Last year I told you about MirrorMask, a sweet dream of a movie that tells the story of the struggle of Helena (played brilliantly by the luminous Stephanie Leonidas) to find the Mirror Mask to put to rights a dream world gone topsy-turvy.
MirrorMask was directed by legendary comics artist Dave McKean who co-wrote the script with the equally legendary Neil Gaiman	photo courtesy Sony PIctures

MirrorMask plays Friday Aug 11 & Sat Aug 12 at The Egyptian.

Last week, my wife and I went to see Mirror Mask at the Varsity in the U District, and we were treated to a rather nice show, even though this is essentially Labyrinth without any 80’s garnish (i.e. no David Bowie). Mirror Mask is a collaboration between writer Neil Gaiman, artist Dave McKean and the Jim Henson company. As you might have expected, it features a surrealistic storyline, stunning artwork and illustration, and copious use of amazing puppets, masks, and animations. I highly recommend it.

As a side note, afterwards we went up to Aladdin Falafel. I haven’t eaten here in 5 years, but it’s still the best falafel shop in town.

When was the last time you saw a movie during which you completely suspended your disbelief? Mirror Mask, the Sony Pictures release of a Neil Gaiman/Dave McKean project (ably assisted by the Jim Henson Company) that tells the story of Helena, a young woman who has grown up in the circus and wants to run away to real life. instead, her mother suddenly falls ill and Helena falls into a sleep that finds her on a dangerous journey through a dreamland. The movie is very effects-heavy–it couldn’t have been made without them–and yet they seemed so organic that I didn’t consider them effects until I was describing the film to a friend after the showing.

MirrorMask is a lush, vibrantly beautiful waking dream of a movie; it’s fitting that it’s playing at the Varsity on the Ave, a party girl turned dowager of a theater. The movie is in limited run and only plays six more days–if you see it for the first time later on DVD you’ll kick yourself for having missed the theather experience.

OK, so I totally skipped the Neil Gaiman booksigning event tonight in favor of an additional photography club meeting, as if two a month wasn’t already enough. Lord knows I love Mr Gaiman, and if he had come over to B&N on the east side I would have totally dropped the photo club for the two seconds it would take to head over and get an autograph and gush fannishly at the poor man. Instead, I pledge (and you should similarly pledge) to go watch Mirrormask for the brief week it’s going to be playing in Washington (it’s at the Varsity), starting.. I don’t know when. Friday, I think. Go.

While I was over at Barnes and Noble though, I noticed that they had put signs up everywhere saying that starting this month, they were going to be open until 11PM. Because you had asked. And they listened. Now, we don’t quite know who this “you” is — it certainly wasn’t our group, unless by “asking” you mean, “hanging around outside the store for half an hour after they close, talking.” But we’re certainly grateful to those of you who did request a later closing time, because now we get to hang around inside the store talking.

It was pretty noisy on this night — we always try and reserve the conference room, and I always think it’s overkill because I think we should just be able to grab a table and chat, but let me tell you that there was a party going on in Starbucks tonight, and people were yelling and carrying on.

In other news, someone in that Starbucks hates me. Every month, I put up a sign for our group, who MEETS AT THAT STARBUCKS EVERY MONTH, and every month I come in and the sign is missing. So, here I am, ASKING — whoever it is, who’s taking that sign down, stop it. I’ve gotten official permission twice now, to have it up on the board. Don’t make me ducttape it up there.