Serenity & Empire

Last Saturday I attended the annual Can't Stop the Serenity charity event in Portland. This event was started in 2006 right here in Portland and has caught on worldwide. I didn't hear about it or start attending until 2007, but I've been every year since. It's really fun and is for a great cause.

Unfortunately I didn't take my camera this year so I don't have any pictures of the fun costumes people wore. But this year a reaver actually showed up. He looked great and was creeping people out. Last year we had a couple Blue Hand Men. They also stayed in character the entire time, intimidating everyone around them.

The screening was at Cinema 21. It's an old theater that has been restored. Comfortable seats. Not so great sound system though. Either that or the audio on these film prints of Serenity is just deteriorating more rapidly than the image.

Then on Thursday a friend at work told me that KUFO was having a charity screening of Empire Strikes Back on Friday. I haven't seen Empire on the big screen since it's first theatrical release in 1980. It was so long ago that I don't even remember going, but I must have because I knew all about it before I saw it on TV and video years later. I missed it in theaters for it's special edition release in 1997 (I think I was so disappointed with the special edition changes in Star Wars that I didn't even want to bother with Empire). So this was going to be a special treat for me and I had to go.

Also, the 501st Legion was attending. Nothing could stop me from going!

And this time I took my camera!



The movie was starting at 11pm. Doors opening at 9pm. I was expecting a long line so I got there at 6:30. Nobody there. I was the first one. Unfortunately I didn't want to stand around and I wasn't really sure where the line was even going to form, so I checked out the local shops for an hour. When I returned at 7:30 there were about 20 people in line. So, not first, but a great place in line.



The screening was at the Bagdad theater. A very cool theater that I now want to go back to more frequently. Like the other McMenamin theaters in Portland they serve food during the movie. Tasty food too from the looks of it (I was saving my money and didn't make an order).



Everyone who was in costume at this event was a member of the 501st Legion.



They walked up and down the line interacting with the guests.





Posing for photos.





Hamming it up.







And making every fan-boy (and girl) jealous that we don't have a costume as cool as theirs.











Before the movie started Cort and Fat Boy (who is actually very fit...I don't know why he goes by that name) got up on stage followed by those of the 501st Legion in attendance to welcome everybody and say a few words. According to Fat Boy, they were actually able to secure a print of Empire from Lucas Film because of the 501st. KUFO has midnight screenings of movies about once a month and have been wanting to show Empire for while. But Lucas Film wasn't going to play ball. So they decided to do it for charity, but even that wasn't breaking the ice. But as soon as they got the 501st to attend Lucas Film gave them the print. It's cool that they have that kind of influence.



After everyone came down off the stage they played a few fan-made movies that were absolutely hilarious. I don't know all of what they played but some were:

RVD2: Ryan vs Dorkman 2
Troops
Darth Vader Bing An A-hole

And a couple others I don't know the names so I can't find them online.

The theater was packed. Some were rabid fans, others mild fans, and a few who were dragged there by their boyfriend/husband. But everyone had a great time. Lots of yelling things at the screen, cheering, and shouting out lines. Perfectly acceptable behavior at a screening like this. And it was awesome to see it again (or really the first memorable time) on the big screen.

Thanks KUFO and 501st! You rock!

Halloween 2008

This Halloween I had a great idea for a costume, and it took a considerable amount of work. This year I discovered the awesomeness of Iron Man. And as soon as I read this Instructable on how to make your own Iron Man arc reactor, I just knew this was a project I had to take on. More pictures on that below. First, the kids... (As usual, click any picture to see a larger version.)

David was a headless man this year. He rigged up a very clever skeleton system to hold the shirt up and to simulate shoulders. It was working great for most of the night, but by the end he was complaining that it was hurting him, but toughed it until we were all done.



Rachel and Machika, the Japanese student staying with us this week, dressed up as Mulan and an American Indian. This was Machika's first time going trick-or-treating and she had the best time. I think she liked it more than any of the other kids there.



Adam was a ghost. He wore the costume to school yesterday, but then he wanted to be a vampire today. After we figured out how we were going to put a vampire costume together at the last minute, he changed his mind and decided to go back to being a ghost. Not sure what changed his mind, but we're glad he decided to go with his first choice.



Tammie was a witch and got to stay home to pass out the candy. We don't get too many trick-or-treaters. Our street just seems to be out of the way. And in the past few years we've always had way too much left over. This year though we bought less, and had just a few more trick-or-treaters and we actually gave it all away.



I usually don't even bother to put together a costume. But, as I mentioned above, I got bit by the Iron Man bug. So I had to do this just for the geek factor. And there was no way I could stay home. I had to get out and let my light shine. So I made the rounds with the kids to all the neighborhoods. I even had my own headlight.



Some assembly required.

Halloween 2007

The kids had a fun Halloween and scored lots of loot. Tammie made the kids' costumes this year.

Adam wanted to be a bat.



Do not call him "Batman." He'll get mad at you.

Rachel was an Indian Princess.



You can't see them in that picture but we made her moccasins too. She got some good use out of the costume this year. She went to (as far as I can recall) 5 costume/trick-or-treat parties!

David was a werewolf.



It's a fur wolf costume with some shredded clothing, hair glued to his face and hands, and fangs. Adam thought it was the coolest costume ever.

I handed out candy at home while everyone else went trick-or-treating. As usual, we only had about 10 kids show up. So we have way too much left-over candy. It's kind of disappointing having so few kids come to the door each year. Our neighbor does some pretty cool decorations, but he's starting to get burned out since not enough people show up to make it all worthwhile. I'm not sure if the low numbers are a symptom of the times or if our neighborhood is just too tucked away and doesn't attract many people.