Theatrical Panic

Normally I love handicapping the Tony Awards nominations which are announced next week --but this year, despite seeing more theater than ever, I have somehow fumbled in the last weeks of the season and have missed recently opening shows like Sweet Charity, Spamalot!, that spelling bee musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Pillow Man. The fact that I actually had choice seats to one of those and stillmissed the show is a tiny snapshot reminder of how f***ed up things have been in the personal-life-we-shall-not-discuss-for-fear-of-being-called-a-drama-queen-again.

For a theater enthusiast like myself being responsible for a peculiarly empty seat in an otherwise crowded house is pretty embarrassing. Not that anyone would know who was responsible. Or that anyone would even notice if the house was full. Or would they...Are any stage actors reading? Do you notice the empty seats in a sea of people? Is that glass half full or half empty?

good vs. evil

My actual website is apparently closer to god.

"Meme" Quiz

As ModFab commands so I do. ModFab says go to this concert. I do ~excellent stuff. what a voice! ModFab says do this quiz. I start typing.

If I could be a scientist: One very memorable (and drunken) 4th of July while watching fireworks with a big gaggle of lesbians I developed an instantaneous and seismic crush on one of them -a total hottie in horn rimmed glasses. Whilst under the spell of this blazing insta-lust I desperately tried to impress with vivid and increasingly bonkers descriptions of each burst of explosives. She called me a "colorologist" and we laughed for what seemed like hours. That's my answer. Colorologist. Don't tell me it's not a real science. It is to me.

If I could be a musician:I do play piano or rather did when there were pianos around to be played. The talent I'd most like to have is an incredible singing voice. But because I'm such a queen I'd use it to sing Broadway showtunes as opposed to soul. Sorry G. Choice #2 If I couldn't have the voice but could still have the musical talent I'd most like to be a composer. I love the idea of creating something out of nothing. How does Sondheim, for example, go from nothing to complete genius scores forSweeney Todd, Passion, Into the Woods, Company, etc... How does that process happen?

If I could be a doctor: I'd be this guy in late June. Congratulations my friend.

If I could be a painter: I do paint or rather did when there were canvases around to be painted. I'm definitely not a landscape guy. Or still life. I need the human face and form. Despite all that I am inexplicably crazy for Jackson Pollock, though portraits be not his forte. As for the masters DaVinci, Caravaggio, and Vermeer excite me most of all. I also used to really groove on illustration and graphic design and had mad crushes on Erte and JC Leyendecker. My boyfriend loves himself some Robert Rauschenberg. He sometimes drags me on gallery walks but, unfortunately I get image overload and can never remember anybodys name. It's the sculptors who end up really getting to me. Richard Serra is my latest obsession.

If I could be an innkeeper: I wouldn't. The only bed and breakfast I'm interested in running is this kind: The party runs late. I pull out the extra pillows, air mattress, or maybe I just scoot over (depending on how cozy we're getting and the number of guests we're talking about) The next morning I make a huge pot of coffee --I scramble a mean egg.

Aaron and Joe.Tag you're it! Time to take the quiz.

Tra La... It's May

"Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, It's May, that gorgeous holiday
When every maiden prays that her lad will be a cad
It's mad, it's gay, a libelous display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The Lusty Month of May

Whence this fragrance wafting through the air?
What sweet feelings does it's scent transmute?
Whence this perfume floating everywhere?
Don't you know, it's that dear forbidden fruit

It's May, the lusty month of May
That darling month when everyone throws self-control away
It's time to do a wretched thing or two
And try to make each precious day one you'll always rue

It's May, it's May, the month of "Yes, you may"
The time for every frivolous whim, proper or im-
It's wild, it's gay, depraved in every way
The birds and bees with all of their vast amorous past
Gaze at the human race aghast
The Lusty Month of May

Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray
Tra la, it's here, that shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear

It's May, it's may, the month of great dismay
when all the world is brimming with fun, wholesome or un-
It's mad, it's gay, a libelous display
Those dreary vows that everyone takes, everyone breaks
Everyone makes divine mistakes
The Lusty Month of May"

-from the musical Camelot by Lerner and Loewe

The Light in the Piazza

Gabriel over at Modern Fabulousity already raved about this musical, which is easily the best of the season. I don't have much to add to his review other than that he's right about how gorgeous the whole thing is. It's spellbinding to look at -every color choice in costuming is perfection and the lighting -holy mother of god, the lighting - would be moving in and of itself, even if you were to remove the evocative musical score (please don't). The lighting in this show ought to win five Tonys...just to make up for the fact that stuff like Wicked (a fun show) gets nominated for lighting even though its aesthetic choices are questionable at best: 'Let's see...it's a ballad with a green character. Let's use color filters with designs just to mix it up!'. But I don't mean to get distracted with last season's memories. It's just that modern musicals tend to err on the side of busy / gaudy / over produced and with stuff like Brooklynstinking up the theater these days, you just got to have the elegance and beauty of something like Light in the Piazza to restore your faith in musical theater.

I wasn't crazy about the plot or even a couple of performances but the music was strong enough to make me forget that I was annoyed with the central character of Clara more often than not. And toward the end, even as I tired of the narrative hijinx, I found the whole thing inexplicably moving. Go see it.

god's gift

47 years ago today the heavens opened up and American cinema's coolest modern blonde icon was delivered unto Dick and Donna Pfeiffer in Santa Ana California. If you have yet to understand the rapture of Pfandom, may I suggest a triple bill of Scarface to see her acting breakthrough, The Fabulous Baker Boys to see her place in the cinematic pantheon cemented, and White Oleander to see the most recent proof of her mastery of the craft. (Additional good options if you've already seen those recently include: Dangerous Liasions, Married to the Mob, Love Field, Witches of Eastwick, Frankie & Johnny, Batman Returns, What Lies Beneath or even The Story of Us ...if you skip past the scenes where Bruce Willis and Michelle are trying to pretend that they're in their mid 20s in gauzy flashbacks)

For those with more severe time restraints or for those who have already been converted and would like to celebrate the day somehow ~ may I suggest the following:

THIS is the coolest Michelle Pfeiffer site on the web. Courtesy of the gorgeous and very smart Noelle (who I go way back w/ on the web so I'm biased... but it's a great site)
THIS one is also great, from cutie Morrissey.
THIS is mine -and there you can bone up on your Pfeiffer trivia or even read about the time when I gazed upon the actual woman as opposed to a celluloid projection of her gorgeousness. This occurred at the New York premiere of The Story of Us at the Ziegfeld theater...and it's one of my favorite moments of my New York life. Duh!

Cinema Portraits 2005

I got this calendar for Christmas called "Cinema Portraits 2005." Though it's hardly a secret, April reveals again that that Cary Grant was quite the looker. Now, I do not have a drill to hang up the calendar where I want it in a very cement wall. So right now Cary is just hanging loose on the kitchen counter. But he be fine with that. He's swellegant just sitting at the bar. He doesn't need to be properly hung to inspire worshipful glances.

By the time I put this calendar up the covergirl is going to be the lovely Audrey Hepburn. Any rational human being will tell you that Ms. Hepburn couldn't take a bad photo if she tried. Any rational human being who hasn'tseen this calendar that is. In Audrey's "May" pose she does looks pretty but the kitsch overwhelms. In the photo she appears to be rising naked out of miniature sandy ruins --picture an Attack of the 50 Foot Woman poster with less salacious emphasis on bosom. She is positioned between two phallic pillars with Greco-Roman statuery atop. Trust me when I say that that's not as hot as it sounds.

one after another

"just one psychological drama after another" -erasure drama

I've had too much --too much-- recently. I need a beach trip. Some time off. Or better yet a great new film + time off to obsess on it + a new job offer for a job that doesn't start until after the fabulously relaxing time off. Emotionally this doesn't feel like too much to ask for but, rationally and realistically speaking, I will just try to continue breathing.

sorry for the personal drama! --you may now return to movie discussion.

The Actress -Ex Factor

In my listing on favorite actresses, I said about the following (listed below) that we had "broken up. The passion had dwindled..." My therapist feels I should work through these relationships --Analyze what went wrong so that I can move on and form new attachments. He warns me "Scarlett and Evan Rachel shouldn't have to share you with Winona and Helena! If you're not careful you'll lose them too!"

ANGELA BASSETT My heart still jumps when I see her in magazines or at awards shows but is there any mainstream Actress working that Hollywood seems to understand less? Why aren't they casting her? How do you go from charismatic and financially successful leading work in What's Love Got To Do With It, Waiting to Exhale, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back in the space of only a few years straight to the land of thankless supporting stock roles? How does this happen? I still can't figure it.

HELENA BONHAM-CARTER I blame Kenneth Branagh and Tim Burton. Oddly enough Merchant and Ivory, who probably didn't look at her with lust in their hearts, had far more respect for her great beauty. They never put her in hideous burn makeup or ape latex, now did they?

JULIETTE LEWIS If I ran the world, singularity would be much more crucial to an actors longevity and fame. Juliette Lewis is incomparable. Even if you hate her you'll have to agree. But what happened to the matching memorable roles? The background minor girlfriend / unfaithful wife role isn't really suited for someone whose gifts are this unique.

WINONA RYDER Remember those t-shirts that got popular for a split second "Free Winona!" She even modelled one on the cover of a magazine. The only person keeping Noni locked up now is Noni herself.

EMMA THOMPSON It was a good run but couldn't it have lasted longer? I know that for some fans TV movies are just as good as features for a fix of their favorite actors. Not true for me. I'm televisionally challenged...I'm sorry but I need that big screen for proper worship of my false idols.

He falls in love with covers of slick magazines. With serious actresses. On the screen.

