Local filmmakers Chris Woods and Joe Davison are starting something called the Tampa Film Network on February 1.
The Tampa Film Network is a group of individuals in the process of writing, producing or directing independent films in or around the Tampa Bay area. The goal of the TFN is to unite the local film community and work towards better production values. They hope to get these filmmakers together for networking and to help each other with different projects. A local screenwriter looking for someone to make her script into a movie might connect with a local director looking for his next project. A director looking for someone to do lighting or sound for his next film might have an easier time of finding someone, since he has other local filmmakers to consult.
The inaugural meeting of the Tampa Film Network is Wednesday, February 1, at Durango Steak House (Best Western) on Westshore Blvd. at 8 p.m. If you're interested and planning to attend, please let Woods or Davison know so they can have an idea of how many to expect.
For more information, visit www.iconfilmstudios.com or www.popgunpictures.com.
They're going to let me crash this meeting, even though I'm not an aspiring filmmaker. Woods told me I should consider myself part of the local film community since I write about local film news. How cool is that?
Hope to see you February 1st. This is Lisa Ciurro, Member of the Local Film Community, signing off.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Two Weeks Til The Tampa International Film Festival
The countdown has begun...13 days until the start of the fourth annual Tampa International Film Festival on February 3rd. I'll try to keep this blog from turning into a Film Festival Fan blog, but right now I'm living and breathing the Tampa International Film Festival. Not because I'm weirdly obsessed, mind you, but because somewhere in between two blogs and my Real Job, I serve as Assistant Director of the Festival. (An unpaid labor of love...I gotta figure out how to make money off of this stuff!)
TIFF has gotten some publicity lately, which tickles me to no end. We're included in a list of local film festivals on page 80 of Tampa Bay Illustrated magazine's story about the local film scene. TIFF made the front page of the local Indian newspaper Khaas Baat and has a full-page color ad in the new bilingual magazine Premiere Crossover.
The festival got national coverage this week by being included in the Movie News section of the Turner Classic Movies website. I did an interview with the film critic of the Sarasota Herald Tribune this week, and I know the festival director has spoken with the film critic of the Weekly Planet, so I'll post those links whenever those stories run.
The Education Channel has finalized the list of films for their sidebar on American independent cinema, and I'm one step away from finalizing the list of forum panel members for the two film forums the festival is having at MOSI. So there will be plenty more posts about TIFF coming up, film fans!
If film festivals aren't your thing, you won't offend me by skipping those posts. If film festivals are your thing, I encourage you to come to Sunrise Cinemas for the Tampa International Film Festival from February 3-11. In addition to the interesting and entertaining films, you can watch me run around with my clipboard like a crazy woman overseeing the volunteers and handling the occasional cranky movie-goer and multi-tasking like mad. It's quite a show.
TIFF has gotten some publicity lately, which tickles me to no end. We're included in a list of local film festivals on page 80 of Tampa Bay Illustrated magazine's story about the local film scene. TIFF made the front page of the local Indian newspaper Khaas Baat and has a full-page color ad in the new bilingual magazine Premiere Crossover.
The festival got national coverage this week by being included in the Movie News section of the Turner Classic Movies website. I did an interview with the film critic of the Sarasota Herald Tribune this week, and I know the festival director has spoken with the film critic of the Weekly Planet, so I'll post those links whenever those stories run.
The Education Channel has finalized the list of films for their sidebar on American independent cinema, and I'm one step away from finalizing the list of forum panel members for the two film forums the festival is having at MOSI. So there will be plenty more posts about TIFF coming up, film fans!
If film festivals aren't your thing, you won't offend me by skipping those posts. If film festivals are your thing, I encourage you to come to Sunrise Cinemas for the Tampa International Film Festival from February 3-11. In addition to the interesting and entertaining films, you can watch me run around with my clipboard like a crazy woman overseeing the volunteers and handling the occasional cranky movie-goer and multi-tasking like mad. It's quite a show.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Learn These Initials: TFR (Tampa Film Review)
As unfortunate as it was that the Coffeehouse Film Review (CFR) had to find a new home because of the recent closing of Romeo's Studio 1515 Coffeehouse, the Guzzo brothers have taken the lemons they were given and have made some awesome lemonade.
