Almost time for a most 'Curious Case...'

I remember reading the production grid on the upcoming 'Benjamin Button' film and a note from one of the execs said 

"Script is 200 pages.  Can we trim it?"

That still makes me laugh.  Can't wait to see the film.  Last week, I caught Gran Torino and reminded me of the Hmoung population at Richfield High School in MN.  Oy, the december movie offerings.

And thank god this frickin' November is over.   Hated this month.  Moving onto December in T-Minus 1 hour & 43 minutes!

Channeling Mitchum, a Hollywood Animal named Hensleigh and getting your house in order.

Been a long while.  Just trying to decompress after a trying week, listening to some Peter Gabriel from the grand soundtrack of Virtuosity circa 1995 (highly suggest renting this brilliant Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe starrer).

I've been an anti-remake advocate for so long that when the opportunity arose to collaborate with the Hollywood animal named Hensleigh, the mastermind behind such tent pole pictures as The Rock, Armageddon, Con Air, Gone in Sixty Seconds and The Punisher, I was a bit intimidated at first.   Now, not so much.  The point of a remake is to simply make it better.  Embrace the original, pay your respects, dig in and make a brilliantly crafted and deserved remake to best the original.  Christopher Nolan has done it exceptionally well.  Now if only studios would pay the same respect as they rewind time and visit the classics.  

It was just over a year ago when I first encountered the Hollywood animal.   I grew up devouring his & his wife's films.  From The Terminator to Die Hard with a Vengeance...who would've thunk this opportunity would arise as I moved from Minneapolis to the west?  One hopes, but dreams are pesky things to grab a hold of and not let go.  Heeding his words of getting my house in order, a year to the day, the task was presented.  And I was finally in a place to accept the terms and begin.  

Life got itself together.  After dealing with struggles a plenty as most everyone out here has gone through, it's been well worth the wait.  Friends came and went, a kid like a little brother raced into my life - tugged on my heart strings and his life was unexpectedly extinguished far too early.   Soon after his beautiful soul of a mother gifted the world with another exceptional life and is finding her true calling and exposing the world to her creativity.  It's about time.  

And love.  Paraphrasing the brilliant Jack Kerouac, '...And I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a common place thing, but burn, burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "awww!"  

That's what love should always be like.  Nothing less.

Godspeed.

Bones & New Bev Midnights...a Howling good time.

I've just gotta say that I so love that theatre. It's becoming part of my weekly routine. Two, count them TWO films for a mere 7 bucks. Special midnight shows are usually a separate 7 bucks, but still...real popcorn with REAL butter (when they're not out) and cheap soda. You know you're in for a good film when 10 minutes into it, you hear the CLINK CLINK of someone's empty bottle of booze. Snickers usually follow along with a plea to not damage the new carpeting.

This past weekend was a great little film from Joe Dante -- his cult fave -- The Howling. An original print mind you. Before the film, my date of the eve, beautiful...

Wait, I should back up...I caught a viewing of Bones last Monday and was smitten by this actress. Something about her eyes and the obvious fact that the camera ADORES her in every respect. I snooped around IMDb and figured out who the blessing was and found her on Facebook. After bouncing a couple emails back & forth, we met for a midnight screening of The Howling. She'd never seen it and isn't a big fan of horror films. She managed through it with squinty & shielded eyes while holding my hand. Probably the best film experience I've had. Anywho...

Joe Dante introduced the film with Dee Wallace, Rob Botin and his editor in hand for some yucks before the carnage. Not sure if Tarantino was in attendance, we saw him briefly before as he came out for some air from the previous double feature, but all in all it was a night to remember.

Prom Night and Boston Public

Last week I posted over on Facebook how excited I was to be heading out to the Prom Night premiere at the Arclight. Strangely, my ex-girlfriend from 10 years ago posted a comment reminding me of our fateful prom night back in 1998. A bittersweet moment it was. Remembering our grand Prom, me just coming off of an awkward conversation a week before. We had seen Object of My Affection with Jennifer Aniston. Driving in my car towards her house, she spills,

I think I love you Jack.

GULP.

A cloud of dreaded silence hung over my head for what seemed to be an eternity.

What do you have to say about that? She asked and batted her eyelashes.

Thinking quick...The only woman I love is my mother. I really said that. Probably the last thing she wanted to hear. Oy vey.

Wow, the white elephant had managed to squeeze it's way into my Skylark. I was terrified to admit to Steph that I did love her. She had dreams of med school and I, well, I had no dreams at the time.

I knew I loved her but I didn't want to be responsible for stealing that portion of her life. Selfish on my behalf, there isn't a day that goes by where I don't wonder what if...

After the film, cheese in the best possible way, far better than the original...I'm wandering around with my friend, Barbara, the femme fatale of Hostel, proclaiming that I wasn't going to drink while explaining the customs of Prom to my date.

But open bar sponsored by Sony...come on, a writer's got to have a vice. Three drinks later and after chatting with Jonathan Shaech, a girl bumps into me.

Beautiful and well, unforgettable. So much to the fact that I blurt out...I loved you in Boston Public.

And she stared at me ...The lovely & always talented Jessalyn Gilsig turns around and smiles. After our lame intros and her finding out the exec of Prom was producing my project and I wasn't such a dork, we actually had a nice discussion. I told her how I used to watch the show after class at the University of Minnesota until the wee hours of the cold mornings. I've dealt with so so so many shallow people in this town and in that moment, standing beneath the sparkling lights of a Hollywood manufactured prom, I was able to grasp onto the roots that made me who I am. It was an endearing moment followed by pancakes at Denny's.