Wordless Wednesday #4: Genderblind directed by Lanita Joseph #nablopomo #blogher #indiefilm #screenings #lgbt #philly

I just have one question.

What Movie are YOU going to check out this week and/or weekend?

I was going to go check this movie out but my schedule does not permit me to do so, therefore, I plan to watch "Shortbus" or "1408" or "Hostel" but if I'm lucky....maybe I'll get in all three by this time next week!

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Pros and Cons of Midnight Movie Showings #GBE2 #NaBloPoMo #NowPlaying #atthemovies

Movie showtimes that are scheduled to take place at midnight are among the most populated screenings during opening weekend and beyond. This can be one of the greatest experiences ever for movie going audiences or one of the worst because there are advantages and drawbacks to attending these screenings. Here are pros and cons of midnight movie showings to consider when purchasing your next ticket at the box office.

The Pros of Midnight Movie Showings
1. Large groups of people who are mentally, physically and emotionally invested in a particular picture may share similar reactions to what is happening on the big screen. They laugh, cry, cheer, scare and get angry together, which creates a more communal experience. Therefore, people who camped out and went to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” at midnight when it was released on July 15th likely had more fun watching the movie than a group of people who went to an afternoon show surrounded by people who are only there to get their kids, spouses and/or friends to stop nagging them about watching the movie.

2. Lots of new movies are often released at midnight, giving early audiences an opportunity to see them before everybody else in the town. This can be an advantage for everyone from office employees who want to brag at the water cooler about being among the first to see a film to students or parents who have a busy schedule an want to get a showing in as quickly as possible so they can get on with their upcoming day.

3. Going to see a movie that is released at midnight helps to eliminate the possibility of someone spoiling the plot during and after opening weekend. Learning about a crucial plot point in a movie that one plans to go see is no fun and ruins the anticipation for many, if not all movie going audiences. Someone will either decide to not go see the movie at all, which lowers the film’s box office gross or the person will go see it anyway but the experience will never be the same since another person who attended an earlier screening spilled the beans about the plot.

The Cons of Midnight Movie Showings
4. A college student that I consulted with about this blog post told me about a frustrating experience of going to see “Twilight: New Moon” at midnight. She had a difficult time enjoying the movie because fellow fans at this midnight movie screening were so excited that they were talking as it played on the big screen. The point of going to a theater is to watch the movie being shown, not to discuss what is happening or what you think is going to happen in later scenes.

5. Poor theater choices for midnight movie showings can sometimes result in audience members wishing that they waited until the daytime or after opening weekend has passed to see a film. This is because some movie theaters attract rowdy, ignorant and violent audiences that are inconsiderate of others. Movie goers who attend midnight screenings at low quality theaters are more likely to endure cell phone conversations, crying babies, kiddie pranks, fights and other nuisances that do not take place at theater locations where the audience is more mature, reserved and respectful of one another and the venue’s policies.

6. Having to stay up and awake late at night is one of the disadvantages of attending midnight movie showings. Many audience members do not enjoy staying up until 3:00 in the morning and then driving all the way home, even if the movie that they watched was enjoyable. So while going to see a movie at midnight may seem exciting at first, the experience becomes less enjoyable after the night has wound down and people realize that they have to get up in a few hours to go to work, church, school, run errands or complete other tasks. Their responsibilities need to be completed, despite the fact that they are running on only a few hours of sleep.....if they slept at all when returning home from a midnight movie showing.

What Pros or Cons of midnight movie showings would YOU add to this list?

Photo courtesy of Bonita Sarita

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A Night at VISIONFEST 11: The Other Festival (VF11) #NaBloPoMo #Indiefilm #Blogher

The view of the Marquee from outside on the sidewalk, in front of Tribeca Cinemas

On Friday, June 24, 2011, I attended a premiere screening of “The Casserole Club” at VISIONFEST 11. These sold-out screenings were full of energy, as movie fanatics, film festival staff and cast members came together to celebrate yet another masterpiece by director Steve Balderson. The event was such as delight because VISIONFEST 11 certainly made ticket holders and filmmakers in attendance feel welcome before, during and after the screening.


Garrett Swann at Tribeca Cinemas

“The Casserole Club” star and co-producer Garrett Swann was among the film’s cast members in attendance at this screening who had a nice sized crew of fans and supporters. During a Q&A that followed the screening, Balderson revealed that he discovered Swann on Facebook and this led to him being cast in the movie. Meeting Susan Traylor who plays Sugar, the wife of a not-so-nice and troubled guy named Conrad was one of the highlights of my evening at VISIONFEST 11.

Denise and crew at Tribeca Cinemas

Conrad is played by Kevin Richardson, a former member of pop music sensation The Backstreet Boys. Speaking of Richardson, his fans were out in full force during the “Casserole Club” screening.....at the Tribeca Cinemas movie theater and on social networking websites including Twitter. Some of his fans including friends Shemika and Denise were disappointed that Richardson did not attend this screening and . Supporting cast member Nic Roewert is an unforgettable character both on and off screen, so chatting it up with him was a treat.

Steve Balderson at Tribeca Cinemas

When the lights when down in the theater at Tribeca Cinemas, “The Casserole Club” was preceded by a short film called “American Sweetheart.” Both movies were fun to watch and made audiences think about competitive friendships, marriage, having children, monogamy, swinging and most importantly.....food. I wish that my schedule and funding had permitted me to stay at VISIONFEST 11 longer, so I could watch more must-see independent films including “Falling Overnight” and “Ontological” and “Virgin Alexander.”

Q and A session for "The Casserole Club" followed by VISIONFEST 11 mingling and Pub Crawl

Luckily, I had the chance to meet “Ontological” director, Skylar Gordon who was accompanied by his co-producer at the Q&A where we had a quick chat about his movie that was the talk of the festival. I also got to learn Gordon’s perspective on movie piracy and it’s affects on independent filmmakers while he let me know about the many benefits that some films get from being pirated. Those that were not in attendance at VISIONFEST 11 were still able to join the party, thanks to Michelle who kept the film festival’s Twitter live feed so active that friends and followers from around the nation were able to enjoy the experience as if they were there.

VISIONFEST 11 was not only a blast, but another reminder of why New York is the best place to be, ever!

Stay tuned for Read “The Casserole Club” movie review and stay tuned for an interview with Skylar Gordon on “Ontological.”

*PLEASE NOTE: I currently have limited computer & internet access and cannot add photos to this post, but photos accompanying my VISIONFEST 11 visit will be added to this post over the next few days.

Also, stay tuned for some more photos from VISIONFEST to be posted this week!

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