I was a little concerned about being late because I found a spaced and parked and was just about to go when I noticed I was in a handicapped slot. I then went to 10th to a secret little parking spot I know about and walked down Congress two blocks to get to the theater, all the while being scared to death by all the birds twittering loudly in the trees.

I had enough time before the movie started to say hello to Jan. I asked her if she had went to the Egoyan sneak and she said she had but she didn't go see "Saw II." We discussed an upcoming sneak for "Dancing in Twilight," which is on the same night as a sneak for "Jarhead."

I tallied it up and I have seen 13 films in 8 days during AFF. I noticed people sitting in the box seats at the side of the balcony. I've never seen anyone allowed to sit there before.

Soon, Barbara Morgan, AFF Executive Director came out and introduced the film. She also introduced Jeff Daniels, the star of "The Squid and the Whale." Daniels came out wearing some sort of funky hat and said a few words. He told us he would do a Q&A after the film. He seemed drunk.

The AFF pre-show stuff played for the last time and I noticed the song by Li'l Cap'n Travis on the sponsor reel is called "Peeling Out in Zues' Yard" - not "Jesus' Yard" as I thought it was all week. Isn't it funny how you read something for days and one day it finally hits you that you've been reading it wrong for a long time.

Phil Scanlan, the AFF Film Programmer came out with Daniels after the film and the actor answered a wide variety of questions. I was busy trying to get a decent picture of him while he made some long joke about Tom Cruise so I kind of missed it.

He answered questions about why the film was set in 1986 when there were obviously a lot of modern cars in the background. He talked about working with the young people in the film, Jesse Eisenberg ("Roger Dodger") and Owen Kline. Owen is the son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates and Daniels said that his parents worked very hard with him to help the film run smoothly. Daniels also talked about meeting writer director Noah Baumbach's father Jonathan, an author. Daniels plays a character based on him in the film. And, finally, he discussed working with Anna Paquin as a romantic interest, since the two played father and daughter in "Fly Away Home" about nine years ago.

After the film, I went home and chilled. AFF wore my ass out this year. Having two film festivals, this and Agliff in the same month is a cinematic buzzkill.

Lodger @ AFF 2005