THEN:
NOW:
NOW:
Niiiiccceee...
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
My Exciting News?
You're looking at one of the new staff writers for pinkkryptonite.com, the web's premier source for GLBT comic and pop culture news.
My plans for world domination are finally coming to fruition!!
My plans for world domination are finally coming to fruition!!
ALL HAIL THE PINK!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Were The World Mine (2008)
Were the World Mine (2008) Starring Tanner Cohen, Nathaniel David Becker, Wendy Robie, Judy McLane, Zelda Williams, Jill Larson, Ricky Goldman, Christian Stolte, David Darlow – Directed by Tom Gustafson
If you have ever considered yourself a movie fan in the least, I have something very special to share with you. Actually, this isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned Were the World Mine. But now that it’s finally arrived on DVD, I wanted to take a second opportunity to implore you to see this fantastic film.
I still have trouble believing this is a feature film debut for Tom Gustafson. The film is so pitch perfect you’d believe it was the work of a seasoned Hollywood heavyweight. Were the World Mine is a re-working of Gustafson’s 2003 short film Fairies. Fairies was a major festival success and repeatedly shown on LOGO. It was this success that inspired Gustafson to try it on a larger scale.
Were the World Mine is like you threw High School Musical, Moulin Rouge, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet into a blender and still managed to achieve something wholly original and emotionally moving. While there’s nothing particularly ‘new’ about Were the World Mine (the story is a few hundred years old) it still feels fresh and groundbreaking, perhaps in its’ ability to finally combine all the queer elements of the films that preceded it then distilling it into a simple-fairy tale-esque story. In its simplicity it will become this generation’s Beautiful Thing.
In terms of plot think High School Musical Does A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Timothy (Tanner Cohen) is begrudgingly but openly gay at an all-boys school in typical small town America. He doesn’t hide who he is but he doesn’t exactly flaunt it either. Nevertheless he still gets teased by his schoolmates. And his mother (Judy McLane) is trying to be accepting but obviously still doesn’t understand. He feels completely alone except for his two best friends from a neighboring school – guitar-toting Frankie (Zelda Williams) and athletic Max (Ricky Goldman). Timothy spends most of his afternoons with Frankie and Max but most of his school hours daydreaming about the jock rugby team player Jonathan (Nathaniel David Becker) – but Timothy’s got plenty of material. Jonathan pats his butt during basketball practice, compliments his singing in a particularly dreamy/flirty scene, and always rises to his defense when the other rugby players start their bullying. So he’s completely annoyed when his kooky drama teacher interrupts his Jonathan-drooling-a-thon one day to insist he try out for the school’s upcoming musical version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Timothy gets cast as Puck, and while memorizing his lines he stumbles upon the recipe for the pansy’s love potion. For the non-Shakespearean among you – in A Midsummer Night’s Dream the impish fairy Puck creates havoc when he sprays a love potion via a pansy into several sleeping eyes one night that causes the sleeper to fall madly in love with the first person he or she sees upon opening his or her eyes. Timothy is skeptical at first, but looses all doubts when he accidentally sprays Max. The next day at school he’s ready when drama practice starts – determined once and for all to get the guy of his dreams. To his delight it works, but his moment is cut short by more homophobic taunting from the rugby team members in the cast. In a moment of anger he sprays his two worst antagonists – who start totally making out! Now anyone who tries to stand in his way will finally see what life is like in his shoes. Soon half the town has had a sudden change in orientation and gay marriages have been legalized! But soon we realize that what was at first laugh-inducing has become heart-breaking. Problems arise – as they will when love is involved.
The cast is fantastic. Relative newcomers Tanner Cohen and Nathaniel David Becker are not only heavenly on the eyes (and I do mean heavenly) but they can both act and sing. Tanner is one half of an emotronic pop (a sub-genre I had never heard of) band called The Guts. He also appeared in The Life Before Her Eyes and “As the World Turns”. As for Becker, you might remember him from a Virgin Mobile commercial (I didn’t). The most recognizable cast members are in the ranks. Wendy Robie might look more familiar to audiences with an eye-patch but her role as the as the ethereal drama teacher is the complete opposite of Nadine from ‘Twin Peaks”. She’s captivating and enchanting – so, completely believable as a captivating and enchanting drama teacher. Another television personality on-hand is Jill Larson, who has played Opal Cortlandt on “All My Children” for the past 18 years. And Zelda Williams may not be a name you know offhand but you probably know her dad, Robin.
