Movies on a Big Screen

The Race to Nowhere in Sacramento

2010-04-07T23:16:11Z

Disclaimer: the contributor of this and his wife run Movies on a Big Screen, Sacramento’s weekly screening series of documentaries, general independent film, classics and cult titles. The following is blatant self-promotion of a MOBS event .

On Sunday, April 11, 2010, at 4:00 PM, Movies on a Big Screen will present Race to Nowhere, a feature length documentary examining pressures faced by children and teens in today’s achievement-obsessed culture. Director Vicki Abeles will be in attendance for a discussion and Q&A.

The film premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival in October, 2009 and has been screening around the country in theaters, cultural centers and schools.

About the film:
Race to Nowhere is a close up investigation of the pressures American schoolchildren and their teachers face in our achievement-obsessed education system and culture.

Director Vicki Abeles takes viewers to schools across the country to feature the stories of students who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burnt out and worried students aren't learning anything substantive, and college professors and business leaders, concerned the incoming young people lack the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century. The stories of several young people, parents and a teacher are intercut with scenes of family life and in-depth interviews with top experts in education, medicine, and psychology – providing a deep and varied context that underscores the enormity of a potentially looming crisis.

Today, competitive, self-assured, achievement-oriented, young people prepare relentlessly to enter a culture that demands nothing less than their personal best, all day, every day. From preschool through college, children are pressured, pushed, coached, sculpted, scheduled and reviewed, running a never-ending gauntlet towards adulthood.

What happens when personal best is not good enough? What happens when personal best changes into personal nightmare? The unintended consequences of an achievement-obsessed culture can be catastrophic for families and children alike. The mental health of young people may suffer, leading to depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, self-mutilation, and suicide – not to mention binge drinking, self-medication and drug abuse.

"If you care about the future of our country, you are going to want to see this provocative film." - Huffington Post

“[Race to Nowhere] should be required viewing for every parent, teacher and school policy maker.” – Marin Independent Journal

Sunday, April 11, 2010
4:00 PM
Admission: $12.00 general; $10.00 students through 12th grade
Location:
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St, Sacramento
Advance tickets can be purchased at http://www.rtnsacramento.eventbrite.com
Tickets will also be available at the door (cash only)

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com

On Sunday, Meet Mary Pleasant

2010-03-11T19:44:20Z

On Sunday, March 14, 2010, Movies on a Big Screen is teaming up with the Sacramento Historical Society to present, Meet Mary Pleasant. The filmmaker, Susheel Bibbs, will be in attendance to speak following the film. The film begins at 7:30 PM, and the screening will take place at The Guild Theater, which is located at 2828 35th St, Sacramento. Admission is $5.00.

About Meet Mary Pleasant:
A unique, historical, performance documentary, unfolds the saga of Mary Ellen Pleasant the daring, unsung, 19th-century African-American activist and entrepreneur now called the Mother of Civil Rights in California. Narrated by the acclaimed actress Ruby Dee (SAG Best Supporting Actress, 2007), the film allows Pleasant to speak in live performance, using song, montage, re-enactment, commentary, and narration to enliven a backdrop of achievement, love, scandal, and American history. Pleasant's story is inspiring and important internationally. As entrepreneur, she amassed $30,000,000, and as activist, she changed modern-day civil rights law and affected civil rights throughout the US and in Canada.

Meet Mary Pleasant
Sunday, March 14, 2010
7:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St (corner of 35th & Broadway), Sacramento

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com
http://www.sachistoricalsociety.org

Indie Comics and Indie Movies

2010-02-19T07:52:07Z

On Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 7:30 PM, Movies on a Big Screen will be presenting the documentary, Independents: A Guide to the Creative Spirit and director Chris Brandt will be in attendance for a Q&A. Additionally, local comic book artists, along with local artist, Skinner (who’s short film will also be shown) are scheduled to be there. See the end of this "article" for the full line-up of who's currently scheduled. This will all take place at The Guild Theater, 2828 35th St, Sacramento, and admission is $5.00.

About the documentary, Independents:

Why does one choose to become an "artist?" What makes an artist "independent?" Where do they get their ideas? Twenty-four respected creators unveil the secrets of the artistic mind, by talking about their favorite medium, the lowest of the low-brow arts: comic books.

