Susan Sontag thought of writing as "an instrument for tuning into reality as much as you can," and she wrote about anything and everything. Her promiscuous mind, her array of past girlfriends, her thoughts on cancer and AIDS, her thoughts on Iraq, and her thoughts on drag queens are all included in this poignant, intimate, surprisingly entertaining documentary. What comes through most is Sontag's inhuman intelligence even in the face of death; the story of her outsmarting doctors who gave her a month to live (she went on to live for decades) is unforgettable. So is this sentence, spoken with regard to a woman Sontag slept with: "Irene could make a stone come." (CHRISTOPHER FRIZZELLE)

Regarding Susan Sontag plays today at the Pacific Place at 3:30 pm.

Check out the rest of our recommended SIFF films for today right here.