“Casino Jack,” starring Kevin Spacey, kicked off the festival Thursday night at the Tivoli Theatre. The screening was preceded by a reception with director George Hickenlooper, a St. Louis native. Don’t fret if you missed it though; the reception was just one of many opportunities that audiences will have to talk to filmmakers at SLIFF.

Each year, SLIFF attracts major Oscar contenders, allowing festival-goers to see the films before they are released in St. Louis. Last year, the festival featured Oscar-nominees “An Education,” “Up in the Air” and “Precious.” This year’s line-up promises not to disappoint.

This Sunday, Nov. 14 at 7.p.m., “127 Hours,” directed by Danny Boyle, the Oscar-winning director of “Slumdog Millionaire,” will play at the Hi-Pointe Theatre right down the street from Wash. U. “127 Hours” reunites the Oscar-winning director, cinematographer, screenwriter and composer from “Slumdog” and stars the lauded James Franco as a mountain climber who survives for five days under a boulder in Utah.

Playing that same night at 7 p.m. in Wash. U.’s Brown Hall is “Winter’s Bone.” The best part is that the showing’s free. That’s right: a very strong Oscar contender for absolutely no money. The film is sponsored by the Missouri Film Commission and co-presented by the University’s Film and Media Studies program. Make sure to check it out for Jennifer Lawrence’s chilling performance as a girl who hunts for her missing father in the Ozarks. As an added bonus, the movie was shot right here in Missouri.

If you want to stay up-to-date on your possible award winners, you might also want to check out Darren Aronofsky’s (the director of “The Wrestler”) “Black Swan.” Starring Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, “Swan” explores the dark relationship between rival ballet dancers. It will play next Friday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe.

Of course, a film festival wouldn’t be complete without foreign films. Hailing from Thailand, “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” will play twice during the festival. “Uncle Boonmee” follows the title character as he is dying from kidney failure. His last days are filled with hallucinations and visions. Check it out Friday, Nov. 12 at 9:45 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 13 at 8:15 p.m. at the Plaza Frontenac.

SLIFF also features many series of short films. Particularly intriguing is a series of documentary shorts entitled “Show Business.” The series looks at burlesque and drag through three shorts—“Dirty Martini,” “Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School” and “Royally Genderfucked: Drag Culture in St. Louis”—which are accompanied by performances from burlesque performer Lola van Ella and drag queen Siren. The documentary shorts series will be playing on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. at Webster University.

Friday, Nov. 12

“Blue Valentine,” 7 p.m., Hi-Pointe Theatre
“Uncle Boonmee,” 9:45 p.m., Plaza Frontenac Cinema
“Senso,” 7 p.m., Webster University

Saturday, Nov. 13

“One Lucky Elephant,” 5:45 p.m., Hi-Pointe
“Hayfever,” 6 p.m., Plaza Frontenac
“Women Without Men,” 7:15 p.m., Plaza Frontenac

Sunday, Nov. 14

“Fat City,” 1 and 4:30 p.m., Lindenwood University
“I Killed My Mother,” 7 p.m., Plaza Frontenac
“Winter’s Bone,” 7 p.m., Brown Hall at Wash. U.
“127 Hours,” 7 p.m., Hi-Pointe
“Valhalla Rising,” 9:15 p.m., Hi-Pointe

To purchase tickets for the Tivoli or Plaza Frontenac, stop by the respective theater’s box office or visit its website. Hi-Pointe and Webster University tickets are also available at the Tivoli box office. If you want to buy tickets the day of the show, you can stop by the box office a half hour before the showing. Going to a screening at Wash. U.? Don’t stress. They’re all free and don’t require tickets.

Below is a schedule of notable events, so that you can plan accordingly and avoid reading the whole program. That said, if you don’t trust my picks, visit the official website for more information and a full schedule of showings at www.cinemastlouis.org/festival.

(Dale Robinette | DW Studios)

Interviewing an Academy Award-nominated director could be daunting, but when the director is Jason Reitman, it’s anything but. At the age of 32, Reitman has already written and directed three feature films and several shorts, and has garnered the respect of the film industry. Considered to be one of this generation’s hot, young directors, Reitman sought to clarify that “hot, young” referred to attractiveness. As the son of celebrated director/producer Ivan Reitman, Jason grew up on his father’s sets, experiencing such comedic works as “Meatballs,” “Ghostbusters” and “Kindergarten Cop” firsthand. Reitman recalls his time spent in the editing rooms of these and other films, and cites these experiences as defining, for they taught him to be ruthless with his own work.

Reitman’s first feature film was the 2005 black comedy “Thank You For Smoking,” which was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture. Though this film was well received, it was the 2007 runaway hit “Juno” that catapulted Reitman to new heights. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for “Juno,” Reitman says, “It was a tiny film that was very successful.” The film addresses the idea of growing up in a real way, and Reitman says, “I think it will stand the test of time.”