The DVD officially hit store shelves June 9th, so if you haven’t been lucky enough to see it at a festival or you have and you have to own a copy be sure to keep your eyes peeled.
If you have ever considered yourself a movie fan in the least, I have something very special to share with you. Actually, this isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned Were the World Mine. But now that it’s finally arrived on DVD, I wanted to take a second opportunity to implore you to see this fantastic film.
I still have trouble believing this is a feature film debut for Tom Gustafson. The film is so pitch perfect you’d believe it was the work of a seasoned Hollywood heavyweight. Were the World Mine is a re-working of Gustafson’s 2003 short film Fairies. Fairies was a major festival success and repeatedly shown on LOGO. It was this success that inspired Gustafson to try it on a larger scale.
Were the World Mine is like you threw High School Musical, Moulin Rouge, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet into a blender and still managed to achieve something wholly original and emotionally moving. While there’s nothing particularly ‘new’ about Were the World Mine (the story is a few hundred years old) it still feels fresh and groundbreaking, perhaps in its’ ability to finally combine all the queer elements of the films that preceded it then distilling it into a simple-fairy tale-esque story. In its simplicity it will become this generation’s Beautiful Thing.
In terms of plot think High School Musical Does A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Timothy (Tanner Cohen) is begrudgingly but openly gay at an all-boys school in typical small town America. He doesn’t hide who he is but he doesn’t exactly flaunt it either. Nevertheless he still gets teased by his schoolmates. And his mother (Judy McLane) is trying to be accepting but obviously still doesn’t understand. He feels completely alone except for his two best friends from a neighboring school – guitar-toting Frankie (Zelda Williams) and athletic Max (Ricky Goldman). Timothy spends most of his afternoons with Frankie and Max but most of his school hours daydreaming about the jock rugby team player Jonathan (Nathaniel David Becker) – but Timothy’s got plenty of material. Jonathan pats his butt during basketball practice, compliments his singing in a particularly dreamy/flirty scene, and always rises to his defense when the other rugby players start their bullying. So he’s completely annoyed when his kooky drama teacher interrupts his Jonathan-drooling-a-thon one day to insist he try out for the school’s upcoming musical version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Timothy gets cast as Puck, and while memorizing his lines he stumbles upon the recipe for the pansy’s love potion. For the non-Shakespearean among you – in A Midsummer Night’s Dream the impish fairy Puck creates havoc when he sprays a love potion via a pansy into several sleeping eyes one night that causes the sleeper to fall madly in love with the first person he or she sees upon opening his or her eyes. Timothy is skeptical at first, but looses all doubts when he accidentally sprays Max. The next day at school he’s ready when drama practice starts – determined once and for all to get the guy of his dreams. To his delight it works, but his moment is cut short by more homophobic taunting from the rugby team members in the cast. In a moment of anger he sprays his two worst antagonists – who start totally making out! Now anyone who tries to stand in his way will finally see what life is like in his shoes. Soon half the town has had a sudden change in orientation and gay marriages have been legalized! But soon we realize that what was at first laugh-inducing has become heart-breaking. Problems arise – as they will when love is involved.
The cast is fantastic. Relative newcomers Tanner Cohen and Nathaniel David Becker are not only heavenly on the eyes (and I do mean heavenly) but they can both act and sing. Tanner is one half of an emotronic pop (a sub-genre I had never heard of) band called The Guts. He also appeared in The Life Before Her Eyes and “As the World Turns”. As for Becker, you might remember him from a Virgin Mobile commercial (I didn’t). The most recognizable cast members are in the ranks. Wendy Robie might look more familiar to audiences with an eye-patch but her role as the as the ethereal drama teacher is the complete opposite of Nadine from ‘Twin Peaks”. She’s captivating and enchanting – so, completely believable as a captivating and enchanting drama teacher. Another television personality on-hand is Jill Larson, who has played Opal Cortlandt on “All My Children” for the past 18 years. And Zelda Williams may not be a name you know offhand but you probably know her dad, Robin.
The DVD officially hit store shelves June 9th, so if you haven’t been lucky enough to see it at a festival or you have and you have to own a copy be sure to keep your eyes peeled.
Some exciting news..
That I can't tell you yet. :P
I got an e-mail this morning with some exciting news that I had been waiting to hear about.
There will be a big announcement in the coming days - so keep your eyes peeled!!
In the meantime - let's celebrate with some dancing bears!!
I got an e-mail this morning with some exciting news that I had been waiting to hear about.
