The 2012 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) starts tonight, Thursday, May 17th with a gala event and a screening of the very entertaining Your Sister’s Sister, but I wanted to point out what else is going on, how to find flicks, and how get tickets and passes for the three week event.

My favorite thing about SIFF is that it gives you a chance to see films that you probably would have never even come across, but you would thoroughly enjoy. At this year’s festival they will be screening 273 features and 187 shorts. These films come from around the world with some 75 different countries being represented. SIFF is bringing 24 World, 25 North American, and 16 U.S. feature premieres and 56 short-film premieres to Seattle area film fans.

How to Find What Films are Playing at SIFF 2012?

• Check out the SIFF 2012 Calendar
• Download the Festival Guide (PDF)
• Get the iSIFF app on your iPhone
• Use siffter to sort through all the films by country, day, genre, time, and/or venue
• SIFFnotes from The Stranger

How Do I Get Tickets/Passes to SIFF Screenings?

Tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or at any Festival box office up to 30 minutes before showtime or until they sell out. Within the 30 minute window before showtime, tickets have to be purchased the venue for that film or event. All venue box offices open 30 minutes before the first screening of the day and close 15 minutes after the last screening of the day begins. Find out more at the SIFF website, get the iSIFF app or watch the video below.

What Else is Going on at SIFF?

Well, besides all the films and shorts they will be honoring actress Sissy Spacek and director William Friedkin.

• An Evening With Sissy Spacek will include the presentation of the Seattle International Film Festival Award for Outstanding Achievement in Acting, an onstage interview with film clips from her career and an audience Q&A followed by a screening of Badlands.
• An Evening With William Friedkin will include a presentation of the Seattle International Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award, an onstage interview with film clips from his career and an audience Q&A followed by a screening of his new black comedy, Killer Joe.

The 2012 Seattle International Film Festival swings into full effect as of Friday, May 18th with dozens of films being screened around the Seattle area each day for the next 24 days. Now get out there and go see some movies.

• RT @seattlefilmblog: Down to the FINAL day to reserve a seat for @ComicConMovie. Need a few more for the show to go on. http://t.co/sITGQcKa #
• RT @seattlefilmblog: Less than 6 hrs to find 9 more folks to make a @ComicConMovie screening happen in #Seattle – http://t.co/kGxeAPPM #

There are 14 new movies in the theaters Friday. One opens nationwide and the other 13 open on a limited basis.

Didn’t get a post out last week due to a computer crash, but you probably knew that The Avengers was pretty much the only game in town anyways.

Nationwide – New Movie for Friday, May 11th:

Movie: Dark Shadows (PG-13)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley & Jonny Lee Miller
Genre: Horror Comedy
Synopsis: A rich man in 18th century Maine breaks the heart of a witch and she turns him into a vampire and then buries him alive. It is now 1972 and he is found and escapes. He finds things have changed a lot. He moves back into his former estate with decedents from his family.
First Thoughts: This looks like it could be really good or an extreme misstep. It’s from the mind of Tim Burton, who directs. Seems like an interesting mash-up of genres. It is also being released in IMAX.

Limited – New Movies for Friday, May 11th:

• A Bag of Hammers – Comedy about two young men that steal cars for a living come in contact with a 12-year-old runaway, which causes them to question their life and where they should go from here.
• The Cup – Drama about two brothers from a legendary horse racing family and how one of them deals with the loss of the other in the days leading up to the prestigious Melbourne Cup.
• Dangerous Ishhq – Suspense thriller about a woman that believes if she can unlock the puzzle of her dreams that she will be able to rescue her recently abducted lover.
• Girl in Progress – Drama starring Eva Mendes about a single mother who is too busy to spend time with her daughter and the daughter’s plan to skip ahead to adulthood.
• God Bless America – Comedy about a pair that feel disenfranchised that set out to rid the world of the dumbest and most irritating celebrities they can find.
• Hick – Drama starring Chloe Moretz, Blake Lively and Alec Baldwin about a young girl the runs away from her abusive family and the dangerous and destructive people she meets as she hitchhikes west.
• I Wish – Family drama about two young brothers separated by their parents’ divorce and how one hopes that a new bullet train linking the two towns they live in will help to reunite his family.
• Nobody Else But You – Suspense thriller about a mystery author with writer’s block that is the only one that believes a suicide to be murder.
• The Road – Horror flick about an old case that gets reopened after three teenagers go missing on an abandoned road.
• Sleepless Night – Action thriller about a respected cop and family man that gets caught stealing cocaine from a drug dealer and how it endangers his family and his quest to keep them safe.
• Tonight You’re Mine – Romantic comedy about two musicians that get handcuffed together.
• Under African Skies – Documentary that follows musician Paul Simon on a trip to Africa some 25 years after his first visit.
• Where Do We Go Now? – Comedy about how the women of a village, where the church and mosque are right next to each other, attempt to keep the men from starting a holy war.

