Welcome to the new Reel Cinema website

Jerome's Razor Finished, Crying and Drinking Begins...(7/24/01)

After months of bitter fighting, costing millions of lives and thousands of hours of sanity on the part of the entire Reel Cinema staff, Jerome's Razor is done. Fini. No more. Never again.

"Shut up, I have something in my eye. Seriously, it's allergy season. I am not..." responded Doug Aamoth, when asked if he was crying. Sources speculate the occipital moisture to be tears of joy, not to be confused with similar looking tears of pain known to be caused by collisions between blunt objects and groins.

"Now that's it's all over, I need a drink," said John Swon, Reel Cinema President. Although not known to often indulge in excess, Swon was seen to consume some 96 ounces of grain alcohol at dinner. When asked to comment on his abnormal booze intake, Swon later replied,

"Sometimes a drella needs a fink after some longs workenings on the set... Shaaad uup! You sir, are a grade-A...who you callin' a drunk?!! You're the drunkie, Drunkie!"

Recovering from their collective hangovers, Reel Cinema discovered Jerome's Razor had been accepted to the Independent Feature Project Market (IFFM), making it the second year in the row the company had been represented at this coveted independent film showcase.

Of course, Reel Cinema could not have gotten the film this far without the efforts of a handful of determined workers. We'd like to give an extra special thanks to the following: David Kurtovich (our Director of Photography), Matt Ehling (our brave and talented editor), Andy Thompson (the Mozart of the film-set) and Ed Raeker (who designed our credits sequences with total disregard for his own safety). Stay turned for more info, you never know when Jerome's Razor might come to your town!

Jerome's Razor Cast Caught Off Guard by Paparazzi (5/15/01)

Unbeknownst to the cast of Jerome's Razor (Reel Cinema's newest film sensation), members of the New Mexico Paparazzi took a series of illegal and questionable photos during filming.

"I feel violated," said Marcus Edward, title character of the film. "I mean, geez, I was topless in some of those photos. That's enough to kill anyone's career. Look what it did to Vanilla Ice."

Some members of the cast shared similar sentiments but were too distraught to comment. Others were confused, trying to figure out how anything other than a lack of talent could have killed Vanilla Ice's career.

Fortunately for Reel Cinema, Doug Aamoth (webmaster and marketing lead) successfully obtained some of the photos during a covert, ninja-like reconnaissance mission several weeks ago. He has agreed, after much negotiation, to display the photos on the Reel Cinema website.

Webmaster Doug Finally Gets it Right (4/05/01)

"Never again."

These two powerful words slipped through the luscious lips of Doug Aamoth, director of web design and marketing for Reel Cinema.

In a bold, powerful, and clearly intelligent move, Aamoth has finally cleaned up the main page of the Reel Cinema website.

"It was just overwhelming. There were news stories everywhere in fonts so small only our eagle-eyedest visitors could read them."

Interviewer : Eagle eyedest? That's not a word.

"Eagle-eyedest is too a word you idiot, who's doing this interview you or me? I don't care about...shut up...get on with the interview."

Unfortunately, this interview was cut short due to an emergency trip to the hospital...

SMMASH Triumphant (4/01/01)

Joyous crowds gathered outside the Oak Street Cinema last week as Reel Cinema unveiled the event that had all of Minneapolis holding their bowels in anticipation: SMMASH!

SMMASH premiered to well-attended and responsive audience members who were treated to a variety of prizes and spectacles. Some SMMASH attendees walked away wearing brand-spanking new Reel Cinema t-shirts, others carried off posters and SMMASH merchandise. All were entertained by Run Some Idiot director and star, Jim Talyor and his gut-wrenchingly funny introduction to his film. All done without speaking a word and communicating through a very willing and cooperative audience member.

"All-in-all I think it was a very positive and fun event", commented Reel Cinema company Scapegoat, Chayo Smith. "Except that John was introducing the films and filmmakers each night, I had really hoped Scott Baio would have returned our calls. He rocks. No, no, wait, Tony Danza. Tony Danza rocks, not Scott Baio."

SMMASH also received much media attention, encouraging those involved to give the festival a go next year. "Do this again? Of course, I had so much fun I wrapped my car around a telephone pole on the way home. Maybe it was a crowd of people. Who cares?" said Reel Cinema's Marcus Edward.

This begs the following question. Was the media attention SMMASH related or crash related? Who knows? See you next year!!

peter Nominated for D.L. Mabery Award!! (2/13/01)

Police officers were called to the corporate headquarters of Minneapolis independent film production company Reel Cinema Entertainment on Tuesday morning, responding to reports of wild noises, broken glass, and car horns.

