SIFF 2006

The Seattle International Film Festival kicks into full gear this week. It should be another great festival this year. Here are the six films we've picked up tickets for so far (and their blurbs from the SIFF site):

loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies - Documenting their triumphant return to the stage after more than ten years apart, loudQUIETloud proves that influential Boston band The Pixies are still amazing performers, but remain unable to communicate with each other offstage. An exhilarating concert film and a fascinating portrait of the inner workings of a great but troubled band.

Ski Jumping Pairs - Road to Torino 2006 - Aimed square at the tradition of films about triumph in the face of adversity, this entertaining mockumentary follows the life-long quest of the Japanese Professor Harada to get his invention-the unlikely sport of pairs ski-jumping, as pioneered by his twin sons-accepted as an official Olympic sport.

This Film is Not Yet Rated - Oscar-nominated director Kirby Dick (TWIST OF FAITH) investigates the mysterious ratings board of the Motion Picture Association of America, asking why they feel the need to operate in secret, why big studios receive preferential treatment, why violence is judged less harshly than sex, and what exactly triggers an NC-17 rating

Who Killed the Electric Car? - Launched in 1997, the EV-1 was one of the most efficient cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions and required little maintenance. Six years later the line was scrapped. What happened? This film chronicles the short life and mysterious death of the first perfect vehicle of the modern age.

Wordplay - THE NEW YORK TIMES' crossword puzzle has become an American institution and a ritual for millions. WORDPLAY celebrates the phenomenon, going behind the scenes with crossword editor Will Shortz and his collaborators, talking with celebrity solvers (including Bill Clinton and Jon Stewart) and taking us to Shortz's annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

A Prairie Home Companion - Facing what could be the final curtain, a small town radio variety show decides to go out in its own uniquely loopy style. Director Robert Altman and writer Garrison Keillor, America's two preeminent shaggy-dog storytellers, combine forces for this sparkling, all-star musical comedy.