From cave paintings dating back 35,000 years to the graphic novels of today, sequential images have been used to tell magically influential stories. In examining an art form that has, until recently, not been accepted as "art", and discovering what it is these passionate creators find appealing about comic books, a bright light is shed on ALL independent creators, whether they work in graphic novels, film, music, or basket weaving.

And look at this list of who's featured in the film: Jessica Abel (ArtBabe; Life Sucks); Trevor Alixopulos (Quagga); Scott Allie (Sr Managing Editor, Dark Horse Comics); Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Heavy Metal); Gary Groth (co-founder, Fantagraphics; Editor-in-Chief, Comics Journal); Eric Jones (Super Scary Monster Stories); Keith Knight (K Chronicles; (Th)ink); Erik Larsen (co-founder, Image Comics; Savage Dragon); Batton Lash (Supernatural Law); Scott McCloud (Zot!; Understanding Comics); Carla Speed McNeil (Finder); Linda Medley (Castle Waiting); Tony Millionaire (Maakies); Scott Mills (Space Devil); Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise; Echo); Wendy Pini (ElfQuest); Eric Powell (The Goon); Johnny Ryan (Angry Youth Comics); James Sime (Isotope Comics in San Francisco); Craig Thompson (Blankets); Dan Vado (Slave Labor Graphics); Landry Walker (Super Scary Monster Stories; Batman: Brave and the Bold); Brett Warnock (Top Shelf Productions); Mike Wellman (Z-Blade; Gone South; Mac Afro); Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man); Robert Williams (Zap!; Juxtapoz); and Jim Woodring (Jim; Frank). Whew!

We also are planning on showing the short music video, Hell Dream, featuring the art of local artist Skinner, whose work has been shown in galleries around the US.

Here's who's currently scheduled to be there, in addition to filmmaker Chris Brandt:

Skinner: Take fantasies of pop culture, cartoon & comic book land, twist them into a subconscious horror-surrealism of lurking wizards, evil unicorns, horror films, Dungeons & Dragons and other wild and hallucinatory visions and you get the art of Skinner. http://www.theartofskinner.com

Ben Schwartz - Founder of ECV press, a Sacramento based comic book company who produces the comic books The Continuum, The Hunters, Relic & Ego, Triad, and Little Kori in Komaland. http://www.ecvpress.com

Paul Allen - Artist & Co-Writer of the horror/comedy comic book BrAiNs. He's also available for commissions of disturbing images. http://www.myspace.com/brainscomic

Anthony Leano - Co-writer of BrAiNs and founder of the From The Land Beyond, Horror & Sci Fi Show and Indy Euphoria- Indy Comix, DIY & Vinyl Toy Convention. http://www.sacramentocomics.com/indy

Stephen R. Buell - Buell is currently working on the sci-fi thriller comic titled Alien Echo, a punk rock homage to They Live, a comic titled American Juice and a comic about a virus that effects super-humans titled Elephant Cage. He previously illustrated the graphic novel, Fragile Prophet, which was named Best Independent Comic of 2006 by Ain't It Cool News. http://www.stephenrbuell.com

Mike Hampton - Artist/writer of Hot Zombie Chicks, Captain A-Hole, and Zodiac Killers. Mike is known to draw caricatures of attendees as zombies for commission. http://www.916halo.com

Sunday, February 21, 2010
7:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St, Sacramento, CA

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com
http://www.facebook.com/moviesonabigscreen

Six Weeks at MOBS: improv, outsider music, stalkers, indie comix and early punk rock!

2010-01-23T05:03:53Z

Disclaimer: the contributor of this and his wife run Movies on a Big Screen (MOBS), Sacramento’s weekly screening series of documentaries, general independent film, classics and cult titles. The following is blatant self-promotion of MOBS events.

Here's a look at the next six weeks at Movies on a Big Screen. There's lots of stuff here, so dig through it all - then get out and see something! We've even included some "special" Valentine's Day-themed programming!

