Lars and the Real Girl

I had one of those celluloid love affairs this weekend. You know, where you go to the movie and it couldn't be more perfect. It turns out to be exactly what you wanted (and needed). That's the way it was with Lars and the Real Girl.

First off, I know I should have a picture of Ryan Gosling up next to this post, but why do that when I have just discovered my new love Paul Schneider? Man, is he good looking. But I'm going to skip past Paul's dark eyes and large hairy forearms and talk about the movie.

If you don't know, the movie's about a man who falls in love with a life-size plastic sex doll he ordered over the internet. He develops a delusion that his "girlfriend" Bianca is real. As titillating as the movie's description sounds, the movie never wanders into obscene or even creepy territory. Overall, it's about Lars (Ryan Gosling) and his search for connection in life. And Gosling shows that his performances in Half Nelson and Fracture weren't just flashes in a pan--he's a gifted gifted actor. Emily Mortimer and Paul Schneider are great as Lars' sister-in-law and brother, and Patricia Clarkson hits a homerun as a psychiatrist who helping Lars with his girlfriend. Clarkson is cooler than cool in this role--really outstanding.

Lars reminds me of the little jewel of an indie movie you get every year or so about a town coming together to help one of its loved ones. The Full Monty, Calendar Girls, Chocolat--you get the idea. And when you pair Lars, his family, and the townfolk with the stark, cold rural Wisconsin scenery, everything just pops into life.

Lars and the Real Girl is the kind of movie that just makes you feel good to be alive--as cornball as that sounds. In a nutshell, it's about how we're all different and how that doesn't really much matter when push comes to shove. The people in Lars' small town embrace his "girlfriend" Bianca...and it's touching and beautiful. The movie just kind of whistles along your heart.

Brothers and Sisters: The Gayest Show on TV?

A lot has been going on with the Walker clan on ABC's primetime soap opera "Brothers & Sisters." If you follow the show on Sunday nights, you know how loud, goofy, and fun the family can be. And it certainly doesn't hurt that you have actors and actresses as talented as Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig, and Rachel Griffiths leading the pack.

The thing that makes "Brothers & Sisters" so great is that the more you watch, the more the characters become real. They may do some outlandish things--but you seem to understand their motivations, because after all, most of us belong to some kind of family. But another refreshing aspect of the show is that it's also chock full of gay.

One of the six Walker siblings is Kevin, an out gay attorney played by the adorable Matthew Rhys. In the year-long history of the show producers haven't shied away from portraying Kevin's sex life, but they also haven't been salacious about showing it. Kevin has boyfriends. He makes out with them. Fights with them. Goes to dinner with them. It's nice that it's not always about his being gay or about having sex--it's more about Kevin's need for connection and love.

The show's openess must owe a great deal to the showrunner Greg Berlanti, who also created the wonderful and gay-friendly tv show "Everwood" a few years back. But credit should also go to two key players from the older tv program "Thirtysomething," a show that (like "Ellen") was a watershed for the portrayal of gays on television. Ken Olin directs most of the the episodes of "Brothers & Sisters" with the same honest, emotionally open tone that was leant to "Thirtysomething" when he was the show's featured actor. And a number of the "Brothers & Sisters" scripts are written by actor and writer David Marshall Grant. Grant is an icon of sorts, not only for being an openly gay actor with a resume pages long, but for also being one half of the first gay male kiss on television in a 1989 episode of "Thirtysomething."

Boy have the times changed in the nearly 20 years since that kiss. But in an interesting twist, "Brothers & Sisters" is winking at that very sea change in gay acceptance. For the past few episodes, the writers have hinted that Kevin's older uncle Saul, played by the amazing Ron Rifkin, is himself a closted gay man. And they've brought on sultry Michael Nouri as the object of Saul's affection--an old friend who just happens to have become newly available after a divorce from his wife.

I feel like the storyline realistically demonstrates how the sea change in gay acceptance has (or hasn't) affected many gay men of an older generation. When you're a 40, 50, or 60 year-old man and suddenly it seems like it's okay to come out and be gay, to lead a gay life, how do you change your worldview? Do you want to live a different life?

The story is one that deserves to be told, but like the recent Senator Craig interview on the "Today Show," it's also hard as hell and uncomfortable to watch. Maybe it's just how earnestly Uncle Saul is portrayed by Ron Rifkin, and how his Lady McBeth-like protests to his nephew sting us because they hit close to home. Or it could be that the storyline seemingly came out of nowhere. But in either case, I have decided to trust the capable hands of Berlanti et. al. to take us on an honest journey.

So when I call "Brothers & Sisters" the gayest show on tv, I mean it with affection. It's nice to see myself on tv. (Well, if I were a really rich, good-looking lawyer with a bed full of nice, hot boyfriends.) But still, the show embraces family in all its messiness, love, and aggrivation, and it doesn't sift out the relationships or stories that just happen to be gay.

Friday Nights Hunk is a Tie

Friday Night is a tie for Graham's Television Hunk of the Night (also live at Gay.com). Two smoking hot guys for the price of one, people. It doesn't get any cheaper than that. But before we get to them, let's give the two other guys their due.

I'm not a "Men in Trees" fan. I've lived in Alaska for like three years and I never saw men like that. And honestly, most Alaskans would chase Anne Heche out of town. Plus...If you want a really cool Alaska dramedy to watch, rent "Northern Exposure." That being said, lots of people do love the show and one of the reasons is hunky hunk hunk James Tupper. Even with the longish curly hair (which I hate), he still grabs my attention.

And "Friday Night Lights" has some action going on too. There are a number of studs to choose from, but folks, I'ld pick Jesse Plemons any day. I love me a red head, or a speckled trout, as my friends and I call them. Very nice. And believe me when I say Plemons looks like a great specimen.

Interestingly enough, "Lights" brings one of our ties for Friday's Hunk. Kyle Chandler pretty much rocks my world. The 42 year-old green-eyed dark haired stud has been one of my true loves for years--from "Homefront" and "Early Edition" to his "explosive" turn on "Grey's Anatomy." Kyle has it going on and he also just seems like the nicest guy ever.

Josh Duhamel on "Las Vegas" doesn't seem like the nicest guy ever--I bet he's just the biggest flirt ever. This other Hunk of Friday Night, a 35 year-old actor and fiance of Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas, has been on my radar ever since I saw him iron a shirt and make a bed on "The Martha Stewart Show." I even suffered through a rental of "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" just to see him and to imagine running my hands through all that spikey brown hair. Josh is a perfect cross of pretty boy and masculine stud. "Las Vegas" isn't a great show--just fun. But Josh makes it funner. Er, more fun.

Thursday Night's Hunk Needs No Investigation

In my search for Thursday Night's Hunk (also on gay.com), I have to admit that one of the hottest hunks is on a television show I don't watch: "Ugly Betty." Eric Mabius has that It factor. The guy has dimples for days and blue eyes that kill me. One of these days I'll get the DVD and watch the whole first season.

A few other guys I do watch are Tom Welling on "Smallville" and BJ Novak on "The Office." Both these guys have that earnest look in spades. Welling is so frakking adorable he makes me want to fly, even though he's been doing the Superman schtick for 7 years now. And who would have thought Novak would look so good with his scruffy beard. I think he's been one of the most overlooked actors on "The Office," and I'm glad he's finally getting some real screen time.

"Grey's Anatomy" gives us another set of guys to hunker down and dream about: McDreamy, McSteamy, and McSomething--I don't know, maybe McRude. Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane, and Justin Chambers keep me coming back to that show, even when the plot lines get embarrassingly contrived. I was never a fan of the whole "Mc"label thing, but these guys--love 'em or hate 'em--have a whole flapjack stack of charisma.

