wow-wow for wah-wah

Wow. I just got home from a very interesting night at the movies. But of course it's Arclight so it's always an elevated experience, right? At least that's what I paid my $10 for.

Two and a half weeks ago I purchased a ticket to see an advanced screening of Wah-Wah, written and directed by Richard E. Grant, which is an autobiographical tale of his childhood in Swaziland at the end of the colonial era. The synopsis sounded like something I'd love to see, and as an AFI Director's screening the added bonus included a Q&A with Grant moderated by Steve Martin following the picture. Like I was going to pass that up.

Before the movie began, AFI's program director provided some announcements, including the surprise of a gift bag and bracelet to attend a reception across the street at Sterling after the film. Then she introduced Grant, who gave the film a heartfelt introduction (making the film was a long and bumpy journey). He sat down, and as the lights went out, Martin's white hair shone brightly as he rushed to sit next to his good friend Grant.

The film was incredible. I whole-heartedly recommend it. Naturally it isn't the most original film ever made (however, it's the first to be filmed in and about? Swaziland) but it manages to avoid appearing cliche. The acting is top notch. And Nicholas Hoult (of About a Boy fame) is not only quite the actor, but one sexy minor (he is nearly a 1.5 years younger than my brother!). Gabriel Byrne was marvelous (so much so that I think I may have finally forgiven him for stealing Jo away from Laurie in Little Women). Just go see the film.

The film ends and the Q&A begins. It's funny (as you would expect) and the banter between the two is genuine. Martin asked some good questions that provided some of the heart-wrenching details of the trials of making the film. The questions from the audience didn't turn my stomach like the last Q&A I attended at Arclight (i.e. this time people weren't concerned with how to get their big break). The first question was from none other than Julian Sands! I thought, "Wow, look at this." I had no idea what was to come.

Once the Q&A ended and people began to file out, I noticed a row of A-list celebrities. I think the complete list was: (in addition to Sands) Michael York, Eric Idle, and Eugene Levy. I actually recognized Levy as he sat down, but shrugged it off thinking he just looked like him.

Cut to the reception. I slip to the bathroom first. On my way back to the bar, Steve Martin is within arm distance of me but I don't say anything. I know he sees me (and he didn't say anything either, but did I really expect that?). I couldn't think of anything to say that wasn't so ridiculously trite I thought it best to just look like an awkward gawker. I have to compliment him though. He looked good. From what I could see in the theater (I was in the very back row, as always!) I could tell he'd drop some weight since filming Shopgirl, and upon seeing him up-close I have to say he really did look good (now he could really play the part and make it sexy). He was drinking a cosmopolitan, by the way.

After watching the bar for a while to see if and what was free, I waited and finally got my turn (I, too, ordered a cosmo since I'd never had one...and fuck, that is good! Those ridiculous Sex and the City girls at least got something right). While I was waiting at the bar, I tried to scope out other celebrities (though I think only Julian Sands of that supplemental list ended up at the party) and sexy men. All the damn men were either middle-aged or if attractive to me with a girl. So there goes my free opportunity to mingle with a sexy guy in a place I wouldn't usually be. Oh well. But before I concluded this I saw some guy I thought, "Hey, not bad." But then close behind him I saw an attractive brunette wearing a newsboy hat. C'est la vie.

I finally get my drink and move away from the bar, but I got sort of stuck in a place and I'm not in anyone's way, so I figure I'm going to stand there. The middle-aged guy next to me starts some brief chatting. Soon enough Richard E. Grant walks past and basically gets stopped just in front of me by Winona Ryder! But the best part is that she had been standing next to the guy I was sort of chatting with for a long time and neither of us realized it was her (I couldn't really see her), but the funny thing is that she was with the guy I noticed and thought was attractive--that was her in the hat. I nearly said something to her, but again felt like I'd be so embarrassed. I wanted to say, "You were robbed of the Oscar for Little Women!" She looked really good. I overheard Grant telling her how she looked so young, that she hadn't aged since 15. I don't know about that...she definitely looks more mature than her Heathers days (she was older than 15 when filming that), but she does look quite youthful, you'd never guess she was going on 35.

I also may have seen Jude Law lurking behind the frenzy of voyeurs (me included) and photographers surrounding Grant and Ryder, but I can't be sure. One, I didn't see him talk to anyone. Two, I think he had too much hair to be Law.

Once I decided I wasn't going to say anything to Ryder and had gotten pushed farther away anyway and had already finished my drink I decided to leave. What else was I really going to get out of that, right?

But, man, I knew this was going to be great blog material. I saw more celebrities--A-list ones at that--in the span of an hour than I will probably see for the rest of my tenure in L.A.

And the best part? It was free in the end. The gift bag's only gift was a $10 gift card to Arclight.