The L.A. Film Festival kicks off tomorrow night, and is it me (a definite possibility) or am I detecting an extra measure of vitality…some kind of exceptional on-it factor? The special events, parties, discussions and film selections feel almost Seattle-ish….perhaps even better than that. Here are 19 initial picks, and I’m sure there are five or ten other films and events I shouldn’t be overlooking: (1) Julie Anderson‘s Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater (6.24, 2 pm, Majestic Crest — 6.30, 7 pm, UCLA James Bridges — 7.2, 5:30, Laemmle’s Sunset); (2) Jauretsi Saizarbitoria and Emilia Menocal‘s East of Havana (6.25, 9:45 pm, Mann Festival — 6.29, 10 pm, Majestic Crest — 7.1, 4:45 pm, Laemmle Sunset); (3) Bill Couturie‘s Boffo! Tinseltown’s Bombs and Blockbusters (6.28, 7:15 pm, Mann Festival); (4) Kelly Reichardt ‘s Old Joy (6.23, 5 pm, Italian Cultural Institute); (5) “The Nature of Film Criticism: Neil LaBute and Kenneth Turan” (6.23, Armand Hammer, free); (6) Neil Marshall‘s The Descent (6.23, 8:30 pm, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre); (7) Discussion panel titled “Unshown Cinema: Inside the World of The Films That Got Away” (6.25, Armand Hammer, free); (8) Stanley Kubrick‘s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (6.25, 9:30 pm, UCLA James Bridges Theater); (9) “Conversation with Richard Linklater” (6.25, 7 pm, Italian Cultural Institute); (10) Nikolaus Geyrhalter ‘s Our Daily Bread (6.27, 9:30 pm, UCLA James Bridges Theater — 7.1, 4:45 pm, Landmark’s Regent); (11) Bradley Beesley, Julianna Brannum and James Payne‘s The Creek Runs Red (6.27, 7:15 pm, Landmark’s Regent — 6.30, 5:15 pm, Italian Cultural Institute — 7.2, 3:15 pm, Laemmle Laemmle Sunset 5); (12) Chris Gorak‘s Right At Your Door (6.28, 9:45 pm, Mann Festival Theatre — 6.30, 4:30 pm, Mann Festival); (13) Fabian Bielinsky‘s The Aura (6.28, 9:30 pm, Landmark’s Regent); (14) Richard linklater’s A Scanner Darkly (6.29, 8:30 pm, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre); (15) So Yong Kim‘s In Between Days (6.29, 9:30 pm, Landmark’s Regent — 7.1, 7 pm, Landmark’s Regent); (16) Jean Luc Godard‘s vMasculine Feminine (6.29, 9:45 pm, UCLA James Bridges); (17) Gil Kenan‘s Monster House (6.30, 8:30 pm, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre); (18) Lisandro Alonso ‘s Los Muertos (6.30, 9:30 pm, UCLA James Bridges Theater); (19) “Conversation with James Ellroy” (6.26, 9:45 pm, Italian Cultural Institute).