Quill & Claw/Pen & Paw

Before I complete this review, I gotta explain some things. See, I was raised a child of the theatre. My mom was a dancer as I grew up and she continued to dance until I was like 12. I remember finishing homework offstage right while my mom put chorus girls through their paces. It was a world in and of itself.And I have to explain it--not many people understand it for one and for two--it makes me biased to this movie.I've seen bad theatre and boy, I can be more sympatheic then most people. I know what it's like to flub lines, to miss cues to come on during wrong scenes. It's truly what makes theatre what it is. So where does the the movie review begin? Well, it doesn't when it comes to a movie like The Producers. Take an actor and put them on stage, they have to emote wide, make those gestures big, or, like with my ma so long ago, smile so wide that the lobby can see it without opera glasses. Take that same actor and slap him on the big screen. He blinks during a close ...

I just read an article about Colin Farrell, just this very morning. It talks about how he is sueing an ex who is threatening to sell a sex tape that the two had made in private many moons ago. That wild man Colin! Who knew he could even make porn! I bring this up because it is a piece of the overall puzzling movie that is A Home at the End of the World. Seriously. It's the dramatic story about the redefinition of family in the seventies and the eighties. In it, a young man named Bobby (played by Colin Farrell), orphaned as a teen, who befriends Jonathan (played by Dallas Roberts). As the two grow, Jonathan steps out of the closet and moves to the East Villiage. Bobby, listless, follows and complicates things for Jonathan's plans. This being twenty years ago, of course, Jonathan must contract an HIV infection and Bobby, being ever so hippie-like, must be open about sex. It's an interesting premise that technically should work. Based on a book by the same name and recreated ...

9. The Fallen Angels by Micheal Saharra. I was exposed to this text by accident. My uncle, who went to seminary in Gettysburg, bought this for me when he went to get some paperwork from the college. We drove out and as he ran through the streets of this famed city, I started asking questions. He realized we had major time before heading back to my grandparents that summer after the eighth grade and so we hoped on a tour bus of this town. But it wasn't enough. Soon the questions became more complex. Why did they send the men, in full face of guns, across an open field? Why did they need to have control of this place called 'Devil's Den?' He realized, after years of attending college in the area, he didn't have all the answers. So he grabbed this book, a text he had read and said, try this. I was glued to the pages. After a while, he had me keep a notepad nearby, so I could list ALL of the people involved--my brain may have been able to grasp the concepts, but not tot...

Again, my colleague and I have elected to do a listing of our top something-or-other, in this case, literature. I feel the need to explain these books are not the best books in the world. On the contary, these are books that explain US. Like the movie listing prior to this post, it's merely the books we have read and loved, regardless of the quality found in them. Me, a critic, saying 'regardless of quality.' Start laughing. But really, there is no denying the power of cheap music, as the saying goes from Noel Coward. Look at this way. The television show COPS, is, without a doubt, some of the worst television there is. But it's been on the air since I was in high school. What does that mean? It means that sometimes, good and quality doesn't go hand-in-hand. That being said, here's 19 books that some how made a mark on little-ole-me...(I only brainstormed 19, so no, you didn't count incorrectly) 19: Shakespeare. Okay, I'm cheating, he's an author not...

I had a sad falling-out with my own church about two years ago. I was pretty much a regular church goer prior to that. Seriously. Stop laughing. I've always labeled myself as 'spritual.' I was brought up in a multi-faith home, so I was not only into God, but also I knew the concept of religious tolerance better than most. It was truly a boon when I went to a Lutheran college. Yes, I went to a Christian college. What happened? Well, after coming out, I did ALOT of reading and slowly reconciled what I believed with who I am. It actually strengthed my links to religion and gave me more hope then ever before. I could ignore the inane, uninformed banter of churches as they politically maneuvered to get in the White House. I could turn another cheek when churches did not practice what they preached. But when someone in my congregation said to me, "can't you celebrate Christ?" I was crestfallen. My own church, an MCC, had pushed me away. Understand, this was a minist...