January 24, 2010
7:30 pm
MOBS at The Guild, 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

Trust Us, This is All Made Up

Some foolishly believe that "improvising" is simply "making things up." To a degree, that's true. To be able to do that and have the New York Times describe you as, "…masters of long form improv" means you're going a little further than simply making a few off the cuff jokes. Second City alumni TJ Jagodowski and Dave Pasquesi (Strangers With Candy, Employee of the Month, Groundhog Day) have become living legends in their field. Their performances of entirely improvised, character-driven, often hilarious and wholly original one-hour plays have mesmerized audiences worldwide. Exploring the folds of faith that underline their relationship and the transcendental forces that govern their improvisation, Trust Us This is All Made Up features an unforgettable live performance recorded at New York's Barrow Street Theater. Students and appreciators of improvisational performance will be astounded. Those less experienced with improvised theater will find this to be the perfect primer. Regardless, you'll be left in awe of what these two can do.

January 31, 2010
7:30 pm
MOBS at The Guild, 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

Jandek on Corwood

Even by the standards of underground and avant-garde music, Jandek is a man who has pushed the notion of deliberate obscurity to the outer limits. Yet Jandek has recorded 62 albums since 1978, self-released on his label, Corwood Industries. Prior to 2004, he did not reveal himself, then suddenly started to do a series of live performances, billed simply as "a representative of Corwood." He sold records via ads in music magazines, yet even the ads were mysterious: a white box with black text stating simply "Jandek on Corwood" with the PO Box. His music borders on being indescribable, but terms like "spooky" and "haunting" and "out-of-tune" frequently show up in reviews. The film's press kit refers to it as "cacophonous rock and suicide-note blues." This film, from 2003, provides an enthralling look at this extremely outsider artist who only ever granted a couple of interviews via phone (one of which is presented in the film), unraveling some of the mystery around him, yet not once featuring Jandek on camera. Features a plethora of music journalists and critics including Douglas Wolk along with Dr. Demento, and plenty of strange Jandek music and album covers.

About Jandek's music: "How to describe the music of Jandek? Like most amateur rock critics, start by comparing him to the Beatles. Then strip away melody, catchy hooks, rhythm, and harmony. Next toss out vocal and instrumental ability, along with any trace of human feeling other than dull, lingering pain. Aside from these deficiencies, he's exactly like the Fab Four." - Irwin Chusid, "Songs in the Key of Z: The Curious Universe of Outsider Music"

About the film:

"A huge success, proof that even this far into the game there are certain semi-desolate corners of the underground that remain impregnable to colonisation by the ever-encroaching monoculture and its accompanying pressures and payoffs." - Wire

"[has] a surrealistic aesthetic that would make David Lynch proud." - Magnet

"Shrewd, moody direction. A canny look at both sides of a musical experiment. Jandek plucks out his atonal efforts, and the record-store obsessives speculate about every subtlety. Theories abound about his love life, his mental stability, his reasons for reclusiveness. Is he friendless? Is he on the lam? Is he bipolar?" - New York Times

February 7, 2010
7:30 pm
MOBS at The Guild, 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

The first of two weeks celebrating Valentine's Day! Yep, we sure do love the holidays!

I Think We're Alone Now

This is a documentary we showed previously, and one of the stalkers featured in the film was in attendance for a Q&A. As far as we know, that will not be happening this time.

Every celebrity deals with his or her share of obsessed fans. I Think We're Alone Now is a documentary that focuses on two individuals, Jeff and Kelly, who claim to be in love with the 80's pop singer Tiffany.

Jeff Turner, a 50 year-old man from Santa Cruz, California has attended Tiffany concerts since 1988. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, he never had a girlfriend. Jeff spends his days hanging out on the streets of Santa Cruz, striking up conversations with anyone who has a moment to spare.

Kelly McCormick is a 35-year-old intersex person from Denver, Colorado, who claims to have been friends with Tiffany as a teenager. She credits Tiffany as the shining star who has motivated her to do everything in her life. Both Jeff and Kelly have been labeled stalkers by the media and other Tiffany fans.

This film takes you inside the lonely lives of these two characters, revealing the source of their clinging obsessions. This age-old story of unrequited love takes a comedic and emotional trip through themes of desperation, isolation, and hope, in the end showing that having something, or someone, to believe in can be more powerful than anything reality has to offer.

"...more disturbing than "Blindness," "The Happening," and "Doomsday" put together. Never before have you gotten this close to stalkers -- and you'll never want to get this close again." - AMC, who also ranked it #5 in their list of Top 10 Horror Movies of 2008! Yeah, and it's not a horror movie - but it's that disturbing!

