Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Page 3

‘Crash’ — with iPads – ‘Disconnect’ is much ado about texting

April 19, 2013November 11, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Henry Alex Rubin’s “Disconnect” opened this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival, a screening that seems so very far away from the film now returning to theaters. Admittedly, it was one of the better opening movies in the year of the fest, boasting recognizable names and a contemporary setting. And it was definitely a step up from “Darling Companion,” the previous year’s film about a couple searching for a dog. But outside the context of the evening, with the excitement hanging in the air like ozone over a beach, “Disconnect” is all a bit much of a muchness.

A woe-is-us worryfest about the evils of technology, Andrew Stern’s script gives us three stories and interweaves them later in the film. With its po-faced moralizing, it’s reminiscent of Paul Haggis’ drippy “Crash,” but with iPads, which itself was an attempt to reinvent Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Magnolia” (which took its inspiration from Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts”).

That’s a Wrap: SBIFF’s 28th year ends on a high note

February 4, 2013December 13, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Roll up the red carpet and put it in storage. Tear down the crowd barriers, the posters and banners. The 28th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival ended Sunday night as it began, with a closing night film at the Arlington Theatre and filmmakers walking the carpet. The atmosphere was subdued but elated.

The fest could name some successes this year. The opening film “Disconnect” was so well received – a first – that it received a second screening. The Ben Affleck, Daniel Day Lewis and Jennifer Lawrence tribute evenings all sold out. The Quentin Tarantino night, hastily announced and organized on the day before the opening, nearly sold out too.

SBIFF’s Women’s Panel celebrates producers, writers and developers

February 3, 2013December 13, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Saturday's Women's Panel featured, from left, moderator Madelyn Hammond, Allison Abbate, Lucy Alibar, Marissa Paiva, Katherine Sarafian and Pilar Savone. MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS — Saturday’s Women’s Panel featured, from left, moderator Madelyn Hammond, Allison Abbate, Lucy Alibar, Marissa Paiva, Katherine Sarafian and Pilar Savone.
MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS

Why are there not more women in Hollywood?

This is the perpetual question, recently raised in several articles quoting the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University’s findings that only 18 percent of directors, writers and camera people of the top-grossing movies are women.

It’s also been a familiar question at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Women’s Panel for the last few years, and it was asked again Saturday afternoon at the Lobero Theatre.

Breaking bones and records: SBIFF documentary recalls the crazy ‘Signal Hill Speed Run’

February 2, 2013December 13, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Jim O'Mahoney, shown in a 1970s photo, is the subject of a documentary, "Signal Hill Speed Run," about skateboard racing. The film screens tonight as part of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. — Jim O’Mahoney, shown in a 1970s photo, is the subject of a documentary, “Signal Hill Speed Run,” about skateboard racing. The film screens tonight as part of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

“It was the X-Games of its day,” he says.

These days Jim O’Mahoney is best known to Santa Barbarans as the owner of the Surf Museum on Helena Avenue and its newer, but equally delightful, history museum next door.

But back when he was 30, Mr. O’Mahoney started a four-year event at the same time as the modern skateboard industry, resulting in some incredible speeds and dangerous accidents.

Oscar nominee Amy Adams to receive Vanguard Award tonight

January 31, 2013December 21, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

With four Oscar nominations to her name, Amy Adams may finally be in line to grab that golden statue next month. Her performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master,” as the wife of a Scientology-style guru, has again raised her profile. Ms. Adams has a broad range and means serious business.

When she sits down at the Arlington tonight to receive the Cinema Vanguard Award, it will be the first time Ms. Adams has watched her career unspool in front of her and a crowd.

SBIFF honors six Virtuosos of 2012 at the Arlington

January 30, 2013December 21, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

The Virtuosos Award evening at the Arlington Theatre Tuesday night brought in six actors who had breakout roles last year in everything from indie features to big-budget Hollywood films.

It was the kind of evening that showed the Santa Barbara International Film Festival brings in not only superstars, but also actors who may turn out to be stars in their own right. See for example, previous years’ honoring of Marion Cotillard and Viola Davis.