Sometimes when you love an actor, your adoration is easily justified. Nobody asks why. Perhaps they're in love too. Who is going to quibble with loving Ingrid Bergman for example? Yet, sometimes you have some 'splaining to do. Identification or lust or personal connection to actors is sometimes mystifying to those who aren't similarly fan-struck.

I meant to post this list (linked above through the title --which is a lyric sample from Christine Lavin's insightful folk song "Attainable Love") of my favorite silver screen goddesses ages ago. It's finally up. Who do you love? Which names are eyebrow raisers?

Loving Judy Holliday

I watched Bells Are Ringing (the 1960 film) last night with a few friends. I had seen it on Broadway in a revival with Faith Prince a few years back but didn't remember a lot about it other than that Faith Prince was great fun in the lead role. I remember reading in an interview that Judy Holliday was a favorite of hers. Now, at the time I had seen Judy Holliday's Oscar winning role in Born Yesterday but otherwise I knew nothing about her. I didn't really become a fan until this year with viewings of It Should Happen to You and this film last night. Now, I'm hooked ~I'm crazy with fan love. I want more! She's just such an original. So funny. So versatile. So "Judy Holliday!". Modern Broadway stars like Faith Prince and Donna Murphy are obviously borrowing from her in recent well received musical-comedy roles. And, as my best friend remarked last night, it seems like Doris Day owes her a lot, too. (Now, as a reader reminds Day was famous concurrently with Holliday. But the latter wasn't around to compete with for plentiful 60s comedy roles...and it's easy to imagine Judy Holliday having gone a similar career route. Or maybe she would have stuck with purer musicals. There were lots of those to star in the 60s as well)

As for Bells are Ringing, It's so dated --"answering service? -what's that?"--that it's almost an essential time capsule piece...in the same way thatPillow Talk's "party line" business is head-scratching but important to know about for communication history! The musical score is uneven but there are a few super songs like "The Party's Over" and the very famous "Just in Time". And Judy Holliday! Again...*Swoon* Awesome. The best thing I can say as a musical theater lover about her performance in this semi-forgotten Vincent Minelli picture is that I kept imagining while watching it that had I seen her onstage it might have been one of those theatrical experiences that was impossible for me to shake. (If you're wondering what those are it's stuff like seeingAngels in America -the whole thing. Elaine Stritch At Liberty. The final moments of Metamorphosis Tonya Pinkins's "Lot's Wife" number from Caroline or Change etc...) It has a sort of stage grandeur. Her showstopping finale "I'm Going Back" doesn't really work as a classic galvanizing film moment but I can certainly imagine that onstage it was classic and would have deservedly brought down the house.

Now that I've been a New Yorker for some years older films like this that are set in Manhattan are more and more fascinating to me. So many films are set in NYC that, even if they're filmed on a soundstage, they still make up a really great history of NYC as it is imagined or actually was throughout the 20th century. Plus it's always great to see NY theatrical talent who made it in Hollywood as well (like Judy herself) immortalized. I recommend giving the film a whirl. In fact, see Judy Holliday in everything she did. It's so sad that she didn't live to enliven more movies. She died at 44 of throat cancer, just 5 years after her committing this Tony-winningBells role to celluloid. This was, unfortunately, her last film. Apparently she was already sick while making it. It doesn't show. Onscreen she's got life force to spare.

Miller @ the Movies

Sin City was the talk of April at the movie theater so where will Frank Miller's inky aesthetics strike next cinematically speaking ? The obvious choice would be in Sin City Volume 2. Robert Rodriguez (that films renegade force) works fast. And he could always finish the job of adapting Frank Miller's stories of the town without pity; Miller and Rodriguez didn't deplete all of the graphic novels in this first hit movie.

Despite the hype, the now well-known and of-the-moment Sin City was not actually the first Miller inspired movie. 2003's incredibly botched Daredevilfilm holds that disappointing and undeserved honor. The film used Miller's very famous Elektra/Bullseye arc that put both the comic (a B level character and seller) and Frank Miller the writer/artist on the map back in the day. Let's not speak of Elektra... I haven't seen it. Don't intend to. I doubt I could take it given my love of the real character. You know, the one made of ink who does not also happen to go by the moniker of 'Jennifer Garner'.

Whether or not Sin City gets a quick sequel, I expect that we'll see someone attempt Ronin before long as well. Ronin is like a mass collision of already familiar, easily marketable movie genres --Samurai / Apocalyptic Future-- most prevalent among them. The other major Miller work that we'll see adapted soon (though development hell is always a danger) is 300, a graphic novel about the Persian/Greek war and the battle of Thermopylae war.

Zach Snyder is currently set to helm. Yay! Snyder's debut was the generally impressive and tightly wound remake ofDawn of the Dead so maybe he does have what it takes to pull off the herculean task of a bloody action-packed period epic. Any guesses as to whether or not it will make it to the screen on time (2006) and with Snyder still in? Or will Hollywood execs, known for their disloyalty to those without clout if those higher on the foodchain suddenly get interested (and that could happen with Miller being suddenly a name that Hollywood types know) dump him and move on to a more boring choice. Or maybe you think he's the wrong choice to begin with? Not I.

connection

I'm finally fully wired in my new home. So the main site will be active again today. If I can get to the theater too we'll have more talk about movies and less about the bilby (No offense to Australian marsupial lovers everywhere).

Poll #1 Response (in which Nathaniel kills time)

To...my 26 (ha ha -shame on u lurkers!) readers... I wuv u.
To...anonymous #1 --chicken IS good to eat though I am ashamed to say it since I was once a vegetarian. They are way difficult to draw though so props to your mad skills!
to Joe Rprocrastinate is also a fav' of mine. Can u tell?
Alex Last night I had a nightmare about defenestration. No seriously. I did. I blame u!
Lyn, Nick,& MosesThe feline world thanks you for your devotion and acknowledges that you may live another day and enjoy their purring and fuzzy exteriors without wearing protective gear. Carry on.
I think Marcelo is horny. The gym AND the bedroom?
...so is David"mount?"
Jo!!!!!!! Ahhhh how r u? it's been years. e-mail me your new addy! I have Monty stories...
Anonymous #whatever ---Silence minion! Grievances may only be aired bi-monthly on third Saturdays if there happens to be a full moon.
everyone else who answeredYou warmed the cockles of my heart today.

Burning questions of the zoological variety that remain
What the hell are "bilbys"? "tuaturas" ? a "nautili"?

Instant Poll #1

Out of restless curiousity; How many people are reading? Answer one or two of these five questions immediately and without embellishment (just cuz. humor my sudden need to order the minions around) Appease my need for immediate gratification!

what is your favorite ...
animal? verb? place? body part? hobby?

Cannes

no comments for now (too much!) but a lot of intriguing directors

Official Selection. Competition
David Cronenberg A History of Violence
Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne L’Enfant
Atom Egoyan Where the Truth Lies
Amos Gitai Free Zone
Michael Haneke Cache
Hou Hsiao-Hsien The Best of Our Times
Jim Jarmusch Broken Flowers
Tommy Lee Jones The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Masahiro Kobayashi Bashing
Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez Sin City
Arnaud & Jean-Marie Larrieu Peindre Ou Faire L’Amour
Marco Tullio Giordana Une Fois Que Tu Es Ne
Carlos Reygadas Batalla en el Cielo
Hiner Saleem Kilometre Zero
Johnny To Election
Gus Van Sant Last Days
Lars Von Trier Manderlay
Wang Xiaoshuai Shanghai Dreams
Wim Wenders Don’t Come Knockin’

Out of Competition
Fatih Akin Crossing the Bridge
Woody Allen Match Point
Shane Black Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang
Bertrand Bonello Cindy
Christian Carion Joeux Noel
Adam Curtis The Power of Nightmares
Kim Jee-woon Dal Kom Han In-Saeng
George Lucas Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Avi Mograbi Nekam Achai Mishtey Eynay
Michel Ocelot Kirikou et le Fetiche Egare
Rithy Panh Les Artistes du Theatre Brule
Michel Piccoli C’Est Pas Tout A Fait La Vie Don’t J’Avais Reve
Stuart Samuels Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream
Seijin Suzuki Operetta Tanukigoten

and since it's Cannes that's just the tip of the iceberg...

not Bridget Jones

I keep talking about my iPod. I will eventually talk about movies again. When it will happen I do not know.

The other night I was coming home from a fun so-nice-to-see-you-again type diner dinner with my friend and on the subway en route to my spectacular new apartment --you will all have real estate envy! mwaa ha ha-- I noticed a pattern forming on my iPod's random playlist: Crazy British chicks. Siobhan Fahey (formerly of Bananarama and Shakespear's Sister. Now solo). The aforementioned Bananarama (the others being Keren, Sarah, and the one of whom we do not speak who replaced Siobhan), Kate Bush, and the set ended with Boy George... also a crazy British gal I'm sure you'll agree.

Now, they say that patterns do not really form on iPod's random setting despite much urban personal anecdotal evidence to the contrary. They say it's all mental and mnemonic associations based on the fact that we ourselves select the thousands of songs that the iPod has to choose from when in shuffle mode. But I don't believe this. My iPod really does create its own concept albums!

Time Warner's sucky monopoly

Time Warner is the devil. There's no getting around them if you want to watch your television or enjoy high speed internet and you live in most of Manhattan (or Brooklyn or Queens, etc...) I hate monopolies. They add up to sucky customer service, high prices, and general incompetence. I won't go into today's ordeal but it's ridiculous how many menus I had to listen to, how many times I had to call, and how impossible the simplest request turned out to be. Hopefully I will be fully up and running by next weekend and you'll see site updates and the like.

Address Unknown

Pardon the silence. My computer is moving homes. My laptop is also travelling to its new location. Updates to site during this move? Unlikely.