As previously mentioned here, this monthly free film screening has a new location (International Bazaar in Ybor) and a new night (second Friday of the month at 8 p.m.). What I don't believe I've mentioned yet is that this event now has a new name -- the Tampa Film Review (TFR).
Their new website is www.thetampafilmreview.com. They've got links to some of their recent press coverage, a summary of the previous month's screenings, a list of films being screened at the upcoming TFR, and a fledgling message board. (Once my confirmation email arrives, I'll be the second registered message board user. Come join me!)
Having the inaugural TFR on Friday the 13th didn't hurt their luck one bit. I wasn't able to attend, but Guzzo Brother Number 1 (a.k.a. Paul) told me that the turnout was great, with 70+ people showing up. Rick Gershman of the St. Pete Times declared the TRF a hit in his recent article . Plus, he called the Guzzos "athletic and handsome," which is never a bad thing to have printed about you. (In case you're wondering, Gershman is correct on all counts.)
Nolan over at Crazed Fan Boy wrote about the new TFR on his site, with summaries of the films shown and photos of the event and everything. Paul Guzzo mentioned recently on the Crazed Fan Boy message board that Nolan Canova, Chris Woods and Rick Danford have all been an important part of keeping the CFR/TFR going, so I want to give them a shout-out here as well.
The next TFR is February 10th at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. I won't be able to make that one either, because I'll be at the Tampa International Film Festival (damn...it's like Sophie's Choice). Check the TFR website to see what's going to be screened or to find out how to have your film shown there.
As previously mentioned here, this monthly free film screening has a new location (International Bazaar in Ybor) and a new night (second Friday of the month at 8 p.m.). What I don't believe I've mentioned yet is that this event now has a new name -- the Tampa Film Review (TFR).
Their new website is www.thetampafilmreview.com. They've got links to some of their recent press coverage, a summary of the previous month's screenings, a list of films being screened at the upcoming TFR, and a fledgling message board. (Once my confirmation email arrives, I'll be the second registered message board user. Come join me!)
Having the inaugural TFR on Friday the 13th didn't hurt their luck one bit. I wasn't able to attend, but Guzzo Brother Number 1 (a.k.a. Paul) told me that the turnout was great, with 70+ people showing up. Rick Gershman of the St. Pete Times declared the TRF a hit in his recent article . Plus, he called the Guzzos "athletic and handsome," which is never a bad thing to have printed about you. (In case you're wondering, Gershman is correct on all counts.)
Nolan over at Crazed Fan Boy wrote about the new TFR on his site, with summaries of the films shown and photos of the event and everything. Paul Guzzo mentioned recently on the Crazed Fan Boy message board that Nolan Canova, Chris Woods and Rick Danford have all been an important part of keeping the CFR/TFR going, so I want to give them a shout-out here as well.
The next TFR is February 10th at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. I won't be able to make that one either, because I'll be at the Tampa International Film Festival (damn...it's like Sophie's Choice). Check the TFR website to see what's going to be screened or to find out how to have your film shown there.
I Love Sunrise Cinemas
I got home tonight around 1 a.m., bleary-eyed and exhausted. Was I out partying in Ybor, perhaps? Building my Gasparilla float? Solving unsolved mysteries? Nope, nope and nope. I did something I haven't done in a long time. I went to a late night movie! No laughing -- 9:55 p.m. is pretty late for me these days. I saw Match Point, which was excellent (more on that tomorrow).
It's been a while since I've been to Sunrise Cinemas in Old Hyde Park Village, although I pass by there twice a day on my way to and from work and sometimes almost have a wreck while trying to read the movie posters. I'm so glad that Sunrise swooped in to save the day when Madstone Theaters closed up shop two years ago.
Why do I love Sunrise Cinemas? Let me count the ways. Sunrise is hosting the Tampa International Film Festival again this year (that's February 3-11, by the way). They also are having several of the Jewish Film Festival's screenings (February 16 and 18, if I'm not mistaken). They are hosting several of the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's monthly film screenings (like tomorrow night's screening -- and Florida premiere -- of Hard Pill at 7:30 p.m.).
Sunrise hosts the monthly Cafe Cinematheque International series, hosted by Sarasota Herald Tribune film critic George Meyer. They are bringing back Capote, which I missed the first time around. They have a weekly e-newsletter, which is a welcome sight in my in-box every Friday morning. (Note to any of my coworkers who are reading this: I made that last part up. I don't get any personal, non-work-related emails at work, ever.)
