Zander’s Weblog

Supposedly a story about a gay frat boy coming to terms with his sexuality. However seldom have allegedly college-aged kids looked so old, or so much like a collection of soap-opera extras. Marry them to a bad script and you have a critics’ delight–you’ll have a great time hating this one!

An enjoyable gay romance with an overlay of religious headwind (in this case, Mormon). Featuring a mid-to-late 20’s pretty-boy cast and a sincere soap-opera construction, it’s a sure crowd-pleaser unless, of course, you are still in that mental rat trap of religious orthodoxy.

A production of the Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre program (QTET), and sponsored by the Washington Ensemble Theatre (WET), this was a summer lab project to encourage and develop young acting talent. It was written and performed by the actors. It had some good bits and some promising performances. One has to start somewhere!

Now playing at the ACT Theatre (June 2008), this retrospective is a naughty bit of British theatricality from an earlier era. I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more had I been part of that world or familiar with Noel’s work–the audience was even more blue-haired than usual.

I thought the cinematography was great–the scenery is beautiful. The music was well done for the film as well. Now if there were just a feature on the DVD whereby one could remove the script and actors the film would be a winner! While it’s true that many gay people grow up in hostile family environments, including brain-dead christian fundamentalist ones, I doubt that many would watch this film or find it helpful or entertaining. If you fall into this category there are better resources for certain–tip-toe into your local library and read John Boswell’s book or one of the newer works on the subject. Or, better yet, go directly to the books by Joseph Campbell and put the whole ridiculous dilemma in a proper perspective.

I watched the 3-episode PBS documentary–next I’ve got to read the book! I especially enjoyed episode 2, with its re-enactment of the taking of Peru by the Spanish in the 16th Century. All in all very interesting material, but a bit watered down with all the usual television documentary gift-wrapping and repetition. I’m certain the book will be better. One thing I’m wondering whether the book covers is something I thought missing from the “big three”, which should be included in a “big four”: avarice.

A graphic and supposedly (mostly) eye-witness account of the pillaging of the new world by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th Century, as reported by Bartolomé de Las Casas. There is wholesale lopping off of hands, noses, ears, lips, chins, children’s legs, heads, as well as the roasting of tribal leaders on grills, holding feet to a fire, dangling people 13 at a time (to commemorate Jesus and the 12 apostles) over a low fire, throwing people into pits filled with sharp stakes, cramming a building full with people and setting it afire, etc. The accumulation of gold and other forms of plunder was the typical motivation. Seems a natural outgrowth of the Judeo-Christian belief that mankind has “dominion over” the earth and sea, and whatever else they can grab, consequences be damned. The native peoples apparently came to use the word “Christian” to mean “demon”.

An amazing work by director Grigori Kozintsev, with a screenplay co-written by Boris Pasternak and a score by Dmitri Shostakovich. The sparsity of the Lithuanian landscape, shot in B&W, together with the bleak score and distilled narrative bring King Lear to a new level of darkness. I suggest that you first read a synopsis of the play (or the play itself), then watch the lengthy interview with theater and opera director Peter Sellers included on the DVD. Finally watch the movie itself. The Russian language dialog, accompanied by cryptic subtitles (Shakespeare translated to Russian translated to English) leave you free to enjoy the thick visual texture.

British poet and author Blake Morrison’s reminiscences of his troubled relationship with his narcissistic father as the latter is on his death bed. A wonderful if sad movie with lots to ponder. The son is portrayed through time by three different actors: Bradley Johnson as the child, Matthew Beard as the teen (for which he was deservedly nominated as Most Promising Newcomer by the British Independent Film Awards), and Colin Firth as the man. Jim Broadbent and Juliet Stevenson play the father and mother. Shot as a series of flashbacks spanning about 40 years, one sees the powerful events that shaped the relationship over time, and the conclusions the characters drew. But were the conclusions justified, or based on a faulty analysis?

Once again I am put in mind of Thomas Wolfe: ‘Which of us has known his brother? Which of us has looked into his father’s heart? Which of us has not remained forever prison-pent? Which of us is not forever a stranger and alone?’ (”Look Homeward, Angel”, 1929).

A very well made documentary that puts us in the shoes of the immigrants. Other players in the drama are also given some air time (police, aid workers, government officials, vigilantes), but the main focus is on the migrants themselves. One comes away with a much better understanding of how complex the situation is. Poverty and lack of opportunity (employment, educational) seem to form the root. Starving people are always hugely motivated to find resources. In so doing, they expose themselves to the depredations of several classes of vultures. All parties involved eventually develop vested interests in the status quo. I am not optimistic.