VEGASinsight Archives

We’ve seen a lot of prostitutes in Vegas casinos. They are never this cute or happy.

Further blurring the state line between California and Nevada, yet another star-studded movie premiere is coming to Las Vegas next week (on the heels of last night’s 88 Minutes premiere at Planet Hollywood), and yes, it’s another Las Vegas-based gambling story (as was another PH premiere, 21), this time called Deal.

The film, directed by Gil Cates, Jr., features Burt Reynolds, Bret Harrison and Shannon Elizabeth – the latter as what else but a call girl – engaged in the world of high stakes poker. The green-felt glory of Deal will debut at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday, April 24, at Brenden Theatres inside the Palms (4321 W. Flamingo Road) – not coincidentally, where premiere sponsor CineVegas will hold its 10th annual film festival later this summer.

Gawkers might want to make the trek to catch glimpses of red carpet walkers such as the aforementioned Elizabeth, Mimi Rogers, Melissa Rivers, Sharon Lawrence and a bunch of other decreasingly recognizable names including some Playboy Playmates, professional poker champs and maybe a few escaped convicts. We cannot confirm the last part of that statement.

When you get high, all fonts display like it’s still the 1970s.

It’s no big surprise that there will be marijuana-themed events held on Sunday, April 20. It’s no surprise that one of the places holding such an event is Beauty Bar (517 Fremont St.), where we’re pretty sure its patrons are typically high on plenty of things other than, and including, pot. But we’re mildly surprised that the CineVegas Film Festival is showing it’s true color — green — by bringing a free screening of Super High Me to Beauty Bar’s backyard at 10 p.m. that night.

Yes, on 4/20, so long as you are 21 and over, you too can enjoy free popcorn and not free cocktails while you watch stand-up comedian Doug Benson getting super high for 30 days while on the road. Oh, and it has something to do with exploring marijuana legislation or something, man.

Check this out: If you want to “roll” your own screening of Super High Me, you can totally do it for free by visiting the movie’s website and following some simply instructions. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Blue is the official color of bathrooms in communist Romania.

Things you should care about: Nevada Public Radio. The CineVegas Film Festival. The last days of communism in Romania. Support all three of these concepts this Thursday night, April 3, at the Galaxy Neonopolis Theatres on Fremont Street when CineVegas hosts a screening of Golden Palm Award-winning 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days at 7 p.m.

The film, which dazzled judges and audiences at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, takes place during the final days of communism in Romania as two college roommates make arrangements for an illegal abortion.

All proceeds from the $10 ticket price benefit Nevada Public Radio, so not only will you get to see a poignant foreign film, but you also get to feel good about it as you wash your bucket of popcorn down with a gallon of Coke. Pre-order tickets by clicking here.

Stills from “A Walk Into The Sea,” courtesy of The Danny Williams Estate and The Andy Warhol Museum.

Need another excuse to hang out in downtown Las Vegas? Of course you don’t. But in between your drinking and gambling, how about you swing by Galaxy Neonopolis to check out some exclusive screenings of acclaimed films in CineVegas’ Art House Screening Series?

April brings two new showings to the only other business aside from Jillian’s still breathing in that monumental failure that is Neonopolis, starting with The Witnesses, running from April 4 to 10. This official selection from the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival focuses on four friends confronting the end of the sexual revolution in 1984 Paris. Sounds sexy. Sort of.

The other Art House feature is A Walk Into The Sea, screening from April 11 to 17. Director Esther Robinson uses the medium of film to uncover the true story behind the mysterious 1966 disappearance of Danny Williams, Andy Warhol’s lover and Robinson’s uncle. A Walk Into The Sea combines unreleased footage shot by Williams during the heyday of Warhol’s Factory with intimate interviews of surviving Factory regulars. (more…)

Wanna be in the movies? Heck, who doesn’t?

Well, it might not get you a role starring opposite Brad Pitt in a Hollywood film, but it could get you a job driving Dennis Hopper from his hotel to a party. That’s right, the CineVegas Film Festival is looking for a few (dozen) good men, women and whatever to volunteer or work during its 10th annual festival, to be held June 12 through 21 at the Palms Casino Resort.

