valid and constructive ways that made the experience even more rewarding in the end.


Sink or Swim is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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In Fabric - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: In Fabric

The Director: Peter Strickland

The Cast: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill, Julian Barratt, Fatma Mohamed, Gwendoline Christie, Steve Oram

The Story: A haunting ghost story set against the backdrop of a busy department store's winter sales period.

The Review:
Peter Strickland's latest sensory overload might just be his best yet as he stitches together a film filled with influences from and homages to a genre he clearly adores. There are so many WTF moments as the insanity builds to its explosive conclusion, you just have to see it for yourself.


In Fabric is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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Godzilla: King of the Monsters - Movie Review

The Movie: Godzilla: King of the Monsters

The Director: Michael Dougherty

The Cast: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O'Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn

The Story: The crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

Nightmare Cinema - SIFF 2019 Capsule Review

The Movie: Nightmare Cinema

The Directors: Joe Dante, Alejandro Brugués, Mick Garris, Ryûhei Kitamura, David Slade

The Cast: Mickey Rourke, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Richard Chamberlain, Annabeth Gish

The Story: Five strangers converge at a haunted movie theater owned by The Projectionist.

The Review:
This five part horror anthology has a very retro, late night, cable TV vibe to it and it quickly becomes apparent that you don't want to take any of it too seriously. Some segments are better than others and all rely on tried and true tropes and standard devices of the horror genre making it a fairly entertaining watch for fans of these sorts of things.


Nightmare Cinema is an official selection of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival.


To see more reviews, interviews and festival coverage please go to:

TwoOhSix at SIFF 2019

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