CineVegas

So, I finally bought my tickets for CineVegas! For a complete schedule, go here: http://cinevegas.bside.com/2009/schedule/week. As for my highlights, look no further.

Harmony and Me
Playing: Friday, June 12th and Sunday, June 14th
Synopsis: The most creative works of art, music and literature often come from heartache. In a way, that’s all we can hope for and from Harmony, a sullen 20-something lyricist, as he pines for a woman who broke his heart with seemingly little remorse. Harmony finds some solace in song, yet he fails to find tangible compassion from those around him...
Why should it be seen?: To support an Austin filmmaker. Looks to have indie-cred.

Jon Voight - Marquee Award.
Playing: Sunday, June 14th
Synopsis: Q&A with actor and screening of one of his films.
Why?: Duh! Jon Voight. And the screening is of a Hal Ashby movie, Lookin’ To Get Out, which I'm sure is pretty hard to come by.

Palermo Shooting
Playing: Sunday, June 14th
Synopsis: On the outside, Finn has few troubles: he’s a famed photographer, he’s respected, he’s busy. But underneath it all, Finn is not at peace. He barely sleeps and fails to connect. While he struggles to choose between art and commerce, he remains lonely, stuck in a tormented state of indecision and depression...
Why should it be seen?: It's directed by the brilliant Wim Wenders and Dennis Hopper, Milla Jovovich, and Lou Reed starring in the same movie seems like something to be seen.

Patriotville
Playing: Friday, June 12th and Saturday, June 13th
Synopsis: Wit and comic verve are the twin props of this alternately charming and biting satire. PATRIOTVILLE humorously explores the roles greed and corruption have played in the slow deterioration of small-town America. Talmage Cooley crafts a timely story with a delightful mix of characters who will have you laughing and thinking throughout...
Why should it be seen?: Justin Long is cute and funny. That's all you need.


Willem Defoe
Playing: Sunday, June 14th
Synopsis: Q & A with actor and screening of one of his films.
Why?: Defoe is one of the most bad assiest actors around (he even made JC look tough)!


Jury Prize Film
Playing: Monday, June 15th.
Synopsis: It's a gamble, and that's what Vegas is all about!
Why should it be seen?: Hopefully the pricey opening night film, St. John of Las Vegas, or the sold out film 500 Days of Summer will win the jury prize and then you will be able to see one of them. Anyways, it seems worth the 10 bucks.

Some other highlights that I unfortunately won't be able to attend the screening of: Moon (starring Sam Rockwell), Beautiful Darling (documentary about the famous Factory scenester, Candy Darling), Adam (endearing looking romance starring Rose Byrne and Hugh Dancy), 500 Days of Summer (Marc Webb, J G-L, Deschanel -- this one is understandably sold out), All-In: The Poker Movie (not much interested in poker, but interested in what Ira Glass has to do with it)

Sherlock Holmes (wtf)?

Trust Guy Ritchie to make Sherlock Holmes look like a British gangster:



This has killed any dim hopes of mine that this might be a slightly good film.

I heart Criterion and I heart Netflix!

I know this matters to probably .5 people on the planet, but I just got an e-mail from the Criterion Collection that they have released Wise Blood on DVD! It's one of the hardest Brad Dourif (when he was younger) movies to find. I was considering checking it out on VHS from the university library, but they make you watch the videos in-house and I just never had time. Oh! Netflix here I come.

Ewan McGregor, Angels and Demons

Because I still can’t believe he has taken a supporting role in the big screen adaptation of Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons, and because I need to cleanse my palate, today I present to you the 4 Fictional Characters Ewan McGregor Has Portrayed in Big Screen Adaptations of Novels That Are Sexier Than a Vatican Official.

4. Frank Churchill in Emma, adapted from the novel by Jane Austen:

Okay, so he’s no Mr. Knightley (or comparable to any other male leads from Austen’s novels) and you can sorta understand why Amy Heckerling turned his character gay in Clueless. I mean, he does gossip more than the girls in this adaptation of one of Austen’s gossipiest novels.

3. Joe Taylor in Young Adam, adapted from the novel by Alexander Trocchi:

Yeah, he’s a reckless womanizer, and his girlfriends sometimes end up dead, but still sexier than a Vatican official. All he does in this movie is seduce, seduce, seduce.

2. Ed Bloom in Big Fish, adapted from the novel by Daniel Wallace

(Picture coming soon)

He's maybe a little too perfect in this movie. A total DILF.

1. Mark Renton in Trainspotting, adapted from the novel by Irvine Welsh:

It’s hard to describe Renton’s sexiness. And unless you find men crawling out of toilet bowls sexy, it’s hard to find a picture that captures it. But if he were a real person, I probably would take him home and then proceed to stalk him and serenade him with New Order songs.

Geeky Dreamboats

Finally, I have a term to use when people ask me what my "type" is. Geeky Dreamboats! My friend bought this book over the weekend:

This little book for under $10 is nearly perfect. Not only does it include fun facts about each geeky dreamboat (Jake Gyllenhaal is a swedish nobleman? Who knew?), but it also rates each on a scale of ultimate geek to almost cool. I have to point out, however, that the authors left out Jason Lee. He's the ultimate geeky dreamboat! Brodie? Hello? At least they had the foresight to include Simon Pegg and rate him ultimate geek. And, girls who are lucky enough to have a so-called geeky dreamboat in their possession, can now bestow him with an awesome certificate via the publisher's website.

Garcia-Bernal, Luna, and a Cuaron

I probably should have known about this earlier, but I just got wind of the new movie that features the long-awaited, at least by me, reunion of Gael Garcia-Bernal and Diego Luna (who looks strangely like Brandon Flowers on the poster). And the fact that this time around its directed by the other Cuaron ain't too shabby either. They play brothers in this film, which I don't quite buy. And those of us who enjoyed *ahem* certain scenes from Y Tu Mama Tambien know why its also kinda lame. Oh well. It looks cute enough and seems to have a killer soundtrack.

the library keeps hitler: the unknown artist in storage

I checked out Triumph of the Will from the library because I'm interested in things like propaganda and how people can be manipulated through words and images. My library is self-checkout, but to return it you have to give it to someone at the desk. Well, today was the day to return it but I felt really uncomfortable handing it in because I didn't want my co-workers thinking I was some sort of Neo-Nazi. And then I thought about how yesterday was Hitler's birthday and that it might seem like I watched it in honor of his birthday. So I just kept it. Hey, I don't get charged late fees and I still am interested in watching it. At least I didn't check out Hitler: the Unknown Artist, which is actually a book we keep in storage. And at least I don't share a birthday with him like these unfortunate people.