Chad told the guys that every Christmas he gives the entire "One Tree Hill" cast and crew the new season of their Showtime series, "Penn & Teller: BS!", on DVD.

Dale, Renee and Zee Matulonis Covered the 2009 Las Vegas International Film Festival (LVFF}, April 9-12 at the Eastside Cannery. Congratulations to the LVFF because they successfully showed how film festivals should be done. Film festivals should be as much about the filmmakers as well as great screenings for viewing. The LVFF succeeded in both areas. They had great films to be enjoyed by the audience and panels for filmmakers

“God’s Ear’s is independent filmmaking at its best. It’s a wonderful and heartwarming story about Noah Connelly (Worth) a young adult man living with Autism. What an amazing performance by Worth in this role. During the Q & A following the film someone asked him who the actor that played Noah was, and he said me, everyone was surprised. His transition into the role really is an Oscar worthy performance.

“How To Be”, Renee’s film is about Art, his girlfriend, Ronny, his friend and Dr. Levi Ellington, self-help guru.
It was the most popular film of the festival with three sold out screenings. Renee who saw the film said, “It was a wonderfully quirky film that was worthy of the long lines to see the film”. Since Renee was Press she was able to go to the front of the line.

Dale’s Film “Like Dandelion Dust” dealt with the conflict of custody between adoptive and biological parents. He said,“It is a well-done tear-jerker. It raised the question of economic class and some people felt that the ending was too sweet and didn’t reflect reality. I thought the ending was the way it should be”.

LVFF had its’ celebrities, John Saxon, legendary actor and Golden Globe winner and Barry Pepper, nominated Emmy actor among his films are “Saving Private Ryan”, “Enemy of the State”, and “Flags of our Father”.

“The Works of Jay Rosenblatt” showcase presented six films. They were “The Smell of Burning Ants,” “Human Relations”, “I Just Want to be Somebody”, “Phantom Limb”, “Afraid So”, and “I used To Be A Film Maker”. All of the films were documetaires. All of them magnificantly done, poignant, but five out of the six were of dark subjects. The film “Phantom Limb” gives insight to the reason why. It is a self psychological biography of Rosenblatt trying to come to terms with the death of his six year old brother when he was eight. His most recent film “I Use To Be A Filmmaker” was the last one to be shown and was much lighter than the others and had to do with Rosenblatt ‘s relationship to his daughter.

When asked during the Q & A following the films if the lighter film about his daughter will future films be more positive subject matter, Rosenblatt replied “My next film is about sucide. But I have done three more comic documentaries with her. So it’s been a really nice balance to do darker films with help by doing the lighter works. Its kind of different to make a film where there‘s laughter from the audience. It’s very satisffying to a filmaker.”

My husband and daughter attended the International Crime presentation that featured two films from the UK and two from France. They both describe them as Psychopathic films. But they thought that Mother Mine by Susan Everett, a film about an adopted woman seeking her birth mother was the best.

Winner of the Dam Short Film Festival were:

Cinevegas 2008, The Las Vegas Film Festival kicked off, Thursday evening with the World Premiere of “The Rocker”. On the Red Carpet were Stars Rainee Wilson, Emma Stone, Lonny Ross, Fred Amison and Jane Lynch. Peter Cattaneo, director and producer Tom McNulty and Ryan Jaffe story writer also represented the film on the Red Carpet. Festival executives Dennis Hopper, Chairman of the Creative advisory Board, Robin Greenspun President, Danny Greenspun, Trevor Groth, Artistic Director were also on the Red Carpet. Palms Owner George Maloof, Johnny Brenden owner of Brenden Theater and colorful, costumed cast of character completed the Red Carpet kick off opening of Cinevegas 2008. When I asked director Peter Cattaneo that did the same task for “Full Monty” what he brought from that film into making “The Rocker” his answer “Naked Men!”

The film is a really good film that will crossover generations but will probably appeal to the classic rock or 80’s music fans. The music is hard rock but with vocals and words that you can understand. In 2008 “Hustle & Flow” original song “Its Hard Out Here For A Pimp” won the Oscar for Best Original Song. I wonder if history will repeat itself with an original song from “The Rocker”.

The Presenters were
Robert Duvall Legendary Actor presented the Vegas Icon Award to James Caan

Dennis Hopper,Chairman of the Creative Advisory Board for Cinevegas presented the Marquee Award to Anjelicia Huston as well as Half-Life Awards to Don Cheadle and Viggo Mortensen.

Clark Gregg, pictured below Director presented a Half-Life Award to Sam Rockwell