Category Archives: Entertainment

musings about film, television, music and other things entertaining… or not

Ross Tallent’s design & sculpture website is up!

From Ross Tallent Gallery images

Ross E. Tallent – design & sculpture website.

Scary monsters! Horned beasts! Aliens, and more . . . My friend, the artist Ross Tallent, let me know about a week ago that his first website showing his work was up and running.

You can read the bio there, but Ross has worked for years in Hollywood on makeup special effects and model making — need an extraterrestrial satyr from Neptune? Get Ross on the phone!

Here’s to hoping this online platform is beneficial to all those purposes. It can’t be the simplest thing marketing oneself as a special effects sculptor – cocktail party chat:

“Oh, and what is it you do?”
An intake of kamagra aids improve the flow of blood is viagra prescription canada inappropriate The only answer to resolve the quandary is lifting up the blood flow by breaking obstructions. I seem to be in the viagra cipla 20mg minority, but I like Todd Haley. You need to getting viagra in canada be physically healthy and in sound mental condition to use this medication. Vitamin B-12 is also available in foods cialis tadalafil 20mg fortified with it and in supplement form.
“I make monsters, the stuff that comes out of your worst nightmares!”

“Umm–kay, I think I saw some cheese balls over on that table . . .”

Fortunately for Ross, the entertainment industry shows no signs of any cooling on its love affair with scare. Take a look at his online galleries and see if you agree.

The Guy Suing Fox Searchlight For A Crappy Internship . . .

The Guy Suing Fox Searchlight For A Crappy Internship Shares His Advice For Future Interns

UPDATE 6/12/13: Looks like Alex et. al. won! At least this round. Congrats – JJA

Well, Alex Footman, welcome to the real world! I’m not surprised by your treatment and am happy to see you’re doing something about it. Blacklist to come? Bet on it! But then, you sound to me like the kind of individual who will find a way to get things done regardless.

So I say go for it. Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general is not known for treating employees – paid or not – with any kind of kid gloves or other niceties. It is a shame though, when you are led into believing you’re going to be doing one thing, and make a contribution, then all you get are gofer tasks that don’t help you learn anything about the business you want to join. Except, perhaps, that it takes advantage of its celebrity allure, as if that in itself would be a giant perk, validating working for nothing.

The ingredients in the tablets has been levitra without prescription found much effective to cure the erection issues. That’s because you need a product that’s tailored to a woman’s specific needs — and not one that’s designed online purchase viagra for preventing or treating erectile dysfunction problem. Has Tongkat Ali cialis canada online Been Tested? The United States, equal to that initiate in major medical center and academic settings. Lifestyle is incredibly hectic and taxing order viagra australia in large cities.

It was telling that Fox Searchlight immediately blamed the production company. “Not our fault – no never!” Somebody got to check off an item on their to-do list.

Now you probably know what Natalie Portman and Darren Aronofsky and others take in their coffee. Or maybe it’s chai. Whatever. Not exactly something you can pump up your resume with.

I hope your lawsuit and the publicity it gets convinces other abused interns, in any industry, to take the matter up.

Hollywood dreams: Nicholas McCarthy, coming true

Nicholas McCarthy, photo by Jay L. Clendenin

Hollywood dream of filmmaker Nicholas McCarthy is stop and go.

I loved this story of Nick McCarthy, as told by Kurt Streeter here in the Times. The same story of the “countless dreamers,” like so many of the people I know and interact with each day, like myself.

I’ve even been to this Atwater coffeehouse (Kaldi); a photographer friend had a showing there. I’ve also been there to write, though this particular space was too claustrophobic for me.

About an early film of Nick’s: “McCarthy’s film was a mystery about a group of friends dealing with death. When it was done, he rented a theater and invited a small group to view it. Yet as he watched, he realized he’d made a flop. He took the film home, tucked it inside a box, and never played it again.”

He took the film home, tucked it inside a box, and never played it again. Continue reading →

The Palm Springs International Film Festival – The Others

Meaning, the others I saw. There were over a hundred films at the Fest, unfortunately these I’ve posted about were just a small sampling.

Sal

Below is some video I took at the Q&A following the Sal screening I went to, where James Franco (the director of Sal) talks about his intentions with the movie and also discusses his collaboration with Val Lauren, the star of the movie and who’s in just about every frame:

(Could not find a trailer for this movie – if you have one let me know and I’ll happily post.) This is an “art” film – we follow Sal Mineo’s life on his last day, what the filmmakers think and imagine that would have been like. It’s very intimate in that so much of it is shot in closeup – we do get very involved with Sal’s character because of this (not to mention the benefits for a low budget film). I was mainly interested in how his sexual orientation would be portrayed – and it’s there, and obvious to anyone looking for it, but also very subtle as people were (for the most part) in the 1970s. Also of interest is the portrayal of someone going about their day as one of the has-beens of Hollywood. In Franco’s view, Sal adjusted well and was planning on a comeback. Not surprising, the most engaging scene, in my opinion, was where he was in rehearsal for a play with other actors – it was the interactions that kept the movie going (which is the exact opposite of what the Hollywood Reporter reviewer thought). When it’s just Sal by himself, it’s a little hard to stay interested. Good thing Val Lauren is so easy on the eyes and such a good actor.

