Catty Comments

Fabulous "Pursuit of Happyness"

Man, the semi-hokey trailer (below) does not do this movie justice. It's sweet, raw, and touching. All filmed on location in San Francisco, Oakland & Alameda. I also *love* the details of the old BART ticket machines, the old cars & advertisements, and the old BART route maps.

Say, "I told you so"? Don't mind if I do!

On November 21.2005 (nearly a year ago, if you can believe it), I posted my comments on the latest Harry Potter film (see "Films: Harry gives it up").

To quote myself, "You wouldn’t think much of it on the 'O.C.' or even on a teen flick like 'American Pie' (part 11), but in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire', when Harry removes his robe to step into a bath… the collective gasp from the audience would make you believe Adonis himself walked naked into the theater and sat front row and center.

"I have to wonder what’s in store for the cast in the next films… after all, a film can’t make Too Much Money…

Some ideas:  A secret magic spell that rips the clothes off the victim? Hogwart’s co-ed beach volleyball competition? Gym class shower scene?"

Well, I didn't hit the nail on the head (although, really, that remains to be seen), but if close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, then put on your pith helmet and grab your pony's Manolos because Harry is about to get naked!

As reported by MSN (http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=238651&GT1=7701&), Daniel Radcliffe is set to adorn the London stage in Equus, a play about a man with a sexual fetish for horses (might this be a "hoof fetish"?).  For one whole scene in the play, Radcliffe will be sans clothes (no word yet on the apparel plans for the horse).

"Part of me wants to shake up people's perception of me, just shove me in a blender," said Radcliffe.

On the contrary, based on the audience's reaction to a little bare skin in the last Harry Potter movie, I think this turn of events is not only expected, but perhaps even predictable.

... at least I'll take credit for predicting it.  :-D

Harry gives it up

The Internet Movie Database reports that Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe is going to get $14 million for the next Harry installment, as opposed to the measly $250,000 he got for the first film.

I know why.  Harry Potter is giving it up for the audience.  And the audience likey.

You wouldn’t think much of it on the "O.C." or even on a teen flick like “American Pie (part 11), but in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”, when Harry removes his robe to step into a bath… the collective gasp from the audience would make you believe Adonis himself walked naked into the theater and sat front row and center.

Seriously, I thought the young women in front of me were going to hyperventilate.

With the weekend pulling in $101.4 million for the film, I have to assume director Mike Newell knew exactly what he was doing by showing Harry’s bare back (not to mention selective parts of Hermione and Ron as well).  But I have to wonder what’s in store for the cast in the next films… after all, a film can’t make Too Much Money…

Some ideas:  A secret magic spell that rips the clothes off the victim? Hogwart’s co-ed beach volleyball competition? Gym class shower scene?

While I’m a little sad that “the gang” is growing into their ages and discovering sexuality (I liked the nerdy adventurers of the first couple of films), I realize I am in the minority.  And Hollywood is likely to do what sells.  And, I say with bewilderment, sex sells… more tickets to Harry Potter.

One can only imagine what the fan films are going to be like!

Around the Blogosphere - Ringwraith alert!

Via Making Light, the most worthy Internet meme I have seen in a long time!

The nine U.S. Senators, ALL Republican, who voted AGAINST the McCain-sponsored anti-torture amendment:

1. Wayne Allard (R-Colorado), Kit Bond (R-Missouri), 3. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma),  4. Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), 5. John Coryn (R.-Texas), 6. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), 7. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), 8. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), 9. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).

This roster of Hall-Of-Shamers will henceforth be known as:

THE NAZGÛL!

The only question is which one is the Witch King. My vote goes to Coburn, who is basically insane, as evidenced by the following : his bizarre claim that silicone breast implants make you healthier; he supports the death penalty for doctors who perform legal abortions; and he offered to challenge the accuracy of Terri Schiavo's autopsy report AFTER she was cremated. This is only a partial list of his mental aberrations.

“Of course I'm pro-life - as long as you're not actually BORN yet!”

Losers, all of them. Oklahoma should be especially horrified that BOTH their Senators voted against humane treatment of prisoners. Word up: don't do anything that gets you arrested in Oklahoma.

My new fetish - who knew?!

