Critical Thoughts with Alec Kerr

Film and theatre critic for the Conway Daily Sun, offering analysis of the arts in the hopes of inspiring an ongoing dialogue and intelligent discourse.

[alecthemovieguy]

40 years, 40 movies: My life through film

On Feb. 16, I’m turning 40. In honor of this milestone birthday, I chose my favorite movie (and a runner-up) for each year of my existence. 

Some years were easy, as there was an obvious personal choice. Others, like 1994 or 1999 which are among the greatest years in film history, proved far more difficult. 

What I discovered was there’s literally hundreds of movies I love from the past 40 years but my favorites are the ones that made the most impact and I, unequivocally, adore. The results are deeply autobiographical, so join me on a four-part journey exploring the movies that shaped who I am.

COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX

1983: “Return of the Jedi” 

It was perhaps inevitable that I would become a “Star Wars” fan. I was named after Obi-Wan actor Alec Guinness. As my parents only had a VHS copy of “Return of the Jedi,” it was my first introduction to “Star Wars.” Given the episodic, serialized nature of the movies, I was able to just drop into the next adventure and fall in love with R2-D2, C3PO, Luke, Han and Leia.  (Runner-up: “National Lampoon’s Vacation”)

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES

1984: “Ghostbusters” 

“Ghostbusters” remains one of the defining franchises for me. Movies, cartoons, comics, toys, clothes, it has been an obsession since I was a little boy. My baby teeth marks were on the box of the VHS tape my parents owned. My first day of kindergarten became less traumatic when I found two boys playing Ghostbusters and they invited me to join them. They already picked Peter (Bill Murray) and Ray (Dan Akyroyd), leaving me with the nerdy Egon (Harold Ramis). I was disappointed. Now I’m totally Team Egon. (Runner-up: “The Neverending Story”)

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

1985: “Back to the Future” 

This is another seminal film from my childhood and typically my default answer for my favorite movie. The idea of time travel sparked my imagination as a child. I used to run around my backyard as a kid, humming Alan Silvestri’s theme, imagining I was traveling through time with Christopher Lloyd’s Doc Brown. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve watched the film, but the final act still fully engages me every time. (Runner-up: “The Breakfast Club”)

COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES

1986: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” 

Any child coming of age in the 1980s and 1990s was hugely affected by the teen films of John Hughes, who was able to perfectly capture the angst of growing up. “Ferris Bueller” was the ultimate kid fantasy: Skipping school for a day in the city with your friends. Better yet, Ferris manages to outsmart all the adults, including snooty waiters, parents and the principal. As a kid, Matthew Broderick’s Ferris felt like the embodiment of cool. As an adult, it is undeniable that the anxiety-ridden Cameron (Alan Ruck) is my avatar. (Runner-up: “Labyrinth”)

COURTESY OF MGM

1987: “Spaceballs” 

I had a major Mel Brooks phase in my adolescence. I even held a party dedicated to watching Brooks films. I vividly remember my friend Rebecca Howland telling me “The Producers” was good, but not as good as “2001” (the film it beat for Best Original Screenplay). Only four Brooks films have been released in my lifetime. Of those four, “Spaceballs” is the one I’ve revisited the most because its inspired lunacy is perfectly delivered by its cast, including Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis and Brooks, himself, in dual roles. (Runner-up: “The Princess Bride”)

COURTESY OF TOUCHSTONE PICTURES

1988: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” 

This was a mind-blowing film for a kid. It was the first and only time Disney and Warner Bros. characters interacted together. It remains the definite seamless blend of live-action and animated characters. But the biggest mindfreak to my little brain was that Christopher Lloyd, my beloved Doc Brown from “Back to the Future,” was the evil Judge Doom. Years later, while studying film in college, I would write an essay exploring the film’s take on the film noir genre. (Runner-up: “Beetlejuice”)

COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY PICTURES

1989: “Say Anything” 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a big Batman fan, so it probably seems insane that my No. 1 choice for 1989 isn’t Tim Burton’s “Batman.” Here’s the thing, I’m also a huge fan of actor John Cusack and writer/director Cameron Crowe. If you need any indication of how much I love this movie, “Say Anything” is tattooed on my right arm. “Say Anything” is the definitive 1980s teen romance with Lloyd Dobler being the ideal model of a boyfriend. (Runner-up: “Batman”)

COURTESY OF NEW LINE CINEMA

1990: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” 

There was a time when the ninja turtles were my everything. I had a tape with a couple of episodes of the cartoon that featured a trailer for the live-action film. I loved the cartoon but this was different. It was dark and atmospheric like the comic books that inspired the cartoon and toys, and the Jim Henson-created turtles looked real. The film deepened my love. I had a cassette of the film’s theme song, “Turtle Rhapsody” that I danced to constantly in my room. (Runner-up: “Tremors”)

COURTESY OF ORION PICTURES

1991: “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” 

I vacillated on what my  first choice and runner up would be for 1991. I nearly chose “Addams Family,” but I prefer its 1993 sequel “Addams Family Values.” Alas, a certain dinosaur movie claimed that year. Ultimately, I went with another sequel that actually improves upon its predecessor. Sequels almost always just repeat the formula of the original, but “Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey” largely throws out the time travel antics of “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and goes on a bonkers adventure through heaven and hell featuring evil robots and an alien named Station. (Runner-up: “Addams Family”)

COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT

1992: “Wayne’s World”

On the surface, Wayne and Garth (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey) are clones of the dim-witted headbangers Bill and Ted, but “Wayne’s World” has more of a satirical edge than the “Bill and Ted” movies, with Wayne providing fourth-wall breaking commentary throughout that mocks filmmaking cliches. I’m a big “Saturday Night Live” fan, and this was my gateway to the show. My friend, Caleb Ring, had a camera and we recreated scenes as “Caleb’s World” and “Alec’s World.” Maybe they still exist in a dusty box somewhere. (Runner-up: “Reservoir Dogs”)

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL

1993: “Jurassic Park”

At 10 years old, I remember a mixture of excitement and nervousness about seeing Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Michael Crichton’s sci-fi novel about a dinosaur theme park gone awry. I wanted to see, but would it be too scary? I vividly remember sitting in a darkened theater watching the T-Rex attack. I was scared but also mesmerized by the groundbreaking dinosaur effects. It was also my introduction to Jeff Goldblum, and he has made my life better ever since.   (Runner-up: “Mrs. Doubtfire”)

COURTESY OF MIRAMAX

1994: “Clerks” 

“Clerks” wasn’t my first introduction to writer/director Kevin Smith (that was 1999’s “Dogma”), but working at both a convenience and video store, the plight of its New Jersey clerks spoke to me. I would even write my own script set in a video store that years later I would convert into a play that was performed in a New York theater festival. Last year, I was lucky enough to interview Smith and tell him that. (Runner-up: “Pulp Fiction”)

  COURTESY OF DISNEY

1995: “A Goofy Movie” 

Goofy has always been my favorite Disney cartoon character. This movie is significant because it is the first movie review I ever wrote. It was an assignment for sixth-grade English. I received an A, which sent me down the path to where I am today. It still remains one of my favorite movies for its strong father-son story, offbeat humor and the excellent songs by the fictional popstar Powerline. (Runner-up: “Before Sunrise”)

COURTESY OF DIMENSION

1996: “Scream”

Growing up, I wasn’t a horror kid. I was more likely to watch the Muppets take Manhattan than Jason. But by 1996, I was already a fan of Mel Brooks and Monty Python and had a growing understanding of parody. The idea of “Scream” being both a satire and an example of the slasher genre intrigued me. The humor made the scares more palatable and piqued my interest into further exploration of the horror genre. (Runner-up: “Jerry Maguire”)

HOLLYWOOD PICTURES

1997: “Grosse Pointe Blank” 

For years, John Cusack was my celebrity man crush because he was the perfect balance of vulnerability, sarcastic wit and nonchalant coolness. All of that is on display here as Martin Blank, a hitman who decides to go to his 10-year high school reunion. Also, I often discover music from movies, and this film’s killer soundtrack (pun intended) introduced me to a lot of great punk and New Wave music, including The Clash’s “Rudie Can’t Fail,” The Violent Femme’s “Blister in the Sun” and The English Beat’s “Mirror in the Bathroom.” (Runner-up: “Good Will Hunting”)

COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT

1998: “The Truman Show”

Like many ’90s kids, I became obsessed with Jim Carrey’s style of comedy. I drove my family crazy shouting catch phrases like “allllll righty then” and “ssssssmokin’.” But ‘The Truman Show” was different. It was still funny, but in a more subtle, satirical way, and showed that Carrey had dramatic range. I was 15 when it came out, and it made me feel clever that I was able to pick up on the film’s commentary. (Runner-up: “The Wedding Singer”)

COURTESY OF FOX 2000 PICTURES

1999: “Fight Club” 

My love of social critique and satire continued to grow with “Fight Club.” I clearly remember watching “Fight Club” in a theater and my jaw literally dropping upon getting to the big twist. Not many people saw “Fight Club” in theaters, so my friends didn’t believe me when I said it was great, especially since I couldn’t explain why without spoiling it. It’s a film that not only holds up to repeat viewing but benefits from it as there are Easter eggs hidden throughout. (Runner up: ”Dogma”)

COURTESY OF COLUMBIA PICTURES

2000: “Almost Famous”

Around this time, I made a decision that I wanted to be a film critic, so Cameron Crowe’s autobiographical film about a teenage rock journalist in the 1970s hit me in all the right places. The protagonist is an awkward, geeky kid in love with and in awe of the rock world and that was me with movies. When I became a journalist, I only learned to love this movie more for everything it gets absolutely right. (Runner up: “High Fidelity”)

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL

2001: “Josie and the Pussycats”

There are absolutely better films that came out in 2001 but I continue to stand by this silly satire of the music industry and consumerism. I’ve been a defender of this film since it came out. I even had the poster up in my college dorm room. It did not make me cool but, in a just world it would have. The original songs are genuinely great, and the cast, especially Alan Cumming as a villainous record label flunky, is perfect. (Runner up “The Royal Tenenbaums”)

COURTESY OF UNITED ARTISTS

2002: “Igby Goes Down”

Growing up in rural Maine, I didn’t have access to a lot of independent films, but that changed when I went to Keene State College to study film. Keene had two theaters that showed indie films: The Colonial Theatre and the on-campus Putnam Theatre. “Igby Goes Down” was one of the films I fell in love with while at KSC. It’s essentially a modern riff on “The Catcher in the Rye,” but with a more likable lead played by Kieran Culkin. There’s also an amazing supporting cast, including Susan Sarandon, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Claire Danes, Ryan Phillippe, Amanda Peet and Jared Harris. (Runner up: “About a Boy”)

COURTESY OF LIONSGATE

2003: “Shattered Glass” 

While at Keene State College, I was able to go to collegiate journalism conventions. At one of them, there was an early screening of “Shattered Glass,” which tells the story of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), a journalist who fabricated dozens of articles while working at The New Republic. The film instilled in me a desire to be an ethical journalist with integrity. It also has one of my all-time favorite lines: “If I were to throw a party where all we did was play Monopoly, would you guys come?” It’s absolutely something I’d say. I just wish that it wasn’t said by Glass. (Runner-up: “Lost in Translation”)

COURTESY OF WORKING TITLE

2004: “Shaun of the Dead” 

Edgar Wright has become one of my favorite directors for how perfectly constructed all his films are. His first film, a zombie movie set in England that he co-wrote with star Simon Pegg, is the ideal genre blend of horror, comedy, romantic comedy and drama. This is the first film in what became dubbed the Cornetto trilogy, a trio of genre-bending films directed by Wright and starring Pegg and Nick. While it is mostly played for laughs, the dramatic moments hit hard every single time. (Runner-up: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”)

COURTESY OF DREAMWORKS

2005: “Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit” 

I was already a big fan of the stop-motion animation Wallace and Gromit shorts, so I was thrilled the English human and dog duo were making their feature film debut. I was in England getting my master’s in journalism at the University of Westminster when the film was in theaters. I went to visit my friend Natalie Toy in Hull to see it, and watching a film that is so thoroughly British in England is a memory I cherish. (Runner-up: “Batman Begins”)

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES

2006: “Stranger Than Fiction” 

This is a film that takes a high-concept — a man (Will Ferrell) suddenly finds his mundane life the subject of a voice-over narration only he can hear — and executes it with humor, heart and intelligence. A dialed back Ferrell gives one of his best performances, and he’s surrounded by a great cast, including Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Tony Hale and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film features some of my favorite romantic moments, including Ferrell playing and singing “Whole Wide World” on guitar and giving “flours” to Gyllenhaal’s baker character. (Runner-up: “Little Miss Sunshine”)

COURTESY OF DREAMWORKS

2007: “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” 

