Harry Potter is So Gay Friendly

The new Harry Potter movie opens today, which promises to be somewhat more adult than the previous flicks. In keeping with that theme, Towleroad posted a fairly adult looking Daniel Radcliffe pic today as well as a link to an interview on Moviefone in which Radcliffe, in repsonse to a question about the newly out Dumbledore, talks freely about how cool he is with the fact that people think he has a "gay face". His attitude is so gay-positive for the major star of a studio franchise that I had post it. Not only is Radcliffe talented but he sounds very bright, cheeky and, as he himself says, even a bit camp.

The Most Hated Filmmaker In America

Despite grossing over $300 million in less than a month, the "Transformers" sequel is clearly one of the most profitable films of the year. It is also one of the most hated by film critics, garnering a low 19% on the Tomotao Meter @ Rotten Tomatoes. While some of their critical vitriol is directed at the film and Hollywood franchises in general, a great deal of it is aimed at Michael Bay, the film's infamous director. Here's a sampling:

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” directed by the stunningly, almost viciously, untalented Michael Bay, is much closer to the norm of today’s conglomerate filmmaking." DAVID DENBY, The New Yorker

"You may recall that its 2007 predecessor was a mostly capable commercial for Transformers toys and Bay's previous films, from which most of the iconography was lifted as the man continues to pay homage to his favorite filmmaker." ROBERT WILONSKY, Village Voice

"It's tempting to dismiss Michael Bay's long, loud and ludicrous sequel to 2007's Transformers with one word — hunkajunk. It carves out its own category of godawfulness. I do accept that Bay is unique. No one can top him for telling a story with such striking, shrieking incoherence." ROLLING STONE, Peter Travers

And those are the nice reviews. When I was in film school, there was the notion that getting any reaction from an audience was what was desirable, whether it was love or cinema vendettas. Thus, one could argue that Bay is a master of terrible cinema. In fact, the NY TIMES reviewer Manhola Dargis suggests just that: "Make no mistake: Mr. Bay is an auteur. His signature adorns every image in his movies, as conspicuously as that of Lars von Trier, and every single one is inscribed with a specific worldview and moral sensibility. Mr. Bay’s subject — overwhelming violent conquest — is as blatant and consistent as his cluttered mise-en-scène."

Though I'd agree his movies are consistently terrible, I don't know if that makes one an auteur. According to the Encylcopedia Brittanica, auteur is defined as "theory of filmmaking in which the director is viewed as the major creative force in a motion picture." In the case of Mr. Bay in general and "Transformers" in particular, I'd have say to the major creative force is the EFX department followed closely by marketing. It is, afterall, a movie about Hasbro toys.

Though TROTF has proven to be "review-proof", it's hated director may not be. In a curious turn of events, despite the franchise's nearly billion dollar success, Bay says he will not be directing the next Transformers movie which Paramount has announced for July 2011. On his own website, he said he's had enough of robots. Is this code for film critics, perhaps?

Does Anyone Remember "Blansky's Beauties"?

While watching a "Rhoda" marathon on DVD over the weekend, a lively discussion about TV spin-offs ensued. Rhoda was a character from the "Mary Tyler Moore" show, the neighbor who was so quirky she got her own quirky show. Remember Carlton the Doorman? I mentioned that "Happy Days", which itself was a spin-off from a "Love American Style" segment, holds the world record for most spin-offs with 7. My friend found this hard to believe until I started listing them ("Laverene & Shirley", "Mork & Miny", "Joanie Loves Chaci"). When I got to one of the less successful ones, "Blansky's Beauties", it sounded to my friend like I was making shit up. Unfortunately, I was not.

BB was all about a cousin of Mr. Cunningham, Nancy Blanksy played by Nancy Walker, who happened to be den mother to a bunch of showgirls in Vegas. With scantily clad young ladies and lots of dance numbers, it was part of ABC's "jiggle TV" initiative that sorta put the network on the map ratings-wise, starting with "Charlies Angels". But I remember the show vividly less for the jiggle and more because I love dance numbers! :) Anyway, I found a clip of the show's opening which is 70's classic; cheesy song, freeze-frames and all.

America's Tweetheart

As you may have heard, Sarah Palin's "tweets" became big news after she hastily resigned her governorship, giving her only public statements since her rambling resignation on Twitter. So in case you're curious about what she's been up to this week or just looking for a giggle, here's Sarah Palin's Twitter Page. However, I think she'll have to change that "AKGov" handle soon. Any suggestions?

Movies Under The Bridge

Though the drive-in movie is only a hazy memory, the sit-in movie is the alive and well here in New York City. There are multiple venues this summer showing free outdoor movies. Tonite, "Movies with a View" in Brooklyn Bridge Park kicks off their 10th season with a screening of the Cohen Brothers comedy classic, "Raising Arizona". A newer series with the opposite view (lower Manhattan to Brooklyn) takes place on the Elevated Acres at 55 Water Street on Monday nights. The original "Taking of Pelham 1,2,3" shows there on the 13th. Additionally, there are two series on the Hudson River Piers, one for families on Fridays, with kid friendly fare, and one for adults on Wednesdays, showing the hits of summer '08. The grandaddy series of them all is still going strong in Bryant Park, with "How Green is my Valley" set to screen next Monday. Sponsored by HBO for over 15 years now, one of the unique aspects of this venue is the live performance of the wacky "HBO Dance" that the audience participates in at the start of the show. Only in New York, kids...

