(07/03/08) Holiday Choices - Enzian's got plenty of them to brighten your cultural calendar beginning this 4th of July weekend and continuing through next week. Despite our single screen status, we never stop trying to make our programming as diverse as possible. Beginning its...

(07/01/08) Timing is Everything - Years ago the Florida Film Festival set up the next ten years of Spring festival dates based on avoiding any conflicts with both Easter Sunday and the incredibly popular (and established) Winter Park Art Festival. So I got a huge...

(06/26/08) Bravo! La Scala Comes to Enzian - Founded in 1778, the Teatro alla Scala is widely considered to be one of the greatest opera houses in history. It has been home to many of the most renowned composers, conductors, and virtuoso singers of the international opera world....

(06/24/08) RESCUE ME returns (sort of) - Flippin' channels the other night and I happened to catch Dennis Leary on David Letterman. When the subject rolled around to FX's brilliant series about post-9/11 NYC firefighters, RESCUE ME, Leary mentioned that as a result of the writers' strike...

(06/23/08) George and the Seven Words - It was sad and a bit of a shock to hear of comedian George Carlin's death Sunday at the age of 71, though he did appear more frail than usual during his last HBO special and apparently had a history...

(06/20/08) "9 Years Old, 6 Parades" - Oh, shut up! Anyone else out there see that photo of the little kid holding up the sign during the Boston Celtics victory parade? How goddamn spoiled have Boston sports fans become in this decade alone? Three Patriots Super Bowls,...

(06/17/08) Classless and Clueless - Two sterling examples of sportsmanship and decency in the sports world late (and very late) Monday night--well, maybe not. In typical NY Mets fashion, they waited until 3:15 AM Eastern Time to drop the axe on manager Willie Randolph. It's...

(06/16/08) KidFest Lineup Ready to Go - It's all booked and it's all 35mm. Enzian's annual mid-summer film series, KidFest, or the program formerly known as KidFest Peanut Butter Matinees, is set to go for July 22 - 25 and we couldn't be more excited. A supplement...

(06/12/08) FFF Vets Snag Student Oscars - Still playing catch-up with the office move and all last weekend, but I was thrilled to discover that two of the most popular shorts at this year's 17th Annual Florida Film Festival were recently awarded Student Academy Awards at the...

(06/10/08) FLIPPANT FilmSlam - June's monthly celebration of local Central Florida filmmaking, FilmSlam, took place this past Sunday afternoon and featured one its most diverse programs yet. A nice turnout came out to see a whopping eight different works, including a trailer for Reilly...

(06/06/08) Farewell to The Bunker - Friday was moving day, as the satellite office for Enzian and the Florida Film Festival officially ended its 4-year run in the industrial section of Winter Park and headed north to Maitland. Affectionately called “the bunker” for its complete lack...

(06/04/08) "The Tozer Show" on NBC - Unfortunately, not for very long. Last week's season premiere (I think) of TV's "Last Comic Standing" reality/comedy competition show featured an appearance by none other than the Florida Film Festival's "Queen of Midnight," Amber Tozer. The unrepentant stand-up comedienne was...

(06/02/08) Gabba Gabba Hey! Hits Enzian - Yes, Riff Randell is back! The Ramones' number one fan, so perfectly realized by P.J.Soles (what ever happened to her after STRIPES, anyway?) in the wonderfully subversive ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL (1979), struts her stuff once again when the...

(05/29/08) Wanted: June FilmSlam Submissions - With the usual 1st of the month deadline looming this Sunday, there's still 2 more days for all of you budding Florida filmmakers out there to drop off/overnight your entries to June's FilmSlam. Enzian's next monthly program of local and...

(05/27/08) Are the Rays for Real? - Don't look now, but the Tampa Bay (formerly Devil) Rays have the best record in baseball. This is not a joke. Apparently the team banished Satan in the offseason and a whole bunch of their talented young players have started...

(05/22/08) "Land of Confusion" Makes a Deal - Congratulations to former Penn State student and Pennsylvania National Guardsman Jeremy Zerechak, who just announced a TV broadcast and DVD distribution deal with Anywhere Road Entertainment in the U.S. and Canada for his documentary, LAND OF CONFUSION. The eye-opening film,...

(05/20/08) Goodbye Mr. Draper - Lucas Draper has officially left the building! Enzian's resident big man (all 6+ feet of him) and jack of all trades over the past 3 years or so, had his final day here the end of last week. He will...

(05/16/08) Myna's "Man" at Cannes - Congratulations and best wishes to New York filmmaker Myna Joseph as she heads overseas to the Croisette. Her short film, MAN--which won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short at the recent Florida Film Festival (thus qualifying it for...

(05/14/08) One and Done - Magic Go Poof - Stick a fork in 'em--they're toast. The Orlando Magic ended their season Tuesday night with an ugly barrage of turnovers and missed free throws, losing in the second round of the playoffs in 5 games to the way-more- experienced Detroit...

(05/13/08) Slammin' on Mom's Day - This past Sunday's installment of Enzian's monthly FilmSlam had the misfortune of falling on Mother's Day, but a healthy turnout of film lovers and local filmmakers still showed up and made their Moms proud--hopefully they also took them to brunch...

(05/05/08) Cult Classics Doubles Down at Enzian - Before I head out to Northern California to meet up for a little vacation with the brothers, there's some good news to announce regarding Enzian's Cult Classics series that's been showing up the final Tuesday of every month for the...

(05/01/08) AMC Bails on Downtown O'town - Looks like downtown Orlando is going to be waiting a lot longer for the much anticipated return of movie screens in the heart of the city. According to Thursday's Orlando Sentinel Business section, AMC Theatres has opted out of its...

(04/28/08) AIRPLANE! Approaches - The spoof that launched a thousand spoofs, not to mention a brilliant second career for Leslie Nielsen as a comic actor, lands at Enzian for a rare theatrical screening (in a 35mm archival print no less!) Tuesday night at 9:30...

(04/24/08) Wesley Goes Down - Despite the best efforts of a crack defense team and 39 pages of testimonials from other show-biz types, friends, and employees, Orlando-born actor/action-star Wesley Snipes was given the maximum sentence Thursday for not filing his taxes for 3 years--an equivalent...

(04/22/08) Nick vs. Don - Yes, but has Lowe ever played a disenchanted, alcoholic Broadway composer teaching at a summer theater camp for talented teens like Dixon did in Todd Graff's 2003 musical comedy, CAMP? Check out this clever piece that appeared in Raleigh, North...

(04/17/08) Superman Raptor-Ready for Playoffs - Orlando Magic superstar big man Dwight Howard is ready to go. The 22-year-old all-star center just finished a season for the ages, yet he's an afterthought in all the sports talk discussions of the league MVP this year. All Dwight...