Weird Personal Music Facts (part 2)

OK, Part 2 will have to be done differently. excludinganything not played in 2005 or the top songs already covered (they take their playcounts with them when they're moved into iPod apparently) I wish you could search this by most played during a specific time period. The iPod most played list includes (alpha order):

Alive -Beastie Boys
The Blowers Daughter -Damien Rice
Hollaback Girl -Gwen Stefani
Just Like a Pill -Pink
Knock Yourself Out -Jon Brion from I Heart Huckabees
Lot's Wife -Tonya Pinkins from Caroline or Change
Pavement Cracks -Annie Lennox
Precious Box -George Michael
Triumph of the Heart -Björk
Unforgiven -The Go-Gos
What Are U Waiting For? -Gwen Stefani
You're My Only Home -Magnetic Fields

The absolute weirdest thing about all of these playcount lists is that Scissor Sisters barely show up anywhere and theirs is definitely the CD I have listened to most in the past year. Ah, but it's in the ancient device in my living room: The CD player.

Weird Personal Music Facts (part 1)

Just as I was about to go to bed I clicked on iTunes and hit the Play Count feature to see which songs I've listened to the most since getting this program (can't remember when but I've had it since at least late 2002 so we're talking at least 2 and 1/2 years) --I don't know why I did this and the results were not what I expected. Keep in mind this list is from my actual computer. I listen to my iPod more than I do my computers so this is going to naturally skew towards somewhat older stuff before I had the iPod. Maybe I should check the iPod stats instead?

iTunes Most Played
01 Cucurrucucu Paloma from the Talk to Her soundtrack. Gorgeous.
02 Come What May Ewan & Nicole from Moulin Rouge!
So far it's making sense. Than suddenly...
03 Me Against the Music -Britney Spears (featuring Madonna)
I don't even really LIKE this song. Let alone love it. How did it get played so much? Yikes.
04 Cannonbal -Damien Rice. Beautiful song but it's since been eclipsed in my heart by his other really well known song The Blower's Daughter
05 It's in Our Hands -Björk
06 Why Can't I? -Liz Phair
07 A Call From the Vatican -Jane Krakowski from the Broadway revival of Nine.
now, I knew I was obsessed with Jane Krakowski as Carla when that came out. But top ten? Wow. And the fact that it's the most played Broadway tune.
08 Crying in the Rain -A-Ha
Another odd 'I did not see that coming' finalist. A-Ha is one of those groups that definitely has more than one fine pop song but the world doesn't know it. To America they seem to be the definition of one hit wonders -although in point of fact they had more than one hit here, too.
09 Take it With Me -Megan Mulally (yes, the Megan Mullaly of Will & Grace fame)
Her CD Big as a Berry is g-r-e-a-t. Terrific vocalist. I wish she'd do a Broadway show or a movie musical. Ignore that annoying M&M commercial. She can belt with the best of them.
10My Phone's on Vibrate for YouRufus Wainwright.
And that song is truly gorgeous and resonant so it's a lovely bookend to the Talk to Her song to round out my top ten.

Some runners up?
Pass That DutchMissy Elliott, MaryPatty Griffin, Where Do We Go From Here?the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer,Hella Goodand Ex-GirlfriendNo Doubt, Paris ParisMalcolm McClaren & Catherine DeneuveNothing Fails and American Life Madonna. Further down are several more songs each from Rufus Wainwright, Madonna, and Missy Elliott.

Madness

I suddenly want to do a photo-blog! Because my life simply is not complicated enough. (snort) Please give me my 380th deadline/expectation for the day. Or medication. Whichever.

(And I Am Telling You)

...great article today on the negotiations for Dreamgirls the movie over at David Poland's Hot Button. Read it if you're at all interested in star wheelings and dealings.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

The old saying had better be true this year. It's not physically raining right now. But when it rains it pours...even if only in the life sense. And in both good and bad ways. And I need to see a light at the end of the tunnel (and all that). While I try to deal with all the personal whammy going on, please enjoy the new site feature -The Calendar (linked above).

Spoke too soon

So I brought my site back up today but I probably spoke too soon about the many updates I was going to make. See, I like to do 39 things at once... and in addition to trying to do this I am also moving next week so I spend lots of boring hours throwing possessions away, regifting, and packing boxes. And I'm also working ridiculous hours. Fun for me. I hate my life right now. But thank God it's Spring. When you're really really low, the only way is up...

Julius Caesar

All over NYC you can see posters trumpeting Denzel Washington's appearance on the boards as Brutus in Julius Caesar. This advertising blitz and Denzel's fame should explain the big sales for his limited run in this Shakespearean production. Sadly my friends, Romans, and countrymen, if you lend me your ear I cannot report good news. The play comes with a certain hard-to-mess-with gusto (Shakespeare you know) but otherwise it is very much a mess. The modern trappings don't seem to be saying much. And shouldn't they if that's the direction a production goes with? The performances are pitched all over the place from classical Shakespearean delivery (Cassius) to film-like method underplaying (Brutus) to plain old over the top cluelessness (I shan't say). Sometimes you can't hear Denzel's voice. The voice itself is lovely and resonant of course as the entire nation is aware --but on stage... well, he just doesn't seem to have the training for it. It's hard to make out many of his lines and despite the quiet line deliveries in certain spots the rest of the soundcraft is ear splitting. The guns, special effects, war sounds are extremely loud. The gorgeous language Shakespeare is known for is often lost in the shuffle. Not a good trade.

"525,600 Minutes" (x 9)

Any Rentheads out there? Rent is about to enter its ninth year on Broadway so I figured I ought to check it out having only touring productions prior to moving to New York now (!) six years ago (!). The film will be arriving in November. If Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter / Mrs. Doubtfire fame) who is directing can harness the energy that this show is known for without sacrificing its pansexual East Village edge (even if that "edge" is theme-parkish as edge goes...) than he could have another huge hit on his hands.

The show just works. Not sure why. Sometimes it feels like it shouldn't. But it does. It gets to you. Whether it's the raucous youth comedy of "La Vie Boheme" or Maureen's Laurie Anderson spoof-like performances or the all choked up sentimentality of "I'll Cover You" or "Seasons of Love" Rent remains extremely hard to hate and easy to get swept up in.

...at least on stage. Good luck Columbus!

wha. the. fu. ?

Whenever I rent "gay films" as in films that are really only made by and for gay people as opposed to real films with gay content or gay directors my boyfriend expresses much dismay and says very loudly "gay people should not be allowed to make films!"

Now, part of this is a pose... obviously nobody wants Todd Haynes and other greats to quit working. But sometimes he has a point. And queer cineastes do certainly have a lot to complain about. A lot of stuff that does get made that is of questionable quality would not get made if it were straight i.e. if you're serving a specialized starving audience, you don't have to deliver good taste, exquisite plating, or even anything all that edible to pack your restaurant full. Or, to put it in film terms your story doesn't have to make even a lick of sense, you don't have to follow any standard rules of storytelling, and your protagonists and supporting characters don't have to be likeable or interesting as long as they drop trou.

Frank Miller's Town

I know that when the first "event movie" of the year comes out I should make a much bigger todo about it... but I don't have a lot to say. I grew up reading Frank Miller comics so it was a treat to see his aesthetic visualized --but as a film it didn't completely satisfy --too long. repetitive. gross. etc... Since it was so faithful to the source material I kept wondering why they just didn't animate it? But, yes, it looks hella cool.

Tarantino's section is best starring the always (and increasingly) magnetic Clive Owen. Is it just me or does he get better all the time even though he started out sensationally? *
*edited out comments about other actors since maybe Tarantino didn't direct this whole section I'm hearing.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Despite two hours of sleep on Wednesday night and a marathon work day on Thursday, I was wide awake on Broadway Thursday night for the duration of that infamous and vicious couple's pub crawl through the home of George and Martha. The boozy evening of which I speak (for those of you who are young...or older folks who have lived under a rock) is the framework of Edward Albee's masterpiece Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

For those unfamiliar with the original play or its film incarnation, it begins as if already in Act 2: George and Martha, a middle aged college professor and his wife, return home from a faculty party already inebriated and waiting for the arrival of a younger couple whom they met earlier in the evening. For the remainder of the three act play George and Martha torment each other, their guests, and especially themselves. It's an all-night binge on strange love, regret, bourbon, petty grudges, and the comfort of familiar emotional baggage. Sounds like a laugh riot, huh? Yet thanks to Albee's razor sharp skills as a writer and the indelible characters within, the play is thrillingly alive and therefore funny, smart, and joyous in the way art can be even when its subject matter is bone-crushingly dark.

Woolf is hardly Albee's only major theatrical claim to fame; he also wrote the blisteringly funny The Goat, or Who is Sylvia and Three Tall Women among other important pieces for the stage. His most recent triumph was the off Broadway The Play About the Baby which was, in a peculiar way, a kind of abstract rendering of Virginia Woolf's central mystery. Albee has also won the Pulitzer three (!) times. Yet George and Martha's epic tussle remains his signature piece. In the course of its history (1962 to the present) and throughout its various incarnations it has won 8 Tony Nominations (with more presumably to come for this production), 5 Tonys, 13 Oscar nominations, 5 Oscars, 7 Golden Globe nominations, and many others. Not too shabby.

This Broadway revival's cast features Bill Irwin (famous New York clown) as George in his second dark descent into Albee's land of tormented couples. He previously starred in The Goat I'm happy to report that he's much more impressive here. But then, to be fair, Bill Pullman's creation of The Goat role would have been impossible for anyone to top -being one of the best performances ever(hyperbole fully intended). But of course the marquee name here is the one and only Kathleen Turner.