There will be a big announcement in the coming days - so keep your eyes peeled!!
In the meantime - let's celebrate with some dancing bears!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Some Like It Hot: 50th Anniversary Edition
Some Like It Hot: 50th Anniversary Edition (1959) Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, Nehemiah Persoff, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee – Directed by Billy Wilder
It’s been 50 years since the release of the now classic comedy and cinema fans can rejoice at the recently announced 50th Anniversary Edition 2-Disc DVD. There was a Collector’s Edition that was released in 2007 but the new release, which is scheduled to hit store shelves on September 1st, might finally contain the special features that fans have been clamoring for. It is, after all, one of the most beloved comedies of all time. If you have yet to see it there’s never been a better time to check it out and see what all the fuss is about. For starters, it will certainly go down as one of the best and most memorable performances for all three of its stars. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star as Joe and Jerry respectively, two out-of-work musicians in 1929 Chicago who accidentally witness a Mob hit on Valentine’s Day. In a desperate attempt to run they disguise themselves as women and join up with an all-female band headed to Florida. Once on the train they both end up falling for the lead singer and ukulele player Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). Sugar is on the run as well, trying to escape her historically bad choices in men; apparently she has a thing for tenor sax players (like Joe) but always ends up with her heart broken and coleslaw in her face. Having had enough with the red cabbage facials she has decided to meet and marry a millionaire once she gets to the seaside. She’s disappointed however to find that the rich men that troll the beaches of Miami are decidedly older than she had hoped. But Joe has a plan. Donning a second disguise (and a Cary Grant accent) Joe introduces himself to Sugar as Junior, heir-apparent to the Shell Oil fortune. As for Jerry, he’s got admirers of his own. Is she as devastatingly breathtaking as Marilyn? Not quite. Jerry finds himself pursued by a gentlemen by the name of Osgood – a real millionaire with a real million dollars. After some pleading (and just a few threats) Joe convinces Jerry to occupy Osgood on the mainland one night while Joe (as Junior) takes Sugar onto Osgood’s yacht. There he pretends to be gay in the hopes that Sugar will view his lack of interest in women as a challenge. As the sun rises the next morning we find Joe and Sugar deeply in love, and Jerry has received a marriage proposal from Osgood. But the morning also brings trouble. The very Mafia goons that were chasing after Joe and Jerry check into the same hotel! Apparently there is a ‘Friends of the Opera’ convention going on (so it’s going to be a little weird) but that’s actually just a front for the Mob! That’s when the ‘ladies’ have to put their pumps to the pavement in one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed. Marilyn Monroe performed three songs for the soundtrack – including one of her signature tunes “I Wanna Be Loved By You”. Despite reported problems on the set, Monroe was at her comedic best in a role that, looking back, couldn’t have been played by anyone else. And the critics agreed – she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy that year, one of the few acting awards she ever received. Special features for this new edition have yet to be announced, but hopefully it will combine features from both the Collector’s edition that was released in 2007 and the laserdisc edition that came out in the 80s. So pre-order this comedy classic now and be one of the first to get your copy on its tentative September 1st street date.
It’s been 50 years since the release of the now classic comedy and cinema fans can rejoice at the recently announced 50th Anniversary Edition 2-Disc DVD. There was a Collector’s Edition that was released in 2007 but the new release, which is scheduled to hit store shelves on September 1st, might finally contain the special features that fans have been clamoring for. It is, after all, one of the most beloved comedies of all time. If you have yet to see it there’s never been a better time to check it out and see what all the fuss is about. For starters, it will certainly go down as one of the best and most memorable performances for all three of its stars. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star as Joe and Jerry respectively, two out-of-work musicians in 1929 Chicago who accidentally witness a Mob hit on Valentine’s Day. In a desperate attempt to run they disguise themselves as women and join up with an all-female band headed to Florida. Once on the train they both end up falling for the lead singer and ukulele player Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). Sugar is on the run as well, trying to escape her historically bad choices in men; apparently she has a thing for tenor sax players (like Joe) but always ends up with her heart broken and coleslaw in her face. Having had enough with the red cabbage facials she has decided to meet and marry a millionaire once she gets to the seaside. She’s disappointed however to find that the rich men that troll the beaches of Miami are decidedly older than she had hoped. But Joe has a plan. Donning a second disguise (and a Cary Grant accent) Joe introduces