OK, girls & boys, I found something very naughty - and nice! It's called Wetmen, and it's a website devoted entirely to pictures of (mostly) actors and other celebrities in various situations involving getting soaking wet, with links to other "themed" pages of said male celebrities.... too delish! One caveat - this website regularly exceeds its monthly bandwidth allowance, so click soon! I found it two weeks ago and it was not back up until today! It is SFW, if work is really laid back about this stuff - I would be inclined to view only at home. WARNING: Also includes pics of men we do NOT consider hot AT ALL, so be aware that certain images may be burned into your retinas that really do not belong there, so click responsibly......

Benjamin Bratt - Is it hot in here or is it just HIM?

Speaking of voyeurism....

Africam is a place to find live wildlife webcams in Africa! You can check in on leopards and eagles, and whatever wanders into the pictures. Choose the live cams to view from the list on the left, and you can vote on good images to submit to the highlights archive if you get lucky. Best time to view is when it's morning there - about opposite from North America, so it's a good place to go for those late-night surfing urges. No not those - and they're not that kind of webcams! Don't make me come over there and slap you.

       WTF are you looking at, you sub-feline piece of trash!?!

The Passion of the Penguins

The film March of the Penguins has been co-opted by the Religious Right, proving once again, they are willing to co-opt *anything* (how many cartoon characters are gay now?) to “prove” validity of their insipid doctrines.

Jonathan Miller of the New York Times News Service wrote:

“At a conference for young Republicans, the editor of National Review urged participants to see the movie because it promoted monogamy. A widely circulated Christian magazine said it made ‘a strong case for intelligent design.’

“’March of the Penguins,’ the conservative film critic and radio host Michael Medved says, is ‘the motion picture this summer that most passionately affirms traditional norms like monogamy, sacrifice and child-rearing.’

“Speaking of audiences who feel that movies ignore or belittle such themes, he adds: ‘This is the first movie they've enjoyed since The Passion of the Christ. This is The Passion of the Penguins.’”

I don’t blame The Right for wanting the penguins.  They are just so darn cute!!  And what better creature than a tuxedoed bird-brain to be the mascot for the Religious Right? I can almost picture them eating caviar and pickled herring at a major Republican Fundraiser.

However, I would like to point out that a) The Penguins in the film are *not* monogamous (I believe narrator Morgan Freeman says something like this, “Once finding a mate, the penguins form a monogamous relationship.  Well, at least until next year.”)  And b) the penguins’ Ironman-style march through ice and wind is hardly a “strong case for intelligent design” – what God would give the shortest legged animal the longest on-land search for breeding grounds… and then make the *babies* make the same journey?

Oh right, the same God that is sending us to Hell for watching Spongebob Squarepants.

As much as I’m disturbed that The Right has “done it again!”, I must give a Hisssss to the film-makers for making a “documentary”, not about penguins, but about the anthropomorphizing of penguins in such a way that they practically handed the film to The Right.

In one scene (SPOILER!), a female penguin gathering food for the chick, still in the egg, is killed by a seal. Freeman says something like, “The seal not only killed the mother, but her unborn chick…”

Is the seal an “evil-doer” abortion provider? Is the penguin’s life worth more because she is “with child”? Is the eating of penguins by seals a reflection on the degradation of society?

No.  But to those filled with the Passion of Penguin, it’s an easy leap, as from one chunk of ice to another.

http://english.ohmynews.com/TALK_BACK/bbs_view.asp?ba_code=63&bb_code=307264

Imitation of Crap

Back to "normal"  - bad fashion! This is a sampling of the latest sacrificial offerings of the Imitation Of Christ label. If the blind man had laid eyes on these after his miraculous cure, he would have asked Jesus to take it back.

Let's start with this - the model has her overalls on and is all set to start painting the Little Shop of Horrors. Nice view of pubic bone cleavage, too, and hideous boots out of a bad sci-fi movie filmed on the cheap - this one has it all.

We have seen a lot of this drop-shoulder look lately, with mixed results. Nothing mixed about this - it's 100% fugly. Looks like she shredded it while escaping from the tie-dye vat. And the bulgy white vinyl go-gos? No-nos.

Here is that droopy-drawers look again - top and bottom. This bad-bruise color palette is truly unfortunate, and it pervades the whole collection. Fine if you are the costume designer for Dawn of the Dead 2, but not for living, breathing people.

Here is IOC's "muse" Scarlet Johansson, wearing what such short people should never touch with a five-foot pole - high-waisted too-tight pants. With her signature blood red lipstick and translucent tee, she looks like a hooker in a bad French New Wave film. Oh, Scarlet, you can do better!

Just shoot me....

Halle again - 'scuse me while I go stab myself. No one else has a chance when Halle's on, and boy is she ON tonight!