Now that tix are all sold out, I can tell you what’s been brewing for this Q&A…

Barring some t-crossing and i-dotting going south, it looks like we’ll be taping it for the next Q&A DVD.

So all of you that got tickets, congrats: you’re gonna be in the show.

This one’s gonna be a News Askew-covered event, so we look forward to seeing all of you there — The Basie is a HUGE place, so this sold-out crowd on Kev’s birthday night is gonna ROCK. We’re expecting this to be one of the greatest Q&A sessions of all time, and can’t wait to take our seats. By the way, last session we had trouble with event security regarding access for photos for the website - If anyone happens to be reading this site and has a connection at the Basie, please do drop us a line so we can get in touch before the show. Much thanks. SEE YOU THERE!

“The titles recognized by the Home Entertainment Awards speak to the breadth of great entertainment that is available on home video and remind us why home video retains its hold on the public,” EMA president Bo Andersen said. “EMA is proud to acknowledge the outstanding attributes of these wonderful videos.”

DVDs released from April 1, 2006-March 31 were eligible.

The awards Clerks II Took: DVD Extras of the Year From an Independent Studio AND Marketing Campaign of the Year From an Independent Studio. Nice job and well deserved.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has announced that Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales will hit theaters on November 9 in partnership with Destination Films and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group.

The film, which debuted at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and has since been completed, stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Cheri Oteri, Kevin Smith and Amy Poehler among others, with original music by Moby, a music sequence by Timberlake and a soundtrack that includes The Killers, The Pixies, Muse, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Radiohead, and Jane’s Addiction.

Southland Tales is an ensemble piece set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles on July 4, 2008, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Johnson will star as Boxer Santaros, an action star stricken with amnesia whose life intertwines with Krysta Now (Gellar), an adult film star developing her own reality television project, and David Clark (Scott), a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.

A special Southland Tales panel has been set up for this weekend’s Comic-Con in San Diego, Friday the 27th from 11 AM to 1 PM. Location: AA12. Richard Kelly will be in attendance and signing posters from the film afterwards. Be there!

SModcast 21: Little Outhouse on the Prairie -

In which the patriarchy is restored and our heroes discuss a wide range of topics like Flushable Moist Wipes, the triumphant advent of Flushable Moist Wipes, the historical significance of Flushable Moist Wipes, dry corncobs vs. Flushable Moist Wipes, magic ice boxes vs. Flushable Moist Wipes, and “Heroes”.

Ah, the joy of flushable moist wipes indeed. As always, free, $0.00, for your download anytime you want, exclusively through the great Quick Stop Entertainment. Download, enjoy, and be sure to comment here or at one of Kevin’s blogs with your thoughts on the show. The dude loves to hear your feedback on SModcast.

With this highly-anticipated pilot episode, as well as the lure of a fantastic Kevin Q&A, this WILL be one of the hottest tickets at the con this weekend - We recommend you arrive, and line up, EARLY. Don’t miss this one if you have a chance to get there.

“Chuck and Larry is attempting to cash in on the new trend of movies coming from Will Ferrell, Steve Carrell, Judd Apatow, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kevin Smith and others that have raised the median age of the stars but still attract the 18 to 24-year-old demographic.”

The second condemns the movie for allowing gay rights groups to have a say in the editing:

“In fact, Sandler and James screened the film for gay rights organizations before the film’s opening to help dissuade any protests. Was Borat shown to the people of Kazakhstan prior to opening? Did Smith get an okay from Catholics before premiering Dogma? Did Apatow seek a stamp of approval while doing final edits on Knocked Up ? The answer to all of these is “no.” ”

So Tuesday night, the Crazy 4 Cult show launched… and you guys turned out in record numbers for Gallery 1988 - to the tune of over 2500 people. Thanks for showing up; it was a great night.

For those of you who couldn’t make it, here’s a link to a bunch of the images (though not all of the images).

And here’s another link on Flickr that’s more complete.

Tony Teofilo brings us this YouTube video of the event.

But for those of you who’ve asked what I bought at the show… well, naturally, I picked up every View Askew-themed piece. But I also snagged a bunch of other cool-ass, non-VA-related paintings as well. Here’s a complete photo catalogue of what I got.

The blog goes on to feature images of some of the coolness that will now adorn Kevin’s walls, including not only the View Askew pieces, but some great other themes including Donnie Darko, Twin Peaks, The Big Lebowski, They Live, A Christmas Story, and more. If I were an artist, I’d be Jones-ing to get some work into this show next year. Just super, super cool stuff. Pick up your own copy of the show poster, by Chris Lee, for $15, by calling the Gallery - 323-937-7088 - or emailing them at gallery1988@aol.com.