But when I talk about charisma and machismo, and just plain ol' maleness, I don't think Jon Hamm from AMC's "Mad Men" can be beat. His character Don Draper is all brille cream and scotch--a 60's advertising man whose broad shoulders and large pecs can barely fit into his suits. And "Mad Man" actor Bryan Batt as gay ad man Salvatore Romano is stunning and fun to watch. He plays gay in the 60's--a time when nobody talked about it.

But Thursday Night's winner will come as no surprise: George Eads from "CSI." I think he's a longtime favorite of mine (and most everybody I know). There's almost no way for him to look bad--even when they chop his hair up and paste it to his head like they did that one season. I just love him. How do you get past that jaw. The jaw of all jaws. And then right below, that thick rugged neck. He's a dream come true.

The Gossip On Wednesday's TV Hunk

When it comes to Wednesday's search for Graham's Hunk of the Night (on Gay.com) there isn't a huge crowd of guys that make my blood race like on Monday and Tuesday. That said, I will always take quality over quantity and the guys I've assembled for Wednesday certainly fit that bill.

I don't even watch "Criminal Minds," but I sure know who Shemar Moore is. This former soap star is intense and sexy wrapped into one. And the same goes for Steve Gonsalves on Sci-Fi's "Ghost Hunters." Don't laugh, I love the show. And if I were alone in the dark with ghosties, there is almost no one else who I'd want to hold my hand than the hunky, tattooed ghost hunter.

"Private Practice" brings on the hottie triple play of Taye Diggs, Tim Daly, and Paul Adelstein. But no bones about it, Paul is hands-down my favorite. And even cooler is that the former "Prison Break" star is married to another person I love--Liza Weil who played Paris on "Gilmore Girls." ABC Wednesday also sports hottie Lee Pace on "Pushing Daisies." I've already gushed over him far too much, so all I will say is that the crown of Wednesday Night Hunk was a furious two-way race between Lee and Paul--until I watched "Gossip Girl."

Penn Badgley. (Sigh). The show has its ups and downs, but certainly Penn is one of the main reasons to watch. This winner of the Wednesday Hunk of the Night has one of the strongest jaws you've ever seen and the darkest, thickest mop of hair. Now, he's not 21 until November, but that doesn't mean we all can't enjoy the killer smile he slides into on the CW's hit show "Gossip Girl." Give Penn a looksee--you'll be glad you did.

Tuesday's Hunk Will Knock You Dead (my Gay.com post)

Kind of. Sort of kill you. If you're evil. His job is to collect souls for the devil, but we'll get to that soon.

Tuesday has some hot hot guys in primetime starting with two relative newcomers to tv, the funny Kal Penn on "House" and the smoking hot Michael Trevino on "Cane." You'll know Kal best as Kumar in "Harold and Kumar Go to Whitecastle." You love him. You hate him. You want to smack him. Then love him again. But sultry, not funny, is the word that comes to mind when you talk about heartthrob Michael Trevino.

Then you have two uber men on crime procedurals, both oozing with testosterone: Chris Meloni from "Law & Order SVU" and Michael Weatherly from "NCIS." Meloni is just as hot as his "Oz" days, though sadly the networks don't show the nudity that is so common on HBO. And be sure to check out the charming Weatherly who is easy on the eyes in a rather clever procedural.

I don't want you to think I overlooked Jerry O'Connell on "Carpoolers." He's hot I guess, but has never really done it for me. And I also didn't forget forget Noel, er, I mean Scott Foley from "The Unit." But let's be honest, Max Martini is so much hotter on that show in a scruffy kind of dirty way.

But the winner of Graham's Tuesday Hunk of the Night goes to Bret Harrison on the CW show "Reaper." Not only is Bret just crazy-go-nuts adorable, he's also freakishly funny and stars on one of the best new shows of the season. The 25 year-old hunk with messy dirty blond hair plays the lead character Sam whose parents sold his soul to the devil and now he has to catch villians who've escaped from hell. And those people at the CW are no dummies, each "Reaper" episode seems to find a way to show us our shirtless Bret. Thank God for TiVO. And then I begin to think about Bret playing guitar in a band with his actor friend Adam Brody from "The O.C." and I just can't find any more words.

Fall's TV Hunks of the Week

Each day this week, I'll be offering up Graham's Television Hunk of the Night on my Gay.com tv blog. But let's be clear about something: there was no random sampling. I'm also not providing a fully-detailed scientific process for picking each Hunk. No, I simply looked at a majority of the guys on tv each night and the winner just seemed to call out to me.

There are a few caveats I must offer up before we get to the hunks. First off, what happened to men of color? There seem to be fewer hot men of color on tv than ever before. I guess I always knew that, but to actually start looking and analyzing hotness and not see them, well, it was a surprise. Second, if you disagree with any of my choices you disagree. That's what makes the world go round. Make your own list. Third, do yourself a favor and Google all these guys--they're hot.

Monday offered up a bevy of hunks and might have been the hardest night to decide. "Heroes" alone featured up a guy for everyone's taste, from bearish Greg Grunberg to pretty boy Milo Ventimiglia. And don't forget about Adrian Pasdar. Grrr.

Another show chock full of hotness, and don't make fun of me for bringing it up, is "Dancing with the Stars." You have hot hot hot Brazilian racing sensation Helio Castroneves. Check out his dimples sometime folks. And soap opera hottie Cameron Mathison has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Oh, and that brings us to smoking hot dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. When he shows his chest I want to swoon.

And last but certainly not least, you have dreamboat Dominic Purcell from "Prison Break" who could walk into the Eagle anytime and fit in and tv newbie Zachary Levi as the main character Chuck on the show of the same title. Either of these guys could also have taken the title.

But let's not beat around the bush any more. The Television Hunk of Monday night this fall is Zachary Quinto who plays the evil Sylar on NBC's "Heroes." Thirty year-old Zachary is a dark-haired, dark-eyed 6'2" hunk of television goodness. It may seem like an unlikely choice for tv's hunk when you consider that he's going to be the new Mr. Spock in J.J. Abrams upcoming "Star Trek" movie. But just watch Quinto sometime on "Heroes" with his crackling evil smile. He's so charismatic you want to root for evil Sylar. Or maybe you just begin to think Sylar's misunderstood as you get lost in his dark dark eyes...

Mourning a Meerkat

I got back from a work trip last Saturday night and was anxious to just sit on the sofa and catch up with some tv. I watched Grey's Anatomy and other stuff, then decided I'd close the night with Meerkat Manor. It turned out to be a mistake--I'd barely sleep that night. You see, the main character of the show--matriach meerkat Flower--was killed by a cobra.

The last few episodes of the Animal Planet show had been pretty sad, including the horribly lonely yelping of a nearly-lame baby meerkat being left behind in the desert to die. But this episode began so hopeful. The 40-strong Whisker family the show follows adopted a lost meerkat from another group, then they had a huge group playday, and ended by finding lots of great food for the group.

But suddenly out of nowhere, Flower was killed by a cobra. You watched her crawl into a hole to defend her pups. We heard a hiss and then the camera went to black. The next thing you know, the once nimble Flower is stumbling anxiously outside the den...her head unbelievably swollen from the cobra's bite. It's clear she's confused and in excruciating pain. The voiceover narrator, Sean Astin says something like, "Flower died protecting her pups. Her four-year reign has come to an end and the flower of the Kalahari will be missed." And I was bawling.

Bawling. Like a baby. Sure it's a tv show, and yes, they're just animals. But the show so anthropomorphizes the Whiskers you come to think of them as characters. No, they are characters. And I don't know meerkats, but I can tell you Flower was beautiful and wiley. She was brave and full of spunk and had bravely led the family through hardships for three seasons of the show.

Evidently people everywhere are grieving for Flower. There has been an outpouring of grief and little kids and grown ups alike have had a horrible time accepting the death of "someone" they've known for three seasons on a reality tv show. Even though the episode ended with Flower's new pup Liz emerging from the den for the first time, I couldn't by the circle of life crap. All I could think is how much I'd miss Flower and how could I ever get the image of he--swollen and in pain--out of my mind.