Tim Burton’s film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical about a vengeful barber (Johnny Depp) and his partnership with the baker Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonheim Carter) was my first introduction to the material. While liberties were taken, Burton was the perfect person to transition it from the stage to screen. I immediately fell in love with it. I’ve since seen it on stage three times and had a Sweeney Todd movie marathon with my friend Brian McElhiney in which we uncovered other obscure versions of the story, including one from 1936. (Runner-up: “Juno”)

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

2008: “The Dark Knight”

Christopher Nolan's second film in his Batman trilogy is the strongest and is not only one of the best superhero films ever made but a great film regardless of genre. Heath Ledger’s Joker is an iconic film performance for the ages. His performance is the glue that holds the film together, but the rest of the cast, including Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, and the slick storytelling proved that a comic book movie could and should be taken seriously. (Runner-up “Iron Man”)

COURTESY OF PIXAR

2009: “Up”

Pixar has a history of making animated films that make adults cry, but with “Up” they weren’t messing around. The first 10 minutes, which shows the entire course of a relationship, has the power to crack even the most stone-faced viewer. The rest of the film is the charming adventure of a balloon salesman (Ed Asner) who attaches thousands of balloons to his house so he can fly to the mythical Paradise Falls. This film will always have a special place in my heart because it was the theme of my wedding. Adventure is out there everyday with my wife, Ashley.  (Runner-up ”Inglourious Basterds”)

COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL

2010: “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World” 

Director and co-writer Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s six-part graphic novel — a pastiche of comic books, video games, anime, romantic comedies, rock musicals, sitcoms, kung-fu movies and even a dash of Bollywood — immediately spoke to me. I became obsessed. I read the books, played the games, bought the toys, listened to the soundtrack and even got a tattoo of Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers. I connected with it in a way that put it alongside my childhood favorites. As I get older, it only becomes more emotionally resonant. (Runner-up: “TRON: Legacy”)

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURE CLASSICS

2011: “Midnight in Paris” 

My relationship with Woody Allen films has become a complicated one. What he may or may not have done in his personal life colors his work, but can you separate the person from the art? I have to because so many of his earlier works helped shape me. This whimsical time travel comedy with Owen Wilson hobnobbing with literary and artistic idols in 1920s Paris is Allen’s last truly great film. It is a funny and thoughtful exploration of nostalgia. (Runner-up: “The Muppets”)

COURTESY OF MARVEL

2012: “The Avengers”

Marvel Studios experiment in creating a shared universe of superheroes paid off with Joss Whedon’s “Avengers,” which brought together Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) for the first time. For better or worse, Marvel has continued to further expand their cinematic universe and experiment with serialized storytelling in film, but this first crossover event still holds up and is wildly entertaining. (Runner-up: “Looper”)

COURTESY OF WORKING TITLE

2013: “The World’s End” 

This the final installment of co-writer/director Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy, a series of genre homages starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. “The World’s End” lampoons alien invasion films but is also a surprisingly sincere exploration of alcoholism with Pegg’s Gary King trying to recreate the best day of his life: a pub crawl he did with his friends as a teen. This is Wright’s third film on my list. I adore his storytelling and visual style. Everything is carefully constructed and paid off. Plus, I regularly quote the “Let’s boo-boo” line from his film. (Runner-up: “Pacific Rim”)

COURTESY OF FOX SEARCHLIGHT

2014: “The Grand Budapest Hotel” 

Idiosyncratic filmmaker Wes Anderson has a style all his own, including eccentric characters, deadpan humor, absurdist flourishes and a mise-en-scene in which everything is framed symmetrically. “Grand Budapest Hotel,” which centers on the misadventures of a hotel lobby boy (Tony Revolori) and a concierge (Ralph Fiennes), is possibly the most distilled version of Anderson’s particular brand of filmmaking. Anderson embraces the ridiculous and finds the beauty in it. (Runner-up: “The Lego Movie”)

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

2015: “Mad Max: Fury Road” 

Director George Miller returned to the “Mad Max” franchise 30 years after the previous installment, but this is not a shameless cash grab. This is pure action filmmaking of the highest order. “Fury Road” is a visceral, nearly non-stop chase. But this isn’t faceless or mindless action. The film has personality to spare, including a character playing a flame-throwing guitar. As there’s little dialogue, this is also an example of strong visual storytelling. (Runner-up: “Inside Out”)

COURTESY OF SUMMIT

2016: “La La Land” 

After coming out of “La La Land,” I posted this on Facebook: “For anyone who has ever created something, done something artistic or has simply been passionate about something, ‘La La Land’ will speak to your soul.” After seeing writer/director Damien Chazelle’s exuberant, funny and ever-so-slightly heartbreaking musical about a jazz musician (Ryan Gosling) and an actress (Emma Stone) trying to find success and love in Los Angeles, I wanted to create. I began rewriting an old script that would eventually be performed in New York City in 2018. (Runner-up: “Yoga Hosers”)

COURTESY OF MARVEL

2017: “Thor: Ragnarok” 

This is my favorite film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thanks to director Taika Waititi providing a much-needed tonal shift to the Thor (Chris Hemsworth) character. Waititi is a quirky filmmaker with an offbeat sense of humor that managed to shake things up at a time when the Marvel formula was starting to become a bit too familiar. “Ragnarok” remembers that comic book movies are supposed to be fun. It is colorful, funny and ridiculous, but also has strong character moments. Plus, Jeff Goldblum at his most Goldblumiest.(Runner-up “Baby Driver”)

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

2018: “A Star is Born”

Co-writer/director/star Bradley Cooper’s “A Star is Born” is the fourth filmed version of the story of a fading star meeting and falling in love with an undiscovered talent (Lady Gaga), and using what pull he has left to make her a star. The first 30 minutes are pretty much perfect and the rest of the film builds on that promise. I’ve only seen the film once and I can still vividly visualize scenes and the emotions attached to them. (Runner-up “A Simple Favor”)

COURTESY OF COLUMBIA PICTURES

2019: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

Writer/director Quentin Tarantino is one of my favorite filmmakers. I even taught a class on him for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. “Once Upon a Time,” Tarantino’s love letter to Hollywood in 1969, is basically a hang-out movie centered on a has-been TV actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stuntman (Brad Pitt). In the background, Tarantino offers a revisionist history of the Manson family. It’s rich with location and character detail, and is both hilarious and unexpectedly poignant. (Runner-up: “Booksmart”)

COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

2020: “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”

Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn was the best thing in 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” but this film is what made Harley one of my favorite DC characters and led to a further exploration of the character. Robbie is joined by an assortment of strong female heroes, including Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), The Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and detective Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) to face off against the sadistic Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). This is the first comic book film directed and written by women, and the strong female perspective makes it unique and vital. (Runner-up: “Freaky”)

COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES

2021: “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” 

As previously mentioned, “Ghostbusters” has been a huge part of my life, so I was thrilled when this long-awaited second sequel was announced. (For the record, I do genuinely love the 2015 remake). While the original ghostbusters only make a cameo appearance, this is a loving tribute to the late Harold Ramis (who co-wrote the first two films and starred as Egon) that passes the torch to a group of kid ghostbusters led by the amazing Mckenna Grace. This is nostalgia done right. Plenty of laughs, action and, yes, tears. (Runner-up: “The Mitchells Vs. the Machines”)

COURTESY OF A24

2022: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” 

This completely bonkers multiverse adventure is difficult to describe but is a fully engrossing mix of sci-fi, martial arts, comedy and family drama. It is a terrific showcase for Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu. Its sincerely sold themes of optimism, kindness and love gives it weight and heart. Quan was in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies” in the 1980s, but hadn’t acted in 30 years. He’s so good here, it makes me sad that we missed on decades of performances from him. (Runner-up: “Glass Onion”)

[alecthemovieguy]

Bad faith decision

Last Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for a woman’s right to have an abortion. That right will now be decided by the states, with many already having harsh restrictions or bans in place or ones soon to come. For proponents of the protection of the “sanctity of life,” it is seen as a huge win. But for women’s rights, it is a huge step back. It robs women of control over their own bodies.

This is likely only the beginning of rights being stripped away by the court. Justice Clarence Thomas argued in his concurring opinion that the Supreme Court “should reconsider” its past rulings codifying rights to contraception access, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage.

Linking these various desires to restrict abortions, contraceptive use, and same-sex marriage and relationships is fundamentalist Christianity. Not all Christians have a narrow view of abortion or gay rights, but conservative Christians see the world in stark and unyielding terms and want to impose that view onto others. Conservative politicians are exploiting this.

Politicians who are choosing to use a narrow interpretation of the Bible as a basis for law are pandering to a group they know — or at least hope — will keep them in power and control. And make no mistake, control is what all this is about.

Let me be clear: I fully support a Christian’s right to practice his or her faith. This extends to all religions. It is right there in our First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” What I don’t support is Christians forcing their beliefs onto others.

Conservative Christians see abortion or gay marriage as an attack on their values and argue that the existence of laws supporting these issues prohibit their free exercise of their faith. Laws allowing for abortion, contraception access or gay marriage do not force anyone to do those things. A Christian can choose not to have an abortion, not to use contraception or not to be in a same-sex relationship. Others choosing to do those things does not have an impact on a Christian’s faith or ability to practice it. If it does, they may need to look into the strength of their faith.

But a lot of Christians believe it is their duty to try to save others who are on a sinner’s path. It is a noble impulse but is often misplaced. Simply put, women who choose to get an abortion don’t need to be saved. Someone who is gay doesn’t need to be saved.

I’ve known women who have had abortions. They all had their reasons. I don’t know those reasons because it isn’t any of my business. Choosing to have an abortion isn’t an easy decision, and the women who make that choice don’t owe anyone an explanation, nor do they deserve to be made to feel guilty or ashamed for that decision.

There are hundreds of valid reasons for an abortion, and, yes, one of them is that a woman simply isn't ready to have a baby. Having the right to practice a religion doesn’t give someone the right to slut-shame a woman for making a difficult, life-altering decision.

Christian values are often presented as being “traditional family values” or “American values,” and, yes, many of the ideals in the Christian faith are good ones, but that doesn’t mean they must be imposed on everyone. For that matter, the First Amendment doesn’t solely protect the practice of Christianity, but all religions or even the choice to not practice any religion at all.

Roe v. Wade wasn’t overturned because of the belief it was a fundamentally bad decision. It isn’t about the federal government overstepping on an issue that should have remained with the states. It isn’t even about being pro-life. It is about sending this country back to the 1950s when it was “great.” It is about control and forcing an outmoded patriarchal ideal onto the country in the guise of so-called Christian values.

True Christian values are based in love, acceptance and inclusion, not harsh, restrictive judgment. Our country was becoming a place that was more inclusive, understanding and representative of the diverse cultural melting pot it truly is. Hopefully, Roe v. Wade being overturned isn’t the beginning of the end to all of that.

[alecthemovieguy]

Review: Arts in Motion's 'Shrek: The Musical' offers laughs, heart

Fiona (Abby Vaughan) and Shrek (Andrew Fournier) get their groove on in Arts in Motion Theater Co.'s production of "Shrek: The Musical." (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

CONWAY — Arts in Motion Theater Co.’s production of “Shrek: The Musical,” which is being performed Thursday through Sunday for the next two weeks, except for Saturday, June 18, at the Loynd Auditorium at Kennett High School in North Conway, N.H., is a funny and joyous experience. 

Based on the 2001 Dreamworks animated film, which itself was based on a children’s book by William Steig, the musical version adapts all the best scenes from the film while also further expanding the material. The score features a collection of tongue-in-cheek songs that are in tone with the film. 

The musical’s book and lyrics are by David Lindsay-Abaire with music by Jeanine Tesori. Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 for his play “Rabbit Hole,” adds nuance to the relationships between the ogre Shrek (Andrew Fournier), his travel companion Donkey (Will McCarthy) and Princess Fiona (Abbie Vaughan), who Shrek is tasked to rescue for the diminutive Lord Farquaad (Grayson Smith). 

Shrek and Fiona inevitably fall in love. This was handled in a montage in the film, but the musical takes more time to establish a real connection between the two characters.

From left: Will McCarthy as Donkey, Abby Vaughan as Fiona and Andrew Fournier as Shrek in Arts in Motion Theater Co's production of "Shrek: The Musical." (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

It is revealed in the opening scene that Shrek and Fiona were both abandoned by their parents at the age of 7; Shrek to a swamp and Fiona to a tower guarded by a dragon. The opening number “Big Bright Beautiful World" establishes the shared pain Shrek and Fiona have. 

This is further explored in the song “I Think Got You Beat,” in which Shrek and Fiona argue over who had the worst childhood. The song starts with animosity and transitions into understanding before culminating into a farting and burping competition. Fournier and Vaughan beautifully portray the growing connection between Shrek and Fiona. 

Shrek and Donkey’s relationship is also given extra shading. On the songs “Don’t Let Me Go” and “The Travel Song,” we are shown how Shrek reluctantly embraces his new best friend. As with Vaughan, Fournier has a natural chemistry with McCarthy.  

