They say that every picture tells a story. This one certainly does, I just can't tell you what it is.
CHUCK CAGARA / www.MagicalLightPhotography.com
Snapped at Sunday evening's Santa Barbara Film Fest Virtuoso awards, from left to right you have veteran actor and Montecito resident Anthony Zerbe, Carey Mulligan (who was nominated for best actress in An Education) along with Emily Blunt and Saiorse Ronan.
If anyone wants to take a shot at writing a caption for this photo let me know.
This is one of many of the great photos being supplied to me during this year's Film Festival by Chuck Cagara. More of his work is at my Film Fest photo gallery.
Of course Santa Barbarans have always, if not downright disinterested in the Michael Jackson circus, at least pretended to be blasé about the gloved one. That is despite the fact that his infamous 2005 trial on allegations of child molestation took place in our backyard.
Considering that history, it should be interesting to see what the local reaction is to Michael Jackson: The Untold Story of Neverland, which premieres this evening at the Santa Barbara Film Fest.
The film was made by Carpinteria resident Larry Nimmer, who worked as a documentary producer for the Jackson defense team during the trial. According to Nimmer, the documentary looks behind the hype and innuendo of the case and tries to give the audience a glimpse into what Jackson's life at Neverland Ranch was like.
When it comes to Jackson, is it ever possible to get past the hype and innuendo? I guess we'll find out when the documentary is screened at 9:30 pm at Victoria Hall and repeats again Friday, 10:45 am at the Metro 4. And if you can't wait, you can get a brief glimpse of the documentary over on YouTube. The Daily Sound has a front-page article in today's edition of the paper about the film.
More coverage of the Film Fest from the Toronto Sun and the LA Times.
BTW. According to a graphic that KEYT used to accompany one of its reports on Monday's 11 pm newscast, this is the "2101 Santa Barbara Film Fest."
One question that seems to come up often is whether you can buy individual tickets for movies playing at the Film Fest and whether you can buy tickets at the door. The answer is, yes. However, single tickets are available on a "rush" basis and subject to a 15/15 rule: They're only available 15 minutes before the show and they're $15 bucks. "Four packs and "Ten Packs" are a much better value.
Sat next to sportswriter John Zant of the Independent yesterday for the screening of Charlie Haden: Rambling Boy, the documentary on the legendary jazz bassist. With the Winter Olympics a couple of days away John told me has attended seven summer games but never has been to a Winter Olympics. He's not going to this one. No local athletes in the games as far as anyone knows.
Speaking of Zant, he covered former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda's appearance in town last Friday night to help raise money for Gaucho baseball. Hopefully nobody asked Lasorda what he thought of Dave Kingman's performance.
Film Fest suggestions and recommendations for Wednesday.
The Wind Journeys, a Columbian film about a musician who travels a great distance to return an instrument to a teacher. You can catch it at 10:15 am at the Metro 4.
Waiting for Forever, is a Hollywood-set romantic tale of a guy who is content to live his life without a job yet with the love of his life, a young actress. The movie was directed by James Keach, and stars Blythe Danner and Richard Jenkins, who was honored at the Film Fest last year. Screens at 10:30 am at the Metro 4.
Exam. The plot involves candidates who must decide how far they are willing to go to secure the ultimate job Roger Durling says this is, "One of the films I'm proudest of." It's been Nominated for a British Oscar. Screens at 1 pm at the Arlington.
The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Just Around The Corner, this is one of nine films that comprise the foreign film short list for the Oscars. It's out of Bulgaria. It shows at 4 pm at the Arlington.
Ten Stories Tall. I saw this movie on Monday and thought it was a thoroughly engaging and engrossing. This drama, set in New York City with an ensemble cast, examines how people deal with grief and the prospect of loss. Screens at 7 pm at the Museum of Art.
The Cove, is this year's recipient of the Festival's Attenborough award which is presented to a director who is committed to nature filmmaking. A documentary about how activists expose the unlawful slaughtering of dolphins in Japan. Screens at 8 pm at the Lobero. Q&A and award presentation follow the movie.
Breaking News, the drama about a TV anchor that features several KEYT personalities including John Palminteri and former sports guy Gerry Fall, gets an encore showing at 10 pm tonight at the Metro 4. It has some tough competition, When You're Strange, the documentary about the Doors shows at 10:15 pm at the Metro 4.
Full Film Fest Schedule is posted at Edhat.
Tuesday's print edition of the Daily Sound had a letter to the editor thanking the employees of the local post office. Seems the letter writer had mistakenly put an unaddressed envelope containing five $20 bills into the curbside mailbox on Anacapa Street. The letter writer had intended to personally drop the envelope with the $100 off at her doctor's office. The letter writer called the post office and postal officials were able to retrieve the envelope as it went through the Goleta processing facility and return it to the owner, with the cash intact.
I don't know what's more amazing, that the post office was able to retrieve and return an unaddressed envelope or that there's a doctor in town who only charges $100 bucks to perform a procedure.
© 2010 by Craig Smith and www.craigsmithsblog.com