"It's those stupid movie kids," commented Agnes Delialah, neighbor, "they're all whacked out on goofballs again. In the 72 years I've lived here, I've never hated my neighbors so much. And I've been through two world wars, Vietnam, the Sixties, disco, and the Reagan administration."

Actually, the employees of Reel Cinema were high on life, and cheap champagne, after learning of peter's nomination to the D.L. Mabery Award, also called the Minnesota Oscar.

"You gotta believe!", shouted a jubilant Doug Aamoth, "We're going all the way, we've got the best team out there! Everyone who said independent cinema sucked, well guess what, YOU SUCK! Take that."

Others were more reserved in their post-nomination comments. "It's a true American story", said John Swon. "Only in America can a kid grow up with a dream, follow it with all his heart and bribe pretty much everybody in Minneapolis to see it come true...wait, you're not going to print that are you?"

Sorry, but we just did. The awards banquet is coming up soon, on March 25th, just before that other awards show out there in Hollywood. Stay tuned to see how Reel Cinema did!

Reel Cinema Showcased in City Pages (01/18/01)

In a gigantic leap of filmonious excellence, Reel Cinema's "peter" was reviewed in the popular Minneapolis entertainment circular, City Pages. John Swon, president of Reel Cinema, when asked about this incredible accomplishment was absolutely speechless. "We...it's just...City Peters...Pitty Sages!" stammered a joyously flabbergasted Swon. The review, by Peter Ritter, follows...

Back in the Eighties, when everyone wanted to be a rock star, there were garage bands. Now that everyone wants to be the next Martin Scorsese (and digital recording and editing equipment have made it more than a pipe dream), there are garage studios, which churn out films with budgets that wouldn't cover the daily catering cost of an average Hollywood production. A case in point is local auteur-in-training John Swon's Reel Cinema, whose feature-length micro-indie "peter" has recently received some limited exposure on the festival circuit. The film's basic set-up--a "Rainman"-esque Journey of Personal Discovery involving a mental patient (Marcus Edward) and his caretaker (Sara Stevenson)--is somewhat familiar to say the least, and the production values rank somewhere between an accomplished student film and a good porno flick. But there's alot to be said for Swon and Co.'s DIY (Do-It-Yourself) ethic: Even given "peter"'s limited means, it has more soul than some studio melodramas with budgets closer to Brazil's GDP than the price of a new Hyundai.

Peter Ritter, City Pages

Reel Cinema Gets 1000th Web Visitor (01/15/00)

While fascinated to get 1000 visitors to the web site, Webmaster Doug recently found out that the 1000th visitor was actually either himself or his mom, and not someone especially famous. We'll get 'em next time.

What Are They Thinking? New Reel Cinema Merchandise for Sale (01/04/01)

It was definitely a questionable move by Reel Cinema management. The Minnesota based independent film company has decided to dive headfirst into the murky waters of merchandising.

"We really had no choice," says Doug Aamoth, web technician and head of marketing, "The fed just dropped interest rates a half a percent and people are buying like mad. We needed to get in on the frenzy. Besides, our loyal followers have been going nuts asking for merchandise with our company logo and web address."

Reel Cinema will be offering stylish t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, and mouse pads for all interested parties. The prices have been kept as reasonable as possible.

"This provides a way for people to support our company. Instead of just sinking money in to it, wondering if they'll see a return, they can now actually receive products. Who could ask for anything more?"

The consumers could, that's who. With the almost immediate surge of purchasing from the Reel Cinema store, customers are now demanding action figures, PT Cruisers, video games, and boxer shorts, all bearing the Reel Cinema logo.

"My favorite is the long sleeve tee that just says 'Reel C'," says Mike Kernan, "People are like, 'Hey Mike, what's up with Reel C?' and I'm like, 'Whatever dude, you don't know? Get on the boat, man, this company is huge.' I love this stuff!"

While the company may not be huge just yet, great things are expected from their new on-line store. Click here to go there now!

New Reel Cinema Website Unveiled (01/01/01)

Web design critics were shocked and amazed today when Reel Cinema Entertainment, LLC, a Minneapolis based independent film company announced the debut of their new ReelCinema.net website.

"Man, their old site really sucked," said Giles Farthenhoover, webmaster at SuperWebbin Web Design, "It looked like it was made by an eight year old. I mean it really, really sucked. I'm amazingly impressed by their new site, which looks like it actually took some time and energy to produce."

Doug Aamoth, webmaster for Reel Cinema, responded to accusations of the sucktitude of his former website and accepted praises for his new one.

"Yeah, it sucked. But that's what happens when you try to program a website while denying the fact that you actually suck, yourself, at web design. That was my problem. Once I realized and admitted that I sucked, it was really easy to make a kick-ass site. Can I say that? Kick-ass? Anyway. Thanks to everyone who thinks the new site rocks compared to the old one."

