Click on the picture above to watch The Descendants movie trailer

The new film from Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways) is set to open December 16th. Starring George Clooney, and a largely unknown cast otherwise, The Descendants is the sort of film that cineastes most look forward to — a well-written, well-acted prestige drama, the sort of Oscar bait film that provides end-of-the-year counterpoint to the cinematic fluff that has flooded our cineplexes for the first eleven months of the year.
From time to time, VanRamblings will post trailers of worthy upcoming films we might all look forward to.
In the meantime, this week sees the release of the new film by Kelly Reichardt, Meek’s Cutoff (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy) — starring Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Paul Dano, Will Patton, Shirley Henderson and Zoe Kazan — currently sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, about which the Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday writes, “a mesmerizing cinematic journey,” the consensus positive. Opens tomorrow at Tinseltown Cinemas.

Between May 19th and June 12th, The Seattle International Film Festival will screen more than 440 movies — in addition to holding dozens of movie-themed galas, parties and tributes.
In the 37 years since the inaugural Seattle International Film Festival, many other festivals have sprouted up — including our own Vancouver International Film Festival — some to more hype than others.
But after three and a half decades, the SIFF continues to evolve and expand, affording film lovers across the Pacific Northwest an opportunity to screen the best in independent film, the programme also offering retrospectives, and adaptive musical performances from eclectic performers.
The Seattle Times offers daily capsule reviews of the more salutary films on offer at the SIFF, while the team of nerdy film bloggers at the Dan Savage edited The Stranger offer their irreverent, but passionate, take on the various goings on during the three-plus week running time of the SIFF.
Feel like you need a holiday? Can’t stand the prospect of a summer of the mindless Tinseltown blockbusters that will pollute our cineplexes these next three months, then do yourself a favour: truck on down to Seattle, stay a couple of off-season nights at a hotel nearby one of the SIFF venues, and re-connect with the cinema of despair and hope, at the 37th annual SIFF.

Hollywood’s night of celebration! The Oscar ceremony, this coming Sunday.

The 2011 Sundance Film Festival kicks off today, showcasing 117 independent feature films chosen from the more than 3,800 submissions.
As is the case each year, the indie films emerging from the Sundance Festival will become the highlight of most cinéaste’s film year. At the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, certain 2011 Oscar nominee Winter’s Bone won the Grand Jury prize for writer-director Debra Granik, as well as a Best Actress nod for newcomer (and breakout star) Jennifer Lawrence. Director Derek Cianfrance’s relationship drama Blue Valentine, currently playing around town, also won plaudits and a distribution deal at 2010’s Sundance Festival.
Lisa Cholodenko’s dysfunctional-family tale The Kids Are All Right was another award-winner at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival which will emerge as a certain Oscar nominee next week, most likely for Best Actress hopeful, and odds-on favourite, Annette Bening, with a probable Best Original Screenplay going to Kids‘ co-writers Stuart Blumberg and Ms. Cholodenko.
In the coming week, we’ll keep you apprised of the Sundance films the critics love, taking a break only this coming Tuesday morning for the announcement of the 2011 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscar nominations announcement. We’ll see you back here soon and often.