(04/15/08) Grand "Slam" Indeed - Looks like the recently concluded Florida Film Festival helped whet the appetite for independent cinema in Central Florida judging from the past weekend's numbers for both THE BAND'S VISIT and the April edition of FilmSlam. The gentle Israeli/Egyptian comedy had...

(04/10/08) Enzian Turns the Lights Back On - After four days of going dark to recover and clean up after the just-completed and stunningly successful 17th annual Florida Film Festival, Enzian Theater is back in business this weekend with yet another great film and some special programming. A...

(03/27/08) FFF 2008 - It's Showtime! - After 8 months of planning, lots of new faces and energy on the staff, and vast amounts of incredibly hard work, the 17th annual Florida Film Festival is finally here! The Southeast Premiere of YOUNG @ HEART preceded by the...

(03/20/08) "Have You Ever Seen So Many Gulls?" - The Florida Film Festival may be just 7 days away, but Enzian's special programming keeps hitting home runs as an appetizer. Tonight was CASABLANCA in the park, the March Popcorn Flick under the stars on a cool, crisp, beautiful evening...

(03/18/08) Rocket Men - I'm sure my posting this will be the kiss of death for the Houston Rockets' ridiculous 22-game winning streak as they face the mighty Boston Celtics tonight, but you have to give major props for what they're doing these past...

(03/13/08) FFF Preview Guide Hits on Friday - Two weeks and counting...those of you who out there who still long for the printed page even as you peruse the internet for info will be excited to hear that the 2008 Florida Film Festival Preview Guide insert in the...

(03/11/08) In Like a Lion... - Even though the gargantuan shadow of the upcoming 17th annual Florida Film Festival hovers over all Enzian activities this time of year, it's still business as usual for many of our special programs. This past Sunday afternoon the theater played...

(03/06/08) Putting the Florida in FFF - It wouldn't be the Florida Film Festival without a healthy dose of our homegrown talent and Sunshine State connections in the lineup, and this year's 17th annual edition (now a mere 3 weeks away!) is no different. No less than...

(03/04/08) No Moss, No Mas Favre - Is it really true? As a lifelong Vikings fan, I couldn't help but feel a little giddy at the big breaking news of the day as reported on ESPN's "Mike & Mike" radio show Tuesday morning--Green Bay Packers legendary QB...

(02/29/08) Lebowski Fever - Central Florida has gone crazy for THE BIG LEBOWSKI. Talk about "Held Over By Popular Demand!!" The Coen Brothers' classic 1998 comedy about bowling, mistaken identity, kidnapping, and (of course), The Dude, was originally booked to play the Tuesday night...

(02/26/08) The Weekend Awards: Enzian/FFF Alum Score - Congratulations to both Chris Eska and Cynthia Wade for their triumphs this past Saturday and Sunday nights. First Chris wins the John Cassavetes Award (for best feature made for under $500,000) at the Independent Spirit Awards, where his film, AUGUST...

(02/22/08) Purple Rain (Out) - Mother Nature reared her sometimes ugly head last night, and the special Popcorn Flick in Shady Park-screening of Alice Walker's THE COLOR PURPLE (via Steven Spielberg) was a wash out. As usual with the regular monthly free movies under the...

(02/20/08) Purple Popcorn Flick Takes Show on the Road - Actually, just down the block a little ways. For the first time ever, Enzian and the City of Winter Park's monthly outdoor movie will be in a new location this Thursday. In honor of Black History Month, the special presentation...

(02/15/08) The Jury is In! - Enzian announced today the nine industry professionals who will make up the three juries for the American Independent Competition at this year's 17th annual Florida Film Festival, now just a little over six weeks away (March 28 - April 6)....

(02/12/08) February FilmSlam Keeps on Rockin' - The monthly FilmSlam on second Sunday afternoons at Enzian is definitely back in the swing of things. This past weekend nearly 100 local film supporters came out to enjoy a diverse program of short films hand picked by Programmer/Host John...

(02/07/08) Oompa Loompas and a Golden Ticket at ArtsFest - Don't forget to join United Arts of Central Florida, Enzian Theater and the City of Winter Park on Friday night, February 8th, for the annual Popcorn Flick kickoff of ArtsFest. This yearly event launches a fundraising and awareness campaign for...

(02/05/08) A Week to Forget for Boston Fans - The complete and utter domination of the sports universe by Boston teams over all comers took a huge hit last week, much to the delight of New Yorkers everywhere. Beginning with the Orlando Magic's buzzer beater victory over the mighty...

(01/31/08) Twins Lose Game of Chicken to Big Boys - Once Twins two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana--called "the best pitcher of this century" by ESPN baseball guru Peter Gammons--turned down Minnesota's 4 year/$80 million dollar contract extension, the writing was on the wall. The Twins had to trade...

(01/28/08) Emilio + Harry Dean + Alex = Bona Fide Cult Classic - One of the films that came to define the term "Cult Classic" in the 1980s finally makes its Enzian debut Tuesday night 1/29 at 9:30 PM with the Sundance Channel Film Series screening of REPO MAN (1984). The legendary feature...

(01/24/08) Oscar Noms Abound for Enzian Vets and Newbies - Major congratulations are in store for all of the filmmakers singled out in Tuesday's 80th Annual Academy Award nominations whose work has graced Enzian's screen this year or who will be doing so in the upcoming Florida Film Festival (March...

(01/21/08) Amy, Al, Bono, and Lips - Woke up this morning to another stunning snowstorm, with about six new inches of powder on the ground. Nothing beats that early morning quiet when everything is covered with a blanket of white. And with the sun out for a...

(01/19/08) This Bus is Full - Two days into Sundance and it's already apparent that there's not enough city buses and shuttles to handle the hordes of festivalgoers and winter vacationers. Traffic anywhere around Main Street is a nightmare, and I don't recall ever seeing so...

(01/18/08) It's Friggin' Cold! - But definitely white, frozen, and beautiful as this year's Sundance Film Festival kicks off. Arriving late morning yesterday to a 15 degree slap in the face at the Salt Lake City airport, we soon found ourselves in single digits and...

(01/15/08) FFF Volunteer Deadline Extended - The Florida Film Festival takes a lot of pride in the quality and participation of hundreds of volunteers every year (we couldn't do it without them!), and I've just been informed by the powers that be that the 2008 new...

(01/11/08) The "Slam" is Back - After a one month hiatus in December to make way for the Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase (and ultimately the "Best of Brouhaha" program chosen for this year's Florida Film Festival), FilmSlam returns to Enzian this Sunday, January 13 at...