Kid Nation

I'm not sure.

I wish I could be more revelatory when it comes to my opinion of CBS' new show about 40 children ages 8 to 15 living alone together in an "old, abandoned" ghost town. There were certainly enjoyable moments. You forget how precocious and nuts some children can be. That part is fucking hysterical. And some of the kids you just want to hug because they couldn't be any more adorable or self-realized for their age.

Eight-year old James was having fun running around and hunting rabbits and such, but in the midst of all this he would just start crying because he missed his parents. "I'm just not old enough for this yet," he said at the end of the show as he left the game.

Maybe that's the problem--is that it's a game. Another competition reality show like any other, except the participants are kids. And while that's interesting, I'm not so sure I want eight-year olds worrying and scheming and battling over money.

My mind's not made up on this show. I'm going to TiVO it again next week--and then we'll see.

Addie is 6 Months Old!

Incredibly hard to believe my new niece Addison is already 6 months old! Time flies! And she is the cutest niece ever...indisputable!

Emmy Catch Up

What a strange and weird Emmy show last weekend. From the lack of crazy ass fashion to the really bizarre wins, I'll admit I was fairly surprised.

Things I'm still thinking about:

1) Ellen Pompeo's hair

2) How did James Spader beat James Gandolfini?

3) Kate Walsh's hair

4) I should see both The Starter Wife and Broken Trail

5) Heide Klum's hair

Things I'm happy about:

1) Wins by Jeremy Piven, Terry O'Quinn, and Katherine Heigl

2) Sally Field winning and giving a good (but crazy) anti-war speech

Not that much made me unhappy except for having to watch Giuliana Rancicthe on the red carpet for E!. I'm honestly not sure there is a more vapid person on the face of the earth. Why do they even let her near a microphone? Oh, and one more thing I hated about the Emmy's--sitting through Kimora Lee Simmons on E!'s Fashion Police. But at least they traded a horrible gay (Jay Manuel) for a mildly tiresome gay (Carson Kressley).

Dan Rather Suing CBS

Just read about this story on Huffingtonpost.com. All I have to say is, "Wow...Good luck, Dan."

When all the hoopla began over the CBS story concerning President Bush's "service" (ahem) here in the US in the National Guard during Vietnam, our country was still in that terrible place where the media was cow-towing to Bush. Hence, Rather was pretty much pushed out the door by CBS.

I'm glad to see he's suing the network and I hope he wins. True...Dan's team may have jumped the gun on the story, and they should have been more vigilant about research. But the story itself was important. And the fact that CBS was so easily swayed by the Bushies in the White House speaks to the influence his administration has claimed over the media.

Britney, The Hills, and OJ

Work and life have been so nuts, my friends, I've been negligent in getting to all of the worldly news that has been happening over the last month. And no, I don't mean General Petraeus or the housing financing bust. I'm talking about television, hollywood, and celebrities.

We had crazy Britney having a "dance" meltdown on national tv. And if you paid even a bit of attention, you'd realize her performance was a lot like Terrence Stamp in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Only...not as good.

Then there was the juicy juicy return of the The Hills on MTV with Heidi and Spencer who have become even more disgustingly interesting. Same old, same old, but baby, did it rock my world.

And lastly, we OJ Simpson making his television comeback. Not in a series, but more like real-life Cops. We all knew it would happen, but this soon?

None of this is surprising actually. If you think about it...the other-wordly actions and thought processes that celebrity creates are inevitable. But who could imagine that watching things unfold would be so much fun?

Let's Talk Harry Potter Details

First, I should say that I'm not a Harry Potter fanatic. Not at all. I think they're great books, but I don't own any of the movies or have a Harry Potter ringtone on my cell phone or anything. I just really appreciate the books and the world Rowling has invented.

That being said, I should say that I did love Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. For me, it was one of the best--if not THE best--of the seven books. While there were some problems, I think Rowling did a magnificent job balancing the expectations of her millions of readers with an ending to the series that felt organic and tied things together nicely.

Things I didn't particularly like:
1) Some of the pacing was off. Soooo much time was spent in the woods with Hermione and Ron. And stopping the major battle scene twice for extended "back story" issues made no sense to me.
2) Though Snape died protecting Harry to the end, I wish his death had been more "noble." You know, laughing at Voldemort and jumping in front of Harry to save him. And I hated that we only got to see Snape's memories, not here him talk to Harry.
3) And speaking of Snape, I wish there had been more of him in the book. He was in a total of three sections.
4) I was sure Sirius Black would come back from the "dead." I expected him to. I hoped for it. Sad it didn't happen. Though Harry has Ginny now, it'd be great if he had one defacto parent.
5) The actual Deathly Hallows didn't make much sense to me. It felt really tacked on.

Things I loved:
1) Neville killing the snake.
2) That Snape was good, and when Harry told his son that Snape was the bravest wizard he ever knew. (I'm even getting choked up writing this!)
3) The book tied up things nicely, from Harry's awful cousin Dudley caring about Harry, to Bellatrix getting her comeuppance from Mrs. Weasley.
4) I'm happy that no major good guys I cared about (other than Snape) bit the dust.
5) The battle at the end of the book will be great to see as a movie. I love that all the characters contributed in their own way. I was grinning ear to ear while reading those scenes. (How about McGonagall screaming "Charge!" as she led a group of Hogwart's desks into battle?)
6) The epilogue rocked my world. And while I would have liked to know more about Harry's present-day life, I realized the epilogue did was it was meant to do: bring the story full circle with Harry and Ginny's and Ron and Hermione's kids heading off to school.

On the Fear of Harry Potter Spoilers...

The Monday after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out, my friend Lars and I had lunch at a Greek restaurant to discuss the book. I had torn through the book and finished it that past Saturday afternoon, but Lars had only read the last few pages that morning. We decided we should compare notes.

As we began to discuss the book, a woman suddenly looked over and glared at us. I saw her clutching the tell-tale yellow hardcover book in her hands as tightly as if it were the ring in The Lord of the Rings, or even a horcrux you might say. Now, a small part of me understands her frustration, but what I can't comprehend is how she could expect to move through the world and not be spoiled by the fastest, best-selling book ever. It's like people who say to me, "don't go talking about Lost tomorrow, I'm not going to be able to watch it until this weekend." They say this knowing the season finale is all anyone will be talking about the next day. WTF?

Granted, I've got a big mouth. But I feel like the onus about not being spoiled is on the person terrified of being spoiled. And there's a really simple solution to not being spoiled: read the damn book.

I can already hear it from some of you: "easier said than done." Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, I read blazingly fast. And yes, it's a 759 page book. (Oh, does that count as a spoiler?) But if you know that this book is coming out, plan ahead people. Go ahead and get the other books out of the way. Cancel that weekend trip you were gonna take.

Anyway...I wanted to get this off my chest. I have some very lovely friends--many many in fact--who have not finished the book. Most have asked politely, "Oh, please don't talk to me about Harry Potter until I'm done." And with that kind of request, I'm more than happy to oblige. It's just that every time I opened my mouth last week, about ANYTHING...some friends and colleagues would offer a loud SHHHHH! So I'm tired of it.

I'm free of my Harry Potter bonds and I'm coming out of the closet. Yes, I've read the last Harry Fucking Potter. Every page. Every word. And at any moment I can tell you whether he lives or dies. In fact, fair warning...tomorrow I'm discussing it in detail.

To Rub or to Lather?

A few weeks ago I was in Denver for a conference and one my colleagues gave me a cute little tube of hand cream. I'm glad she did because it was completely dry there in the shadow of the mountains with no humidity, and I had just come from Swampland, USA (Washington DC).

Most of the wording on the tube is in french, but the cream smells really really good. I've been using it for about a week--since she gave it to me. It's kind of silky and nice, and maybe a touch girly. But not too bad.