himself to Sugar as Junior, heir-apparent to the Shell Oil fortune. As for Jerry, he’s got admirers of his own. Is she as devastatingly breathtaking as Marilyn? Not quite. Jerry finds himself pursued by a gentlemen by the name of Osgood – a real millionaire with a real million dollars. After some pleading (and just a few threats) Joe convinces Jerry to occupy Osgood on the mainland one night while Joe (as Junior) takes Sugar onto Osgood’s yacht. There he pretends to be gay in the hopes that Sugar will view his lack of interest in women as a challenge. As the sun rises the next morning we find Joe and Sugar deeply in love, and Jerry has received a marriage proposal from Osgood. But the morning also brings trouble. The very Mafia goons that were chasing after Joe and Jerry check into the same hotel! Apparently there is a ‘Friends of the Opera’ convention going on (so it’s going to be a little weird) but that’s actually just a front for the Mob! That’s when the ‘ladies’ have to put their pumps to the pavement in one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed. Marilyn Monroe performed three songs for the soundtrack – including one of her signature tunes “I Wanna Be Loved By You”. Despite reported problems on the set, Monroe was at her comedic best in a role that, looking back, couldn’t have been played by anyone else. And the critics agreed – she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy that year, one of the few acting awards she ever received. Special features for this new edition have yet to be announced, but hopefully it will combine features from both the Collector’s edition that was released in 2007 and the laserdisc edition that came out in the 80s. So pre-order this comedy classic now and be one of the first to get your copy on its tentative September 1st street date.
Some Like It Hot: 50th Anniversary Edition
Some Like It Hot: 50th Anniversary Edition (1959) Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O’Brien, Nehemiah Persoff, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee – Directed by Billy Wilder
It’s been 50 years since the release of the now classic comedy and cinema fans can rejoice at the recently announced 50th Anniversary Edition 2-Disc DVD. There was a Collector’s Edition that was released in 2007 but the new release, which is scheduled to hit store shelves on September 1st, might finally contain the special features that fans have been clamoring for. It is, after all, one of the most beloved comedies of all time. If you have yet to see it there’s never been a better time to check it out and see what all the fuss is about. For starters, it will certainly go down as one of the best and most memorable performances for all three of its stars. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star as Joe and Jerry respectively, two out-of-work musicians in 1929 Chicago who accidentally witness a Mob hit on Valentine’s Day. In a desperate attempt to run they disguise themselves as women and join up with an all-female band headed to Florida. Once on the train they both end up falling for the lead singer and ukulele player Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). Sugar is on the run as well, trying to escape her historically bad choices in men; apparently she has a thing for tenor sax players (like Joe) but always ends up with her heart broken and coleslaw in her face. Having had enough with the red cabbage facials she has decided to meet and marry a millionaire once she gets to the seaside. She’s disappointed however to find that the rich men that troll the beaches of Miami are decidedly older than she had hoped. But Joe has a plan. Donning a second disguise (and a Cary Grant accent) Joe introduces himself to Sugar as Junior, heir-apparent to the Shell Oil fortune. As for Jerry, he’s got admirers of his own. Is she as devastatingly breathtaking as Marilyn? Not quite. Jerry finds himself pursued by a gentlemen by the name of Osgood – a real millionaire with a real million dollars. After some pleading (and just a few threats) Joe convinces Jerry to occupy Osgood on the mainland one night while Joe (as Junior) takes Sugar onto Osgood’s yacht. There he pretends to be gay in the hopes that Sugar will view his lack of interest in women as a challenge. As the sun rises the next morning we find Joe and Sugar deeply in love, and Jerry has received a marriage proposal from Osgood. But the morning also brings trouble. The very Mafia goons that were chasing after Joe and Jerry check into the same hotel! Apparently there is a ‘Friends of the Opera’ convention going on (so it’s going to be a little weird) but that’s actually just a front for the Mob! That’s when the ‘ladies’ have to put their pumps to the pavement in one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed. Marilyn Monroe performed three songs for the soundtrack – including one of her signature songs “I Wanna Be Loved By You”. Despite reported problems on the set, Monroe was at her comedic best in a role that, looking back, couldn’t have been played by anyone else. And the critics agreed – she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy that year, one of the few acting awards she ever received. Special features for this new edition have yet to be announced, but hopefully it will combine features from both the Collector’s edition that was released in 2007 and the laserdisc edition that came out in the 80s. So pre-order this comedy classic now and be one of the first to get your copy on its tentative September 1st street date.