The six for this year, each interviewed in separate 20-minute segments, were Ann Dowd, Elle Fanning, Ezra Miller, Eddie Redmayne, Omar Sy and Oscar-nominated Quvenzhané Wallis

Feel the waves: SBIFF’s Sunday night premiere immersed viewers in 3D surfing

January 28, 2013December 21, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

The red carpet leads into the Arlington Theatre for Sunday's showing of "Storm Surfers 3-D." NIK BLASKOVICH/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS — The red carpet leads into the Arlington Theatre for Sunday’s showing of “Storm Surfers 3-D.”
NIK BLASKOVICH/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

“If you’re not a surfer after seeing this film, you’re going to feel like you are.”

Sunday night’s SBIFF event at the Arlington, “Storm Surfers 3-D” was a much mellower event than the previous two. No Hollywood, no ravenous banks of paparazzi, no screaming, adoring fans holding up posters. But the Arlington was modestly packed with serious surf fans waiting to see this breakthrough surfing documentary made all the more remarkable with its use of?3D.

The night was made even more special with the announcement that the film had just won the Australian Oscars —the coveted AACTA — for Best Documentary Feature. That made the journey to Santa Barbara for its two directors — Justin McMillan and Christopher Nellius — and its three stars — famous big-wave surfers Tom Carroll and Ross Clarke-Jones and surfing forecaster Ben Matson — all that more special. As the directors said just before the screening, the Arlington was the best theater they’d ever screened in.

Rule breakers: SBIFF directors panel entertaining but uneven

January 27, 2013December 28, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

The directors panel, from left, moderator Peter Bart; Tom Hooper, "Les Miserables"; Rich Moore, "Wreck-It Ralph"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Malik Bendjelloul, "Searching for Sugar Man"; and Mark Andrews, "Brave." NIK BLASKOVICH/NEWS-PRESS — The directors panel, from left, moderator Peter Bart; Tom Hooper, “Les Miserables”; Rich Moore, “Wreck-It Ralph”; David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”; Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”; Malik Bendjelloul, “Searching for Sugar Man”; and Mark Andrews, “Brave.”
NIK BLASKOVICH/NEWS-PRESS

Six of this year’s Oscar contenders for best director from the narrative, documentary and animation fields sat for a panel discussion on their craft early Saturday morning at the Lobero.

Led by longtime moderator Peter Bart, the annual “Directors on Directing” panel was an entertaining look into their craft, dealing with actors, theories of editing, and working with audiences.

On the other hand, it was an uneven panel in terms of speaking time, and occasionally let down by snark from Mr. Bart.

SBIFF: A man of two worlds

January 27, 2013December 21, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

Two-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis is a Best Actor nominee for his performance in "Lincoln." Below, he speaks with moderator Scott Feinberg of the Hollywood Reporter on Saturday at the Arlington Theatre, before being presented the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Montecito Award. MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS — Two-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis is a Best Actor nominee for his performance in “Lincoln.” Below, he speaks with moderator Scott Feinberg of the Hollywood Reporter on Saturday at the Arlington Theatre, before being presented the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Montecito Award.
MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

For an actor known for his intensity and physicality, Daniel Day-Lewis seems modest and shy in real life, even when taking time to chat with fans gathered Saturday night outside the Arlington Theatre.

The evening was the long-awaited arrival of the Oscar-winning actor to Santa Barbara and SBIFF’s second tribute, the Montecito Award, in its 28th annual fest.

Introduced by director Michael Mann, who worked with the actors on 1992’s “The Last of the Mohicans,” and presented the award by his “Lincoln” co-star, Sally Field, Mr. Day-Lewis sat down with the Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg for a career-spanning, introspective interview.

So Many Films, So Little Time – Recommendations for this year’s SBIFF

January 18, 2013December 20, 2015 tedmills Leave a comment

I figure there’s two types at the SBIFF that don’t overlap, but I could be wrong. Those who stand in line, in the cold, to catch a glimpse of a celebrity arriving for the red carpet; and those who stand in line, in the cold, waiting to get in to a cozy theater for a film they know nothing about. Well this is going out to the latter, those who love this long list of films in the guide with very little idea — no TV or magazine review, no publicity campaign — of what they’re in for apart from a few keywords and an intriguing publicity photo or poster. That’s some film love, my friends.

The guide below represents my own choices of what to see, based upon previous festival performances, directors’ resumes and word of mouth. There’s so much more, but here’s a good place to start.