Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. Looks like I'm shooting off to Vegas again this year for ShoWest. I went last year... And I have to say... I had always heard of ShoWest growing up and it was a dream of mine to go. I was very underwhelmed last year.

I wasn't able to cover everything I wanted to because the press badge doesn't get you very far unless you have a "Passport" with it. They call it a passport because they stamp it when you enter certain booths or pick up certain goodie bags. I have enough junk. I could give a crap about the freebies, but I did miss some presentations and newsworthy booths last year because I didn't have one.

But I guess I really don't have anything to whine about. I mean, boo-hoo for me, right? I got to go hang out in Vegas and saw early footage from SUPERMAN RETURNS, POSEIDON and LADY IN THE WATER and saw CARS a few months early. What a horrible experience, right?

The real problem is ShoWest is up against SXSW and I have to miss almost half the festival to attend, so the negative shit kinda sticks out a little bit more than it would if I wasn't missing my hometown festival.

But this year is looking good. I don't have any interviews lined up, but I know there are presentations from all the major studios, including a big Sony panel (can someone say SPIDER-MAN 3?). I'm also hoping for a big Disney showcase for PIRATES 3 and the Pixar stuff they have coming up. I once again do not have a Passport, but I hope I can still see everything I need to see.

If anyone has advice for me, I'd gladly hear it... whether it's what's cool going down in Vegas next week or how to navigate ShoWest, how to sneak around the passport law or if you know anything about any of the presentations... or what that mystery screening at 10:30am on the 15th is... Please feel free to drop me an email at quint@aintitcool.com. I'll be in Vegas the 12th-16th.

I'm trying to nab at least a couple cool interviews, but nothing so far. I'm also trying to get a ticket for an early screening of MR. BROOKS, that kinda cool looking Kevin Costner thriller. So much is a mystery this year, but I'll certainly be on top of things and reporting on a nightly basis... unless I'm running hot at the poker tables, of course... Stay tuned!

-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com