is this weekend, and this year, there's a new addition: t
he Geek Film Festival. It's off to a big start with over 50 movies screening. There are documentaries, sci-fi, and horror flicks as well as parodies and shorts. There are profiles of cartoonists and even a few cartoons. And yes, there is a short about Hipster Batman.
But with over four dozen films, it can be a pain to sift through them and decide which ones look good, so we've done the work for you. All of the films look good, some in their own $100-budget sort of way, but there are a handful that are really worth the drive. Here are our picks for the must-sees at this weekend's Geek Film Fest:
Back to Space-Con
This documentary takes a look at the way that the Star Trek franchise
and fandom revolutionized an industry. Starting with the first Star Trek
convention in 1975, a whole group of movies, merchandise, and Trekies
were born. From footage of the people who opened the first Star Trek
shop to a man who legally changed his name, the documentary showcases
all of it. No matter how nerdy these guys
were, they were serious about what they did. And considering that it's
being featured at Supercon, no film could be more relevant.
Browncoats: Redemption
A fan-made Firefly/Serenity film, this sci-fi movie is awesome for two
reasons. For one, the entire thing was made by fans. And not just five
or six fans. The work was outsourced to 100 people. The producers put a
call out online for help, and in the end fans from Canada, the US and
England all came together to make the film. The other, even better reason is that all of the proceeds from the film
go to charity. There are five charities in all, including the Dyslexia
Foundation and Equality Now. So far, they've raised over $60,000.
Browncoats: Redemption Final Trailer from browncoatsmovie on Vimeo.
The City Dark
The City Dark explores light pollution and the disappearing night sky.
It takes a look at baby sea turtles in Florida and why they can't find
the water. The documentary also discusses the link between night light
and breast cancer, and our need for the dark. The film is even more
interesting for a major city like Miami, where we're lucky if we can
count 20 stars on any given night.
Connected
Producer Tiffany Shlain had a scary realization one day -- while out with
a friend she had traveled across the country to see, all she could
think about was checking her email. It prompted her to make this
documentary on the ways that we are connected, and the way that it links
major issues of our time -- population growth and globalization, to name
a few. With awards from film festivals across the country, this one is a
must see.
Just look at the name. How could you not want to watch it? It's not a
brilliant piece of filming (trust us, we've seen it), but it is
hysterical and only five minutes long. This is a time where our Hipster, Homeless, Lumberjack guide comes in
handy. Director Lear Bunda will be in attendance, so you can be sure to
ask him what on earth is going on in his head.
Mia and the Migoo
From French animator Jacques-Rémy Girerd, over 500,000 frames were hand
painted for this animated film. It follows Mia as she travels to try and
save her father and help the Migoo save their sacred tree. The movie it
worth seeing for anyone who appreciates animation, because this one
doesn't cut any corners. It's rated PG, so the kids can go see it too.
Que Pena Tu Vida
We're not really sure what this Spanish rom-com is doing in a geek film
festival, but we're not going to complain. It looks like an American
chick flick meets Spanish soap opera. It will be great or absurd, but
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either way we're probably guaranteed a laugh. And don't worry, there are subtitles.
For updates and screening times, check out the Geek Film Fest Facebook page.
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