SAT 4/25: IFF Boston Picks

There's other Saturday stuff below (including an IFFBoston discussion panel), and I'm putting Sunday cheapness on the event calendar. I'll try to have a Sunday post up after I visit Somerville's Willy Wonka...

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Through TUES 4/28

Various Times
Independent Film Festival of Boston
Most $9

Unlike the recent Boston Underground Film Festival, the films at IFFBoston are likely to have screened at many of the major film festivals and have a good chance at getting a local theatrical release. The documentaries are a wee bit more mainstream, and I always think are some of the best overall indie filmmaking just based on the lower budgets required. You might eventually see these films venue down the road, but why not see it now?

These are the ones that jumped out at me based on reading reviews and watching trailers (I do the footwork, so you don't have to!), but check out the schedule to see what else is playing.

Today's (and tomrrow's) screenings are at the Somerville and the Brattle. They move to ICA on Monday and Coolidge Corner for the closing night film, "World's Greatest Dad" (directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, starring Robin Williams).

SAT 4/25

Noon
"Crude"
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)

Don't you enjoy those feel-good commercials from oil companies talking about how much they love and respect the environment? This doc covers a lawsuit against Chevron/Texaco for the damage they've done to the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. Maybe the oil companies love and respect profits a wee bit more than the planet...

12:30pm
"Invisible Girlfriend"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville

"Invisible Girlfriend" looks so wild that you might think it's staged, but I don't think it's the case (directors in attendance). Here's the setup: a foul-mouthed weirdo is followed on a 400-mile bike ride to New Orleans to visit his "girlfriend", Joan of Arc.

4pm
"Nollywood Babylon"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville

You might be interested to learn that Nigeria has the third-largest film industry after US and India...

4:45pm
"William Kunstler: Disturbing The Universe"
at Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)

Besides being a lawyer who used his knowledge for Good over Evil by defending so many civil rights icons, I find it interesting that his daughters have put this documentary together. It probably wasn't easy, because he also defended many that were very widely hated.

Directors Sarah and Emily Kunstler will be in attendance.

7pm
"I Need That Record!"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville

As more independent record stores close, one could say this is another angle to tell the story of a crumbling American dream of the Little Guy being able to make it -- but they're not going without a fight. Thank goodness, because the diversity of music available on iTunes is based on the support of interesting music by these guys. Maybe bloggers serve that purpose more and more, but it's not the same! Also lots of cool people are interviewed in this doc.

8pm
"The Lost Son Of Havana"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville
Note: $10

"El Tiante!"

You're probably not going to get in to this film about Luis Tiant going back to Cuba for the first time in over 40 years, because the advanced tickets are sold out.. The good news is that they added a 5pm screening on SUN 4/26 at the Somerville Theatre. (Or it might be on NESN next year...)

8:30pm
"The Sweet Lady With The Nasty Voice"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville

Wanda Jackson is the queen of rockabilly. She indeed is a sweet, pretty lady; but she sang with a raw, wild style that one associates with Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard. She's still out there rocking with her guitar and was inducted in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame this year.

9:45pm
"Bronson"
at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville

It fascinates me that violent, psychopathic individuals can be the center of such compelling (even humorous) stories. If you enjoy blood and guts with dry wit, this is based on the life of British criminal who changed his name to Charles Bronson. Looks pretty good... Watch the trailer: