in film we trust.
closing night film
the great buck howard saturday, June 21, 7:00pm law-school dropout Troy Gable answers an ad for a “personal assistant to a celebrity performer,” hoping it will catapult him to a glamorous career in the entertainment industry. Little does he know that performer is Buck Howard, a "mentalist" infamous for his 61 appearances on The Tonight Show, who has been reduced to a has-been magician in need of a pretty big trick to get him out of this slump.
Writer/director Sean McGinly does the near impossible by successfully encapsulating a whole era of entertainment in one outrageous character. Played with perfection by John Malkovich, Buck is a bigger-than-life mix of ego, sweetness, and delusion packaged in a flamboyant style. As Troy, Colin Hanks does a remarkable job of holding his own, even when deflecting Buck's diva-esque tantrums. In an inspired bit of casting,Tom Hanks plays Troy’s father, who ironically disapproves of show business, and Emily Blunt is the fiery publicist hired to stage the comeback of a lifetime.
McGinly’s secret is that he never allows the film to wallow in sentimentality because Buck doesn't need our pity. He has confidence in his stage presence, and he may even have some authentic magic powers up his sleeve.The true magic of THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD, however, is remembering the power of staying true to yourself even if the world around you has changed.
cinevegas blog For more in depth info on CineVegas 2008, check out our blog at www.cinevegas.com/blog, which will be updated daily with coverage of films, parties and more.
marquee award
half-life award
PRESENTED BY TIFFANY & CO.
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anjelica huston
sam rockwell
live conversation with: SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 5:00PM
live conversation with: SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 3:00PM
There are plenty of actors who have the movie business in their blood.Anjelica Huston has it in her DNA. She is one of the most renowned actors of her time, just as her father John was one of the most renowned directors of his time, just like his father Walter was one of the most renowned actors of his time.
What is strangeness without compassion? Sam Rockwell wouldn't know because the characters he plays, from Chuck Barris to a grown man who dresses like Davy Crockett, are bizarre on the outside but illuminated by inner beauty. In other words, they all just want to be wanted.
CHOKE FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 6:30PM Actor-turned-director Clark Gregg shows he is as adept behind the camera as he is in front of it with CHOKE, a wickedly colorful dark comedy about mothers and sons, sexual compulsion, and the sordid underbelly of Colonial theme parks. Victor Mancini (Rockwell) is a sex-addicted med school dropout who keeps his increasingly deranged mother, Ida (Huston), in an expensive private medical hospital by working days as a historical reenactor at a Colonial Williamsburg theme park. At
night,Victor runs a scam by deliberately choking in upscale restaurants to form parasitic relationships with the wealthy patrons who “save” him. When, in a rare lucid movement, Ida reveals that she has withheld the shocking truth of his father’s identity,Victor enlists the aid of his best friend, Denny (Henke), and his mother’s beautiful attending physician, Dr. Paige Marshall (Macdonald), to solve the mystery before the truth of his possibly divine parentage is lost forever.
PALMS CASINO RESORT // BRENDEN THEATRES // JUNE 12-21, 2008 // WWW.CINEVEGAS.COM
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don cheadle
Call him “The Natural”. Don Cheadle’s myriad of brilliant roles all seem to start in his mind and radiate through his body. Whether he’s playing a cop or a criminal, a real-life hero or a Rat Pack legend, he’s impeccably his character and indelibly himself. live conversation with: FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 4:00PM
cinevegas viral videos
For our tenth anniversary we asked alum filmmakers to make online trailers for CineVegas X. From dark, atmospheric motel rooms to boxing, ghosts, neon and old folks, they show our underground moral fiber. We also made a few ourselves in the spirit of the Internet – who doesn't like karaoke, bowling and getting tasered?? See the 10 new trailers online at YouTube.com/CineVegas.
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viggo mortensen
Painter, poet, musician and actor;Viggo Mortensen is one of the most complex screen stars working today. He’s capable of convincing you of his characters’ core decency and honor even as he’s doing terrible things. Plus, he can do it in seven languages.
