Our ImageOut Schedule

This year Matt and I are seeing a record 17 films, so there's more opportunities than ever to come join us for a movie or two and show your support! The festival runs from October 9th - October 18th. The last in-person ticket sale is on Thursday, October 1st from 6-8pm at the ImageOut Office in Village Gate. If you can't make that, just let me know and I can pick up your tickets for you, as this is the last opportunity to get the advance ticket price if you don't want to order online. Tickets are also available through the website: ImageOut.org through Thursday, October 8th at 5pm; just know that there is a $3 processing fee for all online orders.

To help you all out with your decision-making process, I've put together a list of films that we'll be attending, complete with short descriptions and links to trailers. Longer (probably more helpful) program descriptions are also available for your reading pleasure on the website.


Friday, October 9th
AND THEN CAME LOLA, 7pm (Little Theatre):
Fun comedy take-off on Run Lola Run, about a woman's race against time to deliver a package to her girlfriend and, in the process, save their relationship.
Recommended for: People who like hot lesbians and the movie Run Lola Run.
TRAILER

THE BIG GAY MUSICAL, 9pm (Little Theatre):
Really, the title says it all. It's about a production of an Off-Broadway show called "Adam and Steve: Just the Way God Made 'Em" and the love lives of several of it's cast members.
Recommended For: People who like musicals, really hot guys, and, since this is sold out except for a a few Rush Tickets, waiting in line to see movies with the possibility of not getting in.
TRAILER

Saturday, October 10th
PRODIGAL SONS, 4:15pm (Dryden Theatre):
This one's tough to summarize. Documentary about a trans woman and her complicated (to put it mildly) relationship with her adopted brother. If you can only see one film in this year's festival, make it this one. It's the best movie we're showing IMHO.
Recommended For: Everyone.

EATING OUT: ALL YOU CAN EAT, 9:30pm (Dryden Theatre):
Third film in a trilogy of gay sex comedies. (No, you don't need to have seen the previous two to get this one) Hilarious, profane, and often pretty steamy.
Recommended For: People who like raunchy humor and loads of male nudity.
TRAILER

Sunday, October 11th
THE BUTCH FACTOR, 2:00pm (Dryden Theatre):
I haven't actually seen this film, but the trailer looked really interesting. Doc about the conflicted relationship between gay men and the societal definition of masculinity.
Recommended For: People interested in the sociology and psychology of sexuality (C'mon, there's got to be a couple, right?)
TRAILER

RIVERS WASH OVER ME, 4:15pm (Dryden Theatre):
Drama about a young, gay African-American teen from NYC who moves to the South after his mother dies.
Recommended For: Fans of gritty independent films, and the South.
TRAILER

BABY LOVE, 7:00pm (Little Theatre):
French drama about a gay man who goes to great lengths to become a father even though gay adoption is illegal in his country.
Recommended For: Fans of French cinema and the Matrix trilogy (apparently the lead actor had a fairly large role in Reloaded and Revolutions).
TRAILER(French)

OH HELL NO! ( ImageOut There! Shorts Program), 9:15 (Little Theatre):
Shorts program for the ImageOut There! series, which focuses on films of a more mature nature. I haven't seen any of these, but I've heard good things.
Recommended For: Fans of challenging short films.

Monday, October 12th
ZOMBIE PROM (Youth Shorts Program), 6:30pm (Ingle Auditorium):
Shorts program for the festival's Youth series, with Zombie Prom as the featured short. It's a blend of the 50s horror movie, comic book, and musical genres. It's AWESOME.
Recommended For: Fans of zombies, musicals, and EC Comics.
TRAILER

Wednesday , October 14th
ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION, 8:45pm (Little Theatre):
I LOVE this movie. Zombies invade a the peaceful town of Port Gamble. Gory, hilarious, and really well done.
Recommended For: Fans of George Romero, Sam Raimi, and Shaun of the Dead.
TRAILER

Thursday, October 15th
HANNAH FREE, 6:15pm (Little Theatre):
Drama about an elderly lesbian woman and the love affair that lasted a lifetime.
Recommended For: Well done melodrama and well-made Lifetime movies.
TRAILER

I LIKE MEN (Men's Shorts Program), 8:45pm (Little Theatre):
Men's shorts program. I haven't seen these films.
Recommended For: Fans of short films and gays.