And last, but not least: Sunrise now has a Loyalty Card so you can earn points towards free tickets and concession items. I've discovered that the Loyalty Card works best when you actually remember to give it to the cashier to swipe, instead of remembering during the movie previews and saying "Crap!" and disturbing others next to you.
Go see a movie at Sunrise Cinemas soon. Tell 'em I sent you. Actually, that won't get you anything but an odd look from the box office cashier, but do it anyway, just for fun. And don't forget to use your Loyalty Card.
It's been a while since I've been to Sunrise Cinemas in Old Hyde Park Village, although I pass by there twice a day on my way to and from work and sometimes almost have a wreck while trying to read the movie posters. I'm so glad that Sunrise swooped in to save the day when Madstone Theaters closed up shop two years ago.
Why do I love Sunrise Cinemas? Let me count the ways. Sunrise is hosting the Tampa International Film Festival again this year (that's February 3-11, by the way). They also are having several of the Jewish Film Festival's screenings (February 16 and 18, if I'm not mistaken). They are hosting several of the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's monthly film screenings (like tomorrow night's screening -- and Florida premiere -- of Hard Pill at 7:30 p.m.).
Sunrise hosts the monthly Cafe Cinematheque International series, hosted by Sarasota Herald Tribune film critic George Meyer. They are bringing back Capote, which I missed the first time around. They have a weekly e-newsletter, which is a welcome sight in my in-box every Friday morning. (Note to any of my coworkers who are reading this: I made that last part up. I don't get any personal, non-work-related emails at work, ever.)
And last, but not least: Sunrise now has a Loyalty Card so you can earn points towards free tickets and concession items. I've discovered that the Loyalty Card works best when you actually remember to give it to the cashier to swipe, instead of remembering during the movie previews and saying "Crap!" and disturbing others next to you.
Go see a movie at Sunrise Cinemas soon. Tell 'em I sent you. Actually, that won't get you anything but an odd look from the box office cashier, but do it anyway, just for fun. And don't forget to use your Loyalty Card.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The Golden Groundhog Awards
My recent post about William Shatner's new DVD club has landed me on Shatner's PR guy's mailing list. That's fine with me, because it makes my life easier to have film-related news delivered directly to my in-box.
Have you heard of the Golden Groundhog Awards? On February 2nd, this newly established award will be given to the Best Underground Movie of 2005. The five nominees are Green Street Hooligans, Mirrormask, Nine Lives, Sunnyvale and Up For Grabs. William Shatner is the host of this year's award ceremony. For more info, visit www.goldengroundhogs.com or read the press release I received via email:
Groundhog’s Day hasn’t historically been the biggest American holiday, but this year Hollywood is gearing up for what promises to be a momentous date. That’s because on February 2nd, the highly coveted Golden Groundhog will be awarded to the Best Underground Movie of 2005. The Golden Groundhog Awards were established to recognize genuinely outstanding films that lacked the distribution and marketing support needed to become the blockbuster hits they deserved to be. It was announced today that the awards ceremony will be hosted by William Shatner, an actor who has enjoyed tremendous success on the silver screen, but who also knows from firsthand experience that great films can fall through the cracks.
According to a Golden Groundhog spokesperson, William Shatner is the natural choice to host this year’s inaugural award ceremony. This is largely because he has recently founded the William Shatner DVD Club (http://www.shatnerdvdclub.com/) which identifies phenomenal but unheralded sci-fi and fantasy films, and offers them to customers for just $4 each. Stephanie Silver, one of the founders of the Golden Groundhogs, said this, “The whole purpose of our organization is to highlight the amazing films that did not make it into the public consciousness because they didn’t have support from studios and distributors. The William Shatner DVD Club has a similar mission. They are focused on bringing underground sci-fi hits to audiences who will appreciate them in an easy and inexpensive format. Given that William Shatner is also a true Hollywood icon, he was a perfect choice.”
When asked for his thoughts on the invitation to host the Golden Groundhogs, Mr. Shatner said, “I’m honored that they chose me to host their first awards ceremony. I believe that great movies deserve to be seen, regardless of who makes them or how much money is available to market them. I founded the William Shatner DVD Club to help audiences inexpensively discover great underground movies, and I’m thrilled to work with the Golden Groundhogs to bring the unjustly overlooked movies of 2005 into the limelight.”