Alatriste preceded by live conversation
2006 • Spain • Color • 135 mins. Writer/Director:Agustín Díaz Yanes Based on Arturo Peréz-Reverte’s best-selling series of novels,Viggo Mortensen plays the Spanish soldier-turned-mercenary Captain Alatriste, a heroic figure from the country's 17th century imperial wars. Director Agustin Diaz Yanes (previously at CineVegas with No News From God (CV02)) captures the thrilling, epic tale with a painterly style. Mortensen is perfect as the brave swordsman who is a fierce warrior in battle, yet still capable of love for his longtime muse and a close friend’s orphaned child. showtime: FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 6:00PM
PALMS CASINO RESORT // BRENDEN THEATRES // 1.888.8VEGAS8 // WWW.CINEVEGAS.COM
half-life award
vegas icon award
PRESENTED BY THE LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY
PRESENTED BY USA TODAY
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rosario dawson
james caan
live conversation with: SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1:00PM
presented at the Honoree Awards Reception Planet Hollywood Casino & Resort: FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 8:00PM
Rosario Dawson is everywoman, at least every NYC woman. In the 13 years since her debut in Kids, she has inhabited too many inner and outer borough girls to count. She’s also kicked ass in Sin City and Death Proof and believe it or not, she’s just getting started.
CineVegas is proud to present James Caan with the cinevegas 2008 vegas Icon Award, which is given to an actor who embodies the spirit of Las Vegas and who has delivered memorable performances in films and shows set in the city.
EXPLICIT ILLS THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 6:30PM | SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 4:30PM In the harsh streets of Philadelphia, the lives of strangers intersect in the debut feature from veteran indie actor Mark Webber. EXPLICIT ILLS is a bold and moving semiautobiographical tale that crosscuts between the many people – adults, teenagers, and children alike – who struggle in the face of poverty, pot dealers, human connection, and (practically) inhumane consumer policy.
In his quest to show compassion, even in the shoddiest of landscapes,Webber juxta-
poses the gritty despair of the Philadelphia streets with the heartfelt aspirations of the many sympathetic and endearing characters within.What results is a heart-wrenching tale that eventually finds promise, pride, and hope.With powerful performances from the entire cast, including Rosario Dawson, Lou Taylor Pucci, and Paul Dano, EXPLICIT ILLS shows that Webber is every bit as talented behind the camera as he is in front of it.
PALMS CASINO RESORT // BRENDEN THEATRES // JUNE 12-21, 2008 // WWW.CINEVEGAS.COM
homegrown
You gotta admit, Las Vegas is no stranger to art.Whether it be the music, the magic, the dancing or the debutantes at the high-stakes table (don't tell me those shoes don't scream of expression), it's not unlikely to mix pleasures with passion here, with art being at the forefront.With that notion in mind, Nevada has always had a special place in the hearts, minds and sets of the filmmaking community. From homegrown artists to homemade set designs (and yes, I'm talking about the Strip), CineVegas brings a couple of neighborhood kids to the screen for you to enjoy. People come from all over the world to see Cirque du Soleil's grand Vegas spectacles. So when the word spread that they were partnering with the Apple Group to create a new show inspired by The Beatles' music, it seemed too good to be true.ALL TOGETHER NOW, by director Adrian Wells, tells the story of this bold collaboration and the resulting live show – Love – that has become a smashing success. Using archival material as well as intimate interviews with Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, this documentary is a privileged glimpse of the artistic process from within the creative circle.
ALL TOGETHER NOW
SONIC YOUTH: SLEEPING NIGHTS AWAKE
PRIMO
WOMEN IN BOXES
Nevada resident Francisco Menendez' PRIMO looks at the fragility and strength of the family tree.When a civil war in El Salvador separates three young cousins, the entire family quickly falls apart. In the years to follow, two of the cousins-now adults-reunite in Las Vegas. One is a medical school dropout from Chicago, while the other is a professional gambler who soon becomes indebted to a mob boss.When family secrets arise and a love triangle forms with a beautiful brunette, the cousins realize the inner demons their family line has brought upon them and struggle to find peace with each other in the face of revenge, resentment and betrayal. For fans of music and Sonic Youth look no further than SONIC YOUTH: SLEEPING NIGHTS AWAKE, which documents the band's Reno concert on July 4, 2006.As part of the nonprofit group Project Moonshine, a group of teenagers were given digital cameras to capture both the concert and a series of personal interviews from those involved in the tour, including band members Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lee Ranaldo. Led by director Michael Albright and assistant director Brad Bynum, the Project Moonshine teens illuminates the power of innovation and accessibility while giving new and old fans alike a cinematic all-access pass.