For longtime readers of my site, my love for certain actresses is well known. Yet my devotion to Kathleen Turner may have slipped by unnoticed due to her rather abrupt descent from the movie star ranks. Those who first dropped jaw at this actress's debut in Lawrence Kasdan's early 80s noir effort Body Heat probably wouldn't have seen a fine grande dame stage career in her future.... but, in a way, Turner has been building up to Martha for years. From her memorably dangerous seduction of William Hurt in that film to her breakout star turn with Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone through her sometimes violent love/sex matches with Jack Nicholson in Prizzi's Honor Steve Martin in The Man With Two BrainsTony Perkins in Crimes of Passion and within the divorce dramedies The War of the Roses and Peggy Sue Got Married nearly all of Turner's important characters have been women in the midst of extremely contentious and high stakes coupledom. Stepping into Martha's shoes, once inhabited by legends as large as Uta Hagen and Elizabeth Taylor is, to Turner's great credit, a completely unforced fit. Taylor's bray as Martha in the film version was a perfect match and won her the Oscar. Turner's famously husky voice and big throaty laugh spin just as naturally from and in service of one of the best written characters for stage or screen. She is Martha and will certainly be rewarded with one of this year's Tony nominations.

By the end of the play I had momentarily forgotten all about the film (which I love) so immersed was I in this new production. The finale is a marvel. In those superb last moments overflowing with repetitive "yes" and "no"s the consensual nature of George and Martha's emotional violence hits home. For these weary warriors, one realizes with a shudder, this night might be just like any other night. It's a dismaying thought. But for the audience, happily, this is not just any night at the theater. Highly recommended.

no coffee...

...is strong enough right now. The Day After Insomnia... it ain't pretty.

i can't sleep

...why else would I be posting a two sentence entry at 1 AM when I have to get my ass out of bed at 5?
Know any good cures?

Wherefore art thou, Julie Ann?

I am suffering Julianne Moore withdrawal. Oh, sure. I know it was just a short time ago when her flaming locks were tossing to and fro as she weathered alien agression and boy-snatching sneakiness. And it wasn't much earlier when her gorgeous mouth was masticating junkfood in a bathroom stall blown up to silver screen heights. But... let's be honest... for the Julianne Moore fan, The Forgotten and Laws of Attraction just don't cut it. Not after the apotheosis of 2002 which starredThe Hours and the supercalifragilisticexpialadocious Far From Heaven.

But when is she reappearing and will we have another 2002? or a 2004? The IMDB which I've learned to take with multiple grains of salt when it comes to films in the works. Suggests that she is filming Savage Grace, a film about the torturous life of Barbara Daly Baekeland in which Julianne would certainly be nothing other than stupendous. But, the IMDB lists no other cast members. If the movie is truly filming surely Julianne is not playing ALL the roles!?! Well, if anyone could do it... What an overachiever!

The IMDB also claims that she is done filming two projects, Bart Freundlich's Trust the Man which is worth looking forward to because, whatever the arguable merits of deficiences of his two previous features --in both Julianne came on like gangbusters making the most of the material. According to the IMDB she is also done filming The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio but I fear a Laws of Attraction style trainwreck there given the preciousness of Anderson's last film, the HBO Jessica Lange movie Normal.

And finally, newly announced, is Next based on a Philip K Dick story and co-starring Nic Cage. Nicolas Cage? "Next!" indeed.

Joss & Eliza

I use to get through Mondays by saying to myself 'self, tonight you get to meet your friends for Buffy at the Urge.' But then we stopped going. And Mondays become more dull. So last night had a little ressurection of my previous Monday haunt and watched Angel. I don't really 'get' Angel the series the way I got what Joss Whedon was always doing with Buffy. Probably my loss. But last night was two 'guest-starring Faith' episodes (...with one special appearance by Willow!) so I enjoyed nonetheless.

Why don't they just cancel Tru Calling already and let Eliza Dushku free to do Whedon's rumored Faithseries. I would be SO there. I know Whedon is doing Hollywood right now but I love "Faith" as a character way more than I'll ever love Wonder Woman. You know?

around the corner...

...lies my nervous breakdown. I am moving from the boroughs to the island very shortly and as a result my headspace is full of "shit that I gotta do" Meanwhile i'm working 6 to 7 days a week. And i'm still posting daily to a blog even though I'm supposed to be on hiatus from webstuff. All the while I'm looking for a new job, losing a bunch of weight, and living in a total obstacle course of boxes, both packed and previously stored, and in some cases cobweb covered because I threw them in closets ages ago and I don't even know what's in them.

Basically I'm in the middle of a clusterf*** of life changes all within a tiny time frame even though you're supposed to spread stuff like that out so that you don't have the nervous breakdown. It's just around the corner! I feel it waiting 'round the bend. somethings coming --- I don't know what it is--- but it is not gonna be great....

So I go to the movies! Today I saw the Oscar nominated shorts. Ryanwhich won the animated short film prize is very bizarre, original, and documentary like while also being visually arresting but kinda scary/ugly at the same time. The other really good one is Birthday Boy about a Korean boy in 1951 playing amidst war wreckage. wasp which won the live action short film prize is about as depressing as it gets but well made and sharp. For those of you who haven't heard of Natalie Press, she is the star and you will be seeing her very soon as I expect she's about to be the new Emily Watson/Samantha Morton/much raved about new import... She's also the lead inMy Summer of Love which is opening this summer and worth a look. Paddy Considine (In America, Last Resort) is great in Love as well. I wasn't blown away by any of the live action nominees except maybe 7:35 in the Morning which is blessedly weird, funny, and a touch unsettling.

Today's Screenings

The Caine Mutiny (1954)
This was the second biggest hit of 1954 and also an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. Audiences and Academy voters were stupid back then, too. Some things never change.

Once & Again -another couplea episodes
I'm a third of the way through the first season and if ABC doesn't find it in their hearts to put the 2nd and 3rd season on DVD I may become violent.

Melinda & Melinda (at the theater)
Great concept. so-so to good execution. Look, I'm never going to tell anyone to skip a Woody Allen picture unless it has Jade Scorpion in the title...so take my thumbs-up with a grain of salt if you are a Woody hater. The premise here is so good it makes up for a lot says me... And it's always a pleasure to see Brooke Smith onscreen. She does not work enough. If you don't know who Brooke Smith is, shame on you and here is your triple-feature viewing assignment: Silence of the Lambs, Vanya on 42nd Street, and Series 7: The Contender. If you're not a fan afterwards...

Sabrina

Believe it or not I had never seen Billy Wilder's Sabrina until last night. I don't know why but I had this vague perception that it was a dated clunker. Maybe my fear of the remake (Remember that Julia Ormond vehicle in the 90s? Remember when they were trying to make Ormond into a big star?) which I never saw somehow bled into the original and, knowing that some classics are unworthy of their reputation, I somehow assumed Sabrina was one of those. Also this film is brought up in every article about Hollywood's sexism/ageism collision so I naturally thought "ew" about Bogie and Audrey as a couple.

But as per usual with Billy Wilder, it has the just-right combo of laughs, drama, and overall cleverness. If Wilder made beds, the princess would never feel a pea under the mattress. If Wilder made porridge Goldilocks would never feel it was too hot or too cold. Sabrinais "just right." It's lovely to look at (not just for Audrey Hepburn) and a couple of images/scenes will stick with me for their sheer perfection; I'm thinking of two shots of otherwise prim and proper people smooshed up against one another hopping up and down on a sheet of plastic. Once as a plot point joke, the next as a beautiful refrain and comic aside. It's all just so graceful. Wilder is such a confident smooth filmmaker. And my favorite scene is a climactic one in which Sabrina (Hepburn) finally understands out what Linus (Bogart) is up to with their frequent dating. Watching it I'm marvelling at how Hepburn geniusly underplays it. It's the type of scene that I think most lesser actors and directors would have really pushed -and thereby lost it's quiet wounding force. As she leaves the scene in beautiful longshot b&w cinematography -(haven't seen it but I bet the remake used a closeup) I just said to myself 'Doo-Wah!*'

* 'Doo Wah' being a term once overused as personal shorthand amongst friends in the 90s whilst in the collective fan throes of dance group Deee-Lite's shortlived 'World Clique'dominance. 'Doo Wah' being pulled from the song "Good Beat" as in 'I just wanna hear a...' Doo Wah being a term of respect/endearment/drop-jawed awe usually provoked by some diva-esque action. In the vernacular family of the finger/vocal 'Snap' and "you go girl!" -- i.e. unneccessary verbal/physical punctuations to dramatic/showstopping moments. This lesson in personal 90s pophistory is brought to you by Nathaniel's early morning coffee.

Carbing my hunger...

I am completely ashamed to admit it but I have joined the cult of this fad diet. In just three weeks I've slimmed down 14 lbs (a big + in keeping motivated, that speed) It's totally noticeable. Now, if I could only convince myself to go to the gym I could be a hottie someday...and even eat my beloved pasta dishes once again. We'll see if it really works though once I move into the next phase (the one where you eat normally now knowing which foods to avoid and which in which to indulge occassionally...)

so very...

...sleepy.
the eyes are getting heavier. must. sleep.

Stage Magnolias

Tried to watch this on Broadway last night. Only made it halfway through. It was just so lifeless to me. Whether that's because I know the movie too well or because this particular staging was uninspired or the cast was all wrong, I'm still trying to figure out. Mostly it just wasn't funny. And the first half should be really funny. The line readings seemed very off. Like a high school play with actors waiting to have each other's lines end before they spoke their own. Not very interactive/natural. At least for the first half I was not impressed --maybe it got better? But, Delta Burke is no Dolly Parton. And there's no getting around that for her and for most of this cast.

So I came home and settled into Once & Again again with the blanket around me (my apartment is suddenly like ice -damn landlord!) and the cat on my lap. How domesticated is that?! Still, if you need comfort, take it. Nothing better than warmth when you're cold.

