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)

Networking

Yet another great night at the library: When The Handshake Is Mightier Than The Pen: A Literary Open House. I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking about attending this event. What sort of people will be there? How do inform people that I write, but am not published? Will there be a lot of young hopefuls such as myself? In this town, will anyone of note actually show up? Should I try to promote my blog? I guess sometimes you just have to take a leap and ignore the jitters. Look for a detailed update after the event (it's not until June 24th)!

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.

what do you do when inspiration strikes?

The thing about being a writer is that sometimes it's very inconvenient when inspiration strikes you. I know you can set aside a time to write everyday, but more often than not it seems that an idea finds you when you're not looking. So what do you do? I am fortunate enough that if I'm in bed and I think of something to add to a story, I can usually remember it come morning. But sometimes I lie awake thinking about it for a long time, so I might as well get up and write it down. But if it's a new idea, I find that I have to write it down almost immediately. I've bought tons and tons of notebooks, and I've tried to get into the habit of carrying them around with me. But the other day I had a line that was in perfect iambic pentameter, and nothing to write it on but a paper towel from the bathroom. I think the craziest thing is when I find myself writing a whole plot outline, character sketch, or anything else down while I'm DRIVING. Hey, stoplights afford you enough time to get a few sentences out before you become a danger to yourself or others...

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.

ok...next month is going to be awesome

Next month, one of my local libraries is going to be host to events with Laurell K. Hamilton AND Augusten Burroughs (oh, and Norm Clarke and Tony Curtis together). I love getting to hear published authors talk about their experiences and asking them tons and tons of annoying questions, so this will be perfect. Laurell K. Hamilton is going to be on Friday, 6/5, @ 7 pm and Augusten Burroughs is going to be on Saturday, 6/20, @ 7 pm. (Sorry, you'll have to check www.lvccld.org if you want the info for ol' Norm and Tony.) Those are both days I'm not working, so I can actually go! And I was beginning to think the only event we were going to have was the one with the authors from Chicken Soup for the Soul...