Even Farquaad is given more background with the song "The Ballad of Farquaad," revealing his parentage in amusing fashion. Smith is hilariously deranged with an impish exuberance as Farquaad, especially on the songs “What's Up, Duloc?" and “The Ballad of Farquaad." 

Grayson Smith as Lord Farquuad and Ava Frechette as Gingy/the Sugar Plum Fairy in Arts in Motion Theater Co.'s production of "Shrek: The Musical." (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

Fournier, despite having an inconsistent Scottish accent, makes Shrek likable, funny and easy to empathize with. While the script is full of big laughs, Fournier also captures the emotion of the character. Shrek hides away from society and puts up a gruff front because he is rejected upon sight. Fournier shows that pain on songs like “Who I'd Be," "When Words Fail," “Build a Wall” and “Beautiful Ain’t Always Pretty." This is all the more impressive since he’s acting through makeup and prosthetics. 

Arts in Motion have double cast the roles of Fiona and Donkey. Vaughan and McCarthy are Fiona and Donkey for the first four performances, and Ava Frechette and Quinn Hagarty are Fiona and Donkey for the final four. In the performance I saw, Ava Frechette plays Gingy the Gingerbread Man, the Sugarplum Fairy and other parts and Hagarty plays Pinocchio and other roles. Vaughan and McCarthy will take on these roles when they switch.

Vaughan is tremendous as Fiona. She has a strong voice on songs like “Morning Person” and  brings a huge amount of personality across in both her singing and performance. She makes Fiona an energetic, effervescent goofball while also hinting at her underlying sorrow. 

A highlight of the production is "I Know It's Today," which has adult Fiona joined by two younger versions of herself (Chloe Laine and Isabelle Frechette) as they sing about the wait for their fairy tale ending with decreasing optimism. It is well-staged by director Aimee Frechette and the three versions of Fiona work together perfectly. 

From left: Young Fiona (Chloe Laine, Adult Fiona (Abby Vaughan) and Teen Fiona (Isabelle Frechette) sing about their desire for a fairy tale ending in Arts in Motion Theater Co.'s production of "Shrek: The Musical. (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

McCarthy wisely doesn’t attempt to do an Eddie Murphy impression and manages to make Donkey his own. He gives Donkey a flamboyant flare and attitude. He has great energy on the aforementioned songs, as well as “Make a Move.” McCarthy also has impeccable comedic timing. 

Hagarty’s Pinocchio is a scene stealer who leads two ensemble numbers featuring the fairy tale creatures who are banished to Shrek’s swamp (“The Goodbye Song" and “Freak Flag"). Ava Frechette similarly shines in her small roles. Gingy has one of the film’s most iconic scenes in the film, and Ava Frechette sells it for all its worth. 

Other standout fairy-tale creatures include Nola Bradeen as Mama Bear, Cadence Pomerleau as the Mad Hatter, Seretta Spaulding as Peter Pan and David Spaulding as the Big Bad Wolf.

Another memorable set piece is “Forever," a musical number featuring Dragon (Zoe Daigle) and the skeletons of slain knights as her backup singers and dancers. Dragon is an impressive giant puppet. Each of these ensemble numbers are well choreographed by Aimee Frechette. 

Dragon (Zoe Daigle) with skeletons of all the knights who tried to slay her attack Donkey (Will McCarthy) in Arts in Motion Theatre Co.'s producttion of "Shrek: The Musical." (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

Music director Jennifer Bradeen has done good work with a large cast. The ensemble numbers sound tight and the principal actors all give quality vocal performances. 

The set designed by Glenn Noble and Aimee Frechette includes several different elements that are moved in as necessary and effectively create the fairy-tale land. 

Ashley Gore, Aimee Frechette and Ella Fecteau have put together some great looking costumes, and there’s also a strong lighting design from Kodi Barrows.

“Shrek” is a fun, dynamic production sure to be a crowd pleaser. Tickets are available at artsinmotiontheater.com.

[alecthemovieguy]

Devo providing the soundtrack for this moment

Devo poses on a loading dock behind their rehearsal studio in Southern California. Probably 1980. (COURTESY CLUBDEVO)

With everything going on right now, including the pandemic and the last week of protests and violence in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, who was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer, it feels inappropriate to write about entertainment.

And, yet, my mind keeps wandering to the band Devo, as the group’s music is basically providing the soundtrack to what is feeling increasingly like the worst timeline. 

For those who only think of Devo as a quirky one-hit wonder known for “Whip It,” it may seem odd to be returning to the band during this troubling time, but it isn’t as strange as it seems at first blush. 

Devo wearing “New Traditionalists” plastic hair pomps in a promotional photo from 1981. (ROBERT MATHEU/CLUBDEVO.COM)

The origins of the band are directly tied to the 1970 shooting at Kent State University, in which 13 unarmed students were fired upon by the Ohio National Guard during a peaceful protest. Sound familiar? 

Devo’s founding members, Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale, were going to Kent State at the time and the shooting had a profound effect on them. “I’ve said it often and I mean it, but I don’t think there would have been a Devo if not for Kent State,” Casale said in a Rolling Stone article from last month. “Without that trauma and the red-pill changeover, I would have gone down this other path in life.”

In “California Inspires Me,” a 2015 video collaboration between Google Play and California Sunday Magazine, Mothersbaugh also addressed the significance of the shooting on the formation of the band.

“When we first started Devo, Jerry (Casale) and Bob (Lewis) and I were artists who were working in a number of different medias,” Mothersbaugh said in the video. “We were around for the shootings at Kent State, and it affected us. We were thinking, like, ‘What are we observing?’ We decided we weren’t observing evolution; we were observing devolution so we decided to write music around that.”

Devo was influenced by the European dadaism art movement of the early 20th century. Dadaism was a form of anti-art that was meant to subvert and critique conventional ideas of art and culture. 

This idea was embraced by Devo by making music that was often syncopated. They were also among the first groups to use synthesizers in their music. The idea was to create a sound that was de-humanized to reflect the devolution of society. This is evident in their deconstruction of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.” 

While their material in the ’70s had a grungier, guitar-heavy sound, by the early-’80s, the band had an almost completely synthesized sound. People missing the point called them sell-outs, despite the fact that lyrically they were still exploring the same ideas that defined them from the beginning.

The title track from 1980’s “Freedom of Choice” — the album that, thanks to “Whip It,” launched them into the mainstream — proclaimed “Freedom of choice/Is what you got/Freedom from choice/Is what you want.” That’s a bold political statement from a band dismissed as a novelty act. 

Similarly, in the subsequent album, “New Traditionalists,” the song “A Beautiful World” presents itself as an upbeat ballad until ending with “It's a beautiful world/For you, for you, for you/It's not for me.”

Devo as floating spuds in a promotional photo from the album “Oh, No! It’s Devo." (COURTESY OF CLUBDEVO.COM)

The song I keep returning to is “Patterns,” from 1982’s “Oh, No! It’s Devo.” The lyrics state: “In this land where stability is hard to find/You can rearrange the patterns so unkind/Don't bother asking why a pattern never cries/Old patterns never die they just go on and on.”

We are currently stuck in two notably repeating patterns. We are in danger of not learning from the 1918 flu pandemic, which had an even more deadly second wave. If we aren’t careful, the same thing could repeat with COVID-19. 

Trump has suggested invoking the Insurrection Act, which is the only way a president can send military units into an active law-enforcement role. The last time this was used was to quell the 1992 L.A. riots, which were ignited when four Los Angeles Police officers were acquitted for using excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King, which had been videotaped and widely viewed in TV broadcasts. Again, as Devo said nearly 40 years ago, “patterns all around you.”

[alecthemovieguy]

What does being an adult mean for a millennial?

This weekend, a friend on Facebook shared a series of tweets by a Twitter user named Spoopy Moraine (@dynamicsymmetry) that were first posted in October 2018. The tweets addressed the general sense of ennui that millennials are feeling as they grow older. 

“I strongly suspect that a significant percentage of us are struggling with the fact that many of the benchmarks for different stages of adulthood that we grew up with no longer apply to us, and it’s causing us to feel unmoored,” wrote Moraine, who now goes by Dr. Sunny Moraine, PhD in Hand-Washing on Twitter.

She went on to address how a lot of millennials, the generation defined as being born roughly between 1980 to 1994, aren’t getting married, having kids, finishing college or getting “real jobs.” 

“I don’t know what adult means,'' Moraine wrote. “I’m looking around for clothes for anything that is a cultural benchmark of what it means to be 40-year-old Sunny and 50-year-old Sunny and I swear to God, I have absolutely nothing.”

As a 37-year-old with an extensive collection of graphic T-shirts and hoodies, who collects toys, loves board and card games, still watches cartoons and enjoys eating sugary cereals, I absolutely relate to the feeling that I’m not dressing or acting the part of an adult. 

At the same time, I have hit many of the benchmarks of adulthood. I got married, earned a master’s degree, have a career, and own a house, but those things don’t make you an adult. Those are merely the societally-accepted trappings of what being an adult looks like.

On the most basic level, being an adult is being responsible and being respectful to others. All the other societal constructs of adulthood are meaningless. By that definition, there are a people 20, 30 or 40 years older than me that don’t act like adults. 

Still, because there’s this pressure to look, act and think a certain way as an adult, I often still feel like a kid. Part of this could be that I am regularly still talked down to by my elders.

There’s generational tension between millennials and the baby boomers (born between 1946-1964) as optimized by the “OK, Boomer” meme, that is meant to point out that the boomer generation is out of step with modern times.

On the flip side, many baby boomers (but certainly not all) tend to view millennials and Generation Z (born between 1995-2005) as lazy, irresponsible, and entitled.

Are there people in my generation and the generation below me that can fall into that description? Absolutely. But the same can be said of people from all age groups. It is just easier to look at someone in a hoodie with brightly colored hair and tattoos as being a ne'er-do-well when, in fact, they may well be an upstanding, hard-working member of society. 

In some respects, I think millennials and Generation Zers are more mature than our predecessors. For decades, the idea of being an adulthood was presented as giving up aspects of yourself and things that made you happy as a child or teen so as to fit a socially accepted mold regardless of if it fit you.

For a lot of people, being an adult meant being miserable. Or at least that’s what we were told. Wives were the old ball and chain. Work was the daily grind. But millennials (and the Generation Zers) are not sacrificing who we are. We are finding a way to be grown up and happy and (some) members of older generations seem to resent this. 

Culturally, I think we have moved past the goal posts Moraine discussed in her Tweets. I am not saying that people no longer want to go to college, have a career, get married, buy a house and have kids, but that people are realizing you don’t necessarily need those things to feel fulfilled.  

There’s no longer a set order or timeline in which to achieve those goals. There was this idea that if you didn’t achieve all of  that by 30 that you were a failure. Now, people are realizing if you want those things, it is fine if you reach them by 40 or even 50.

The issue is that societal pressures haven’t caught up with cultural shifts. This also applies to gender roles and identities, racial representation, sexual identity and the mainstreaming of tattoos and colored hair. We are progressing culturally, but so much in society is structured to follow old ideals that have been ingrained into our society for centuries.

And it isn’t necessarily the older generation forcing these ideas upon us. The media we have consumed for decades — books, magazines, TV shows, films, theater, music, etc. — on a subconscious level has trained us to think a certain way. This is why you’ll hear teens already hung up on achieving goal posts in a certain order. As a society, we need to stop this and remove the guilt associated without reaching these goal posts. Not everyone wants to achieve these goals or do them in a specific order and that’s OK.

Many (but not all) within the older generations cling to old constructs because it is all they know and it gives them comfort. Change is hard to accept. Of course, there are those that gladly embrace the progress that many of their contemporaries are resistant to and resentful of. What is problematic is when outdated values are passed down to a new generation. Then you have pre-teens, teens and 20-something spouting values that no longer make sense.

So, to my fellow millennials, yes, we are adults. We were handed a world different than our predecessors, and we are trying to find our own path through it. We are trying to learn from past mistakes, to keep what makes sense and toss out what doesn’t. We are trying to create a world that is more inclusive, understanding and tolerant. It is the mature thing to do.

[alecthemovieguy]

Being Nicole

‘Supergirl’ star Nicole Maines’ passion for transgender rights makes her super in real life, too

Transgender activist and actor Nicole Maines knew she was a girl around the age of 3 or 4. 

“My case is kind of unique because I have a twin brother (Jonas),” she told Ellen Degeneres during an appearance on “Ellen” in 2018. “So, growing up with him, he was identifying with all these male things and feeling very comfortable in his body, and I wasn’t.” 

Maines, the subject of the Mount Washington Valley’s One Book One Valley community read “Becoming Nicole,” slowing began publicly transitioning in the first grade, and officially presented herself as female in the fifth grade, when she changed her name from Wyatt to Nicole. 

Maines, who is turning 22 on Oct. 7, became the center of the precedent-setting Maine Supreme Judicial Court case Doe v. Regional School Unit 26 regarding gender identity and bathroom use in schools. Maines had been barred from using the female bathroom after a complaint, but the court ruled that denying a transgender student access to the bathroom consistent with their gender identity is unlawful. 