The Big Apple Welcomes Us Back! (12/01/00)

Like any proud parent, Reel Cinema is happy to announce that peter will be returning to New York at the New York International Independent Film Festival this December! Best of all, you’re invited to come on down and join the fun! We’ll be showing on Saturday, December 9th at 2:00pm at the LTN Studios. The address is 873 Broadway (between 18th and 19th streets), Suite 303 on the 3rd floor. The admission is free! Yes, FREE! Although if you want tickets to any other screenings at the festival, please call (212) 777-7100. For more info, check out the festival’s website at www.nyfilmvideo.com. Why? Because we said so.

We Came, We Screened, We Conquered (10/5/00)

Reel Cinema capped off an invigorating week at the 22nd annual Independent Feature Project Market in New York with the screening of peter on Thursday, September 21st. Despite harsh competition from other shorts, documentaries and features (one including the imminent James Earl Jones), peter pulled in a respectable audience of fellow filmmakers and company executives.

Festivities kicked off the night of Friday the 15th with the screening of former Seinfeld cast member Jason Alexander’s directing debut, Just Looking, followed by the first of many wild evening shindigs. And beyond all the many screenings and goings-on occurring at the Angelika Theater Center in SoHo, there were seminars, guest speakers and a host of other functions to entertain and inform the estimated 2,500 filmmakers and executives present.

So will peter be heading to a theater near you? Or maybe even a video store? Well, we’re not allowed to say anything just yet, but let’s just say keep those fingers and toes crossed and maybe the next time you’re at Blockbuster looking for the director’s cut of Booty Call, you’ll happen upon our little film. The only way you’ll know more is by checking this site! Daily, maybe even hourly just to stay informed. You don’t want to be the last on your block to know, do you? Do you?!

Jerome’s Razor Wraps Production! (9/1/00)

Jerome’s Razor completed principal photography this August, shooting between the scenic mountains of New Mexico and the urban jungle that is Minneapolis. Reel Cinema is looking forward to beginning post-production on the film and is currently raising funds to assist in the project’s completion. Jerome’s Razor was written and directed by John Swon and shot by Director of Photography David Kurtovich. The film stars Marcus Edward (peter) as Jerome, a latter-day William of Ockham trying to simplify his life. The film also stars Anthony Parrish, Keli Ferrier, John Stentz, Shad Cooper, Chayo Smith and Doug Aamoth. Look for a finished copy in the summer of 2001!

‘peter’ New York Screening Set! (9/1/00)

If you’re in New York on Thursday, September 21st at 4:00pm, then come on down to the Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) and check out peter. The film will be represented by director John Swon and actors Marcus Edward and Chayo Smith. Stay posted for details on how the Market went!

New York Here We Come! (8/1/00)

Reel Cinema is proud to announce that peter will be at the Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) in New York, September 15-22. The IFFM is a trade show for films coming out of the renowned Independent Film Project (IFP) marketplaces. Cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York have membership offices and we here at Reel Cinema are long-standing members of IFP North in Minneapolis. We don’t know when the film will be screened, but if you’re in New York in mid-September we invite you to come on down and check out the hoopla! Bookmark this website and stay posted for more info!!

Jerome’s Razor To Begin Production! (8/1/00)

Jerome’s Razor is set to begin production on August 16th in New Mexico. Final casting and location scouting is yet to do be done, but Reel Cinema is happy to announce the film will be shot by veteran Director of Photography, David Kurtovich and will star Marcus Edward (peter), Keli Ferrier and Anthony Pearrish.

"peter" is done! (7/12/00)

After many grueling months of hard labor in foreign sweat-shops, with total disregard for human rights or the environment, Reel Cinema Entertainment is proud to present "peter"! Directed by John Swon, "peter" focuses on the relationship between a mentally-handicapped young man (Marcus Edward) and an intern (Sara Stevenson) at a state-run hospital.

Started in August of 1999, "peter" wrapped in early June thanks to the efforts of the folks down at Alpha Video in Edina, MN. Thanks, guys! The film was written by its director, John Swon, but the storyline was conceived by both Swon and the lead, Marcus Edward. Sound was recorded by Twin Cities soundman Mark Dahlen. The musical composition was the work of independent composer Andy Thompson. Reel Cinema also wishes to recognize the work of Matt Ehling and ETS Pictures in helping to complete "peter." The film is for sale on our website, just check under the ordering info link.

Let the festival(s) begin! (7/12/00)

Reel Cinema begins its first foray into the film festival circuit this month with "peter". The film has been sent to six different festivals across the country and we here at Reel Cinema have our fingers and toes crossed that "peter" makes it in. Continue to check for updates throughout the coming months, most of the festivals are in September and we’ll be finding out during August what festivals "peter" will be showing in.