Along with several staff members at my theater, we have recently decided that we are going to write up a variation of the “Laminate list”. The Laminate List goes by all sorts of different names, but is generally known as the list of 5 celebrities that one is allowed to sleep with. But rather then this be a list about sleeping with people, we decided that we wanted to make it more of a fan list styled phone tree. So that if one of your Top 5 celebrities happens to come into the theater and you are not working, you would get a phone call and be provided the opportunity to stop in to the theater and possibly actually get to meet them.

Now at most places of business this would be a completely frivolous list. More of a way to pass the time and ignore whatever it is you are supposed to be doing. But I work at a movie theater in a relatively major metropolitan city. Celebrities are actually a fairly regular occurrence here in Minneapolis. A handful call the area home, and countless others swing on buy during their various tours, press meetings, or even being paid to party at our nightclubs.

Unfortunately, of the three Landmark Theaters in town mine is by far the least hip and the furthest away from the cultural epicenter that is Uptown. Because of this our level of celebrities tends to be rather low. Sure we got Bai Ling that one time, but who hasn’t had her? Or then there was the time Ned Beatty hung out for an afternoon, which was cool, but he also did it in part because he was trying to get us to sell his new CD. Which, by the way, was entirely devoted to him singing Gospel songs. I’m pretty sure we still have a case of them lying around somewhere. But outside of that we haven’t garnered much higher then the Minneapolis Mayor or local Sportscaster Mark Rosen.

(more…)

I always forget how much moving sucks until I do it again. It looks like a bomb has gone of in our apartment, and it’s going to be several more days before we can get everything organized, let alone put away. But hey, at least we have the Internet up and running.

This week’s update is a fairly short one, as most of the new DVD releases are relatively boring. The obvious recommendation is for There Will Be Blood, which is an outstanding film. Their is both a standard edition and a 2-disc Collector’s Edition and it is going to be tough for me to avoid the 2-disc set. If you haven’t seen it yet, and with its limited theatrical release that means plenty of you haven’t, it’s the one film you should make sure to watch this week.

The other DVD release I have is a smaller, lesser known film, but by no means less acclaimed documentary that was released last year and was in and out of theaters within a week. That film is Manda Bala. Because of its short release I never had time to go see it, but I had several friends who were able to find the time and came away very impressed. It’s won more then its fair share of awards, and being a bit of a documentary buff I know it is getting bumped up to the top of my queue.

As for theatrical new releases their isn’t much that really interests me. I know some people are jazzed about Leatherheads, but frankly I could care less about the movie. But the one movie I am excited for is a mockumentary about poker players called The Grand. With a stellar cast including Woody Harrelson, Dennis Farina, Cheryl Hines, David Cross, Michael McKean, Chris Parnell, and the pitch-perfect casting of Werner Herzog I can’t help but be excited at the possibilities.

As always, trailers are after the break.

(more…)