Saw KISSING A FOOL and HALLOWEEN last night. Strange bed fellows those two films. But despite the competition, I actually liked KISSING A FOOL. However, HALLOWEEN is just a brilliant horror film. Let me catch you up with where my head was at.

Woke up fairly relaxed, no worries, feeling fine as could be. After my first day of the diet I felt good, I wasn't hungry and I didn't crave anything. The switch I turned seemed to be working. Thank God for those old wirings in my noggin.

I went to checking mail, got some treats, and basically was answering email, coordinating a couple of test screening break ins, and doing the regular spy thing. Not too much of consequence. Returned a call to Entertainment Tonight, got someone who owes me money to pay up (thanks to Kathy Bates for the sledgehammer, I cleaned it for ya hon!). Basically I was accomplishing what I was setting out to do. Yippee.

Dad and I load up to pick up my sister. She and her friend THE MANATEE and the manatee's barnacle attachment, all approach the so-called Van. Dad and I know...KNOW that this will be one of them, "I love yall, but can I stay with my friends? Huh huh huh CAN IIIIIII?" sorta discussions. As they approach the van the Manatee begins complimenting Dad's hot pepper shirt, and talking about how good I looked on TV the other night. Uh huh... definately a set-up.

"I was....wonderin' if it would be okaaaay...if ... ya know... I went with (The Manatee) becauzzzz y'all are on the diet... an an and it's Fat Tuesday, and I was kinda wonderin' if maybe it would be alright because I only failed one class if maybe I could PARTY with them and I'll be back home tonight," my sister satan.

Wow. Wasn't that eloquent? We had to say yes. It was a stirring performance that had the look of a restroom mirror warm up. Free of the shackles that are my sister we went to Threadgills. WHAT? No I didn't break the diet. I had a dinner salad and steamed broccoli and a whole lot of Iced Tea. Yum. The waiter thought we were sick. We didn't touch a crumb of the delicious cornbread, bisquits or yeast rolls that were brought out to the table.

During the rabbit session, Dad and I decide to see KISSING A FOOL. We joke about the hell we just volunteered for, and I had to give Glen a call, because he wanted to know if I was going. At Threadgills, this is an especially cool thing to do, because the phone is in one of them old wood telephone booths with a door that shuts and a light that comes on. Of course I have to wedge my enormity into the home of Kent and Who. Glen tells me he might be able to make it... Blah blah blah... bah!

We still had time to kill, so we go over to the mall. We procede to hit Kay-Bee (generally over-priced but with some cool sales from time to time), Sun Coast Video (why isn't that damn Evil Dead 2 Wide Screen Director's thingamagig out yet?), Disney Store (I buy a ceramic Steamboat Mickey and a stuffed Big Bad Wolf... coool), Warner Brother's Store (I love this place, it's like cool ya know? They have this Batman Animated Statue for like $150 that is soooooooooooo sweet. Man, this sucks) and then finally to Spencer's Gifts and Music (boy that round flat lightning Bride Of Frankenstein lighting effect thing kicks ass).

We head out of the parking lot towards the van, the entire time talking about how we hate David Schwimmer. His Droopy face makes us want to use dynamite to provoke a reaction out of him. We were slamming him pretty hard. This continued on the drive to the Highland 10 where the screening took place. It's just an hour before the film, usually I arrive 2 hours ahead of time to insure a good seat, but as we approached the theater there was no line forming out of the place. That meant, like nobody was there. Oh man, this was going to be bad.

As Dad and I entered the theater we saw a line of about 30 linepeople. Ahhh, a light turnout. The next thing I saw was a really nice Emma Peel poster for THE AVENGERS, which I really hope and pray doesn't suck. But word ain't the best right now. Hopefully the next test screening will result in better word. (my fingers are crossed) Then there was that ARMAGEDDON display... sheesh 129 days 5 hours 44 minutes and something seconds till it's released. To avoid the countdown I turn in my place in the cattle stalls to see... a plexiglass wall of CANDY!!! And in the plexiglass wall I see chocolate covered almonds, and upon that chocolate I see... my own visage. A shadowy Harry made of chocolate covered Almonds. This ain't right, I don't have to look upon this reflection of Harry past. So I turn to see... that ARMAGEDDON countdown, seconds to minutes to hours to days to months to... I turn to see the chocolate Harry. I move a little and suddenly I'm faced with M&M Harry. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I have to begin thinking of carrots and celery and radishes... precious lettuce succulent squash chewy chocolate NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Mussssst fight urgesssss...