I still haven't seen the new Woody Allen. argh.

my new arch-enemy

I really hate Patricia Heaton. It began as indifference. I thought she was funny enough on Everybody Loves Raymond but I began to get annoyed when she was winning the Emmy for comedic actress over my preferred choices. Still, no big whoop.

My annoyance turned to outright public dislike (of the comic I-don't-know-her-as-a-person variety) when she publicly dissed none other than Michelle Pfeiffer a couple of years ago. The brouhaha was mini in scope but did get Heaton some media play (Pfeiffer was mum because she's a classy woman) and involved Pfeiffer's implication that she had not had any plastic surgery... whereas Patricia Heaton had admitted to it and presumably wanted others to do the same. I didn't know at the time that this was because Ms. Heaton was a pious morally superior and judgmental person. But it pissed me off: If you do not want to feel the tiny web wrath of Nathaniel, you do not under any circumstances diss La Pfeiffer.

And if I'm being honest... I would say it also pissed me off a little because moral superiority is possible a character trait I've tried to stamp out in myself as well. It's unattractive even if it's easy to fall prey to. So before I go off on Ms. Heaton some more, it takes one to know one.

Now, I see Heaton sucking up airtime on Entertainment Tonight as the spokesperson for this group Feminists for Life... which seems to be a code word for women who think they're feminists but fight for conservative patriarchal causes like the pro-life movement which is all about controlling women of course --very feminist of them! And their latest cause du jour is the Shiavo case.

Now, I understand that this case has people from all walks of life and political viewpoints all atwitter and its extremely divisive. There are all sorts of moral / ethical / political / personal issues involved in opinions on this one. So to each their own. But what rubbed me the wrong way was the imbalance. Listening to Heaton, a famous and wealthy star using a popular news program to denounce the character of someone she has never met, Mr. Schiavo, made me sick to my stomach last night --and she's doing it again tomorrow night. Same bat time. Same bat channel.

Mr. Schiavo is already being sufficiently vilified these days --whatever your thoughts on the case consider that the only thing the media ever seems to be covering is how evil he is, make sure to use discernment to realize that you are not hearing anything balanced about this case. at all. Certainly no coverage of the political ramifications of the Federal government sticking its nose in where it doesn't belong.

I use to dislike Patricia Heaton. Now I really despise her. Who died and made her God? I've never been the type to be this angry with celebrities who express political opinions because they're citizens just like you and I. Mel Gibson. Eminem. Streisand. Penn. Heston. Whatever. That's their perogative. But to use your platform to publicly demean the character of some civilian whom you disagree with? Who doesn't have an equal platform to defend himself (he's not famous. not glamourous. not wealthy. not a politician. etc...) Despicable. She oughta be ashamed of herself.

Tonight on the news channels she will be demonstrating her superiority again by claiming that she would never let her child starve. My guess is that Mr. Schiavo wouldn't let his child starve either. Most people wouldn't. But what if you WERE the brain-dead woman? What if you had expressed to the person closest to you (spouse) that you would never want to live like that? There's more than one way to look at this. Which is why people should just mind their own business rather than judging the marriage of people they've never met or even heard of till last week.

I don't feel comfortable judging the woman's family (who want her kept alive) or the husband (who says she didn't want to be kept alive) but I feel totally comfortable in judging political and public figures who feel comfortable judging the family or the husband.

My advice? Get yourself a living will so that if a tragedy ever happens to you (God forbid) you won't be used as a political football for people who never knew you existed up until you became a way for them to score political points or get their faces on television when their hit series is finally going off the air.

close to home

Watched Latter Days again last night. There are movies that you know are intensely problematic, poorly structured, too on-the-nose in their writing etc... but you respond to them anyway if you know where they're coming from. This movie is like that --plot details are sometimes ludicrous but it's also highly realistic in terms of 'capturing' mormon missionary speak, gay mormon angst, and mormon family interactions with a black sheep in their mix, etc...

Now Tony Kushner also went to this spiritual crisis well famously with Angels in America which is roughly 2.79 trillion times more majestic, beautifully written, important, etc... but he was an outsider looking in and though he wasn't exactly going for naturalistic dialogue, his dialogue also was written clearly from an outsider perspective looking in (Mormons speak in very specific ways and this movie knows how they speak) rather than a former insider looking back (which I assume the writer/director here was -or else how is it this spookily accurate)

Here comes the PSA: If you are a Mormon or former Mormon or wannabe former Mormon and find yourself in this protagonists situation with the churchthis is a great website to visit.

Rick & Lily -T.L.A.

I finally bought the DVD of season one of Once & Again, perhaps the most extremely underappreciated television series of my adult life. And last night I was loving it to the tune of 3 episodes in a row. What happened to this cast? Sela Ward (as Lily) is a sensational TV star. Where's her next show? (Don't say the 7th installment of L&O or the 5th spin-off of CSI if you don't want to be strangled by moi.) I also miss Billy Campbell (as Rick) he of the so-cute-it's-impossible-to-believe-he-exists face, voice, body, etc... Marin Hinkle (as Lily's sister Judy) was also great but the only time I've seen her outside of this show was in a bit part in the Pfeiffer/Penn travesty I am Sam where she played an assistant to Michelle's bitch goddess lawyer and spent her limited screen time cowering in fear of La Pfeiff. The only cast member who has really thrived afterwards, not so surprisingly to me --but surprising to many no doubt, afterwards is Evan Rachel Wood who kills as Rick's young daughter.

This is one of my favorite television drama series (others being Twin Peaks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer,My So Called Life and Six Feet Under--well about half of that one... ) and I hadn't bought it previously because I live in fear that evil ABC will not release the other two seasons (ever) leaving my fandom only 33% complete. Plus if they never release the second and third season the uninitiated will never get the chance to see why Evan Rachel Wood's startling star turn in thirteen wasn't so startling to Once & Again addicts.

In the second or third episode of this show --I watched it in a marathon last night so I'm fuzzy-- Rick and Lily sleep together for the first time. And damn America's revived Puritanism because it felt watching it like "how did this show ever exist?" I simply can't imagine network television even attempting a sex scene this frank, well-acted, lengthy, and dramatically interesting these days (and this show is not that old!). They've basically ceded all adult emotional terrain to the cable stations at this point I guess. sigh

Sondheim

Had one of those magical only-in-Manhattan days today. Starting the day very early in line for "Wall to Wall Sondheim" a 12 hour extravaganza @ Symphony Space on the Upper West Side. A free event so you know it was a madhouse and the wait was looooooong. Spent two and a half hours freezing outside than three and a half hours inside listening to selections from the most impressive songbook of, well, practically anyone ever. We had the early morning session which had Into the Woods, Company, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and A Little Night Music in heavy rotation.

But for the purposes of this blog I just wanted to note that during the interview with Sondheim he did talk about the upcoming Sam Mendes directedSweeney Todd movie. Sondheim complemented the script (by Jon Logan of The Aviator fame) and Sam Mendes. He went on to say that they (Logan and Mendes) had a very specific idea about Sweeney Todd 'not just structural' --Sondheim obviously knew way more than he was telling---and than he said that the film was now in the hands of an actor that they all hope will do it. Of course he failed to name the actor so now my little brain is scanning all major male stars (who else would you put your important project "in the hands of") with musical ability who might appeal to studios, Sondheim, and Mendes. It's a tough guessing game.

Any one have an idea who it might be?

OOooops.

I neglected to say Happy St. Patricks Day yesterday to any of our Irish readers. So, belatedly I offer you a completely green blog for your special day. Green is my favorite color.

Doubt

Finally caught the Broadway transfer DOUBT last night. This is the play about the nun who suspects the preacher of molesting a young boy. I can't account for why I have never seen Cherry Jones (stage actor extraordinaire who plays the nun) perform onstage yet... I have seen a lot of Broadway and Off Broadway plays in the past several years and somehow I have never seen a show of hers despite her considerable level of fame within the medium. For those who never see stage shows in NY you may have seen her in bit parts in The Village, Erin Brockovich, and especially Cradle Will Rock After having seen this much talked about show I can say that her hoopla is earned. She has that special stage magic that you can't learn, fake, or convey properly to those who haven't seen for themselves. The sort of 'born-for-the-stage' charisma. Hypnotic.

My feelings about the show are mixed. It's very good ...no mistake. But I wanted DOUBT to be "great" and it fell short I think. My principle problem with it was that I didn't think it was as ambiguous as it thought it was. The central conceit is that you don't really "know" and to the play's credit it does take some unexpected turns --there is one scene in particular featuring the child's mother--which really deepen it and make it noteworthy. But in the end I thought that both the actors and the playwright had made up their minds and in a play about suspicion, gossip, and the unknowable... I think that was a miscalculation. But, I don't want to be so critical because the 90 minutes fly by. The acting is superb. And I'm pretty sure it's going to win the BEST PLAY Tony. It's only competition seems to be DEMOCRACY.

little devils

There are little devils in my TV. They pose as "channels" which provide a smorgasbord of (mostly) crappy movies to choose from at a moment's notice. Though their names surely must be Beelzebub, Lucifer, and Melanie Griffith... they call themselves "Showtime OnDemand", "Cinemax OnDemand", "HBO OnDemand". They make me watch movies that I would never for any conceivable reason watch in any other way.

I would not rent them from a store.
I would not review them -what a chore!
They would never see my Netflix list.
Still I watch them -that's the twist.

I must get these little devils out. Cancelling OnDemand is on my "to do" list this week. Good riddance horned ones from the Ninth Circle of fiery TimeWarnerCable !

Thai me up...