In 2018, Maines debuted as Nia Nal/Dreamer, television’s first transgender superhero, on “Supergirl.” She is returning as a series regular for season five which premieres Sunday, Oct. 6, at 9 p.m. on The CW. 

One Book One Valley has a series of events throughout October culminating in an evening with “Becoming Nicole” author Amy Ellis Nutt on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. at Loynd Auditorium at Kennett High School in North Conway, N.H. In addition to Nutt, the plan is to have the Maines family be part of the discussion through a Skype connection.

I recently talked with Maines about growing up transgender, activism, privilege and the upcoming season of “Supergirl.”

“Becoming Nicole” is beautifully written, but it is very journalistic and academic in its approach. Is there anything you would’ve done differently or included in telling that story?

I don’t know. I think, of course, Amy did a phenomenal job, and I am so happy with how the book came out because I think it really does have something for everyone, whether or not you’re just starting to learn about transitioning and you’re looking for something new. But there was so much that had to be cut out in the final editing process and, unfortunately, a lot of what did get cut out was original writing from Jonas’ perspective. I don’t know if it was something I would’ve done differently, I think it is more of a shame that it couldn’t make it into the final cut. It was just so long before it was cut. So, I do hope at some point people do get to see that because it is really, really beautiful.

In “Becoming Nicole,” a therapist told your parents that you weren’t transgender because you were peeing standing up. What are some other examples you’ve encountered of misinformation about what transgender is?

Where do I even begin? So many people think that it is one of those things that you can kind of slap a label on and say, “This is what this is,” and with something as expansive as gender it is really impossible to paint it as very black and white. So many people have tried to say “Oh, all trans people look like this. This is how you spot a trans person.” And that’s 1) offensive, and 2) not true or realistic. 

I think a lot of that has to do with how historically we are represented in the media: men in dresses and this and that. It is so much more expansive than that. No one group of people looks a certain way, and it is dangerous to try to categorize people like that. So, I think besides the peeing standing up, which is ridiculous, what is equally ridiculous is the idea that some people think that they can spot a trans person, and that’s sort of the whole basis of their argument. 

You know how sometimes you read certain blogs or you read certain Twitter accounts just to make yourself mad? I stumbled across one, it was a really popular TERF account — which stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminists, which is pretty much feminists who believe trans women aren’t women, and they use recycled rhetoric from the ’70s saying that trans women are just men trying to invade women’s spaces and stupid shit like that. It was this person going on and on about, like, “Oh, none of you pass. None of you look like women. Yada yada yada.” And I was like, 1) no room to talk because her haircut was atrocious, and 2) come say it to my face. It really made me mad. It is atrocious that people think they can spot something like that. It is ridiculous. 

It is kind of like the back-handed compliment that I receive a lot, that is “Oh, you don’t look trans,” or “Oh, never really would’ve guessed.” A lot of the time, I try not to jump on people for that because I know it is coming from a place where they’re trying to give me a compliment, but what does trans look like? What did you think I was going to look like? 

And, of course, everyone thinks that we are supposed to look like men in dresses, which —  even if we did — is rude as hell to say something like that because, not only is that stupid, but it is also reinforcing negative beauty standards among women, not just trans women, but women. Because you hear about the bathroom bills and they are like, “Oh, we are going to enforce no trans people in bathrooms.” Well, how are you going to enforce that? And then you get cases of cis women getting kicked out of the bathrooms because they look more masculine than others. Even for cisgender women that is not a black and white line. People look different, and it is totally unfair and unreasonable to say just because someone has harder features than somebody else that this is what is going on in your pants. That feels like a wild, crazy assumption to me. 

So, obviously your father always loved you, but he struggled with your identity. Was there a specific moment when you finally felt truly seen by him?

I know a lot of moments where he really started having light bulb moments. I think for me, one of the first moments where I felt like I started being seen was when I started wearing girl’s clothes to school. My transition started going there slowly, but between second and third grade I had gone from wearing longer hair to wearing girl’s clothes all the time. I don’t know if it was even just my father, but by everyone, but that is when I started feeling like I was being seen. Then in fifth grade was when I had fully transitioned. I was allowed to pierce my ears and I was allowed to wear skirts and dresses. That really felt like I am seen. And then, of course, when my father finally started fighting for me. Because I knew, at that point, he still didn’t fully understand, but when he started defending me and defending my transition and my using the girl’s bathroom, I felt like I had him on my side. 

I love last season of “Supergirl.” One of my favorite moments was when Nia Nal/Dreamer publicly announced herself as both an alien and a transgender woman because it put a positive face on a group who were being demonized in the show. How important do you think it is to give a face to marginalized people?

It is incredibly important. The best way to fight against marginalization and the most effective way that we fight back against people who are trying to erase us is with visibility. When you have an administration who, for incidents in a crazy hypothetical, removed me from the 2020 census, then the best way to combat that is to be more visible than ever. By saying, OK, you’re trying to make people think that we are not valid, you’re trying to make people think we don’t exist and that we are not solid and valid in our identities and our existence. Well, then we are going to show you that we are. We are going to show you: no, you cannot ignore us because we are here and it doesn’t really matter what you believe. It doesn’t really matter if you say, “Well, I don’t really believe in transgender.” Well, it isn’t really something for you to believe in because whether you like it or not, we are here. We exist and that’s not a matter of opinion. You do not get to choose whether or not my identity is valid because I am not doing it for you and we are not going to let you erase that. So, I think visibility is the number one method of defense against erasure. 

Based on the trailer, the new season of “Supergirl” partially deals with the betrayal and anger Lena Luthor feels toward Carol Danvers hiding her identity of Supergirl from her. This seems like an apt metaphor for the similar sense of betrayal, hurt and confusion some people feel when a loved one comes out as trans or gay. Do you think that is intentional?

I don’t know if it was intentional. I think because there are so many different layers with Carol and Lena’s relationship, and especially with the Kryptonian-Luthor relationship. I think it is hard to boil it down to just that, because I get why Lena is upset and I get why those feelings are floating around, but personally, I’m kind of like nobody owes any facet of their identity to anybody but themselves. If they did not feel that they wanted to share a part of their identity with you, you don’t get to be mad about that. That is something that belongs entirely to them and if they did not choose, for whatever reason to disclose that part of themselves, that’s not because you necessarily did anything wrong, that’s because they had a choice and that’s not necessarily on them either. But, like I said, it is different between being trans and being a superhero. It is hard because, at the same time, it is like, “Oh, you were treating me like Lex, and I’m not Lex. You can trust me.” So, there’s a whole bunch of other stuff floating around, but I don’t know if it was a 100 percent intentional, but there are definitely connections. 

That’s the great thing about sci-fi is that it can always be used as a metaphor for exploring social issues. 

Absolutely. 

How will Nia Nal be challenged in the new season?

The theme of this season is communication, and so something Nia is struggling with the first chunk of the season is communicating with how she feels with Brainiac because they’ve been dating and they have been having communication issues. Neither of them are the best at relationships, and so this is kind of a new area for her and she’s trying to work out, “How do I express how I feel without hurting you?” And that’s something she struggles with a lot. It is being open and honest with how she’s feeling and trying not to bottle up what she is feeling for the sake of other people. 

What I also really love about Nia Nal is when she puts herself out there — kind of going off the whole thing of passing — she does pass as both a human and a woman, and so she doesn’t need to put herself out there, but by doing so she empowers others. Do you also try to lead by example in your own life?

Absolutely, I recognize 100 percent as Nia and as Nicole that I have an insane amount of privilege. I’m white and, like you said, I pass and I’m on TV. And I mention that I am on TV because when we look at issues like HB2 and we look at bathroom bills and stuff like that, that is not necessarily going to affect me as someone who passes and as someone who is in Vancouver. I’m working in Vancouver, HB2 will not affect me. I am not there. But I recognize that there are issues that are affecting members of my community who don’t have the same significant platform that I do. And so it is my responsibility as a member of that community, as someone with that platform, to lift them up and to start to shine a light on issues that are affecting members of my community, even if I personally will not feel the impact of that harmful legislation. 

It is important and that’s what we talk about in feminist circles. We are always talking about how can people with privilege use that privilege to lift others up, to better the situation of others who don’t have those some privileges. We ask that of men, we ask that of white people, we ask that of abled-body people, of trans women who pass. We ask that people use their privilege responsibly. And so that is what I try to do and I hope that I am succeeding. I just try to use my platform and use my voice to talk about issues that I feel matter. 

Going back to “Becoming Nicole,” the book discusses “The Little Mermaid” as a metaphor for being transgender because Ariel doesn’t feel she belongs in the ocean and everyone tells her you have to be with your own people blah, blah, blah. Ariel was one of your favorite characters growing up, do you feel even at a young age you were drawn to this character because your struggle paralleled her struggle?

I guess subconsciously, yes, but on a surface level, I liked mermaids. I don’t know why I liked it so much and that’s why I say subconsciously I was drawn to it. I remember loving that more than anything else. I loved everything about her. I remember I was like, “That is what I want for myself.” I was like, “She is so beautiful, and she is so graceful,” which is not a trait that I’ve been able to replicate in my own life. I remember being so drawn to her, and I was like “Mom, Dad, that is what we are going for. That is the look.” Between her and, I’ve said it before, Storm from the X-Men. I remember watching “X-Men: The Animated Series” as as kid and she had that hair and the cape and was like “Oh, that’s drama. I love it.” 

And now you have your own cape. 

Well, metaphorically speaking. I don’t have a superhero cape. I feel a little cheated. 

Well, maybe you can get one. 

No, I have the best supersuit. It is shiny and holographic. It is awesome. 

One part I really liked in “Becoming Nicole,” I think it was before you were going to enter fifth grade, you were asked what kind of story you’d tell and you said it would be this mystery/comedy/fantasy with a sassy character and a sidekick who was even sassier. If you were to write that story now what do you think it would look like?

Oh my God. Well, it would definitely have the sassy character and the sassier sidekick, because I remember growing up I was always the biggest fan of the sassy comic relief characters, which is why I tried to play that role in my own regular life, which took some getting used to. I remember in middle school people didn’t exactly get the whole me trying-to-be-funny and I think it just came across as annoying. If I was going to write that story now, I think it would absolutely be about murder that would be the mystery. The comedy that would manifest itself in probably macabre, offbeat humor about murder. And then the fantasy ... they are all vampires. I’m just describing “Bit.”

I haven’t been able to find anyway to watch “Bit” (which stars Maines as a transgender teen who falls in with four queer feminist vampires, who try to rid Los Angeles' streets of predatory men), but I am very interested in that film. What was it like making that?

It was so amazing and I hope you’ll be able to watch soon. Right now, it is making its festival rounds, and hoping someone will choose to distribute it, and we’re like, “Pay us, please!” It was so incredible. Everyone on set was amazing and our writer/director Brad Michael Elmore is the coolest dude on the planet. I was talking about using our privilege to tell stories that matter and to raise up minority voices, and that’s absolutely what he did in this situation. I know a lot of the festivals we have gone to have been feminist festivals and gay festivals, and we’ve had a significant amount of people kind of be like, “Oh, you were written by a straight cis white guy,” and we’re like,“Yeah, and he’s doing exactly what we want him to be doing, which is using his privilege to create this super awesome movie featuring queer and interracial talent, this intersectional group of feminists.” We had a female DP which how awesome is that? We had this super awesome kaleidoscope of different identities in this film and I feel like some folks are very quick to write it off because it was written by a straight cis white guy. 1) I don’t feel that is fair to Brad, and 2) I don’t think that is fair to the movie. The movie is so cool and the movie deals with such cool issues and it approaches them all in such a fucking awesome way. To write it off because of who our director is feels very shortsighted. 

And obviously you wouldn’t say or do anything that felt disingenuous to your own experience. 

Yes, absolutely. I was like, “Ye of little faith.” 

When you were 13 years old you went to the Maine statehouse and spoke to dozens of representatives to convince them to vote against a bill that would make it legal to discriminate against trans people. Do you have any interest in getting into politics either working for a campaign or as a candidate yourself?

I think I would be willing to support someone else’s campaign. Politics are not for me. I do not have the stomach for that. I do not have the patience for that. I know where my lane is and it is absolutely not going for an elected position. I am more the person who shows up when the politicians are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. That’s when I get involved. 

The big thing I took away from “Becoming Nicole” was that prejudice and hate is something that is taught, because the boy who started harassing you the most was told by his grandfather that you were wrong and that he should go after you. And so I guess the question is, what do you do to undo these wrongheaded lessons that are passed down by parents or grandparents?

I think the first step comes from within. You cannot make anybody do anything. You cannot make somebody unlearn hate and prejudice. That journey has to start with themselves. With my father — and, of course, he was never outwardly hateful or anything, I always knew he loved me — but his journey to acceptance started with him deciding to pick up Jennifer Finney Boylan’s book (about being a transgender woman) and read it. He had to ask himself what he was so afraid of if his son was his daughter. He had to ask himself what about that terrified him so much. And that’s what every person has to do. 

