Sacramento, CA

There is nothing more befitting the Halloween spirit than a horror movie. Usually, during this time of year, there are tons of them to choose from. Sadly, this year my beloved horror movies are–for the most part–strangely absent from the theater. I was beginning to fall into a deep well of despair when I saw an ad on tv last night for the latest installment in the Saw franchise.

I was so excited for three reasons. The first is that it means there is actually going to be a horror movie in theaters in time for Halloween which I really didn’t think would happen. The second is that it is a part of a franchise that has become very dear to me. I know it’ll be good because the others have been as well. Finally, the thing I’m most looking forward to is the sheer level of innovation that these films continually deliver. I consider myself to be something of a horror movie expert. I almost always know the endings long before the half way point happens because they’re so formulaic after you’ve seen as many of them as I have. The first Saw film was the first movie in a VERY LONG TIME that I didn’t anticipate the ending to. In fact, I was so shocked that I’m still kind of reeling from it after all of this time. Furthermore, it’s one of those franchises that has somehow managed to retain its sparkle and creativity through all three movies so far. And Saw IV looks to be no different…

…I’m not going to lie, that is seriously fabulous. I’ve been craving something magnificently grotesque this Halloween season, but until now not even something as seriously twisted as a ballet about the Donner Party could sate my morbid appetitie. The best part though is that it will be playing at the good theater, Century Stadium 14 on Ethan Way. There are a ton of different showings, but they’re all probably going to be very busy as well since it is so close to Halloween now so you might want to buy your tickets online.

If dealing with the crowds isn’t really your type of thing–and believe me there will be TONS of people out and about–then there is an alternative option for you too this Halloween. You can always run down to Blockbuster and pick up and oldy but goodie. Liz at Cinema Hype wrote a wonderful review that reminded me of one of my favorites–The Ninth Gate. It’s another one of those creative masterpieces that keep you guessing until the end. Plus, it has Johnny Depp in it, so really, how could you go wrong?

Sacramento, Sacramento movie theater, Century Stadium 14, movie theater, horror movie, Halloween movies, scary movies, Saw, Saw IV, Jigsaw, The Ninth Gate, Johnny Depp, The Donner Party, Halloween, Halloween in Sacramento, movie tickets, buy movie tickets online, blockbuster

The 2007 Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival is set to run this weekend from Thursday October 11th to Saturday October 13th. The majority of the films on the schedule are repeats from former years. However, there are also six new titles being released at the festival this year.

The first of these, Eddie, will be shown on Thursday night at 7:30PM. The 8-minute Quentin Kruger film offers a glimpse into the life of ten-year-old Eddie who struggles to deal with the early onset of her menstrual cycle and the ramifications it has on her desire to just be one of the guys. Another new film will also appear in Thursday night’s lineup. Andrea Blundell’s 3-minute film Four Feet features a psychic’s intervention in the love life of the main character, Veronica.

There will only be one new film on Friday, October 12th. However it is significantly longer–at 90 minutes–which more than makes up for the lack of other new films. In Jonah Markowitz’ Shelter, portrays a journey of self-discovery and the awakening of sexual awareness for Zach, a recent high school graduate. Critics are already calling it the start of a wonderful career for newcomer Trevor Wright. In addition, the film also features stellar performances by Tina Holmes of Six Feet Under and Brad Rowe of Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss. In addition to the cast, critics also are saying that it has an amazing emo sountrack and beautiful sets that make it “a sensory treat.”

The final three new films will be shown on Saturday. Two of them are also short films–Michelle Sperber’s It Was a Saturday and Carolina Roca-Smith’s Members Only. It Was a Saturday is the love story of two dance students. The film’s music is likely to be the spotlight. Some of it was composed by BettyAnn Conner although the film also features music from Rachel Cantu, Tracy Bonham, Lisa Hall, and Cascada. Members Only tells the proverbial story about the new kid in town who can’t get a date. It’s a bit over used, but the director’s website looks fresh and young and hopefully that same joie de vivre will translate over into her film.

The film that is being considered the highlight of the festival though is Amara Stefani’s 10-minute film Being Lisa. This seems a bit bizarre to me since there wasn’t really anything online about either her or her film. Maybe it’s because it stretches the limits a bit further than traditional gay and lesbian films? After all, the main character is transgender and I’ve only heard of one or two other movies which feature transgender characters. Anyway, it’d be worth checking out just because the critics seem to think it’s so worthwhile. It will be shown during the Saturday matinee which begins at 2:00PM.

The festival is going to be held at The Crest Theater which is located at 1013 K Street. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or at tickets.com. Admission for one film is $9.00. You can also purchase a pass for all of them for $30.00. In addition, there will be an opening night reception at Chops Restaurant. The reception costs $25.00 and includes appetizers and one drink. Tickets for the reception can only be obtained by contacting festival officials directly. If you need directions, contact the theater directly at 916-44-CREST or visit their website.