Late to the party here I know but I finally saw Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior in the theater. It must be on its last legs because it is only showing once or twice a day. The movie has made about 4 mil. after a month in the American market... not bad for a foreign action flick but not great either... I expect it will be a bigger hit on DVD) But I'm glad I trekked in for a 9:40 PM show risking tricky subway shutdowns after the showing (the trains these days -argh!) because "wow". I'm not speaking of the movie of course, which is pretty much a rough by-the-numbers action vehicle. The "wow" is for the star (Tony Jaa) showcased therein. The ads for this movie promise:

"No Stunt Doubles"
"No Computer Graphics"
"No Strings Attached"

which is a pretty simple advertising hook...but the truth of it packs more of a punch than you might think. Instead of the no-longer magical (because of ubiquity) "how'd they do that?" special effects reaction to movie sequences... you now get a "How'd HE do that?" genuine engagement and curiousity. Jaa's physicality is pretty showstopping.
Ong Bak? C+/B- Tony Jaa? More please! And quickly...

Return of the Screening Log...

As promised this Blog will be just that (plus other random tidbits) while the site gears up to return for the spring

Wednesday (03/09) through Saturday (03/12) viewings:
The Upside of Anger (in the theater)
I predicted this for two Oscar nominations a year in advance and that wasn't even wishful thinking since I hadn't seen the movie when I did. Nevertheless it's self prophetic because I will now be royally pissed if Joan Allen isn't nominated. She is magnificent. An "A" performance all the way and better than her Oscar nominated work in The Contender. As forcefully dramatic as her most famous performances PLUS terrific comedic timing. The movie as a whole is much better than Mike Binder (writer/director/co-star)'s other work would have you believe. It is a little unfocused and overreaches with some subplots that feel tentative or unsure of what they're there for... but overall it's a sharp, insightful, and even original (!) family dramedy. Allen and her four teen/20something daughters don't look like they're related but the chemistry is good and the film is reallyfunny. I could see it doing decent box office with some support from New Line in marketing. I think it will have good w.o.m. And Allen had better be nominated in January 2006. (B)

Robots (in the theater)
I was more consistently entertained that I thought I might be (I didn't like The Ice Age at all from this studio) but it's only a day later and it's already a little fuzzy in my memory. I've had enough of Robin Williams shtick to last a lifetime but otherwise the jokes were funny and the production design was also noteworthy. I only wish they hadn't thrown in stupid anachronistic stuff like a long sequence of fart jokes and the Britney Spears spoof (they're anachronistic because everything else is completely true to that robot world. But comparing noises to old men's farts doesn't make any sense when there aren't any humans in your world --duh! And spoofing on a singer might make some sense except for in the context in which it appears). Still it has it's moments. And at least one "wow" visual moment --which is always good. (C+)

La Strada(on DVD)
I had never seen this particular Fellini film ---I've still got many left to go, chief among them is La Dolce Vita. I've seen 8 1/2, Satyricon, Roma, and the first time I ever saw one was when I was 18 in college in a film history class and I still can't remember which one it was but remember I loved it. I'm thinking I Vitellonior Nights of Cabiria, maybe?) The La Strada DVD is from the Criterion Collection so I was disappointed that there were a lot of sound problems (lots of out-of-synch lip stuff) with the transfer. But it's a beautiful movie. As usual the visuals are the key thrill with Fellini. My favorite two moments were Gelsomina unexpectedly meeting an invalid boy in his room and Gesolmina watching the tightrope act: lovely nearly wordless sequences.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (on Broadway)
I'm not happy about the film-to-stage thing that's happening regularly on Broadway now. It's not that I disapprove of cross-pollination. It's just that I find people are pretty unimaginative about it. This transfer, like the Full Monty, is practically just lifted off the screen and plopped down on stage. Same plot points, plot sequence, ending, etc... only with music! Like they didn't really rethink. BUT. It is really funny and in addition to the famed comedic talents of John Lithgow, it has the comic and emotional joy of Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz onstage together. These two aren't that familiar to out of towners but they're awesome and they co-starred together in one of my favorite all time shows, Jason Robert Brown's off-Broadway The Last Five Years (which has quite a cult following of which I am a proud member).

I expect that this show will do at least as well as The Full Monty and being that it's funnier may last even longer. But back to the transfer. The best change is the addition of two characters (who will probably be looking at featured actor and actress nominees come May at the TONYs) and, of course, Sherie Rene Scott who is lighter than air in this show (For Broadway followers Sutton Foster's headlining of Little Women finally has some real competition for Best Actress at the TONYs). Scott's characterization is an improvement from the film version of Ms. Colgate, who is the American ingenue and principle target of the two conmen who drive the plot.

Lior

Commencing now (reader response page to the Oscar Predictions is at the site) this blog is it until the site proper gets going on again in April. This will be a screening log during the spring hiatus.

If you're in a large city go see WALK ON WATER the new Israeli film from Eytan Fox, director of Yossi & Jagger. Very interesting complex (but accessible) stuff about a Mossad agent and two German siblings.

It stars Lior Ashkenazi who some of you may remember from Israel's 2001 Oscar submission Late Marriage. If you haven't seen Late Marriage forget about anything currently playing in theaters and find it NOW. Great stuff

wants to be found

I'm having a Bob & Charlotte kinda day. Ever have those? What to do...what to do? Lay around in pink panties, stare at the skyscrapers, or go for another swim in the hotel pool?

Feeling fuzzy and directionless...

Law & Order: Nathaniel Lashes Out

Totally appropos of nothing, other than a viewing last night of Special Victims Unit , I just wanted to share with readers my complete and utter hatred of Law & Order: The Universe. I don't understand how this show is now on its 4th concurrent edition (Trial by Jury) and has been running in some form or other for well over a dozen years.

For many of those years I successfully avoided L&Obecause I just wasn't interested, as I've always felt that TV was very unimaginative in its series topics. It seems like there's a choice of three: hospitals, courtrooms, or police/detectives. I would often notice this show being on as I was flipping channels and each time my reaction was always... 'why does Jerry Orbach (RIP) waste his time with this when he could be doing a Broadway show?' or 'why does Dianne Wiest waste her time with this when she could be doing a movie?' followed by 'How many stations carry this freaking thing?'

I finally saw some episodes last year when I had a houseguest who was a regular watcher of L&O and I was alarmed to find that this show, which I had assumed to be a fairly good one given that it had nearly broken a consecutive Best Series Emmy nomination, was nothing more than H&E "Headlines & Exposition" and then I began to get furious that the show is popular, prolific, award winning, and is now stealing one my favorite actors from Broadway (that'd be Bebe Neuwirth on the new T&J) after having stolen one of my favorite actors from the silver screen (Wiest)

And all this even though it's possibly the stupidest and most predictable drama on television. And here's the really weird part: Smart people regularly watch it. So if you watch it don't feel like this is an attack on you ---some of my friends are regular viewers. But it's maddening to me in my more idealistic moments. You see, all episodes follow the exact same arc. All plots are easy to follow. And even though they're easy, each scene will perform the exposition for you over again in case you are really dense. No thought process will go on internally. All characters say everything there is to be said. They think out loud for you to follow along. In the show all criminals are easy to spot. And all criminals confess. And all crimes are solved by a certain time. And nothing ambiguous or personal ever happens. All bad guys go to jail. In comparison, scifi films and superhero flicks, often criticized for their lack of deep thinking are downright ambiguous when it comes to good vs. evil.

If you begin watching any episode at 8:02 and leave the television at 8:20 on any night, you could return to your TV 24 hours later the following night and be only SLIGHTLY confused (by the change in peripheral actors and storyline) and still be at the EXACT same point in the plot. And what's even worse? The creator is PROUD that it's a total formula from which the show will never veer (see his interview in Entertainment Weekly)

Another thorn in my paw? For frequent obsessive theatergoers like myself, you can often spot abundantly talented singer/dancer/actors ranging from minimal to great Broadway fame typing away at a secretary's desk, answering phone calls, or spouting inane exposition for one minute as that scene's criminal/suspect/neighbor/family member of victim/family member of criminal/witness/victim/etc...

So in addition to being completely uninspired paint-by-numbers drama it's wasting precious talent in the most boring way you can ever use an actor: to deliver exposition. Nobody on the show delivers anything BUT exposition.

Now, my boyfriend reminds me that stage actors don't make any money (comparatively) and Law & Order probably keeps theater careers alive with it's frequent paydays for Broadway babies. But that doesn't stop me from being haunted by the fact that Jerry Orbach did this show for more than a decade and now Bebe Neuwirth, one of Broadway's largest talents, won't have any time for Broadway any more since she's taking a lead role in this series. TV series aren't short hours for leads. And getting the summers off isn't enough time to headline a new Broadway show.

I like money too. I understand it from a financial perspective but the series creator is also proud of the fact that you never learn anything about the regular characters' lives on the show. Now, I ask all actors out there: Why would any actor WANT to sign on for years of spouting exposition with no character arcs? Again people will scream "Money!" But surely someone else on the planet has offered Emmy (Frasier) and Tony (Chicago) winning BEBE f***ing NEUWIRTH a job where she actually has a character to play?

It's not just that I hate bad television and have a particular pet peeve with exposition-filled screenplays. It's also because I really and truly love Bebe Neuwirth. Everyone knows how hilarious she was on Frasier of course. But on the stage she's true star wattage magic. I most recently saw her at the Zipper theater doing "Here's Lies Jenny" and the entirety of her work on Trial by Jury ,I can safely predict, will never measure up to one single song in that show.

Why, Bebe, why?

Light vs. Leaden

Just saw this film, The Miracle at Morgan's Creek, for the first time last night. Very funny Preston Sturges film starring Betty Hutton. I had just seen Be Cool the day before. It's an interesting if random anachronistic comparison.

Morgan's Creek is a great comedy. Be Cool is a bad one.

