SBIFF Film Center: Film Reviews

By Tristan Gerdesic

The decline of movie theaters since the Covid-19 pandemic has been a well-covered, broadly bemoaned phenomenon. Santa Barbara, for a city of its size, has an unusually large number of cinemas and movie theaters. People, particularly young people, seem unaware that not only are there movie theaters showing great contemporary films, but the Santa Barbara Film Center also frequently hosts both legacy and modern screenings of classics and blockbusters alike. Here are five great films I saw recently at the Santa Barbara Film Center:

1.) Trainspotting (1996, dir. Danny Boyle). 

Possibly the most cynical and caustic of the great alternative films of the mid-90s, Trainspotting follows a group of heroin addicts in an impoverished part of late-80s Edinburgh, Scotland. Beyond boasting one of the greatest soundtracks in film history and a stellar central performance from Ewan McGregor, Trainspotting's depiction of heroin withdrawals and life as a petty criminal is heart-wrenching and hilarious. Watched at the 30th Anniversary Film Center re-release. Highly recommended. 

2.) Blue Velvet (1986, dir. David Lynch). 

While one of the least avant-garde works in Lynch’s oeuvre, Blue Velvet is nonetheless far from a usual neo-noir. The film follows college student Jeffrey Beaumont’s slow descent into madness and the criminal underworld beneath the small idyllic suburb of Lumberton. Blue Velvet was controversial on release, famously being panned by Roger Ebert, but has since come to be seen as a classic in its genre, buoyed by amazing performances from Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, and Isabella Rossellini. Saw at the 40th Anniversary Film Center re-release. Recommended.

3.) Tony (2026, dir. Matt Johnson). 

From Nirvanna the Band the Show comedian, and Blackberry director comes a biopic of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, following his early years as a chef in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The film follows him as he works in a kitchen for the first time and lies to his parents (and a girl he’s trying to court) about why he’s in Provincetown. The film flies by, feeling much, much shorter than its 106-minute runtime. Johnson perfectly captures the atmosphere of 1970s Cape Cod; it feels so lively and enjoyable that at times it feels like you’re on vacation. Dominic Sessa also, again, shows that he is a powerhouse of a young actor. Currently showing in theaters. Saw at the Paseo Nuevo Metro 4. See it while you can.

4.) Obsession (2026, dir. Curry Barker) 

At this point no longer in cinemas, but a great example of a film that got the type of reception in the theaters it deserved. When I saw it at the Metro, my showing was almost full, and people were enjoying the movie to the fullest. It offers some hope that a return to larger theater audiences and a more cinematically engaged public is not just possible but probable. The film itself is fantastic, tapping into gender neuroses that have taken up much of our public consciousness. The whole film orbits Inde Navarrette’s excellent performance, which is both genuinely scary and intensely empathetic. Saw at the Metro 4.

5.) Hiroshima, mon amour (1959, dir. Alain Resnais). 

Perhaps outside of the range of most theatre-goers my age, this classic of the French New Wave follows a French actress in Japan, filming an anti-war film, who falls in love with a Japanese architect. This film is notable not just for its shockingly sensitive and de-sensationalized portrayal of interracial romance and its delicate portrayal of love under pressure, but for its usage of Hiroshima only 15 years after the atomic bomb as a backdrop. Hiroshima, mon amour is a classic of the highest tier, and extremely worth watching, especially if you want to get more acquainted with foreign films or black and white/older cinema. Seen at the SBIFF Film Center as part of their French Film Exhibition, a perfect example of what an amazing resource the Film Center truly is. Highly recommended.

Make sure to stay tuned for part 2, where I’ll talk about five films I’m looking forward to seeing later in the year!