So many visual clues that this movie is going to rock. No word yet on if it won’t rock, story-wise.
Oscar!
Mike!!
Golf!!!!
Category Archives: Celebs and Media
Milk Curdling?
Love it or hate it, here comes the Harvey Milk movie.
The debate rages. Is it right to have a straight actor portray the most political gay icon in American history? It was eventually widely accepted that two straight actors “bravely” portrayed fictional cowboys and removed us from their stereotypes in Brokeback Mountain, but will it be correct for a heterosexual to portray this gay icon, this historical figure and not know the nuances of being gay? Not having struggled with their sexuality in their lifetime, how can Sean Penn correctly portray Milk? Is Penn on the verge of taking the role of effete Milk over the top like he did in “I Am Sam” (a borderline offensive portrayal of a mentally deficient man)?
Guardedly, I am going to say “no”. The trailer seems to keep Sean in check with his mannerisms, nothing too outrageous, but time will tell. I am quite excited that Gus Van Sant is directing this and might wipe the embarrassment of that Psycho remake from ’98 off his books and put him back on credible film making again.
Early rumours say this movie is going to be important, which is a shame. It’s timing sucks. I get the feeling it really should have been released 10 days ago, before the vote for Prop 8 was so contentiously decided upon (and is still being felt like a stinging slap on a lot of Californian Democrat faces). However, I doubt a lot of Republicans or right-winged religious types would base themselves to see it. Still, positive press of a touching, intelligent biopic might have swayed at least one to go see it. And who knows? Would that have helped?
Still Watching the Watchmen
Teaser posters! Get your teaser posters!
Wired reports that various blog/publications have been given separate poster art for each of the characters. I’ve saved you the trouble and downloaded them here for your viewing porn below.
Shame to Entertainment Weekly for only providing a tiny thumbnail instead of the big splash. What’s up, EW? Too cheap for the bandwidth?
Nite Owl
Rorschach
Silk Spectre
Ozymandias And Bubastis
Comedian
Dr Manhattan, as big as he gets
A Night of Art-ness
Last night was a busy one for me. Da and I decided to do some Father/Son bonding while hobnobbing (what the hell does that word mean, anyway?) with Toronto’s art elite at Art With Heart.
Da’s never been in the Carlu and was curious as to it’s grandeur. It didn’t disappoint. It’s a beautiful deco setting and the art that was placed throughout was amazing (the website doesn’t convey the demanding presence some pieces command). I have to comment here that the volunteer staff were clockwork perfect. Pleasant, informed docets docents (Andrew helps me spelling!) cheerfully provided information on the art and never patronized. In all, a very organized successful event… I hope. I haven’t heard any numbers back yet, but the joint was packed, and considering Fashion sCares is this Saturday, I hope they made their target numbers!
Then we shuffled down to Canadian Stage to see my brother in Frost/Nixon. I have to admit that due to some of the reviews coming out of Vancouver, I wasn’t hopeful for this production. But when the curtain fell, I can tell you I was very entertained and greatly surprised. They have worked out all the problems mentioned in previous reviews, except the worrisome opinion that Len Cariou’s Nixon was not satisfactorily mimicking enough, which I tend to agree. I yearned to see the Nixon I remembered as a kid but got a sketch of that ideal. Not saying he did a bad job, he was captivating, but there was no jowly “Rich Little” kind of character play (which my brother does rather spookily at one point).
Oddly enough most of the cast and crew had been in science fiction TV shows (Battlestar, Stargate, RoboCop), including my brother, at one point in their career. Does this say something about Canadian culture?
Tonight, Sharkboy and I are off to see A Chorus Line with Mumsey! I’m being exposed to more culture than an open chest wound in an emergency ward!
Acting Out
On Thursday I responded to an ad on craigslist for REAL tradespersons to be in a Govt of Canada/Ontario(?) commercial, no experience required. Off goes my headshot and a white lie of my skills and the headhunter calls me within 30 minutes.
I blush! That fast!
Okay I know what you’re thinking, I barely know which way a hammer goes (the heavy sidey thing hits the flatty sided thingamagigger). But I did do cedar siding for cottages around my home town when I was a teen so it’s not THAT much of a stretch, okay? With all my butch clothes from working at the Black Eagle, I had a ton of clothing options, so I was pretty hopeful to get a callback. (taps fingers)
Auditions were just like I remember them from Queer As Folk: the actors greeting each other and exchanging work info like hobos giving rail riding tips. Plus there were a few REAL tradespeople who I avoided in case I got called out. One guy had drywall dust all over him and I was instantly jealous of his character choice.
I’m called and I saunter past the actors trying out for office parts. All eyes on the REAL guy going in.
I stand and deliver a 30 second monologue of my skills. Done! The guy before me was equally fast so I couldn’t tell my chances.
After, I met up with SharkBoy and went into HomeSense to oo and aa over bear lamps.
Shrug. Wish me luck.
In Times of Economic Troubles…
You’ve probably heard of this movie by now. It has nothing to do with Aptow but does have the post-teen comedy sensibilities that he’s been known for and it’s from Kevin Smith. The movie has already gained notoriety for it’s original posters being yanked in the US (portrait shots of the two leads subtlety getting head) and replaced with sarcastic text next to stick figures. Thankfully, Canada has a sense of humour and I get to see Seth Rogan’s happy “O face” every morning on a local bus shelter.
At this point I have to admit that I have a big man/bear crush on Seth Rogan and Kevin Smith: admitted geeks and big funny guys with facial hair, so I’m kind of biased. But after seeing the preview I (and I am sure many others) asked myself “What the hell does Miri see in Zack?” She’s a bit too beautiful to be hanging out/hooking up with someone like Seth in my books, but the trailer makes her look slobbish matching Seth’s re-occurring character choices of the slovenly lovable mensch. It’s typical of Kevin Smith’s movies to have one casting moment where you have to suspend some belief (Uh… Allanis Morrisette as God?). But in getting Traci Lords to do a small part might wipe that all out and redeem his past transgressions.
My second admission is that I, like so many of you out there, have always wanted to be revered/paid for as a sex porno god. If my family is reading, go away. I’ve never acted upon this desire, but there it is.
Still Watching the Watchmen
kablooey
Gizmodo has a low-rez video of the new trailer from Spike TV.
Which lead me to this article over on /Film (via Cinematical) about now you see it now you don’t IMDB forum postings on how the ending has been altered from the bleak comic version. (HEAVY SPOILERS!!!) No surprise there.
Never Don’t Be Confident!
Gabe and Max are back with a new video via Details Mag:
Gabe and Max’s Guide to Man Style
(via boingboing)
WWDDD?
Ruh Rohh, or JJ Abrams Goes Sickass on Fanboys
Chris Pine as Kirk
That’s the set of the new (old) Enterprise. Okay the costumes jive (note mini-skirt and boots!) but the rest seems a bit too “updated”.
Abrams did feel Trek’s design aesthetic — which for him is largely defined by the lo-fi original series — needed a dramatic upgrade if the drama was going to be taken seriously.
…(the Enterprise bridge is) now blazingly white and glistening with light and glass. Apple Store, anyone? ”People would joke, ‘Where’s the Genius Bar?”’ says Abrams, somewhat defensively. ”To me, the bridge is so cool, it makes the Apple Store look uncool.”
—From Entertainment Weekly (click to read full article and minor plot spoilers)
My initial gut reaction was “Cool!” Pause. “Wait a minnit…” Not sure how this will play out but so far, I’m liking what I’m seeing, with reservations.