Sacramento, Sacramento festival, film festival, Sacramento film festival, 2007 Sacramento Internation Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Eddie, Quentin Kruger, Four Feet, Andrea Blundell, Jonah Markowitz, Shelter, Tina Holmes, Six Feet Under, Brad Rowe, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, Trevor Wright, Michelle Sperber, It Was a Saturday, BettyAnn Conner, Rachel Cantu, Tracy Bonham, Lisa Hall, Cascada, Members Only, Carolina Roca-Smith, Amara Stefani, Being Lisa, transgender, gay & lesbian films, Crest Theater, Sacramento movie theaters, Chops Restaurant

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m a tad bit obsessed with movies so i thought I’d let everyone know all of the details for the best place to see Rob Zombie’s reinvention of Halloween. According to people who’ve seen the advance screening of the movie, it’s actually pretty decent too–despite the fact that Rob Zombie directed it! I’m not a huge fan of his–House of 1000 Corpses kind of ruined any good thoughts I may have had for him–but I DO love the Halloween movies. There’s just something very fascinating about our dear old friend Michael Meyers. I’ve always been captivated by him and I’ve always wondered what made him into the monster that we all love to hate. As such, I am very much excited about seeing this latest installment in the series. After all, I don’t think even Rob Zombie could ruin such a brilliant creation as indicated by the trailer…

Anyway, as always I would suggest that you go to Century Stadium 14 to see it. The showtimes for today are as follows: 12:00PM, 1:15PM, 2:35PM, 3:50PM, 5:15PM, 6:25PM, 7:55PM, 9:00PM, and 10:30PM. There’s pretty much a time to fit in everyone’s schedule so you shouldn’t have to settle with a lesser theater like United Artists Market Square. Enjoy, and remember, it’s just a movie…

Halloween, horror movies, Sacramento movie theaters, new movies, Century Stadium 14, cinemark, Rob Zombie, United Artists Market Square

The 8th Annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival is coming to town August 8th through August 11th. All films will be shown on the mammoth screen at Crest Theater located at 1013 K Street in Downtown Sacramento. 2007 event highlights include a special showing of Ryan Eslinger’s When a Man Falls in the Forest and Q&A sessions with Larry Meistrich and Joe Carnahan.

When a Man Falls in the Forest, playing on August 8th at 7:30PM, is a drama detailing the identity crises of three men and one woman…

“Karen tries to create some excitement in her frustrated married existence by going on shopping sprees and breaking taboos. Bill has never been able to interact safely with the world around him - he prefers to exist in a lackluster state of self-imposed exile, a world where his dreams proffer a different sense of self. Frozen in a moment in time, Travis is able to reach to others but not within since he bears the guilt for a terrible tragedy which has scarred him forever. Gary is also desperate to make a connection - he strives to bridge the gaps and find what is lost. In one defining moment he makes a startling and irreversible decision which irrevocably changes everything”

In addition to the film, Ryan Eslinger will be present for a Q&A session. That same night, they will also be presenting Shawn Sullivan with the Inaugural Sacramento Film and Music Festival Arts Service Award. Mr. Sullivan is a teacher at Sheldon High School in Elk Grove. He is being honored for “inspiring the next generation” and for his “exceptional contribution to his students’ success, to the industry, and to the art form.”

Producer Larry Meistrich will be appearing on Thursday, August 9th at 7:00PM. He is most famous for films like Sling Blade and You Can Count on Me. He will only be giving a special talk on Thursday. However, he will also be appearing on Friday, August 10th from 2:00PM to 7:00PM to meet individually with filmmakers and writers to discuss their own prospective films. There are still places available to meet with him yourself if you have a film project that you would love to see produced. The cost for this is quite a bit more than for anything else at the festival, but it is definitely worth it as a foot in the door for anyone interested in beginning (or continuing) a career in the film industry.

Later that day at 9:00PM, director Joe Carnahan will also be speaking. The Sacramento native is famous for his work on films like Narc and Smokin’ Aces. If I weren’t absolutely broke I would definitely be going to hear him speak. I loved Smokin’ Aces and thought it was one of the most brilliantly directed and cleverly thoguht out films of 2006. The tickets aren’t even that expensive at only $10.00 per person. I highly reccommend that you check it out if you are even remotely interested in film.

There are also numerous other films scheduled, including a variety of student films. Throughout the festival, there will be live music performances from Taylor Neal, Hardy Harr, Larisa Bryski, Xenophilia, and Ditching Mindy. In addition, the Sac Music Seen is showcasing some pretty fabulous collaborations between local filmmakers and bands. All in all, it looks like a lot of fun so you should definitely check it out if you have the time…

Sacramento, Sacramento Movie Theaters, Sacramento film festivals, film festivals, Sacramento Film and Music Festival, 8th Annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival, Crest Theater, historic movie theaters, Ryan Eslinger, When a Man Falls in a Forest, Larry Meistrich, Joe Carnahan, Elk Grove School District, Sheldon High School, Shawn Sullivan, Inaugural Sacramento Film and Music Festival Arts Service Award, Sling Blade, You Can Count on Me, film pitches, movie producers, how to pitch a film, Narc, Smokin’ Aces, film industry, movie directors, celebrities from Sacramento, Sac Music Seen, Sacramento filmmakers, Sacramento bands, movie industry, getting started in the movie industry, screenwriting

