A couple of weeks ago, while walking by the Orpheum Theatre, I noticed a poster for the film It’s Kind of a Funny Story, advertising that it would be showing on Monday, January 17th at 7:30 p.m.
I purchased the book on which the film is based approximately three years ago, and quickly fell in love with it, reading it in its entirety over the course of a week.
As I normally take at least a month to read a book, no matter how partial to its subject matter I find myself, this should give you some indication of my affinity for it.
I was excited, to say the least, that the film would be showing here, and I quickly made a mental note to save the date.
When I arrived at the theatre that evening, I found there were several patrons who had shown up to take in the comedy, Little Fockers, which I personally had no interest in seeing, as I don’t enjoy watching as Ben Stiller experiences every single thing in his life go horribly, horribly wrong.
I was discouraged, believing I was the only person who had been aware of what would be showing, and alone in my desire to take in something other than a shoot-em-up action thriller or mindless comedy.
As I purchased my ticket, I was informed that the film was the second of an eight-part series presented by the Allied Arts Council of Pincher Creek, called “Monday Night at the Movies 2011”.
The film was the first of the series to be shown at the Orpheum.
The first instalment, the Phillip Seymour Hoffman driven Jack Goes Boating had been shown on January 10th at the Fox Theatre in Pincher Creek, which I had unfortunately missed.
I viewed the docket of films which will be shown throughout the rest of the series and could barely contain my excitement.
Nearly all were films for which I had seen the trailer and made a mental note to venture to see.
Force of Nature, a documentary about environmental activist and Canadian icon David Suzuki, Made in Dagenham, a film about English equal rights activists, and Barney’s Version, lead by the incomprehensibly talented Paul Giamatti (who recently earned a Golden Globe for the role), will all be shown at the Fox over the next three months.

Incendies, Last Train Home, and the Sofia Coppola directed Somewhere (which I cannot wait to see, as Coppola is easily one of my favourite female directors) will all be special treats for Crowsnest Pass movie-goers from February to April.
My not-so-inner film nerd bubbled with excitement, to say the least.
My disappointment over being the only person who had actually wanted to see It’s Kind of a Funny Story was soon doused, as dozens of people poured into the theatre over the next fifteen minutes.
I was elated to discover there was a community of likeminded film enthusiasts here, who would much rather take in a cerebral comedy or drama than the nineteenth instalment of the Saw franchise.
I was pleasantly surprised by the film adaptation of the semi-autobiographical Ned Vizzinni novel, which centres around a depressed and suicidal 15-year-old Brooklyn boy who checks himself into a psychiatric hospital.
I never expect much from film adaptations of my favourite novels, as I am continually disappointed by the degree of which they miss the mark,
A prime example of this is the 1990 bastardized American adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, one of my favourite novels of all time, which even my 14-year-old self thought to be laughably bad.
(This is not to say I was 14 when the film was released – I was the mere age of two. It was not, however, until I was 14 that I witnessed this atrocity.)
However, It’s Kind of a Funny Story was an exception to the rule.
The biggest surprise was the reserved, hilarious, and beautiful performance by comedic powerhouse Zach Galifrianakis of The Hangover and Youth in Revolt fame, who I normally find overbearing and unappealing.
All in all, the film made me laugh, brought me close to tears, and gave me that warm fuzzy feeling, my three favourite emotions.
Next up, Force of Nature at the Fox Theatre in Pincher Creek on Monday, February 7th.
Will I see you there?
Love, Kimberley.