There is one new movie playing in my area this week. It is Dark Shadows. Of the 14 new movies for Friday, what looks good to you?

• RT @seat42f: HAYWIRE DVD Contest: http://t.co/OtuR7q3W #Haywire #Contest #Giveaway #
• Help get Morgan Spurlock's #ComicCon documentary on the big screen in #Seattle – http://t.co/yFNPTKAE cc: @emeraldcitycon @GeekGirlCon #
• I talked with @thatspencer on the @macguffincast about the Seattle International Film Festival Press Launch – http://t.co/NjDT5QZQ #SIFF2012 #
• RT @STIFFestival: Tickets, Tickets! Get your Tickets for Seattle's True Independent Film Festival – May 4-12 – http://t.co/zTMrEVJA #seattle #
• Help bring Morgan Spurlock's #ComicCon documentary to #Seattle by reserving a $9 ticket for a May 14th screening – http://t.co/yFNPTKAE #
• See what will be playing during the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival (May 17 – June 10) http://t.co/dvyqhkyj #SIFF #

• RT @STIFFestival: Tickets, Tickets! Get your Tickets for @STIFFestival May 4-12 #seattle #film #actor #director http://t.co/egA9hyUr #
• RT @SIFFNews: BIG NEWS! Check out the Official Trailer for the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival! http://t.co/qjpEmA6Z #
• RT @seattlefilmblog: Morgan Spurlock Comicon doc comes (hopefully) to Seattle on 5/14 via @TuggInc (and me) – http://t.co/dW1zci0L #
• RT @EricDSnider: David Bordwell delivers a smackdown to James Cameron & the digital/3D movement. Film lovers must read. http://t.co/PRbQfJTQ #
• #Giveaway Win The Iron Lady on #DVD – http://t.co/zQEgJ9he #giveaways #
• I'm going to this Tugg event! Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope http://t.co/yFNPTKAE #
• Do you live in the Seattle area & want to see Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope? http://t.co/yFNPTKAE #helpbringithere #
• Theater owners consider whether to allow texting in movie theaters despite the answer being "No" – http://t.co/inLb1R9o #
• Reserve a ticket and help bring Morgan Spurlock's Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope to Seattle – http://t.co/yFNPTKAE #
• Getting ready to screen #YourSistersSister at the #SIFF Press Launch. It will play at the #SIFF2012 Opening Night Gala. #
• Enjoyed #YourSistersSister Definitely worth seeing. Plays May 17th at the #SIFF2012 Opening Night Gala. #
• Had a great time chatting with @thatspencer about the #SIFF2012 Press Launch and the film festival in general for the @macguffincast. #
• Help bring Morgan Spurlock's #ComicCon Episode IV: A Fan's Hope to #Seattle by reserving a ticket – http://t.co/yFNPTKAE #
• Today is the last day to enter our #TheIronLady #DVD #giveaway – http://t.co/zQEgJ9he #giveaways #

There are 14 new movies in the theaters Friday. Four open nationwide and another 10 open on a limited basis.

Don’t forget to enter our The Iron Lady DVD giveaway by Friday, April 27th.

Nationwide – New Movies in Theaters Friday, April 27th:

Movie: The Five-Year Engagement (R)
Starring: Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Alison Brie, Chris Pratt & Rhys Ifans
Genre: Romantic Comedy Drama
Synopsis: A couple gets engaged and then life events keep getting in the way of planning the wedding.
First Thoughts: Love the cast and I enjoyed Director and co-writer Nicolas Stoller and star and co-writer Jason Segel’s previous collaboration, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” so actually looking forward to this one.