As always, the full story and ALL the juicy photos are available exclusively at Silent Bob Speaks or the Myspace blog.

Kevin Smith Wants Rosario Dawson For His ‘Porno,’ Compares ‘Red State’ To ‘Shining’

‘It’s not horror like ‘Hostel,’ ‘ director says of ‘State,’ which starts filming in early 2008.

After years of writing films surrounding characters in the View Askewniverse, Kevin Smith is gearing up for two very different films without Jay and Silent Bob, “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” and the horror film “Red State” — but that doesn’t mean audiences won’t see at least one familiar face from his previous flicks.

“I wrote [the role of Miri] for Rosario Dawson,” Smith said of the “Clerks II” star. “I’d be kind of flabbergasted if she didn’t do it.”

When reached for comment, Dawson’s management said “no deal is in place at the moment.”

“It’s a lot of new faces,” Smith continued. “But Jason Mewes is going to be in it — not playing Jay, but playing a new character. Hopefully Jeff Anderson [Randall from 'Clerks'] as well.”

The story of two friends from Minnesota who launch an amateur-porn studio on the eve of their 15-year high school reunion “Zack and Miri” will be “done shooting by Christmas,” Smith announced, and “sometime in February or March, we are going to start on ‘Red State,’ ” he said.

Though Smith described “Red State” as a “horror movie,” he conceded that not everyone will agree.

“I keep trying to, like, [temper] everyone’s expectations, because it’s not horror like ‘Hostel.’ It’s not gore porn,” he insisted. “The best comparison I think of is ‘The Shining.’ It’s going for that kind of mood. It’s a very unsettling film.”

A blogger, podcaster, lecturer and frequent commenter on the Internet, Smith was uncharacteristically tight-lipped about “Red State,” coyly suggesting that most of what we think we know about the film is wrong.

“You hear the log line about, like, religious fundamentalism gone awry, and you’re like, ‘All right, I kind of got the movie in my head.’ That’s Act One,” he said. “Whatever everybody knows about it in terms of the [Fred] Phelps-like character is just a piece of the movie and the movie kind of becomes a bigger statement than just that.”

Radical right-wing preacher Fred Phelps, whom Smith called “a fringe, bizarrely Christian archetype,” served as a model for the movie’s antagonist.

“He definitely informs the character, but it’s not like this is Fred Phelps with a different name,” Smith said. “That’s kind of an easy target to me. If you’re just going to tee off on crazy, crazy, right-wing fundamentalist extremists, that’s kind of easy. I think our movie doesn’t stop there. It goes out to target something a little harder.”

That hardness may come with a price, specifically Smith’s first onscreen death. (No, we’re not counting that old guy in the bathroom from “Clerks.”) Asked how many protagonists there were in the film, Smith replied, “We start with four.”

So, Red State filming early next year, and Zack & Miri done by Christmas! Cooool. You can also check out the story via the MTV website.

Even if this DVD was bare, I’d still fully recommend it. Thankfully, the DVD comes with a nice commentary, an introduction to the documentary featuring Ingram and Kevin Smith, a short “Chatting with Kev” feature, deleted scenes, and a featurette on some of the people who inhabit these small towns. Overall, it’s a great package providing additional information and content to an already stunning documentary. And if you’re wondering why Kevin Smith is featured on the DVD, well, he helped finance this documentary to get it off the ground. On top of that, he also a friend of the director. It’s great additional material to watch once you’ve been able to fully absorb Small Town Gay Bar.

If I had to recommend one documentary to see this year, it would be this one. Small Town Gay Bar had me completely enthralled, absorbed in the story of these two gay bars and how significant they are. This documentary has so much going for it, and deserves a large audience. People need to see this to understand just what it’s like to be gay in America’s Bible Best. While reality there may be stark, it’s amazing to see how people find light, comfort, and hope in a gay bar, and with each other. These are truly amazing people, and I’m thankful that Ingram was able to let me into their lives. Ingram has a great gift as a storyteller here, and one who presents both sides of the story to the audience, making the reality of their situation even more startling. While my experiences growing up may not be the same as theirs, I also came from a small town with similar (though not as intense) discrimination. This is a story that resonates throughout North America, which is why I believe that while it’s not perfect, it is still an important piece of work.

Small Town Gay Bar comes Highly Recommended. It’s an inherently moving and painfully truthful experience, about real people in a real place, struggling in a world where they are demonized. These two gay bars, and the people who inhabit them, fight for their right to just exist, and it is . . . unbelievable to watch. It’s an experience that you won’t forget, both brutal and uplifting. It will definitely make you think about your own experiences in life. In short, and as well as my shoddy writing skills can illustrate, Small Town Gay Bar is a must-see. Plain and simple.