So, for those of you who haven’t been paying attention, I got to meet Ethan Hawke this weekend (see HERE). Yeah, the real Ethan Hawke. Of Dead Poets Society (my FAVORITE EVER), Reality Bites, and Training Day. Yes, the Gen X-ers Gen X-er. I’m sure he hates that. Just like all of us Gen X-ers hate everything.

Anyway, the deal was that our dear friend and SCOPI Don won a private screening of Ethan Hawke’s new movie Sinister, and was allowed to invite a bunch of friends. I was one of the lucky ones to be included (thank you Don!!!). We all met up in New York and got some burgers at Bill’s Bar and Burger, which was conveniently located just across the street from the screening.

Added bonus was that I got to bring my dad, Bob, whose inner grump was silenced right off the bat with a roasted marshmallow milkshake. Thanks for the tranquilizer, Bill’s! So, after we got Bob good and sedated (I calmed my own nerves with a pumpkin milkshake and a french onion burger) we headed across the street to Soho House where the screening took place.

I had expected the screening room to be just like an actual movie theater (with the chairs that flip up etc) but on a smaller scale. I had no idea that we were going to have our own comfy easy chairs, each with an ottoman that opened up and contained a cozy blanket. It was pretty frickin’ glam.

Service also included a cool little candy counter with free candy. Free! Candy! Things were already going better than expected.

If I could have taken that cabinet home with me, I totally would have.

As we fussed over the candy, and the easy chairs, and the ottomans full of cozy blankets, Ethan Hawke and the movie’s producer Jason Blum (not a bad looker himself) waltzed in. Yeah, just like that. How weird. And they were totally gracious and friendly (not wanting to make us small-towners feel bad, they even oohed and ahhed over the free candy, easy chairs, and ottomans full of cozy blankets – what gentlemen!).

We settled in for some photo ops. Don, being the man of the hour, got the first shot.

There were some camera issues when my turn came around, and though I encouraged the guy who I had handed my camera to to please take his time while Ethan Hawke stood there with his arm around me, the moment went by all too quickly.

If my 11th grade self could have seen me now…! Well, actually I know she would have said, “Ugh, you are such a tool,” like a good Gen X-er, but secretly she would have really meant, “ohmygodohmygodohmygod!!!!!!”

The Q&A happened before the movie because Misters Hawke and Blum were supposed to be at a birthday party or something – so we couldn’t ask any specific questions about the movie. But it was really interesting anyway – full of banter and geniality and it felt more like a bunch of people sitting around talking about movies instead of a couple of famous guys answering questions. Bob stood by and behaved himself. I only wish my mom could have been there for this. She loved all things American Cinema (her love affair with America started with her job as a candy girl in a movie theater in Tokyo) and would have totally gone nuts over the star quotient. I’m glad dad could at least be there as a stand-in.

They really were extraordinarily gracious and interested and thoughtful. I cannot say enough how impressed I was.

And then they left. And then it was time for terror.

I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone, but if you like horror movies, you should definitely go see it. If you don’t, I would definitely recommend not seeing it. My heart rate was elevated the entire length of the movie with no rest – I felt like I had been running for two hours by the time it was over. But I didn’t pee my pants, and only screamed a little bit at the end of the final credits when Don leaned forward from the row behind me to ask me a question.

This is one that will go down in the books. I can’t imagine a better group of people to sit with in a sumptuous screening room getting the bejesus scared out of me.

Thanks for a great time, and if you ever happen to meet Ethan Hawke, tell him his new BFF Robbi says, “Hi, you’re awesome.”