The SB Post

SBIFF DAY 3: Saturday, January 28th

SCREENED: Saturday found me taking in some of the best of this year's independent film. There were some hits and some misses, but overall, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival did not disappoint. A few highlights:

• Starbuck: This dramedy was a fast Festival favorite. Following the life of David Wozniak, "a trainwreck of a middle-aged man," who continually loses at life-disappointing family, flaking out on his girlfriend, always in debt to thugs-learns he has fathered no fewer than 533 children via his one and only talent: donating sperm. The treasured tale that follows as David begins to interact with his extremely diverse children offers movie goers a rich and unique appeal. I laughed. I cried. It was truly a joyous movie experience.

• Also on tap was Vinyl. Think Spinal Tap meets School of Rock. Based on true events, Sara Sugarman's VINYL tells the remarkable story of an '80s punk band teetering on the edge of obscurity when it reunites to write a hit song and make an unforgettable comeback. Once the song receives immediate air time, aging UK rocker Johnny Jones enlists a rowdy bunch of teenagers to pretend to be the face of the song, securing its top spot on the record charts. The result is a heartwarming rock mockumentary.

• Not a film per say, but still a coveted Santa Barbara sight of visual art, is the Lobero Theatre Courtyard, where you'll find the Filmmaker Lounge in the Rosebud Lounge. The lounge club vibe, swanky interior and aerial dancers at the Lobero Theatre take the visual experience 3D-on't want to miss it.

SAVORED: With a back-to-back lineup, I didn't have time to dine out, so instead, I complemented my Film Fest experience with a classic snack: freshly popped, salted, buttered popcorn.

SPOTTED: This year's Modern Master Award honored Christopher Plummer. The acclaimed thespian's unwavering charm as he accepted the award and answered interview questions for attendees put him at the top of my Celeb Spotting list. Truly charming. Samuel L. Jackson, who was in town to walk the red carpet for the world premiere of The Samaritan, was hard to see through the sea of flashing bulbs and pleading paparazzi, but the booming voice was impossible to miss.