Okay, lemme start with telling you about this book I'm in the process of reading. I know, I know, it may seem I'm all over the map with this one-but hear me out. See, I'm reading this book called the New Work of Dogs and it talks about how, in this ever-changing society, the responsibility of dogs has changed. And it doesn't mean, like, they have to change babies or things like that. It means, as society becomes more individually oriented and the definition of a family unit changes, the role of the dog takes on a different, if not more important part of our lives. There's nothing wrong with this and trust me, I'm abbreviating the concepts here to make a point. In the book, the author, Katz, uses psychoanalytical theory of attachment and bonding to prove his points and supports his own thesis (the crux of the book, that dogs have different meanings in our lives) with quotes from Psychology Today, New England Journal of Medicine and Marriage and Family. The creepy...

SOmeone was nice to point out that numbers 19 and 20 were missing. I'm not sure why I didn't post them. Probably a test. So here they are! 20. The Seven Samurai (drama/martial arts)--I've long believed that movies can do 2 things--be a specticle or teach. This movie taught me that isn't all. Movies can be an ascetic, as well. For so long, I had studied European films and American films. This was my first glimpse into the concept that art reflects life. I'd never been to Asia; I've no idea what Japan is truly like. And along comes this movie, and I watch it, and the world is so wholly different from my own, I cannot take my eyes away from the screen. The story is strong, but realistic in it's unfolding (yes, it's very long). The images are not in your face, but amazingly subtle. I mean, in one part, the director had fans blowing the reeds behind the actors, first one way, then the other. Why? Does it matter? He felt it should be that way. That is, by far,...

11. Civil War (documentary)-I learned the second segment of film with this series of films. As I arrived to college, I still believed strongly in the spectcle of movies--loud, brash and with lots of pyrotechnics. But as this was aired on PBS (but I heard about it from the Telluride Film Festival), I realized that power to educate and enlighten is also one of the principles of film. It doesn't have to be made solely for entertainment. The depth of these movies captured me and I was hooked on documentaries. 10. Adventures of Baron Munchausen (comedy)--I experienced this title in our then, one art house in Denver, furthering my love of art movies. I had been following the tale in the newspapers and rags and expected to see crap on the screen. Instead, I found a story that believed in some of my own core values-that the power to dream is by far more important than the power to do. Yeah, it was a crappy title in the end, but because of this singular focused theme, I had to watch it agai...

I know, I know, folks, I got sick, then took a class and I've just been wiped out. But I've been slowing creating this list for those interested--here's the first segment. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it until I can finish it. 18. James Bond flicks (action/adventure)--Yes, I lumped them all into one. Because, if you think about the Bond formula, it’s merely repeated. But I discovered Bond two ways. One, my babysitter was a total sixties child. Not only did she teach me all the words to the Beatles; she made me watch Bond flicks on afternoon television. I didn’t think anything of it until I got to high school and took a Brit Lit class. Falling in love with poetry (should have known I was gay then!), Shakespeare and then Brit works, I did an indie study of Ian Fleming’s texts. I figured I had seen the movies, why not see if they correlate. They do and don’t, btw, but I don’t need to go into detail here. But I did, however, fall for Britain, and most of all, for Mr. Bond, James...

"You rang?" Roger looked at his computer to see if one of his interoffice chat windows opened. "Up here, big guy," Roger hated that comment, created by straight men to keep in touch with one another. But when Josh said it, it didn't seem as bad. Roger looked over the PC at Josh staring down at him. "Lunch hour bum rush. Julie sent an email saying you needed help?" That was Josh. No interoffice chat. Right down to business. Roger had hoped the fake email would work. It apparently did. "Yeah, I mean, yes, yes, I do. I, yes, ahh," Roger had been focused on his work and allowing himself to daydream about what would happen if Josh came over. There was little opportunity to think of much else when Josh honestly did come over. "yeah, I mean, yes, I can't get my own email to open. I didn't want to walk downstairs to get the tech guy. You know how they are." "I know, so full of personality. Here, scooch back and I'll take a ...

It's a curious state we live in here, a country sans an identity. I read, recently, about how Barbara Walters mentioned her discomfort with a woman breast-feeding her baby on an airplane next to her and how, when she landed, "lactivists" picketed her office at ABC in New York. This would be the same nation that got upset of Janet Jackson's flashing of her breast during the Super Bowl. Um, what is it we want? I'd heard two different reviews of this movie going in. Some really recommended it, saying it was an exploration of sexuality and some panning it, saying it was a stoner road movie. And like our confused nation, I'm going to add to the problem. I agree to both. I think the reasons some people put this movie down is because, sadly, they think like Americans. Since joining Netflix last year, I have seen more foreign films they I thought was possible. Before, I had only been exposed to England's cinema and France. Now I've been to India, Japan, China,...