(01/09/08) Winter With "The Hours" - Yet another great reason to be a member of the Enzian Film Society: for the past three years Enzian and the Rollins College English Department have presented a "Winter With The Writers" special event in late January. These exceptional programs...

(01/04/08) Full Grown Winner - Congratulations to filmmaker David Munro and FULL GROWN MEN for winning the 2007 indieWIRE Undiscovered Gems Audience Award yesterday. The bittersweet comedy about a young man (Matt McGrath) who refuses to grow up--which was showcased in the 2007 Florida Film...

(12/31/07) Another List (in the Nick of Time) - As 2007 comes to a close, it's time for the now-obligatory 10 Best Movies of the Year listing from yours truly despite serious deficiencies in filmgoing and availability here in Central Florida. So, of the films I have seen in...

(12/28/07) It's "Taps" for 740 TheTeam - Read 'em and weep Central Florida sports fans. As previously mentioned in this forum (and surpassed perhaps by only the sheer stupidity represented by the ongoing Brighthouse Cable/FSN pissing contest causing the blackout of half of the Orlando Magic games),...

(12/26/07) Mother of the Year - Talk about great timing and chutzpah! I guess it was just one strike too many for even a money-grubbing publisher to ignore. With the recent revelations that 16-year-old teen queen and virginal Nickelodeon star Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant, mother...

(12/20/07) Who Needs a Place in Park City? - A recent e-mail blast related to Sundance housing offered up hotel rooms at the Yarrow for $399 a night--holy crap! If you think that's reasonable, have I got a bargain for you. Somewhat surprisingly, we're still looking for someone to...

(12/18/07) Turn it up to 11 - And you better show up early if you intend to get in! Tuesday night January 18 brings one of the great comedies of our generation and a bona fide cult classic to Enzian at 9:15 PM--THIS IS SPINAL TAP. This...

(12/13/07) Disappointing Developments - What a nice week for professional sports, and recent developments in Orlando are just icing on the cake. Michael Vick gets sentenced to 23 months in prison for bankrolling a dogfighting operation on his own property and executing a few...

(12/11/07) Condensed Cream of Brouhaha - The verdict is in! The 16th annual Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase--Central Florida's premier event celebrating the Sunshine State's homegrown filmmaking talent--entertained over 300 indie film supporters this past weekend and the jury has made their decisions. The nearly 6...

(12/06/07) A Brouhaha Blows Into Orlando - 16 years. 46 films. 11 FilmSlam winners. 8 schools. The 16th annual Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase takes up residence at Enzian this weekend with four different programs scheduled for Saturday, 12/8, and Sunday, 12/9 at 11:00 AM and 1:15...

(12/04/07) Twin Killing - By the time you read this, Johan Santana could be a member of the Boston Red Sox. I can't believe it's gotten to this point, but I guess it's inevitable when a superstar finds himself on a "smaller market" team...

(11/29/07) A Popcorn Flick "Miracle" in Winter Park - Weather permitting (it was a monsoon out there this evening!), Friday night November 30th brings a new holiday tradition to Central Florida: a Christmas themed Popcorn Flick in Central Park, Winter Park at 7:00 PM to coincide with other seasonal...

(11/28/07) Tick Tick Tick...Florida Final Entry Deadline Looms - Snap your fingers and it's upon us. Yes, the dreaded final entry postmark deadline for the 2008 Florida Film Festival hits this Friday, November 30. With programming decisions getting made beginning in early January, it's imperative that all submissions are...

(11/26/07) Art House Project Sundance Shorts Hit Enzian - As one of the dozen theaters nationwide that comprise the Art House Project--the group of alternative cinemas committed to building audiences for independent film at the local level that formed as part of the Sundance Institute's 25th anniversary celebration back...

(11/20/07) Zoe and Francis and "Arranged" - The 9th annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival came to a rousing conclusion on Monday night with a virtually sold-out Enzian for the Florida Premiere of Stefan Schaefer and Diane Crespo's ARRANGED. This intelligent and heartfelt romantic comedy-drama about an...

(11/16/07) It's a Mitzvah! Jewish Film Fest Hits Orlando - This Sunday and Monday, November 18 & 19, Enzian Theater and the JCC of Greater Orlando will be presenting the 9th annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival--a program of five outstanding films and certainly one of our strongest lineups yet....

(11/15/07) Big Laker Foot in Zen Master Mouth - On the first night of a back-to-back Texas road trip through San Antonio and Houston on Tuesday, Los Angeles Laker Head Coach Phil Jackson had this to say at the post-game press conference after experiencing yet another beatdown at the...

(11/13/07) Last Call for FFF Shorts - OK short film fans, the end is most definitely near. This Friday, November 16, is the honest-to-goodness final entry postmark deadline for shorts (all films 40 mins and under) for the 2008 Florida Film Festival (March 28 - April 6)....

(11/12/07) Keeping Up With The Joneses - Jones Sodas, the "gourmet" beverage company out of Seattle, is at it again. After turning our stomachs a couple of years ago with a Thankgiving Holiday soda collection consisting of (I shit you not!) Turkey and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and...

(11/08/07) Don't Forget The Slam on Veterans Day - This Sunday, November 11, at 1:00 PM marks the occasion of the final FilmSlam of 2007 at Enzian. Last month's was easily the biggest one yet, so you won't want to miss this opportunity to come out and support local...

(11/06/07) No Joy (or Hoops) in the City Beautiful - The first week of the NBA season has gone by and the majority of Central Florida has not been able to watch the Orlando Magic, our only pro sports franchise, play their first three games of the year. In a...

(11/01/07) Oy Vey! Orlando Writer Rocks "Millionaire" - Huge congratulations go out to local journalist and Heritage Florida Jewish News Assistant Editor and Movie Critic Lyn Payne for her incredible performance Thursday morning on ABC's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" A nicer, more pleasant film lover you...

(10/31/07) October FilmSlam Results Not Scary - On the contrary, this past month's installment of our local filmmakers' showcase continued the recent trend that FilmSlam rocks and is here to stay. Over 150 people attended the event (not bad for 1 PM on a Sunday afternoon!) and...

(10/30/07) Things To Do In Denver When Your (Teams Are) Dead - My older brother, Jeff, and I spent one night in Denver decades ago on a cross country moving trip from Augusta, Georgia to San Francisco. It happened to be during the theatrical run of the first ALIEN film, and we...

(10/25/07) Membership Month Gets "Demented" - October is Enzian's "Membership Month" and the days have been filled with an amazing array of terrific films and events for both regular and special programming to help shine the spotlight on the Enzian Film Society and our non-profit status....