As I’m sure most of you already know, The Bourne Ultimatum comes out tomorrow. This also means that it premiers at midnight tonight in theaters across America. Sacramento will of course be partaking in the usual hype. I really enjoyed the first film, but the second one went way down hill in my opinion. I just couldn’t deal with all of that “shaky camera” Blair Witch Project style. Anyway, it was enough to make me avoid the crowds tonight though I’ll probably still go and see it in the theater at some point. After all, the synopsis on cinemark still sounds alright…

All he wanted was to disappear. Instead, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is now hunted by the people who made him what he is. Having lost his memory and the one person he loved, he is undeterred by the barrage of bullets and a new generation of highly-trained killers. Bourne has only one objective: to go back to the beginning and find out who he was. He must travel from Moscow, Paris, Madrid and London to Tangier and New York City as he continues his quest to find the real Jason Bourne—all the while trying to outmaneuver the scores of cops, federal officers and Interpol agents with him in their crosshairs.

Anyway, for those of you who are interested, it will be playing at 12:01AM at Century Stadium 14 at 1590 Ethan Way, Century 16 Greenback Lane at 6233 Garfield Avenue, Century Folsom 14 at 261 Iron Point Road in Folsom, and Century Roseville 14 at 1555 Eureka Road in Roseville.

Sacramento, Sacramento movie theaters, midnight showings, midnight showing of The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne, Matt Damon, The Blair Witch Project, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, cinemark.com, cinemark, Century Stadium 14, Century 16 Greenback Lane, Centruy Folsom 14, Century Roseville 14, movie theaters in Folsom, movies theaters in Roseville

I can’t believe I almost forgot this, but The Simpsons Movie premiers tonight at midnight!!! I’ve loved the series since it first premiered all those long years ago and I am simply thrilled that they are coming to the big screen. In addition, it looks like it’s actually going to be a pretty funny movie too. Here is the snyopsis per Cinemark.com:

“Homer Simpson must save the world from a catastrophe he himself created. It all begins with Homer, his new pet pig, and a leaky silo full of droppings—a combination that triggers a disaster the likes of which Springfield has never experienced. A vengeful mob descends on the Simpson household. The family makes a narrow escape, but is soon divided by both location and conflict. The Springfield citizenry has every reason to be out for Simpson blood. The calamity triggered by Homer has drawn the attention of U.S. President Arnold Schwarzenegger and Environmental Protection Agency head Russ Cargill. As the fates of Springfield and the world hang in the balance, Homer embarks on a personal odyssey of redemption—seeking forgiveness from Marge, the reunion of his splintered family, and the salvation of his hometown.”

Anyway, it is apparent that it is going to be completely hillarious and (hopefully) true to the spirit of The Simpsons. It is playing at 12:01AM at Century Stadium 14 at 1590 Ethan Way. Tickets are $9.50 per person (standard) and worth every penny since it is actually (miracle of miracles…) playing at the GOOD theater here in town!!! This si reason enough to go in my opinion since most movies don’t play there–especially not big titles. We had to put up with the crappy United Artists theater for Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix so this is definitely a welcome change! =)

The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons, movie premiers in Sacramento, midnight showings, midnight showing of The Simpsons Movie, movie theaters, movie theaters in Sacramento, Century Stadium 14, Cinemark, family fun

For those of you who didn’t already know this, I am completely and totally obsessed with the Harry Potter books. Thus, I am very much stoked for tonight’s midnight release of the fifth movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I will of course be with all of the other crazies out tonight for the midnight showing. We will be attending the 11:59PM showing at United Artists Market Square at Arden Fair Mall. Sadly, if you haven’t already purchased your tickets then you are pretty much screwed as the theater is completely sold out…

Anyway, I’m hoping they’re going to stick to the book a little more closely than the last two did. In particular, I am hoping for much more of Severus Snape–and that they allow him to be the hero we all know he secretly is!!! I’m madly in love with Alan Rickman and I can’t wait to see his further character development. In addition, Helena Bonham Carter and Imelda Staunton will be joining the cast as Bellatrix Lestrange and Dolores Umbridge respectively. It’s going to be fabulous and hopefully I’ll run into a couple of you there. I will of course be dressing up so I shouldn’t be too hard to find. Look for the girl in the black Dumbledore’s Army shirt with slytherin green nails…hehehe…

Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, United Artists Market Square, Arden Fair Mall, movie premier, midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Alan Rickman, Severus Snape, Helena Bonham Carter, Bellatrix Lestrange, Imelda Staunton, Dolores Umbridge, movie adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling, Sacramento, movies in Sacramento, Sacramento Movie Theaters