Thank Christ - SIFF is Back!

It's back baby!  The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) that is!  Not to be confused with something that sounds just as much fun  - the Sidney International Food Festival!  It's interesting what you discover with a simple Google search!  I'll have to check out the Sidney IFF someday!

So it's back - we went to 8 or so movies last year during the festival and discovered several gems and at least one snooze that I still get hell about from the friends (Mike and Bill - Kent too) that we went with last year.  Two of my favorites from last year were Partick Age 1.5 and La Mission.  Both movies worth seeking out - La Mission I believe is in theatres now.  Did a little Star F#%&^%! the evening we saw that - Benjamin Bratt and his entourage was there for the screening!  Check out this post from 2009 about SIFF.

I've got Dozens of movies picked out I'd love to make it to at least half - problem is life goes on and I only have so much time!  Last night Kent and I went with our friend Bill to our first film of this years festival.

Program Description -  Loose Cannons

Tommaso (Riccardo Scamarcio, Eden Is West) has a comfortable life in Rome as an aspiring writer and a steady relationship with his boyfriend Marco—a life he has kept secret from his family. So when he's called back to his hometown of Lecce in Italy's deep south to help run the family pasta business, he decides to finally reveal his homosexuality to his conservative family and hopefully get out of his business obligations in the process. But when his plans are thwarted by his brother, Tommaso gets stuck on the path that he was desperately trying to avoid.

Director Ferzan Ozpetek (Facing Windows, A Perfect Day) takes a playful approach to this family dramedy, matching a critique of provincial Southern values with an eccentric cast of characters that includes a philandering conservative father, a boozing aunt, a pair of disgruntled maids, and Tommaso's bubbly friends. As each family member's quirks slowly come to the surface, Ozpetek's heartfelt film reveals that Tommaso isn't the only one struggling to navigate between la bella figura (a good public image) and his true desires.

Check out the trailer below -  fun flick that we all enjoyed!



Before we went to the movie we tried a new restaurant - Crush.  It's been around for a while and we driven past it a million times and finally decided to check it out and are we ever glad we did! 

From the web:

Crush began as the dream of owners Nicole and Jason Wilson in 2003 when they set out to remodel and build an original 1903 Victorian house into a Modern American Restaurant that showcases the best in Jason's Cuisine and seasonal ingredients of the Northwest. Opening in 2005 CRUSH has quickly become a destination for an unparalleled dining experience in Seattle. Jason's approach and inspiration to food has been noted as Modern American, with personal influences and French technique. Using the best ingredients, focusing on quality first, the seasons & relationships with the best producers and growers dictating the ingredients has been the philosophy to our cuisine. Jason was chosen by Food and Wine magazine in 2006 as a "Best New Chef", nominated in 2008 for the Best Chef Northwest by the James Beard Foundation among many other accolades. A similar approach to our extensive wine list has given Crush multiple years of national accolades from wine press.

Everything from the appetizers to the dessert was delicious!  Check it out some time!

Have a great day - if you are from Seattle go catch a flick and support SIFF - God knows the weather is crappy enough this weekend to want to stay inside!

Later -

Jim