(10/24/07) First FFF Features Deadline Hits Friday - Incredible but true. This Friday, October 26, marks the arrival of the "Early Entry" postmark deadline for features (all films over 40 minutes) for the 2008 Florida Film Festival (March 28 - April 6). If that date looks familiar, Friday...

(10/22/07) We Should All Be So Insulted - Now that the dust has settled on this Joe Torre thing and Tony LaRussa will not be the next manager of the NY Yankees (he re-upped for 2 years with the Cards today), let's take a step back and look...

(10/18/07) Brouhaha Beckons for Florida Filmmakers - Celebrating its 16th anniversary, Enzian's Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase is an annual event spotlighting the work of Florida's finest independent short filmmakers. From its humble beginnings, this event has quietly grown to become one of the premier outlets for...

(10/16/07) Ridiculous Rockies - Just how good are these guys? A mere month ago the Colorado Rockies were buried in last place in their mediocre division, barely hovering over the .500 mark. Since then they have been unstoppable, putting together one of the greatest...

(10/15/07) Cannes Winner From Mexico Makes It To O-town - Winner of 17 international film festival awards including "Un Certain Regard - Best Actor" at Cannes 2006, Francisco Vargas' EL VIOLIN finally comes to Orlando with a one-time showing on Tuesday night, 10/16, at 6:45 PM. Screening at Enzian as...

(10/12/07) Enzian's Oscar Docs Make The Cut - This past July Enzian decided to help out a couple of old friends while showing two great doc shorts as a double feature in a qualifying theatrical run for this year's Academy Awards. Well, excellent news has surfaced regarding their...

(10/11/07) First FFF Deadline Here Already!? - That's a lot of "F"s. Yes it's true film fans--the weeks are flying by and the early entry deadline for shorts for the 2008 Florida Film Festival (March 28 - April 6) is actually upon us. The first of four...

(10/09/07) When is a Dynasty Not a Dynasty? - Answer: When the team hasn't won a title in the past seven years. The Yankees are officially done, having been put out to pasture by a more talented, balanced, and overall superior Cleveland Indians club. Cleveland dominated the 4-game series...

(10/04/07) Adios Chas - Enzian bids a fond farewell and lots of good luck wishes to longtime friend and supporter Charles("Chas") Martin and his wife Heather as they leave Central Florida this week to move to the wilds of British Columbia, Canada. Chas is...

(10/03/07) Manhattan Short Film Fest Picks a Winner - The 10th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival, a rousing success at its Enzian engagement a week ago, has announced a winner for the Best Film Award after its week of screenings across three continents that concluded on Sunday night. Audiences...

(10/01/07) I Feel Your Pain - I must state right off the bat that while I root for the Mets in the National League, I probably wouldn't qualify as a true fan. Yes, I'd cheer them on in the playoffs against anyone besides the Twins or...

(09/27/07) Horn of Plenty - What a week at Enzian to come back to following two virtually successive business trips to Canada for the Toronto Film Festival and New York for the IFP Market! Seth Gordon's THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS finishes...

(09/26/07) Nifty 50 = MVP? - Tuesday night was another banner night for milestones in Major League Baseball, with one likely (AL) MVP doing his damage in a losing cause and one possible (NL) MVP bringing his team ever closer to a division title. Congratulations to...

(09/24/07) Wednesday is Shorts Night! - One World, One Week, One Festival--You Be the Judge! And judge we shall this Wednesday at 6:30 PM as Enzian joins over 100 cinemas across Europe, North, South and Central America in screening an outstanding international collection of shorts under...

(09/21/07) Porked at the Market - In all my years living in the city during the 1980's, and all my visits back to NYC and IFFM/IFP Market business trips, I saw something on Thursday morning that was an absolute first. Heading down to the Angelika Theaters...

(09/19/07) To Market We Will Go - It's always such an odd transition to go almost immediately from the Toronto Film Festival to the IFP Market in NYC. After watching two dozen films in less than a week's time--many of them with distribution, most of them quite...

(09/16/07) Toronto--Wrap It Up, Pt. 1 - Heading up to New York for the IFP Market after a brief pit stop back home to kiss the girlfriend, hug the kids, and get some laundry done, here's some more quick takes on films from my Toronto Film Fest...

(09/13/07) Brand Upon the Aisle Seat - Much to my delight (and surprise) after the older plane that I took north, my return flight to Florida on Wednesday night featured one of those spiffy newer models with the multi-media touch screens. I was particularly amused by the...

(09/11/07) The Good, The Very Good, & The Mediocre - More short takes on Toronto viewings: Eran Kolirin's THE BAND'S VISIT (4-stars) is a surprisingly apolitical comic fable about what happens when a small Egyptian police orchestra accidentally gets stranded in a remote Israeli town. Focusing entirely on the relationships...

(09/11/07) Tuesday Should Rock! - While Monday was a bit of letdown film-wise for myself and many others, the evening social activities were a blast and Tuesday's lineup promises to be the real deal. The tropics were out in full swing, first with a nice...

(09/09/07) Frank, Guy, and Manuela - I found it odd that there was no official 2007 Toronto Film Festival trailer to make fun of this year (come on--what festival trailer have you ever not gotten sick of after so many viewings?) Then a staff member told...

(09/09/07) Pilsner Urquell and a Randy Old Man - The Bata Shoe Museum was the site for the Czech Film party on Friday night, and one of those happy accidents resulted from my attending. Industry vet and former Florida Film Festival juror TC Rice is up here doing publicity...

(09/08/07) Searching for Seltzer - While groceries and convenience stores in my Toronto neighborhood all seem to stock club soda, Pellegrino, and Perrier, I have been unsuccessful in finding regular old, simple, bubbly carbonated water. One storekeeper pointed me toward the Alka Seltzer on the...

(09/06/07) Toronto is Hot! (no, literally...) - A 4:15 AM alarm in early September or mid-January usually means one thing and one thing only--it's festival time again and I'm heading north to Canada or west to Utah. North it is, and it appears I brought the heat...

(09/04/07) Manhattan Short Film Fest Heading to O'town - One World, One Week, One Festival--You Be the Judge! And judge we shall on September 26 at 6:30 PM as Enzian joins over 100 cinemas across Europe, North, South and Central America in screening an outstanding international collection of shorts...

(08/31/07) Don't Forget the Duke - Howdy pardner! John Wayne returns to downtown Winter Park for the first time in five years with the September 13th Popcorn Flick, RIO GRANDE (1950). Programmed in conjunction with the "Placing Memory, Exploring Context: Winter Park's Colony Theater" exhibition curated...

(08/28/07) Moose Droppings - Is Mike Mussina done? The NY Yankees starting pitcher and one of the stars of Patrick Creadon's terrific crossword puzzle doc, WORDPLAY, got rocked on Monday night as the Bronx Bombers suffered their worst shutout road loss ever to the...