To be eligible for a Golden Groundhog, a film must meet three criteria: the film must have been released during the previous year, grossed less than $1 million at the U.S. box office, and received rave reviews from the limited audiences who watched the film. For 2005 there are five nominees for the Golden Groundhog:
Green Street Hooligans is the story of a wrongfully expelled Harvard student (Elijah Wood) who moves to London and falls in with a violent group of football (soccer) hooligans. With visuals reminiscent of Fight Club, deeply engaging characters, and a satisfying conclusion, Green Street Hooligans is a film richly deserving of a Golden Groundhog. U.S. Box Office: $344,000.
Mirrormask takes us on a stunning visual journey as Helena, a 15 year old circus performer, finds herself in an alternate universe torn by an epic battle between good and evil. The movie, brought to us by the Jim Henson company, has an original plot set against the familiarly fantastic settings of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, and is a worthy nominee for a Golden Groundhog. U.S. Box Office: $865,000.
Nine Lives is an engaging glimpse into the personal stories of nine very different women, portrayed by an all-star cast including Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Sissy Spacek, and Robyn Wright Penn. Each woman’s story is individually gripping, but as the episodic narration unfolds, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. U.S. Box Office: $347,000.
Sunnyvale is an often offensive but thoroughly hilarious comedy centering around a porn-watching, food-obsessed loner whose life is changed when a slightly lost (but insanely attractive) pot delivery girl (April Wade) decides to “improve” him. Although viciously funny, Sunnyvale also manages to deliver intricate character development and great production values on a budget of under $100,000. U.S. Box Office: $0.
Up For Grabs is the absurd and humorous true story about the legal battle over possession of Barry Bonds’ record setting 73rd home run – a memento valued at over $1 million. This engaging documentary showcases a real life drama that is a dark reflection of O’Henry’s classic The Gift of The Magi set against a background of baseball. U.S. Box Office: $1,880.
The Golden Groundhog Awards take their name from an unlikely American hero – the groundhog. The groundhog hibernates in an underground burrow throughout the winter before emerging on February 2nd to make his annual winter weather prediction. The five nominees for the Golden Groundhog award are kindred spirits to the groundhog, underground movie hits waiting for their opportunity to emerge and take their rightful place in the spotlight of American popular culture. This February 2nd, the First Annual Golden Groundhog will be awarded and a new Hollywood darling will be born.
Although William Shatner has been confirmed as the host of this year’s award ceremony, no television coverage has been announced as of yet. For more information on the Golden Groundhogs, the five nominees, and updates on media coverage of the awards ceremony, please visit http://www.goldengroundhogs.com/. To learn more about the underground movies offered by William Shatner’s Sci-Fi DVD club, visit http://www.shatnerdvdclub.com/.
Have you heard of the Golden Groundhog Awards? On February 2nd, this newly established award will be given to the Best Underground Movie of 2005. The five nominees are Green Street Hooligans, Mirrormask, Nine Lives, Sunnyvale and Up For Grabs. William Shatner is the host of this year's award ceremony. For more info, visit www.goldengroundhogs.com or read the press release I received via email:
Groundhog’s Day hasn’t historically been the biggest American holiday, but this year Hollywood is gearing up for what promises to be a momentous date. That’s because on February 2nd, the highly coveted Golden Groundhog will be awarded to the Best Underground Movie of 2005. The Golden Groundhog Awards were established to recognize genuinely outstanding films that lacked the distribution and marketing support needed to become the blockbuster hits they deserved to be. It was announced today that the awards ceremony will be hosted by William Shatner, an actor who has enjoyed tremendous success on the silver screen, but who also knows from firsthand experience that great films can fall through the cracks.
According to a Golden Groundhog spokesperson, William Shatner is the natural choice to host this year’s inaugural award ceremony. This is largely because he has recently founded the William Shatner DVD Club (http://www.shatnerdvdclub.com/) which identifies phenomenal but unheralded sci-fi and fantasy films, and offers them to customers for just $4 each. Stephanie Silver, one of the founders of the Golden Groundhogs, said this, “The whole purpose of our organization is to highlight the amazing films that did not make it into the public consciousness because they didn’t have support from studios and distributors. The William Shatner DVD Club has a similar mission. They are focused on bringing underground sci-fi hits to audiences who will appreciate them in an easy and inexpensive format. Given that William Shatner is also a true Hollywood icon, he was a perfect choice.”
