The weekend of April 20-21, The Grand Cinema is hosting our first ever 24 Hour Movie Marathon. This is an event that we've wanted to do for a long time, but finally moved forward with this year as a support event for our Digital Conversion Campaign — to which all proceeds from the marathon will go.

There is much to know about the 24 Hour Movie Marathon. Just like a real marathon, those who game-plan ahead of time will be far better equipped to successfully champion the 24HMM. With that in mind I thought it would be appropriate to share some advice and considerations from the folks who are planning the event.

1. The first 24HMM stipulation to consider is the team option. You're under no obligation to personally watch 24 hours straight of movies. You are welcome to rally a posse and hand of your marathon pass like a baton and complete the 24HMM as a relay team. Of course, if you think you can go it alone, we certainly invite you to try.

2. Perhaps you're not a fan of team activities yet you're questioning whether you are truly up for 24 hours of straight movie watching? If so, no need to be a hero - consider starting with a half marathon this year. Twelve hour passes to either to the first 12 or the final 12 hours of the marathon are available for a reduced price.

3. Note the kind of movies that will be playing at the 24HMM - first run indie films, semi-recently released indies and cult classics. You'll want to have some idea about when in the marathon you'll want to watch what sorts of movies. For instance, if you know you'll be dragging around 4 a.m., that would be a good time to head to the cult classic theater where Spaceballs or Monty Python will be screening around that time.

4. Also to do with movies - you may want to study the (continually growing) list of confirmed marathon movies and prioritize which films you'll build your personal marathon around. Many films will screen twice during the marathon so you can avoid having to choose between your two or three favorites. Right now confirmed films include 42, Trance, The Place Beyond the Pines, Blazing Saddles, Hands on a Hard Body, Some Like it Hot and many others. 

5. Finally, don't think that we at The Grand are oblivious to what April 20 means to many Tacomans. We're hip to it. That's why we'll be screening the 1936 American propaganda exploitation Reefer Madness at 9:09 on 4.20. This screening will be open to marathoners as well as single-screening visitors. - Zach Powers

THE GRAND CINEMA, 24 HOUR MOVIE MARATHON, 10 A.M. SATURDAY, APRIL 20-10 A.M. SUNDAY, APRIL 21, $100, $75 HALF PASSES, 606 S. FAWCETT AVE., TACOMA, 253.593.4474, GRANDCINEMA.COM

Zach Powers is the marketing director at The Grand Cinema