I Think We're Alone Now provides a fascinating window into a nebulous zone where fan fever uncomfortably hovers between harmless obsession and dangerous lunacy... anyone with even the slightest interest in challenging documentaries or the cult of celebrity should seek it out. - TwitchFilm

February 14, 2010
7:30 pm
MOBS at The Guild, 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

Our second Valentine's Day show - this one ON Valentine's Day! Show up for this 1920's silent classic, and maybe make your date a little bit nervous about your concept of "romance."

The Phantom of the Opera

We're not too sure a synopsis of this is really necessary, but here's one anyway: Erik (Lon Chaney) is a much-feared fiend who haunts the Paris Opera House. Lurking around the damp, dank passages deep in the cellars of the theater, he secretly coaches understudy Christine Daae (Mary Philbin) to be an opera star. Through a startling sequence of terrors, including sending a giant chandelier crashing down on the opera patrons, the Phantom forces the lead soprano to withdraw from the opera, permitting Christine to step in. Luring Christine into his subterranean lair below the opera house, the Phantom confesses his love. But Christine is in love with Raoul de Chagny (Norman Kerry). The Phantom demands that Christine break off her relationship with Raoul before he'll allow her to return to the opera house stage. She agrees, but immediately upon her release from the Phantom's lair, she runs into the arms of Raoul and they plan to flee to England after her performance that night. The Phantom overhears their conversation and, during her performance, kidnaps Christine, taking her to the depths of his dungeon. It is left to Raoul and Simon Buquet (Gibson Gowland), a secret service agent, to track down the Phantom and rescue Christine.

February 21, 2010
7:30 pm
MOBS at The Guild, 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

Independents: A Guide for the Creative Spirit

Filmmaker Chris Brandt is currently scheduled to be in attendance, along with local artist, Skinner (whose short film Hell Dream will also screen). Additionally, we're working on getting some local independent comic book artists there with some of their work.

From cave paintings dating back 35,000 years to the graphic novels of today, sequential images have been used to tell magically influential stories. In examining an art form that has, until recently, not been accepted as "art," and discovering what it is these passionate creators find appealing about comic books, a bright light is shed on ALL independent creators, whether they work in graphic novels, film, music, or basket weaving.

And look at this list of who's featured in the film: Jessica Abel (ArtBabe; Life Sucks); Trevor Alixopulos (Quagga); Scott Allie (Sr Managing Editor, Dark Horse Comics); Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Heavy Metal); Gary Groth (co-founder, Fantagraphics; Editor-in-Chief, Comics Journal); Eric Jones (Super Scary Monster Stories); Keith Knight (K Chronicles; (Th)ink); Erik Larsen (co-founder, Image Comics; Savage Dragon); Batton Lash (Supernatural Law); Scott McCloud (Zot!; Understanding Comics); Carla Speed McNeil (Finder); Linda Medley (Castle Waiting); Tony Millionaire (Maakies); Scott Mills (Space Devil); Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise; Echo); Wendy Pini (ElfQuest); Eric Powell (The Goon); Johnny Ryan (Angry Youth Comics); James Sime (Isotope Comics in San Francisco); Craig Thompson (Blankets); Dan Vado (Slave Labor Graphics); Landry Walker (Super Scary Monster Stories; Batman: Brave and the Bold); Brett Warnock (Top Shelf Productions); Mike Wellman (Z-Blade; Gone South; Mac Afro); Shannon Wheeler (Too Much Coffee Man); Robert Williams (Zap!; Juxtapoz); and Jim Woodring (Jim; Frank). Whew!

As mentioned, we also are planning on showing the short music video/film, Hell Dream, featuring the art of local artist Skinner, whose work has been shown around the US! Check out Skinner's art at http://www.theartofskinner.com

February 28, 2010
7:30 pm
MOBS at The Guild, 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

Population: 1

We've been working on showing this for over three years now, and it all finally came together! Rarely seen or screened!

A film by Rene Daalder, who previously made Massacre at Central High and was an original collaborator on a Sex Pistols film, which later became The Great Rock-n-Roll Swindle, when Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert were involved early on. Daalder's house in L.A. ended up becoming the Sex Pistols' US "headquarters" for a period of time. It's also been said he was key to the creation of the "My Way" scene in that film.

About Population: 1

When there's only one person left, America becomes a one-man band.

