Sorry. I found nicer geeky festive images to accompany my lil'"Merry Christmas" blog entry...but I do love the fine inappropriate work of the Biz. And what more could be said than the wise words from Lobo his-self? So do what he says...or else...

Over and over again, there seems to be endless proof that there is never a sure thing in the art and business of film production. Imagine this line-up pitched to studio executives in the mid 80's: We've got a pitch for a new movie from the guy who created The Muppets, from the producer of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, with a script written by a Monty Python alum, starring one of the biggest rock icons of all time. Uhm...yeah, let's green light that movie right away! Fat cat executives must have been tripping over themselves trying to be the first in line to finance this thing.

But, as famed screenwriter William Goldman pointed out in his writings about the film industry, "Nobody knows anything". And in this case, it's pretty unlikely that anyone could have guessed that a movie with those four men involved could have completely tanked.



A movie not making any money has never meant that the movie wasn't any good though. There's a long list, but the all-stars of great movies that were box office bombs include Fight Club, Office Space, Blade Runner, It's A Wonderful Life, Fantasia, Citizen Kane, and most recently I would add Scott Pilgrim Vs The World to that list. Critics not praising and an audience not showing up to a movie does not equal a terrible movie all of the time.

So, on Boxing Day, once recovered from the previous days family time, present opening and food feasting, make your way to the Mayfair for a holiday Lost Marbles Geek Night presentation of Labyrinth at 8:15pm.

Recently and coincidentally I was told a story of a girl showing her boyfriend her favorite film, The Princess Bride. Not only did he not like the film, he didn't even make it half way through the film before giving up and turning it off. That my friends is unacceptable, and I'm pretty sure the dictionary definition of what would be known as a dealbreaker. This wasn't some cliche case of a girl forcing a guy to watch Sex and the City or some horrible Julia Roberts romance...this was the frickin Princess Bride! There's not a lot of movies that I consider perfect, but this one is pretty damn close. It has everything! Swashbuckling pirates, underhanded villains, a tough and beautiful princess, eccentric wizards, rodents of unusual size, Andre the Giant, Peter Falk...what more could you possibly want!?

That is the end of my rant. Please come out and see this excellent film. And if you've been invited to the film by a significant other, do not fail the test. See the movie. It is great.

Lost Marbles Geek Night: Sunday December 19th at the Mayfair at 8:45PM.

Our Christmas gift from the Mayfair to you are a trio of geeky movies with a lil something for everyone. The perfect movies for the uber-geek or their more of the norm significant other. Date Night Geek Nights will kick off with the cornerstone generation x romantic dramady Reality Bites. The feature film directorial debut from Ben Stiller, starring a post Heathers / pre-shoplifting Winona Rider and every mid-90's geek boys crush, Janeane Garofalo.

Reality Bites - Sunday December 5th - 8:45pm

And then on the 19th and the 26th, slightly more fantastical date geek fare with the 80's classics The Princess Bride and Labyrinth. All nights with prizes from your favorite Christmas shopping destination, Lost Marbles.

A few days ago, the gentleman who directed my favorite movie ever died. And if you google Irvin Kershner, you'll find many more popular geek than I ranging from Harry Knowles to George Lucas saying deserved nice things about the man. So no need for me to repeat his career accomplishments here. Even though belated, I felt like typing up a lil' something though...

It's always sad when someone dies of course, and weird when someone you've never met yet admire passes away. You have no actual connection, but they've managed to yet completely help shape and change your life. The first movie I ever saw at a movie theatre was The Empire Strikes Back. I went to see it at the Somerset Theatre in Ottawa, which doesn't exist anymore, with three family members, two of which aren't with us anymore. The movie going experience blew my lil four year old mind, and can probably be pin-pointed as the first step towards my love of movies. I remember the opening scene with Luke on the Tauntaun, I was completely mesmerized by the snow kangaroo thing. And I remember the cliffhanger ending, and being furious when my dad told me I had to wait three years to find out what happens to Han Solo. Three years!?! I was only four! That's most of my life! I have vowed that if I ever have kids I'm making them wait three years between watching Empire and Jedi.

In conclusion, The Empire Strikes Back was awesome, and without Irvin Kirshner instead of Han saying "I know" in response to Leia's confession of love, he just would have said "I love you too". Thank you sir.

In the current issue of the Ottawa X-Press, the Mayfair was voted the bestest theatre in all of the land (that might be a slight paraphrasing on my part). That marks the second year in a row for us winning the category. Thanks to the X-Press and to all of our lovely patrons who took the time to participate and vote for us. You can check out the rest of the results either in the parer version (which is in the boxes and around town for the next couple days), or online.