When asked for his thoughts on the invitation to host the Golden Groundhogs, Mr. Shatner said, “I’m honored that they chose me to host their first awards ceremony. I believe that great movies deserve to be seen, regardless of who makes them or how much money is available to market them. I founded the William Shatner DVD Club to help audiences inexpensively discover great underground movies, and I’m thrilled to work with the Golden Groundhogs to bring the unjustly overlooked movies of 2005 into the limelight.”
To be eligible for a Golden Groundhog, a film must meet three criteria: the film must have been released during the previous year, grossed less than $1 million at the U.S. box office, and received rave reviews from the limited audiences who watched the film. For 2005 there are five nominees for the Golden Groundhog:
Green Street Hooligans is the story of a wrongfully expelled Harvard student (Elijah Wood) who moves to London and falls in with a violent group of football (soccer) hooligans. With visuals reminiscent of Fight Club, deeply engaging characters, and a satisfying conclusion, Green Street Hooligans is a film richly deserving of a Golden Groundhog. U.S. Box Office: $344,000.
Mirrormask takes us on a stunning visual journey as Helena, a 15 year old circus performer, finds herself in an alternate universe torn by an epic battle between good and evil. The movie, brought to us by the Jim Henson company, has an original plot set against the familiarly fantastic settings of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, and is a worthy nominee for a Golden Groundhog. U.S. Box Office: $865,000.
Nine Lives is an engaging glimpse into the personal stories of nine very different women, portrayed by an all-star cast including Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Sissy Spacek, and Robyn Wright Penn. Each woman’s story is individually gripping, but as the episodic narration unfolds, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. U.S. Box Office: $347,000.
Sunnyvale is an often offensive but thoroughly hilarious comedy centering around a porn-watching, food-obsessed loner whose life is changed when a slightly lost (but insanely attractive) pot delivery girl (April Wade) decides to “improve” him. Although viciously funny, Sunnyvale also manages to deliver intricate character development and great production values on a budget of under $100,000. U.S. Box Office: $0.
Up For Grabs is the absurd and humorous true story about the legal battle over possession of Barry Bonds’ record setting 73rd home run – a memento valued at over $1 million. This engaging documentary showcases a real life drama that is a dark reflection of O’Henry’s classic The Gift of The Magi set against a background of baseball. U.S. Box Office: $1,880.
The Golden Groundhog Awards take their name from an unlikely American hero – the groundhog. The groundhog hibernates in an underground burrow throughout the winter before emerging on February 2nd to make his annual winter weather prediction. The five nominees for the Golden Groundhog award are kindred spirits to the groundhog, underground movie hits waiting for their opportunity to emerge and take their rightful place in the spotlight of American popular culture. This February 2nd, the First Annual Golden Groundhog will be awarded and a new Hollywood darling will be born.
Although William Shatner has been confirmed as the host of this year’s award ceremony, no television coverage has been announced as of yet. For more information on the Golden Groundhogs, the five nominees, and updates on media coverage of the awards ceremony, please visit http://www.goldengroundhogs.com/. To learn more about the underground movies offered by William Shatner’s Sci-Fi DVD club, visit http://www.shatnerdvdclub.com/.
Happy Birthday From Hollywood Video
Did you know that Hollywood Video will give you a free rental on your birthday? Every year I forget, and then every year I end up stopping by Hollywood Video on my birthday and am pleasantly surprised.
So when you rent junk like Cry Wolf on your birthday, like I did two weeks ago, you don't have to kick yourself for wasting money. (You just have to publicly humiliate yourself by posting your rental info on your blog.)
So when you rent junk like Cry Wolf on your birthday, like I did two weeks ago, you don't have to kick yourself for wasting money. (You just have to publicly humiliate yourself by posting your rental info on your blog.)
Monday, January 16, 2006
Whaddya Mean No Time For Movies?
Have you ever been so busy that you lose track of what's going on in the world (or even what day it is)? The Husband and I have spent the last four days moving to a new apartment. Four days of no email, no reading the paper and very little TV watching. We're in an isolated little bubble of packing and unpacking.
I think I saw an ad on TV about the Golden Globes being on tonight. This is the first time in years that I didn't have the date on my calendar weeks ahead of time and hadn't tried to see as many nominated films as possible. I just haven't had time. I might not even -- gasp! -- watch them tonight because there's too much packing to be done. Bad film fan!