Every person has to be aware of their own prejudices and their own biases. We all have them. We have to be aware of them. We have to actively work to undo them because it is something we are taught, not even just by our parents or caretakers, but through television and society. We are pumped full of biases and prejudices that we are not even aware of, and so we have to pay extra care and extra caution to do undo those. And when we catch ourselves, we have to recognize, “No, that’s not right” and go from there.

It has to be a conscious choice, and so that is hard. It is a hard thing to do. It is a really gross feeling to try to unlearn stuff like that, and so a lot of people won’t do that because a lot of people are more comfortable being like, “No, I don’t get it, that’s gross, I don’t like it and I’m going to hate it.” That is much easier and much more comfortable then asking yourself what you are afraid of. As socially responsible participants in the community, we have a responsibility to ask that question anyway. All of us have to ask that question and not just about trans issues, because if we don’t do that, if we are looking for what is easy and what is comfortable at the expense of other people, then stay inside. 

And I feel like the biggest thing is if you’re afraid of a gay person or trans person or black, Hispanic, whatever social issue, if you actually talk to these people that you are afraid of, that you’d see that they are just human beings.

That is the number one thing. It is so much easier to marginalize a group of people when you are not putting names to faces, when we are not putting faces to groups, when you are dehumanizing them. It is so much easier to sweep their plights under the rug and be like, “Oh, they don’t matter,” because you are not talking to them, you’re not seeing them as people. That’s why I always say, “Come say it to my face.” It is so much harder to be an asshole to someone’s face because you have to look them in the eye and tell them their rights don’t matter.

[alecthemovieguy]

Unsolicited marriage advice: Don’t fall into the gender-roles trap

Last week, one of the columnist I edit wrote about “old-school wife-prodding direction-asking”  (for those who may read this who don’t me, I work for a newspaper in New Hampshire). That sort of reinforcement of dated gender roles always makes me wince. In fact, my wife Ashley and I always joke that she’s the dude in our relationship because I’m the one more apt to want to ask where something is when we are wandering around aimlessly in a store.

The more I hear stories from Ashley about the women she talks to and from my own personal observations, it seems a lot people (at least in our area, which is rural) are clinging to gender roles in relationships and, in many cases, it seems to lead to a lack of communication and resentment in the relationship.

Whenever you get married, there’s a disparaging tone about marriage. It is done jokingly, but I never found it amusing. In the days, weeks and months leading up to my wedding day, there were the usual cracks about “the old ball and chain” and the idea of giving up my freedom.

The general picture painted off a married couple is that of the nagging wife and the lazy husband, and it seems like a lot of people are willing to accept or fall into those roles. “Hey, that’s just the way it is.” Actually, no, it isn’t or at least it shouldn’t be.

I tend to do most of the cooking in our household, which is something that tends to surprise people.  That’s a womanly chore, not a manly one. I lived alone from 2007 to 2011 and a good part of 2005 and 2006 while I was in grad school, so I learned to cook for myself. It is something I enjoy doing and so I continue to do so now that I’m married.

I also tend to do the dishes because Ashley has sensitive skin and, honestly, I sort of enjoy doing dishes. I enjoy the puzzle aspect of putting the dishes in the drying rack so that they fit perfectly and for maximized space. Ashley and I share other cleaning duties and will often do them together. When people hear this, they tell Ashley she’s so lucky to have a guy who is willing to do these things. To me, it only seems fair.

Marriage is a partnership. Ashley and I are partners in crime and so we share duties and decide things together. I don’t see it as me “having to check-in with my wife” because I’m on a leash or whipped, but rather a sign of respect because we are sharing our lives. That doesn’t mean that one of us can’t do something on our own or with someone else, but that we aren’t simply going off without considering the other person.

People seem surprised that Ashley and I still hold hands together in public. We’re told how cute we are. Most people are surprised that in October, Ashley and I will be celebrating five years of marriage and eight total years of being together. Again, we are told we lucky to still be in the “honeymoon phase.”

I’m not going to pretend like my relationship is perfect. Ashley and I do fight and get frustrated with each other, but that’s inevitable when you spend a lot of time with anyone. It is unavoidable that you’ll get under someone’s skin, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other. But we make sure to never leave an issue unresolved. In the past, this meant a few sleepless nights but it was better to work things out then to go to bed mad and let things fester and rot into something far uglier.

Relationships are hard but not necessarily for the reasons people make them out to be. A relationship shouldn’t be hard because people fall into the roles of the nag and the lazy loaf. You have to be willing to communicate and to compromise.

Ashley regular tells me “Sometimes I forgot you’re another person.” It seems obvious, but, yes, even if you see eye-to-eye on a lot of things with a significant other, you are two different people, and it is important to try to see and understand the other person’s point of view. That’s where it can be hard and that’s where you have to put the work in. But it isn’t a chore, it is what strengthens the relationship.

At the end of the day, I don’t just love Ashley, I like her. I like spending time with her. She’s the first person I want to share things with. I enjoy laughing with her and being total goofballs together. It is true: marry your best friend. We still make people want to puke with our cuteness because we didn’t let being married change what made us work in the first place.

There’s a lot of cliches and stereotypes about what it means to be married that are perpetuate by our culture. Ignore them. You don’t need to settle for a guy who still doesn’t think he needs to help with the cooking and cleaning. That shit is stale. Talk to each other, stay true to yourselves and make your own way.

[alecthemovieguy]

Scene changes

From left: Dan Tetreault, M&D Playhouse’s operations director; Pam Macdonald, Arts in Motion Theater Co. board member; Aimee Frechette, Arts in Motion board member; Glenn Noble, Arts in Motion’s  co-founder and board president; Ken Martin, M&D's co-founder; Ashley Gore, Arts in Motion board member; Deb Jasien, M&D's board president and Eric Jordan, M&D Playhouse's new artistic director at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse.. (ASHLEY KERR PHOTO)

M&D Playhouse, Arts in Motion get new homes

CONWAY, N.H. — In the coming weeks, the curtain will rise on a very different-looking community theater scene in the Mount Washington Valley.

M&D Playhouse will be leaving its home of 10 years at Willow Common to relocate to the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in the heart of North Conway Village.

Meanwhile, Arts in Motion Theater Company, which has been at the playhouse since 2013, will soon be collaborating with Conway Parks & Recreation at the town department's new home at Kennett Middle School in Conway Village.

The two companies offer different experiences to the theater-going public. M&D offers modern, sometimes edgy fare along with popular comedies, children's theater and musical, while youth productions, such as "Peter Pan" and "Charlotte's Web," have been Arts in Motion's bread and butter.

“Arts in Motion is going back to its roots,” said Glenn Noble, Arts in Motion’s co-founder and board president. “Arts in Motion started in rehearsals and performances right in the Conway Recreation Department in Center Conway.”

Ava Frechette in Arts in Motion Theater Co's production of "Alice in Wonderland" from August 2017. It was the theater company's final show at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse. (CONNOR DEAN PHOTO)

While Arts in Motion, whose last performance at the playhouse was “Alice in Wonderland” in August 2017, enjoyed its time there, Noble admits that taking on the space “was a lot,” especially since, in its 27 years, the theater company had previously never had a home of its own.

Over the last year and a half, Arts in Motion was reorganizing, while continuing to produce several murder mystery improv performances for  Conway Scenic Railroad and private organizations. When the chance to partner with Conway Rec became available, it was clearly the right move for the organization.

“I’m so glad that (rec director) John Eastman came through for them to go back into the rec center,” said Deb Jasien, M&D’s board president. “I didn’t realize that that is where they started originally. It’s a full circle.”

Aimee Frechette, an Arts in Motion board member who has been associated with the company since she was in elementary school, recalls rehearsing in the current Conway Rec Center and is happy to see Arts in Motion reconnect with the rec department.

From left: Pam Macdonald, Arts in Motion Theater Co. board member; Aimee Frechette, board member; Glenn Noble, Theater Co.'s co-founder and board president; and Ashley Gore, board member at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse. (ASHLEY KERR PHOTO)

“The mission of Arts in Motion is definitely to bring the theater experience to children in our community, so it seems like a natural partnership to go back to where we started,” said Frechette who has done choreography for both Arts in Motion and M&D.

Even though leaving the playhouse, which Noble calls a “beautiful space,” is sad, Noble and Arts in Motion are thrilled to see that the space will not be left empty.

“We are excited as hell that M&D is going in there, because we met with their board and we’re extremely excited that they are going to be able to keep that going in there,” Noble said. “We couldn’t have better words to say about that.”

Joe Berry, owner of the Eastern Slope Inn is also pleased to see M&D move into the historic playhouse, which was first built in the 1880s and rebuilt in 1941 following a fire.

“All of us at Eastern Slope Inn are very enthused to have the award-winning M&D come to the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse for their new home,” said Joe Berry, owner of the Eastern Slope Inn. “This talented group of theater people from all over our region are organized, focused, and we look forward to each of their productions for the community.”

Ken Martin (left), the co-founder of M&D Playhouse, and Glenn Noble, co-founder of Arts in Motion, stand in front the of Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse sign. (ASHLEY KERR PHOTO)

The playhouse was the former home of the Mount Washington Valley Theatre Co. from 1971 to 2012. In the 1970s, the summer stock theater saw the likes of Gordon Clapp and, Geena Davis, David Strathairn and filmmaker John Sayles grace its stage. The company's final production was “Stop the World, I Want to Get Off.”

M&D, which has been a part of the valley since 2000, officially took possession of the playhouse on April 1, has already begun implementing some big changes, including removing several rows of seating to incorporate a new bar area at the back of the theater.

“Anyone who has been in that space realizes it doesn’t have any lobby area,” said Ken Martin, co-founder of M&D. “Our first priority is to accommodate our bar area, because that is an income source for us, and we’re going to try and expand the lobby area a little bit to create some kind of a seating space for people and to make access to tickets so people are not standing out in the rain on a rainy night or a snowy night.”

The space issue at the playhouse also means that M&D will be renting a second location next to Family Dollar at 234 White Mountain Highway in Conway. This other location, dubbed the Studio Space, will be used for the storage of costumes and props, set builds, and as a rehearsal space.

Ashley Kerr (left), M&D Playhouse's marketing director, and board member Debbie Cross organize costumes at the M&D's new Studio Space located at 234 White Mountain Highway in Conway. (ALEC KERR PHOTO)

“Having another place off-site that’s for rehearsals is going to be huge,” said Dan Tetreault who is M&D’s operations manager and master carpenter. “Because how often are we struggling for the space? Everybody’s fighting for it. With the plans that I have for creating the space in there (at Conway), there should be no reason why I can’t be in the shop building and working on something while they’re rehearsing.”

In addition to the move, M&D has a new artistic director. Eric Jordan, a regular on and off M&D’s stage as an actor and director, has stepped into the position in anticipation of Martin’s move to Hawaii in September 2020.

“I didn’t realize at the time when I tried out for my first show (with M&D) that it was the first season that we had here,” Jordan said standing outside of M&D’s former location in Willow Common. “It’s really starting to hit home for me because the whole history of my involvement with M&D is this building, and the whole history of M&D’s involvement with this building is with me. It blew my mind a little bit that now I’m a big part of the future, planning, and the direction we’re going to end up going in with this new space.”

Jordan, who has been training under Martin for a year and a half, selected the shows for last year as well as the current season.

"At first it was a little nerve wracking. Would I be able to continue the tradition of M&D?” Jordan said.

Martin wasn’t concerned though because he shares “a similar artistic vision” with Jordan.

M&D Playhouse's artistic director Eric Jordan works on storage space for costume at M&D's new Studio Space located at 234 White Mountain Highway in Conway. (ASHLEY KERR PHOTO)

“We do have to keep a nice mix of comedy, musicals and dramas, but he tends to the dark side as I did,” Martin said. “He did a good job (picking last season) and I’ve seen him grow so much from when he first stepped on the stage here (10 years ago) to where he is today. He’s an entirely different person.”

Martin will remain on the board as an advisor and no longer has a title, but he’s confident that he’s left the theater in good hands.

“I feel really positive about the people who are involved in the theater right now,” Martin said. “They all have a love of this place and want it to succeed, and I couldn’t have asked for more than that. I really couldn’t have when I started this.”

While leaving its home for the last decade is emotional for M&D, the move into the playhouse was an opportunity too good to pass up.

“We’re going to miss the space, obviously, because it grew with us,” said M&D’s board president Deb Jasien. “The opportunity to be in the middle of town and to have our patrons be able to access a myriad of different restaurants that they can go to before the show or after the show is a plus. It was a little bit limited down where we were.”

Tetreault laments having to leave the stage he did so much acting on, but can’t deny that the playhouse will allow M&D to grow in new and exciting ways.

