SIFF Must See - American: The Bill Hicks Story

It's officially time to start getting psyched for SIFF. The nation's biggest film festival starts in just a couple of weeks, and the lineup is live on their website right now. As time ticks down to the Festival kickoff on May 20, your Seattlest will be discussing all the movies we're especially excited to see at this year's festival, starting with a new documentary on one of our favorite comedians.

Ever since we caught a snippet of his standup routine on a Sunday morning radio show, we've been among the cult of followers devoted to comic legend Bill HIcks, and we're amazed by how many people we love and respect have yet to be introduced to one of the most important names in the history of American comedy. A brilliant performer, Hicks was considered by many to be one of the rare comics who gets mentioned alongside the likes of Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor and George Carlin - figures who are more than just jokers, whose material is not only hilarious but challenging and socially important. More than a comedian, Hicks was a foul-mouthed philosopher working in the medium of comedy - a self-described "Chomsky with dick jokes" who encouraged his audiences to question everything around them prior to his untimely death from pancreatic cancer at the age of 32.

American: The Bill Hicks Story is a new look at Hicks' life and legacy, which includes not only influencing a generation of comics, musicians and artists, but also writing pretty much all of Denis Leary's good material. The film has been playing to good reviews throughout the UK and comes to SIFF off a well received showing at SXSW. If you're looking for an introduction to the most important, influential American comedian you've never heard of, do yourself a favor and don't miss this one.