This Week At SIFF: Miranda July, Trolls, The New York Times and Bruce Lee

The opening ceremonies have come and gone, and between the films and the parties, SIFF has shown us a great time this weekend. But it's time to get down to business. Today marks the start of the first full week of the festival, so I hope you've done your stretches. This is what we're looking forward to this week.

Monday:

The Future: In Miranda July's latest, she takes a more focused approach than with 2005's Me and You and Everyone We Know in the story of Sophie and Josh, a mid-30s couple who, in the 30 days before they officially adopt a cat they found with a broken paw on the street, decide to make their dreams come true in their last days without responsibility. July's focus on relate-able details and individual neuroses culminates in two individuals' understanding, and adapting, to the passage of time. Puppetry is used, but not heavy-handedly. It was amazing on Saturday; it will still be the same amazing film on Sunday.

Monday at 4:30 p.m. // SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer Street // $8

The Trip: From the director of 24 Hour Party People and The Road to Guantanamo comes this this improvised piece, originally a six-episode series on BBC Two. After his American girlfriend breaks up with him, Steve Coogan, playing a fictionalized version of himself, takes Rob Brydon (also playing his fictionalized self) on a restaurant tour of Northern England. We imagine this to be heavy on witty banter. This sold out on Saturday; tomorrow is your last chance.

Monday at 9:15 p.m. // Admiral Theater, 2343 California Avenue SW // $11

Tuesday

Beginners: This story of a man's journey of self-discovery, reflecting on his father's coming-out at age 75 while embarking on a new romance, has had somewhat of a slow-burn release. Sunday's showing at the Ewan McGregor tribute was hard to get into, as McGregor was actually in attendance; if you want a crack at seeing this before it gets a wider release, this is your chance.

Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. // Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th Street // $8

Trollhunter: While Trollhunter is total midnite-movie fare, we don't blame you for not wanting to actually see it at midnight. This Norweigan film about a group of students, set out to film a piece about bear-poaching that turns into found footage about giant-troll-getting-killed-by, is playing at a much more reasonable mid-evening hour.

Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. // Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th Street // $11

Wednesday:

Tyrannosaur: British actor Paddy Considine's feature film directorial debut, Tyrannosaur is a presumably a follow-up to his BAFTA-winning short Dog Altogether. Small-town alcoholic Joseph seeks redemption in a second-hand charity shop run by a woman named Hannah, who has secrets of her own.

Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. // Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th Street // $8

Page One: Inside the New York Times Talking Pictures screening: Attention, newsnerds! Director Andrew Rossi spends a year at the New York Times, primarily at the media desk, in this in-depth examination in not only the inner-workings of the Times, but how the paper handles the advent of new media in an extremely critical time in the changing state of journalism. As this is a Talking Pictures screening, a discussion will follow.

Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. // Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th Street // $11

Thursday:

ALT Shorts: A series of experimental shorts from the USA, Poland, Austria, South Korea and Sweden, including Anatomy of the Vertebrae Retina, The consolation in the water-mother, Maska, The Necessities of Life, Once it started it could not end otherwise, and more. Dance films, music videos, and animation make for a diverse night.

Thursday at 9:30 p.m. // SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer Street // $11

Friday:

Simple Simon: Your first chance at SIFF to see this Swedish comedy. As mentioned in my initial SIFF preview: Simon is 18 and has Asperger's Syndrome, and is watched after by his older brother Sam. When Sam breaks up with his girlfriend, he's devastated, and Simon, whose condition is severe enough to not fully understand Sam's feelings, sets out to find him a new one using formulas and patterns, occasionally having bad run-ins with well-intentioned would-be girlfriends.

Friday at 11:00 a.m. // AMC Pacific Place 11, 600 Pine Street // $8

Bruce Lee, My Brother (North American premiere!): This biopic of martial arts icon Bruce Lee focuses on his time in his homeland of Hong Kong, before he became a Seattle darling. Directors Manfred Wong and Raymond Yip put the memoir of Lee's younger brother Robert onto the screen, bringing light to Lee's fascinating childhood and adolescence.

Friday at 7:00 p.m. // Neptune Theatre, 1303 NE 45th Street // $11