To the fans of 450...

If you spent much time at our place on S. Grove St, you no doubt heard the rumors of the "Nazi Gold." Perhaps you are even lucky enough to have witnessed the "basement" or attempted to sneak into the mysterious shed in the backyard. So, for all of you who helped break the steps and deposit beer cases below (you know who you are), check out this link.

We all know they're digging in the wrong place and where the white plastic tarp covers the real Nazi treasure!

Knight Rider for a Queer Generation??

As I mentioned a couple posts ago, I recently watched the TV movie remake of Knight Rider. I loved this show as a kid, but really, didn't everyone of my generation? When they first released the show on DVD a couple years ago, I had to race out and buy the first season. I was sad to discover that it didn't really hold up as well as I had hoped. The shows were a little redundant, but not in a cool Scooby-Doo kinda way, and the other cinematic elements felt much more stale than my inner-eight year old remembered. Although, one of my all-time favorite TV bloopers is an episode in which you can see the Psycho house in the background of a car chase scene (the entire series was shot on the back lots of Universal Studios).

So, I have to admit, I was terribly curious as to how the show would fare with an update. Honestly, it was not that bad. The new car is pretty awesome (it even has Val Kilmer for a voice) and the story was actually pretty well put together. It still had a bit of that '80s style of acting, but somehow that seemed acceptable for this project.

But, that brings me to my query. There is a cop in the film, played by Sydney Tamiia Poitier (above image, far right), who is trying to help the protagonists. We first see her at her home within the first 15 minutes of the flick. She comes into her apartment after a beach front work out and wakes a person that is still sleeping in a nearby bed. This person is a young, blonde, attractive, nude woman. They exchange a banter about whether or not Poitier is worried about leaving someone she just met the "night before" in her house alone. She replies, "not really" as she loads her gun and the scene cuts to a new location.

Please challenge me if you feel otherwise, but I can't imagine a reading of this scene in where Poitier's character is anything but a queer woman. However, the scene or her sexuality is never addressed in any way again throughout the rest of the two-hour movie. At first, I was excited by the inclusion of queer female content, but became confused as to why it was never brought up again. I considered it for a moment and then found myself wondering why. After all, if she had woken up a man when returning to her apartment and we never saw him again, would I have thought anything of it? I suddenly realized that I'm so use to queer content being depicted as "an issue" that when it wasn't, I became confused and felt let down. Now, I find myself wondering if this low-expectation, somewhat cheesy, remake of an '80s TV show just provided one of the most progressive and inclusive representations of a queer female character I have ever seen on prime-time TV. Thoughts???

Excuse me Academy...I think you missed something.

I finally got around to seeing American Gangster last night and damn, that was a fine flick. Ridley Scott is responsible for one of my all-time favorite movies (Thelma and Louise) so I was psyched to see it, but unfortunatley had missed it in the theaters.

Considering this director and the cast he acquired, you can assume it is filled with fine acting (especially Ruby Dee) and composition. But, it is also a great story that once again highlights that sometimes real life is better than fiction. It really gets under your skin and makes you consider who the "bad guys" really are and why they might be that way. No one is entirely a hero or a villian, just as it should be.

After viewing it though, I was really dumbfounded as to why the Academy Awards overlooked this film. I know they aren't really the ultimate judge of good film, but it was also a big Hollywood money-maker, which usually is a plus for a film when it comes to Oscar nods. I haven't actualy seen most of the films that are nominated. I might go see them this Saturday at a nearby theater that is showing them all back-to-back for $30 (with free popcorn!). So, maybe I'll change my tune after seeing the lot of them, but as it stands now, this films appears to be sadly overlooked.

Oh Fey can you See?

I just learned (while watching the remake Knight Rider movie on TiVo-but that's another story) that Tina Fey is going to come back and host Saturday Night Live this weekend.

Oh glorious, glorious world! I can't wait! So much Fey, such wonderful Fey!

Since she was mostly a writer (except for the news), hosting will probably produce even more Feytime than when she was actually part of the cast. Of course really, it was only a matter of time before they asked her back...they've been tankin' big time since she left. So, if your a fan of her work, it should be worth checking out this Saturday.

I'm already sick FROM the election!

I recently saw this short film on the Sundance Channel and it really spoke to me right now. It is still so early in the whole election year Crap-A-Thon and I am already soooo nauseous. Just as with every other year, I'm expected to vote for a candidate that somehow compromises my beliefs, my politics, and my sense of self. A candidate who will say ANYTHING to get my vote and then never deliver! Why? Oh right - because they are better than the other alternative!

I was excited by the prospect of "the first woman" or "the first black" president for like 20 minutes and after a few days, I've realized they're playing the same damn game as every other runner. Not to mention the fact that I'm not sure we should be advertising the hell out of the fact that it's taken us this long to elect from either of these groups. Besides, why don't we talk about McCain as being the 100-something straight, white, rich, boring-ass-f**k, candidate?

Is Clinton really going to deliver us from a lack of adequate health care? -Doubt it.

Is Obama really going to end the war/occupation? -Unlikely.

Do either of them actually view me, a queer woman, as someone that deserving completely equal standing with the straight family down the street? -Um, no!

Do I still want them to win over somebody like McCain. Well, obviously! But when is that mentality going to finally not be enough? Maybe I'm still bitter from the last two elections. Sorry, if I've upset anyone with my grouchiness. But, here's to going down with the ship...cuz' nobody ever lets the people who really belong behind the wheel drive. How many more months? That Green Day song should be "Wake me when NOVEMBER ends."

Sometimes I'm Eight Years Old.

Oh my wonderful readers, you must check out this article.

After all, isn't any story that starts with the line: "At the Warner Middle School in Farmington Hills Michigan this morning a fire broke out in a young boy's pants" worth checking out!
Hee Hee Hee...