Now let's pretend that the screenplays are equal (I know it's hard. Bear with me) The secret, if I may ridiculously reduce the equation (may I?), seems to be in the direction and the editing room. Both films feature a convoluted plot, colorful characters, comical misunderstandings, slapstick humor, not-so smooth talkers trying to be smooth, and a musical sequence aimed at reminding us about why we love the star in the first place. But it's in the pacing and the cutting where one film shines and the other is badly in need of a polish.

Miracle on Morgan's Creek flies by. I've heard many non film-buffs say they don't like older movies because they're "too slow". I can only guess that they aren't watching the old comedies. In comparison, todays comedies seem to drag and drag. Even those with semi-big laughs or endearing characters (Meet the Fockers if I'm being generous) drag toward the 2 hour mark or beyond with lots of filler. I can't think of one recent comedy (including the justly lauded Sideways) that couldn't benefit from some tightening.

In Miracle and other 30s and 40s comedies, you miss things regularly because you're laughing as the next joke has already begun. But this film mercifully really moves. I'm all for silly. But silly reads as stupid if it's not fast. Maybe Be Cool is too much a product of our sitcom age? There's so much dead space after each joke that I couldn't help but wonder where the filler soundtrack chuckles were.

Are they so concerned with us hearing every word that they don't dare tell two jokes at once? And they leave good performers stranded. The Rock and Vince Vaughn, who play a gay bodyguard and his wannabe black employer, are the best things by far about Be Cool (sorry Uma & John and your happy dancing feet). Unfortunately they are given a few hilarious bits and then. dead. space. and then more of that same hilarious bit and then. dead. space. repeat... until the beautifully silly and truly funny joke is reduced to just mildly amusing. Such a shame.

I wish today's comedy directors would study Lubitsch & Sturges.

Forecast: Cloudy! and other updates

So, I'm done. Year in Advance Predix. It's crazy. It's stupid. It's mind-boggling. It's like a giant puzzle only you're not allowed to look at any of the pieces to form the picture. But as soon as it stops being fun to shuffle all the films and players around and imagine nomination scenarios you just have to stop. No matter how f***ed up it looks.

In Other News:
Went back to the theater --My friend chose the movies so don't blame me that I saw CURSED and BE COOL. Today I was heading out to see ONG BAK but changed my mind. Maybe tomorrow...

Geishas, Cowboys, Singers, Boxers, Miners, Olympians and more...

OK. Much more info up now. All major studios covered for this year's films. Now I need a day or two to think about the actual predictions. Totally silly I know but I like the fortune telling...

Movie Strike

It just occurred to me today that it's March and I have only seen ONE movie that was released this year in the theaters (that would be a Bolivian picture Sexual Dependency which I doubt will be playing at any theaters near you) What will it take to get me to go back to the theater?

Fortune Teller

The early bird 2005/2006 Oscar race prediction work has begun. First up Columbia, Fox, & Focus Features...

Hilary the Deal Breaker

Anyone know how she weaseled out of her Calvin Klein contract for Oscar night? On all the talk shows she kept talking about how she didn't have to worry about her Oscar dress because she was under contract to Klein... and than she shows up in another designer? What gives?

Anyone know? I hope it's juicy as I'd like more ammunition for my imaginery feud with Ms. Swank.

Fashion Jamboree

The rundown of the night is up for those who want to see and read my thoughts on the ubiquitousness of pale dresses, bad hair, and Melanie Griffith's desperation. (Note to Swank: This is your future!)

Ugh

So glad that's over. The party/viewing here was quite fun. The awards themselves, though? Ugh. It's always a little hard when the most loved movie is one you just don't really respond to. Then you're left shaking your head going "why?" Best Moment -Charlie Kauffman finally winning. Worst moment -Hilary Swank at the podium --STILL campaigning even though she'd just won. 'i'm just a poor girl from a trailer park. blah blah blah.' Still hogging the night, refusing to go as she shouts out names like she hasn't had the opportunity to thank people for months now at other awards showsHate her. I would like to say "at least she'll go away now" But who knows? I mean, she improbably came back this time. And, I remember full well that she was a media fixture then, desperately clinging to every ounce of her newfound fame after she won the first time. Showing up at EVERYTHING, hosting fashion awards on VH1, cutting ribbons at grand openings, hosting blooper shows...whatever. You invited her for spotlight time, she was there in a jiff! I swear though that if she lands another Oscarbait role in another 5 years -and campaigns as desperately as she did this year and defeats someone like Kate Winslet or Julianne Moore who still haven't won by that time, there will not be drugs powerful enough to contain my rage.

Yes, I'm bitter. But I have to release it for catharsis reasons. Must purge myself of the Swank hating.

But on to next year...

Party Favors

Panic mode is setting in. So much to do... so little time in which to do it. I keep thinking some of my hunches that I didn't quite go with (like Swank losing) are going to happen. But I have to remind myself that that's typical day before psyche-outs. Everyone en masse usually SUDDENLY thinks anything is possible (like people thinking Crouching Tiger could beat Gladiator even though it was a Taiwanese entry. But it wouldn't make sense for M$B to be shut out and I don't see how it wins best picture without acting prizes (since it's not going to win much else) --However I do think it's possible that it loses pic & dir and ONLY wins acting.

I wanted to predict Clive Owen -feeling sudden heat for him in the air and having always felt that one of the two from Closer could take something home. But I keep thinking back to Kate Winslet at the SAG suddenly stopping the interviews on E! in order to profess her love for his work. Kate -freaking- Winslet who is a better actor than just about everyone idolizing someone else? So I keep thinking it has to be Freeman. But Clive. Clive. Clive. Why can't I let it go?

Final Predictions

It's a bitch this year. I could score as low as 50% I feel like a ton of the races are just teetering on a knife's edge between two or even three candidates. So, I just tossed up my hands. You can read the final predictions at the link above.

Or, you can give up on reality altogether and join me in my fantasy lineup of winners... And the "imaginery -making Nathaniel happy-winners are..." Picture -Sideways * Director -Mike Leigh * Actress -Annette Bening or Imelda Staunton * Actor -(no preference really. not into their nominees... maybe Cheadle?) * Supporting Actor -Clive Owen * Supporting Actress -Virginia Madsen * Screenplay -Eternal Sunshine * Adaptation -Sideways * Costumes, Cinematography, Editing, Art Direction, Sound -The Aviator or Spider-Man 2 * Score -(no preference) * Song -The Chorus or Motorcycle Diaries (no real preference) * Animated Film -The Incredibles * Visual Effects -Spider-Man 2 * Foreign (no preference have only seen one :(

PROJECT RUNWAY = OSCAR OMEN ?

SPOILERS...

Do not read this if you haven't watched the last episode of Project Runway that aired three times last night on Bravo.


OK. Those of you who are still with me.

Go away if you TIVOed and haven't watched it.

OK. still with me?

Last night the expected frontrunner, the professional and confident Kara Saun showed quite a line with gorgeous color, perfect execution, storytelling skills, and said the whole thing was inspired by seeing The Aviator. "Fantasy Fly Girl" "The Aviatrix" these were some of her descriptions of the collection. And then ...she lost! She had won a bunch of the "precursors" --4 contests in all throughout the series. Jay McCarroll, the eventual champion, hadn't won much of anything through the 12 challenges. But he had showed remarkable consistency, his personality was a major winner, and he had his own very specific vision.

So, this is not good cosmic-collective subconscious-wise for The Aviator at the Oscars, I think... I was still tempted to predict Scorsese's epic having assumed that a good portion of the Million Dollar Baby buzz is media/journalist created. And I do still believe that the enormity of the buzz is false. But the buzz is still there. I think the race is much tighter than anyone suspects but seeing Kara Saun lose just made me feel like the Howard Hughes flight, however skilled, gorgeous, and classy it was, was going down.

On the other hand I totally agreed with Jay winning on "Project Runway" and I totally don't agree with Million Dollar Baby winning at the Oscars ... so the mental connection ends there. But what am I gonna do? No sense in crying anymore over that lovely bottle of milk that's about to be spilt.

This, That, Other Things

aaaah. S-T-R-E-S-S.
I can't really describe how full my life is right now. Not "full" as in the joyous 'What a full like he led!' But in the overstuffed way. Any helpful suggestions for coping when it's all overwhelming would be appreciated.

THIS
Interesting that Alexander Payne won in a landslide in my best director poll about the last few years of filmmaking. I thought Clint Eastwood was the "greatest living filmmaker" (snort)? Before I get hate mail I do want to say that I think he's a talented director. But my gripe with the hype is this: making two very respected films in the past two years does not suddenly elevate you to the best in the business bar none. And I think the PR people responsible should be ashamed of themselves and should also get promotions and hefty bonuses ! ;)

THAT
I went to the opera at the Met last night -- "samson et dalila" premier starring Jose somebody (who was --aaaaaiiieyyyaah Bravo!). I am not well-versed / knowledgeable about Opera... the only things I've ever seen so far were PBS things, a children's opera of Hansel and Gretel, and Baz Luhrmann's Broadway/Opera pop collission La Boheme. So, last night was my first true Opera experience and all I can say is "WOW" Talk about spectacle. How is opera not more well loved/talked about? Maybe ticket prices? Because even for a non-opera person I found it very accessible and visually remarkable. (Please note: I'm fully aware that this might have sucked. It's possible that this is like someone who knows nothing about Broadway thinking Phantom of the Opera or other embarrassments like Brooklyn: The Musicalare great musical theater but for a first experience, I loved it.)

OTHER THINGS
I also saw The Gates recently in Central Park. It's sorta divisive I'm hearing lots of dismissals and such but taken for what it is, a happening... a whimsical colorful thing... I found it well worth a visit. The cumulative effect of walking through it is much stronger than the initial sight of it.