From the depths of a bunker comes one man’s musical send off to the world’s last empire. A twisted history lesson from punk favorite Tomata du Plenty (The Screamers) featuring members of Los Lobos, Vampira, Penelope Houston (The Avengers), the notorious El Duce, Fluxus artist Al Hansen and his Grammy-winning grandson Beck, among many others.

Tomata becomes the sole survivor of a disaster that has wiped out America. Hidden in a bomb shelter below the devastation, Tomata’s character decides to piece together a revisionist history of the United States. Using whatever memorabilia he can get his hands on, he recounts his own warped memoirs as the last citizen of what once was the greatest country on Earth.

Filmed over a period of years, this was initially finished in 1985. We will be featuring a newly created director's cut of the film!

Deliriously cramming 200 years of American mayhem into one punk rock musical, Daalder’s anarchic vision unfolds "as if Frank Zappa and Hieronymus Bosch took angel dust together and created a nightmare.” —Michael Dare, LA Week

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com

It's a Crappy Christmas at Movies on a Big Screen

2009-12-16T23:02:55Z

According to Andy Williams' 1963 carol, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." Well this year, Movies on a Big Screen has decided to restore some balance to the equation by offering two Crappy Christmas shows!

On Sunday, December 20, Movies on a Big Screen will "present" the 1964 anti-classic, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, also known by the far more thrilling title, Santa Defeats the Aliens. Briefly, this "fun-filled romp" involves Martians (and their cardboard robot, Torg) kidnapping Santa and two Earth children and taking them on a cross-planetary trip back to their home base on Mars. When they (finally) arrive, Santa, with the help of the other abductees and a rather simple-minded Martian lackey, overcomes the Martians by bringing fun, happiness and Christmas cheer to the children of Mars. The "film" also features a young Pia Zadora playing a blank-faced Martian child, along with the most realistic (ahem) polar bear you'll ever see. You know you're in trouble when "Costume" is misspelled in the opening credits.

The following week, on Sunday, December 27, things just get crappier when MOBS takes any remaining good will you may have left and kicks it to the gutter by showing the 1959 Mexican film, Santa vs. Satan. This was shown at MOBS last year, and in a baffling development, is actually back by popular demand (?). The English language version will be shown (that should be read as, "with bad dubbing"). This year, the "motion picture" will be hosted by nationally syndicated late night horror host, Cinema Insomnia's Mr. Lobo. Crappy Christmas presents will be handed out to an unlucky few; there won't be presents for everyone just to make it even crappier.

About Santa vs. Satan:
Santa lives on a cloud floating over the North Pole where, rather than elves, children from all over the world help make toys -- and they're really more like enslaved laborers. Is this a Santa that you would want coming down your chimney? Not so much. He's pretty creepy with an overly sweet voice paired with a disturbing (and decidedly unjolly) laugh with insincere and sometimes vacant eyes staring at children through odd Sid and Marty Krofft-like devices. However, Satan is determined to undermine Santa so sends his minion, Pitch (a skinny guy in a cheap, red suit), to the surface to make the kids of the world hate Santa and engage in vandalism. Did I mention the vampiric mechanized reindeer? No? Or the interpretive dance in Hell? Hmm...

You know, it's not really a Christmas movie without dialog like, "There's a prowler out there -- he's come to kill your wife. And your children. He's going to murder you!"

It's best summed up by the following online review:
"How can a movie get everything so very, very wrong and yet be so very, very right? If you aren't the least bit familiar with this surreal trip into an extremely non-traditional view of jolly ol' St. Nick, perhaps the less known the better, as half the fun of this colossal mess is staring in dumbfounded awe at what is transpiring on the screen. It's a hoot. A damned scary hoot, granted, but certainly a hoot." - dvdinmypants.com

Details about the Crappy Christmas shows:

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Sunday, December 20, 2009
7:30 PM
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St, Sacramento (at the corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

Santa vs. Satan, hosted by Cinema Insomnia's Mr. Lobo
Sunday, December 27, 2009
7:30 PM
Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild
2828 35th St, Sacramento (at the corner of 35th & Broadway)
Admission: $5.00

"All this trouble over a fat little man in a red suit" - Voldar, in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com

Overdrawn in Sacramento

2009-09-17T20:11:13Z

On Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 7:00 PM, Movies on a Big Screen will be presenting the documentary, “Overdrawn,” and filmmaker Karney Hatch will be in attendance for a Q&A. For those who are unable to attend on Sunday, the film will also be presented on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 7 and 9:30 PM (although Karney Hatch will not be attending the Friday screenings).