“It was a great place to play in because you were always right there,” Tetreault said. “I think about how many times I died almost right in the audience’s lap. That’s a real connection. We’re going to lose some of that, but there are great advantages (to the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse) at the same time. It’s a real playhouse, it’s set up for everything that a playhouse wants, so in that sense, it’s great. It’s a bigger, deeper stage. The possibilities for stagecraft is huge.”

Eric Jordan, M&D Playhouse's new artistic director; Deb Jasien, M&D's board president; Ken Martin, M&D's co-founder and Dan Tetreault, M&D’s operations director stand inside the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse in North Conway. (ASHLEY KERR PHOTO)

The playhouse stage, which is significantly larger than M&D’s former stage, will allow for the theater company to attempt different kinds of shows that previously weren’t an option.

“It’s definitely going to affect the type of shows that we end up doing, just because of the atmosphere of the room,” Jordan said. “With that proscenium and everything, we can do shows that are very presentational. Where everything is front-facing and grand and big and you have to mic everybody. That sort of thing has always been a little too much for our space because people are right on top of you, and if you’re shouting at them it’s a little much.”

Larger shows that Jordan is interested in exploring at some point include the musical adaptations of “Matilda” and “Let the Right One In.” He also wants to continue doing at least one children’s show a year.

“I think that we have to do at least one (kids production), especially in that space,” Jordan said. “We’re like the keepers of an experience. To go in the front door and be faced with the room and the stage and the atmosphere of it. I think we’re now the caretakers of that atmosphere and we have to still provide the opportunity for everyone to experience it.”

As for Arts in Motion, much of what is next for them is contingent on the progress of the construction of the new rec center at the middle school. A new stage is part of the plan for the space.

Crews from Advanced Building Systems works on demolition of the “new gym” in the new Conway Parks & Recreation Center in Kennett Middle School earlier this year. (JAMIE GEMMITI PHOTO)

According to Conway Selectman Mary Seavey, who is also on Arts in Motion’s board as well as the Friends of Conway Rec board, the stage is third on the priority list behind a reception area and a handicap bathroom that will be close to the gym.

“I’ve been actively working with the Friends,” Seavey said. “I’ve been actively involved with guiding them on the grant for getting the stage. I was actively involved in the decision making of the Arts in Motion to move on becoming partners/involved with the rec center.”

Seavey, who was a graduate of Kennett High School when it was still located at the middle school, is eager to see the space return to being a vital part of the community.

“I have a very big interest in that space coming back alive and restoring the high school back into its youthfulness,” Seavey said.

The partnership with Arts in Motion is key to that revitalization.

“Arts in Motion’s mission is children,” Seavey said. “And I think it has been the dream of many people on the rec board to offer things for all kids.”

Frechette agrees that Arts in Motion’s involvement will allow the rec center to be able to offer options for all types of kids.

“Not every child likes to be outside playing an organized sport and so I think it also expands the rec department’s offerings to be able to rope in other children who might not find that athletic sports focus to be their forte.”

While no productions are on the horizon for Arts in Motion, they will be offering a summer camp in July, with Jake Dunham, a 2010 graduate of Fryeburg Academy, as camp director.

“Arts in Motion has been an integral part of my personal and professional development,” said Dunham, an award-winning director who now lives in New York City. “I enrolled in their theater camps and productions at a very young age. Nurturing creative, young talent is crucial to a child’s development, and Arts in Motion excels in this.”

In Art in Motion’s early days, the company toured New Hampshire and partnered with rec centers to provide weeklong summer camps for kids where they would write, choreograph and produce their own original shows. These summer camps have become a staple of Arts in Motion's programming.

One of Arts in Motion’s youth theater camps from 2015.

The six-week summer camp that Dunham will be leading will allow kids to sign up one week at a time and learn different elements of theater. Each week will culminate with a public performance.

“It’s so exciting that Arts in Motion has a new facility to continue its phenomenal work,” Dunham said. “I am honored to be back in the valley this summer as camp director, giving a new generation what was once given to me.”

M&D, which has a won 32 NH Theatre Awards, is a three-time winner of Best Local Theater Company in the Sun’s Best of the Valley and the 2007 recipient of the New England Theatre Conference’s award for Outstanding Achievement in the American Theatre, will be opening its first production, “The House of Yes,” at the playhouse on April 18.

In addition, M&D will be hosting a fundraising silent auction on April 13 at its former location at 1857 White Mountain Highway. The company will be auctioning off furniture that they are unable to take with them, as well as many gift certificates and items from local businesses.

“We believe this is a great way for people to take a piece of M&D with them, while supporting us in this next chapter,” said Marketing Director Ashley Kerr.

With the big changes ahead, all parties involved agree that the valley's two non-profit community theater companies have found homes that will not only help them to grow but to better support the valley’s thriving arts community.

“We are so fortunate to have two really strong organizations whose missions are to bring theater to our community,” Frechette said. “It is a crazy time but, at the same time, I see it as a beautiful opportunity to continue to enhance the amazing things that people are already doing. It is really positive all around.”

[alecthemovieguy]

The other f-word in movies

Recently, I introduced my wife to the “Bill and Ted” movies. She was largely won over by their goofy and sincere charm, but what surprised us both, given the good-natured feel of these films, was the usage of the word fag in the films — once in “Excellent Adventure” and twice in “Bogus Journey.”

It is an unfortunate fact that this is something you’ll stumble upon quite frequently in films — particularly comedies — from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. It ran most rampant in the 1980s, probably in response to queer fear fueled by the AIDS epidemic. When you come upon an example of it, it is often wince-inducing and dates films that otherwise hold up well.

In nearly all occurrences, fag or faggot was used as an insult — typically between men — to denote weakness or sissiness, or as a way to not seem gay during moments of male affection or bonding. This is the case in “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” in which the boys embrace after discovering the seemingly dead Ted was alive. Both shout “fag” after hugging. The modern equivalent would be the equally bro-y “no homo.”

The moment feels completely out of character. It isn’t a stretch to believe late ’80s metalheads/stoners would use such language, but it is stretch to believe these two particular metalheads would.

Bill and Ted (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) are so genial, sweet, kind and oddly well-spoken, it is hard to imagine them using a slur, even one that was commonly accepted at the time. After all, it goes against their mantra “Be excellent to each other.” There’s a innocence and sincerity to Bill and Ted that is cheapened by the use of that word.

In “Bogus Journey,” it is the evil robot Bill and Ted that use the vulgarity, and that feels more appropriate given they are, you know, evil.

But later, non-evil Ted refers to the devil as a fag and, again, it feels utterly out of character, especially since it is using the word to denote that something or someone is terrible.

This connotation of the word was prevalent in the 1990s into the early 2000s but in the form of the somewhat softer “gay,” as in “That’s gay,” when referring to something as lame, stupid or bad. 

Another example that has always bothered me is in Mel Brooks’ “History of the World: Part 1.” In the Roman segment, Caesar (Dom DeLuise) refers to his court spokesman (Howard Morris) as a faggot twice. This is cringy enough but it gets worse when Brooks — as a standup comic who is playing Caesar’s Palace  — delivers the joke:

“We Romans are rich. We got a lot of gods. We got a god for everything. The only thing we don’t have a god for is premature ejaculation. But I hear that is coming quickly.”

The film then cuts to Morris laughing hysterically before cutting back to Brooks making an aside, “The little fag gets it.”

It is strange moment because why is the comment necessary? What’s the joke? Is it that the gay character laughed at a premature ejaculation joke? If so, that was already visualized, so at best, it is redundant, and at worst, it is mean-spirited. What makes it even more uncomfortable is the comment is being said more to us, the viewer, than anyone in the film, which makes us complicit in the use of the pejorative.

You could argue that Brooks made a career out of being offensive and pushing boundaries. While this is true, in his other films, the offensive material was part of a greater satirical point. “Blazing Saddles,” Brooks’ other R-rated comedy, also used offensive language — particularly the frequent use of N-word — but the difference was that word was used for social critique. That is not the case in “History of the World” where faggot and fag were used in a derogatory way simply for a cheap, shock laugh.

Interestingly, “Blazing Saddles” also had an instance of the use of faggot. This time, DeLuise is a director telling dancers in a scene how to do a routine by proclaiming “Watch me, faggots.” The film sort of gets away with this use because at least it is clearly a gay man using it with other gay men.

It also helps that later, when the film collapses into complete mayhem, we see one of the dancers and a cowboy walk off together. It is a brief subversive moment that effectively plays against our expectations and isn’t mean-spirited.

Sadly, scenes using such language rarely play that well and finding these scenes in movies you love is jarring. They are painful reminders of how, not that long ago, this language was so readily acceptable that we saw no issue putting it into the mouths of lovable goofballs like Bill and Ted.

Thankfully, you don’t see this anymore outside of something like “The Departed,” which used that language to show a specific type of person, and they weren’t portrayed in a flattering light.

But if there is a silver lining to stumbling upon these dated uses of gay pejoratives, it is that it shows how far we’ve come in recent years. These scenes now rightly make many of us — regardless of our sexual preferences — feel uncomfortable,  and that’s definitely a giant step in the right direction.

[alecthemovieguy]

Have yourself a ‘Star Wars’ Christmas

With Christmas just over a week away and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” now in theaters, it seems only fitting to talk about “Star Wars” universe’s bizarre history with the holiday season.  Over the years, there have been several “Star Wars” spin-offs of varying degrees of quality,  including two Ewok-centric TV movies as well as the Saturday morning cartoons “Ewoks” and “Droids” in the 1980s. But the “Star Wars Holiday Special” is by far the strangest officially sanctioned “Star Wars” product put to screen. The “Holiday Special” aired Friday, Nov. 17, 1978, and never again. Despite the involvement of original cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader, it quickly became “Star Wars” creator George Lucas’ greatest shame.

Lucas allegedly once said at a “Star Wars” convention that “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.”

Much to Lucas’ chagrin, the special lived on through bootleg copies and the internet.

The plot, or what there is of one, focuses on Han Solo (Ford) and Chewbacca trying to get back to the Wookiee home planet to celebrate Life Day with Chewie’s family. The traditions of Life Day are not explained. It is just a stand-in for all holidays.

Much of the special doesn’t focus on Han and Chewie but rather Chewie’s family who all moan in that familiar Wookiee way. The issue is that there are no subtitles. After only a few minutes of Wookiee conversation, confusion sets in followed by a migraine. There is also a collection of celebrity guests, including Art Carney, Bea Arthur, Harvey Korman and Jefferson Starship. You’d be correct in assuming that none of those people fits into the Star Wars universe.

Korman, who seems like he wandered in from the set of “The Carol Burnett Show,” plays three different characters in a series of random sketches that feel completely out of place. One involves him as a four-armed chef hosting a cooking show because, sure why not? Jefferson Starship, having nearly completed the transition from Jefferson Airplane to Starship, performs a truly dreadful song that is watched by the youngest Wookiee. Grandpa Wookiee watches a song performed by Diahann Carroll that comes across like he’s watching a phone sex girl. Seriously. Arthur fares best as the singing owner of a bar that is being shut down by the evil Empire, but the scene feels disconnected from the rest of the special.

Thanks to too much makeup and an odd haircut, Hamill looks like a Ken doll version of Luke Skywalker in his brief and meaningless cameo.

Ford’s appearance as Han Solo is the definition of a paycheck performance. This may well be the beginning of his love-hate relationship with a character he had been hoping to kill off since “Empire Strikes Back.”

The special is perhaps best-known for a cheaply animated sequence that features the inauspicious introduction of the bounty hunter Boba Fett.

Fisher as Princess Leia concludes the special singing a song celebrating Life Day to the tune of the “Star Wars” theme. This may read as borderline parody and while some of it does play as so-bad-it’s-good fun, most of it is unwatchable.

You would think Lucas would have learned his lesson to steer clear of Christmas, but in 1980 “Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album” surfaced. The album was the brainchild of producer Meco who found great success with “Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk,” a surprisingly enjoyable disco version of the “Star Wars” score.

Meco wrote Lucas a letter with his concept for the album and Lucas signed off on it. Daniels once again appeared as C-3PO and sound designer Ben Burtt contributed authentic sound effects for R2-D2 and Chewbacca.

While the “Holiday Special” was seen as an abject failure, the album became a success with “What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb),” reaching No. 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Due to the success of the first printing of 150,000 albums, RSO Records was ready to do a second printing, but the studio shut down due to an unrelated lawsuit before that could happen.

“Christmas in the Stars” also has the distinction of featuring the first professional recording of Jon Bon Jovi (credited under his birth name John Bongiovi) on “R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” His cousin Tony Bongiovi co-produced the album and ran the recording studio at which it was recorded.

To call “Christmas in the Stars” genuinely good would be an overstatement, but the album succeeds where the special failed by creating a product that is aware of its absurdity and doesn’t shy away from it.

As the title suggests, the album fully embraces the idea of Christmas in the “Star Wars” universe, which makes no logical sense, but that’s part of the album’s campy appeal. With lyrics like “Everyone will have a cookie, I brought extra for the Wookiee,” it is pure unadulterated cheese. Odd as it may seem, in the right mindset, “Christmas in the Stars” may actually help you get in the holiday spirit. So, while it is wise to wish R2D2 a merry Christmas, Chewie may rip your arms off if you wish him a happy Life Day.