Posting will be a little light for the next few days, but I hope to be back to my regular movie-watching, film-fan self soon.
I think I saw an ad on TV about the Golden Globes being on tonight. This is the first time in years that I didn't have the date on my calendar weeks ahead of time and hadn't tried to see as many nominated films as possible. I just haven't had time. I might not even -- gasp! -- watch them tonight because there's too much packing to be done. Bad film fan!
Posting will be a little light for the next few days, but I hope to be back to my regular movie-watching, film-fan self soon.
Friday, January 13, 2006
film fan finding:black christmas (2006)
I knew the 2006 remake of Black Christmas wouldn't win any awards, but geez. I want my money back! It's Christmas Eve and a handful of young tanned college gals with perky boobs are stuck celebrating the holiday with their house mother and the others stuck at the sorority house. Not your average sorority house, mind you, but one where a young man named Billy went crazy 15 years earlier and killed, maimed, and/or ate his family. (You will never look at Christmas cookies the same way again!)
The movie goes back and forth between Billy's story and the current story of the sorority girls. There were some interestingly gruesome murders -- what happens with Billy's mom is particularly disturbing -- but all the horror movie stereotypes thrown in the mix ruin things. Too many false scares, macguffins, stupid girls running towards the scary noise down a dark hallway by themselves, and so on. Disappointing.
I haven't seen the original, so I don't know how this one compares. And for the record, it doesn't offend me in the least to have a horror movie take place on Christmas. So freakin' what? Naming a movie Black Christmas doesn't negate what Christmas means to me on a personal level any more than the gross commercialism and selfishness of the holiday season do. Some people are offended by everything, it seems.
Film Fan Finding: D+
The movie goes back and forth between Billy's story and the current story of the sorority girls. There were some interestingly gruesome murders -- what happens with Billy's mom is particularly disturbing -- but all the horror movie stereotypes thrown in the mix ruin things. Too many false scares, macguffins, stupid girls running towards the scary noise down a dark hallway by themselves, and so on. Disappointing.
I haven't seen the original, so I don't know how this one compares. And for the record, it doesn't offend me in the least to have a horror movie take place on Christmas. So freakin' what? Naming a movie Black Christmas doesn't negate what Christmas means to me on a personal level any more than the gross commercialism and selfishness of the holiday season do. Some people are offended by everything, it seems.
Film Fan Finding: D+
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Director of "Funny Ha Ha" at Eckerd College on Friday
Eckerd College's International Cinema Series gets off to a good start this semester with a screening of the independent film Funny Ha Ha on January 13th at 7 p.m. in the Miller Auditorium at Eckerd College. Andrew Bujalski, the film's director and supporting star, will be on-hand to introduce his film and talk about how he made and distributed it.
You can learn more about Funny Ha Ha by reading the Amazon.com review posted by Nathan Andersen (International Cinema Series Coordinator and Eckerd College professor), or by visiting http://funnyhahafilm.com, or by reading this article from Sunday's New York Times.
Eckerd's International Cinema Series schedule at www.eckerd.edu/film/international has not yet been updated with the current semester's offerings, but I'm sure they're working on it. All screenings in this series are free and open to the public.
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
You can learn more about Funny Ha Ha by reading the Amazon.com review posted by Nathan Andersen (International Cinema Series Coordinator and Eckerd College professor), or by visiting http://funnyhahafilm.com, or by reading this article from Sunday's New York Times.
Eckerd's International Cinema Series schedule at www.eckerd.edu/film/international has not yet been updated with the current semester's offerings, but I'm sure they're working on it. All screenings in this series are free and open to the public.
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Friday, January 6, 2006
Old Time Comedy Fest in Clearwater January 28
By the end of January, we'll all be tired of the holiday bills that have been pouring in and sick of the frustration of trying to keep our new year's resolutions. What we'll need is a good laugh.
On January 28, head over to the Clearwater Main Public Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Old Time Comedy Fest, a film festival showcasing Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, the Little Rascals, the Three Stooges and more. It's free and fun -- just what we're looking for.
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
On January 28, head over to the Clearwater Main Public Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Old Time Comedy Fest, a film festival showcasing Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, the Little Rascals, the Three Stooges and more. It's free and fun -- just what we're looking for.
