free bird

So my entertainment budget has become a bit tighter since being cut loose from the shackles of the working world. This seems to be the catch-22 of unemployment -- loads of free time, and no $$ to go anywhere or do anything. Capitalism, you win again!

So my goal has been to try to find budget-friendly fun to occupy my time. My pal Chelsee helped me kick this off with an invite to a free screening of the movie Paper Heart, sponsored by the Boston Independent Film Festival. There's a reason my name is Tea "Free Movie Screenings" Guarie. Hell, I'll watch the free Scientology video they con you into viewing after you take the free "stress test".



So yeh, this event was totally up my alley. The movie stars Charlene Yi and Michael Cera, who are two of my comedy crush/heroes. It's a quirky cross between a documentary and a fictional romance, with lots of hilarious awkwardness, guitar playing, and puppets. In short, the type of movie I would pay good money to see.

And as if a free movie wasn't awesome enough -- following the screening, Charlene Yi and Jake Johnson actually came out and did an audience Q&A! Because it was a packed house, we ended up sitting in the front row, so I was literally 5 feet away from the actors while they fielded the typically lame-ass questions from the crowd. They were both equally hilarious in real life, and I wanted them to be my friend and take me back to their hotel to drink beer and play Wii. But alas, they did not.

I would like to make an offbeat indie comedy that takes Sundance by storm. And writing a screenplay is a fun, free thing I could do with all this extra time I have. Maybe I could make a faux-documentary about a girl who gets laid off and decides to write a screenplay while wandering around her city, looking for shit to do.

Clearly, my imagination has grown rusty during my time in the cube farm.

In the meantime, I recommend Paper Heart. It's totally the type of movie I would make, if somebody else hadn't made it already. It will be opening soon in a city near you -- very soon, if you live in a "real" city. Go see! It's worth the $10.50 -- I promise.