Hey, Kate!
It’s around 4:30am, technically Saturday the 14th though I will be recounting events from Friday the 13th (ooh, scary). Basically, the first full day of CineVegas is in the books and AW YEAH! Twas a blast…
Don and I started off the day late with a filmmaker function at the Ghostbar (we had seen, and are in the process of finalizing reviews, the films that played earlier in the day). I and Eric Snider from Cinematical shared a cupcake..
…and Don found love with a small pillow/stool thingie…
After the party, Don and I made our way to our screenings for the day, with Don seeing “Last Cup,” the beer pong documentary and I seeing “Big Heart City.” On the way to my screening, I rode an elevator with legendary producer rep Bob Hawk, a juror for this year’s festival, who informed me that I looked very much like Kevin Smith. I told him it was just the “fat man with a beard and glasses” look that made me similar, but then he pointed out that we had similar fashion sense, down to the Converse and the length of shorts that I was wearing and… well, I’ll give it to him. Kevin, if you read this, I don’t mean to copy your look, but I don’t think I can help it. It may be a Jersey thing…
Keeping the screening fun going, I made my way over to the red carpet in time to see Bill Pullman walk for his film “Your Name Here,” before heading to my own screening of “The Juche Idea”…
I like this picture particularly because it looks like the poster version of Bill is starting a fight with the real version… at least in my head. Don saw the film, and had good things to say, but I say “The Juche Idea” and… I have no idea how to review that movie. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Do I understand it? Ummm… it may be over my head… or maybe not, maybe I’m giving it more credit than it deserves. I DON’T KNOW. Totally something up the infamous Mike Plante’s alley, though…
After our evening screenings let out, Don and I made our way to the Palms Place Pool for the 10th Anniversary CineVegas party. It was there that I heard the quote of the evening, by former SXSW Festival Director / current Cinetic rep and CineVegas jury member Matt Dentler: “You have to check out this bungalow! Britney Spears is here!”
Apparently Ms. Spears was partying too, and her poolside bungalow was more than protected by security. Did I see her? No. Did I give a f**k? Not really. Poor girl wants to party, let her party. She doesn’t need my Phillies hat wearing a*s gawking at her.
It was around that time, however, that our very own Chris Gore showed up…
We hung for a bit at the party, and then made our way to the “Last Cup” after-party at CineVegas HQ. Now, when we got there, I was stopped at the door (which is something that, in all honesty, hasn’t happened to me in years; I was sneaking into Sundance long before anyone thought to let me in). To that moment in the evening, I just want to apologize to the door-watching, list-wielding volunteer if I was remotely pissy. I had an invite, I just forgot to bring it and the words “this is a really exclusive party” made me feel left out. I definitely campaigned for Film Threat at the door (though it was the recognition of Gore as a G4 fellow that got more interest than, say, the company he founded), and if I was obnoxious I can only go on public record as saying I am sorry, sorry, sorry. I’m not a dick, really, and if I behaved as such… well, again, I’m sorry. I’ve been a festival volunteer, they make the fest world go round, they deserve the full respect of any and everyone and… I love and support you all. Keep up the good work.
Oddly enough, the beer pong party involved some beer pong playing, and everyone enjoyed themselves…
Karina Longworth from Spout.com was representing, and so was IndieWire’s Eric Kohn. Gore and I had a blast as well…
And, yes, I am rocking a Philadelphia Phillies hat. For the record, Philly beat St. Louis 20-2 earlier in the day, and I like to think my support of the team had a lot to do with that. Of course, if my support mattered, the Eagles would’ve won the Super Bowl a couple years ago, the Flyers would have had this year’s Stanley Cup and the Sixers… well, they made the playoffs, so hugs all around…
The gentleman to the camera right of me is Iceman, from “Last Cup.” Don had mentioned that he was my doppelganger, so I had to get a picture so that we could compare. You be the judge!
Don’t you wish your critic was hot like me? Don’t you wish your critic was a freak like me? Don’t cha?
F**k the m***********g Philadelphia Fillies, which is a female horse.