Friday, October 16th
MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY, 9:00pm (Cinema Theatre):
Comedy about a young gay man home from college and closeted to his parents, and the hilarity that ensues when his boyfriend unexpectedly comes to stay with him.
Recommended For: Anyone who likes Christmas, gay boys, and the infinite comedic potential of the double entendre.
TRAILER

Saturday, October 17th
PATRIK, AGE 1.5, 8:00pm (Dryden Theatre):
Comedy/drama about a gay couple who, because of a typo think they're adopting a 1.5-year-old, but are actually receiving a 15-year-old.
Recommended For: Everyone.
TRAILER

Sunday, October 18th
MR. RIGHT, 4:00 (Little Theatre):
Comedy about the romantic entanglements of a group of British gay men.
Recommended For: Fans of British accents, British humor, and attractive men.
TRAILER

THE BABY FORMULA, 6:30pm (Little Theatre):
Funny and sweet mockumentary about a lesbian couple who, through an experimental procedure, are able to conceive their own biological child.
Recommended For: Pregnancy humor, faux-documentaries, and good acting.
TRAILER

JUST SAY LOVE, 8:45pm (Little Theatre):
Minimalist film version of a stage play about a love affair between a gay man and a straight man.
Recommended For: Fans of the theatre, subtlety, and people who hate sets.
TRAILER

My Personal Halloween Film Festival

I was tagged by my friend Matt in a meme on Facebook about our favorite films to watch around Halloween. The movies that still produce in you the same giddy, scared feeling you got as a kid around the holiday. He narrowed his list down to five, but I just couldn't limit myself that much, so I doubled his number.

The Lineup:


1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
When I watched this movie for the first time at home, alone in my bedroom, I paused it at one point to use the bathroom. As I walked across the hall, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye; a reflection in the mirror, a weird shadow, I dunno. All I know is that I yelped, jumped about a foot in the air, and sprinted to the bathroom. It wasn't until I had slammed the door shut behind me that I stopped, thought about what I had just done, and laughed at myself. No movie had ever had that effect on me before. That's pretty much the moment I fell in love.
TRAILER


2. Halloween (1978)
It may be cliche to include this in a list of favorite Halloween films, but the season just wouldn't be complete for me without the indelible strains of that theme music.
TRAILER


3. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
For years when I was young, my dad tried to make me watch this movie the entire way through, but I could never make it further than the dream sequence where a Nazi-esque monster massacres the hero's family. I eventually did make it through the whole film, and it's now a favorite. Funny, scary, and gory, it also contains the gold standard of werewolf transformation scenes.
TRAILER


4. Scream (1996)
Single-handedly revived the slasher genre. I possibly like it's sequel even more, but the original will always have a special place in my heart. And there's no denying that the opening sequence with Drew Barrymore is just plain brilliant.
TRAILER


5. Bride of Chucky (1998)
This movie is just pure goofy fun. It obviously doesn't take itself too seriously, has some inventive kills (love that honeymoon suite scene), some hilarious dialogue, and pretty great special effects.
TRAILER


6. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
This film has endured a major backlash over the years, but to me it perfectly encapsulates the fact that one's imagination is infinitely scarier than any special effect a filmmaker can come up with. Watching the trailer again, I realized that I still get chills when I hear the line "Tell me where you are, Josh!"
TRAILER


7. May (2002)
After Matt and I watched this film for the first time, we sat in stunned silence when it ended. I think that just about says it all. Unlike anything I had ever seen before, it goes to some very dark, twisted places. And that ending; in the hands of just about any other filmmaker it would have been laughable, but here... it just works.
TRAILER


8. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Funny, witty, and oh so British. Is there anyone who doesn't like this movie?
TRAILER


9. Hellbent (2004)
A throwback to the low-budget slasher movies of yore. It doesn't stray from the standard formula too much, with one exception: instead of a randy bunch of teenagers, it focuses on a group of hunky gay men on their way to a Halloween party in West Hollywood. But even without that twist to distinguish itself from the pack, the film holds it's own as a surprisingly solid little horror flick, with characters slightly more sympathetic than is typical for the genre.
TRAILER


10. Trick r' Treat (2008)
An update on the horror anthology film that contains anything you could ever want in a Halloween movie; laughs, thrills, chills, and a few surprises. I don't think any viewing experience could top watching this for the first time with an audience of hundreds at Comic-Con.
TRAILER

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Ring (2002)
The Descent (2005)
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

I Love This

So You Think You Can Dance is on my top ten favorite things about summer.

Happy 4th of July!!

I'm making it my 4th of July resolution (you can totally have 4th of July resolutions, so shush) to post on this blog more. And by more, I mean AT ALL.

I promise.

Failing In Record Time

One post in and I'm already slacking. I swear I'm going to get better at this blogging thing. I even have an entire list of things I want to post about. It's just a matter of actually sitting my ass down and writing something about them. Let's start slow.

In news of new music that's caught my attention, I recently discovered music artist Dan Black after stumbling across this video on Arjan Writes. His indie synth-pop sound is uber catchy and I love his creative, low budget music videos.

Dan Black Alone from chic & artistic on Vimeo.

Yours - DAN BLACK from The Hours Entertainment on Vimeo.

I've Started A Blog

After being stuck for three years in a rut at a retail job I hate, I want to focus on finding myself steady work writing. I've set up this blog to give me an outlet for writing all the silly, random things that float around in my head and to get myself back into the habit of writing all the time.

I have a LiveJournal account which I horribly neglect, but for some reason I think I'll do better with a real blog. We'll see how this goes.