It’s been 50 years since the release of the now classic comedy and cinema fans can rejoice at the recently announced 50th Anniversary Edition 2-Disc DVD. There was a Collector’s Edition that was released in 2007 but the new release, which is scheduled to hit store shelves on September 1st, might finally contain the special features that fans have been clamoring for. It is, after all, one of the most beloved comedies of all time. If you have yet to see it there’s never been a better time to check it out and see what all the fuss is about. For starters, it will certainly go down as one of the best and most memorable performances for all three of its stars. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star as Joe and Jerry respectively, two out-of-work musicians in 1929 Chicago who accidentally witness a Mob hit on Valentine’s Day. In a desperate attempt to run they disguise themselves as women and join up with an all-female band headed to Florida. Once on the train they both end up falling for the lead singer and ukulele player Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). Sugar is on the run as well, trying to escape her historically bad choices in men; apparently she has a thing for tenor sax players (like Joe) but always ends up with her heart broken and coleslaw in her face. Having had enough with the red cabbage facials she has decided to meet and marry a millionaire once she gets to the seaside. She’s disappointed however to find that the rich men that troll the beaches of Miami are decidedly older than she had hoped. But Joe has a plan. Donning a second disguise (and a Cary Grant accent) Joe introduces himself to Sugar as Junior, heir-apparent to the Shell Oil fortune. As for Jerry, he’s got admirers of his own. Is she as devastatingly breathtaking as Marilyn? Not quite. Jerry finds himself pursued by a gentlemen by the name of Osgood – a real millionaire with a real million dollars. After some pleading (and just a few threats) Joe convinces Jerry to occupy Osgood on the mainland one night while Joe (as Junior) takes Sugar onto Osgood’s yacht. There he pretends to be gay in the hopes that Sugar will view his lack of interest in women as a challenge. As the sun rises the next morning we find Joe and Sugar deeply in love, and Jerry has received a marriage proposal from Osgood. But the morning also brings trouble. The very Mafia goons that were chasing after Joe and Jerry check into the same hotel! Apparently there is a ‘Friends of the Opera’ convention going on (so it’s going to be a little weird) but that’s actually just a front for the Mob! That’s when the ‘ladies’ have to put their pumps to the pavement in one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed. Marilyn Monroe performed three songs for the soundtrack – including one of her signature songs “I Wanna Be Loved By You”. Despite reported problems on the set, Monroe was at her comedic best in a role that, looking back, couldn’t have been played by anyone else. And the critics agreed – she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy that year, one of the few acting awards she ever received. Special features for this new edition have yet to be announced, but hopefully it will combine features from both the Collector’s edition that was released in 2007 and the laserdisc edition that came out in the 80s. So pre-order this comedy classic now and be one of the first to get your copy on its tentative September 1st street date.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
"King of Pop" Michael Jackson Dead at 50
(RTTNews) - Pop star Michael Jackson has died.
The Los Angeles California Coroner's Office confirmed that the well-known "King of Pop" was pronounced dead at the UCLA Medical Center.
The initial cause of death, officials said, was cardiac arrest.
Sources said the 50-year-old Jackson was transported to the hospital from his nearby rental home in Bel-Air shortly after an emergency call at 12:30 PM Pacific Time (3:30 PM Eastern).
Jackson was reported to be in a coma at the time of transport.
The L.A. Times reported that when paramedics arrived at the home, Jackson was not breathing.
Word of Jackson's death caused a crowd of hundreds of reporters and others to form at the hospital.
The Los Angeles Police Department said it has opened investigation into Jackson's death, although they said there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
The L.A. County Coroner's Office will determine an official cause of death.
Jackson's death comes as the entertainer was preparing to kick off a comeback on July 13, including a series of 50 sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena.
Jackson was believed to be heavily in debt. He had not toured since 1997 and had not released a new album since 2001.
Jackson's professional career began at age 8 when he began performing with the family band called "The Jackson 5."
Jackson is survived by three children, sons Prince Michael 7, and Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., 12, and daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11.
by RTT Staff Writer
Read more here.
Michael Jackson
1958 - 2009
1958 - 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Angel star Andy Hallett dies of heart failure
By Patrick Lee
8:47 PM ON 03/30/09Andy Hallett, who starred as Lorne ("the Host") on the TV series Angel, died of heart failure last night at age 33, his longtime agent and friend Pat Brady told E! Online.