A Village Institution Closes Its Doors

After 45 years, Joe Jr.'s burger joint and diner on 6th Ave & 12th has closed. The last burger was flipped over the weekend and, only a few days later, the place has been gutted according to Jeremiah's Vanishing New York. The reason? Another landlord dispute. This seems to be happening all too frequently downtown where a thriving local business is wiped out, often to be replaced by nothing. It's been over a year since Florent closed in the meatpacking district when the landlord there tried to triple the rent and the store remains vacant. It's really a shame because not only were the burgers great at Joe's it had some hearty atmosphere on the side. I loved that old lunch counter with the swivel chairs. (Photo courtesy of Brian Dube's New York Daily Photo blog)

NetPix: Out of The Past

One of my guilty cinema pleasures is film noir. This is the genre that was most popular from the 1940s and 50s in which crime doesn't pay, but sure as hell makes for some entertaining movies. There are the all-time classics like "Double Indeminty", "Sunset Boulevard" and "The Maltese Falcon". But one of my personal favorites is a little gem from 1947 called "Out of the Past." I've seen it more than a few times but recently came up on my Netflix and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

If you've ever wondered why Michael Douglas has a career, you can thank his father Kirk who turns it out as one of the coolest bad guys of all time. Also, there's a ridiculously young and sexy Robert Mitchum playing the sap in this story of love and revenge all centered around one feisty dame, as they used to say. The lady in question is Kathy Moffat, played by the smoldering Jane Greer, who Mitchum is sent to look for when she goes on the lam in Mexico. From the moment they meet in a dark bar, you know this one's gonna be good. And bad. Not to mention everything in between.

Stylishly directed by Jacques Tourneur ("Cat People", "I Walked With A Zombie" and even a classic episode of "The Twilight Zone"), this is one of the most beautifully shot b/w movies you'll ever see. The compositions are precise and the lighting always accentuates the mood. And dramatically, it's a roller coaster. I still I found myself reacting audibly to some of the film's crazier twists and turns. And check out some of the killer dialogue:

Ann Miller: She can't be all bad. No one is.
Jeff Bailey: Well, she comes the closest.

Kathie Moffat: Oh, Jeff, I don't want to die!
Jeff Bailey: Neither do I, baby, but if I have to I'm gonna die last.

You'll find a million more lines like this throughout the film. As for how it all ends, I'm not gonna give away the shocker finale re; who actually dies last. So check it out and enjoy a wild trip to Hollywood's past.

The British Foreign Secretary is Kinda Cute

After being advised by a number of friends and writers that I need to feature more "cute guys" on my blog, I am caving. Sorta. As a semi-irregular feature, I will be posting about slightly unconventional hotties, like the gentleman pictured here.

This is David Miliband, the current British Foreign Secretary. For real! You wouldn't know it from this picture of him leaving 10 Downing Street for vacation. It looks more like something from the J Crew catalog.

Anyway, I happened upon an interview with him this weekend on a chat show (as they say in the UK), and found him to be incredibly charming and kinda cute. He's been in the UK government for almost 15 years, starting under Tony Blair and is reportedly very Blair-like. He is one of the youngest Foreign Secretaries and the first British cabinent member to have a blog. I'm in love already--except for one tiny little problem. He's married. Ah well....nobody's perfect.

I Like The Jungle Manahatta

There's a fascinating exhibit that recently opened at the Museum of the City of New York called "Manhattan/Manahatta" that takes a look at what this island looked like before all that construction. Apparently, it was something of a natural wonder....who knew? And, in a TIMES article about the show, there's this choice quote from the show's creator, Eric W. Sanderson:

“If Mannahatta existed today as it did then, it would be a national park — it would be the crowning glory of American national parks.”

Loooking at the pictures, like the one above, it's not hard to see why. The Museum also has more specific computer generated photos where you can look up your neighborhood and find, say, a freshwater stream running through it. On Houston Street, I am forutnate enough to get to see a piece of anicent-school NYC everyday at the Time Landscape, a mini-park on the corner of Houston & LaGuardia where the land has been restored to it's pre-people state. It's a gentle, daily reminder of the natural wonder this place of man-made wonders used to be.

Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Tomorrow, the 4th of July, marks this nation's 233rd birthday. It also marks 50 years of marriage for my folks, Robert and Mary Grace Sloan. A couple weeks ago, we had a big family celebration at the Nemacolin resort in western Pennyslvania where my brother Tim, a photojournalist for Agence France Press, took this beautiful shot before the cutting of the cake.

My dad is wearing the same white dinner jacket he wore for the big day in Scranton, PA back in 1959. I know that jacket well as I wore it to my junior prom in the 80's. And my brothers sported it to a couple formals as well. I'm amazed it survived us, more of less 50 years, but things were made better and stronger back then. Just like marriages! :)

Though I won't be with them for the big day tomorrow, I want to wish them the best and thank them for keeping it together for five decades. Happy anniversary mom and dad...and wishing you many more to come!