About the film:

A feature-length documentary film exploring the predatory lending practices of the major national banks, focusing on overdraft charges. It also explores the larger issues of corporate domination of our society and government and the consumer revolution going on against the banks in the UK.

The film features Ralph Nader, Joel Bakan (author and producer, "The Corporation"), Jim Sturdevant (a San Francisco attorney who won a $1.6 billion class action lawsuit against Bank of America), Marci Mills (former senior VP at Bank of America), Ben W. (former Wells Fargo loans collection officer), Mr. X (a loan shark, whose rates are better than the banks), and many more!

"Delves deep into the myriad ways that major national banks screw poor people . . . " - Portland Mercury

Friday, Sept 18, 2009
7 and 9:30 PM
Sunday, Sept 20, 2009 (with filmmaker Karney Hatch in attendance)
Admission: $5.00 (cash only – there currently are no debit/credit card processing capabilities).
Location: Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild Theater. 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway).

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com

Mad City Chickens in Sacramento

2009-08-06T03:13:20Z

Disclaimer: the contributor of this and his wife run Movies on a Big Screen, Sacramento's weekly screening series of documentaries, general independent film, classics and cult titles. The following is blatant self-promotion of a MOBS event in conjunction with Sacramento's CLUCK (Campaign to Legalize Urban Chicken Keeping).

On Friday, August 7, 2009, at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM and on Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 7:00 PM, Movies on a Big Screen, in association with CLUCK, will be presenting, "Mad City Chickens." Filmmakers Tashai Lovington and Robert Lughai will be in attendance on Friday night only. Also on Friday night only - a raffle for a chicken coop! And since raising chickens in the city of Sacramento is currently illegal, we at MOBS are certain that it will only be used for ornamental purposes. Ahem. Raffle proceeds benefit CLUCK.

About the film:

"Mad City Chickens" is a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards. From chicken experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen or an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge-and even a mad scientist and giant hen taking to the streets-it's a humorous and heartfelt trip through the world of backyard chickendom.

August 7, 2009
7 and 9:30 PM
August 9, 2009
7 PM
Admission: $5.00 (we're cash only - we have no debit/credit card processing capabilities).
Location: Movies on a Big Screen at The Guild Theater. 2828 35th St, Sacramento (corner of 35th & Broadway).

Art and Madness at The Verge: Daniel Johnston

2009-05-13T19:33:59Z

On Thursday, May 14, 2009, Movies on a Big Screen teams up with The Verge Gallery to bring to Sacramento a special free screening of The Devil and Daniel Johnston with director Jeff Feuerzeig in attendance for a Q&A. Better still, The Verge Gallery is featuring Daniel Johnston’s work through June 21, making this the optimal setting for viewing the definitive documentary on Johnston.

About The Devil and Daniel Johnston:
A portrait of a manic-depressive genius singer, songwriter and artist, Daniel Johnston. As a reclusive teenager, Johnston began showing signs of unusual artistic ability. He religiously recorded his thoughts and stories onto cassette tapes, directed intuitive Super-8 films starring his siblings, and created expressive comic book-style drawings in the basement of his family's home. In the eyes of his fundamentalist Christian family, however, he simply wasn't contributing to society in a useful or productive way.

After running off and joining a carnival, Johnston landed in Austin, Texas, broke and alone. It was there he began to hone his musical career, recording folk songs on a series of homemade, lo-fi cassettes, which Daniel handed out free to fans, friends and journalists in the early '80s. Ultimately, he managed to secure a brief spotlight on MTV with the help of a timely break. Just as he was beginning to make a local name for himself, however, Johnston's inner demons began to surface. His portrait serves as clear depiction of one artist's balancing act between brilliance and madness--a life marked by wild fluctuations, numerous downward spirals, and periodic respites.

Thursday, May 14, 2009
7:00 PM
Admission: Free
The Devil and Daniel Johnston with director Jeff Feuerzeig in attendance.
The Verge Gallery
1900 V St, Sacramento.

http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com

Found Footage Finds Its Way to Sacramento

2009-04-29T20:33:23Z

On Friday, May 1, 2009, at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM, Movies on a Big Screen will be presenting “The Found Footage Festival” with hosts Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher.

