A long day at the Egyptian.

Our first film was the biopic Experimenter, starring Peter Sarsgaard as social psychologist Stanley Milgram. It began with his experiments testing the willingness of people to follow orders even if the consequence meant extreme physical pain inflicted on a stranger. It ended with the death of Milgram. It was interestingly filmed, with some scenes shot obviously with the use of green screens. Example, in one sequence where Milgram and his wife visit a mentor at his home, they are not actually in the home, but are on a stage with photos of the home projected around them. Overall, it seemed a bit light-handed in its treatment of an uncomfortable subject – the experiments show, in some respects, how events such as the Holocaust are “allowed” to happen even though in retrospect we all generally agree it was a very bad thing. I thought it interesting that, while the experiment was meant to be performed on the Average Joe, most (if not all) of the subjects were played by recognizable actors. Director Michael Almereyda introduced the film and also did a Q&A afterward. A humorous fellow, he also directed one of my favorite films, Nadja, back in the early ’90s.

A small break for tacos, and then it was back to the theatre for An Evening with Jason Schwartzman. Two comfy-looking chairs and a coffee table were brought up on stage for Schwartzman to be interviewed about his career to date, along with clips from his various films. He seems like a genuinely nice and cool person, which is great to see. After the probably hour-long chat session, the film 7 Chinese Brothers was shown. In some ways, it was the stoner version of Guidance. Not really earth-shattering, but definitely an amusing portrait of a loser dude trying to make the best of his situation. It was filmed in Austin, with Bob Byington at the helm, who also did a short Q&A with Schwartzman after the film.

Experimenter‘s Bechdel rating: FAIL.

7 Chinese Brothers‘ Bechdel rating: FAIL.

You know you’re in for something different when you’re offered free ear plugs on the way into a movie. Such was the case at the SIFF Film Center for 2045 Carnival Folklore, a Japanese post-apocalyptic future chaos noise film. The screening was accompanied by live music by director Naoki Kato and noise artist T. Mikawa. One hundred years after the end of World War II, all the nuclear reactors in Japan have undergone meltdowns and the resulting sickness has of course been exploited by an evil entity (corporation?). Conformity of citizens is dictated and enforced. As always, there are those who refuse to be repressed, and they fight back with feed back. The mantra “You must Feed Back everything” has a double meaning in the film, as food sources are extremely scarce as a result of the radiation.

2045 Carnival Folklore‘s Bechdel rating: UNDECIDED. There was some verbal interaction between the head nurse of the asylum and one of the patients. And while many of the characters were named, we can’t recall if these characters were, or whether their interaction could be considered a conversation.

For our first of two visits to the Egyptian this festival, we saw the documentary/one-man show called The Primary Instinct. Character actor Stephen Tobolowsky is a prolific storyteller, a sort of modern-day Garrison Keillor (joke!). Recorded at the Moore Theatre here in Seattle, the film is a showcase of Tobolowsky’s podcast and stage show, with a bit of explanatory bits bookending the performance. The director and the star were both on hand for some Q&A after the film, and Mr. Tobolowsky even hung back to give some love to those audience members who wanted it (handshakes, photos, and the like). I hope we don’t find out later that he’s secretly some huge jerk (like some celebrities we shan’t name), because he really seems to be one of those people who “gets it” and can also convey it to others. I think I may have to check out the podcast.

The Primary Instinct‘s Bechdel rating: EXEMPT.

Back to the Uptown for Little Forest: Summer/Autumn and Little Forest: Winter/Spring. A series of four films, one for each season, depicting a woman’s attempt to reconnect with her country home and way of life. Ichiko grew up in Komori, in the Tohoku region of Japan, a small farming village where her mother taught her how to cook and live off the land. Like many young people, Ichiko rejected this way of life and went to the city as soon as she was able after being abandoned by her mother. She returns to the village a few years later, insistent on proving to herself that she can be self-sufficient. We watch her revisiting the recipes of her childhood, and receive tips, handed down to her, and now incorporated for her own sustenance. Part cooking and gardening show, part memoir, it is a visually engaging journey. The films are based on the Little Forest manga.

Little Forest‘s Bechdel rating: PASS. Ichiko and her best friend Kikko have several conversations about farming, foraging, gardening, or cooking.

Back to the Harvard Exit for Hungarian film Free Fall. Absurd and surreal, the film tells the stories of the inhabitants of an apartment building as an old lady, and fellow occupant, steps off the roof. Each story is about a relationship taken to some sort of extreme, whether for laughs or for creeps. Not for all audiences, we did see at least one moviegoer leave halfway through. There are tales of spirituality, romance, maternal and fraternal love, and more. It is a worthy cinematic experience. If nothing else, it was a delight to hear Amon Tobin‘s work throughout. The opening sequence itself is masterful.

Free Fall‘s Bechdel rating: FAIL. I wouldn’t hold it against the film, though. The style and subject matter weren’t exactly conducive to conversation in general.

Our third film brought us to the ill-fated Harvard Exit. Officially closed, this is ostensibly the final year this movie house will be hosting festival films. (I will not get political, I will not get political, I will not get political…)  Here we saw Snow on the Blades, a Japanese film made in the classic samurai style which has apparently fallen out of favor in Japan as of late. I ask you, “then why make it in that style?” Obviously not financially motivated, the director, Setsurô Wakamatsu, was on hand to introduce the film and participate in some Q&A following the screening. Based on a short story, the film is atypical in that there is not a great deal of violence or death. The focus is on the internal struggles of the characters, with emphasis on the sacrifices women make for men.

We discussed this movie afterward for much longer than the first two films. And although our overall feeling was disappointment, I always consider that if I feel compelled to talk about a film at length, then it has done something right.

Snow on the Blades’ Bechdel rating: PASS. A group of women discuss their plans for celebrating New Years, a conversation (one of several) meant to convey the many changes that were taking place as they transitioned from the Edo Period to the Meiji.

For our second film of the festival, we went a bit lighter with Canadian film Guidance. Written, directed, and starring Pat Mills, who got his start on You Can’t Do That on Television. A former child actor (an alter ego of Mills’) gets a job as a high school counselor, dishonestly, but with an honest desire to help kids. I was reluctant to like this film since it is the type of film I’m supposed to like. Indie, funny, irreverent, etc. I couldn’t help myself though. What could have been an 81 minute cliche was actually a charming and imaginative story of connection. It had a bit of a “homemade” feel to it, but the lack of slick production should not be a deterrent.

Guidance‘s Bechdel rating: PASS. But just barely. Though they don’t have a lot of screen time together, two female students talk about skipping class, and maybe some other stuff.

P. S. I just realized that my “lighter” comment could also be used to describe the overall skin tone of Guidance vs. The Connection. Ironic, for reasons I will make you watch this film to find out.