Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

San Diego Film Critics Society holds quasi-annual awards luncheon

Top row: Musician Joel West, Destin Cretton, Tom Foolery, Jean Lowerison, Diana Saenger, Matthew Lickona, and Yazdi Pithavala. Bottom row: Rob Patrick, Glenn Heath Jr., Lee Ann Kim, Jim Harrison, Lance Carter, and Anders Wright.
Top row: Musician Joel West, Destin Cretton, Tom Foolery, Jean Lowerison, Diana Saenger, Matthew Lickona, and Yazdi Pithavala. Bottom row: Rob Patrick, Glenn Heath Jr., Lee Ann Kim, Jim Harrison, Lance Carter, and Anders Wright.

The San Diego Film Critics Society held its quasi-annual awards luncheon yesterday at the Blind Lady Ale House on Adams Avenue.

Why do they call it the Blind Lady? Because only Helen Keller would put bacon and eggs on a pizza.

I needed subtitles for the menu. Cornichon, Reggiano, Mezzuna, Ciccoli, Pecorino, Fra’ Mani Sopressata, Fontina, Taleggio, Crostini...I didn’t know if I was ordering lunch or reading off the cast list from The Godfather.

But cerebrally, folks, once I picked the leaves off and bit into the crunchy Salsiccia pie — house made Italian sausage, oregano, mozzarella, tomato sauce, rapini, Stracci, Cuneo, Philip Tattaglia — I was sold. Hands-down one of the rare delectable thin-crust treats you’ll find in a town where toast with ketchup and yellow cheese generally passes for pizza.

It’s been too long since the gang got together for one of these awards thingies. To put it bluntly, none of the recent celebrity winners expressed any interest in coming to San Diego to personally claim their trophies. We couldn’t even persuade Travolta, and I’m talking Joey.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Instead, we focused the spotlight on a trio of local superstars: Lee Ann Kim, Dan Bennett, and Destin Cretton.

Lee Ann Kim and this reporter.

Lee Ann Kim was one of the first “film” people I met upon arriving in San Diego 14 years ago and one of the few who will still take my calls. Under her loving tutelage, the San Diego Asian Film Festival has grown to become one of our town’s premier cultural events and world class cinematic destination. It was my honor to hand Lee Ann her Almost-a-Thalberg Award.

Dan Bennett, former North County Times critic, founder of the San Diego Children’s Film Festival, and SDFCS co-founder, picked up an award for his contributions to the advancement of film in our town. Fittingly enough, Bennett’s SDFCS co-founder, Diana Saenger of Review Express, presented him with the group’s Kyle Counts Award, established by and bestowed in honor of one of our late colleagues.

San Diego’s favorite cinematic son, writer-director Destin Cretton (I Am Not a Hipster, Short Term 12) was most gracious in thanking the group for their critical feedback during his acceptance speech. Cretton was presented the award by SDFCS President, and The Big Screen’s cursed opposition at City Beat, Glenn Heath Jr.

Destin Cretton and Glenn Heath Jr.

Others there were Anders Wright, our beer connoisseur arch-rival at the U-T, and the Reader’s own boy wonder, Matthew Lickona, sporting a new buzz cut and Hawaiian shirt freshly imported from the Islands by his lovely bride, Deirdre, just back from vacation. You could still smell the Don Ho in it.

Moviewallas’ Yazdi Pithavala worked the crowd, as did Cinema Spartan’s Rob Patrick, who really needs to step out of his cave and into the warm digital light a little more often.

Also in attendance, the always pretty in purple Jean Lowerison, she of Review Express, and world traveler/critic for San Diego City News, Jim Harrison. The Daily Actor’s Lance Carter acted accordingly.

Conspicuous in his absence was Fox 5’s Josh Board. When asked what kept him away, Board later told me, “I was playing racquetball.” It’s tough to get a court these days, so his excuse was understandable. May his next R-rated screening be enhanced by a never-ending stream of screaming infants and Klieg-light cellphones.