The Found Footage Festival is a one-of-a-kind event that showcases footage from videos that were found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters throughout the country. Curators Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher (whose credits include "The Colbert Report," "The Late Show with David Letterman" and The Onion) will host the screenings in-person and provide their unique and hilarious observations and commentary on these found video obscurities. So yes - that means plenty of live comedy along with the found footage! From the curiously-produced industrial training video to the forsaken home movie donated to Goodwill, the Found Footage Festival resurrects these forgotten treasures and serves them up in a lively celebration of all things found.

The appropriately assembled trailer, complete with cheesy 80’s video graphics, can be viewed at http://www.moviesonabigscreen.com

Location: 600 4th St, West Sacramento. That's the corner of 4th & F in WEST Sacramento, just over the river from downtown Sacto. Parking lot is off of F Street between 4th & 5th Streets.

Admission: $10.00

Sweet Peeps are Made of This…

2009-04-09T22:01:56Z

Disclaimer: the contributor of this and his wife run Movies on a Big Screen, Sacramento's weekly screening series of documentaries, general independent film, classics and cult titles. The following is blatant self-promotion of a MOBS event.

On Friday, April 10, 2009, at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM, Movies on a Big Screen will be showing, The Power of the Peep, a documentary on everyone's most loved (or loathed) Easter confection, part of which was filmed in Sacramento at the annual Peep Off.

Here at MOBS, we usually screen titles prior to booking them. This was a rare case where we did not do this, for a variety of reasons. As it turns out, the film runs under an hour… Accordingly, we've added some Peep-related shorts, but from the internet, as we only got the movie in at the end of last week. So video quality does vary on these shorts.

However, as a bonus, local Master of Peep Ceremonies, Archbishop Dave Smith, will be in attendance doing a Q&A after each screening. He'll make up answers to all of your Peep-related questions!

About the film:
Boxed in sets of five and staring out with sugar-blackened eyes, Marshmallow Peeps have been emerging like clockwork from a factory in Bethlehem Pennsylvania since the 1950s. They were born in the mind of a Russian immigrant, hatched in Easter baskets, and eaten by the dozens across the country. Then they armed themselves with lances, stood in front of trucks, mutated in microwave ovens and set out on their own.

This is the story of what happened when a marshmallow met modern America. It's the story of how a sweet candy product got to the shelves of your convenience store - and what happened after it left them behind.

The Power of the Peep takes you to World War I Russia, across America and into the Peeps factory itself to tell the extraordinary story of Marshmallow Peeps.

April 10, 2009
7 and 9:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Location: 600 4th St, West Sacramento. That's the corner of 4th & F in WEST Sacramento, just over the river from downtown Sacto. Parking lot is off of F Street between 4th & 5th Streets.

Stalker Doc Comes to Sacramento

2009-03-23T21:17:17Z

On Friday, March 27, 2009, at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM, Movies on a Big Screen will be presenting, “I Think We’re Alone Now,” an intimate look at, well, two stalkers of Tiffany, the 80’s mall pop star. In an interesting turn of events, it looks like Jeff Turner will be out for a Q&A as well.

The film premiered at Slamdance and has played to audiences around the world, as well as numerous screenings in the US including a recent run at the legendary Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX.

About the film:
Every celebrity deals with his or her share of obsessed fans. "I Think We're Alone Now" is a documentary that focuses on two individuals, Jeff and Kelly, who claim to be in love with the 80's pop singer Tiffany.

Jeff Turner, a 50-year-old man from Santa Cruz, California has attended Tiffany concerts since 1988. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, he never had a girlfriend. Jeff spends his days hanging out on the streets of Santa Cruz, striking up conversations with anyone who has a moment to spare.

Both Jeff and Kelly have been labeled stalkers by the media and other Tiffany fans. This film takes you inside the lonely lives these two characters, revealing the source of their clinging obsessions. This age-old story of unrequited love takes a comedic and emotional trip through themes of desperation, isolation, and hope, in the end showing that having something, or someone, to believe in can be more powerful than anything reality has to offer.