Also, the film seeks to debunk any of the homophobic explanations for Mineo’s death – that it was a lovers quarrel, a trick gone wrong, etc. It shows the crime for the stupid random act it was. Continue reading →

Palm Springs International Film Festival – The Gays

Again, the gay movies at the Palm Springs Film Festival that I saw – cause there were others.

Let My People Go

Basic Idea: Comedy about European lovers who are separated and must go through lots of zany plot twists to eventually get back together again. Director: Mikael Buch

The Good:

It’s a farce, and as such, constructed pretty well with engaging and attractive characters
Nicolas Maury, who plays Ruben, is great at physical comedy in the tradition that goes back to Buster Keaton – a joy to watch
Carmen Maura – isn’t any movie with Ms. Maura worth watching just for that?
The overall message of the film is pro-tolerance – and affirmation of a family’s love for their gay son.
at 80 minutes, a good length for a comedy like this

The Bad:

Not enough of Teemu (Jarrku Niemi), Ruben’s Finnish boyfriend, who is adorable but absent for much of the film
I couldn’t think of anything else I didn’t like!

Time to Spare

Family Values: This Dutch film by Job Gosschalk about the lives and loves of two siblings shows what really holds a family together, and it has nothing to do with sexual orientation.

The Good:

I enjoyed the melodrama plot construction – it started out one way, and you thought it was going to be about one thing and then it made a major switch (also see The Bad)
Intergenerational gay relationship! That works! Hello!
The inclusion of friends to form families of choice
Character flaws are to be expected, and that adds to what makes us interesting rather than disqualifying us from this or that relationship

The Bad:

The movie starts out to be one thing – a relationship movie, and turns into something else – a cancer movie! (get out those tissues now, folks)
Perhaps an unrealistic depiction of a cancer patient’s suffering and treatment

Continue reading →

Palm Springs International Film Festival – The Docs

Or should I say, The Docs I saw. Which were only two this year, The Island President and Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory.

The Island President

I liked Jon Shenk’s The Island President for a few reasons. First of all, I know next to nothing about The Maldives, islands in the Indian Ocean (more than 1200 of them, which make up this watery nation). Or should I say I knew next to nothing, because I saw this film, and so now I know something.

And what I know is that this nation is going to sink into the ocean.

The structure of the film: we’re introduced to the charismatic young leader of The Maldives, Mohammed Nasheed, and given a little political history – he was a dissident during a long dictatorship, imprisoned with all that entails. The government is eventually liberated and he’s elected president, and not a moment too soon, because of the coming environmental calamity of rising water levels.

The rest of the film documents his efforts to broker some kind of climate change agreement at the Copenhagen Climate Summit of 2009, where he has to fight the superpowers – including the United States, China and India. So it’s your basic David vs. Goliath scenario, but the implications are really so much more for both The Maldives and for the planet. It shocked me that the theater wasn’t full for this. If we don’t have a planet that’s habitable for people, clearly we won’t be having any film festivals.

The Maldives look like a beautiful place to visit and to live. The prognosis is not good, however, so you better go while they’re still above water. Continue reading →

We Deserve Better video

We Deserve Better from FosterBear Films on Vimeo.

Check out this video made by my nephew-in-law’s company FosterBear Films (David Bear) in association with BreakOUT in New Orleans. The purpose is to fight discrimination on the part of the NOPD towards the GLBTQ community there.

Yes, we still have to fight these fights in 2012. Depressing, but there you are, and unfortunately, for so many minority communities, including GLBTs everywhere, the cop is generally not your friend. Videos like this help put them on notice. We’re watching. We’re talking. We’re filming it and posting it. And it will stop.

Share widely, as you wish.

Most of the health practitioners recommend patients to follow herbal remedies. online cialis sales If you think you may have ED don’t hesitate to talk about erectile dysfunction openly. canadian prices for viagra These conditions are serious and are very effective. reference buy generic viagra Night Fire capsules are specially prepared to get rid of sexual weakness that are the source of the pain, the following back surgeries are the most common ones considered: Microdiscectomy – when a portion of the herniated disc that is pressing on the nerve is removed Spinal fusion – when the disc space in between two vertebrae is fused into one solid long bone. viagra for sale mastercard

Where in the world is the blogger?

I’ve not posted, the worst sin of any blogger by far. Even just a photo and a few words, somehow I could not manage. Bad, Bad, Bad!

My reason: I’ve been working for the past couple of weeks at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. In addition to working, I saw 7 films, some of which I’ll talk about in upcoming posts. I went to at least three parties. I ate too much.

So I apologize for the lack of activity. I leave you today with this shot, where I often had my morning coffee and breakfast. There could be worse things, no?

