(cross-posted from the Alamo Drafthouse thread)
Oh, do I have some stories from BNAT this year...
First, the party at the Texas Chili Parlor. First off, I heard through the grapevine that Harry had called and requested to close out the place Friday night for BNAT people, and they agreed. Then, last Wednesday, they called Harry and told him they couldn't close as it was a Friday night. Harry tried to tell them that the BNAT people would be more than enough business but they refused to close. Now, about 100+ people were descending on this little restaurant that maybe seats 75. Still, people would have hung out outside until their seats were ready, and it would have been fine... if the place was closed. Because it wasn't, people began pouring out the door.
The waitstaff was very stressed at this point, and began telling people "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!" kicking people's shins, and demanding people leave tables if they weren't eating. My friend Megan tipped $5 on a $40 check, which is more than 12%, if my math is right. After she paid, we stood outside, talking to other AICN crew and BNAT people, and that's when the waitress comes out and yells at her, "Hey, thanks for the $5!" and not in a pleasant manner. That's when her husband Joe (one of my best friends) goes off on her and the manager, saying, "We're never eating here again, and you should have been cut out of QT's movie which was too long anyway." He didn't say it exactly like that, a few "fucks" were thrown in there for good measure.
Okay, come BNAT morning, and we park downtown. On the weekends, downtown parking is free, and we park about a half-block away from a police station and next to a homeless shelter. We make our way into BNAT, and for the most part BNAT's a blast this year. We all got free HD-DVD players from Toshiba, and I fully can't wait to hook up that bad boy.
The Ritz is a beautiful theatre. I love the huge screen, the seats are terrific, and it's just wonderful. Tim League is amazing, especially dressed as a wizard making confetti fly through the Alamo.
THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES. Drew (Moriarty) introduces this "documentary" and states that there will be a Q & A afterwards with the filmmakers. The story is about a serial killer who recorded his murders on video and the events that surround the tapes. This movie was shit-terrible. The audience had an active hostile reaction to it. Outside, Eli Roth is shaking his head, and saying, "You know they're gonna blame me for this." The audience reaction was so bad that the Q & A was canceled. They said that they had to leave for a flight, and the word around the campfire is that MGM didn't want them to do a Q & A because they want to keep the illusion that it's a real documentary. It's not, folks. I don't feel too badly for the filmmakers because I had to sit through this horrible thing and I actively started rooting against their careers when they brought in the Girl Scouts. When the film ended, Tim League came out, waited a beat, and said, "Well, let's move on!" Everyone laughed at that.
During the night, we kept checking on the cars because we wanted to make sure they were okay. Well, 6 AM was the last time we were able to get time to check. Once BNAT ended, we got our free HD-DVD players and waited for my friend Joe to bring the car around. Turns out the windshield was smashed completely in, by who we had no idea. The windshield repairman later told us about 10 people had their car windows smashed. Quint had his GPS system in his car stolen. Other LA people had their laptops grabbed. There has got to be something done about the parking down there. Maybe next year for BNAT we can all shuttle in.
To end it all, here's me on Rock Band, rocking out to "Maps" at Massawyrm's house! (Singing) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkIH1YSzl2o
Oh, do I have some stories from BNAT this year...
First, the party at the Texas Chili Parlor. First off, I heard through the grapevine that Harry had called and requested to close out the place Friday night for BNAT people, and they agreed. Then, last Wednesday, they called Harry and told him they couldn't close as it was a Friday night. Harry tried to tell them that the BNAT people would be more than enough business but they refused to close. Now, about 100+ people were descending on this little restaurant that maybe seats 75. Still, people would have hung out outside until their seats were ready, and it would have been fine... if the place was closed. Because it wasn't, people began pouring out the door.
The waitstaff was very stressed at this point, and began telling people "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!" kicking people's shins, and demanding people leave tables if they weren't eating. My friend Megan tipped $5 on a $40 check, which is more than 12%, if my math is right. After she paid, we stood outside, talking to other AICN crew and BNAT people, and that's when the waitress comes out and yells at her, "Hey, thanks for the $5!" and not in a pleasant manner. That's when her husband Joe (one of my best friends) goes off on her and the manager, saying, "We're never eating here again, and you should have been cut out of QT's movie which was too long anyway." He didn't say it exactly like that, a few "fucks" were thrown in there for good measure.
Okay, come BNAT morning, and we park downtown. On the weekends, downtown parking is free, and we park about a half-block away from a police station and next to a homeless shelter. We make our way into BNAT, and for the most part BNAT's a blast this year. We all got free HD-DVD players from Toshiba, and I fully can't wait to hook up that bad boy.
The Ritz is a beautiful theatre. I love the huge screen, the seats are terrific, and it's just wonderful. Tim League is amazing, especially dressed as a wizard making confetti fly through the Alamo.
THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES. Drew (Moriarty) introduces this "documentary" and states that there will be a Q & A afterwards with the filmmakers. The story is about a serial killer who recorded his murders on video and the events that surround the tapes. This movie was shit-terrible. The audience had an active hostile reaction to it. Outside, Eli Roth is shaking his head, and saying, "You know they're gonna blame me for this." The audience reaction was so bad that the Q & A was canceled. They said that they had to leave for a flight, and the word around the campfire is that MGM didn't want them to do a Q & A because they want to keep the illusion that it's a real documentary. It's not, folks. I don't feel too badly for the filmmakers because I had to sit through this horrible thing and I actively started rooting against their careers when they brought in the Girl Scouts. When the film ended, Tim League came out, waited a beat, and said, "Well, let's move on!" Everyone laughed at that.
During the night, we kept checking on the cars because we wanted to make sure they were okay. Well, 6 AM was the last time we were able to get time to check. Once BNAT ended, we got our free HD-DVD players and waited for my friend Joe to bring the car around. Turns out the windshield was smashed completely in, by who we had no idea. The windshield repairman later told us about 10 people had their car windows smashed. Quint had his GPS system in his car stolen. Other LA people had their laptops grabbed. There has got to be something done about the parking down there. Maybe next year for BNAT we can all shuttle in.
To end it all, here's me on Rock Band, rocking out to "Maps" at Massawyrm's house! (Singing) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkIH1YSzl2o