[alecthemovieguy]

Merry Subversive Christmas: Quirky songs to get you through the holidays

Over the years, I’ve gathered quite a collection of off-beat, dark or subversive Christmas songs. These songs are the alternatives to the familiar ones saturating the airwaves, so if you’re looking for something different, these might do the trick.

“Cool Yule” — Tony Rodelle Larson (1962)

This is often mislabeled as being performed by William Shatner. It is easy to understand the confusion as Larson’s broken speech patterns do indeed bring to mind Shatner’s riffs on such songs as “Rocket Man.” This beatnik take on “Twas Night the Night Before Christmas” is most definitely way out.

“Monster’s Holiday” — Bobby “Boris” Pickett (1962)

After the “Monster Mash” became a hit this quickie sequel was churned out. There are some amusing riffs on holiday classics, but it is mostly a shameless rewrite of the original. It was a minor hit, but didn’t remain a holiday classic.

“Silver Bells” — Paul Simon and Steve Martin (Sometime in the late 1970s)

This rare show rehearsal starts out simple enough with Simon doing a lovely version of this classic song, but soon Simon’s singing becomes mere backdrop for Martin deadpanning through a cynical monologue on the true meaning of Christmas that ranges from goofy to racy.

“Father Christmas” — The Kinks (1977)

Leave it to The Kinks, the same band that sang about an encounter with the transvestite “Lola,” to write a song about mugging Santa. Ray Davies’ sunny delivery masks the nastiness in lyrics such as “Father Christmas, give us some money/Don’t mess around with those silly toys/Well beat you up if you don’t hand it over.”

“Christmas in the Stars” (from the “Star Wars” Christmas album of the same name) (1980)

Strange and frightening things began to happen after the tremendous success of the original “Star Wars,” including an astoundingly awful 1978 holiday special. Lessons weren’t learned and two years later producer Meco — hot off his successful disco version of the “Star Wars” theme — produced a Christmas album from a galaxy far, far away. “Christmas in the Stars” is so bad as to become campy fun.

“There Ain’t No Sanity Clause” — The Damned (1980)

English punk band The Damned released this song just in time for the holiday season, but it failed to chart perhaps because no one wanted to have the Santa Claus bubble popped for the youngest yuletide revelers. The lyrics are barely intelligible, but, it is the sing-a-long anthem-like chorus that brings this one home.

"Bollocks To Christmas" — The Business (1981)

English punk bands must have had it out for Christmas in the early ’80s. Elton John's 1973 holiday classic "Step Into Christmas" gets rewritten and reworked into rollicking anti-Christmas anthem that is a welcome antidote for those overdosing on Christmas cheer.

“Christmas in Heaven” — Monty Python (1983)

Monty Python were always known for loopy songs that often pointed out the hypocrisies or the idiosyncrasies of society. In the film “The Meaning of Life,” Graham Chapman sings a caustic song about the consumerism and commercialism that runs rampant during the holiday season that includes lyrics like: “There’s great films on TV/"The Sound of Music” twice an hour/And ‘Jaws’ one, two, and three.“

"Christmas at Ground Zero” - “Weird Al” Yankovic (1986)

Weird Al’s song parodies are usually goofy and innocuous, but Al also has a macabre and twisted sense of humor that occasionally shines through. Written in 1986, “Christmas at Ground Zero” is a biting satire on Cold War paranoia filtered through the sound of a festive holiday tune. Are lines like: “It’s Christmas at ground zero/There’s panic in the crowd/We can dodge debris while we trim the tree/Underneath the mushroom cloud” riotously funny, or simply in bad taste? You be the judge.

“Christmas In Hollis” — Run DMC (1987)

This is a happy hip hop holiday song about Christmas in Queens, N.Y. The song includes such endearingly goofy lyrics as “It was December 24th on Hollis Ave in the dark/When I seen a man chilling with his dog in the park/I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear/Looked at his dog, oh my God, an ill reindeer.”

“Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” — The Ramones (1989)

The Ramones were still kicking around in the late 1980s cranking out three-chord ditties. Surprisingly, one of the best songs from this era is a Christmas song about the tensions of the season and the need for forgiveness.

“Santa Song” — Adam Sandler (1993)

Everyone is familiar with Sandler’s “Chanukah Song,” but he actually did a Christmas themed song that pre-dates its by a year. In this one Sandler sings about all the reasons he won’t be getting a visit from Santa. Best line: “Santa don’t like bad boys…especially Jewish ones.”

“12 Days of Yaksmas” — Ren and Stimpy (1993)

There have been numerous parodies of the “12 Days of Christmas,” which is your favorite really comes down to personal preference. As a youth in the 1990s, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the warped antics of this dog and cat team.

“Burger/Christmas Medley” — Phil Hartman and Sinbad (1995)

Hidden in the closing credits of the film “Houseguest,” a largely forgettable comedy that lives on as cable TV filler, this is an amusing medley of barbecue-themed Christmas songs. Hartman even reprises some of his most famous “Saturday Night Live” impressions, including Frank Sinatra and Bill Clinton.

“Little Drum Machine Boy” — Beck (1996)

“The Little Drummer Boy” gets morphed into an odd dance and rap flavored Chanukah anthem featuring “the holiday Chanukah robot of funk.” Beck is a chameleon-like musician who blends different genres with amazing skill. It is hardly traditional, but certainly original and memorable.

“The Night Santa Went Crazy” — Weird Al Yankovic (1996)

Don’t be fooled by the sweet guitar strumming of the open, this Christmas carol turns humorously sour fast. Yankovic turns his twisted mind on Christmas in the story of the night Santa finally snapped and became a “big, fat, disgruntled yuletide Rambo.”

“I Won’t Be Home for Christmas” — Blink 182 (1997)

Goofball pop/punk rockers wrote this anthem for all those who are driven up the wall by the holiday season. The song features bitter, but funny lyrics like: “It’s time to be nice to the people you can’t stand all year/I’m growing tired of all this Christmas cheer.”

“I Want an Alien for Christmas” — Fountains of Wayne (1997)

Years before Fountains of Wayne recorded its breakup out “Stacy’s Mom,” the band recorded this cheerfully loopy song that seems to be a modern riff on “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” It is hard not to smile at such lyrics as “I want a little green guy/About three feet high/With seventeen eyes.”

“O Holy Night” — Eric Cartman (1999)

“South Park” dedicated a whole episode to satirizing holiday music back in 1999. This is one of the tamer songs from the episode with the spoiled Cartman butchering the holiday classic to hilarious effect.

“Lonely Christmas Eve” - Ben Folds (2000)

Faith Hill’s “Where Are You, Christmas?” got all the attention, but this song is probably the best thing to come out of Ron Howard’s bloated film version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Written from the perspective of the Grinch, the tongue-in-cheek piano-man perfectly captures the Dr Seuss tone in a way the movie it appeared in never did while also adding his own quirky sense of humor.

“Bizarre Christmas Incident” — Ben Folds (2002)

Folds hasn’t done a Christmas album, but based on this and the above song, it would be one of the funniest ones ever recorded. This aptly named song unfolds a dark tale of a man encountering Santa in the night. The song answer the question of what would happen if Santa got stuck in the chimney. Needless to say, it doesn’t end pretty. Best enjoyed by those who like their humor black.

“Jingle Bells” - Brian Setzer Orchestra (2002) Setzer reinterprets “Jingle Bells” with his familiar swinging rockabilly stamp. It is a hoot to hear him change the “one horse open sleigh” to a “57 Chevrolet.”

“Elf’s Lament” — Barenaked Ladies (2004)

On “Barenaked for the Holidays” the Ladies presented a collection of Christmas favorite as well as original songs featuring their quirky sense of humor. On this song an elf complains “I make toys, but I’ve got aspirations.”  Bonus: this song features vocals from Michael Bublé.

“Mr. Heat Miser” — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (2004)

The song first appeared in the 1974 stop-motion animation special “The Year Without Santa.” Thirty years later the swing revival group Big Bad Voodoo Daddy recorded the definitive version of the song for their holiday album “Everything You Want for Christmas.”

“Christmastime for the Jews” — Darlene Love (2005)

Robert Smigel contributed a series of animated shorts to “Saturday Night Live” called “TV Funhouse.” This was one of the best with soul singer Love providing the vocals to a song that describes what Jews do while gentiles “stay at home and party with their goyish family.”

“Dick in a Box” - Lonely Island and Justin Timberlake (2006)

When it first aired on “Saturday Night Live” Dec. 16, 2006, it was clear it would become an instant classic. A parody of ‘90s R&B was an ideal fit for Timberlake, but when you got to the punchline, it was the last thing you expected.

“I’m Getting Nuttin’ for Christmas” — Relient K (2007)

Christian punk/pop band Relient K’s do a fast, rocking cover of the novelty song “I’m Getting Nuttin’ for Christmas.” The snarling punk attitude and crunching guitars suit lyrics like “I broke my bat on Johnny’s head/Somebody snitched on me” quite well.

“Another Christmas Song” — Stephen Colbert (2008)

Stephen Colbert did a hilarious parody of holiday specials in 2008. The special’s songs either subverted preexisting songs or, in this case, are something completely new. Lyrics like “The tree is frozen, the winter’s bright/Who’d have thought the wise men look so white” are made all the funnier by Colbert’s authentic crooning.

“Present Face” — Garfunkel and Oates (2008)

This female comedy-folk duo combines disarming charming and simple hooks with goofy and/or raunchy lyrics. In this case the duo leans toward the silly side as they sing about the all too familiar face people make when they get a present they don’t like.

“Christmas Tree” — Lady Gaga featuring Space Cowboy (2008)

Leave it to Lady Gaga, the reigning pop queen of weirdness, to co-write a Christmas song filled with dance beats and dripping with sexual innuendos. It is most definitely not family friendly, but the audacity is admirable.

“Merry Something to You” — Devo (2009)

Yep, Devo, those quirky new wavers recorded a song for the holidays. Blending cheery, generic holiday music with the synthesizers and drum beats they are known for, the band creates an infectious little ditty. Devo often used their songs to satirize society and that’s most definitely the case here as they proclaim: “Believe what you want nothing’s really true.”

“Oh Shit, It’s Christmastime!” — Mad Tea Party (2009)

This uke-abilly band vents their frustration for Christmas in this infectious two-minute ditty. The cynical lyrics include sentiments that anyone can relate to, if only fleetingly: “It’s Christmas, forgot about the pagans and Jews/It’s Christmas and it makes me blue.”

“Christmas Night of the Living Dead” — MxPx (2009)

It was perhaps inevitable that there would be a zombie-themed Christmas song. Punk rockers MxPx present this bloody tale of Christmas carnage featuring the chorus: “Christmas night of the living dead/My face is green and the snow is red.”

“I Wish It Was Christmas Today” — Julian Casablancas (2009)

Originally a goofy tune performed on “Saturday Night Live” by Horatio Sanz, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan and Tracy Morgan, Casablancas, the lead singer of The Strokes, fleshes it out into a full-fledged rocking Christmas song. The added production value manages to enhance the simple charms of the skit rather than undermine it.

“All I Need Is Love” —  CeeLo Green Feat. The Muppets (2012)

The Muppet’s classic “Mahna Mahna” becomes the spine for this joyous collaboration with CeeLo Green, in which Green proclaims all he needs is love for Christmas. Slick modern pop production combined with the silliness of the Muppets make this hard to resist.

"The Season's Upon Us" — Dropkick Murphys (2012)

Boston’s beloved Celtic punk band offers up their take on the holiday season. The song gleefully embraces familial dysfunction and chaos with such  lyrics like “My sisters are wack jobs, I wish I had none/Their husbands are losers and so are their sons.” 

“I Fucking Love Christmas” — Rob Scallon and Doug Walker (2014)

Doug Walker has been providing irreverent movie reviews on the Internet as the Nostalgic Critic since 2007. He loves Christmas. He really loves Christmas, which he makes abundantly clear in this gloriously over-the-top song. The hilariously explicit lyrics definitely require parental discretion.

“Sump’n Claus” — Kenan Thompson (2014)

“Saturday Night Live” delivers again with yet another hilarious satire of Christmas. Here Kenan Thompson plays Sump’n Claus, who, unlike Santa Claus and his judgmental list, declares “everybody’s gettin’ sump’n” and that something is cold hard cash in a white envelope. Just don’t ask where it came from.

“Text Me Merry Christmas” — Straight No Chaser and Kristen Bell (2014)

A cappella group Straight No Chaser is joined by actress Bell for a perfect mix of sincerity and satire in looking at love and the holiday season in the modern age. Playful lyrics like “I don’t care if you spell things right/I just want to hear from you tonight/Stroke those keys with your delicate touch/And type those little words that mean so much” are delivered with a charming sweetness.

