This is the "Double Check" list.

It's a list of 6 films which you have most likely seen, but "double check" because if you haven't then definitely rent them.

Suggestions for the next "Double Check" are welcome.

1. When We Were Kings / 1996 / Documentary

2. Hedwig and the Angry Inch / 2001/ Musical

3. Amores Perros / 2000/ Foreign Drama

4. Welcome to the Dollhouse / 1996 / Comedy

5. The Manachurian Candidate / 1962 / Classic Drama

6. Triplets of Belleville / 2003 / French Animation

The Reel Roundtable has a monthly screenplay reading series, Stage One.

Stage One is a collection of scripts which were submitted to the Reel Roundtable and selected by the Roundtable's Selection Committee.

The actors are cast by various well-know casting directors and from headshots which were submitted to the Reel Roundtable.

The Reel Roundtable does one to two readings a month. The writerssubmit for different reasons, whether to hear their script read aloud, to have their screenplay produced and/ or to attain a manager.
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Here is the information of our first reading of this season:

It's on Monday, November 8th at 7:30pm

At the June Havoc Theater on 312 West 36th Street.

We will be reading Public Lives by Thomas Moore.

The screenplay is about Love and its' contradictions. Sometimes, the couple who lies is the one who stays together. Sometimes, the couple who faces the truth
is the one who breaks up.

Public Lives is a Semifinalist at American Accolades 2004, awarded a CineStory
Screenwriter’s Retreat Award and was a Quarterfinalist at New Century Writer’s Awards.

We have four separate series in New York City and we are screening films in other select cities.

The Reel Roundtable's Weekly Film Series takes place every Monday night.

Screening an independent film, participating in a discussion with a special guest
and afterwards, enjoy the company of the film community. All are invited to attend.

The Reel Roundtable put a call out for 'political film' submissions in July and the films which were submitted exceeded all expectations!

We will be screening each of the films submitted in October and on the eve of Election Day, November 1st.

The filmmakers and other special guests will be attending the screenings and will participate in a Q&A.

Stay tuned for a listing of screenings and guests similar to previous years...

Distribution Companies - Magnolia, Samuel Goldwyn, IFC Films, United Artists, ThinkFilm

Networks - PBS, IFC, Sundance Channel

Film Festivals - Atlanta Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Hamptons Film Festival, Montreal Film and Video Festival

Animators - Bill Plympton, Odd Todd

Production Companies - Emerging Pictures, Content Film

Acting Studios - Stella Adler, Vincent D'Nofrio

Film Organizations - NewFilmmakers, CineWomen, Film Movement, Filmmaker Magazine, Village Voice

Music - BMI, Cherry Lane, Atlantic Records

Like most festivals and markets, there's no such thing as "stopping by".

On Tuesday morning, I was on my way to the Apple Store on Prince Street and had intended on stopping by the Market afterwards, but since the Puck Building (location of the Market) is directly between my apartment and the Apple Store I decided to "stop by" the Market first.

As soon as you walk through the door, the kind volunteers are there to escort you to registration. I assume registration is normally a quick procedure, but because I was listed under "Sponsor" and "Industry" registration became a bit more confusing. Which badge should they give me? Do the badges effect events/panels/discussions which I am entitled to? Do they need to take another picture? All in all, they were pretty basic questions which can be confusing...and I am familiar with the questions from my volunteering days with the Slamdance Film Festival. You just want to do the "right" thing.

Twenty minutes later, I had my badge, walked around, and was able to catch up with various Roundtable participants.

The Market seems to be doing well this year. Their program has improved and there are many shorts, rough cuts and panels which I'd really like to attend.

After about an hour of catching up with the filmmakers, I was on my way over to the Apple Store when a few friends noted that they, too, had intended on going to the Apple Store.

Fast forward after the Apple Store, we continued on to some more IFP events, on and on until basically I was sleeping on my feet.

It was really nice to catch up with a lot of friends/ filmmakers from around the country who came in for the Market. Many are currently working on new projects which are screening this week and it was great to see so many of these talented people out and working on new projects.

Monday night, the IFP/ New York presented a screening of The Machinist for the opening of the IFP Market. The Machinist is Brad Anderson's latest film starring Christian Bale and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film debuted in Sundance and will be released next month. It was nice to see that Brad has not strayed from his passion of independent films. The pace remains subtle and steady, as in his other films (Happy Accidents, Next Stop Wonderland, Session 9). Although the film's influences are not so subtle, especially the cinematography and lighting.

Bale's performance was striking, but I'd love to give him some advice "Bale, you are a really good actor and I don't think you need to lose 63 lbs in order to convince audiences or morph into your role...that's why they have special effects. Do you realize how much 63 lbs is?"

If Jack Johnson plays, they will come.

As we walked onto the field, I looked around and saw hundreds of good-looking guys. They looked as though they had just stepped off the cover of Surfer Magazine. It was a Mecca of hot guys and this time it wasn't a gay bar.

My brother, my cousin and I had a couple of hours on Monday night, so we bought tickets from a scalper and saw Jack Johnson, G. Love & Special Sauce and Donavon Frankenreiter at the Summer Stage in Central Park.

Unfortunately we missed Frankenreiter's Santana-influenced performance.

Second-billed G. Love & Special Sauce turned in a rhythmically dynamic set, fueled by hipster beat poet-goes-rap delivery over funky blues.

After an intermission of seductively gorgeous surfing films, Jack Johnson came out with his band and began playing tasteful, subtle acoustic songs.

His lazy guitar rhythms and creamy vocals set the mood.

While Johnson's laid-back approach is anything but gripping, Johnson's sound is still very warm and appealing, like a coffeehouse sing-along at a beach campfire.

The Hawaiian-born singer-songwriter, filmmaker and former pro-surfer sold-out the Summer Stage in May, the first day the tickets went on sale.

Johnson grew up surfing the famous waves of the north shore before moving to the main land to study film at UCSB. He made two surf docs before gpoing the full-time musician route, 1999's "Thicker Than Water" and 2000's "The September Sessions".

Alright, I'm a little behind on the movie scene, but I was able to catch Garden State last week.

Definitely an impressive film. Terrific soundtrack (which I now have), great writing, flawless acting...but the ending, the ending was..oh so focus group.

The well-crafted story reflects a lost soul in a so-called disillusioned world and after peeling-away at layers, the truth and hope is found.

The actors did an excellent job with their characters, so hopefully Braff will proceed as a writer and a director.

If it weren't for the ending, I would have absolutely 100% loved it. Unfortunately, the ending reminded me of Roger Doger's ending...good film, bad ending. I prefer if characters don't come full circle, only because they are supposed to be portraying real people.

Either way, I highly recommend the film. It was strong, funny and smart..what more can you ask for?

Film: Garden State
Directed by: Zach Braff
Written by: Zach Braff
Starring: Zach Braff and Natalie Portman