Visit the SDFCS website for more information and to vote for your favorite critic.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Birding & Brews: Breakfast Edition, ZZ Ward, Doggie Street Festival & Pet Adopt-A-Thon

Events November 21-November 23, 2024
Top row: Musician Joel West, Destin Cretton, Tom Foolery, Jean Lowerison, Diana Saenger, Matthew Lickona, and Yazdi Pithavala. Bottom row: Rob Patrick, Glenn Heath Jr., Lee Ann Kim, Jim Harrison, Lance Carter, and Anders Wright.
Top row: Musician Joel West, Destin Cretton, Tom Foolery, Jean Lowerison, Diana Saenger, Matthew Lickona, and Yazdi Pithavala. Bottom row: Rob Patrick, Glenn Heath Jr., Lee Ann Kim, Jim Harrison, Lance Carter, and Anders Wright.

The San Diego Film Critics Society held its quasi-annual awards luncheon yesterday at the Blind Lady Ale House on Adams Avenue.

Why do they call it the Blind Lady? Because only Helen Keller would put bacon and eggs on a pizza.

I needed subtitles for the menu. Cornichon, Reggiano, Mezzuna, Ciccoli, Pecorino, Fra’ Mani Sopressata, Fontina, Taleggio, Crostini...I didn’t know if I was ordering lunch or reading off the cast list from The Godfather.

But cerebrally, folks, once I picked the leaves off and bit into the crunchy Salsiccia pie — house made Italian sausage, oregano, mozzarella, tomato sauce, rapini, Stracci, Cuneo, Philip Tattaglia — I was sold. Hands-down one of the rare delectable thin-crust treats you’ll find in a town where toast with ketchup and yellow cheese generally passes for pizza.

It’s been too long since the gang got together for one of these awards thingies. To put it bluntly, none of the recent celebrity winners expressed any interest in coming to San Diego to personally claim their trophies. We couldn’t even persuade Travolta, and I’m talking Joey.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Instead, we focused the spotlight on a trio of local superstars: Lee Ann Kim, Dan Bennett, and Destin Cretton.

Lee Ann Kim and this reporter.

Lee Ann Kim was one of the first “film” people I met upon arriving in San Diego 14 years ago and one of the few who will still take my calls. Under her loving tutelage, the San Diego Asian Film Festival has grown to become one of our town’s premier cultural events and world class cinematic destination. It was my honor to hand Lee Ann her Almost-a-Thalberg Award.

Dan Bennett, former North County Times critic, founder of the San Diego Children’s Film Festival, and SDFCS co-founder, picked up an award for his contributions to the advancement of film in our town. Fittingly enough, Bennett’s SDFCS co-founder, Diana Saenger of Review Express, presented him with the group’s Kyle Counts Award, established by and bestowed in honor of one of our late colleagues.

San Diego’s favorite cinematic son, writer-director Destin Cretton (I Am Not a Hipster, Short Term 12) was most gracious in thanking the group for their critical feedback during his acceptance speech. Cretton was presented the award by SDFCS President, and The Big Screen’s cursed opposition at City Beat, Glenn Heath Jr.

Destin Cretton and Glenn Heath Jr.

Others there were Anders Wright, our beer connoisseur arch-rival at the U-T, and the Reader’s own boy wonder, Matthew Lickona, sporting a new buzz cut and Hawaiian shirt freshly imported from the Islands by his lovely bride, Deirdre, just back from vacation. You could still smell the Don Ho in it.

Moviewallas’ Yazdi Pithavala worked the crowd, as did Cinema Spartan’s Rob Patrick, who really needs to step out of his cave and into the warm digital light a little more often.

Also in attendance, the always pretty in purple Jean Lowerison, she of Review Express, and world traveler/critic for San Diego City News, Jim Harrison. The Daily Actor’s Lance Carter acted accordingly.

Conspicuous in his absence was Fox 5’s Josh Board. When asked what kept him away, Board later told me, “I was playing racquetball.” It’s tough to get a court these days, so his excuse was understandable. May his next R-rated screening be enhanced by a never-ending stream of screaming infants and Klieg-light cellphones.

Visit the SDFCS website for more information and to vote for your favorite critic.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

San Diego Dim Sum Tour, Warwick’s Holiday Open House

Events November 24-November 27, 2024
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Eating dinner while little kids mock-mosh at Golden Island

“The tot absorbs the punk rock shot with the skill of experience”
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader