An article in the Los Angeles Times, "Not in the Mood for Love", examined the sad state of the Hollywood romantic comedy. But love for and in the movies is alive and well and online.

Four Eyed Monsters is screening tonight  (or later this month) in over 30 cities including the Balboa in San Francisco at 9:15 pm and the Music Box in Chicago at 9:45 pm.  The movie was a hit with audiences and critics at film festivals, but not distributors. 

So filmmakers Arin Crumley and Susan Buice began making a video podcast and using other forms of online outreach that were just as creative and entertaining as their movie.  FEM was nominated for Independent Spirit Awards for best cinematography and for the John Cassavettes Award honoring the best film made for under $500,000. It also won the Undiscovered Gems film series audience award (another film from that series which defies the death of the romance, Mutual Appreciation was just released on DVD). 

In January, they had a free Sundance Channel screening in Second Life and also posted video blogs at the Sundance Film Festival.

FEM tells the story of Arin Crumley's and Susan Buice's meeting online (on a very Myspace-like site) and creative courtship (they agreed not to speak, to only communicate in writing, art, and video).

If FEM isn't playing near you (or you already have plans for tonight), the DVD will be out soon (in the video promoting the Valentine's Day screenings, Erin holds up the DVD and talks about the extras and how pre-orders are helping to finance their manufacture).