Despite yesterday being the official first day of the glorious season that is summer, Hollywood says we're well into it, thanks to Iron Man kicking us off on May 2. Its sequel will open on April 30, 2010. After that, who knows, the first "summer" movies will probably sneak back all the way to March. I'm against this. Very much so.Anyway, summer is fortunately not controlled by Hollywood, and City Pages, the local alt-weekly here in Minneapolis-St. Paul, compiled a list of the summer's best local movie outings last week. The "Endless Summer of Cinema" can be found here in its entirety. It's a nice little list, despite missing this weekend's Solstice Film Festival, the Bicycle Film Festival, and the Richard Widmark Series at The Parkway (Barry Kryshka of Take-Up Productions added it in the comments section). And, of course, drive-ins, of which there are still plenty in Minnesota. Bring bug spray.
I've got a feeling I'm going to miss the majority of the "Endless Summer" movies, but I'm still kind of glad they're around so people can avoid seeing The Love Guru and Space Chimps. If you're a local, definitely mark your calendars so whoever organizes these summer series will continue to do so for years to come. Also check out the release calendar on the left sidebar for some great new releases that are on the way - blockbusters (The Dark Knight), documentaries (American Teen), and indies (Towelhead).
I've got 3 weddings and at least 3-4 trips in the next 60 days alone, so you'll have to forgive me for posting less frequently. Tragic I know, but I'm sure you'll manage. If I happen to be absent for a few days, check out the great blogs over on the left.
Happy summer.
Ahhhh, summer...
ReplyDeleteLounging like a snow leopard outside under a tree with voluminous amounts of lemonade, watching the world (and the boys)go by...
Mmmmmm....
Living in a city chock full of night owls (myself included) I wish we had more midnight screenings of esoteric or older stuff. We have them regularly as previews (as in the very first showings) of blockbusters that are going to open the identical day. But it's not even in the same ball park in terms of excitement or interest.
You can catch those movies at any time during their theatrical runs. So...?
We are one of the cities that had various theatres showing THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW at midnight for YEARS on end. Must've been around 15 (possibly more)consecutively. When one theatre would opt out, another would grab it. Then it would move back etc.
I went at midnight on a double date in the 90s. It was awesome fun. ROCKY HORROR still gets trotted out for midnight screenings on Halloween and special occasions. But I guess it's pretty much done, unfortunately. It's the end of that particular era. TOO BAD.
We will miss you, Danny. But it's good that you're getting out and about. You're a young man (still...) and there's more to life than blogging.
As one of the owners/managers/administrators (and general queen of all I survey) of one of the blogs at the left that you referred to, my hat is off to you, kind sir.
But then I was always a sucker for the grand, sweeping gesture.
As I'm sure you're well aware, I would do anything to help you with your artistic enterprise (especially in terms of support or assistance) so I guess you should just sit back and watch your karmic points increase.
Here's to summer...
(raises glass of Cherry Coke)
I hope you have one to remember, Danny...
Haha, I love your summer spirit.
ReplyDeleteYes, the midnight screenings of new releases is really out of control at this point. Are people really lining up to see Meet Dave at midnight of the Friday it's released? I think they started that about 10 years ago with The Phantom Menace, and now it's totally lost its flavor, at least in my opinion. The last one I saw at midnight was Revenge of the Sith.
Funny that you mention Rocky Horror - up until a few months ago it played every single week at midnight at a local retro theater. I don't know if people weren't showing up, but I was kind of surprised that it was gone all of a sudden. It had been there for years.
Anyway, I think this will be a good summer. I don't plan on being gone too much from this cozy niche, but there are some things that quite frankly shouldn't take a backseat to blogging, and I'd rather let some days slide than spend time worrying about daily or otherwise frequent posts. I need to save some energy for Oscar season starting in September, and besides, there are plenty of friendly and air-conditioned places like Cinematic Passions where people can escape the rising mercury.
How did you know Cherry Coke was my favorite...?!?!
I love Cherry Coke too, we don't get it in SA, but my mama orders it for me special.
ReplyDeleteShe's cool like that.
I hate summer, well summer movies, even though it is winter in SA, which I love, but winter is supposed to be a GOOD time to go to the movies, but not on my side of the equator.
Enjoy all your trips and weddings and stuff, we'll miss you, but hey, at least you can boast that you are out there having an actual life and not sitting on the net 24/7. Speaking for myself, of course.
Your mama has excellent taste and has raised you well.
