News from the Speakeasy Theaters: Don't bother looking for the schedules of the Parkway or Cerrito in the Chron or East Bay Express 'cause you won't find anything. The Speakeasy folks are sticking to their newsletter and hotline.
I don't know about this...how many times have you grabbed a paper to look up show times? And are we supposed to have the telephone number for the hotline in our address book? No, I'm not schilling for the papers. This is serious business.
Anyway, while we're on the subject, here's some special events at the Parkway, 1834 Park Blvd:
SUNDAY SALON: THE LEGACY: MURDER, MEDIA, POLITICS AND PRISONS — 2 p.m. April 13 (free).
Then at 8 p.m.  CINEMASPORTS, the "Iron Chef" of indie filmmaking, makes its Parkway debut ($7).  The cinematic athletes will be at the City Hall plaza (12th and Broadway–oh so BARTable) at 10 a.m. that morning to kick things off.
Lastly, a benefit for Hand to Hand: FIGHT CLUB – 9:15 p.m. April 15 ($8).

"Hollywood Chinese" showing daily April 11-17 at the Grand Lake Theater. Q&A with the director — triple Sundance winner and Oscar nominee Arthur Dong (Forbidden City, U.S.A., Licensed to Kill, Coming Out Under Fire.) — April 12 at 7:15 pm.
"Hollywood Chinese," takes a second look at Chinese American films and tells the story of "The Curse of Quon Gwon," the recently discovered 1917 film that was shot and produced in Oakland by local residents in 1916-17. It is the earliest known Chinese American feature film and one of the few silent films directed by a woman.
April 12 has been proclaimed "The Curse of Quon Gwon Day" by the Mayor's Office of Oakland to honor the historic 1917 film. The proclamation will be presented to surviving family members of the original filmmakers who will be in attendance at the Grand Lake Theater, April 12, at the 7:15 pm screening.
The film features a virtual who’s who of top Chinese and Chinese American film artists, including Ang Lee, Joan Chen, Wayne Wang, Nancy Kwan, James Hong, Lisa Lu, B.D. Wong, and writers Amy Tan and David Henry Hwang.
The Grand Lake Theater is located at 3200 Grand Avenue.
For more information on Hollywood Chinese, visit www.hollywoodchinese.com.
Questions? Call the Oakland Film Office at 510-238-4734 or email at filmoakland@filmoakland.com.

Some of you may have heard that as of March 1, Oakland's Parkway Speakeasy Theater prices will match the Cerrito: $7 GENERAL ADMISSION — $5 MATINEES.
The Speakeasy folks called the increase a "last minute fiscal decision" due to the "topsy turvy economy."

Tickets for the Oscar bash at the Parkway and Cerrito speakeasy theaters are on sale now. They went fast yesterday but there's still some left for you stargazers who want to spiff up for the Academy Awards Feb. 24 on the Speakeasy theaters' HD big screens. No hipper place to be, I say.
The Parkway will be open 3 p.m. today and the Cerrito opened 1 p.m. Advance tickets $20, limit four per customer, ages 18 and over only.
The Cerrito Oscar Bash will be hosted (with trivia, contests and prizes) by Will the Thrill and Monica Tiki Goddess downstairs http://www.thrillville.net/ and Mr Lobo and the Queen of Trash upstairs http://www.cinemainsomnia.com/
Both screens at the Parkway will be hosted with live skits, trivia, costume contests and more. Doors open 4 p.m. The show goes on 5 p.m.

Here's another e-mail from a reader to share a tip:

Dear Ms. Woodall;
As a long time Oakland resident, I enjoyed your recent piece about the FOX Oakland theatre restoration, along with other interesting Oakland theater information. Via my interests in Oakland's history and preservation, I attended the FOX auction in 1978; my kitchen clock (large neon advertisement for '4 Wheel Brake Oakland') came from my winning bid at the
late T & D Theatre's auction circa 1976.
(The T&D was a super swank place that opened in 1916 on 429 11th St. with a Pompeian Room and ladies' tea parlor where tipping the help was forbidden, according to Theatres of Oakland. Originally the initials stood for the owners, Turner and Dahnken. Later T&D was short for "Tough and Dirty," a nickname that should tell you something about the theaters fate.)

I'm currently engaged in a personal project documenting and researching
small town movie theaters throughout the US. I'm combining my professional
past in the local film industry with a passion for photography: http://www.rushcreekgallery.com/lfop/index.html

In case you haven't heard and in case you care, we're back on for the Oscar's since the writers' strike ended. Feb. 24 is the red carpet day.  
I am thinking of going to the Parkway or Cerrito, where the Academy Awards will be shown on the big screen and the dress code is fancy. Love that stuff. I'm partial to the film JUNO, as anyone who knows me has heard ad naseum.
What about you guys? I'd like to know what you'll be doing that night. Going out, staying in or just ignoring the whole thing? Anything special happening in Oakland? What film are you rooting for? Which one should be sabotaged?
And, btw, what's your all-time favorite Oscar memory? (Did David Niven streak across the stage during the 1974 awards or was it that a naked man ran behind Niven while he was on stage?)

Here's something folks might be wanting to know about: a fundraiser for the film "Firstborn," about a spiritually gifted 15-year-old girl struggling to keep her family together after her mother's death. The benefit begins 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Eastside Arts Alliance, 2277 International Blvd. Folks get a sneak preview of the film and can meet the director. Eddie Gale will provide the jazz.
Hosted by Greg Bridges of KPFA & KCSM and admission is free.
For those who want to send money in their stead or otherwise want to contribute, visit this link to the Bay Area Video Coalition's sponsored project page.

Don't let her nickname Mama Ellen fool you. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Liberia's president and Africa's first freely elected female head of state — is one tough lady.  Not that I've met her, but she'd have to be to take up the reigns of the devastated West African country. Oh, and the late ( as in dead-in-a-coup) Liberian ruler Samuel Doe imprisoned her for mouthing off about his misdeeds then the former (as in he's-in-the-pokey-for-war-crimes) dictator Charles Taylor accused her of treason (mouthing off again).  Get to know the woman behind the country who knows her way around economics Tuesday, Feb. 5, in a documentary + discussion 6:30-9 p.m. at the Oakland museum, 1000 Oak St. www.museumca.org. Free event with free parking in museum garage (entrance on Oak Street).

Midnight Saturday,  Barely Legal Productions celebrate nine years of presenting THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW at the Parkway in classic style! And speaking of horror shows,  it's SUPERBOWL XLII on all screens at both Parkway and Cerrito on Sunday.  21 & over, $2 "party fee", doors open 2PM, game at 3PM, first come, first served. The Cerrito (which is wheelchair accessible upstairs) is showing the big showdown on big screen and cafe broadcast is in HD.  http://www.azsuperbowl.com