Hallett, who was a fan favorite, died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after a five-year battle with heart disease, with his father Dave Hallett by his side, the site reported.A Massachusetts native, Hallett appeared in more than 70 episodes of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff series between 2000 and 2004. The accomplished actor was also a musician and sang two songs ("Lady Marmalade" and "It's Not Easy Being Green") on the Angel: Live Fast, Die Never soundtrack, released in 2005.
Hallett's green demon character assisted Angel (David Boreanaz) and his team in the investigation of underworld mysteries while serving as the host and headliner at a demon bar.
Hallett had spent his post-Angel years working on his music career, playing shows around the country. He had been admitted to the hospital three or four times in the past few years for his heart condition, according to Brady.
A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod, most likely over this weekend.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Siren in the Dark (2009)
Starring Orion Cross, James Townsend, David Beutler, Todd Tetreault, Rick Bolander, Madelyn Starr, Ashley Steel, Donner Tran, Riley Sheridan, Kyle Lankins, Sarah Christine Pletcher, A.J. Domianus – Directed by Laura Reilly and Steven Vasquez
Occasionally a movie comes along that completely blows me away and reminds me to never judge a book by its cover. That happened to me twice this week, and this is one of those movies. Don’t get me wrong, this movie is definitely a diamond in the rough….really rough. The cast at best is amateurish, the editor seems to be smoking crack on several occasions, and there are plot holes so big you could drive a hummer limo through them. But take a moment to look beyond these flaws and what you are left with is a fascinating and complex story that has more unexpected twists than the court documents from David and Liza’s divorce papers. I’ve been trying all week to explain to my friends why this movie is so good and the best I’ve come up with is imagine David Lynch and Christopher Nolan decided to make a big gay murder mystery. A troubled cop gets a late call that may shed some light on a recent missing person case he’s been working on. But when the young man and woman start to talk, their story may be more than the cop can handle. Orion Cross plays the mysterious Joshua and it’s almost difficult to see his devilish turn because of his overwhelming good looks. Todd Tetreault, who plays Officer Cameron Ibanez, looks like a mix of Brad Pitt and Guy Pearce and has one of the most beautiful asses I have ever seen. And his big naked moment is tame compared to the mountains of flesh on display; cut, uncut, bears, boobs – there’s truly something for everyone. And the sex scenes are so realistic it would make Queer as Folk fans blush. If you like light erotic drama, you’ll definitely get a kick out of A Siren in the Dark.
Occasionally a movie comes along that completely blows me away and reminds me to never judge a book by its cover. That happened to me twice this week, and this is one of those movies. Don’t get me wrong, this movie is definitely a diamond in the rough….really rough. The cast at best is amateurish, the editor seems to be smoking crack on several occasions, and there are plot holes so big you could drive a hummer limo through them. But take a moment to look beyond these flaws and what you are left with is a fascinating and complex story that has more unexpected twists than the court documents from David and Liza’s divorce papers. I’ve been trying all week to explain to my friends why this movie is so good and the best I’ve come up with is imagine David Lynch and Christopher Nolan decided to make a big gay murder mystery. A troubled cop gets a late call that may shed some light on a recent missing person case he’s been working on. But when the young man and woman start to talk, their story may be more than the cop can handle. Orion Cross plays the mysterious Joshua and it’s almost difficult to see his devilish turn because of his overwhelming good looks. Todd Tetreault, who plays Officer Cameron Ibanez, looks like a mix of Brad Pitt and Guy Pearce and has one of the most beautiful asses I have ever seen. And his big naked moment is tame compared to the mountains of flesh on display; cut, uncut, bears, boobs – there’s truly something for everyone. And the sex scenes are so realistic it would make Queer as Folk fans blush. If you like light erotic drama, you’ll definitely get a kick out of A Siren in the Dark.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Fritzl jailed for life in dungeon incest case
ST. POELTEN, Austria (CNN) -- A jury in Austria has found Josef Fritzl guilty of raping and imprisoning his daughter for more than two decades and sentenced him to life in prison.
Read more here.
It was the maximum sentence for the most serious charge Fritzl faced: one count of murder, for allowing one of the babies he fathered with his daughter to die shortly after birth.
The eight-member jury returned a unanimous verdict on all counts. Fritzl, dressed in a gray suit, blue shirt and dark tie, stared blankly ahead and showed no emotion as the jury delivered its verdict.
The 73-year-old had pleaded guilty to all charges on Wednesday, but Austrian law requires a jury to return a verdict as well.
Fritzl will soon be moved to a detention facility for mentally abnormal offenders, where psychiatrists will evaluate him and decide on therapy. Until then, he will remain in a two-person cell in St. Poelten.