I had not wanted to attend. When I had heard the news that my Mom-mom (yes, even at this age, I still referred to her as such) has moved on, I knew I didn't want to attend. For years, I had been writing her, reconnecting on a level that I only knew how...writing. But I was never honest with her about who I was and where I was going and doing with my life. Then she was dead. Forget all the 'she's in a better place' stuff, I already knew that and it wasn't a concern. But when a man comes out of a closet, he has to turn his back part way on parts of his past. It's not his choice. There are just those in the family who the mere sentence, "I am gay" will not suffice. The explanation has to be longer and deeper. And for my grandparents, that would have been the case. So with every letter about tales of my students and the adventures of my dog, there was nothing about the love of my life and the family I had created and worked so hard to maintain. The smiles ...

It's that time of the year again, the reason Netflix was created. I've been waiting for an opportunity to finally sit and watch the movies established in my queue for some time now. Their presence at my coffee table blew pangs of guilt my way whenever I reached for my glass. But the guilt was not motivating enough to pick up the blasted DVDs and slap them into the player. I guess I felt that there was much more to do then watching movies--that guilt was stronger. Perhaps it's something my mother taught me...there's always something that needed to be done. But now that summer vacation is here, the guilt has taken form in the opposite. I have to watch these movies and broaden my horizons. Guilt is not the only gift of my family's matriarch. Growing up, she had a dancing school--so a movie like Billy Elliot takes on a new, more profound meaning then it would for the average Joe. I've seen a gazillion movies about dancing growing up--and my perspective is far differ...

Roger sat down at his PC and wondered where to start. He was always the anal retentive type and it bothered him when work piled up on him faster then he could get it out to the appropriate people at the college. He ran his left hand down the yellow tan folders looking to make sure they were all marked with the correct sticky colored note. All the greens, yellows and reds were there. But the their flicking noise awoke his memory and he reached back to his plastic lunch bag and unzippered the bottom portion. THere was his paperback, dogeared but otherwise clean, and on it's front, a yellow note from Josh. He had to contact Josh. That would stall the day's work for a few moments and open his mind to the work he had to do for the afternoon. He wheeled himself into position and moved the keyboard forward. He reached beside the monitor and grabbed his antibacterial hand gel and scrubbed away. The smell gave him a touch of energy. Josh was new to the offices at the college but not new...

Humph. I've always been iffy about this topic. I can believe in ghosts, heck I investigate them, write and read about them and sometimes think I see them. But UFOs? I guess there is a difference between the two topics, and I need to recognize that. I was addicted to X-Files, too, but that doesn't mean I think they are real. I'll tell you what I believe. Other then God, peace and enlightenment. There are aliens. But I don't believe that they fly a gazillion miles to flit about in machines and stare at us like some kind scientific experiment. If they have the smarts to make such a machine that can bring them here, they can have the common decency to stop by and say hello. Or do something other then probing our heinies. I just think that something that smart can be so dumb. But then again, Republicans still exist in this society, so I probably should rethink that. A smart society and those yahoos still exist. I know, for show there has to be life somewhere out there. Can...

If I could meet and talk to any three musicians, I have to say my main concern would be not who they were or what we would talk about, but more along the lines of what to serve them. My mother has taught me the art of entertaining, and yes, there is some personal reward watching people be full on food I serve and whatnot. Screw Martha Stewart, I have my own style. But the request today is who would I invite and what would be the three questions. I'm guessing this can be very telling, psychoanalytically. First, I'd go with historical. I listen to classical music nearly constantly on a radio I just leave on in the living room. It adds a certain peace to the atmosphere. It also helps where I teach. And since there as been a movie and whatnot based on him, I believe we already have a powerful interest in W.A. Mozart. His music, I've noticed, I've been able to identify by ear and that says something. My three questions for him would be more along the lines of self-applicatio...

I didn't like today's topic, so I rolled back the calender and picked another. It should be easy. The request is to write about myself from the perspective of someone who doesn't like me. Who likes themselves? Surely, the guy with the white beater at the gym last night likes himself. But underneath, I'm sure he's got the issues. Probably hates to cook and stares at porno all day and feels dirty about it. I'll switch to third person. He's weird. Plain and simple. He has this strange facination with Disney. But it's broader than that. He's like a big kid. And with that he carries a huge imagination with him. Because of that, he's a daydreamer. He keeps imagining worlds and places that aren't fit for the situation at hand. He also tends to do the masculine thing and turn all conversations into something about himself. When a coworker complains about a student, he'll immediately list what he's done and not, regardless of the discussion. I...