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Happy Birthday To Me
Old age is no place for sissies. -- Bette Davis
I'm officially 36 today, even though I'm only about 10 years old on the inside. (That's how I explain my Hello Kitty addiction, anyway.) I'm spending my birthday at the movie theater. Ciao!
I'm officially 36 today, even though I'm only about 10 years old on the inside. (That's how I explain my Hello Kitty addiction, anyway.) I'm spending my birthday at the movie theater. Ciao!
Winter Classic Movie Series at Tampa Theatre
The Winter Classic Movie Series continues at Tampa Theatre:
January 8: Holiday
January 15: Thoroughly Modern Millie
January 22: King Kong
February 5: The Lady From Shanghai
February 12: Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3-D
February 19: Animal Crackers
February 26: silent film Beyond the Rocks (starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson)
January 8: Holiday
January 15: Thoroughly Modern Millie
January 22: King Kong
February 5: The Lady From Shanghai
February 12: Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3-D
February 19: Animal Crackers
February 26: silent film Beyond the Rocks (starring Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson)
Monday, January 2, 2006
Two Tampa Filmmaking Teams Are Finalists in Florida Filmmaking Contest
If you missed the cover of last week's tbt* (*Tampa Bay Times), run, don't walk, to your nearest newsstand and pick one up. tbt* profiled two filmmaking teams from the Tampa Bay area who recently entered the "Collaboration...A Short Film Contest" organized by the Entertainment Industry Incubator.
Team Persons (Jen Persons, Jon Wolding, Ben Waller, Aron Elston and Brandon Windish) created the film Dash. Deep 6 (Jack Foster, Megan Brown, Victoria Jorgensen, Eddy Favara and Angela Ellis) named their film Persuasion.
Both teams made it to the finalists' round (although it appears that Deep 6 has been renamed Team Brown, M.). Winners will be chosen January 14th. Good luck to both teams!
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
Team Persons (Jen Persons, Jon Wolding, Ben Waller, Aron Elston and Brandon Windish) created the film Dash. Deep 6 (Jack Foster, Megan Brown, Victoria Jorgensen, Eddy Favara and Angela Ellis) named their film Persuasion.
Both teams made it to the finalists' round (although it appears that Deep 6 has been renamed Team Brown, M.). Winners will be chosen January 14th. Good luck to both teams!
(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire)
It's A New Year Over At TCM
The Turner Classic Movies website has been revamped. It's like someone came in the middle of the night and rearranged my closet -- I can't find anything! The new website puts more emphasis on the TCM store. Since TCM doesn't have any commercials, I guess they've got to make money somehow.
On Mondays in January, TCM is showing some of Robert Montgomery's movies. January 3rd is dedicated to Dorothy Dandridge. You'll never guess what's on Thursdays in January...
...Japanese animation. Turner Classic Movies is showing Japanese animation! They're showing films by Hayao Miyazaki, the "Japanese Walt Disney," to honor his 60th birthday in this month.
Expanding the definition of "classic" is one way to draw in a different, younger audience. This salute to Miyazaki is probably the only way I'll ever get The Husband to watch TCM willingly.
It just feels weird somehow...and wrong.
On Mondays in January, TCM is showing some of Robert Montgomery's movies. January 3rd is dedicated to Dorothy Dandridge. You'll never guess what's on Thursdays in January...
...Japanese animation. Turner Classic Movies is showing Japanese animation! They're showing films by Hayao Miyazaki, the "Japanese Walt Disney," to honor his 60th birthday in this month.
Expanding the definition of "classic" is one way to draw in a different, younger audience. This salute to Miyazaki is probably the only way I'll ever get The Husband to watch TCM willingly.
It just feels weird somehow...and wrong.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
One of my new year's traditions is figuring out how many movies I watched in the year that just ended. It's easy enough to determine, given that I keep a list of what movies I watch and the date viewed (odd habit I started when I was 13; turned out to be useful so I kept doing it).
In 2005 I watched 180 movies. Not my best number, but not my worst.
How many movies did you watch in 2005?
One of my new year's traditions is figuring out how many movies I watched in the year that just ended. It's easy enough to determine, given that I keep a list of what movies I watch and the date viewed (odd habit I started when I was 13; turned out to be useful so I kept doing it).
In 2005 I watched 180 movies. Not my best number, but not my worst.
How many movies did you watch in 2005?