Thankfully the line moves into the theater and we take our seats. The little sponsor announcements happen and it soon time to see the film.

Ok, first of all, I had ZERO anticipation of this film, and it turned out to be a delight. Not a great film, not an original film, you could even call it a pale reflection of Chasing Amy to a large degree. BUT it stars BANKY!!! Banky is our main man, not Ben Affleck (who was wonderful, though not as scene stealing as the immortal Banky). And then there is David Schwimmer, who doesn't suck in the film. In fact he's pretty entertaining.

Wow, I couldn't believe it, I completely forgot about the wall of chocolate and the Armageddon clock and the empty pit of hell in my tummy. And was absorbed in the film. Remember that Matthew Broderick and Meg Ryan flick ADDICTED TO LOVE? or how about that George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer film ONE FINE DAY? It's along those lines. However, I can say this did have a scene, a moment that caused every woman in the audience to breathe a collective "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww". Followed by an instantaneous male audience member giggle.

Ok, now let's talk about the real purpose for the film, which is to teach us dudes how to be that sensitive guy that will attract that... perfect lady. It doesn't really succeed in that, "Use this line to swoon her," or, "This is how you smooth it all out," type of thing. This is what I call a 'Chocolate Covered Cherry Flick' you know. Where you have a box of chocolates where you know what is in every single one. You love it, but if you eat too many, you'll get sick to your stomach. Same here.

This is a good lite date flick. Not much thought, but BANKY ROCKS!!! He just shines over this whole damn thing. Dad and I leave the theater with a sense of having done a good thing by choosing to see the film.

When I arrived home, I have a message on my answering message from the Alamo Drafthouse dude asking that I bring my 16mm print of REEFER MADNESS, Charles Chaplin's LAUGHING GAS, and Friz Freleng's GOING TO HEAVEN ON A MULE to him for this weekend's midnight coolness. In the message he says he is screening JOHN CARPENTER'S HALLOWEEN. HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!

I haven't seen HALLOWEEN on the big screen since I was a little kid sitting in my parents van at the drive-in watching it as a double feature with SCANNERS. My Dad took me about 9 times. It was great, the summery sound of whatever (Glen's suggestion) (think crickets) So I tell Dad and we begin to drive into the heart of Austin's Fat Tuesday celebrations!!!

We find parking, remarkably easily, and carry the vintage film stock to the waiting hands of the Alamo Drafthouse Dude. I feel good as hell, because I had a message in my email box that lit me up beyond all belief. You know the feeling when you feel that everything you have done has led to this? Well it was that kind of feeling. I'll tell y'all one day.

Anyway, after a bit of a wait, awaiting the patrons of JACKIE BROWN to leave, the staff of the Drafthouse filled up pitchers of soda and beer and even filled a pitcher of water for Dad and I. (remember the diet?)

Before the film, he screened our print of GOING TO HEAVEN ON A MULE. Wow, what a cool cartoon. I've seen it before, but this was BIG, not like on our home screens. Some might find this cartoon a bit rascist, but to me this was a toon illustrating an old black ragtime era song about drinking, gambling, going to heaven and to hell. It illustrated an era, long ago. And it's pretty damn funny.

Then comes HALLOWEEN...

Amazing, I've seen this film about 40 times now in my life. I know every twist, every shadow, but the movie can still hold my mind enthralled at 2am. I'm pretty sure it's because of two characters you never see in the film.

#1 - The Steadicam. This character is in his second best film. My favorite Steadicam movie is THE SHINING, but Halloween comes in a close second for me, and I don't think a steadicam has done better work than the opening sequence in HALLOWEEN. About the point when that little twerp puts the mask on the lens, I about cream. And in wide- screen BIG, those eyeholes are sooo cool.

#2 - The Score. This character is my number one love for the film. Take it away and you still have a good film, but with it... well it's a film you can see 40 times. Even now hours later the music is still lingering in my noggin. I love it that the steadicam has it's own theme. Watch as the camera moves, so does the music. GREAT use of score. Gives me the creeps still.

What can be said about this film, that hasn't been said a thousand times? Oh well. I don't have the words. All I can say is THIS is the film that the Dimension Films' new Halloween movie will have to live up to. I wish them the best of luck. They'll need it.