So I’d like to commend The Philadelphia Film Festival on a great “half” festival, but more importantly on the fact that they opened and closed the festival with films from two African American Directors – F. Gary Gray and Lee Daniels. The African American community came out in droves to support these films. In fact, an additional screening was added for Precious at 5pm. I don’t know if their choice of directors was coincidental, but it was refreshing. I’m going to be covering the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival next week (Oct 23-Oct 29) and when I asked them about possible films that would fall into CineFest’s…

My rainy day two of the festival (10/16) didn’t materialize until the screening of Good Hair at 7:30pm, long story. However, that meant I had to push The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee until day three- still raining. Which meant I missed The Men Who Stare at Goats. Although it does play again on Monday (10/19) at 7:15pm at the Prince, but I don’t think I’ll be able to make that screening. At any rate, the shows I have gotten to have been adequately attended, considering the festival is sorta new, in a way. I did hear some people behind me say they’d…

No Jamie or Gerard on the Red Carpet, but director, F. Gary Gray, Regina Hall and Bruce McGill from the Opening Night Film Law Abiding Citizen were in attendance and they showered Philly, the Phillies and Sharon Pinkenson and the Philadelphia Film Office with love! Law Abiding Citizen review will be posted later this afternoon, look for it below this post. And I’m so excited because it will be done from my new Netbook! You really can’t be an effective blogger without one. I went with the Samsung NC10 in pink. I’ve redefined the term “party animal” for myself – you know how you can’t put food for a week…

  PHILADELPHIA ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL 2009 I was bumped. Like the insignificant neophyte comedian that’s booked on “The Tonight Show” but never performs cause they run short on time. An exaggeration of course, but I was told by PCA that I would be giving a plug for La Cinematheque prior to the screening of PAAFF’s opening night film Children of Invention. So I of course dressed to impress, practiced incessantly and basically gave it way more of my day than I should have, only to be told when I arrived that there wouldn’t be time. Of course, I would have had to follow Sharon Pinkenson, Exe. Dir of the…