A samurai action film from director Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer, Audition)? Yes, please.

The New England premiere of a this sci-fi flavored drama, which had well-received screenings at Sundance and SXSW. Directed by Mike Cahill and starring co-writer Brit Marling along with William Mapother (Ethan from Lost).

Guy with a Road Warrior fixation meets girl who can eat more crickets than he can. Directed by (and starring) Evan Glodell, who will be at the screening with co-star Tyler Dawson.

Director/star Miranda July’s first feature-length film since 2005’s “Me and You and Everyone We Know”. She’ll be here in person for a post-film Q&A.

Two Japanese siblings get stuck in a small California town on their way from Japan to San Francisco. Star Atsuko Okatsuka will be at the screening.

Shot entirely in Rhode Island and directed by Mark Heller, who will be at the screening along with actress Daniella Alonso. There’s also a chance that co-star Joe Morton (Brother From Another Planet, Eureka, Terminator 2) will be there as well, but don’t quote me on that. I’m a longtime fan of Joe’s work, so my fingers are very crossed.

Starring a trio of my favorite actors, Deadwood alums Garret Dillahunt (who plays the title character) and Molly Parker along with Donal Logue. Director Ryan Redford and Dillahunt (who’s also been in “Winter’s Bone”, “The 4400”, “The Road”, and the Terminator TV show) will both be at the screening, where I’m sure Dillahunt will not creep me out in real life at all.

I’m a sucker for gorgeous icescapes, and this drama built around two Eskimo brothers takes place entirely in Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost city in the United States. Director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean will be at one of the screenings (not sure which one yet), and I’m sure he has some great stories to tell.

Star John C. Reilly is, unsurprisingly, getting great early reviews for his role at an assistant principal in this high school-set dark comedy, which also stars Creed Bratten (yes, Creed from The Office).

Really looking forward to this one, although not to the sadness that’s sure to seep in as I watch Tracy Wright’s final film performance (the actress, a frequent on-screen and in-person part of past IFFBostons, passed away last year). In “Trigger”, which makes its US premiere here, she stars with Molly Parker as friends reflecting back on their now-distant days in a Canadian rock band. IFFB fave Bruce McDonald directed the film, which also features appearances from Wright’s husband Don McKeller, Sarah Polley, and Callum Keith Rennie. Be sure to pick up a copy of this year’s official IFFBoston program guide, which will include a special tribute to Tracy Wright.

A follow-up of sorts to Michael Winterbottom’s 2005 comedy “Tristram Shandy”, it stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reprising the (possibly) exaggerated versions of themselves from that film. Winterbottom sends the two on a road trip of Northern England and, no doubt, hilarity ensues.

I’m all in for a faux documentary about a man hunting trolls (yeah, trolls) in the wilds of Norway, and the student filmmakers who discover him. Director Andre Ovredal will be at the screening to tell us exactly how much D&D he played growing up.

A based-on-true-events drama about human trafficking, this one has a killer cast: Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci, and David Strathairn.

As the dad to an almost-4-year-old, I have a newfound appreciation for Elmo and his creator, puppeteer Kevin Clash. He’ll be at the screening (Elmo on hand) with director Constance Marks.

Is there any chance this won’t be a great time? Nope, not really. A packed house of the hometown hero’s family, friends, and fans will get to see this documentary about last year’s traveling Coco roadshow. Director Rodman Flender will be there, and word is that advance tix are already way sold out. Keep in mind that there will be a last-minute rush line, so show up early to the Coolidge to take your chances.

A look at a family who has turned a Portuguese monastary into their own personal artistic playground, focusing on the son who reanimates dead animals using electronics. Not exactly standard documentary fare, which makes it all the more appealing, as does the promise of Larry Dolan’s score. Director Jarred Alterman will be in attendance at one (maybe both) of the screenings.

Throw the word “dragon” in the title of your film and I’ll probably investigate. Unlike “Troll Hunter”, this one’s title isn’t so telling – it’s a personal portrait of Josh “Skreech” Sandoval, an untethered skateboarder wandering through his world. Director Tristan Patterson will be in attendance.

This one will be packed with MIT students & staff, for sure. From the IFFB site: “Follow MIT’s ‘free spirit’ as he digs through trash, encodes DNA with lines of poetry, and tries to send bacteria into space.” Director Peter Sasowsky will be at the screening, and he’s bringing Joe along with him.

Each year I ask the IFFBoston staff to recommend me special films that might not otherwise jump out at me, and this was one they gave me. I trust them implicitly, so check out the film’s synopsis and do the same. This is the films U.S. premiere, and director Jeff Silva will be at the screening for a Q&A.

I’m a sucker for films like this (see: “Wordplay”). This one follows six burgeoning magicians as they compete to be Teen World Champion at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. Director J. Clay Tweel will be at the screenings.

Directed by James Marsh, the man behind 2008’s excellent “Man On Wire”, this film is about a chimpanzee, Nim, who was the subject of 1970s experiment that attempted to socialize him with a human family. Nim’s best friend Bob Ingersoll will be at the screening to answer questions.

A film with strong local ties, to say the least. Boston-based filmmaker Rudy Hypolite helms this in-depth look at Roxbury’s Madison High School basketball team and their coach, Dennis Wilson. Both Hypolite and Wilson will be at the screening (and you can bet that many of the students will be in the crowd, too).

Another film right in my geeky wheelhouse, director Michael Barnett documents the exploits and motivations of a bunch of real-life superheroes – not the quiet, behind-the-scenes kind, but the costume-wearing, danger-flirting kind. They’re out there, and Barnett will be at the screening to tell us even more about them.

150 years ago, the last known Wampanoag speaker died, and this film tells about the inspiration and efforts to revitalize this lost Native American language. Director Anne Makepeace chronicles the history and current state of the tribe, based in southeastern Massachusetts, and how the Wopanaak Language Reclamation Project is helping bring back their spoken word. Makepeace will be at the screening for a Q&A.

There are a ton of films I wasn’t able to write about (I gave especially short-shrift to the short films), so make sure you do some digging of your own at the fest site. Every year there are films I regrettably ignore, or hidden gems I take a chance on that stay with me long after.

Remember, the Independent Film Festival Boston is entirely non-profit, and put together by a volunteer staff of film lovers… so when you attend, treat those in staff t-shirts kindly (especially if they already look stressed out), and listen to anyone holding a walkie-talkie. Pick up some cool merch and a program guide to help fund the fest, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

See you tonight over in Davis Square…

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