Happy New Year!

Do You Want My Pere Noel?

Merry Christmas!

Casino Royale

So in the midst of my Christmas shopping this week I took myself to go see this movie. I really liked it. I'm a huge fan of 007 films anyway, so I usually anticipate all of them. Well, except for "A View to a Kill" - it was awful. Anyway, Daniel Craig was great as Bond. I was very hesitant to accept a blond Bond. I'm not partial to blonds anyway, and my 007 is always dark haired. Well, until today. I've gone and changed my mind again. He wasn't pretty, not at all; but he was "oh so sexy." So very sexy. I support Mr. Craig making another James Bond film, and soon. The movie was a little longer than 2 hours and it flew by, well except for the final 30 minutes while I had to go to the bathroom. Very uncomfortable.

As for the reviews that say "there's too much gambling scenes." That's not true. It's not at all. I hate that kind of gambling, boxing, football, baseball, swimming, basketball movie. This was just the right amount. So go see it. And if you find you can't, definitely rent it on DVD.

Happy Feet on IMAX

Everyone, even the poor unfortunate merfolk, like yourself; should run and see this movie. Luckily, I saw it on the IMAX and I must tell you. It was money well spent. Happy Feet was such an uplifting film. I took myself to see this movie as I had heard the soundtrack and really enjoyed it. So I sat amongst a sea of children with my popcorn and still managed to have the best time! The animation is wonderful and engaging. The story is a cute version of the "ostracized because one is different" story. Very much like that of Rudolf or any gay. But it was peppered with blasts of the evil we humans are doing to the Arctic. Which sadly, we are. You must see this, and really go see it on the IMAX. Really, it's that good. It's one of the few times this holiday season my heart was actually lifted. And lifted high.

Wedding Wars

Did anyone see this movie last night on A&E? It was great! Not great like it changed the world in two short hours; but great in a way that it illuminated a light on a very serious problem here in USA. Bigotry. Wedding Wars starring John Stamos (absolutely adorable in this film) who plays a gay wedding planner (redundant) that goes on strike when the governor of Maine tries to pass a bill restricting marriage to a man & a woman. Now we all know how sucessful that recipe for marriage has been. What is the divorce rate again? Anyway, this movie although dealing with this serious subject matter in a very "sit-com" style actually had some great insight and brought up the lame arguments people have against gay marriage. And these anti-equality people are all dumb or just plain bigotted. The story is about two brothers one (the gay) is planning the other brothers 'straight wedding.' When the Governor of Maine attempts to pass this bigotted law of marriage being between a man and a woman exclusively. The gay brother goes on strike; and in turn all gays go on strike. First in Maine then throughout the country. It was beautiful, unrealistic to a degree, but beautiful. Everyone should see this film, it plays again this Saturday (December 16, 2006) at 10pm. I urge you all to record it. I love rooting for the good guys. And no you unChristian, Christian fundamentalists - it's not you. It never was.

Don't Get Too Comfortable

Well my petite, sugar coated droplets of love. I've completed another book. This book written by David Rakoff was at it's best mediocre. I saw Mr. Rakoff being interviewed on television and thought this book would speak to me. It really didn't. This short book of essays sometimes made me think, and I did find a few (key word: few) of the essays enjoyable. But mostly it made me think to myself "I should write, really I should - if this guy can get a book published with the quality of these essays, then I most certainly can." Now don't misunderstand me, Mr. Rakoff can write, his grammar is good. But perhaps that's his editor. He uses $10 vocabulary words almost to a fault. Making his voice almost null to ignorant, middle America. You know, the 'red' states. I found myself in the middle of some essays reading, and then re-reading trying to figure out what he's essentially saying. And when I figured it out; I didn't care. His subject matters, on the whole, are dull. There's not much in terms of a good chuckle or even and observation that any one of our more clever gay friends could have come up with, and in some cases... better than he. Once again, not bad, not good, ...just mediocre.

My Seduction Style...

High Fidelity

My friend Michael took me to see this production last Friday night. It was ok. Not awesome, not bad, just ok. I would liken it to bathwater. It didn't do much. Having never read the book, and being a fan of the movie I was hesitant to see this. Well, I'm glad I did, but I would never recommend this to an 'out of towner' who wanted to see a Broadway show. Although the cast was VERY talented, the show itself kind of just laid there. Once again, thank God for the talented cast. Some of the songs were very clever, and the way the composer wrote the songs to give a nod to certain musical genres was extremely amusing. But I must say "I didn't care." And not just because it's theme is about a straight relationship. I just didn't care. I've had my share of stories of men who "are afraid to commit, lose the girl, and grow up in an effort to get the girl back." It's everywhere and it's tired. So was I after this show. Don't go see this. Rent the movie.

That Time of the Year

My friend Michael took me to see this musical review put on by the York Theatre Company last Thursday night. I had no idea what to expect. After entering this off-Broadway theater, which is below a Lutheran Church on the East side of Manhattan, the first thing I noticed is that the theatre is an intimate 250 seats and a great little space. I later learned that this York Theatre Company only does 'new' musicals. Great I thought. This is my year of new musicals both on & off-Broadway. First off I have to tell you that the show was a solid 2 hours with an intermission. I personally feel that if they shaved off 3o minutes and made this a one act it would have been stupendous. But alas, there were a few too many ballads with words that went on and on. Cut, cut, cut. They also could have cut a few of the dumber numbers specifically one that comes to mind is a number done by a very talented man dressed as a dreidel. Really stupid, bad song. Poor guy - he really, really tried to sell it. But it was just not a good number. The remainder of this show was really good. Some funny, funny numbers and some really touching songs. I liked this show allot. I liked the cast allot as well (2 men / 3 women). They were a super talented groups of adults who worked their asses off. They all had really great voices. But one thing I did notice is that the director hired 3 very different, yet highly talented women who during their solos were outstanding - yet when they sang together - their voiced didn't blend at all. They almost grated against each other. Very dissonant, yet it wasn't any one's fault. Well, maybe the director's. The show celebrated the Holidays with songs both of Christmas and Hanukkah. No one was left out. Not a must see, but it sure will do well in dinner theaters next year.

How Evil I Am!

You Are 50% Evil

You are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side. Fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.

How Evil Are You?

Survivor

This book my dear, sweet, little kumquats of love is great. What an interesting novel. I read this poolside while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta. The story pulls you in. Without giving too much away; this book written by the same author (Chuck Palahniuk) who wrote "Fight Club," brings you a tale of a man who was raised by a fanatical religion only to be sold as a child slave laborer by this religion and ends up a major 'pop' religious leader. That is, after his entire community & family commits mass suicide. What I like about this story is the subtle use of how detached people are from other people. And the irony of the protagonists upbringing as opposed to who he was meant to become and who he did become. I didn't give away too much of the story, but anyone whose read this book can tell you - this book is so much more than just that. A great entertaining, yet thought provoking, in a disturbing way, book. Read it. Learn!