It’s late Sunday morning. I’m alternating drinks of coffee and water, feeling a bit more like a Kris Kristofferson song than is comfortable, when the phone rings. It’s Jonathan Jackson.
Jonathan: “Have you heard about the ‘Waiting for Superman’ screening?”
Me: “I’m getting ready for it now.” (Total lie.)
Jonathan: “People are already lining up for rush tickets!”
It was 11:30 a.m., and the pressure was on. The sold-out screening was set to begin at 2 p.m., and I had planned to attend. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten one detail of the post-screening panel on the state of education in Milwaukee and was going to have to devote at least an hour remedying the oversight. I was one of the coordinators of the event — the person on facility and food detail. People seem to think this means I’m 100 percent supportive of the film’s politics. The smart and savvy Amber Moreen of the Argosy Foundation handled most of the important work. I quickly made myself presentable (Dear new shoes, why did I not buy you years ago? Love you!) and headed Downtown.
The after-panel was held in UWM’s Kenilworth building and featured a discussion with Howard Fuller, who appears in the film, Milwaukee School Board member Terry Falk, Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association President Mike Langyel, Milwaukee College Preparatory Principal Cherise Easley and Executive Director of Teach for America Milwaukee Garrett Bucks. I checked in on the space, which was all set up, added my touches, checked my watch and realized I hadn’t eaten yet that day.
On my way to Beans and Barley, I ran into doc|UWM’s Ryan Sarnowski, who was taking a break from editing also to scavenge for food. I’m not sure how the conversation got started, but he and I ended up talking about how people with big teeth and big laughs look like T-Rex pop-up books. Realizing I probably am one of those people, I took my big teeth over to Beans for a quick cup of soup. As soon as it arrived, I got a text from Jonathan, and before even reading it, I asked for my check and ran across the street. Things were abuzz at the Oriental, and Vicki Donovan had taken charge of the volunteers, which she quickly positioned for the event. People — check. Food — check. Books — check. I was waiting for something to go wrong.
Attendees literally poured from the fifth floor elevators and entered the black box theater, where the panel was being held. (I would compare them to blood pouring from the elevators in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, but that sounds pretty gross.) Then more people arrived, followed by just a few more. Whereas prior to the event I worried people would throw (literal) political punches, I suddenly felt concerned people might faint from standing in a crowded room. In toto, about 300 people attended the event. I was impressed by the dedication and stamina of everyone standing around to talk education and happy to relax in the waiting area while it occurred.
On the way out, several people stopped to chat. I reintroduced myself to local filmmaker Brad Pruitt, whose spoken-word poetry film Mark My Words screens Thursday and Sunday, and Fran Kaplan, who I am charmed by and whose short “Honey-Colored Boy” is a part of Saturday’s Milwaukee Show. Teacher Gail DeClark and I dished about filmmaking and education, and social worker Kurt Maurer expressed enthusiasm about the event in general. When they left, I checked in on the theater itself, where Cherise Easley’s son, Stephawn, had sat down to a mic. He asked me why they didn’t work and told me he was ready for his interview. Fair enough. After establishing a few things, like that he behaves especially well at school because his mom is the principal and that he likes tennis because he gets to hit balls at people, we got to the important stuff.
Me: “How do you feel about LeBron James?”
Stephawn: “Well, I’m happy and I’m sad. I’m sad because it’s bad for Cleveland, but I’m happy because I like the Heat.”
Me: “Do you think LeBron’s mom will miss him?”
Stephawn sighs and answers: “Yeah. She’s probably going to be sad because she’ll be in Cleveland, and he’ll be in Miami.”
I’m pretty sure that’s how most of Cleveland will feel. I wrapped up the interview and thanked Stephawn for his time. “Anytime,” he said.
Now came the decisions. I for sure wanted to check out The Revenant in Mequon at 9, but I love the directors of It’s Kind of a Funny Story. (Half Nelson was brilliant, no?) Do I skip it for food and zombies? The answer seemed obvious, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story went ahead and sold out the main house in the Oriental for the second time that day without me. Café Corazon, here I come! Shoot. They’re closed on Sunday. Café Centro, here I come!
Several hours later, I landed at my first Mequon screening of the year. It seemed quiet, though TJ Fackelman said their two Mequon theaters had sold more tickets than all the others combined that day! In the immortal word of Joey Lawrence, “Whoa.” I entered the theater as Director Kerry Prior was being introduced. Kerry invited me to sit with him during the screening, so I did. It was weird.
Sitting next to a director when I’m not working on the film made me nervous! I kept thinking, “What if I laugh at the wrong parts? Or too much? Or not enough?” These general questions became more specific concerns: “Does it matter that I don’t understand the joke about being from Brentwood? Is it weird that I think puking blood is hilarious? If I laugh at the vibrator, does it imply I’m familiar with vibrators?” SO much pressure. I’ve never spent so much time self-reflecting during a zombie movie! Kerry took notes on his iPhone throughout; perhaps he was nervous, too?
The film was awesome, though, and contained some valuable lessons about knowing your limits when it comes to chopping off loved ones’ heads. The audience also seemed to enjoy the film thoroughly. Shoot — every single person stayed for the Q&A, which is unheard of! The questions were thoughtful and interesting, and the young woman who had promised Friday to see the film again mustered the courage to ask about the re-edit, which she had “read about.” (Perhaps here?!?) I got the impression she was a little smitten. Anyway, I’m super curious to see what happens with the re-edit, as I can already hear the fanboy arguments about which is better — the director’s cut or the studio edit. In short: I’m excited about this one.