I rented "It Should Happen To You" starring Judy Holliday recently too (from 1954) --no one ever talks about this George Cukor comedy but it's really funny, it features Jack Lemmon's debut and if you're in the mood for a whimsical black and white comedy with two great performers by all means give it a look.

peace,
Nathaniel

Countdown is Progressing

So, ONE WEEK TO GO. I still feel like so many races are tight but will probably end up tipping to the frontrunner anyway. True surprises are rarer than we all pretend each year when we get caught up in the anticipation.

Anyway. On the site now there's daily crazy additions (like the Kinsey Scale and the Super Powers of the Best Picture nominees...) and there'll be new stuff each day until after the Oscars when the 05/06 early bird Oscar predictions arrive.

Enjoy...

Next Time Won't You Sing With Me

I started a personal life breather a couple of days ago that will probably continue for most of this week. After which, on Sunday February 20th the site will have daily Countdown to Oscar updates all the way until Hollywood's High Holy Day comes and goes a week later. At which point we will have the annual wrap up, the early bird predictions for next year (which are maddeningly difficult to do but funfor some speculative obsessive compulsive reasons that I don't wish to explore) --you know the drill, general Film Bitch ballyhoo from 02/19 to 03/04.

Until then I leave you with a very random list.
The Alphabet of Movie Folk.
(wherein I list the first person that comes to mind for each letter of the alphabet and what I wish for them to get in 2005)

A AUDIENCE. a great AND popular movie that doesn't fit into Oscar-bait genres (like costume drama, war, biopic) but gets nominated anyway next year...
B BAY, MICHAEL. a happy retirement commencing immediately following The Island starring Ewan MacGregor and Scarlett Johansson.
C CONNIE NIELSEN. a big international audience for her lovely work in the Danish family/war drama Brothers...and for people to rent demonlover in which she is also worthy of high praise.
D DOVER KOSASHVILLI. For his follow ups to Late Marriage to get automatic and prompt US releases. I need to see more.
E EDNA MOLE. No sequels to The Incredibles if Pixar and Disney split and Disney gets rights to all the characters.
F FERRETTI, DANTE. The Oscar ...finally after umpteen nominations for his majestic production design.
G GRAVES, RUPERT. A torrid love affair with...me (while dressed as Freddie from A Room With the View)
H HAYNES, TODD. An idea as brilliant as Far From Heaven...with a start date and top notch cast and crew in place.
I IAN MCKELLEN. Continued good health. May he live to be 100+! And another Oscar nomination. And more arm candy to take with him to the awards shows.
J JULIETTE LEWIS. A major comeback.
K KIRSTEN DUNST. sudden recognition of what a consistently fine actor she is and how much better she is than most of her peers.
L (Two names. I cheat!) LINUS ROACHE. New movie roles as good as he had in Priest and Wings of the Dove way back when. LINDSAY LOHAN. To find inner peace and balance and the discipline to concentrate on her acting talent only.
M MOORE, JULIANNE. Whatever she may desire...
N (Two names. I cheat again!) NICK PARK. For Wallace and Gromit's movie to be classic stuff and hugely successful and come out on time. And NICOLE KIDMAN. A much deserved two year hiatus so as to rejuvenate.
O OSCAR. A new producer that values his rich history and doesn't want to change something that isn't broke (like letting brilliant artists getting to give acceptance speeches for their great work in the non-acting arenas. having film clips of all the acting performances. and the songs performed by someone involved with the song from the actual movie)
P PFEIFFER, MICHELLE. The sudden desire to act regularly and with great directors to achieve a total career renaissance that will cement her place in the movie pantheon once and for all.
Q QUEEN LATIFAH. Another role as fun as "Mama Morton"
R RALPH FIENNES. Complete recovery from Maid in Manhattan. Mass remembrance of what a great actor he is.
S SWANK, HILARY. Lots of consolation phone calls for losing the Oscar on Feb 27th.
T TONY LEUNG. A torrid love affair with... me.
U UMA THURMAN. To make the Ulla role magical and hilarious in The Producers movie.
V VIOLA DAVIS. A great lead screen role to follow up her 2002 supporting role triumphs in Antwone Fisher, Solaris, and Far From Heaven.
W WOOD, EVAN RACHEL. To not get typecast after thirteen and pretty persuasion. I worry.
X XAVIER, CHARLES. To be played, again, by Patrick Stewart and before the end of the year with a great script, great cast, and great director attached.
Y YOU. Keep loving the cinema. And keep visiting the site.
Z ZADAN, CRAIG. Imitation for flattery! May more producers toil to bring great musicals to the screen like he did with Chicago.

pass it on!

Click the link above and place yourself into the timeline of cinematic history. What was all the rage when you were a pre-teen? How young do you think Haley Joel Osment is and how much of a geezer does Zsa Zsa Gabor seem from your vantage point?

David Letterman

I'm going to my first live taping in New York City! I've been here now for six years and I still haven't done this to any show. But I'm going to LAE SHOW with David Letterman. So excited. What's even better is i'm booked (well not booked --I'm not the guest ;) oh, lordy imagine) for the show immediately following the Oscars, Monday the 28th. So, there's bound to be a frontrunner in the guest line-up as they often book them for the shows following, assuming they will win.

This might mean I get to spend some quality time with my current punching bag Swank (luv ya, Hil' no hard feelings OK?) or maybe Jamie Foxx? Or maybe I'm just dreaming and the whole world doesn't in actuality revolve around the Oscars?

Gimmicks Trump Performance

This is my last word on the Swank as frontrunner phenomenon... if it had just been one or two years it would roll off my back. But after six to eight years, enough is enough. If only some Academy voters would listen to my astute psychological profiling ;)

titles

'anonymous' (hey, I don't know names -y'all need to sign your comments) asked earlier if I would add a best title category to next year's FiLM BiTCH Awards. My answer is probably not since at 42 categories, it's already way too unwieldy. My own doing I know. (My next great dilemma is when I try to do the retrospectives, do I take only a few bites or attempt he whole enchilada?)

But are there enough good titles a year to justify a category? Seems to me for every "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" there's a ton of titles so generic that they're maddening and instantly confusing. which movie is that again? And a lot of the great titles come from books. "Sideways" is a perfect title but it's based on a book.

Gil Cates is the Devil

I was going to make an entry about the horrible decision of the Oscar honcho Gil Cates to limit the face time of the designers this year but my friend Nick said it much more humorously and emphatically than I could have managed at this point so I"m just directing you to him.

You know what would warm my heart? If some of these movie stars who the Oscars are so concerned with focusing on would stand up and be counted as true collaborative professionals and make it known that they're opposed to the people who make their performances look like a million bucks being shut out of their own moments of glory. If I were Leonardo DiCaprio or Cate Blanchett or Alan Alda for instance... I'd be furious that Sandy Powell (costumes), Dante Ferretti (production design) and Thelma Schoonmaker (editor) were being treated this way.

You should be too. Hollywood should collectively be in a uproar. Not just the Oscar watchers.

Finale

And so it is...that I finally finished the FiLM BiTCH Awards nominations. Which took me much longer than I was expecting this year. You can now read the whole damn thing if you're so inclined.

In 42 categories, Eternal Sunshine led the pack with 15 nominations. Kill Bill Volume 2 is close behind with 13 despite missing on most of the traditional Oscar categories. The Aviator and Spider-Man 2 are the only other double digit nominees with 11 and 10 nominations each.

The best film to fare the worst in my awards is spring, summer, fall, winter... and spring which is my 6th favorite film of the year but only received 1 nomination. (???) Of films which I did not find recommendation worthy, De-Lovely scores the highest with 4 nominations. Of my bottom ten films of the year, 3 received nominations --those lucky devils were The Passion, Troy, and Team America).

And the best 2004 films to be entirely snubbed in the FiLM BiTCH Awards were The Five Obstructions and The Bourne Supremacy. Weird how films you actually like quite a bit sometimes end up on the cutting room floor.

I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed compiling and writing about them. Medals (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) will be announced in each category on February 26th, 2005

The Pain The Pain

So how is this for a sick cosmic joke. I have to read all sort of upsetting stuff about my great country going to hell in a handbasket under this current corporation--I mean, administration, sorry. I also have to witness Million Dollar Baby continue to win things. Hilary Swank just WON'T go away. I have to do both of these things while in total pain. I threw my back out yesterday.

By my calculations this is the 1,139th time I've been bent over in pain like I was a granny with a walker since I was 16 (the first time I remember my back declaring mutiny) . Yes, this happens to me a lot. But it doesn't normally happen during weeks in which George Bush is throwing parties and Hilary Swank is electing Clint Eastwood to replace Jesus as the holy savior of mankind) Last night watching the SAGs I was in so much pain and so immobile that I caught myself wishing I were as spry as Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, James Garner, and that 100 year old actor who sent a video message to the SAG ceremony. Oh to be young again like them...

I am in a horrid mood right now (so please forgive if this message annoys) but I will try to cheer up (Lortab -save me!) and think of something else to say rather than describing my distaste for Hilary Swank for the 36th time in as many days. But before I go right this moment while my spine sends hateful messages to my brain I do want to stop and say that I think Swank is really pretty (people keeps saying she's ugly which I don't get) and maybe she should play Wonder Woman because she has that sort of brawny tawny Amazonian beauty going on. Also if she plays a superhero maybe everyone will laugh at her and her career will nosedive? That's how I got rid of Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry! Oh wait they're still working. Damn, I hate my life.

*this message can be blamed on excruciating pain. don't be a hater. wish me get well soons!*

SPEECH

I'm kinda bored because the dresses are bad this year and I'm not into many of the series or movies nominated... but the speeches tonight have been very good. No long list of names but funny, heartfelt statements and stories. Nice.

Kate loves Morgan

So, Kate Winslet was just telling Star Jones that she wants to be as good as Morgan Freeman when she's his age. Um, Kate... you're already like.close to the best actor on the planet. No worries. Big kiss!