Movie: The Pirates! Band of Misfits (PG)
Starring: Hugh Grant, Brendan Gleeson, Martin Freeman, David Tennant & Imelda Staunton
Genre: Animated Family Comedy
Synopsis: A pirate captain sails around hoping to best his pirate rivals and win the title of Pirate of the Year. He and his ragtag crew have to battle an evil queen and more during their journey.
First Thoughts: Might be fun for the little ones, but the trailer actually has an odd level of violence for what I would assume is the target audience. It is also available in 3-D.

Movie: The Raven (R)
Starring: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McNally & Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Genre: Action Thriller
Synopsis: A madman starts murdering people in ways that seem to be inspired by the dark and twisted tales of Edgar Alan Poe. Poe is brought in by the police to help them get inside the mind of the killer and put a stop to him.
First Thoughts: This looks really good, like a dark sadistic version of TV’s Castle.

Movie: Safe (R)
Starring: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, Chris Sarandon, Robert John Burke & Reggie Lee
Genre: Action Crime Thriller
Synopsis: A mixed martial arts fighter messes up a rigged fight, which causes him problems with the Russian Mafia. They make an example out of him by killing his family and anyone he attempts to make friends with. One day he sees a young girl being followed by the same people that killed his family and jumps in to protect her. She turns out to be a math prodigy that has been forced to work for the Triads. She has memorized a numerical code that the Russian mob, the Triad and some corrupt cops all want.
First Thoughts: It’s Statham kicking ass all over New York City, so I will definitely be seeing this one at some point. Probably soon.

Limited – New Movies in Theaters Friday, April 27th:

• 96 Minutes – Suspense thriller about a carjacking and the four kids that end up mixed up in the chaos it creates.
• Bernie – Comedy starring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey about a funeral director that is beloved by all and his relationship with a rich older woman that most don’t like and his eventual surprise arrest for her murder after she is found to have died months earlier and nobody knew.
• The Broken Tower – Biographic drama starring James Franco about the life of American poet Hart Crane.
• Citizen Gangster – Crime drama about a man that returns home from WWII and finds his pursuits of Hollywood fame dashed. As he grows more desperate to support his family, he begins robbing banks.
• Elles – Drama about an investigative reporter for Elle magazine and her pursuits of a story about student prostitution and where it takes her in her own life.
• The Giant Mechanical Man – Romantic comedy starring Jenna Fischer about a woman in her early 30s that is being pushed to date a self-help guru by her family, but falls for a street performer.
• Headhunters – Action suspense thriller about a successful headhunter in Norway that is married to an art gallery owner and living to big for his means. So, he begins stealing art on the side.
• Mamitas – Drama about a cocky young kid in school, but doting son that can’t seem to get things right at home and the no-nonsense bookish girl he meets after being suspended and the friendship that develops.
• Sound of My Voice – Drama about a couple that makes documentaries and their infiltration of a a mysterious group with intentions of exposing what goes on their and freeing the followers, but things don’t go as planned.
• Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale – Drama about an uprising against Japanese rule in Taiwan in 1930.

There are four new movies playing in my area this week. They are The Five-Year Engagement, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, The Raven and Safe. Of the 14 new movies in theaters Friday, what looks good to you?

• First Annual Science Fiction Film Festival At Seattle’s Cinerama – http://t.co/86TNNKgy #

Twelve new movies premiere Friday. Three open nationwide and another nine open on a limited basis.

Don’t forget to enter our The Iron Lady DVD giveaway.

Nationwide – New Movies Premiering Friday, April 20th:

Movie: Chimpanzee (G)
Starring: Tim Allen narrates.
Genre: Nature Documentary
Synopsis: Disneynature goes into the forests of Africa and introduces an adorable baby chimp named Oscar and his how he lives and his family. Oscar’s curiosity showcases the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary animals.
First Thoughts: These are beautifully shot and look interesting, but have no plans to go see it.