The man who kept his crimes a secret for 24 years until he was exposed last year made a final, emotional apology to the court Thursday morning."I am deeply sorry with all my heart for what I have done, but I cannot go back and change it," Fritzl told the court at St. Poelten, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) east of Amstetten, where he and his family lived.
The jury found Fritzl guilty of incest, rape, enslavement and false imprisonment of his daughter Elisabeth. It also found him guilty of two assault charges and murder in the death of the baby, one of twins, which died 66 hours after birth.
Fritzl initially pleaded not guilty to murder, enslavement, and one of the assault charges, and partly guilty to rape. He surprised his own lawyer by changing his plea Wednesday.
Prosecutor Christiane Burkheiser urged the jury Thursday to return a murder conviction. She called Fritzl's admission of guilt a ploy.
"This was not a confession by the accused. It was a change in strategy," she told the court.
Elisabeth Fritzl also wanted her father to be convicted, said her lawyer, Eva Plaz.
Both sides accepted Thursday's verdict and Josef Fritzl refused the option to appeal, court officials said. He could be considered for parole in 15 years, when he would be 88, said court spokesman Franz Cutka, but the Ministry of Justice will decide whether to allow it.
Fritzl's lawyer revealed Thursday that Elisabeth had been in court Tuesday, the second day of the trial. Defense attorney Rudolf Mayer said the elder Fritzl noticed his daughter's presence in the final hour of viewing Elisabeth's videotaped testimony.
Mayer said he was not disappointed with the verdict because it was a "logical consequence" of his client's admission of guilt. He said life in prison is a "very just sentence."
"In my eyes, no man is a monster, regardless of what he's done," Mayer told the BBC. "He's always a human, regardless of what he's done."
A technical expert testified at the trial that the underground chamber in which Fritzl kept his daughter and their offspring had low ceilings -- about 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) high -- and, for the first couple of years, only minimal sanitation. The cellar had no daylight or fresh air.
Prosecutors said Fritzl closeted Elisabeth in the specially designed cellar in 1984, when she was 18, telling other family members that she had run away to join a cult. He kept her there for 24 years, authorities believe, repeatedly sexually assaulting her and fathering her seven children.
Fritzl took three of the children upstairs to live with him and his wife, telling the family that the missing Elisabeth had dropped them off.
Elisabeth and the remaining children never saw daylight, prosecutors said, and Fritzl went away for long periods, leaving them without food. To punish them, prosecutors said, Fritzl sometimes turned off the power in the cellar for up to 10 days.
In addition, they alleged, Elisabeth was often sexually assaulted in front of the children.
One of the babies -- a boy named Michael -- died shortly after birth. Prosecutors charged Fritzl with murder in his death because he did not receive medical care.
Fritzl admitted Wednesday that he was in the cellar when the baby was born. He noticed the child was breathing heavily, he said, but he did not think the baby would die and decided not to seek help.
Fritzl told the court he was probably responsible for the child's death and pleaded guilty to his murder. He had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge but said he changed his mind after hearing Elisabeth's videotaped testimony.
The prosecution said Thursday that Michael struggled for 66 hours before dying of respiratory problems. They said Fritzl knew what was happening but was indifferent.
Authorities have said that Elisabeth and her children now have new identities and are in a secret location. Asked at a news conference why other family members have not testified, officials said they did not wish to.
The case came to light in April 2008, when Elisabeth's then-19-year-old daughter, Kerstin, became seriously ill and ended up in the hospital. Hospital staff became suspicious and alerted police, who then discovered the family's plight in the cellar.Read more here.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I'm in Love!!!
...and his name is Tyler Labine.
Apparently he's an actor, although I've never seen anything he's been in. I may have to start watching television again.
You can find his imdb site here.
Apparently he's an actor, although I've never seen anything he's been in. I may have to start watching television again.