ReplyDeleteHow weird to think that the seasons are switched for you. "Summer" is Oscar season and "Winter" is blockbuster/brain candy season. Well Happy Winter, then.
Well I'll boast to you guys that I'm out living it up, but I'll inevitably ending up talking to all of those "real people" about movies in the end anyway, so it all evens it. I can't get away from movies, even when I get away from them. Is that a sign of addiction or disease, both or neither?
Oh, most definitely an addiction...some days a disease too.
ReplyDeleteI talk movies all the time, pisses everyone off around me, but it’s an integral part of who we are, right?
Danny, I think that everyone has their own particular niches, interests, what have you. If movies are your thing, then they most certainly are something that makes you feel alive and connected to the world around you.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should consider leaving Minneapolis (again) and pursuing a career - whatever you really want to do - in the entertainment industry. Or staying in the Twin Cities and doing something related to film. Maybe you could write about movies for local publications/newspapers. You DO have the site...and that's the biggest and most impressive writing sample that they're likely to ever come across.
You've got loads of talent. So I'm sure that there are many opportunities that you could take advantage of. You wouldn't even necessarily have to do it full time. Sometimes fabulous benefits accrue just from doing something a few hours per week or monthly. You know, free tickets to shindigs and that kind of thing.
I understand that some people tend to keep the things that they love separate from their "real jobs". If they were to incorporate their passionate interests into something day to day then it would seem too much like actual WORK.
But it all depends. I'm a practical chick. Not only do I hate to see good talent wasted but I don't think there's anything wrong with deriving some coin from something that you're all ready jazzed about in any event.
Hah hah. Don't panic. The Cherry Coke thing was a complete shot in the dark.
I haven't talked to you away from the site in quite some time and I really don't know you that well. AT ALL.
Believe me. I pick up on a lot of subtext. I'm sharp and I know what's what. But (unlike say, the adorable Christian Divine) I don't have the wondrous ability to figure out abstract complexities about people that I have yet to meet. Sussing out individuals' favourite colas online is just past the range of my considerable capabilities.
When I was typing my post up for some unexplainable reason Cherry Coke just popped into my head. It was a complete coincidence. It just seemed to fit.
I guess it seems like one of the perfect seasonal drinks. Some years we get a lot in my home town. Some summers it's nowhere to be found. I don't know any place in the city that has it now. But a demand will always be present. So I'm sure that it will be available every now and then.
One of my exes (the BIG one - he was a dead ringer for Tab Hunter *sigh*) was one of the managers at a 24 hour drugstore. They carried an entire line of "old style" pop - the kind that you would have gotten from a soda fountain generations ago. There were various kinds of cokes (including cherry), root beer, orange...
It was the BEST stuff. For the life of me, I CAN NOT remember who made it. But it wasn't Coke or Pepsi obviously. Oddly enough, his store was the only place in the city that I frequented that had it. But I'd go a LONG WAY for pop that good.
EVEN if I knew that my arrival would make all hell break loose. Well, some people can't keep their pieholes shut until they're off duty. If I don't start it, then they'll have to take whatever I dish out.
I miss those days....
Not to worry, Danny. It was just one of those things.
I hope you have a thoroughly AWESOME summer.
Truly...
I think so, Nick, if we want it to be...
ReplyDeleteMiranda, you once again floor me with flattery! And the only thing stranger than your pick of Cherry Coke is your unbelievably perfect description of how I relate to movies: "something that makes you feel alive and connected to the world around you." Ding ding ding ding!
That's not to say that movies are the ONLY way that I connect to the world or that I use them as some kind of energy source or life compass. I just find them to be a great way to help me think globally and understand other people's experiences.
One of the good things about Minneapolis is that there is a great selection of movies, arts, and theater. But along with that comes A LOT of people writing about those movies, art, and theater. Sure, I hope locals check out Getafilm and connect with some of the MSP posts that I do. If it leads to some press access and otherwise special treatment, well that would be fine, but nobody's been knocking on the door and I haven't been aggressively pursuing that. I think it would be best for it to remain a hobby for the time being, albeit it one that can take a significant amount of time. If I could make some coin to pay for movie tickets, well that would probably be enough for me.
There are lot of other things I'm passionate about as well. We'll see what happens...I'm pretty much open to whatever right now...
Regarding the Cherry Coke, well lucky guess! I rarely have it, but it's just a great treat. Especially when from a fountain with grenadine and a maraschino tossed in. They do that at Chili's, or at least they did the last time I was there like 5 years ago.
I can't imagine it could be, but maybe your mysterious brand is Jones?
To summer!