Recommendations for Week 3 of the Seattle film fest
Published 6:02 pm Wednesday, June 1, 2016
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” The adventures of a grizzled coot (Sam Neill in good form) and his youthful charge (Julian Dennison) on an extended walkabout in the New Zealand woods. Director Taika Waititi did “What We Do in the Shadows,” and his comic timing and eye for landscape is impeccable. If only the movie weren’t quite so adorably cute. June 3, 6 p.m., Kirkland Performance Center; June 4, 8:30 p.m., Egyptian.
“Burn Burn Burn.” Road trip, with two friends (Laura Carmichael, Chloe Pirrie) traveling to the four corners of the U.K., intent on scattering the ashes of a late pal. The movie is gently amusing and the two actresses are masters of comedic facial expressions. Carmichael (a “Downton Abbey” regular) and director Chanya Button will attend the showings. June 3, 6:30 p.m., Egyptian; June 4, 2 p.m., Uptown.
“The Bitter Stems.” It wasn’t available for preview, but this restored 1956 film from Argentina sounds like a revelation. The twisty story and reportedly gorgeous photography qualify it as a South American film noir, complete with music by tango maestro Astor Piazzolla. The film will be introduced by noir enthusiast Eddie Muller. June 4, 2 p.m., Egyptian.
“The Night Stalker.” Seattle filmmaker Megan Griffiths wrote and directed this study of the notorious serial killer Richard Rodriguez (a very controlled, fully inhabited performance by Lou Diamond Phillips). The film gains intensity as it goes along, especially as Rodriguez’ interrogator (Bellamy Young) reveals her own not-easily-categorizable issues. Griffiths will attend, and Phillips is scheduled for the Saturday screening. June 4, 5:30 p.m., Uptown; June 5, 1:30 p.m., Pacific Place.
“Finding Babel.” A fascinating documentary about the ill-fated writer Isaac Babel (executed in 1940 after a trumped-up Soviet trial), which tracks Babel’s grandson’s return to old haunts in Odessa and Paris. The movie presumes a little more knowledge of Babel than most people probably have, but it’s still revealing. June 4, 7 p.m., Pacific Place; June 5, 11 a.m., Pacific Place; June 8, 6 p.m., Kirkland Performance Center.
“Dawn.” The U.S. premiere of a Latvian film about a farm collective during the Soviet era, shot in rich black-and-white. The supple camera and collection of grotesque/absurdist episodes suggests an extended homage to the films of the late Russian director Alexei German. The movie is about as mystifying as German’s films, too. June 5, 8:30 p.m., Kirkland Performance Center; June 10, 11 a.m., Pacific Place.
“Dragon Inn.” King Hu’s hugely influential 1967 kung fu epic has been digitally restored — a good enough excuse for another look at a delicious action-picture classic. June 8, 7 p.m., Egyptian.