You can find his imdb site here.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Coming Soon to DVD
By Joshua Thomas
Wonder Woman (2009) Featuring the voices of Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, Oliver Platt, Vicki Lewis, David McCallum – Directed by Lauren Montgomery
All the world is waiting for you, but they won’t have to wait much longer. On March 3rd, DC Comics and Warner Brothers will add the original Amazon Princess to its expanding list of animated feature films. Producer Bruce Timm, who revitalized DC Comics animation in the early nineties with the groundbreaking Batman: The Animated Series, continues to leave his mark of excellence on the all new original animated feature. Based on the overwhelming success of past animated features Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: A New Frontier, and Batman: Gotham Night, and hoping to capitalize on the theatrical release of DC’s The Watchmen, Wonder Woman will serve as an origin story for the Amazonian warrior and hopefully as a catalyst to get the long-delayed feature film back in motion. On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a daughter of untold beauty, grace and strength: Princess Diana, voiced by Felicity star Keri Russell. When an Army fighter pilot, Steve Trevor, played by Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nathan Fillion, crash-lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, the god of War Ares (voiced by Spiderman 2 star Alfred Molina) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge - intending to start a world war that will not only last for centuries but will wipe out every living being on the planet, starting with the Amazons! It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and the world by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman! So do a Wonder Woman twirl and get ready for the superhero with all the right accessories.
Wonder Woman (2009) Featuring the voices of Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina, Rosario Dawson, Virginia Madsen, Oliver Platt, Vicki Lewis, David McCallum – Directed by Lauren Montgomery
All the world is waiting for you, but they won’t have to wait much longer. On March 3rd, DC Comics and Warner Brothers will add the original Amazon Princess to its expanding list of animated feature films. Producer Bruce Timm, who revitalized DC Comics animation in the early nineties with the groundbreaking Batman: The Animated Series, continues to leave his mark of excellence on the all new original animated feature. Based on the overwhelming success of past animated features Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: A New Frontier, and Batman: Gotham Night, and hoping to capitalize on the theatrical release of DC’s The Watchmen, Wonder Woman will serve as an origin story for the Amazonian warrior and hopefully as a catalyst to get the long-delayed feature film back in motion. On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud and fierce warrior race of Amazons have raised a daughter of untold beauty, grace and strength: Princess Diana, voiced by Felicity star Keri Russell. When an Army fighter pilot, Steve Trevor, played by Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nathan Fillion, crash-lands on the island, the rebellious and headstrong Diana defies Amazonian law by accompanying Trevor back to civilization. Meanwhile, the god of War Ares (voiced by Spiderman 2 star Alfred Molina) has escaped his imprisonment at the hands of the Amazonians and has decided to exact his revenge - intending to start a world war that will not only last for centuries but will wipe out every living being on the planet, starting with the Amazons! It is up to Princess Diana to save her people and the world by using her gifts and becoming the ultimate Wonder Woman! So do a Wonder Woman twirl and get ready for the superhero with all the right accessories.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Andre Thomas undergoes evaulation after self-mutilation incident
By JERRIE WHITELEY
Herald Democrat
Andre Thomas’ attorneys say he will now get the mental health treatment they have begged for since he arrived on Texas’ Death Row in 2005.
Bobbie Peterson-Cate represented Thomas when Grayson County jurors convicted him of killing and cutting the heart out of 13-month-old Leyha Marie Hughes, March 27, 2004. State authorities put Thomas in a prison psychiatric treatment unit after he pulled out his left eye and ate it on Dec. 9.
Read more here.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Surge of Power (2004)
Starring Vincent J. Roth, John Venturini, Joey Bourgeois, Robert Hurt, Nichelle Nichols, Noel Niell, Bobby Trendy, Marv Wolfman, Lou Ferrigno, Hagen O’Brien – Directed by Mike Donahue
Theaters have been jam-packed lately with lines to see the latestsuperhero movie, but a-dork-able corporate attorney and comic fan Gavin Lucas lives in the fictional Big City, where not only are there comic superheroes, but real caped crusaders as well. So can I just tell you how much I loved this movie? Every line of the script, every costume, every single moment of the film is such an obvious labor of love that its sincerity is both recognizable and entertaining. Vincent J. Roth serves as executive producer, writer and star in a fantastic family-friendly spoof/homage to superhero TV and films. The best part? It’s a gay-positive movie you could watch with your kids or a fun movie night selection to enjoy with friends. It’s a classic superhero origins story: Gavin is caught in a laboratory explosion caused by the diabolical Hector Harris and gains superpowers that allow him focus and blast energy fields. His friend and colleague Ronald Richards (Reed Richards?) helps Gavin when he decides to use his new found powers to become the superhero he’s always wanted to be – Surge! But what superhero would be complete without his Lois Lane? His Mary Jane Watson? His Jimmy Olsen? Well have no fear – cutie Joey Bourgeois is on-hand to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Roth, director/producer Mike Donahue and producer Tom Tangen throw every cliché in the comic book at you, and I loved every minute of it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)