NUTS!

Dr. John Romulus Brinkley has one of those life stories that makes the voice in your head immediately scream how have I never heard of this guy before. He rose to fame in the 1910s though a procedure that allegedly cured infertility—inserting part of a goat's testicle into a man's scrotum. He parlayed his medical success, becoming a true radio pioneer (at separate times being the force behind America's most popular radio station, and the world's most powerful one) and almost becoming governor of Kansas (there's no escaping parallels to Donald Trump). NUTS! tells the doctor's story as laid out in his self-commissioned biography, The Life of a Man. Director Penny Lane employs animators to illustrate Brinkley's journey, and combines those images with interviews, source materials, and a distinct narrative twist to deliver an undeniably interesting hybrid documentary experience.

Screenings: June 8 at 6:30, $13 | June 9 at 4:30, SIFF Cinema Uptown, $11

Don't Think Twice

Improv comedy is all about trusting the other people in the scene. It's an art form that needs strong relationships. Mike Birbiglia's sophomore feature Don't Think Twice explores the dynamics of a top New York improv troupe as some performers rise and others stagnate. An all-star comedy nerd cast (Birbiglia, Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, and Tami Sagher) form an improv team called the Commune. When members of the group get auditions for a Saturday Night Live stand-in, the characters must sort through the emotions and jealousy that naturally arise when some friends get a shot at stardom while others continue to struggle grinding out a life of tough work and comedic passion.

Screenings: June 10 at 7, SIFF Cinema Uptown, Sold Out (Standby) | June 11 at 11am, AMC Pacific Place 11, Sold Out (Standby)

The General

Silent film star Buster Keaton was downright insane. The master of comedic physicality literally put his life on the line to perform stunts that studios wouldn't even let stuntmen attempt these days. SIFF shows off Keaton's timeless brilliance with a screening of his most acclaimed film, The General. Keaton plays a southern railroad engineer during the Civil War who must rescue his train (named the General) and fiancee when they're stolen by Yankee forces (spoiler alert: the quest requires crazy train stunts). Despite being released in 1926, there's a decent chance The General will be the best comedy of SIFF 2016.

Screening: June 11 at 11am, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, $8

The Pistol Shrimps

There's no denying that the Pistol Shrimps are America's most famous rec league basketball team. Comprised of actors, comedians, models, musicians, and other entertainment types, the Los Angeles squad gained prominence on late night talk shows and SportsCenter thanks to constant promotion by one of its players—Parks and Recreation's Aubrey Plaza. While there's a comedic core inherent in the Pistol Shrimps, there's a real heart to the team. The team restarted a dormant women's rec league basketball league that now is a flourishing hub of female comrade. The documentary The Pistol Shrimps is a rare funny sports doc that also bubbles with sincerity. It takes a look a the lives of the players, a podcast of comedians announcing the games, the Pistol Shrimps' improbable rise from laughingstock to championship contenders, and the bonds of friendship that tie it all together.

After popular screenings last week, SIFF added an encore showing of The Pistol Shrimps on the fest's final day.

Screening: June 12 at 9, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, $13