(08/27/07) Slammin' into September - FilmSlam is hot! Held the second Sunday of every month at 1:00 PM since the beginning of the year, this program not only will provide the upcoming 16th annual Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase with eleven first place audience award...

(08/24/07) Give tobacco to my animals. - In honor of all the buzz surrounding I'M NOT THERE, I'm posting one of my favorite moments from Scorsese's 2005 Dylan doc, NO DIRECTION HOME. (I'm not sure, but I suspect it might be footage shot by DA Pennebaker.) I...

(08/23/07) We could paint that! - Went to a screening of MY KID COULD PAINT THAT today. It's quite an intriguing look into modern art and what qualifies something as art. Inspired by the film, I challenged my coworkers to create their own masterpieces in Photoshop....

(08/23/07) Kamp Katrina in NYC - If you missed Kamp Katrina during the Florida Film Festival (or if you saw it and want to see it again) AND you are in New York City in the next week, be sure to check it out. Kamp Katrina...

(08/22/07) ON THE LOT Limps Home - Since Gabe and I may have been the only ones in the country to even care (besides the filmmakers and their families of course), it's time to put this disaster of a reality show to bed for good. Despite the...

(08/22/07) Late Night Fireworks - For those of you on the East Coast who go to bed at a reasonable hour and don't wait up for late baseball finals, Wednesday morning ESPN brought highlights of some historic doings in the LA Angels 18-9 (!) thrashing...

(08/22/07) WTF Frodo? - One of three things is going on: - Elijah Wood has a great sense of humor. (Marry me.) - Elijah Wood owed someone bigtime. - Elijah Wood needs a new movie role. Badly. xoxo (Call me, Elijah.) Betsy...

(08/21/07) Audio Doubletake - Overheard during the broadcast of the Vikings/Jets NFL preseason game this past weekend (in reference to a botched, low snap from Center to QB in the shotgun formation that led to a defensive TD): Troy Aikman: "Hard to get it...

(08/21/07) I May or May Not Be There. - Well, the official I'M NOT THERE trailer is out. Truth is, I've been a little on edge about this film since hearing about it in early 2006. My nervousness wasn't assuaged when the producer, Christine Vachon, talked about the...

(08/16/07) While I Was Away... - So in the week I was out of the office playing daddy-shuttle for the kids and their various cross-country training/rock-climbing camp/junk movie activities, I did manage to have a bit of fun while absurdities abounded. My week was bookended by...

(08/15/07) Holy Cow! Scooter Has Left the Building - Sad news from the world of baseball on Tuesday--NY Yankees mainstay Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, the oldest living member of the Hall of Fame, passed away in his sleep after a lengthy illness at the age of 89. Growing up in...

(08/10/07) 2008 Florida Film Festival Call For Entries - Now approaching its seventeenth exciting year, the Florida Film Festival seeks film submissions from filmmakers worldwide. The Festival, which will take place March 28 through April 6, 2008, is an annual event dedicated to showcasing the best American Independent and...

(08/09/07) Chocolate Rain > Purple Rain. - I know the "Chocolate Rain" joke is getting old, but Annalyn and I can't get enough of John Mayer's version. . . -- Betsy...

(08/08/07) Oh No Guillermo Didn't. - Hint: Watching the first two Bourne movies before seeing THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM is probably a good idea. Though, based on experience, I suspect it isn't entirely necessary. If you haven't seen this video, well, then you must not spend as...

(08/03/07) Hold the Butter - Summer may be winding down, but Enzian's series of outdoor films in downtown Winter Park, otherwise known as "Popcorn Flicks," continues to rock'n' roll. I'll be on vacation hanging out with the kids for the week of August 6 -...

(07/30/07) Enzian's Looking For a Leader - Following some recent staff changes, Enzian Theater—Orlando’s only full-time, non-profit art house since 1985—is in the market for an Executive Director. Not only does the theater present the best in independent, foreign, and alternative cinema on a year-round basis in...

(07/27/07) Shocker! Local Politicos Do Good! - Yes, in a stunning display of forward thinking, our own Orange County Commission actually approved a $1.1 billion plan Thursday night for a new arena, performing arts center, and major renovations to the existing Citrus Bowl. Through the efforts of...

(07/25/07) FILMMAKER's New Faces - Still playing catch-up after a few days spent out of touch in the wilds of Northern California and Oregon, and finally read the always-anticipated "25 New Faces of Independent Film" feature in the summer issue of FILMMAKER magazine. While the...

(07/23/07) Keaton, Katsaros & KidFest - Exciting stuff is happening this week for Enzian's summer junior filmmaking camp and film series we affectionately call KIDFEST. If you're in driving distance of the Orlando area, you don't want to miss the Tuesday, 7/24, Buster Keaton program at...

(07/17/07) You can't stop the beat. Seriously. Don't even try. - Jake and I can't be the only people who want to live in the movie HAIRSPRAY. Since attending a preview screening last week, we've been mildly obsessed. Just wait until this one makes its way to the dollar theater....

(07/17/07) KidFest! - With the end of summer fast approaching, there is one event that everyone is talking about. KidFest. What's that, you say? KidFest. During the last week of July, Enzian Theater produces a summer program in which students, grade 4th...

(07/12/07) Big Laughs on Deck for Enzian - A cool breeze of uproarious comedy is coming to Enzian soon to give some relief to this sweltering summer heat. The Sundance Channel/Cult Classics Film Series, held on the final Tuesday of every month, proudly presents two of the best...

(07/10/07) Slammin' Heat in July - As the heat index in Central Florida climbs over the century mark and the supermarket parking lot blacktop actually feels impressionable to the step, local film lovers once again flocked to the AC-cooled environs of the monthly FilmSlam at Enzian....

(07/05/07) With Apologies to Sports Illustrated... - But this week's "Sign of the Apocalypse" crossed my TV screen in the early afternoon prior to my July 4 barbeque activities. You may think I'm referring to ESPN's incredibly tongue-in-cheek coverage (complete with mock gravitas) of the 91st Nathan's...

(07/03/07) The "Revolution" Will Be Televised - Congratulations to Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno! The poster/brochure with POV's 20th anniversary lineup finally made its way to my mailbox, and one week from tonight (July 10) PBS will air her film, REVOLUTION '67. This substantial and illuminating documentary, which had its...

(07/02/07) Orlando Strikes Again - Mitch Easter is a legendary cult figure in the world of pop music. Since the late 1970's, his Drive-In Studio in (Winston Salem) North Carolina, production genius, and sense of melody and hooks when it comes to guitar-based rock 'n...