So today I'm on the phone talking to a friend, and I start putting the hand cream on. The one thing I've noticed is that it never really seems to be soaked up by my skin completely--it's just a bit greasier than I'd like. So I'm putting it on and as I screw back on the cap I catch a glimpse of the top of the tube where it says in bold green capital letters: SHAMPOO.

Harry Potter Death Count #3

Finsihed the book Saturday afternoon. Three more of the good guys died--bringing my unofficial count of the death of those I care about to 7. Very surprising who died and who didn't.

More on the book later this week. But it was a great read and a fitting conclusion!

Harry Potter Death Count #2

I'm not at page 637 in the new Harry Potter book. Two more heroes have died. Alas...all does not look good.

Harry Potter Death Count

I am just beginning chapter 13 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (page 243), and I can tell you that already two doers of good have bitten the dust. The first was very very unexpected. The second, not so much.

But so far the book is great.

Harry Potter vs. Buffy Summers

The headline is a little misleading, I'll admit. But tonight does mark the convergence of two pop culture icons in my life. The wizard hero and the vampire slayer are both playing prominent roles in my Friday night, and I've realized I may be the nerdiest 36 year-0ld in Washington D.C.

I'm going with a group of friends to the restored Avalon Theater at 11:30 p.m. tonight to watch a sing-along screening of "Once More with Feeling," the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer from season 6. And just after Buffy ends, I'm rocketing to my friend Lars' place where he'll have my brand new copy of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Initially I was going to stand in line with Lars at the bookstore at midnight to get the book and feel the frenzy of all the little kids who are excited about Harry. But, knowing Lars would pick up my book for me, Buffy won. I decided to forego standing in line and to sing instead, but I still know tonight is going to be a busy night for me when it comes to magic and mayhem.

AFI Top 100 Films

What do the following movies have in common: Wuthering Heights, Rebel Without a Cause, The Manchurian Candidate, The Birth of a Nation, My Fair Lady, From Here to Eternity, and Frankenstein? They are seven of the 23 movies that were dropped from the American Film Institute's newly updated list of Top 100 American Films.

Other jaw-dropping boots from the list include: Doctor Zhivago, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Third Man, Stagecoach, The Jazz Singer, A Place in the Sun, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

I know it's all a matter of taste. And sure, I'm happy that Robert Altman's epic Nashville made the cut this time, along with Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show. And who doesn't love Bladerunner or Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf getting a deserved nod? But come on, there are some glaring headscratchers in the updated list, especially when you remember we're talking about the Top 100 American films E-V-E-R!

• Toy Story coming on board as Fantasia disappears?
• Adding Do the Right Thing and Saving Private Ryan while booting Mutiny on the Bounty and Giant?

Too weird my friends, too weird. But at least most of the ranking made as much sense as possible. Citizen Kane is still #1, followed by The Godfather and then Casablanca. You should check out the list yourself and see a) how many of the movies you've seen; and b) if you disagree with the order or any that are on the list. AFI has the new list with ranking changes and new additions marked. Strangely, they have not listed any of the movies that were dropped. Maybe they're trying to skirt criticism.

Being the Ultimate Washington Insider

My friend Scott Shrake is not nearly as cute as my neice Addie, but he does have a new blog entry on Huffingtonpost.

Addie Pic of the Day

Frankie from Real World Dies

Realityblurred.com is reporting that Frankie Abernathy from Real World San Diego has died of complications from cystic fibrosis.

You can see the pic of Frankie above, but she was the skinny redhead with all the piercings. Always kind of goth. I have to admit that at the time of the show, I thought Frankie's health problems were about as grave as former Seattle cast member Irene and her lyme disease. Frankie was such a drama queen and was always playing the martyr.

But I was officially wrong, I guess. I don't know a thing about cystic fibrosis, but with her health issues it was actually quite remarkable that she chose to do a reality tv show. Or maybe she did it just so she could take her mind off her health. In any event, though I never knew the real Frankie, it's strange that a "character" from one of my most longterm shows has died. After like 16 Real Worlds, Frankie is only the second cast member to have passed away--the first being Pedro Zemora.

Sopranos Finale

I just read an interesting article which talks about the phenomenal ratings of The Sopranos finale last Sunday. Evidently the episode was the 2nd highest rated show on television that week, even though only 30 million American homes have HBO. A staggering 11.9 million people tuned in.

I'm not sure how many of you watched, but I thought the show was completely back in form. It reminded me of the early Sopranos, funny, tension-filled, and compelling. For me, the show's only real problem (aside from breaks that were sometimes over a year long) has been the widely inconsistent tone. I get that the show's a mob drama, but there were a number of episodes that were so obsessively dark, and so awkwardly horrible, that they weren't worth watching to me--they became cartoonish. Just as there were other episodes that wandered into complete writerly masturbation--David Chase making a clear choice to see just what he could actually get away with.

But all in all, I can't think of show with more painstakingly crafted characters. We witnessed moments in these peoples' lives--ha, these character's lives--that ranged from the mundane to the extraordinary, and so many were completely moving, and terrifyingly genuine. That is why I was completely satisfied with the series finale last Sunday.

The humor, the paranoia--it felt right to me. I'm not always the biggest fan of David Chase--he can be as heavy handed as anyone I've ever read, pounding out the obvious--but the last scene in the diner was pitch perfect. Did Tony die? Was it just a dinner as usual? Could Meadow be the only one spared? We'll never know. But I think I'd rather not know. People who say the ending was a cop out are wrong. Stopping mid-scene with a jarring black screen and no music--for me, that was a risk. The obvious thing would have been for there to be a bloodbath in the last few minutes, and The Sopranos rarely ever worked toward the obvious.

Sex and the (WTF?) City!

E Online is reporting that finally a new Sex in the City movie is in the works. I had this idea filed under "when pigs fly." Who knew?

Waitress and Knocked Up

In the past few weeks I've been able to see two fairly good summer movies, both small (or smallish) compared to the newest Pirates and Spider-Man. My expectations for both Waitress and Knocked Up were too high. Both movies were good, but neither was great.

Waitress is quirky and fun. And what's not to love about Keri Russell and Nathan Fillon? It's just that for as fun as the movie was, it did feel a bit too precious--a bit too clever for its own good. But I enjoyed the film overall, and there were some really touching moments. It's a real tragedy to think that director Adrienne Shelly won't get to hone her craft and make more movies (she was murdered last year in New York). Waitress can be laugh-out-loud funny at times and really does comed together pretty cohesively. And for a director's first movie that's an incredible feat.

Knocked Up isn't a small indie darling like Waitress but it is still finely crafted and overall a good movie. Following The 40 Year Old Virgin, director Judd Apatow delivers a strange mesh of a romantic comedy and a guy's guy movie. It felt like Porky's had a baby with When Harry Met Sally which worked sometimes, but other times fell flat. Katherine Heigl is as gorgeous and funny as ever, but I'm not sure Seth Rogen can carry a film. It's not just that she's a 10 and he's a 5. For me, Rogen just doesn't have the "leading man" charisma the part takes. But the movie is funny and certainly worth your $10. Curb your expectations some and both movies can be a welcome retreat from the summer weather and blockbuster fare.

It's Been a While

From my trip to Peru to getting prepared for my organization's annual convention in Vegas next week, it's been a really busy time. Sorry I haven't had the chance to blog much and address some great topics like my new niece Addison or how travelling with my mother to Machu Picchu has changed my outlook on life some.

But one thing that's quick and dirty for me to talk about is television. And I can say that though it's been a fantastic year with Brothers & Sisters, Heroes, Lost and some other shows, I really feel like some of the season finales have let me down.

Case in point--Gilmore Girls. It wasn't even a great episode. Good, but eh? You'd expect a season--and series!--finale to pull out all the bells and whistles while still staying true to its core. But GG didn't do either. I felt like the characters were a bit lost, and really I didn't get the GG love vibes I was expecting.

