by Stephen Milek

When I tell people I am going to the Milwaukee Film Festival one of the first things they ask is "do they show anything good?"  Of course they do.  With over 300 films playing there is something for everyone; it's all a matter of finding ones you will like. What people might not realize is just because the Milwaukee Film Festival doesn't have the name recognition like Sundance or Toronto it doesn't mean its sub-par festival.

This year in the festival guide makes it easy for you to find movies you might like. They have their Quick Picks based on what kind of movies you like and who you are going with.  If you never been to a film fest before this is a great place to start.  I thought about writing up a list of movie recommendations but there are plenty others out there and wanted to do something different (If you are looking for a list of recommendations Matt Mueller of OnMilwaukee.com wrote an excellent list). I could write up what movies I plan on going to see but my tastes aren't for everyone and I encourage everyone to seek out movies that are in line with their tastes.

What I decided to do is highlight things that make the Milwaukee Film Festival special.  Not only are there great movies but it’s an excellent opportunity to experience different things.  No matter what movies you like there are things at the festival everyone should take advantage of.  And this list is only the film related things. There are plenty of other great events surrounding the festival like live music, special gatherings, panels about everything from education to crime, and parties. 

Check out the list below. 

By Christopher K House

Milwaukee Movie Talk started life as a private Facebook group in 2011. From there, we have grown beyond our wildest dreams, reaching thousands. We partnered with the Milwaukee Film Festival in 2013, being a community partner showcasing a selected film. This year, we chose Uncertain as our partner film. Lets look back at the brief but, interesting history we have had as community partners.

2013 - Billy Club

Billy Club is a local production from directors Drew Rosas and Nick Sommer. It's a crazy horror movie with a baseball theme. Fifteen years after a triple homicide that killed their coach and two team mates, four friends reunite to remember their fallen comrades. Unbeknownst to them, the murderer has unfinished business with them. The film was a crazy, wild horror film with a lot of charm. A great flick to watch with a group of friends. Recreational drugs are optional.

2014 - Witching and Bitching

Witching and Bitching sold us the moment we saw the trailer. A Spanish horror/comedy from director Alex de la Iglesia, Witching and Bitching was a surprise sensation. A group of jewelry thieves on the run after a robbery make a wrong turn in to a town of witches. They hole up in an old house as the guests of a host of witches, intent on eating our hapless crew of unlucky robbers. Can they escape the lair of the witches? The movie was hilarious with great special effects, it was a treat to watch. No tricks here.

2015 - Uncertain

Uncertain is a documentary about a small Texas town. Written and directed by documentary veterans Ewan McNicol and Anna Sandilands, Uncertain tells the story of three men with troubled pasts in a town of 96. We have yet to see the film and, are looking forward to our screening of it.

While our history with the fest might be small, it feels like we have been doing it longer. We have had a few spotlight films over the years as well. We always look forward to the film festival and, look forward to partnering for many years to come.

by Stephen Milek

I wanted to write a list of my top 10 favorite movies I saw at the film festival but there were so many movies I wanted to include I had to up the number to 15.  These aren’t the best movies to ever play at the festival these are just the best I saw at the festival. There were other great movies that played at the festival that I saw outside the festival so those aren’t included.  There is something special about seeing a film at a festival. Sometimes it’s just being with a group of other dedicated film lovers, sometimes it is having the director or subjects of a documentary present, and sometimes it’s just about bragging rights and saying you saw it before everyone else.