(06/29/07) Kobe, KG Stay -- Gators Go - The Florida Gators made history again during last night's NBA Draft. With the "Big 3" (Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah) all taken within the first nine picks of the draft, the two-time NCAA college hoops champion Gators set...

(06/26/07) Doc Duo in Oscar-Qualifying Run - Last fall Enzian was thrilled to present two excellent documentary features, Ronit Avni and Julia Bacha's ENCOUNTER POINT and The Sibs' FREEDOM'S FURY, as part of their requirement for Academy Award eligibility. I'm excited to say that on Saturday, July...

(06/22/07) Happy Trails, Shan - Enzian bids a loving farewell today to our longtime Director of Marketing and Development, Ms. Shannon Lacek. Having started out as my Filmmaker Liaison seven (!) Florida Film Festivals ago, Shan quickly demonstrated the smarts, organizational skills, and passion for...

(06/21/07) Encores - Those of you out there who are familiar with the way I do things as Programming Director for both Enzian and the Florida Film Festival are probably aware that I don't like to repeat myself. Whether it's selecting jurors for...

(06/19/07) Kobe vs. Billy - So it seems Kobe Bryant has himself a case of the "Billy Donovans." After demanding a trade from the Lakers weeks ago in frustration over the team's early exit from the playoffs, he met with Coach (Zenmaster) Phil Jackson and...

(06/14/07) Summer Slam - FilmSlam reached the half way point for 2007 last Sunday with its best attended program yet. This monthly exhibition of local filmmakers' work has settled in comfortably in its new home at Enzian at 1 PM on the second Sunday...

(06/12/07) Three's a Charm? - I don't believe I was having auditory hallucinations recently when I overheard a TV ad for OCEAN'S THIRTEEN hyping it as "the best three-quel of the summer!" First of all, that term should be offensive to any intelligent movie-goer. The...

(06/07/07) Paris vs. Billy - Q: Which pathetic situation lasted longer, Paris Hilton's stay in jail or Billy Donovan's term as the 9th Head Coach of the Orlando Magic? A: If you guessed Billy the Kid(der), the flip-flopper, the liar, then you are correct! It...

(06/05/07) Cursed! - Once again the "Curse of the Shaquino" has reared its ugly head. Ever since the Orlando Magic let Shaq leave town 11 years ago, it's been one disaster after another, and the current Billy Donovan situation is just icing on...

(06/04/07) "On The Lot" Done? - Gee, I knew it was bad, but did Fox actually pull this trainwreck of a reality series after just two weeks? The "Film Premiere" nights are supposed to be on Monday, with the results show on Tuesday. And even though...

(06/01/07) Tinky Winky Still Gay! - Poor Tinky Winky! While fellow Teletubbies Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po go about their merry business unmolested, the tall purple one with the triangle on his head and magic bag in his grip apparently still invites controversy over his sexuality--even a...

(05/30/07) Holy Coincidence Batman! - After more than five years of Popcorn Flicks--the monthly series of free outdoor movies produced by Enzian and the City of Winter Park--we finally got around to screening BATMAN: THE MOVIE (the 1966 camp classic) in May. And what do...

(05/25/07) Slammin' in May - With the end of the month quickly approaching and June right around the corner from the holiday weekend, I figured it was about time to finally post the results from the most recent FilmSlam (# 5 if you're counting). The...

(05/23/07) Poetic Justice - Ha! See, the way the NBA draft lottery works is that all of the teams that miss the playoffs find out what order they will be picking in for the upcoming draft of prospects out of college and overseas. The...

(05/21/07) "Heidi Bowl" Redux - Way to go NBC! Nothing like cutting away from an NHL Conference Final playoff game as it heads into overtime to go to a horse race. While it's admirable you're the only major network still televising the sport, who's the...

(05/17/07) Beat on the BRATS - This Sunday, May 20 at 12:30 PM, Enzian hosts a special "Meet the Filmmaker" event featuring BRATS: OUR JOURNEY HOME, the first documentary about growing up military. Following the screening, Director Donna Musil, Co-Producer Tim Wurtz, and interviewee Margot Knight...

(05/16/07) Congratulations Christy! - Over the years, we have had many film students as interns here at Enzian and the Florida Film Festival. We are always proud of their achievements, but we wanted to send a special congratulations to Christy Rubenstein, our marketing intern/Festival...

(05/15/07) To (ML) B or Not to (ML) B? - History is being made tonight in Orlando and I'm having a hard time getting excited about it. For the first time ever, the area is hosting a regular season Major League Baseball game when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays open...

(05/11/07) Nice Work If You Can Get It - For those of you who've been out of the country or just out of touch with goings-on in the world of Major League Baseball, the best pitcher of my generation and one of the greatest of all time--Roger "the Rocket"...

(05/08/07) Summer Popcorn Flicks Ready to Go - Now in its sixth year of free movies and free popcorn under the stars, Enzian Theater and the City of Winter Park's monthly Popcorn Flicks series kicks it into high entertainment gear this Thursday with the first of what promises...

(05/04/07) Warriors...Come out and Play - This is why I think all those people who dismiss the NBA and can only talk about the virtues of college ball are full of crap. Did you happen to catch any of the Golden State/Dallas series? In perhaps the...

(05/03/07) Mom's Day Special - On Sunday, May 13 at 3:45 PM, Enzian will be one of approximately 100 theaters nationwide (and the only one in Central Florida) to host an extra special, Mother's Day matinee screening of WAITRESS. An unqualified hit at this year's...

(05/01/07) FFF 2007 Alums Score - Congratulations are in order for a number of filmmakers whose work graced this year's Florida Film Festival a little over a month ago. This past weekend, Arturo Cabanas' MAN UP (which first stunned me in the video library at the...

(04/26/07) Rising From the Ashes - Usually when old cinema complexes close in Central Florida, they stay closed. This has happened with a lot of the General Cinema screens, the Altamonte 8, AMC Fashion Village, and others. So when the Muvico Pointe Orlando 21 suddenly shut...

(04/24/07) ...Just for One Day - Eagle-eyed Enzian Director of Marketing and Development, Shannon Lacek, was giddy for Diddy today as she quizzed me on whether or not I caught a particular supporting turn from one of our favorite Florida Film Festival characters on Monday's new...

(04/23/07) Lost Weekend in Beantown - It was a painful thing to watch if you were a Yankee fan (or a Twins fan who roots for NY also). Going into the weekend with such high hopes, the first 3 of 18 games in the best rivalry...

(04/19/07) An Epic Returns - This Sunday, April 22 at 12:30 PM, Enzian Theater and the Bach Festival Society present a rare 35mm showing of a true masterpiece of Russian cinema--Sergei Eisenstein's ALEXANDER NEVSKY (1938). The POTEMKIN director's first sound film, NEVSKY is a grand...