Tonight at the Mayfair is our second of three John Waters pictures, which encompass the Lost Marbles Geek Nights / John Waters Mini Film Festival. There have been many a request for us to show all and any of John Waters films, and now that we're showing these three, there's questions as to why we're not showing more. Alas, in this horrible world that we live in, these three movies are the only film prints currently available. A shocking and unbelievable statement I know! So, for the time being anyhow, no Hairspray or Polyester or Pink Flamingos or anything else. It truly is the most annoying and frustrating of things in trying to run an awesome repertory theatre, the unbelievable amount of films that yah just can't get.

But, let's look at things glass half full and enjoy Cecil B Demented, John's comment on the state of Hollywood vs indie film-making. Tonight at 9:15 at the Mayfair for another geek-gasmic Lost Marbles Geek Night...and yes, there will be prizes.



Oh...PS...also tonight at the Mayfair, right before the John Waters screening will be a special presentation of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Special for two reasons: 1. I'm pretty sure that I could watch this movie every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. 2. It's a fundraiser for my former high school, Canterbury.

So if you're coming out to one or the other tonight, why not take in the pair? Ferris at 7 / Cecil at 9:15.

Time for another Halloween. Which this year seems to be more the day that people are excited about The Walking Dead finally premiering on TV more than being excited by any thoughts of dressing up or getting candy. I swear, buzz in both geek and non-geek circles for this thing seems huge. I will be both going trick or treating with some friends kids (mainly to score some candy left-overs) and then dressing up for later costumed festivities. Then will go home and watch Freaks (for the first time...shocking I know) and of course, The Walking Dead. Good times.

The Mayfair has been nominated again and will be defending its title as the distinction of greatest movie theatre in the universe from the fine folks at the X-Press. Well, actually it's for 'Best alternative to a multiplex', which is a bit of a strange distinction. But we'll take it! So please feel free to click over to the X Press readers poll website and vote away.

While you're there, feel free to also vote for the Silents is Golden film festival, Lee's filmmaking efforts, our neighbours at Quinn's, Invisible Cinema, and our friend Socalled as Best Local Hero.

Tell your friends. Many votes from many friends are muchly appreciated! Polls close at 11:59pm on Wednesday November 3rd, winners announced on November 11th.

So, a pair of cool things just happened. First, an 11th hour special feature to the Scott Pilgrim screening tonight at the Mayfair (which happens in about 4 1/2 hours from now). A last minute guest will be in attendance, Catriona Strurton, who was in the band Plumtree, who wrote the song that inspired the comic to be named Scott Pilgrim. The band appears not only on the soundtrack (would seem weird if they didn't), but keep a look out for a Plumtree shirt on Michael Cera in the film.



More geek coolness, Edgar Wright was kind enough to help spread the word about our screening via his Twitter account. So we've got prizes as per usual for Geek Nights, we have a special rock & roll guest (who's bringing a music video to show off), AND the guy who directed Shaun of the Dead wants you to come! What more could you possibly want to talk you into attending!?!

Scott Pilgrim vs the World may well go down in history as the best film of 2010 that everyone loved yet tanked at the box office. I haven't heard a single bad review or comment on this thing, and yet it didn't even come near to making half of it's estimated 100 million dollar budget back. But, not being profitable does no mean not good. Look at Fight Club, look at Psycho, look at Fantasia...and let us not forget Hudson Hawk!

Now I cannot tell a lie, I didn't get a chance to see the movie yet either. Two reasons: I kindah hate multiplexes, and I knew that we'd get it for sure at the Mayfair. I'm very excited to finally get the chance to see it, especially since I've been told by a couple of different friends that it's like the powers that be sat down and figured out how to make the perfect movie that I would love. It's comic book themed, filled with crazy video game violence, populated with geek girl characters, has Michael Cera in the lead, and is directed by the guy who did Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Wednesday October 27th & Thursday the 28th at 9:15 at the Mayfair, a special Lost Marbles Geek Night presentation of the greatest geek film of the year.

The marquee of the Mayfair from last weekend, a night which crazily enough hosted a classic silent horror movie with live musical accompaniment, a short horror film fest, and then the evening was capped off with what could be the worst movie ever (that people come to on purpose and then throw things). We will be back next year with more Killer63, with fingers crossed for better organizational skills and no last minute 11th hour panics. There will likely be both.

Above is another shot from my video for Boxcar Cadavers that premieres tonight at the Killer63. Come out to see how things fare for the poor fan who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Just tested out the DVD this-morning, and will check it out big screen this-afternoon (after Toy Story 3, before Phantom of the Opera). All seems well. I don't think putting on a festival that had everything run smoothly and be prepared weeks in advance would be the same. Need that 11th hour last minute hassle and stress to keep yah feeling alive. Anyhow, that's year 5 almost in the books, which is kind of a staggering thought. Hope to see y'all tonight at the Mayfair.

