The SB Post

Film Fest: Day 1

Welcome to this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival special blog series. For the next 11 days and nights, we'll be taking you behind the scenes, providing the scoop on the best of the Fest, including movie screenings and reviews, delicious dishes as 30+ restaurants participate in Film Feast with special prix fixe menus and cocktails, and celebrity sightings.

Make sure to stay tuned for updates on what not to miss!

DAY 1: Opening Night, Thursday, January 26th

SCREENED: The Festival opened with Darling Companion. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan (Body Heat, The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp), and co-written with his wife, Meg Kasdan, the film is a story of a woman who bonds with a stray dog, loving the dog more than her husband, until the husband loses the dog. The movie packs some serious star power with Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins and Sam Shepard starring.

Overall, our filmgoers enjoyed the movie. Darling Companion is a genuine, light-hearted look at love and the evolution of family relationships and the ensemble cast helms the movie with sincerity and vigor, making for a very watchable story. Based in Colorado, but filmed in the mountains of Utah, the backdrops are beautiful. If you're looking for a fun film by one of Hollywood's great writer/directors, add Darling Companion to the watch list.

SAVORED: Opal hits a home run again! Their Like Water for Chocolate Film Feast menu was "amazing" and the signature drinks "to die for." The special prix fixe menu in three takes:
Take One: Shredded phyllo wrapped tiger shrimp with an Asian napa cabbage salad and a sweet coconut curry dipping sauce.
Take Two: Grilled Kurobuta pork loin on an asparagus truffle beurre blanc with gratin yukon gold potatoes and a warm artichoke mushroom relish OR grilled fresh salmon filet on a homemade crispy potato crepe with a wild mushroom madeira cream sauce and a roasted corn-wild mushroom salsa.
Take Three: "Like Water for Chocolate" Surprise.

Priced at $35.95/person, this menu is nothing short of mouth-watering. On a budget? The helpings are hearty and could be split between two people if you're looking to stretch your Film Feast dollar.

SPOTTED: The red carpet was flush with Hollywood heroes, including Diane Keaton, Kevin Klein, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins and one of my all-time favorite actors, Sam Shepard, many of whom attended the Opening Night Gala at the Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center in downtown Santa Barbara after the show.

And those are just a handful of the celebs one is sure to see at this year's event. According to event sponsor, The Hollywood Reporter, "Because SBIFF is held each year right around the time that Academy members receive their final ballots, and because more than 100 Academy members are believed to live in and around Santa Barbara, many Oscar nominees make the short coastal drive up from Los Angeles to participate in the festival, either as an tribute recipient, presenter, or panelist.

Indeed, over the course of the next 11 days, the festival will host no fewer than 21 of this year's Oscar class, including: best actress nominee Viola Davis (The Help) on Friday night; best original screenplay nominee J.C. Chandor (Margin Call) on Saturday afternoon; best supporting actor nominee Christopher Plummer (Beginners) on Saturday night; best director nominee Martin Scorsese (Hugo) on Monday night; best animated feature nominee Gore Verbinski (Rango) next Friday afternoon; best actor nominee Demian Bichir (A Better Life), best actress nominee Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and best supporting actress nominee Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) next Friday night; and best supporting actress nominee Berenice Bejo and best actor nominee Jean Dujardin (The Artist) next Saturday night."

With a lineup like that, it's safe to say that this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival is not to be missed.