(04/17/07) Looks like we made it! - Yes, in the immortal words of Barry Manilow, the Orlando Magic (this burg's only pro sports franchise need I remind you) will finally return to the playoffs for the first time in four years. Granted, it took a monumental freefall...

(04/13/07) Slammin' in April - Despite being dark for four days immediately following the completion of another banner year for the Florida Film Festival, once Friday hits it's business as usual. That would include the exclusive Orlando engagement of the amazing Korean creature-feature, THE HOST...

(04/10/07) Meet the Robinsons...and Chip 'n' Dale! - Headed out to the multiplex recently with my family to catch the latest Disney Digital 3-D offering, MEET THE ROBINSONS, and was surprised by a couple of things. First the bad: AMC is charging an extra $2 to see the...

(04/06/07) Orange. Blue. - I would be remiss in my duties as a long-time Gator fan and Florida resident with family in Gainesville if I failed to at least throw a shout-out to the University of Florida men's basketball team for their incredible achievement...

(04/04/07) And the award goes to... - Back from the depths of festival insanity and finally coming up for air. Thanks to all those filmmakers, moviegoers, special guests, jurors, panelists, industry types and cinema lovers who helped make our 16th edition the best, most fun, and most...

(03/22/07) Here We Go Now - Judy Greer and Jake Kasdan's THE TV SET. Peter Bogdanovich and an archival print of PAPER MOON. Chazz Palminteri coming in for the Full Sail panel. Samm (Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared) Levine and LIFE IS SHORT. The writers of FACE/OFF...

(03/21/07) Midnight Shorts Galore! - This is Michael Ferraro, the Programming Coordinator for the 2007 Florida Film Festival, informing you of just a sample of short films playing in our awesomely deranged Midnight Shorts program. Carles Torrens' Coming to Town plays out like Bad Santa...

(03/16/07) Hell Freezes Over--Again! - One week out from the launch of the 16th annual Florida Film Festival and I'm trying to grab my fleeting moments of amusement where I can. Though I didn't catch either game, you know it's a landmark day when both...

(03/13/07) International Encore - While I could be writing about how pathetic and embarrassing and truly awful our local pro basketball franchise has become after such a promising beginning to the year, I've decided instead to dwell on more positive developments on the entertainment...

(03/08/07) The Jury is In - I'm never quite sure why it takes so long to get my three Florida Film Festival juries locked down and confirmed. After all, we fly people down to Central Florida during the most gorgeous time of the year (late March)...

(03/06/07) Way to Go Vinnie! - Nice to see a superstar give back to his community, especially after the devastating events of a few weeks ago just an hour or so outside of Orlando. In fact, one of those tornadoes actually touched down in Seminole County...

(03/01/07) Head of the Class - In my 16 years of working on the Florida Film Festival--the first five as Selection Committee member and the last eleven as Programming Director--I have never seen such a dominant showing of formidable talent from one film school as we...

(02/27/07) F's Gone Wild - Falafel, farm life, and the Florida Film Festival. Heartfelt congratulations go out to FFF veterans Ari Sandel and Ali Selim for their award-winning ways this past weekend. Ari's hilarious WEST BANK STORY, a musical comedy about dueling falafel stands and...

(02/23/07) Oscar Facts We Didn't Know - Today's Orlando Sentinel Calendar section has some clever (as usual) commentary from the writer known only as "Commander Coconut," especially in regard to Academy Award trivia. With the Oscars bearing down on us two nights from now, I thought it...

(02/20/07) The King is Dead - Those of you out there from my generation who grew up in the sixties may know who I'm talking about, but not many others would. We're not talking Elvis here, but rather a gentleman by the name of Eddie Feigner...

(02/14/07) George Hamilton Says I'm Easy - Not a phrase one would be inclined to hear in general conversation, but these actual words came out of the mouth of my girlfriend, Jackie. It seems the tan one with the mole was the focal point of a bizarre...

(02/09/07) Anna Nicole - So what exactly was she? Model? Actress? Reality star? Sex bomb? Gold digger? Obviously a trainwreck, but have you ever seen a woman go from so incredibly hot to unbelievably grotesque (and back!) in such a short time. Sometimes you'd...

(02/06/07) Coin Flips and Kick-Offs - Some final thoughts and odd stats on the Colts long-awaited Super Bowl championship. Peyton Manning becomes the first QB ever to win a Super Bowl after throwing twice as many interceptions as touchdowns (7-to-3) in the postseason. Even with superstar...

(02/02/07) Black and White - For those with a sweet tooth, I'm not talking cookies or milk shakes. No, it's an encore appearance of our wet and furry penguin friends this weekend at Enzian. In conjunction with United Arts' ArtsFest celebration, and the Orlando Sentinel's...

(01/30/07) Noballs - Not really a reference to the state of the films on display in Park City, but rather a comment on the frigid weather we had for the majority of the week we were out there. The temperature never seemed to...

(01/25/07) Who Put the Bomp in the Bomp Shooby-Dooby Bomp? - Who put the wham in the whamma-lamma ding-dong? You did! If those lyrics sound familiar, you're either a fan of the sensational Chuck Prophet or paid attention during the end credits of Sundance cult favorite, TEETH (where it worked extremely...

(01/24/07) Park City's Finest - Just got back from Park City Monday night. It is beyond freezing there. In the negative digits overnight and not out of the singles during the day...okay it maybe got in the high 20's. Not friendly to my FL blood....

(01/21/07) Headstones and Handprints - So it turns out we have both a graveyard behind our condo (a little weird for a view from a breakfast nook) and a mirror in our living room which has a child's handprints all over it when seen at...

(01/18/07) It's Incredibly Cold! - Usually the transition from January weather in Orlando to Sundance weather in Park City is no big deal. But considering it was shorts and T-shirt weather the last few days in Central Florida, the single digits we've encountered on Day...

(01/15/07) Welcome Back - Congratulations to all the filmmakers, Enzian staff, and FilmSlam Producers John Thiesen and Brian Feldman for a successful return to the Central Florida cinema landscape on Sunday afternoon. The encouraging attendance (the crowd would have filled the old DMAC) and...

(01/11/07) Slammin' - This Sunday, January 14, at 1:00 PM marks the Enzian debut of FilmSlam, originally a project of UCF's Downtown Media Arts Center. Of course when DMAC closed last Summer, the FilmSlam went with it, and the monthly screenings of local...

(01/10/07) Layoff Schmayoff - I don't want to hear it. There are no excuses for the beat-down that Florida put on Ohio State last night other than the fact that they were vastly superior in all phases of the game on January 8, 2007....

