Slog - Comments on SIFF 2008: Day 21 Recommendations

Comment by josh bomb

josh bomb — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:34:06 -0800

I think this would be an appropriate moment for Dan Savage to talk about pit bulls and Hurricane Katrina and possibly about how he is glad that so many pit bulls were killed in New Orleans and Mississippi last year.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:24:41 -0800

Trouble the Water is where I'm supposed to be too.

Along with Perfect Match and Villa Jasmin.

But ... word to the wise ... avoid The Secret of the Grain - watch The Island of Lost Souls instead.

Comment by josh

josh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:47:46 -0800

Secret of the Grain was nearly 3 hours long; Momma's Man just felt that long. I suppose that was the point but Momma's Man was utterly excruciating to watch. The only person I didn't loathe was the weary father.

Comment by josh

josh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:48:17 -0800

Comment by annie

annie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:03:38 -0800

OK, Will is finally dead wrong. The Secret of the Grain is the best film in SIFF. Just pee first. And maybe sneak in some couscous so you don't get hungry.

@4&5: Funny, the father is played by Ken Jacobs, a very well-known experimental filmmaker and the actual father of the director.

Comment by josh

josh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:16:18 -0800

yeah. I would have been able to better handle the running time and ending of the Secret of the Grain if they were serving couscous in the lobby afterwards. Even Mediterranean Express was closed by the time it was over.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:43:26 -0800

annie, quite a few passholders who saw that disagreed with you - and it was a major topic of conversation in the women's bathroom, according to them.

A chaque son gout, attack sa goutte.

Comment by ratzkywatzky

ratzkywatzky — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:56:57 -0800

And quite a few passholders disagree with Will on this one, as well. It's such a charming movie, I'm surprised at how it's divided audiences. Will's right that after the press screening the loudest passholders were groaning about the ending and the length, but I've found that many of the less show-offy folks loved it, and I've heard several say it's the best thing in the festival. I'd put it in the top 5.

Comment by Norskymom

Norskymom — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:24:32 -0800

You liked Momma's Man? I don't care whose parents those were, they and the protagonist Mikey were the most annoying characters ever written. And, I mean, 5 minutes of a grown man playing with shaving cream? Made me want to scream "Off yourself already and put us all out of our misery!!"

Comment by annie

annie — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:30:40 -0800

Well, The Stranger liked Momma's Man--you can read our review of it here--but I didn't see it, so I can't weigh in personally.

Seriously, what was so bad about The Secret of the Grain, haters? You can't take a long movie?

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:18:08 -0800

No, I think it was the ending more than anything else. I just heard them all griping about it, and the stories about conversations in the women's bathroom ...

Comment by josh

josh — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:06:22 -0800

why is will hanging out in the women's bathroom?

I didn't hate the Secret of the Grain, it was just 20-40 minutes overlong. I'm no emerging master, but I say: cut 10 minutes of running, 10 minutes of dancing, and 10 minutes of arguing and you tighten it up considerably without losing the great languid conversational tone.