I have a love/hate relationship with the sun, I really do. I still can't freegin make up my mind about it. I love to sunbathe, I really do. I know it's risking cancer. I believe it's part of my own poor body image. I joking like to say that 'tan fat is better than white fat,' as if this some how justifies risking skin cancer, but I believe it's more potent then that. I've noticed over the years a huge jump in body modifications. Piercings and tattoos galore. And forgive me for this gross generalization, but I can't help thinking that the world at large hates their bodies and that's why we see so many tatts out there. It's not a question of if a body is too fat or too thin. It's people hate their physical forms of themselves and tatts, piercing and tans are ways of controlling the uncontrolable. Outside of genetics, we are all suffering. And I like to tan, I really do. Maybe this is the reason? Yes I have tattoos and piercings as well. And yes...

I really wanted to like this movie, I really did. I felt my heart leap when I was standing on line on the cold Memorial Day morning--it felt so much like lining up for Disneyland before the sun rose. I found myself talking fast and watching the teen behind the counter at the ticket booth's every move. 'Did she fill her drawer?' and 'Is she opening the window?' Zipped in and out of my head. Such attention is unbefitting someone who meditates daily. I was ready for some light sabre action! I tell you this, fair reader, so you know that you won't post hate notes here on my blog. But I gotta say something. As fear racks my body, I have to say I didn't really like this movie. Yes, I'm hesistant to give a full "I HATED THIS CRAP" for there are redeeming qualities. But I don't want to waste your time. There are those people who it wouldn't matter what the critics said, they are going to like this movie. This movie was made for them. Of course,...

*) Important safety tip. I journal everyday in a standard, spiral bound notebook. I've been doing it for years, even when I travel. But I think this summer, I'll try something different. I think I'm going to keep a majority of it here, online. I have a little book of ideas to journal about. I'm going to use it as a warmup to writing other items, some I'll publish here (like critiques) and some I'll keep to myself. You've been warned. I have to admit, I can't wrap gifts. I can't. I've got two degrees, enough credits for a probable third and yet...I can't wrap gifts. And it's not for lack of trying. I've been taught by the best of them. Mrs. Material, aka MotherUnitPrime, buys gifts beyond the need to. She'll give gifts to people I didn't even know I was related too. Heck, I think she once boasted that she gave out 42 gifts one holiday. Of course, I only got one out of the deal--I'm only her second born. And like Prince Harr...

10. FREAKY FRIDAY (both titles) I can't understand my animosity towards comedies. We went to see "Meet the Fockers" yesterday and yes, I did laugh, but it was outshined by the amount of squirming I did at watching Barbra Streisand as a sex therapist. Same goes for many of the comedies I watch. Their humor is borne out of a protagonist that is put in absurd, difficult situations and we laugh due to our own misplacements. Which brings me to this picture. But the message of understanding is so emphasized, I didn't cringe. I mean, the end of the movie is positive--but it comes about in a direct route, not some weird circumference designed to make you weep or have a positive American ending. 9. SPIRITED AWAY--And talk about your American ending. This is, like, the anti-Disney movie. The characters are far from cute, but the heart, the emotion underneath carries the tale in a new direction. It was new to me and I wanted to see more 'manga,' afterwards. It captured a...

You ever just have one of those days? I mean, really, you wonder what was written in the stars or perhaps your past life decided to recall your charmic debt all at once? Like 18 different bad things happen at the same time? I like to think it’s because I’m Irish that I put so much stock into things like fate and luck, but the fact of the matter is--crap happens--period. There’s very little much you can do about it. My last trip to Las Vegas was to see what all the hubbub was about. I had heard and seen all the new contraptions there were being built during the boom of later Clinton years. I was very impressed. This was not the world I had seen when I had first turned 21 and disposable cash was becoming a possible option for me. Instead of the ruff and tumble, gangster world from the previous visit, I saw Disney-lite, with a tangible, underlining of sin thrown in, in case the family wasn’t looking. It’s from these two standpoints that the movie The Cooler was created. The old Las Ve...