(01/02/07) Storybook - What a great way to start the new sports year! Beginning final selections this week for the Florida Film Festival has not allowed for much non-submission TV watching, but boy was I thankful Tuesday morning was my assigned time to...

(12/28/06) Memories of The Godfather - Of Soul that is. The passing on Christmas day of James Brown brought to mind two 1970's experiences with "the hardest working man in show business" that I'm sure I'll carry with me forever. The first was actually a movie-going...

(12/26/06) More Stocking Stuffers - Though the exclusive Orlando engagement of THE HISTORY BOYS remains the main present under Enzian's tree this holiday season (and a good thing too, for those of us who never made it to the play on Broadway), the week between...

(12/21/06) The 2006 indieWIRE Blog Poll - While it's always nice getting your voice heard, apologies must go out to all of the fine indies and the handful of exceptional studio releases that I've been unable to get to thus far this year. With Florida Film Festival...

(12/19/06) Grapple in the Apple - I can't believe I'm writing this, but I actually agree with what NY Knick coach Isiah Thomas did on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks were getting blown out by the Denver Nuggets with a minute and a...

(12/15/06) Black (and Blue) Magic - So I'm listening to Sports Talk Radio last week and some so-called expert is going on about the Orlando Magic, the City Beautiful's lone pro sports team (forget Arena Football) that had gotten off to a terrific start this year....

(12/14/06) Good on you - Matthew Curtis is a genius. I always tease him about watching credits on Festival submissions and saying, Hey! That key grip was a PA on that short I saw at Sundance five years ago called (insert random film name here)...

(12/12/06) You Know You're Getting Old When... - Prince, the 48-year-old, diminutive purple one himself, is hired to be the halftime entertainment at this year's Super Bowl. After the infamous Janet wardrobe malfunction freak-out three years ago, when millions of viewers got a glimpse of her boob (and...

(12/08/06) So Much So Fast - I found out this morning that Stephen Haywood, one of the subjects of the 2006 FFF documentary So Much So Fast, passed away on November 26 after a long battle with Lou Gherig's disease. From the West City Films site:...

(12/07/06) Still Slammin' - Just because Brouhaha has come and gone does not mean that Florida student and indie shorts have to wait until March to get back on screen at Enzian--in case you missed it, the theater recently announced the rebirth of FilmSlam....

(12/05/06) Best of Brouhaha Emerges for FFF - This past weekend Enzian played host to 32 short films, a couple of hundred spectators, and a dozen filmmakers at the 15th annual Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase. The two programs of Florida films were judged by a local industry...

(11/30/06) What's all that racket? - Why it's Brouhaha of course! Enzian's annual two-day event of films produced in Florida by Florida residents only, the Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase was conceived 15 years ago by future BLAIR WITCH PROJECT producer Gregg Hale. This weekend (Dec....

(11/29/06) DreamWorks Animators Heading to O-town - Animation is always a big deal at the Florida Film Festival, and this year we're adding something special. In addition to the usual Animated Shorts program in the American Independent Competition, the International Animated Shorts program, and the "extreme" titles...

(11/27/06) The End is Near...FFF Features Deadline Looms - No doubt that many of you out there are anxiously awaiting to hear your fate from a certain prominent festival out West somewhere. We certainly want to wish you the best of luck, but also remind you that there are...

(11/22/06) Screenwriters Coming to FFF - The first of a number of informative and entertaining panels for this year's 16th annual Florida Film Festival (March 23 - April 1) has been set, and we couldn't be more excited. Thursday, March 29, Enzian will be hosting an...

(11/17/06) Can I get a knish with that? - This weekend (well, Sunday and Monday anyway) come celebrate the 8th annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival at Enzian Theater. A joint production of Enzian and the JCC of Greater Orlando, this year's nicely balanced line-up includes both a doc...

(11/15/06) FFF Shorts Deadline Beckons - That's right! Another one of those oh-so-final postmark deadlines approaches this Friday, November 17, for all films 40 minutes or less that want to be considered for this year's 16th annual Florida Film Festival (March 23 - April 1). If...

(11/13/06) "Encounter" with Oscar? - This past weekend saw the first of two Oscar-qualifying engagements for Documentary Features that will take place at Enzian in the next three weeks. To fulfill the Motion Picture Academy's list of requirements necessary to be in consideration for an...

(11/08/06) Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead! - Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson cruised to re-election Tuesday, handing GOP rival Katherine Harris a beating that could drive her from the statewide stage into political obscurity. How beautiful are those words from the front page of Wednesday's Orlando Sentinel? Harris...

(11/06/06) Our Hearts go out to Gatorland - Orlando really is a small town...today our hearts go out to dear friend of the Festival Heather Rybka and her family, proprietors of Gatorland. This morning a fire broke out at the Orlando institution and destroyed their administrative offices, gift...

(11/03/06) There's No Business Like... - Congratulations to director Dori Berinstein and her wonderful doc on the Broadway 2003-04 season, SHOWBUSINESS: A SEASON TO REMEMBER. The film, an unflinching and intimate look at the creation and launch of four high-profile musicals--Wicked; Avenue Q; Taboo; and Caroline,...

(11/01/06) Ready for Tip-Off - Roundball excitement (or at least more than usual interest) is in the air as the Orlando Magic open their 2006-07 NBA season tonight. This may not be a big deal to a lot of you out there, but you have...

(10/30/06) It's Alive! - The Sundance Institute's 25th anniversary celebration continues at Enzian Halloween night with the special "Art House Project" presentation of Bill Condon's GODS AND MONSTERS (1998) at 9:30 PM. Based on Christopher Bram's novel, Father of Frankenstein, this spellbinding work features...

(10/26/06) Deadlines a-Go-Go - From the shameless plug and friendly reminder department...Two of Enzian's most venerable and longstanding special events have important deadlines today: the 16th annual Florida Film Festival and the 15th annual Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase. The Film Festival, which takes...

(10/24/06) Gills and Gangsters - Wednesday, October 25 at 7:00 PM in Centennial Park marks another installment of the Cinema in the Park series--Sanford, Florida's own monthly version of Winter Park's "Popcorn Flicks" (north). After a record-breaking heat wave this past weekend (what global warming?),...

(10/20/06) Once a Yankee... - Willie, Willie what were you thinking? All year long you've made shrewd moves, blowing away the rest of the National League with a limited starting rotation but great hitting and a terrific bullpen. The St. Louis Cardinals, a team that...

(10/18/06) What the Wesley? - What the hell happened to Wesley Snipes? The Orlando-born actor--who grew up in the Bronx but returned to Central Florida to graduate from Jones High School and later live in the ritzy Isleworth neighborhood (alongside the l