They need all kinds of part- and full-time help, both paid and unpaid, including box office manager, press coordinator, theatre manager, drivers, assistants, coordinators, what have you. There’s plenty to be done, and take it from us, there are few situations more fun than the CineVegas Film Festival that don’t include cocaine and hookers.

Interested? Of course you are. Get more full job listings and descriptions at www.cinevegas.com/takepart/jobs or sign up to volunteer at www.cinevegas.com/takepart/volunteer.

A scene from Brian De Palma’s Redacted, showing Jan. 10 – 17 at Galaxy Neonopolis.

Who says Las Vegas has no culture? Um, OK, so a lot of people do. Thousands. But they’re all wrong. And as usual, CineVegas is out to prove that. The annual film festival is kicking off its Art House Screening Series on Jan. 10 with a screening of Brian De Palma’s controversial Iraq War film, Redacted, at the Galaxy Neonopolis (450 Fremont St.).

The Jan. 10 screening, a fundraiser for KNPR, will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by KNPR’s “State of Nevada” host Dave Berns, featuring discussion by Las Vegas Weekly writer Joshua Longobardy and UNLV history professor Joseph Fry. Redacted will continue to screen through Jan. 17.

Other films in the series showing at Neonopolis include Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (Jan. 18 – 24), Pierrot le Fou (Jan. 25 – 31), Weirdsville (Feb. 1 – 7), Kurt Cobain: About a Son (Feb. 8 – 14) and The Walker (Feb. 29 – Mar. 6). From Feb. 15 – 28, a mini-David Lynch festival of sorts will offer the new documentary Lynch, Eraserhead, Inland Empire and a number of Lynch’s shorts.

CineVegas is also holding another benefit screening on Jan. 17, this time for Power 88.1-FM, at Galaxy Cannery (2121 E. Craig Road), featuring Mr. Untouchable, which will screen at that location through Jan. 24.

Tickets to all screenings are $8.75 for adults Sunday through Thursday, $9 for adults Friday and Saturday, $6 for bargain matinee and $6 for children, students, senior and military. Tickets may be purchased at Galaxy Neonopolis, and more information can be found at www.cinevegas.com/screenings.

The CineVegas Film Festival turns 10 this year, and to help kick off the celebration, CineVegas is teaming up with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (that’s LVCCLD to you!) to present its “CineVegas from the Vault” series. These free film screenings will be held art the Clark County Library (1401 E. Flamingo Road) at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month.

“We want to give locals the rare opportunity to see past CineVegas films that may be difficult to find now,” said Mike Plante, associate director of programming for CineVegas. “We look forward to bringing independent film to the Las Vegas valley, not just during the Festival in June but also throughout the year.”

The series kicks off with Happy Here and Now on Jan. 3, which premiered at the 2002 festival. According to a press release, the film — directed by Michael Almereyda (who most famously directed 2000’s modern-day take on Hamlet) — is “set in the very near future,” and “explores the inner reaches of isolated souls searching for connection in a contemporary wilderness.”

Other films to follow in the series include 2005’s Apart from That (Feb. 7), Windy City Heat (Mar. 6) and Mitchellville (Apr. 3), both from the 2004 festival. Windy City Heat—directed by Bobcat Goldthwait—has become a comedy cult classic, earning a Comedia Award in 2004.

For more information on the screenings and the festival, visit www.cinevegas.com.

This week, the CineVegas Film Festival announced confirmed dates for both submissions to the annual event and for the festival itself, as well as launched a new online film contest.

The 10th version of CineVegas, held again at Brenden Theatres inside the Palms Casino Resort, runs from June 12 – 21, 2008. Submissions are being accepted at www.withoutabox.com from Dec. 1, 2007 – March 15, 2008. That means you have about three months to finish your epic masterpiece, aspiring filmmakers.

If you think your vacation videos merit film festival screenings, then you might want to submit your original travel film–up to five minutes long–to the “Trip Takes” online film contest, co-presented by CineVegas and Conde Nast Traveler. The submissions will be judged both by an online audience and a jury of experts, including CV Creative Advisory Board chair Dennis Hopper. Top prize is $5,000 cash and the top five finalists will have their films shown at the festival. For rules or to submit a film, visit www.cinevegas.com/cnttriptakes.

For that matter, get all the info on CineVegas at www.cinevegas.com.