Gay For (No) Pay--Organizers are gearing up for the 2006 Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, taking place right here in Albuquerque on Sept. 29-Oct. 5. In addition to accepting film submissions for this year’s fourth annual cinema soiree (check www.closetcinema.org for info on that), the SWGLFF is looking for volunteers to help put the event together. Are you a graphic designer? Do you have experience in fundraising? Or marketing? Are you just a film fanatic who wants to get his or her hands dirty? Volunteer coordinators, event planners, venue managers, print traffic coordinators, festival photographers and tons more positions are in need of filling. To sign up, just e-mail volunteer@closetcinema.org or call 243-1870. Log on to www.closetcinema.org/get_involved_volunteer.htm for a complete list of volunteer opportunities.

Digital filmmaking competition offers interactive opportunities for all

The Duke City Shootout is riding into Albuquerque, all guns a-blazing, for the sixth year in a row. The 2006 festival, brainchild of the local Digital Filmmaking Institute, will take place Friday, July 21, through Saturday, July 29. The purpose of the festival is to provide a venue in which a filmmaker’s vision can be realized--from script to screen--in a mere seven days (or, in some cases, less).

Horror comedy takes familiar story into animated territory

There are certain things that kids have always loved: bugs, pirates, monsters, fart jokes. All of these topics have been dutifully exploited by kids movies since time immemorial. (Admittedly, the fart jokes were a bit hard to pull off back in the silent film era, but I have no doubt somebody made the effort.) In this respect, the new CGI toon Monster House isn’t anything particularly out of the ordinary.

Kevin Smith goes back to his roots for some service with a smile

It’s hard to call Clerks II “comfort food.” Any film that features explicit discussions about the mating habits of hobbits, ATM sex (use the internet if you have to) and good, old-fashioned bestiality ... sorry, inter-species erotica doesn’t exactly fit the standard definition of “comfortable.” Nonetheless, Kevin Smith’s gleefully smut-mouthed return to form, Clerks II, feels like mom’s cooking, an old high school friend and your favorite childhood toy all rolled into one.

“Squirrel Boy” on Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network has unleashed (so to speak) another “boy and his (not quite) dog” series with “Squirrel Boy.” The show follows the adventures of 9-year-old Andy Johnson (voiced by the ubiquitous Pamela Segall, who does Bobby on “King of the Hill”) and his pet squirrel Rodney J. Squirrel (Richard Steven Horvitz, who lent his vocal chords to “Invader Zim”). Andy’s your typical nerdy screw-up, Rodney’s your typical id-driven troublemaker. Put ’em together and it’s fun for the whole freakin’ family.

Week in Sloth

The Week in Sloth