Heroes and Desperate Housewives left me nonplussed too. I think everyone in the world realized nearly two months ago exactly how Heroes was going to end. And Housewives? Well, it was boring as hell except for Edie kicking the bucket. (Or did she?)

Anyway...there have been two saving graces. Brothers & Sisters was amazing on Sunday. It's the only part of my Sunday television viewing where I turn off my computer, I stop folding clothes, I don't even pet the cats. It deserves my attention because it's so damn fun to watch. And the finale was just the same: funny, sappy, intriguing, and just plain feel-good. I think the show is really one of my favorites to watch and enjoy. It's no grand work of art...but it's fantastic.

And that leaves me with Lost. I keep hearing there is a game-changing thing in the works in the finale. I'll be honest, my feelings about the this year's tv season probably (unfairly) hinge on the season finale of Lost. So much is at stake, so much has changed, and for the first time in years--I'm spoiler free. I just hope the Lost team doesn't let me down.

Machu Picchu Pics

Hey y'all. You can find all my 400 pics from my trip to Peru here.

Things I Didn´t Know about Peru

While I am waiting to go out and spend some afternoon time in Lima, I thought I´d sit down and write a few surprises I´ve encountered during my trip. Yáll are probably smarter than me and knew all this, but oh well.

1) Spanish is the SECOND language spoken by most of the people outside the big cities. In Cuzco, for example, Quechua is the native tongue--though everyone does speak Spanish.

2) In Peru, people don´t flush toilet paper down the toilet. Even used toilet paper is put in a little basket by the toilet. This is true in homes and restaurants and such, but also hotels.

3) Americans use the word Inca incorrectly. Inca is the ruler of the Quechua people. So when we talk about Inca ruins, what we really mean is ruins the Quechua people built for their Inca.

4) There is still a lot of resentment toward the spanish in Peru--especially in Cuzco and the Sacred Valley towns. While the Quechua are now almost all Catholic, they resent what the Dominicans did to their native culture.

5) One US dollar is 3.2 soles in Peru. A beer is 8 soles. A Big Mac is 4.5 soles. A real steal because of the strength of our dollar. But food and flowers are two things that are cheap even for the native people in Peru. We were looking at elaborate flower arrangements in church--ones that would have cost upwards of $75 or $100 in the US. These same flowers cost about $10 in Peru.

6) All hotels in Lima, Cuzco, and the Sacred Valley seem to have outlets that support US electronics. I brought an adaptor with me, but didn´t need it.

7) Potatoes and Lima beans are indigenous to Peru. There are over 200 kinds of potatoes--black, blue, yellow, red. And the Georgia staple, the Lima Bean, came from Peru. (Yeah, the name should have given it away long ago to me)

8) Ecalyptus trees are native to Peru. I´m not sure why that surprises me, but it does. Oh, and there´s no real tree line in the Andean mountains. Mountains as high as 13, 14, and 15,000 feet never ever get snow. The snow line starts around 18,000 feet.

That´s it for now. If I bored you, sorry.

Things I Didn´t Know about Peru

While I am waiting to go out and spend some afternoon time in Lima, I thought I´d sit down and write a few surprises I´ve encountered during my trip. Yáll are probably smarter than me and knew all this, but oh well.

1) Spanish is the SECOND language spoken by most of the people outside the big cities. In Cuzco, for example, Quechua is the native tongue--though everyone does speak Spanish.

2) In Peru, people don´t flush toilet paper down the toilet. Even used toilet paper is put in a little basket by the toilet. This is true in homes and restaurants and such, but also hotels.

3) Americans use the word Inca incorrectly. Inca is the ruler of the Quechua people. So when we talk about Inca ruins, what we really mean is ruins the Quechua people built for their Inca.

4) There is still a lot of resentment toward the spanish in Peru--especially in Cuzco and the Sacred Valley towns. While the Quechua are now almost all Catholic, they resent what the Dominicans did to their native culture.

5) One US dollar is 3.2 soles in Peru. A beer is 8 soles. A Big Mac is 4.5 soles. A real steal because of the strength of our dollar. But food and flowers are two things that are cheap even for the native people in Peru. We were looking at elaborate flower arrangements in church--ones that would have cost upwards of $75 or $100 in the US. These same flowers cost about $10 in Peru.

6) All hotels in Lima, Cuzco, and the Sacred Valley seem to have outlets that support US electronics. I brought an adaptor with me, but didn´t need it.

7) Potatoes and Lima beans are indigenous to Peru. There are over 200 kinds of potatoes--black, blue, yellow, red. And the Georgia staple, the Lima Bean, came from Peru. (Yeah, the name should have given it away long ago to me)

8) Ecalyptus trees are native to Peru. I´m not sure why that surprises me, but it does. Oh, and there´s no real tree line in the Andean mountains. Mountains as high as 13, 14, and 15,000 feet never ever get snow. The snow line starts around 18,000 feet.

That´s it for now. If I bored you, sorry.

Cuzco, Guinea Pigs, and Sexy Women

Cuzco has been a blast. Just imagine a city where most of the architecture is built on top of walls that were created in 1100 AD. Just crazy old and fantastic.

Wednesday--We saw every old church possible in Cuzco, including one that has a cross which Pisarro´s own people carried when they first came to the city in the 1500´s. We also spent a lot of time at the Temple of the Sun, probably the best, most precise Inca walls ever built. Of course the Dominicans came and put a church on top of it, so you can´t see most of the original.

Thursday--Today is only half over but it was jam-packed with sights and sounds. We started the day by going to a traditional market in Cuzco. Think of the biggest farmers´market you can imagine and then make it twice as crowded, twice as dirty, and 4 or 5 times as cheap. It was miraculous. Rows of chocolate and fresh cheeses right up against hanging dried llama fetuses and racks of fresh butchered meats.

After the market we went to Sasqyunhuaman. I spelled it wrong, but oh well. It´s an Inca ruin from the 1400´s just north of the city--three rows of huge rounded walls that you can´t wrap your head around. Some of the stones weigh up to 300 tons. It was incredible. But every time a peruvian says the name of the site, I always think they´re saying, ¨sexy woman.¨

For lunch we had some new stuff including alpacca and pork (with the skin attached). But the highlight had to have been when they brought a whole guinea pig out on a plate. Ugh. I just wasn´t brave enough to try it, though I´ve tried everything else.

Tomorrow we head to Lima. Then it´s Miami on Sat and back to DC on Sunday. More later

Machu Picchu

Well, I have just spent the past two days in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu and want to give you all a brief rundown.

Monday--In the morning, we visited a class of 5th graders in a local school. They were so fantastic and hugging us and going nuts. Nearly all of them want to be tour guides when they grow up. I never knew the Peruvian economy was so bad, and evidently tourism has turned everything around. Then we took the train from Ollataytamba to Aguas Calientes, the small town just 25 minutes driving from the ruins.

We got to the ruins at about 230 or so and it was beautiful--more spectacular than you can imagine. We walked around for three hours taking in most of the lower level sights, though we did climb to a high tower that houses the "hitching post of the sun." We also got the classic picture of the ruins with the mountain behind.

As we were leaving, the sun was setting and we were basically the only people at the ruins. I´m not sure much can compare--even my years in Alaska. Later that night all of us went to get pizza and beer (no kidding). We played a hilarious game called Sapo where you try to throw gold coins in a metal frog´s mouth. I, of course, sucked at it.

Tuesday--we got to the ruins at 7 a.m. and my mother and I walked with a married couple on our tour, and with our tour guide, to the top of the mountain you always see in the Machu Picchu pics. Yes, the top of that f´ing tall mountain. We climbed a total of 1500 feet I think. This is fairly remarkable considering our hotel was another 2000 feet lower than the ruins!

