HIFF Me With Your Best Shot
Picking a movie to watch on Saturday night is usually an easy choice – chick flick or action pic? Or, which remake of a remake or prequel sequel will be the least sucky?
But choosing which film you’ll actually like from the more than 180 showing at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival means no trailers to judge, no favorite stars to follow, and no thumbs up/thumbs down to guide you.
So we asked Sarah Honda, former editor of the dearly-departed SMART Magazine and current HIFF Development Director to point us in the right direction. Here, her picks for what to see, and who to take along – whether it’s your tree hugger pal or your baby daddy.
Must-see: The People I’ve Slept With
Angela has sex, lots of it, and must figure out who's the father-to-be when she discovers she's pregnant. With her gay best friend by her side, she embarks on a sexual journey of self-discovery.
See with: The Samantha in your gang.
Must-see: Dance, Subaru!
Save the Last Dance meets Honey meets Flashdance in the bittersweet story of Subaru, a determined ballet dancer who embarks on fulfilling her dream of entering an elite dance company.
See with: Your old ballet BFF, who’s still a sucker for dance sequences.
Must-see: No Impact Man: The Documentary
One man's journey to eliminate his carbon footprint for a whole year with a wife and child in tow. It’s a difficult, funny, and inspirational transition to a material-less lifestyle.
See with: Your co-worker that recycles, composts and polices your non-organic, non-local purchases.
Must-see: Objectified
A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects. Through conversations with influential designers, the film examines the creative process behind everything from potato peelers to luxury cars, and how they affect our lives. From the director of Helvetica, a cult favorite of design geeks.
See with: Your artsy friend with his own line of graphic tees.
Must-see: Yang Yang
The story of a French-Chinese girl living in Taipei, who has never met her French father and can’t relate with that half of her ethnicity. When Yang Yang becomes a budding actress, and accepts the role of a Eurasian girl, she encounters art imitating life, making her examine her own mixed identity.
See with: Your friends who can relate to the hapa experience.
The Hawai‘i International Film Festival runs through October 25. For ticket info and showtimes, visit www.hiff.org.