In the world of stage magic, there are hats and there are rabbits.There are boxes and there are curtains.There are knives and there are wands.There are men…and there are women. WOMEN IN BOXES reveals the women behind the men, the beloved yet often overlooked magician's assistant. More than eye candy, the magician's assistant is responsible for the execution of many tricks and illusions, often risking life and limb to her mission of "leger de main" (sleight of hand).Whether she is sawed in half, poked, prodded, stabbed, contoured, or set on fire, she will do it all for the sake of the show, and for her passion of the practice. Compiling interviews from veteran performers, and with cameos by Criss Angel,Teller of Penn & Teller, and Lance Burton,WOMEN IN BOXES shows that behind every man in a top hat there is a woman ready to prove there's still some wonder left in the world. Let’s face it, movies are a staple of Las Vegas, no matter which way you slice it. From the stories of residents, to the leger de main of legends, we hope you’ll come out and see what’s brewing in your neighborhood – from your neighborhood.
PALMS CASINO RESORT // BRENDEN THEATRES // 1.888.8VEGAS8 // WWW.CINEVEGAS.COM
P.5
shorts two Inner demons/outer angles
"I would know what to do, if only you shut that damn vacuum off." The Acquaintances of a Lonely JohnDir: Benny Safdie. This is the story
of a lonely man named John who lives his life alone trying to connect with anything/anyone he can.
The Drift Dir: Kelly Sears. A mysterious disappearance on a 1960s space journey launches the counterculture revolution to tragic ends.
flok Dir:Andrew Mausert-Mooney. Two brothers attempt to resurrect dead birds. Glory at Sea Dir: Benh Zeitlin. Set on the coast of an antediluvian New Orleans, a group of mourners and a man spat from the depths of Hades build a boat from the debris of their city to rescue their lost loved ones trapped beneath the sea.
Remember all those atom bomb blasts you could see from the strip?? Now relive the magic with THEM! in downtown Las Vegas next to neon mountains in the open air. For one night only we will be setting up a drive-in next to Fremont Street. See it in all its 50's glory. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, we’ll provide the cars.
Home Dir: Kevin Everson. It’s about disappointment in Northern Ohio.
I'm Pretty, Too Dir: Matt Jespersen. A black comedy about a man who tells his girlfriend he's suicidal, then she dumps him, while his friends try to help him change his mind.
Man Dir: Myna Joseph. Maggie and her sister form an unusual bond during an encounter with a young man.
Mr. P Dir: Jacob Vaughan. A tutor gets schooled by his pupil in mid-life crisis man-
agement.
The Problem with Machines (That Communicate) Dir: Matt McCormick. Sometimes technology just blurs the meaning of things.
Sikumi Dir:Andrew Okpeaha MacLean. Sikumi (On the Ice) is the story of Apuna, an Inuit hunter who drives his dog team out on the frozen Arctic Ocean in search of seals and inadvertently becomes a witness to murder.
After tons of radioactive bomb testing in the desert, ants grow to superhuman size! A nest of gigantic ants rises up and starts fighting back! Can mankind fight back and survive?
Made in 1954,THEM! is a wonderfully entertaining sci-fi scare film, with a real message: nuclear radiation is evil. One of the first giant monster movies, original audiences must have been terrified at the special effects. Nostalgically simple with today's CGI excesses, the film still packs an eerie atmosphere with the desert landscape, shocked actors, and stark blackand-white photography.
THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 9:00PM
The CineVegas Drive-In will exist for one night, one block from Fremont Street in vintage downtown Las Vegas.The first street in town to be paved was home to the first casino in Nevada (Northern Club, 1931), the first casino carpeting (the Horseshoe Casino) and the world famous Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino, as well as the famous neon signs, including Vegas Vic and the Glitter Gulch girl.
THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 4:30PM | FRIDAY, JUNE 20 2:00PM
PALMS CASINO RESORT // BRENDEN THEATRES // JUNE 12-21, 2008 // WWW.CINEVEGAS.COM
HELP ME EROS
Want to experience taboos vicariously??? CineVegas presents tales of temptation, fueled by ecstasy, orgies and the thrill of a good gun fight. Leave the kids at home (or Mom and Dad, perhaps), and come and get a slice of naughtiness, projected and ready to be digested. HELP ME EROS, by Lee Kang-Sheng, is a slice of Mandarin melancholy that is both stylish and provocative.A man loses his money in the stock market. Longing after a suicide hotline operator that rejects his advances, he instead gets tied up with a sex worker.The two enter into a world of erotic enchantment, but it all begins to spiral out of control when sexual fantasy meets the harsh realities of life. Director/actor Lee Kang-sheng's second directorial effort is a slice of Mandarin melancholy that is both stylish and provocative. Blending the struggles of Taiwanese life with a lyrical exploration of longing and lasciviousness, Lee creates a world where loneliness is seen and felt on all sides and in all corners – and, perhaps most tragically, when around all people. True life is often more action packed than blockbusters.Try COCAINE COWBOYS II: HUSTLIN' WITH THE GODMOTHER on for size. Directed by Billy Corben, the documentary is a true story of petty dealer Charles Crosby, who falls in love with Griselda Blanco, one of the most notorious and successful drug lords of all. Before long, this amateur goes from rags to riches in the world of narcotics.What results for Crosby is an unsafe and unfathomable journey into the dangerous drug trade, which challenges him at every turn and practically spells out his fate from all angles.A sequel to the cult hit COCAINE COWBOYS, this second installment also offers up a story that is too outrageous and compelling to be anything but true... For those looking for some laughs, Jonathan Levine's THE WACKNESS will have you rolling. In the sweltering summer of 1994, Rudy Giuliani is scouring New York City within an inch of its life, hip-hop is permeating white youth culture, and a pot-dealing loser kid is trying to figure out how to solve his parents' insolvency, beat depression, and get laid before pushing off to college. Luckily he's got a nifty deal with a psychiatrist who trades him
therapy sessions for weed. Perfectly capturing the textures of 1990s Manhattan and the zeitgeist of worldly, yet emotionally unformed, private-school students forced to parent their parents, director Jonathan Levine conveys a whimsy, too - buoyed by the dazzlingly funny Ben Kingsley and unexpected stylistic flourishes - that gives the film's insights and idiosyncrasies big, glorious, flapping wings. In the mood to get a little crazy? Rising from the hippie-UFO scene comes MOCK-UP ON MU, the newest cult film from the infamous Craig Baldwin. MU follows the intertwined lives of Jack Parson, inventor of rocket fuel; Marjorie Cameron, new age sex leader; and L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer-turned-Scientology founder, as the insane-sational '60s feeds them with the occult, beatniks, and spaceships to the moon. Baldwin has made cult masterpieces like Tribulation 99 and Sonic Outlaws, and may know every conspiracy and urban legend invented from Alcatraz to Bermuda. Mashing up real events with rumors and miles of found footage, he creates an elegiac fairytale so cohesive that you'll feel like a manic scholar afterwards. What foray into drug culture wouldn't be complete without Dr. Gonzo himself? His legendary status is due as much to his scintillating writing as his outrageous antics. Focusing on the good doctor's heyday-from 1965 to 1975 – GONZO includes clips of never-before-seen (and heard) home movies and audiotapes, and passages from unpublished manuscripts. Director Alex Gibney intelligently interviews a broad spectrum of Thompson's peers and paints a three-dimensional portrait that reveals what a larger-than-life icon he was, a man whose actions both attracted and repelled the people closest to him.What's remarkable is how daring Thompson truly was in taking on the establishment and how absent that voice is today.
sex, drugs and hip-hop COCAINE COWBOYS II
THE WACKNESS
GONZO
MOCK UP ON MU
Living through your movie gods, you can experience all the lusts in life. Leave your inhibitions behind, at least for 90 minutes, when you sink into the not always so dark, and quite often very fun, world of things that we should not talk about.
PALMS CASINO RESORT // BRENDEN THEATRES // 1.888.8VEGAS8 // WWW.CINEVEGAS.COM
onscene opening weekend
Dwayne Johnson, Robin Greenspun and Trevor Groth at the special charity screening of GET SMART at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Bijou Phillips, star of DARK STREETS, at the Palms Casino Resort Pool for the Concert for Giving
Getty Images for CineVegas
Models Cher, Sara, and Amber arrive at the 2008 CineVegas Film Festival 10th anniversary party held at the Palms Place Hotel & Spa Rainn Wilson and actor Dennis Hopper, chair of the CineVegas creative advisory board, arrive at the opening night screening of THE ROCKER
box office information PASSES AND TICKET PACKAGES
available online at www.cinevegas.com and by phone, 1-888-8Vegas8.
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS
available online and by phone starting May 23. $15 – Opening/closing honoree conversations. $10 – All regular film screenings.
BOX OFFICE HOURS
2pm-6pm, June 2 – June 11 12pm-Start time of last movie for the day, June 12 – 21, Located at the Brenden Theatres inside the Palms Casino Resort. Traci Lords and Bill Pullman on the red carpet for the world premiere of YOUR NAME HERE
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE
at www.cinevegas.com for complete program details.