In St. Louis for the 18th annual St. Louis International Film Festival last weekend, Reitman was honored with its Contemporary Cinema Award, which is awarded to “filmmakers in mid-career who are doing innovative, independent-minded work.” Reitman’s latest film, “Up in the Air,” debuted at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals and opened the St. Louis Film Festival last weekend, and it has already been earning some Oscar buzz. This film has been a passion project of Reitman’s, as he wrote the screenplay before directing “Thank You For Smoking.” Reitman cites the book, which is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Kirn, as a “toolbox” to use as a springboard. As for where to break from the source material, Reitman says, “It’s intuitive. I find an author who has the same point of view on life as I do.”

(Dale Robinette | DW Studios)

“Up in the Air” features the incomparable George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a detached man who spends his life on planes, flying to cities to fire employees of corporations too cowardly to do it themselves. Closed-minded to the idea of human companionship, Ryan seeks comfort in airport lounges, security lines and the perks that go along with frequent fliers. Ryan meets a similar-minded woman in one of these lounges, Alex (Vera Farmiga), and while their relationship is not at the center of the film, the chemistry between these characters is palpable and their witty rapport is infectious. Ryan’s life in the air is jeopardized when a young college graduate, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), convinces Ryan’s boss, Craig (Jason Bateman), that the company can cut costs by firing people via video conferencing.

With “Up in the Air,” Reitman claims, “I wanted to make a love letter to travel,” and not a film about the homogeneity of America. His film certainly speaks to the beauty of Middle America with rich overhead shots of American cities, which act as transitions between scenes. The film was shot mostly in St. Louis, which Reitman really enjoyed. He said St. Louis was a great location, as no prior movie has been primarily shot in St. Louis, and it has many original locations and climate change, and is a Middle America city that can double as other cities. “People were lovely” in St. Louis, noted Reitman, and from “actors to locations, you know when I love them.”

“Up in the Air” truly captures the anxieties of our time. Throughout the film, Reitman used real footage of people from St. Louis and Detroit discussing their reactions to being fired. These confessionals help to set the tone for the film, and their honest and touching portrayals put the film’s story in context. While in St. Louis last February to shoot the film, Reitman spoke at Webster University, where Kevin Renick, a St. Louis man, gave him a cassette tape of a song he wrote about being unemployed that was also titled “Up in the Air.” Reitman used Renick’s song in the film and on the soundtrack. The film is full of such genuine and authentic-feeling moments, and it beautifully tackles relevant issues everyday Americans are facing.

“Up in the Air” seizes upon American culture today and is a strong indicator of Jason Reitman’s potential. The film is sure to be a contender come awards season and Reitman deserves all the praises.

The festival’s big headliner is Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air,” a bona fide Oscar contender that stars George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman and a whole slew of fantastic actors. On top of that, the movie was mostly filmed in St. Louis, so if some backgrounds look a little familiar, it’s for good reason. Unfortunately, the lone screening on Saturday, Nov. 14, is already sold out, along with Reitman’s follow-up question-and-answer session, but if you’re one of those lucky enough to have a ticket, you’re in for a treat.

The rest of the lineup is just as strong. “Precious” paints a fearless portrayal of the overweight and illiterate teenager who lives in 1987 Harlem, and it looks phenomenal. It shows at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Hi-Pointe. Michael Cera’s newest awkward-fest, “Youth in Revolt” screens at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15, also at the Hi-Pointe, and the ambitious “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” captures Heath Ledger’s final appearance in film, alongside Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law, otherwise known as the Trifecta of Handsomeness. You can watch it at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Tivoli.

Of course, this is an international festival, and there are a plethora of quality intercontinental movies that will surely grab your attention. “Laila’s Birthday” comes from the acclaimed Palestinian writer-director Rashid Masharawi. It’s a wry take on ordinary people in difficult situations, and with two screenings, there’s little reason to miss it. From Sweden, there’s “Ciao Bella,” the story of a lovesick teenager who poses as an Italian soccer player to increase his chances with the lady-folk.

But so far, I’ve only discussed movies, recorded videos that can be viewed anywhere. SLIFF also offers “shows” that can’t be seen anywhere else: I’m talking about panels. To all the film critics out there, make sure to attend the free screening of “For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism” at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Tivoli. It’s a documentary followed by a panel on film criticism, which includes Harper Barnes, Kent Jones, Patrick McGilligan, and Gerald Peary and Joe Williams. Or maybe you’re feeling nostalgic. There’s a free showing of Ang Lee’s director’s cut of “Ride With the Devil” at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15, in our very own Brown Hall, followed by a discussion with Missourian novelist Daniel Woodrell, author of the novel the movie was based on.

