The Devil Went Down to Hancock Park

Did I need another reason to love the New Beverly Cinema? Clearly not, since if I spent any more time there Michael, the owner/operator of the greatest theatre on God's green Earth, would charge me rent instead of admission.

Nonetheless, they did by kicking off the latest in a line of awesome film festivals hosted by filmmakers who have shaped my spongelike mind the past couple decades. Following on the heels of Edgar Wright and Joe Dante* (Still haven't recovered from having my face melted by THE MOVIE ORGY), Diablo Cody is having a go at serving up a geek buffet.

*(Rumor has it Eli Roth had his turn, but I, like many of the New Bev maniacs who hissed at the mention of his name in the weeks preceeding it, didn't see any of it.)



Mondo Diablo got started Saturday with an all-Reitman double shot: STRIPES and THANKS FOR NOT SMOKING.



I took my seat in the front row between Hollywood legend/New-Bev-mainstay Clu Gulager and several of the other film zombies I see regularly on the L.A. Perpetual Roving Film Festival circuit as Diablo set things in motion. She mentioned growing up on STRIPES back in the dark ages of video. (VHS or Beta?)

The film has aged very well, in large part because Bill Murray's comedic genius doesn't have an expiration date. In all fairness, Murray can't be credited ALL of the laughs as the supporting cast certainly carry their weight throughout the film. (Particularly the late John Candy. "How's it going, Eisenhower?")



The first Q&A followed, as Ivan Reitman discussed making STRIPES. The director said getting the Army to sign off on allowing him to film in Fort Knox was remarkably easy. He added that recruitment spiked following the film's release, as displaced frat boys undoubtedly signed up hoping for a tour of duty filled with Sean Young and mud wrestling.

Up next was THANKS FOR NOT SMOKING; An extremely funny, engaging film I'd never seen before that owns thanks to Jason Retiman's inventive visual style; tight editing and a confident performance by Aaron Eckhart as a modern-day sophist who you'd despise if it was remotely possible not to like him.



Jason took his turn fielding questions from the crowd and discussed how hard it was to get the film made while disspelling the myth about Hollywood nepatism. He said the film was about personal freedom, to which I raised my hand and offered that I thought it also served as a celebration of villainy. Jason said he really didn't see Eckhart's big-tobacco lobbiest as a bad guy. Sure, his work leads to people committing suicide on layaway via cigarettes, but he doesn't force the cancer sticks on anyone. The bad guys, the younger Reitman (And Eckhart's character) offered, are the ones who want to deny choice to Americans, even if it's the choice to do something dangerous.

I could clearly see Jason's point, but I still can't help but think of Eckhart as a villain. Either way, it was a very good film, and strikingly different from the other very good film he made recently.

Diablo recently pimped her film festival via MySpace where she promised, and I quote, "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME. I'll sign your DVD. I'll sign your nutsack!"

Anyone who knows me knows I can't let a big, fat curve ball like Diablo's last promise hang over the plate without hammering it. So, following the films, I reminded Ms. Cody of her promise and had her sign my sack...



On top of being very nice, really hot and NASA-smart, Diablo is also a girl who keeps her promises. Yet another reason to love both her and the New Bev.

CURRENTLY LISTENING: Flogging Molly -- Float