film festival? already done, thanks

I didn't go downtown to a single film for the Savannah Film Festival this year.
Believe it or not, that's true.
Me, the one who once planned on a week of vacation to make sure not a single film block in the mornings and afternoons would be missed.
Why the big change?
Programming changes on their part, really.
For the past few years, the folks at SCAD who plan the festival's offerings have been slipping, showing movies that hit the mainstream cinemas rather than films we would never otherwise see.
This year, the 20th year of the Savannah Film Festival, had twenty full-length movies that have either already played in the local multiplex cinemas or will be screened in them in the next few months.
Let's go through the SFF schedule, shall we?
On the opening day, which was Saturday a week ago, the SFF had "The Big Sick" in the afternoon and "Molly's Game" in a prime evening slot. I had already seen the former and will see the latter in another month, at a southside cinema.
For the last Sunday in October - the final day of the God on Broadway series at my church - I had no trouble this year deciding where I would be. The SFF had "Logan" in the morning at church time; as you may recall, I had the pleasure of seeing that one twice already during the spring. The afternoon was filled with "Beatriz At Dinner" and "Battle of The Sexes" - both already viewed at the AMC theaters.
Sunday evening did feature two which I have not yet seen. However, both "Mudbound" and "The Florida Project" have had trailers on the local screens, so they're coming soon.
Monday, October 30, was a school day for me, so it didn't matter.
The same can be said for the first day of November. That day, they showed "Lady Bird", which has had several trailers and will be viewable at the regualr cinemas by the end of this month.
What about Halloween? Well, they proffered "LBJ" that afternoon; good movie, seen yesterday at the Carmike with Carolyn. "Frankenstein" - screened that evening - was the same NTL production screened at the Lucas recently. Another evening offering was "Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool", due for mainstream viewing by the end of this month.
That means eleven of the twenty non-rarity movies were shown at Savannah Film Festival screenings in the first five days. That left only three days for them to screen the other nine mainstream movies... which they did.
Last Thursday brought us "Detroit" (which I had abstained from viewing in August), "The Shape of Water" (which will arrive in December), and "Downsizing" (also due in December). No worries, I can wait for them!
Friday morning held "Wonderstruck", with "Good Time" following closely.
The final day of the SFF was Saturday, coinciding with race day, as it has for most of the last seven years. No worries, though. No reason to try to venture downtown to see either "War For The Planet of the Apes" or "Gifted" again, both seen months ago. I might have liked viewing "Norman" one more time - Richard Gere being simply fabulous in it, but that was in the afternoon and I needed a nap!
And the last film of the SFF, this 8-day event which is supposed to celebrate novelty and risk-taking creativity? "Darkest Hour", the film about Winston Churchill, due in a couple of weeks at nearly every cinema in town.
I'm not saying that Gary Oldman vehicle won't be an excellent movie, not at all.
I just miss being in on movies like "Butter", which never, ever hit a mainstream screen.
Well, there's always next year's Savannah Film Festival. I will hope for the best!