I´ll describe the ruins in another blog. They were magical. And we saw chinchillas in the wild among the ruins. And llamas too. We took the train this afternoon and now we´re in Cuzco, the first city of the Incas. Can´t wait to explore tomorrow.

Talk to all of you soon. Sorry to be brief and not very detailed. It´s killing the writer in me, but I figure it´s neater to get something out while we´re actually here in Peru.

Hello from Peru

It´s late Sunday afternoon and I wanted to catch all of you up on the trip to Peru I´m taking with my mother. It´s been unbelievably beautiful here, but we´ve done so much hiking, walking, eating, and even rafting that I´m dead tired.

Wednesday--we were in Miami and didn´t do much. Simply took a boat ride around the rich islands in the bay. We had a 1 a.m. flight that night to Lima.

Thursday and Friday--we hit the ground running in Peru. There are 12 of us on the tour, mostly older married couples, as I had anticipated. We saw lots of ancient sites in the city including old Incan pyramids and visited an Gregorian monestary and its catacombs. Friday night I actually ventured out to a gay bar and met some nice new friends. More on that another time.

Saturday--we flew from Lima (which is at sea level) to Cuzco, which is 11,000 feet. I´m pretty in shape, but I can tell you that you get tired more easily, and sometimes even lightheaded. We drove down from Cuzco to the Sacred Valley and Urabamba River (a lower elevation of 9,000 feet) where we visited the ancient Incan ruins of Pisac. It was a hellish hike, but really wonderful. We visited a llama farm where we also saw alpacas and vicunyas. Of course they made us drink lots of coca tea, which is supposed to help you adjust to elevation.

Sunday--we are still in the Sacred Valley which is really amazing. Our old monestary hotel has flowers blooming everywhere, even though Peru is entering its winter season. Today we visited another Incan site, the only one where the Incans actually defeated the Spanish. The name is too long and I don´t remember. Maybe Oyatollamba? Something like that. Then we did a rafting trip down the Urabamba River. Mom and I rode in front and we were completely drenched. But eating a huge picnic lunch after made it all worthwhile. After the picnic we visited a famous ceramics studio, but the highlight for me was petting the marmoset named Bellaluci.

Tomorrow is our first day at Machu Picchu.

Off to Peru

Not sure how many of you know, but I'm headed to Peru on Wednesday for twelve days. Specifically, I'm going to see Machu Picchu, but my tour also stops in Lima and Cuzco.

The funny part of the trip is that I'm headed there with my mother. She's great, but I'm sure we'll have some knock-down-drag-outs. We'll see.

I'll try to post from Peru if any of our hotels have internet access.

Ari Gold Quote of the Week

"Don't jump to conclusions, Lloyd. He might just want a pretty Mongolian face to look at over dinner."
--Jeremy Piven's character on HBO's Entourage works to convince his gay assistant that a gay client doesn't want in his pants.

An Amazing Website

Props to MDV for passing this great, hilarious website along. I can't spoil it for you. It is truly genius!

GRINDHOUSE Review

I was able to catch Grindhouse this weekend, the new double feature by the clever directing duo of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. I whole-heartedly recommend the movie with two caveats: 1) you must be willing to take a wild, self-referential, bloody ride; and 2) you have to make it through the much-too-bloody first half by Rodriguez to uncover the real gem that is Tarantino's new movie.

Rodriguez and Tarantino should both get credit for having fun. That's what these two 90 minute movies are about. Unabashed crazy blood-and-guts wild-ass fun. From fake horror movie previews to grainy film and missing reels, the directors throw in every old school gimmick but the kitchen sink.

The first part of the movie, Rodriguez's Planet Terror, might as well be a video game. Full of fast-flying bullets and exploding zombies, the over-the-top gore finally just begins to wash over you after 45 mins or so. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, which you might expect. But who in the world could have known that Rose McGowan (of Scream and Charmed fame) could be such a kickass heroine? And cutie Freddy Rodriguez (from Six Feet Under) plays a charming, gun-toting love interest.

While Planet Terror has genuine moments of suspense, Tarantino's Death Proof is the movie that actually keeps you on the edge of your seat. You know from the movie trailer that Rose McGowan gets in Kurt Russell's "death proof" car, and he tries to kill her. But that's only about 1/4 of the movie. The rest of Death Proof is balls-to-the-wall girl power. Not since Buffy have I seen some gals kick such ass.

If you don't mind gore and you want to have some fun, Grindhouse will certainly fit the bill. You'll probably get squeamish during Rodriguez's first half, but hold tight because Tarantino's second half redeems the double feature as a whole. Now I just want Tarantino to get back to making another great drama, a la Pulp Fiction or Jackie Brown. Hell, even Kill Bill would do.

Addie and Her Uncle

My Humps

Most of you have seen this already, but props to my friend Cathy for sending it along. Alanis Morisette has covered Fergie's "My Humps" in his hilarious video. It's astounding, so be sure to take a look.

Today's Addie Pic

Your Daily Addy Pic

Addison Elizabeth Dunstan

Happy Birthday, Niece!

A 7lb 9 oz, 21 inches bundle of love! Congrats to my brother Adam and his wife Jenny. You can't imagine how exciting it is to have my first niece or nephew, and how happy the family is. More to follow when I stop blubbering.

Madonna and H&M Video

Props to Jeoff for forwarding me this hilarious Madonna commercial.

Mayans Rebuff Bush

This story in The Washington Post caught my eye because the title was so bizarre: "Priests to Purify Site After Bush Visit."

It's funny at first glance when you think about Mayan priests "chanting and burning incense, herbs and candles" to remove the "bad spirits" from Bush's visit. But the more you consider the relevancy, how over and over and over again other countries and their various communities are turning away from the war-mongering United States, the more disturbing this story gets.

A person speaking for the Mayans said, "That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture." He's certainly got a point, and it goes beyond how sick so many people are of Bush's faux-cowboy bravado. It shows that for more and more people, Bush's double-truths, greed, stubborness, and "fuck you" attitude have reached beyond simple machiavellian tactics to become almost the epitome of American political indifference, bullying, and evil.

What the Frak?

If you haven't watched this week's Battlestar Galactica then read no further. I'm warning you.

What the hell? I'm so confused. BSG is a great series, and last night was actually a good episode, but it felt a bit like Lost. After being promised big revelations and getting a huge build up, we learned zip, nada, zero.

Instead, a major character "died" for no reason, despite months of talk about her "destiny." It made no sense, and I'm hoping that the showrunners know where they're headed with this. And my hope is that Katee Sackhoff isn't off the show entirely--she gave a real spark to the series.

My guess is that Starbuck comes back as a Cylon in future episodes. Another friend has suggested that maybe it's her death that precipitates the discovery of Earth. In any case, the best show on television threw me a major curve ball last night, and I can't say I'm jazzed about it.

How Do These People Get Paid Millions?

I just read in Variety that ABC is doing a show about cavemen living in modern day Atlanta. Kind of like the Geico commericals.

WTF???

How do these tv people ever get paid what they get paid to come up with "ideas" like this. I mean...it's been a fairly non-funny commercial bit for a few years now, and that somehow translates to a "funny" sit com? I read this article and couldn't believe it. The only thing that's funny to me about the show in the making is that they chose Atlanta of all places.

Hardly Fun and Nancy Who?

So, it's raining like hell in DC tonight and nothing is on tv. After a quick stop to Amersterdam Falafel, I decide to take a sneak peek at the netflix treat I had been saving for this Sat or Sun afternoon: disc 1 from the 1976 Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries tv series. (I figured Family with Kristy McNichol has rocked enough 70's weekends lately--time for a change).

I climb up on the sofa and push play, just giddy to see Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson and Pamela Sue Martin in all their wavy-haired glory. And there they are and guess what--it stinks.