Next comes twomeyautoworks.com cheapest cialis an enthusing and informative read on the latest artists’ retreat in town. It’s called “pattern baldness” as a result of hair is often lost in a effectively-outlined “M” shape. cialis pills price Some of the common causes of lower back pain are: Obesity Improper lifting Stress and smoking Osteoporosis Sciatica Pregnancy Trauma Spinal degeneration Chiropractors buy canada cialis twomeyautoworks.com are considered the best option for the diagnosis and the chiropractic program. Certain medical conditions affect blood and nerve supply to clitoris to detect buy generic levitra whether it affects orgasm.

Tahquitz Creek Wash, Palm Springs

Paramount Planning Upgrades to Lot

link to LA Times story: Paramount Pictures plans $700-million upgrade to Hollywood lot

Jim A. sitting in front of Paramount Gate, earlier in 2011

Great to see that the powers that be at Viacom find the opportunity to reinvest and upgrade the studio a good idea.

I worked there in the late 80s to mid-90s; still probably the most fun location to ever have a paying job, at least in my working life. And that was before the on-lot Coffee Bean, which in my way of thinking adds much currency to the entire idea.

When reading this piece, it was like a deja vu: Frank Mancuso’s name was mentioned not once, but twice, and in reverence both times. It was like my old boss there (Deborah Rosen) had a hand in the story (maybe she did, who knows) – as it was her job to get favorable corporate communications for the studio. Interesting certainly that the names Brandon Tartikoff, Stanley Jaffe and Sherry Lansing were not brought up at all, and Brad Grey only in passing.

their shop canadian prices for viagra By normalizing sexual health, this Ajanta Pharma product is manufactured in three diverse forms of use-tablets, jellies and soft tablets. ESPN Mobile TV (available on MediaFLO and MobiTV and via best viagra pills Sprint) will deliver news, analysis and feature video programs. These kinds of herbal products enable you to exercise more and be more active while also clearing and viagra france pharmacy sharpening your mind. Impotence is a sex dysfunction in guys of a specific age. levitra on line 100mg works much like another pharmaceutical which is utilized inside the administration of PDE5 enzymes. Mancuso hasn’t been the head of the studio for 20 years. Surely a lot of improvements have been made in the interim, I know, because I was there working or visited after I was laid off.

That’s another thing about Paramount: as much fun as it was being a nice place to go to work, what with all the flowers, fountains, movie stars and whatnot, I and just about everyone I knew there (well, almost everyone) eventually got fired (including the aforementioned boss) – kind of like that water tower which isn’t really a water tower at all, just the top of an enormous meat grinder.

There is no grudge, I know all too well that everything ends. So I’m glad they’re in the process of creating jobs for future Paramount ex-employees.

TV dramas losing favor with busy television viewers

Television: TV dramas are losing favor with busy television viewers

Ah, the dilemma of the multitasking viewer.

Interesting story (by Joe Flint) above in the Los Angeles Times about how difficult it is to keep viewers interested in any but the most simplistic plotlines. One executive says “most viewers are watching television with a laptop on their legs,” which is an obvious exaggeration, but according to other research cited, about 20% of the audience is using a computer, an Ipad or a smartphone while trying to keep up with a network drama plot.

The result isn’t good for anyone involved with drama from the creatives involved to the execs to the companies buying ads that no one is watching. From where I sit, this means fewer jobs than ever for writers in Hollywood. Also from where I sit as a fan and TV viewer, it means more inane reality series. Please, please, don’t foist more real housewives upon us, I think we get it!

Sildenafil citrate is excreted by both the liver and generic viagra store kidneys. Moti offers effective cure for weak erection and low order generic viagra libido. What are Kamagra Oral Jelly Side effects? Usually safe, effective and affordable, kamagra jellies 100 mg can cause some purchase levitra severe side-effect. Undoubtedly one of the viagra viagra online Healthiest Organic Supplements, Acai Capsules are getting increasingly popular among supermodels as a remedy for erectile dysfunction, but is also proving exceptionally popular to help fight skin cancer as it tans the skin without being exposed to the infected environment. To be perfectly honest, I’m one of the multitaskers Joe Flint is talking about. Particularly since the invention of the smartphone, I’ve noticed that I will check email, Facebook, Grindr, what have you, almost like that sorry lab rat pressing its lever for the pellet.

In public, where I used to occupy my hands with something like smoking (quit 20 years ago) now to combat nervousness or boredom I do the same thing, play with Iphone.Tap, tap, tap, slide.

I can’t tell you how long it takes me to get through a 43 minute episode of a standard TV drama on Hulu or Netflix. Because I constantly pause, check other things, get up and go to the kitchen, the bathroom, the mailbox, the whatever. I will say I always return, and rarely if ever do I bail on an episode once I’ve started. If you’d told me years ago I’d develop this kind of technology-inspired adult ADD I’d have said you were nuts.

But here I am. So, ‘fess up, who else multitasks while watching TV?