Another look at a local gem and "A Movie a Week" reminder

As a proud film host sponsor through my job (see logo), went to the Salem Film Festival today* with my bride and the crazy neighbor -- saw an excellent trio of short films all connected by the theme of aging and approaching the end of life. Just another day for the Salem Cinema, bringing lil' ol' Salem, Oregon some of the finest films in the world, for peanuts.

(*still going all week -- see you at "Winnebago Man" tomorrow night and "Living Downstream" Thursday night!)

As Salem Cinema owner Loretta Miles quoted some film-maker or other as once saying, "Nobody ever made a movie and said 'Damn, that's going to look great on the small screen.'" And that's exactly right -- TV and DVDs and streaming videos to HD are still nowhere close to the cinematic experience of sitting in a dark, quiet room with other film lovers, all knowing that you're sharing an experience of wonder and discovery together.

Got me to thinking that I wished I had saved all my Salem Cinema tickets since I started going -- but then I realized that Loretta archives all the showings on the website. So here is all the movies I've enjoyed at the Salem Cinema so far. With your help -- your regular attendance at Salem Cinema -- we'll be able to do this again in a year and for many years after that, keeping track of our unbelievable luck to have Salem Cinema and Salem Film Festival bringing us these gifts. (Looking through these archives is amazing -- there are SO many great movies that I missed! My punishment will be having to watch them on DVD, a pale imitation of the real movie experience.)

[Asterisks are my personal rating only, from * (meh) to * * * * *(speechless)]

Young@Heart United States. 2008. Documentary. * * * *

The Counterfeiters Austria/Germany. 2007. * * *

Son of Rambow UK. 2008. * * * *

Then She Found Me United States. 2008. * * *

The Fall United States/India. 2008. * * *

Religulous United States. 2008. * *

Slumdog Millionaire UK. * * * * *

I've Loved You So Long France. * * * *

The Class France. * *

The Great Buck Howard United States. * * * *

The Brothers Bloom United States. 2009. * * *

Goodbye Solo United States. 2009. * * * *

Sugar United States. 2009. * * *

Food, Inc. United States. 2009. Documentary. * * *

Sita Sings The Blues United States. 2009. Animated. * * * * *
(rating is on the big screen --- * * * on a TV)

In the Loop UK. 2009. * * * * *

The Ghost Writer UK. 2010. * * * *

A Town Called Panic France. 2009. Animated. * *

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Sweden. 2010. * * * *

Solitary Man United States. 2010. * * *

Cyrus United States. 2010. * * * *

The Secret in Their Eyes Argentina. * * * * *

Ondine Ireland. 2010. * * * *

I Am Love Italy. 2010. *

Mid-August Lunch Italy. 2010. * * *

The Girl Who Played With Fire Sweden. 2010. * * * *

Get Low United States. 2010. * * * *

Winter's Bone United States. 2010. * * * * *

Micmacs France. 2010. * * * * *

The Tillman Story United States. 2010. Documentary. * * * *

How about you? What is the best film you've seen at Salem Cinema?