Eh, stinks isn't really the word. The crazy ass music is just as eerie and good as I remember. But the "plot," (and I use quotations purposefully), is just terrible. No pacing, no story. Just lots of cats hissing, and mirrors, and trap doors, and screaming. Granted, Parker Stevenson is just as cute as I remember, riding around town in his underwear on his trail bike, but even Parker sans clothes just doesn't lift my spirits as much as I hoped he would. Plus the DVD has the shows out of order--there isn't a whiff of Nancy to be found, except in the credits. From what I remember, when the show was originally on, each week alternated between the boys and my Nancy.

So...I may just skip to season two, when the Hardy Boys actually meet Nancy Drew and they chase Dracula together. Perhaps then all will be right with the world. I can hope anyway...

West Bank Story

How many of you remember the super cute guy who won the Oscar last Sunday for his short film West Bank Story about a falafel stand caught up in the fight between Israel and Palestine? Ari Sandel's quick, empassioned speech about short films being a vehicle for new voices and talent was heartfelt and really stood out that night.

Turns out Ari is the brother of one of my friends Toby, from Alaska. West Bank Story was his MFA project in Directing from UCLA. Can you imagine winning an Oscar for your graduate thesis? Well, visit the site for Ari's movie West Bank Story. I'm going to order a copy.

(check out Ari and Steven Spielberg above, at the Academy Awards nominee luncheon in January).

Um, Well, Er, Harry Potter is Kind of Hot

People have been talking about Daniel Radcliffe in the London play "Equus," but I hadn't paid much attention. But now after seeing the pictures, I'm like, well, it's just, I don't know how to say it but Harry Potter is kind of hot.

Eddie Murphy and the Oscars

Ted Casablanca at E! is reporting that Eddie Murphy left the Oscars last night just after he lost. If you wondered why I was rooting for Alan Arkin and not Eddie Murphy, you have your main answer. I think Eddie feels entitled to the Oscar--which is ridiculous.

Think about the sound guy who has been nominated 19 times now and didn't win (again) last night. What about all the really great actors who don't have Oscars, including Peter O'Toole who (again) went home without Oscar gold last night.

IEddie is a brilliant comedian. I think he's hysterical. But in Dreamgirls his performance was only okay. Not terrible, not great. And really, his part didn't even have all that much meat to it. So I was hoping for Alan Arkin to get the win, and last night I was happy he took gold. Now after hearing that Eddie left the Oscars in a disappointed huff after losing, it makes me even happier Arkin won.

OSCARS!!!

I didn't win the work Oscar pool yesterday or the contest at my own party. The big trip-ups I made: 1) voting for Peter O'Toole because I honestly thought they'd give it to him after 7 previous nods. 2) I didn't catch on to the momentum for The Departed. I voted for Babel instead. 3) I also picked Pan's Labyrinth over The Lives of Others for foreign picture. Oops. So...those were major losses for me in terms of points. In terms of Oscars, I didn't too much care.

The things that did make me happy last night: that Alan Arkin won over Eddie Murphy, even after Murphy won every imaginable award before the Oscars. That's a twist I saw coming. I was also happy that Helen Mirren and Jennifer Hudson won, though we all both were fairly certain.

Aside from the terrible length of the broadcast, it was a fun show. DeGeneres was goofy and childlike, but not stupid. Though we could have done without 5 minute nominee sketches here and 5 minute music dedications there.

It was such a great year for movies that the Oscar nominations really seemed on the mark for the most part. And it seemed like November through January I saw a fantastic movie every weekend. Well, as I wrap this up, I leave us with the hotness that is Ryan Gosling.

Confused about Lost

Last week's Lost was incredible. It answered some mysteries, solved others. And I actually began to think that the writers knew what they were doing. I got excited again about that show--which hasn't happened in nearly a year.

Then last night we get another esoteric "how in the world does this fit in" episode. Sure, there was maybe one shock or two, but the showrunners don't seem to understand the thin ice they're on with most people. Everyone I know who watches the show, or used to, is just kind of fed up with the storyline. And "filler" shows like last night's, don't really help.

Where is Paker Stevenson?

I admit, I'm feeling nostalgic lately. This past Sunday I actually watched four episodes of the television show Family from 1976. You know, the show with Kristy McNichol and the mother (Sada Thompson) who had soul-less eyes? Anyway, I was only like 5 or so when the show started, but it was certainly in my consciousness--I remember the sad music, the longful glances, and it did make McNichol a star (and frequent contestant on Battle of the Network Stars).

But I was terribly surprised to discover that it wasn't just Mike Nichols' baby--the show had writers and directors such as the Thirtysomething guys Herskovitz and Zwick. Sigh, I miss them. And double sigh that I never really got to appreciate the brother on the show, Gary Frank, when he was in his prime (see above far right). As far as I can tell, he embodied all that was hot and steamy in the 70's.

I have ordered another Family DVD from Netflix and am also expecting a Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew DVD soon. Imagine my horror today to hear that no-talent Tom Cruise is turning the sleuthy brothers--one of my old favorite shows--into an action comedy vehicle for him and Ben Stiller. It truly makes me want to vomit. As old as Parker Stevenson is, he could still take the wee-little Tom Cruise in a fight.

Re: Tim Gunn--I Told You So

When Bravo was intimating months ago that they may go ahead on the next season of Project Runway without Tim Gunn, I said they were full of crap--they were bluffing and playing hardball with Gunn. Turns out, I was right.

Gunn announced that though he's leaving Parsons School of Design to work at Liz Claiborne, he's definitley in for the next season of Runway. My guess is that Bravo knew they couldn't fuck with a winning combination. Gunn is the heart of the show and his wit is priceless--just look at the difference between how well he does his job and how bloody awful that cutie Todd Oldham is on Top Design.

I honestly believe Runway would lose mega amounts of viewers if Gunn left. And even though Top Chef is doing well in the ratings, Bravo can't afford to lose Runway, the little show that could. It keeps building steam.

So, hurrah for Tim and hurrah for us! I can't wait.

Joss Whedon Says Adieu to Paradise Island

It sounded fun, didn't it? Buffyverse creator Joss Whedon signing on to develop and direct the new Wonder Woman film for Warner Brothers. Imagine what he could do with the mythology of Wonder Woman and Paradise Island. Think about the sharp quips Diana Prince could make as she deflected bullets with her magic bracelets.

But alas...it was not meant to be. Joss announced on Friday that he's left the film after more than a year of developing and writing a script (for which he reportedly received at least $2 million). My guess is that his Wonder Woman was a little too edgy, or he wanted to take too much creative license with the character's mythology.

Good news is--maybe this will free him up to work on more television goodness. I know he's doing another movie and two comic book series, but we can hope.

Mama Mia Fiasco

It slipped by my radar, but Variety reported last month that Meryl Streep will be playing the lead role in the movie adaption of the ABBA Broadway musical Mama Mia! While I think Streep has an amazing range, from Out of Africa to The Devil Wears Prada, I just can't see her in this. I wouldn't be surprised if she proved me wrong, but when I think about Streep singing "The Winner Takes it All," the emotional heart of the musical, I just get scared. I mean, can she even sing? Has anyone heard her sing?

Sadly, I've heard reports that Cher was up for the role initially. And this could have been just the kind of nutso, cool role she would have either completely made her own or just sunken into complete disaster. Either way, I think I would have loved it.

But my friends, the true indication that this movie is probably headed to flopsville is that it's produced by the no-talent Tom Hanks. Terribly Tommy has already cast his wife Rita Wilson and there is speculation that he's going to cast Bruce Willis as well.

Eh, I guess Rita could do this kind of fluffy stuff, though I'd rather see pretty much anybody else. Rita is like Tom--she's just kind of there as an actress, albeit 1000 times less annoying. But then you think about casting Bruce Willis? In a musical based on the music of ABBA? What-the-fuck?

We'll have to wait and see, but I'm hoping this is all one big early April Fool's Day joke. If not, we're in for a smorgasbord from Hell.

