Joaquin & Craig

My Facebook Birthday Reminder for Week of November 2nd:

Craig Saavedra - Director/Producer

I met Craig and Joaquin in 2008 at Cinequest 18. I wasn’t the only one to fall for this film entry.

“Sherman’s Way“(music plays) was recognized with:
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Cinequest Film Festival 2008
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Newport International Film Festival 2008
* Audience Award for Best Feature: Gaia Film Festival 2008
* Special Jury Award: Jackson Hole Film Festival 2008

“Sherman’s Way” was a delight to view. As a little red MG came into its own with a remodel and a new shine, so did the players of the film. Sherman (Michael Shulman) made the needed changes to help find his way. Palmer (James Le Gros) attempts to reconnect with family.

A good portion of “Sherman’s Way” was filmed around Clear Lake, California. I haven’t been to that region of the state, but Joaquin Sedillo’s gorgeous cinematography put it on my ‘places to visit’ list.

Sherman’s Way: Written by, Tom Nance.

iTunes
$9.99 Buy Movie
$3.99 Rent Movie

NETFLIX
DVD and streaming

Amazon
New and only 6 used

Just for fun: Heinz Midnight Snack

Mackenzie Phillips

It was the opening night of Cinequest-19 where I spotted Mackenzie Phillips (American Graffiti, One Day at a Time) at the California Theatre. I told her that it was nice to see her. To which she replied, “Nice to be seen.” I asked, “Did she had something to share with San Jose Metblogs?” Yes, she told me about her tell-all book that should be out in the spring. It took a bit longer than spring, but her controversial memoir “High on Arrival” is now out. Mackenzie is making the talk show rounds and, this evening she will be on with Larry King @ 6:00 PM.

Yes, I enjoy the films of Cinequest, but part of the lure is meeting the producers, directors, actors, TV and movie stars. I’m looking forward to Cinequest Film Festival 20 next February.

White on Rice will appear at Camera 3 starting Friday, September 18.

A few months ago, I mentioned the film White on Rice, which headlined the San Francisco Asian-American Film Festival’s San Jose presentations. Now the film is back, booked for a one week run at the Camera 3 in downtown San Jose.

The film is about a 40-year-old guy who’s recently gotten divorced and moved in with his sister, where he’s sharing a bunk bed with his 10-year-old nephew. He refuses to grow up, but still hopes to find the perfect replacement for his departed wife. All the reviews I’ve seen say it’s really funny.

Even better, with a special coupon you can download from the San Jose chapter of the Japanese-American Citizens League, proceeds from your attendance on the opening weekend will benefit JACL. The coupon is only good Friday through Sunday, and it doesn’t change the price of your ticket, but it does redirect part(?) of your ticket payment to JACL, to support their educational, civil rights, and cultural programs.

• What: Film screening benefitting San Jose Japanese-American Citizens League
• When: starting Friday, September 18
• Where: Camera 3 Cinema, 288 S. Second St., San Jose.

“Citizen Jane”
September 12
9 PM Hallmark Channel (Comcast 66 or 185)
Ally Sheedy, Meat Loaf, Sean Patrick Flanery – (TV-PG,V), 2009

Citizens Against Homicide

Citizen Jane the book

Citizen Jane the movie site

I was disappointed that there were no location shots filmed in San Jose.

Although the fake SJPD building in the movie was better looking than the real deal.

75th Anniversary Poster

Before my parents made the big move to the Bay Area at the end of 1959, we lived a good number of years in Modesto, Ca. Many homes back then didn’t have air-conditioning. Our rental house, on Paradise Road, didn’t even have a swamp cooler to help us deal with the blistering hot days of valley summer. One way my friends and I survived was by learning to swim in the canal. But, by far the best was convincing a parent to give us a ride into town to an air-cooled movie theater where music played as we settled in our seats opening boxes of Good and Plenty.

Sadly two of the movie houses, The Strand and The Covell, were lost to urban redevelopment, but I was overjoyed to learn that the third was saved and refurbished in all its art deco glory. The State Theatre now plays host to both film and live performances.

The Third Annual Modesto Reel Food Film Festival
Sunday – September 27
2 PM
The State Theatre - 307 J Street, Modesto
For Tickets call (209) 527-4697
($10 ticket price includes snacks from local restaurants.)

Pierluigi Oliverio

Tonight is council member Pierluigi Oliverio’s 3rd annual district 6 “Safety Fair & Outdoor Movie Event“.

Featuring – “WALL-E” by Disney/Pixar

When – Friday, August 28th

Time – 7:00 PM

Where – Bramhall/Willow St. Park – Willow Glen

Enter – Willow St. (near Meridian) cross street Glen Eyrie

Bring – a Blanket and Flashlight

Here’s the plan, if you’re so inclined, arrive dressed up in your best zombie outfit and makeup (and be sure to bring a canned good(s) as there will be a donation spot for Second Harvest Food Bank.) Here’s the rundown of all the crawl spots of the night:

5pm: The Zombie Art Show! (Doors will be open to early birds at 4pm)
SLG Art Boutiki – 577 S. Market Street – On-site make-up, a drop off for your canned goods, zombie art show, free comic books. Other goodies will be available; representatives from Columbia Pictures will be around to give out free posters for the upcoming movie ZOMBIELAND starring Woody Harrelson. Also be sure to check out the hearse courtesy of California’s Great America (promoting this year’s GA Fright Night.)