I don't want to play spoiler on my contribution to the Killer63 short horror film fest at the Mayfair, but the above image is from the Boxcar Cadavers video that I directed and it involves my talented friend Jennilee Murray being shoved in the trunk of a car. Be there Saturday night to see it and a dozen other diversely terrifying offerings.

It looks like we have everything together and assembled for the Killer63 screening on Saturday. So, y'know...a whole massive two days before the actual event. Not a lot of time to publicize the mini-fest, so just trying to get the word out via the magic of the internet while I can (don't know what people did before blogs and e-mail and Facebook and all this stuff).

The lucky number 13 shorts in the line-up will include (in not this exact order):

Never Bet the Devil Your Head - Kristian Larivier
Until the Fat Lady Sings - Rob Kantu
Bagra - Tom Jardine
Stop 21 - James Campbell
Seance - Robin Kasparik

Plus an 8mm zombie graveyard short from Petr Maur, two brand new shorts from Jeff Campbell, three works from Chris Chitaroni & Jimm Moir's Skywardkick Productions, and a pair of terror themed music videos from Canadian bands Hunter Valentine and Boxcar Cadavers (I directed the latter one). The work ranges in length from 5 to 18 minutes, and all combined comes in at about 100 / 105 minutes.

A couple of stills from Jeff Campbell's shorts "StalkHer" and "Dead End", both premiering this Saturday night (October 16th at 9pm) at the Mayfair Theatre.

Last week my film-making friends and I multitasked the shooting of a Boxcar Cadavers music video which will also serve as my entry into this years Killer63 festival. It involves rock and roll, kidnapping, and a nice girl locked in the trunk of a car. Even though it happened in the 11th hour, and well past my own set deadline, I'm very glad that we got to shoot the thing. It's a project that I've had on the brain for years, actually originally intended for another band that one of the Boxcar guys used to be in by the name of Crankenstein.

The shoot went well, and it's in the midst of being edited. Hopefully we'll have it all done by tomorrow...a whole three or so days before the actual festival screening. Such last minute stressy hectic deadline crunching feats are normal in such things. Every year I intend to get all this organized like a month in advance...never quite works out though. Maybe next year!

Only have time for a quick update, running off to the Mayfair soon to go check out the silent movie / live music night. Am equally excited for tomorrows screening of Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell, which has an amazing poster and tag-line. On top of that, it's got no less than two Star Wars legends: David Prowse (Darth Vader) as the Monster, and Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) as Victor Frankenstein. And of course, it is also a very rare chance to see a Hammer horror classic up on the big screen.

Come check it out tomorrow (Sunday the 3rd) at Lost Marbles Geek Night at the Mayfair at 8:30.

There's at least a different version of Batman that pops up once a generation or so (sometimes things switch up even faster than that). Batman was the number 1 show that kids in 1966 rushed home after school to catch. For 120 episodes (over a very small period of time), and then one movie, Adam West and company's interpretation of Batman's world enthralled a generation.

Though it was not the original or the last live action version of Batman to make the leap to big screens, there were a number of serials in the 1940's and of course many incarnations to follow, most people for a very long time considered this Batman to be THE first and ONLY Batman. So much so that those not in the know to what Batman was like in the comic books before or after this era got kindah pissed off when Michael Keaton donned the cape and cowl for Tim Burton in the the more loyal to the source material film in 1989. Quite a few now grown up fans were pissed off quite and felt insulted that their childhood hero was being ruined.

Now, when I was a kid I hated this version of Batman. Loathed everything about the show. Because my Batman is Dark Night Returns, my Batman is Michael Keaton, my Batman is the genius animated series from Bruce Timm and Paul Dini.  My Batman wasn't bright colours, goofy dialogue, and shark repellent. And my Batman definitely didn't make use of on screen sound fx for fight scenes.

Then I saw the movie on VHS. And it was one of those laugh so hard you almost die moments (if you're not in the know...just wait for the shark scene). Although not my Batman, this Batman could still be greatly appreciated. The characters, the design, the style, the script...all weren't that far off in terms of a tribute to what was going on in comic books at the time. And the car! Man that's a cool car!




Batman swings into Lost Marbles Geek Night this Sunday September 26th at 8PM. A rare chance to see the geek classic up on the big screen.

The cool factor level that the Mayfair continues to attain helped in getting it mentioned over in the UK on a film program on BBC Radio (check out about 5:45 into the show). Specifically, the topic of conversation involved the above and beyond skills of our projectionist. I can only hope that being talked about on a Ricky Gervais podcast cannot be far behind.