It’s here: SIFF 2008 launches tomorrow with a red carpet and genuine stars walking in on it to introduce Battle In Seattle, about the massive protests of the 1999 WTO. It’s followed by a party where you’ll probably drink too much and spend too much time plotting to casually run into a celebrity guest. After that, the festival starts in earnest. Here are a few suggestions from your friends at Metblogs about how you might spend your opening weekend:

PVC-1 [siff] : A Colombian movie about terrorists, bombs and money? Go figure. But this movie sucks you in and spits you out. Please see this movie because it’s true and sad and everything in between. [yayunicorns/ba]
Friday, May 23, 4:30 pm,; Monday, May 26, 9:00 pm (Harvard Exit)

The Fall [siff] : During the parade of trailers at the press preview, this one was the most dazzling by far. Five stories of revenge told to a hospitalized child spring to vibrant life under the direction of Tarsem, previously famous for making jaw-dropping commercials. Although the NYT wasn’t in love with it, I can’t imagine that the hypersaturated wonderland isn’t at least worth your time should at least be enough to hold your attention on a big screen. [josh]
Friday May 23, 4:30 pm; Sunday May 25, 6:30 pm (Uptown).

Continental: A Film Without Guns [siff] : A Canadian film about loneliness and alienation illuminated by a witty black comedic bent. [zg] ]
Friday, May 23, 9:30 pm; Saturday, May 24 (Pacific Place)

Transsiberian [siff] : Here as part of the “Sir Ben Kingsley Extravaganza”, this mystery/thriller that takes place on train crossing China also includes the unconventional cast of Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer and what should be spectacular cinematography. Your games of Six Degrees of … just got a lot easier. [j]
Saturday May 24, 9:30 pm (Uptown); Monday May 26, 1:30 pm (Egyptian).

The 3 Little Pigs [siff] : Three brothers meet in the hospital room of their comatose mother to debate the finer points of infidelity in between episodes of their own explorations into the subject in this comedy which is by turns satirical, saucy, and genuinely sweet. [zg]
Saturday, May 24, 1:30 pm, Pacific Place Sunday, May 25, 9:45 pm, Pacific Place

Gonzo [siff ] : Unfortunately, this one’s not about the beloved muppet. Instead, the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson. This could be the more PBS-like telling of the infamous journalist’s life, with Johnny Depp providing narration rather than impersonation. Why let all that hard-earned channeling go to waste? [j]
Saturday May 24, 3:45 pm; Monday May 26, 9:00 pm (Egyptian).

Everything Is Fine [siff] : Four young men in a group of five friends simultaneously commit suicide; the fifth struggles to come to terms with his pain while pursuing an awkward friendship with the father of one of his dead friends and a blossoming romance with the former girlfriend of another. [zg] Double recommendation! This started slow, but gradually and honestly revealed itself through a series of striking honesty and flashbacks. The pace is slow, but it earns the payoff. [j]
Saturday May 24, 7:00 pm; Sunday, May 25, 4:15 pm (Pacific Place)

Sita Sings The Blues [siff] : Think Triplets of Belleville with words, then mix in the humor of Monty Python. Now take all of that away and you get this wonderfully animated, musical movie about love and heartbreak, now vs. way back when. [yayunicorns (ba)]
Sunday May 25, 1:30 pm; Monday May 26 6:45 pm (Uptown Cinema)

King of Ping Pong [siff] : A fat kid who loves ping pong too much, deals with his weirdo dad, the guy he thinks could be his dad and the brother who doesn’t look anything like him. The beginning was promising and then I got bored. See it, maybe. [ba]
Sunday May 25, 6:45 pm; Monday May 26, 1:15 pm (SIFF Cinema)

Patti Smith: Dream of Life [siff] : Poet, activist, punk rock priestess and musician Patti Smith talks about her life over eleven year’s worth of film footage in this revelatory documentary about this extremely fascinating woman. [zg]
Sunday May 25, 9:00 pm; Wednesday May 28, 4:00 pm (Egyptian)