News dropped late last night that Landmark Cinemas is closing the Paramount Theatre in our home town of Kamloops. The theatre is a landmark indeed, having entertained moviegoers since 1955. Landmark stated that closing the theatre is a business decision, meaning attendance at the old movie house has been on the decline for a while. The last movie I caught there was Overlord back in November, and it was not well attended.

After a couple of days of difficult decision making , Shawn and I have decided not to proceed with a second Dark Fest as part of this year's Kamloops Canadian and International Film Festival . There are a variety of reasons why, none of them to do with our ability to land films -- we actually had more lined up than we could show -- or guests, as John Fallon planned to return with Dead Shadows. Instead, it came down to timing and our confidence in being able to make a second Dark Fest a success for all involved. Instead, The Basement hopes to arrange a screening or two of genre cinema later this year. We thank everyone who came out and supported us last year, and who continue to do so every week. This season of our show has been the most successful yet, and we hope to keep sharing that success with all you Basementites. We also thank everyone involved with the Kamloops Film Society for giving us a chance to share our morbid passion with the masses. You all rock! As alway...

Sat down with our amigos at the Kamloops Film Festival Committee tonight and received the good word that Dark Fest 2013 is a go! Why? Easy! The crowds loved it, they wanted more, and the positive buzz spread beyond our humble little town. Dark Fest 2012 was a hit, and hits always mean sequels. This is the film business after all. The plan thus far is to have a 9 p.m. screening on the first Friday and Saturday night of the Kamloops Canadian and International Film Festival. The committee doesn't intend to hold late night screenings with the mainstream festival on those nights, which will avoid any competition. Festival dates haven't been confirmed. We haven't locked the films that will be screened or the attending guest. But Shawn and I pledge to continue the awesome that was Dark Fest 2012. I do recall a certain John Fallon mentioning that Dead Shadows would be ready by early next year, and our favourite Twisted Twins -- Jen and Sylvia Soska -- do have American Mary ...