Well, the film festival’s over – at least the me watching the movies part. My first and only Hospitality shift is this Friday and then I’m done.

Like I mentioned, took a big step backward this year in my viewing and volunteering and I found I enjoyed the whole experience more. All in all, I was pretty pleased with what I was able to see.

And now? The reviews.

BUBBA HOTEP: Amusing, but it should’ve been much, much funnier. Bruce Campbell’s old Elvis was dead-on, though. No reason it should be having trouble finding a distributor, though – the Egyptian was packed, so it has an audience.

CAMP: Anyone who’s ever been a drama nerd – or has known them – will find much to identify with. Heartwarming without being sticky. A couple of nice production numbers, too. I’ll be watching for the kids in this film.

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS: Scowling skeletons! Talos! I ended up sitting directly in front of Maestro Harryhausen. I suspect, after years of stop-motion animation, he’s quite possibly the most patient man alive. Certainly quite kind. He signed my ticket stub.

Funniest moment of the festival: They previewed Mr. H’s ‘Tortoise and the Hare’ short, which he began in 1953 and was inspired to finish in 2003. Film starts rolling – total silence. Someone yells ‘SOUNDTRACK!’ It was Ray. Hee.

MOVING ALAN: Strong idea, stupid execution. Second worst film I saw at the fest this year. (No idea how it got past the programmers.)

GARAGE DAYS: Tight little comedy that made me smile. Sympathetic characters. Excellent soundtrack, too.

IN JULY: One of the most charming romantic road comedies I’ve ever seen. Just delightful and not a bit cloying. And Moritz Bleibtreu’s lips? Mmm.

THE LAST GREAT WILDERNESS: What a foul, steaming pile. Dark comedy my ASS. Seriously, if I had been closer to the aisle and didn’t have a dozen people to climb over, I would’ve left. At least the theater was air conditioned. Stupid, stupid, stupid waste of film. Bad, just… bad. Worst I’ve seen this year… quite possibly the worst I’ve seen, full stop.

MYSTICS: This one won the ‘awww…’ award (narrowly beating In July), because I think David Kelly is one of the cutest little old men in history (except for my Pappa). It was nearly a ‘who’s been who in Irish movies for the past 10 years’. Charmed my socks off.

I didn’t see Ever Since the World Ended or Whale Rider – the first was sold out and Whale Rider ended up not fitting into my schedule (but I hear it’s getting general release, so I lucked out there). So, no abandoned Bay Area for me. That’s OK – I’ll always have 28 Days Later.

SIFF 2003 Final Score: 79.5%, a high B-.