Movie: The Lucky One (PG-13)
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Riley Thomas Stewart, Jay R. Ferguson & Adam Le Fevre
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: A U.S. Marine sergeant comes home after his third tour of duty in Iraq with the photograph of a woman he doesn’t know that he believes helped keep him alive. He finds the woman and goes to meet her and romance blooms.
First Thoughts: Another Nicolas Sparks book turned into a movie that I have no interest in seeing, especially at a theater.

Movie: Think Like a Man (PG-13)
Starring: Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart & Taraji P. Henson
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Synopsis: Four diverse men with interconnected lives have their lives shaken up after the ladies they are interested in buy a book by one of the guys and begin taking the advice inside. The guys realized that they have been letdown by one of their own and set out to uses some insider information to flip things around on the woman.
First Thoughts: Might be funny to see at some point.

Limited – New Movies Premiering Friday, April 20th:

• Darling Companion – Comedy drama starring Kevin Kline and Diane Keaton about a woman who rescues a dog and develops a close relationship with it because of the place she is in her life and her distracted husband.
• Fightville – Documentary about MMA fighting.
• Goodbye First Love – Romance drama about a fifteen-year-old girl and her first love.
• Hit So Hard – Documentary about Patty Schemel.
• Jesus Henry Christ – Comedy about a precocious 10-year-old and his search for his biological father.
• Marley – Documentary about Bob Marley.
• The Moth Diaries – Horror flick.
• My Way – Drama about a Korean and Japanese man the were rivals on the marathon runners circuit that end up on the same side in the Japanese Army fighting against the Chinese and the Soviets.
• To the Artic – Documentary about the Artic. Also available in 3-D and IMAX 3-D.

There are four new movies playing in my area this week. They are Chimpanzee, The Lucky One, One Love and Think Like a Man. Twelve new movies premiere Friday, what will you be going to see this weekend?

• Any Seattle area peeps want to go see #BattleRoyale at SIFF Cinema Uptown on Saturday, April 21st? I'm thinking about going. #

The Iron Lady arrived on DVD and Blu-ray, Tuesday, April 10th, 2012. To celebrate the release we are giving New Movie Friday readers a chance to win a copy of the DVD. All you have to do is follow the easy instructions below, which pretty much amounts to answering a question in the comments on this post. Good Luck!

What is the Prize?

• One copy of The Iron Lady on DVD.

How Do I Enter?

Leave a comment on this post below as follows:

• Meryl Streep won the Academy Award, her third, for Best Actress for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady and holds the record for the most nominations with 17. What is your favorite Meryl Streep role?

What Are the Rules?

1. Limit one entry per person. Subsequent entries will be disqualified. Must be 18 and a legal resident of the United States. Must include a valid name and email address, which we will only use to contact you, if your comment is selected as the winner. Odds of winning depend on number of legitimate entries. The use of automated devices to enter the giveaway is prohibited. There is no responsibility assumed by NewMovieFriday.com for lost or late entries, or any computer, online telephone, or technical malfunctions that may occur.
2. Each comment is time stamped and numbered. Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PT, Friday, April 27th, 2012. One number will be drawn at random using the random integer generator at Random.org and the corresponding comment will be selected as the winner.
3. The winner will be notified via email. Overzealous spam filters can sometimes eat the message, so please check your spam folder or come back to this page to see if you’ve won. You will have until May 1st, 2012 to respond. Once the winner has responded with their U.S. shipping address to claim their prize, the winner’s name and state will be added to this post. If you don’t respond in time, a new winner will be selected. Prizes lost, stolen, or damaged during shipping cannot be replaced and winners are responsible for any taxes resulting from the receipt of prizes. Any and all guarantees and warranties of prizes are subject to the manufacturer’s terms and conditions, and winners agree to contact the prize manufacturers for any such warranty or guarantee claim.

And the Winners Is

• #23 – Jenn of ???, ?? is the winner of The Iron Lady DVD.
• #17 – Jeffrey of ???, ?? is now the winner of The Iron Lady DVD.
• #5 – Jessica F. of ???, ?? is now the winner of The Iron Lady DVD.

Update 4.27.2012: Added winner information and sent email notification.
Update 5.08.2012: Added new winner information and sent email notification, since first winner never responded in time allotted.
Update 5.15.2012: Added new winner information and sent email notification, since second winner never responded in time allotted. Hopefully, third time is the charm.