Finally Caught Babel

After missing Babel for the past few months, I finally took the time to catch it about a week ago. It's funny, because it hadn't gotten fantastic reviews I was skeptical. Sure it had Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal, but I was like, "eh...if it were that good, someone would have said so."

Well, I'm saying so.

Babel is a long movie. A slow movie. And it isn't chock full of action either. But it has the kind of wonderful performances that just kind of mezmerize you. For me, Adriana Barraza steals the show as the Brad and Cate's nanny/housekeeper. She displays the uncannily real kind of fear a person has when he or she realizes that a life-changing mistake has just been made. And I'll tell you, Brad sure shines in his desperate role too.

My only real criticism of the film is that although I love the story about the deaf Japanese girl (played so well by Koji Yakusho), it didn't fit into the film well on a narrative or tonal level. Sure, Babel is all about how people in our world fail to connect. But Koji's story of dispair and distance from her father, didn't have the kind of cross-cultural relevance as the rest of the film. It felt tacked on.

But all in all, the movie's a gem. Know you'll be sitting in your seat for a while, and be patient. If you do, you're sure to learn a thing or two about taking a walk in someone else's shoes.

Pan's Labyrinth is a Great (Albeit Gory) Film

I was able to sneak in time this past weekend to see Guillermo del Toro's new film Pan's Labyrinth which I had been dying to see. It's one of those films that came out over a month ago in L.A. and New York and only made it to one theater in D.C. just this past weekend.

The movie is fantastic in both its originality and cinematography. Del Toro weaves a strangely realistic fairy tale set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. A small girl named Ofelia has to battle both the monsters in her backyard labyrinth as well as the evil stepfather who is a captain in Franco's army.

The film gets a bit cluttered in characterization and does meander a bit, but overall it comes together well. And for those who hate fantasy films, Pan's Labyrinth may have a faun, and a giant toad, and a monter or two lurking about, but it's not meant to be a Lord of the Rings movie. No, it's firmly grounded in a bloody, terrifying, landscape of modern war. If anything, the gore is what was most surprising.

But for me, the real shocker is when the man with no eyes lifts his arms toward Ofelia and we see the strange eyeballs on the palms of his hands. Even though this scene was in the preview, I still think everyone in the theater gasped.

Grey's Anatomy Cast Member Lets Loose Again

Notice I used the words "cast member" not "star." And that's simply because Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington is probably the least integral, least stealthy actor on the show. Everything he does is over the top.

Kind of like when he and Patrick Dempsey (McDreamy) came to fistacuffs a few months ago after Washington called T.R. Knight (George) a faggot. All sorts of things happened: T.R. came out of the closet. The cast was banned from talking to the press.

Well this Monday Isaiah took the microphone during a Golden Globes post-show interview and suddenly yelled "I did not call T.R. Knight a faggot." The guy is nuts. Crazy. They just won best drama at the Globes, a great feat and moment for the cast and this moron taints everything in his bizarre and awkward attempt to save face.

The worst part is that he's a liar. T.R. Knight tells it like it is on Ellen Degeneres today. Grey's should dump Isaiah on his ass.

Notes on a Scandal

I haven't had a chance until today to talk about Notes on a Scandal which I saw this past weekend after Children of Men. As you would imagine, it contains superb performances by both Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett--two actresses I'd almost say can do no wrong.

I went in thinking it was going to be a prep school love story between a teacher and student, kind of having a sad nostalgia about it. But I couldn't have been more wrong. The movie is a tense drama, almost a thriller, where the tension builds and builds and builds until something finally has to collapse.

The powers that be are selling the movie in an odd way, with barely a glimpse of the movie and just suggesting you should see it for Dench and Blanchett alone. But my guess is that if they better diplayed the movie's tension and drama, they might get more than just an arthouse crowd. And I have to say that though Judi Dench has never looked uglier in a role (purposefully, I'm sure), where she goes dramatically was surprising as hell.

Trump Ratings Low, Rosie Screams at Barbara

I don't want to spend much time on this at all except to gloat that Trump's Apprentice debuted to its lowest ratings yet. It got beat by Desperate Housewives, Without a Trace, and Brothers & Sisters. Too bad Trump can funnel some of that crazybig ego into some solid ratings. Instead, he fires Carolyn and gets mean with Rosie, but to no avail.

Rosie herself got mean to Barbara Walters on Monday, or so PageSix says. The paper reports that the day she returned to the show after vacation she screamed at Barbara behind the scenes. Rosie said that Trump was telling the truth, and that Barabara regreeted hiring her. That's why Barbara never really defended her, or stood up to Trump and said he was lying.

Children of Men

I went into the scifi thriller Children of Men this weekend not really knowing what to expect. I love Julianne Moore and Clive Owen, but the movie seems to be completely under the radar. Maybe every once in a while a tv commercial will come on that says, "A Bladerunner for the 21st century," but that's about it.

But I'm glad I gave the movie a chance because was riveting. It was terribly difficult to watch and completely stressful, but also thought-provoking and mezmerizing. I'm convinced more than ever that Clive Owen is a brilliant actor. He does just as well in this sort of "every man" action role as he does in the very character-specific dramatic roles of say Gosford Park or Croupier.

When you go to the theatre to check out this film, you'll find yourself immersed in a world of decay and violence. There are images that seem just out of of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, and scenes of terrorist bombings that could be taking place in almost any major city today. This "future" is so bleak that humans have even lost the ability to have children.

What's so harrowing about Alfonso Cuaron's new film is that it is meant to take place only 20 years in our future. Sadly, his vision of 2027 seems fairly convincing--a place where pollution, war, and the suspension of human rights and dignity have created a world in which none of us will want to live. You might even say a world in which none of us would want to bring new life.

Oh the Power of Pop Tarts

I love this story about the Ken Barnes, Jr. (above left), the American who tried to sail alone around the world. Last week around South America's Cape Horn, his boat began to sink and he had to stay afloat and alive in ice-cold Pacific Ocean waters until he was rescued by a fishing boat. He stayed alive by eating Pop Tarts and granola bars.

I can only imagine who will play the good looking sailor when his story is optioned for a tv movie. I nominate cutie actor Richard Ruccolo (above right), though he'll have to get all gruff and sport a beard. But can't you already hear it, "brought to you commercial free by our friends at Pop Tarts."

Mario Lopez News

Hot off the presses...

For those of you missing Mario Lopez since his second place finish (he was robbed!) on Dancing with the Stars, he'll be hosting this year's Miss America Pageant on January 29.

I'd Return to Volver

The spanish word volver is an infinitive that means "to return" or "to come back." And after seeing Pedro Almodovar's newest film, I can easily say I'd retun to check it out again.

Almodovar's movies are always quirky and fun, but their overall effect can be hit or miss. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and All About My Mother were dramatic and funny all at once. But when you examine Bad Education or Talk to Her, you realize that often his over-the-top mentality doesn't lend itself well to telling a compelling story. As much as I loved seeing Gael Garcia Bernal in dripping wet tighty whities, when I left Bad Education I wasn't sad it was over.

But Volver is a movie that sticks with you. It lulls you into its funny spell and by the time it takes darker turns, you're already hooked. Centering on what it means to be a family, the story is both familiar and surprising.

The biggest surprise for me is that Penelope Cruz can really act. She's not just a doe-eyed dark-haired vision, walking through the part. Forget that she once dated Tom Cruise. Don't let it bother you that Almodovar made her wear a prosthetic ass so that her butt seemed more dumpy. Cruz owns her character of Raimunda, and she'll certainly be nominated for an Oscar.

In fact, all the acting is sensational. I'm not sure what strange rock Almodovar looks under to find his let's say "off beat-looking" supporting actors, but they have acting chops as well. And when you take great acting and pair it with a story that feels fresh and new, you get a movie that only adds to Almodovar's already prestigious arsenal.