MTF Flashback! The 2011 Independent Spirit Awards Report! With Annette Benning! Mark Ruffalo! Danny Boyle! James Franco! Jason Isaacs! Aaron Eckhart! Autographs! Photos and More!

I keep debating about attending the Independent Spirit Awards this year… So, I figured, let’s relive how horrible it was LAST year… What a great flashback… It wasn’t horrible because of the company or who came over to sign, but the weather was a misery. Freezing cold, wind that ripped through your body, oh yeah… fun times…

Plus, my hatred of sand is well documented. HATRED of sand… I hate it, I even hate the word sand… ugh… And it was flying everywhere… In my hair, in my bad, I even got wind burn. Ugh… Was it worth it… Judge for yourself after the jump!

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This is the first year, that we are going to check out the Independent Spirit Awards. Scotty, Erica and myself are heading out to see what we can find out. We have no idea what to do or where to go but… Let’s see if it’s worth it.

8:11 a.m. – We just arrived at the large tent on the beach. Apparently 8:00 a.m. is too late because we are kind of far down on the barricade… Doh! Ah well…

8:32 a.m. – It is so cold I can’t feel my fingers… The wind is literally whipping right through our clothes…

8:41 a.m. – Scotty and Erica look so cute posing on the beach though… Awwwwww….

8:59 a.m. – I hate sand with a passion. Sand is evil… EVIL. It gets in every crack and crevice or orifice you have. It’s evil and personally I think it was devised by satan to torment me. Just a thought.

9:05 a.m. – I brought so much randomness with me. The prospects are amazing, but with the wind is Nicole Kidman really going to come over and sign? I mean… I dunno…

9:18 a.m. – Plus, I’m sure Natalie Portman is going to skip over and greet us with a smile. LOL…

9:25 a.m. – The sun is out and it’s still freezing. Did I mention there was sand and it was the tool of satan… Oh… fine… I did.

9:39 a.m. – The cars seem to be coming in from the rear and dropping off everywhere… lol… Since this is my first year doing this event it could be interesting…

9:49 a.m. – I’m hoping that arrivals are soon… Oh my there’s a dude standing on top of the giant tent. With this wind, that’s crazy.

9:55 a.m. – There’s a car called the Fashion Police driving around… Really? A whole car for the fashion police?

10:01 a.m. – There’s Jane Lynch! She’s leaving with bags and bags of swag. LOL… I think we are guilting her into coming over because she only showed up to pick up the free crap.

10:04 a.m. – Jane is signing for pretty much everyone who has something for her. Of course I didn’t bring a lot of my crap. Ah well… But I do have my Best in Show DVD cover! Jane was like “Oh Wow” before she signed it. lol…

(Editor’s Note: This is the last time I have seen Jane sign. M-)

10:10 a.m. – Jason Ritter just arrived. He’s always really nice and is signing for everyone.

10:13 a.m. – There’s Jason Isaacs from Harry Potter. He’s signing quite a bit. He’s always super nice.

10:16 a.m. – Oh Mark Ruffalo is here! He’s super nice and tells security he is going to sign down the line one each.

And sure enough that’s what he does.

He signs and signs and is so nice and down to earth. I mean like super cool and down to earth.

10:18 a.m. – I got Mark on my 13 going on 30 mini poster. It looks awesome! And Mark continues down the line until he reaches the end. Man, there should be more like him!

10:21 a.m. – Oh crap, there’s Aaron Eckhart.

I have my Erin Brockovich UK Quad mini poster for him. He’s coming right on over and is again signing one each.

Aaron is always super nice, and is generally pretty fan friendly.

10:23 a.m. – Aaron makes it down to our end and he is more than happy to sign my poster. A hyper nice guy.

10:31 a.m. – I see Danny Boyle! He is one of my favorite directors of all time.

I’m yelling me head off for him. He comes on over and signs for the front of the barricade but then leaves. I’m not deterred as I keep yelling and waving my Shallow Grave laser disc and Trainspotting mini poster.

10:34 a.m. – Finally, after shouting for what seems like forever one of the people Danny is with points over at me. They look at my stuff and I think they are puzzled. Danny Boyle runs over and says, “I need to see what you have?” and I showed him the Shallow Grave laser disc.

Danny is like, “Oh my God a laser disc!” lol… Danny is really cool and signs both my poster and laser disc.

10:36 a.m. – I’m really stoked about Danny Boyle. lol… He’s amazing!

10:41 a.m. – Oh Diego Luna has arrived. I have my Milk mini poster for him.

He runs over really quick and signs a few. Scotty got a photo with him and Diego signed my poster as well. Lord knows when I’m going to get Sean Penn!

10:46 a.m. – Oh damn, there’s Annette Benning!

Everyone is going crazy for her. She is coming over and as usual is really nice.

She is skipping around and I’m waving my Mars Attacks! mini poster like a mad man.

Annette comes over to our area and is more than happy to sign. Classy… Such a classy woman.

10:49 a.m. – Nicole Kidman is going in. Doh! We got a wave though.

11:03 a.m. – Natalie Portman is arriving… Wow, she barely mustered a wave… Sigh…

11:15 a.m. – The wind is chilling… Chilling… All the arrivals seem to be in. Hmmmmm….

11:39 a.m. – I’m getting so so hungry…

12:09 p.m. – The wind is blowing so hard that the trees are bending, lol… Ugh…

12:38 p.m. – Wow, today is not the day to get pics with anyone! LOL…

1:32 p.m. – Sand… everywhere sand… People are leaving, there goes Nicole Kidman, Portman… Oh, there’s James Franco… Everyone yells for him and he comes right on over.

James Franco is an odd one, but he’s always been cool about signing.

He comes right on over. I have him sign my Young Highness mini poster.

(Editor’s Note: Please don’t judge me for getting a Your Highness mini poster signed. The movie hadn’t come out yet… I didn’t know! M-)

1:39 p.m. – Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky is leaving. We are calling him over, and he’s signing.

He signs my Black Swan mini poster and inscribes it as well. Super cool.

I can call that one done since I’m not going after Portman ever again. lol…

Overall, it was a fun day, but I’m not sure if it was all worth it. I got a wind burn on my face, and sand everywhere, and you know… It was a tad bit of misery. Ugh… lol… Still, I’m happy I got a few cool people.

Until next time kids…