So this year, I FINALLY get the Independent Film Channel, which means that I FINALLY am able to cover the Ultimate Film Fanatic Festival.

If you don't know how this works, we start with various regions. Each region has 6 contestants and they whittle themselves way down to 1. The regions them compete against each other, and whoever survives that wins a lot of loot.

We start with the Mid-Atlantic Region. The guests are Keith David, Tatum O'Neil and Henry Rollins. Chris Gore is your host. Here are your Regional finalists -

Max Katz (from Long Island) - He takes Samulel Jackson's M.O. - 'I'm a bad mother f#cker.' Well, we know that the censors are going to be on vacation on this series.

Sarah Stern (Queens, NY) - She's into Breaking 2: Electric Boogaloo. Ok - I like her already.

Peter Olzig (Manhattan, NY) - He knows about movies - and seasonal clothing. Can we say heterosexually challenged?

John Girardy (Malibu, NY) - 'If I have to choose between my hand and a movie, hand me a saw.' Well we found someone who likes the Jigsaw Killer flick...

George Siroy (Woodstock, NY) - 'I've seen the Excorcist so many times, it would make YOUR head spin.' He looks like a 20 year old James E. Cornette.

Becky Rear (Rochelle Park, NJ) - She only needs two degrees of Kevin Bacon. Heh.

The winner gets $5,000, a plasma screen TV, and a chance to move to the championship, where you can win another $5,000, a home entertainment system, and a chance to host IFC for a day. Sweet.

But since it's only a 30 minute show, we have to start eliminating people. We start with 'The First Cut', with Sudden Death Battles. You lose, you leave.

Becky Vs. George. Topics - Big Screen TV, Fat Brando, Horny Vampires. The category selected - Big Screen TV.

Becky - What 1991 movie was based on 'Altogether Ookie?'
Addams Family
(RIGHT)
George - Who played Huggy Bear on Starsky and Hutch?
Snoop Dogg
(RIGHT)
Becky - Name both TV children's movies with Brendan Frasier.
Dudley Do-Right and George of the Jungle
(RIGHT)
George - Who directed the Brady Bunch and what 2002 movie did she direct?
Betty Thomas and I SPY
(WRONG)

George is gone. Becky moves on.

Next - Peter Vs. John. Added Category - Jesus on Film. Category they are playing with - Fat Brando

John - Who lost 100 pounds while Directing Apocalypse Now?
Francis Ford Coppola
(RIGHT)
Peter - In what 1978 movie did Brando play Jor-El?
Superman
(Right)
John - In what Bertolucci film did Brando have buttery sex?
Last Tango in Paris
Right
Peter - Who played college students Clark and Steve in 'The Freshmen?
Matthew Broderick and Frank Whaley
WRONG

Peter is toast and gets his ticket home.

Finally, it's Sarah Vs. Max. The new category is Playing Doctor. They decide to select Horny Vampires, much to the delight of the audience.

Sarah - In what movie did Gary Oldman say 'I have crossed oceans of time...'?
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Right
Max - Who played the title role in Van Helsing?
Hugh Jackman
Right
Sarah - WHo killed Salma Hayek in From Duck Till Dawn?
George Clooney
Right
Max - In what vampire movie did Catherine Deneuve seduce Susan Sarandon?
The Hunger
Right
Sarah - Who played Lestat, Louis and Armand in 'Interview With a Vampire?'
Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas
Right
Max - Name the Love Lost and the Director of 'A Vampire in Brooklyn'?
Angela Bassett and Wes Craven
Wrong!

Max leaves - and all of the people who had to get the second question are all eliminated.

Round 2 - The Great Debate - David, O'Neal and Rollins judge as the players debate. Whoever wins the most debates advances.

Round 1 - The best movie villain of all time.

Becky - Hannibal Lecter
John - Leatherface

They talk about the brain capacity Vs. the intellectual capacity. Judges?
Keith - Becky
Tatum - John
Henry - John

John moves to the finals. Sarah and Becky now debate David Lynch

Becky - Worst director ever
Sarah - Greatest Director ever

I agree with Becky, who says that she can't sit through them. Sarah says that they were intense and it forces you to make you think. Like John, Becky is agreeing with Sarah. You should NEVER agree with your opponent, and Sarah should win like John did. Judges?

Henry - Sarah
Tatum - Sarah
Keith - Sarah

Becky is 0 for 2 in the debates, and she is gone. it's now down to Sarah and John in the final round, called the Obsession Round. Each person shows off three items in their collection. Whoever has the best collection wins the game.

Round 1 -
Sarah - Collectibles on the movie 'Gotcha!'
John - a bust of Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th part 4.

Judges - It took a lot to get all of the collectibles, Vs. the one bust that he got from a friend. Award - Sarah

Sarah leads, 1-0

Round 2 -
John - A Leatherface standing from his video store that he had to wait 15 years for.
Sarah - A collection of 80's Cold War movies, including Gymkata, and her own movie idea - 'Braking the Ice'.

Judges - Due to the fact that John had to wait for 15 years, they give it to John

Tied 1-1

Round 3 -

Sarah - A posters of the movie 'Snatch' - but she got it in Europe, where they called it 'Podf#ck'. She stole it and carried it around Europe.
John - He went to sneak into a convention and got caught by Brian James and Tim Thomerson. As a reward, they hang out for the day and get autographed photos of both of them.

Judges - In a case of who broke the law, Henry votes for John - but Keith and Tatum vote for Sarah, so she wins!

Sarah wins the game, gets the statue, and advances to the championship round. She thanks herself for being a nerd and loving sh#tty movies. She is congratulated and we end the show.

My take? This is a fun show, and I like the format. We'll see how much more of this we get as we see the second round - next week.