"The outer frontier of celebrity culture, where fandom meets mental illness... Things go from merely weird to mega" - Variety

"This is a film with a bottomless well of loneliness at the heart of it, disturbing and sad in equal measure. If I were Tiffany and I saw this, I'd never be able to leave my house again." - Ain't It Cool News

"I Think We're Alone Now" provides a fascinating window into a nebulous zone where fan fever uncomfortably hovers between harmless obsession and dangerous lunacy... anyone with even the slightest interest in challenging documentaries or the cult of celebrity should seek it out. - TwitchFilm

March 27, 2009
7 and 9:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Location: 600 4th St, West Sacramento. That's the corner of 4th & F in WEST Sacramento, just over the river from downtown Sacto. Parking lot is off of F Street between 4th & 5th Streets.

Theatre Preservation Documentary with the Sacramento Old City Association

2009-03-16T23:40:29Z

On Friday, March 20, 2009, at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM, Movies on a Big Screen is pairing up with the Sacramento Old City Association to present the documentary, “Preserve Me A Seat.”

Local author and historian (and commenter here at Sacramento Press) William Burg will be in attendance to speak following the 7PM screening of the film, and he might be bringing along some others, too. MOBS will show it again at 9:30 for those who can't make it to the earlier screening, but there will be no speakers at the later showing.

About the film:
We don't remember a lot about our distant past, but we do remember our favorite movie theatre. "Preserve Me a Seat" is a documentary about these theatres and the ongoing fight to protect and preserve them for future generations. Featuring preservation efforts in Boston (The Gaiety Theatre), Detroit (The former Michigan Theatre), Chicago (The DuPage Theatre), Omaha (The Indian Hills Cinerama Theatre), and Salt Lake City (The Villa Theatre), "Preserve Me a Seat" will appeal to anyone who has cherished memories of seeing their favorite movies in a grand theatre, and who appreciates the unique architecture of movie theatres. More than that, however, the documentary explores a number of urban development issues particularly relevant to Sacramento in a number of ways (not just theaters): adaptive reuse, a lack of response by city governments to their constituency, the destruction of historic spaces for the sake of what are essentially urban lofts (high-end residential units, at least), and much more.

March 20, 2009
7 and 9:30 PM
Admission: $5.00
Location: 600 4th St, West Sacramento. That's the corner of 4th & F in WEST Sacramento, just over the river from downtown Sacto. Parking lot is off of F Street between 4th & 5th Streets.

Sacramento Invaded by Zombies?

2009-03-10T01:26:18Z

The living dead recently took over Sacramento’s Movies on a Big Screen building and local filmmakers just happened to be there to capture the nightmare.The result? A film entitled “Dead Exit.”

About Dead Exit:

The reanimated infestation has reached a crisis point, overwhelming both local law enforcement and federal agencies. Designated evacuation and quarantine sites, known as "green zones," were developed to protect the few survivors and strategic assets that remained. With resources pushed to the limit, these formerly secure zones were frequently abandoned or relocated to another area once deemed beyond recovery.

In the midst of the chaos and confusion caused by the latest collapse in the perimeter, three lone survivors rush to the final evacuation point. With one of their own injured and the hordes of the reanimated in close pursuit, the three survivors must make their way to the last known haven. Upon arriving at the evacuation point, the survivors realize their situation is worse than anticipated. Left behind, alone, and abandoned by the authorities, the three survivors must deal with the multitude of ravenous undead just steps behind them.

Dead Exit, from Misfire Productions, is a locally produced, short zombie movie filmed in the Sacramento area. With a nod to iconic zombie movies of the past, Dead Exit adheres to the rules and conventions outlined in classic zombie films. In keeping with these traditions, extensive practical blood effects are used rather than their digital counterparts. With an extensive cast of zombie extras showcasing the talent of local makeup artists, Dead Exit brings the classic shambling hordes of the undead back to the big screen. Directed by Wes Young and Ryan Goff, the film stars Bob Herron, Randy Foos and Mackenzie Goff.

On Friday, March 13, don't miss the opportunity to be the first to see the bloody horrors that took place within the walls of MOBS at two special sneak preview screenings before it hits the film festival circuit, with cast and crew (and very likely zombies) in attendance. $5.00 admission. Plays at 7 and 8:30 PM. 600 4th St, West Sacramento. That's the corner of 4th & F in WEST Sacramento, just over the river from downtown Sacto. Parking lot is off of F Street between 4th & 5th Streets.

This is a shorter film (running a bit under 20 minutes), but there should be enough material for more than an hour's worth of zombie fun.