6pm: Zombies then make their way to Gore Park (the corner of First and Williams) where maps will be handed out. The map will have a list of the pub-crawl for various places offering happy hour specials or free gifts.

7:45pm: After the zombies make their way through the downtown spots, head back to Gore Park for an outdoor showing of Shaun of the Dead (2004/ Rated R/ 99 minutes) courtesy of Starlight Cinemas.

Pub crawl specials:
South First Billiards – $3.00 Brainstem Blasts & $2.50 Pabst
Caffe Trieste – During Happy Hour (4-7) 2-1 Peroni.
Brix Nightclub – $3.00 Well Drinks, (2-1 drinks AFTER the movie)
The Blue Chip (this is downstairs at 325 S. First Street, so you might miss it) $1 Tecate and $3.00 Well Drinks. Free Fries with cheese steaks.

More details:
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
5:00 pm to 11:00 pm
http://www.zombieorama.com
Check out the Event on Facebook

Rated R – For adult content, adult language and violence.

The film will be shown in the parking lot next to Orchard Valley Coffee, Downtown Campbell. The parking lot opens at 6:30 pm, the film begins between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm; bring a chair and a blanket.

Orchard Valley Coffee Shop
349 E. Campbell Avenue, Campbell

Then on Saturday August 22, 2009, it is San Jose Giant’s Movie Nights with the showing of Bolt on the big screen. Bolt is an animated family film about the adventures of a canine actor, who believes that he really possesses superpowers, mistakenly shipped from Hollywood to New York City and now making his way back home. Along the way, Bolt befriends an alley cat and hamster providing insight about being a real dog in the real world. Voices include John Travolta (Bolt), Miley Cyrus (Penny) and Malcolm McDowell (Dr. Calico).

Rated PG – For some mild action and peril.

The film will be shown at Municipal Stadium, San Jose. Gates open at 6:00 pm and the film begins at 7:00 pm (showing on the big screen thus no need to wait for dusk). Check out the Family Fun Zone including speed pitch, bounce house and t-ball. Bring a blanket and watch the movie from the outfield. Admission and parking are free; concessions will be open during the movie.

Municipal Stadium
588 East Alma Avenue, San Jose
408- 297-1435

The 48 Hour Film Project is a filmmaking challenge in which anyone can participate, though only the most committed and strong-hearted come through it with their sanity intact – and sometimes not even then. Participants join up as teams and are then given 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and score a film using surprise parameters given to them at the kick-off. Those specific parameters are: a character, a prop, and a line of dialogue. Then each team draws a specific genre of film, such as a Buddy Film, Comedy, Drama, Horror or Mockumentary. Each individual film can be about anything the filmmaker desires, as long as those parameters are followed. And that is the point when the teams are let loose to create their films. No one but the unsuspecting public will see these filmmakers for the next 48 hours.

After the films have been turned in on Sunday night, the fun really begins. This Wednesday and Thursday you can attend the screenings of those films at the Camera 12 theaters downtown. For only ten dollars you can see several of the shorts and even meet the filmmakers of these imaginative films.

The elements for San Jose this year are:

Character:  Zach or Zelda Alexander, Exterminator

Prop:  a piece from a board game

Line of Dialogue:  “Tell me again why this matters.”

The screenings are at 7:00pm and 9:30pm on Wednesday and Thursday. You may purchase tickets HERE. Don’t miss either of these fun and exciting movie evenings!

California Theatre

The best kept cinema secret in San Jose (even among typically well-informed local cineastes) is the summer Friday and Saturday evening programs at the California Theatre.  I recently spoke with filmmaker Alejandro Adams and Cinebanter podcaster Michael Vox about their trip to the Cal Theatre to watch PLAYTIME with fellow filmmaker Jarrod Whaley and Cinequest screenwriting competition winner Mary Szmagaj and her husband Bill.  The beautiful, refurbished Cal Theatre has shown films on its large screen for several years as part of the Cinequest Film Festival, but most film fans aren’t aware that at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, a classic film is unspooled in front of a small, but devoted group of viewers.

The price: $5.  The balcony: available.  The ushers: incredibly polite.  Saturday night popcorn price: free.

For the first time anyone can remember, popcorn and drinks were not only allowed, but encouraged. Take it from someone who has personally been told to put their water bottle away by Mr. Packard himself, this last piece of news is a big deal. Up in Palo Alto, the Stanford Theatre has been showing classic films for years, and now we have our own version of that program right on First Street, a few steps from Original Joe’s. Where else can you listen to a live organist play famous movie scores before the show starts? Where else can you sit in an actual full-sized balcony where the image on the screen will complete with the beautiful design and colors of the theatre itself?

This summer, the programming runs from the much-seen: LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, WEST SIDE STORY, SOUND OF MUSIC to the little-seen: PLAY TIME to the silents: KID BROTHER, BLACK PIRATE. This weekend, July 31-August 1, they are playing 1967’s CLEOPATRA.

The price can’t be beat and while watching, it is hard not to feel as if you’ve been transported back in time, when grand movie halls still existed. Do yourself a favor. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

The complete summer schedule can be found here.