Counting down to “Recount”

In last Sunday’s Los Angeles Times was this clever promotional “ballot” for “Recount,” which hits HBO next Sunday. I know I shouldn’t be that excited by it, but I remember the 2000 election drama that the film depicts vividly, and, besides, I’m a movie nut more than a news junkie, so what a combo.

I’m also impressed by the posters that have been wheatpasted around Los Angeles for the film. I never have a camera on me when I see these, but the good folks at HBO were able to provide me with digital copies to show here (shown above).

While we laughed at how moronic the Florida balloting system was, who’d have thought that eight years later California would still be having issues of its own with the punchless Ink-A-Vote system and just poorly conceived ballot layouts? Instead of swinging chads, hanging chads, and that bastard dimpled chad, we just had the double bubble voting trouble… lets just hope its resolved by November (if not the June 3rd state primary, but that would be wishful thinking).

As for memories, the night of 2000 election was a weird one for me. (more after the jump)

Finally, a movie about counting ballots.

Remember back when votes in Florida were actually counted, and they actually swayed a national election?

If not, don’t fret – HBO has made a TV movie about the Golden State’s role in the 2000 election, when the final numbers took weeks to determine based on a flawed voting system. If the word “hanging chad” rings any bells, yes, that’s what this movie is about.

“Recount” doesn’t hit the little screen until May 28th, but they’re raffling off free tickets in assorted US cities for advanced screenings. Sure, its no “The Dark Knight” or “Indiana Jones and the Jumping of the Sequel Shark,” but it sure beats “Sex and the City,” the motion picture (which, ironically, is also from HBO).

The film stars Kevin Spacey, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Laura Dern, John Hurt, Denis Leary, Bruce McGill, and Tom Wilkinson, all names that I bring up simply to draw in the search engines (hi Google!).

Anyway, if you live in Los Angeles or San Francisco (or in a handful of other US cities) click here to enter for passes.

…h/t LA Snark…

Who for Mayor?

Busted Tees is selling this shirt, referencing a character and plot line from the Baltimore set HBO series “The Wire.”

But I doubt I’m the only Angeleno who did a double take, as the name is strikingly similar to the President of L.A.’s City Council. Besides, “Eric Garcetti for Mayor” doesn’t seem too far fetched.