And if you’re looking to see something that’s not “Up in the Air,” tickets are easy to come by. Advance tickets for screenings and panels at the Tivoli and Plaza Frontenac can be bought at their respective box offices or online at www.tickets.landmarktheatres.com. In fact, you can buy advance tickets for the Hi-Pointe from the Tivoli, too. If you’re buying tickets on the day of the show, box offices open a half hour before the screenings. And of course, all shows at Wash U. are free and don’t require a ticket.

And now, without further adieu, let me introduce a few mini-reviews for some of the more notable, but smaller, films that can be seen in the festival, plus a schedule of events. For more information, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.

Thursday, Nov. 12
“An Education” 7 p.m. Tivoli

Friday, Nov. 13
“St. Nick” 7:15 p.m. Tivoli

“Terribly Happy” 9:15 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“Beeswax” 7 p.m. Webster University

“XXY” 9:30 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“St. Nick”

Percy Olsen

Playing: Friday, Nov. 13, 7:15 p.m. at The Tivoli

Real-life siblings Savanna and Tucker Sears play sister and brother in this movie. Their simple character names—The Girl and The Boy—contrast the complexities of this film. For some unknown reason, the two are runaways in the middle of Texas, which means these kids can’t act like kids, and they’re forced to grow up fast. The Boy cares for his sister and brings “home” tomato sandwiches foraged from a dumpster. She, always coughing, drifts into a playground party, in search of her old home. When real adults appear, they aren’t helpful; they’re belligerent or literally out of focus. This makes it easier to understand why they ran away in the first place.

“St. Nick” is gorgeous. Every sequence has its own color palette that sets the mood. Although the dialogue is sparse, the effect never feels gimmicky, and the sounds of juicy tomatoes and ripped family photos roar from the screen, but only every now and then. The children are isolated and tense. Usually, the film is quiet but never silent. The ample empty space lets the mind wander. What are the siblings thinking? Why can’t they go home? It’s a sobering picture, and it’s a great one.

“XXY”

Kemi Aladesuyi

Playing: Friday, Nov. 13, 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 15, 1 p.m. at Plaza Frontenac

Few films are able to eloquently express the awkwardness, uncertainty and heartbreak of an adolescent’s exploration of self, yet the 2008 Argentinean film, “XXY,” artfully accomplishes this and much more. Written and directed by Lucia Puenzo, “XXY” tells the story of a 15-year-old intersex (possessing both male and female genitalia) person, Alex, as she develops physically, emotionally and sexually on a small fishing island in Uruguay. Alex’s exploration of self is only further complicated by the arrival of a talented surgeon and his family, who “illuminate her options,” and by the mutual attraction between her and the surgeon’s son Alvaro. Although the dialogue is sparse, the talent of the cast skillfully carries the weight of plot, and the cinematography and soundtrack are beautiful and enchanting. “XXY” is a thought-provoking film that encourages the audience to question previously held assumptions about the process of discovering one’s sexuality. Although the film resolves with more questions than answers, the intellectual stimulation is worth it.

Saturday, Nov. 14

“Branson” 1 p.m. Tivoli

“For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism” 11 a.m.     Tivoli

“Up In The Air” 7 p.m. Tivoli

“Precious” 7:30 pm Hi-Pointe

“For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism”

Eugene Kwon

Playing: Saturday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. at the Tivoli, free program

In defense of the film criticism industry comes a new documentary titled “For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism,” by Gerald Peary, a film critic himself. The film is a standard chronicle of the history of film criticism, from the early black-and-white films to the current ones, and it spends much of its time exploring the important debates and chasms formed between the intellectual and the spontaneous, the professional and the amateur, and the old and new generations.

Between chapters, Peary smartly interposes snippets of amusing anecdotes from a variety of critics and Q&As, and this lets his documentary avoid being didactic and tedious. He sets an impartial tone for the film, without reinforcing his status as a professional or bashing the new, amateur generation, which would have been easy for him to do. In a laudable move, he instead suggests a possibility of co-existence of both camps and acknowledges the legitimacy of the new amateur form of film criticism. Nothing groundbreaking can be found in this documentary, but it is a decent and informative entry in the film criticism documentary genre. One unnecessary feature of the film: Patricia Clarkson’s rather dull narration.

“How I Got Lost”

Alex Terrono

Playing: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2:30 p.m. at the Tivoli; Sunday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m. at Webster

“How I Got Lost,” an expanded version of director Leonard’s 2005 short film, tells the story of Andrew (Aaron Stanford) and Jake (Jacob Fishel), friends who both have lost their footing in life. Andrew’s father has just passed away, and Jake is still heartbroken from his last breakup. In an attempt to regain control over their lives, they take a road trip from New York City to Pennsylvania and realize that maybe they just need a change of environment. This film is overall a great watch. It is entertaining from start to finish and, for the most part, beautifully shot. It isn’t a particularly groundbreaking plot or film, but “How I Got Lost” is nonetheless a worthwhile watch. Bonus: It was filmed in Kirkwood, Miss.

Sunday, Nov. 15

“Crude” 6:30 p.m. Tivoli

“The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” 5:30 p.m. Tivoli

“In 500 Words or Less” 2:45 p.m. Tivoli

“Laila’s Birthday” 5 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“XXY” 1 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“Youth In Revolt” 8 p.m. Hi-Pointe

“In 500 Words or Less”

Craig Ostrin

Playing: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2:45 p.m. at The Tivoli.

“In 500 Words or Less” is about stress, suffering and disappointment and people accepting their fate and finding their place in life. That’s right. It’s about applying to college. This documentary traces four American high school students in their struggle through the whole painful process and beyond.

“500 Words” does a great job of conveying the frustration of college applications, the strain it puts on families and the conflicting feelings of triumph, remorse and helplessness once all the letters come in. And although each student comes from a different background and has his or her own trials to overcome, the film does its best to universalize the experience. And its happy conclusion, “everyone ends up where they’re supposed to be,” is one that you’ve likely heard too many times from your parents.

However, the film’s accuracy is also what makes it so difficult to recommend. Even as a junior, I’m still not far enough removed so that “500 Words” wasn’t painful to watch. You know this movie, because you’ve lived it. Do you really want to do it again?

Monday, Nov. 16

“Drool” 9 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“Waiting for Hockney” 9:30 p.m. Tivoli

Tuesday, Nov. 17

“Ciao Bella” 4 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“What a Wonderful World” 9 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

Wednesday, Nov. 18

“The Wonder of it All” 5 p.m. Tivoli

“Everybody’s Fine” 7 p.m. Frontenac

Thursday, Nov. 19

“Storm” 4:15 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“Marcello Marcello” 7:15 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“Say My Name” 9 p.m. Tivoli

“Storm”

Andrew Senter

Playing: Thursday, Nov. 19, 4:15 p.m. at Plaza Frontenac; Friday, Nov. 20, 5 p.m. at Plaza Frontenac

Hans-Christian Schmid’s new movie, “Storm,” is an evocative tale about war crimes and international justice. This film is especially pertinent to St. Louis because the war crimes it explores are ones that were committed in Bosnia during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, and St. Louis is home to one of the largest Bosnian communities in the United States.

The story focuses on prosecutor Hannah Maynard (Kerry Fox), who works at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In the movie, she is looking to convict a former Yugoslavian army commander of committing ethnic cleansing against Bosnians during the Yugoslav wars. The case is almost lost when the key witness commits suicide. His suicide causes Maynard to venture to the Republika Srpska region of Bosnia, where she looks to enlist the witness’ sister (Anamaria Marinca) to testify against the former Yugoslavian general. Without her, Maynard is afraid that the whole case could fall apart and a murderous general could walk free.

The resulting film is intriguing and very powerful. It truly makes one think about ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and the effectiveness of the international justice system. Though the movie feels a little long-winded toward the end, it is a worthwhile exploration into a horrific war that is often neglected or given poor treatment in Western media.

Friday, Nov. 20

“Three Monkeys” 9:15 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“The Missing Person” 9:30 p.m. Plaza Frontenac

“The Missing Person”

Princeton Hynes

Playing: Friday, Nov. 20, 9:30 p.m. at Plaza Frontenac

“The Missing Person” isn’t like normal film noir, and that’s exactly what director Noah Buschel was going for. The story—which revolves around loneliness and desperation—is told in a way that is very stripped down, opting not to use most of the features usually make up a noir film. The ending is so amazing precisely because it is an atypical noir film.

Academy Award nominees Michael Shannon (the lead) and Amy Ryan are the ones to watch in this dark film about the aftermath of a horrible event and the lengths to which someone will go to be reunited with his or her loved ones. I don’t want to give too much about the plot away, but it is safe just to say that what you expect will not be what is given, but what is given will be more effective. It’s without the affectations of “Chinatown” or “A Touch of Evil,” yet it is told with a plain honesty that still hits home on the darkest points.

Saturday, Nov. 21

“The Hollywood Cartoon” 7:30 p.m. Brown 100

“2:22” 9:30 p.m. Tivoli

Sunday, Nov. 22

“The Choir” 1 p.m. Tivoli

“The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” 5:30 p.m. Tivoli

“Me and Orson Welles” 6:30 p.m. Tivoli