Festival Wrap Up
Posted on | November 20, 2007 at 8:02 am | 5 Comments
Day 20 of National Blog Posting Month and I’ve managed to stretch this Denver Film Festival thing out to three posts. Hooray for me! Be glad I didn’t milk it for five, which was my original plan. I generally had a fun time at the Festival this year, and it makes me wish I had spent more time there. I should also renew my membership in the Denver Film Society, which I let lapse a few years ago. But it just seems like I never have time to catch movies any more.
I like that there is easy access to the film screenings, even for those of us who drive. The parking lot at the Tivoli/Starz Film Center is big, and is free if you see a movie and get your ticket stub validated (which is standard operating procedure for the Starz Film Center even when the Festival isn’t playing). Heck, if you stay late enough, the gates are open and they don’t even check your stub on the way out. Starz is located within a brisk walk radius of many fine restaurants. The theaters themselves are not very large but are adequate for the Festival-attending population. Most of the shows I saw were not sold out. That could be a problem though if the Festival grows much bigger. Things seemed to run pretty smoothly and shows started on time. I like how the voting ballots worked: they have large numbers from 1 to 5 printed on them and you just tear through the one you want. In the past, I remember they had to hand out pencils so you could mark your vote.
As I said earlier, Shalini and Mitch were in town for the Festival, along with their friend Julie from the Riverrun Festival. So I got to spend some quality time with them, although it was way too short. Shalini is starting up her own film festival, called Revolve (website coming soon) and was checking things out in an industry capacity. (BTW, pick up Shalini’s new CD The Surface And The Shine, at 125 Records. It’s a stunner!)
I choose not to go to the closing night movie and after-party on Saturday night, though Shalini and Mitch attended both. The movie was August Rush, which, from the commercials I saw, looked absolutely ludicrous to me. This impression was verified by Shalini, who said it was one of the most ridiculous movies she had ever seen. Outrageous plot, unbelievable characters, and huge plot holes. And Robin Williams plays Bono, sort of. I’m glad I missed it; my suspension of disbelief is pretty low these days. Local girl-made-good Keri Russell was there to support the film, but all she did was briefly introduce the movie and then disappear. Who can blame her? Apparently she wasn’t even at the after-party.
So, anyway, I had a couple days of good friends, good food, and good movies, and a day off from work. What more could you ask for?
Jogged Today: Yes (@ 42°F)
Songs That Came Up On The iPod While Jogging:
- “Kid With Cowboy Tie” (Bill Nelson)
- “Disgusting” (Mansun)
- “My Best Friend” (Incredible Moses Leroy)
- “Tiny Vessels” (Death Cab For Cutie)
- “Cash Cow” (We Are Scientists)
- “Is It Any Wonder?” (Keane)
Today’s Weight: 163 lbs
Lunch Yesterday: Homemade ham sandwich (yes, I’m in a rut).
Pet Peeve of the Day: Watching the Broncos only when they lose. I want to see some wins! Okay, it was my own fault I didn’t watch their decisive MNF victory over Tennessee last night, but I had another commitment. I did manage to catch the last half hour or so, but by then it was pretty much over.
Latre.
Comments
5 Responses to “Festival Wrap Up”
November 20th, 2007 @ 10:22 am
Hey Flassherooni, to continue an earlier conversation, would you consider devoting a NaBloPoMo entry to your thoughts on Kindle?
In other news, fortunately it’s not NaBloReMo (national blog reading month) because certain of us are not keeping up. I am very, very sad to learn that you’ve lost another friend. It sounds like Brad thoroughly and zestily lived while he had the opportunity, and it’s just outside coherence that the opportunity was only 37 years long. I hope you are at the end of your eulogy-writing career for a long, long, long time.
November 20th, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
I saw a preview of August Rush months ago and it looked awful. I thought Williams was playing Bruce Springsteen in his soul patch phase.
November 21st, 2007 @ 12:08 am
“Keri Russell was there to support the film, but all she did was briefly introduce the movie and then disappear.”
You mean, like her career?
November 21st, 2007 @ 1:16 am
I remember when Tivoli was a mall. Then it became the Auraria student center or something, and then to everyone’s surprise it turned into a popular digital video recorder before finally becoming a film festival venue.
It’s like a metaphor for life or something.
November 21st, 2007 @ 5:39 am
What about how it started out as a brewery?
It’s still the Auraria Student Union…