“Santa’s Coming For Us” — Sia (2017)

Every year, a new crop of artists release Christmas-themed albums. Typically, they are filled with covers of the same holiday standards with a couple originals thrown. Refreshingly, Sia’s “Everyday is Christmas” features all new songs that perfectly blend Sia’s idiosyncratic pop sensibilities with the upbeat sounds of the season. Lead single “Santa’s Coming For Us” is effervescent and catchy in way that never becomes insufferable.

[alecthemovieguy]

How ‘Tomorrowland’ reminded me that optimism is not a dirty word

“Dreamers need to stick together.” — Athena (Raffey Cassidy), “Tomorrowland.”

There was a lot of positive buzz around director and co-writer Brad Bird’s “Tomorrowland.”  His previous live-action film “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” jolted that flagging franchise back to life, and he directed the beloved animated films “The Iron Giant,” “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille.”

Upon its release in 2015, the film received middling reviews from critics with audiences equally cool to it. The film managed a $209 million worldwide take at the box office, but with a $190 million that doesn’t factor in advertising and merchandise that sat on the shelf, the film has gone down as a dud.

I saw it during its theatrical release but didn’t review of it. Having recently rewatched the film, I wish I had reviewed it sooner because it is the kind of film — full of idealism and hope — that we need more of. Ironically, it is those very qualities that turned people off.

“An aggressively optimistic script admonishes the lazy and irresolute and urges humanity to end war and save the environment,” wrote Drew Hunt of the Chicago Reader.

Alison Willmore of BuzzFeed News echoed this sentiment calling it Bird’s “most stridently sermonizing.”

“Tomorrowland” does proudly wear its message on its sleeve. Despite all the bad in the world, Bird and his co-writer Damon Lindelof contend that we can still reverse the damage. Perhaps, that is a naive or foolishly idealistic message but it is one worth spreading.

The titular land is parallel dimension free from politics, bureaucracy, distractions and greed, where the world’s greatest minds can build whatever they are “crazy enough to imagine.”

For most of the film there isn't a physical villain. There are adversaries chasing down our heroes — Britt Robertson’s Casey, a scientifically curious teen; Aethena, the android recruiter for Tomorrowland; and George Clooney's Frank, who was once full of hope but became bitter when he was kicked out of Tomorrowland — but the true villain is cynicism and apathy.

It isn't until the final third that Bird personifies those qualities in Hugh Laurie's Nix, the head honcho of Tomorrowland. Thanks to a machine Frank invented, Nix (Hugh Laurie) has seen the end of the world and accepts this as an unavoidable fate. He has given up. He gives a pretty convincing speech on why he has.

“Let's imagine ... if you glimpsed the future, you were frightened by what you saw, what would you do with that information? You would go to ... the politicians, captains of industry? And how would you convince them? Data? Facts? Good luck! The only facts they won't challenge are the ones that keep the wheels greased and the dollars rolling in. But what if... what if there was a way of skipping the middle man and putting the critical news directly into everyone's head? The probability of wide-spread annihilation kept going up. The only way to stop it was to show it. To scare people straight. Because, what reasonable human being wouldn't be galvanized by the potential destruction of everything they've ever known or loved? To save civilization, I would show its collapse. But, how do you think this vision was received? How do you think people responded to the prospect of imminent doom? They gobbled it up like a chocolate eclair! They didn't fear their demise, they re-packaged it. It could be enjoyed as video-games, as TV shows, books, movies, the entire world wholeheartedly embraced the apocalypse and sprinted towards it with gleeful abandon.”

There's truth in that speech. We live in an age in which facts and data are negotiable. And as consumers, we do undeniably enjoying watching the end of days, just look at hit films like “2012” and “San Andreas.”

But “Tomorrowland” argues against this sort of cynicism and giving into fear and anger. Our current president won by preying on these impulses. There is a lot of negativity being forced into the world these days. We shouldn't pretend that it doesn't exist nor should we accept it as the way of the world. Blind optimism isn't the answer and Bird isn't advocating for that in his film. He's pushing for people to unite to exchange ideas and to create.

Children need to be encouraged to dream and to reach for the impossible. Adults need to be reminded of that message too because, as we get older, it is easy to become pessimistic and disillusioned. That is ultimately the root of why “Tomorrowland” failed. People dismissed its optimism as hokey and silly.

Sometimes, you have to let your guard down for a film to work. I did. There are visual wonders to behold in “Tomorrowland” that sent me back to my childhood.

For all of its preachiness, the film is also funny and emotionally resonate. I was reminded of when Disney dipped its toe into science fiction in the 1970s and '80s with films like “Escape to Witch Mountain,” “TRON” and “Flight of the Navigator.” “Tomorrowland” has that same spirit of adventure.

There's a closing montage of people across the globe from different walks of life — artists, engineers, teachers, etc. — being invited to Tomorrowland. The sequence filled me with hope. It made me want to put things out into the world — to try to make a difference in whatever way I can. So, here I am doing my part. What will you do?

[alecthemovieguy]

If Joss Whedon is a 'hypocrite preaching feminist ideals' can you still be a fan?

On Aug. 20, The Wrap published a guest blog by Joss Whedon’s ex-wife, Kai Cole, with the headline “Joss Whedon Is a ‘Hypocrite Preaching Feminist Ideals,’ Ex-Wife Kai Cole Says.” With a headline like that, the piece may seem like shameless tabloid clickbait, but Cole’s accusations against the creator of such popular shows as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly” have some serious implications.

“When he was done with our marriage,” Cole wrote, “and finally ready to tell the truth, he wrote me, ‘When I was running ‘Buffy,’ I was surrounded by beautiful, needy, aggressive young women. It felt like I had a disease, like something from a Greek myth. Suddenly, I am a powerful producer and the world is laid out at my feet and I can’t touch it.”

But, as Cole noted, he did touch it. He allegedly admitted that he knew “I would have to lie — or conceal some part of the truth — for the rest of my life” and that he hoped the first affair, “would be ENOUGH, that THEN we could move on and outlast it.”

Cole went on to say Whedon told her “I let myself love you. I stopped worrying about the contradiction. As a guilty man, I knew the only way to hide was to act as though I were righteous. And as a husband, I wanted to be with you like we had been. I lived two lives.”

These allegations have led to a huge backlash, including the fansite Whedonesque shutting down after 15 years. Fans feel betrayed because Whedon’s public persona is that of a feminist. He even participated in an Elle UK photoshoot that featured male figures in the entertainment industry wearing T-shirts that said “This is what a feminist looks like.”

His feminist views are reflected in his work which from “Buffy” to “Dollhouse” to “Firefly” to “Marvel’s Avengers” features strong, independent women. He’s one of the few male writers and directors in Hollywood to write complex female characters in genre films and TV shows.

If only a fraction of what Cole wrote is true, Whedon public persona is tainted. It isn’t so much the infidelity that is so troubling — which by no means excuses cheating — but the lying and manipulation of not only his wife, but the general public.

As Clementine Ford wrote in the Sydney Morning Telegraph: “The fact is, this wasn't just any old ‘someone.’ This was a man who built a career and a loyal fan base on his promise that he ‘got it.’”

Despite how he represented himself publicly, Whedon used his position of power to woo women. He used the patriarchal system to seduce women the same way countless other males did, which is the very antithesis of a feminist.

“In the end, Whedon chose acceptance into the category of privileged, alpha masculinity over his supposed feminist politics,” Ford wrote.

So where does that leave fans? Do you throw out the baby with the bathwater and refuse to watch anything associated with Whedon? It is a tricky moral dilemma. Can you admire someone’s art, while not approving of the creator’s actions in their private life?

This is something I’ve struggled with as a fan of Woody Allen. My friend Brian McElhiney, a music writer for The Bulletin in Bend, Ore., has the same conflict with John Lennon.

“I've had this battle with myself plenty of times over John Lennon, who is undeniably one of my biggest heroes but also did some pretty awful, sexist, violent things,” McElhiney told me in a Facebook chat. “It's tough. It's really tough. I don't think I'd fully distance myself (from Whedon) because I do love ‘Firefly’ and ‘Avengers’ and ‘Buffy,’ etc. And I can reconcile Lennon's s--t in my mind, so I can probably find a way with this.”

I completely understand fans that have to write Whedon off as an artist. And I don't blame them. But Spiked!, a UK-based current affairs website, made a valid case for why fans shouldn’t necessarily turn their back on the Whedon shows they love so.

“To ignore Whedon’s legacy also means deliberately ignoring the work of women who worked with him behind the scenes,” wrote Spiked! columnist Christian Butler. “Marti Noxon was the showrunner for “Buffy’s” last two seasons, and Jane Espenson was its best non-Whedon writer. Must we boycott these women’s work for the sins of their boss?”

I will still see “Justice League,” which Whedon is co-writing and co-directing, and the “Batgirl” movie he is writing and directing because as McElhiney put it “I have an interest beyond ‘directed by Joss Whedon.’”

Some would argue that by supporting his past and future work I am condoning, even approving of his action. Again, this is where things get murky between the person and the art. Do I think less of him as a person? Yes. Do I still admire his art? Yes. It is an awkward position to be in and, unfortunately, there’s no easy way to parse it out.

[alecthemovieguy]

Trump’s silence on white supremacy speaks volume

This weekend, I unplugged from the media and enjoyed my life. I went to Boston Comic Con and spent time among my people: geeks and nerds. It was a wonderful experience, but then Monday came around and I had to face reality.

On Saturday, hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members gathered in Charlottesville, Va., to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a park and to stage what they described as their largest rally in decades to “take America back.” Clashes with counterprotesters in the streets resulted in a car plowing into crowds, leaving one person dead and 19  others injured.

Hours after the events on Saturday, President Donald Trump did nothing to disavow white supremacy and his statements on the tragedy used vague language.

His only other statement on Saturday was before a bill signing: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.”

Following the bill signing, he was point blank asked to comment about whether he wanted the support of white supremacists. He simply walked out of the room. As John Oliver noted on Sunday’s episode of “Last Week Tonight,” “a non-answer in a moment like this is an answer.” The message received was “Yes, i do.”

CNN, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, Vanity Fair and others in the media all called Trump out on his unwillingness to simply say the term “white supremacists” in regards to what happened Saturday.

There have also been politicians speaking out against Trump and, importantly, republican politicians.

Finally, Monday afternoon, Trump made a statement disavowing white supremacists.

“Racism is evil,” Trump said from the White House. “And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the K.K.K., neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.”

The statement feels measured, safe and generalized. We can all agree racism is evil, but there’s an emotional distance and a lack of specificity to what happened Saturday in his statement.

Sadly, Trump seems incapable of doing the right thing as Tuesday he back pedaled on his Monday statement during a press conference at Trump Tower.

Trump insisted that he did nothing wrong on Saturday when he declined to specifically condemn Nazi and white supremacist groups. He placed blame on both sides and criticized “alt-left” groups that he claimed were “very, very violent” when confronting the nationalist and Nazi groups.

There have been reports of violence from the counterprotesters, but that violence was in response to a hate-fueled protest. That doesn’t justify the violence, but when there is footage of white supremacists using racial and homophobic pejoratives, it is clear who set the tone for the events that unfolded.

Regardless of violence from both side, it doesn’t take two days to conclude that white supremacy and Nazism is wrong. It was important to get that message out. His initial silence sent the wrong message and his inability to admit he was at fault only perpetuates that message.

One person pleased with Trump’s Tuesday statement is former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who praised Trump’s comments as a condemnation of “leftist terrorists.”

“David Duke and the Nazis really seem to like Donald Trump,” Oliver said on Sunday. “Which is weird because Nazis are a lot like cats: If they like you, it is probably because you are feeding them.”

While that is a joke, there’s truth to that statement. Trump’s silence on white supremacy during his campaign and up to and including Saturday’s events has acted like a lightning rod for this resurgence of the white-power movement. He has empowered its followers out of the shadows.

There were a lot of disenfranchised Americans who Trump spoke to during the election. Some of those who voted for Trump are waking up to the fact that Trump doesn’t truly speak for them and his promises were empty. Others though simply liked that Trump was going to “Make America great, again.”

It is becoming more clear Trump’s slogan meant great for white, Christian males who for the longest time were the only voice that counted. Now they’re being forced to share the podium — to share their rights and privileges. When those marching white supremacist shouted “You will not replace us” what then meant was “You will not replace us as the only voice that matters.”

This ugly side of America always existed, Trump has just emboldened it, but it must be made abundantly clear, this isn’t what America stands for or believes. And if Trump isn’t going to do it, it is up to everyone else to send that message to the world.

[alecthemovieguy]

Music fueled ‘Baby Driver’ is terrific entertainment

Director Edgar Wright, a master subverter of genre, brings his unique voice to the heist and car chase film with the pulsating, music-fueled “Baby Driver.”

Wright, who directed and co-wrote “Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz” and “The World’s End” with Simon Pegg and directed and co-wrote “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World,” tends to make comedic homages to his favorite genres. He takes familiar tropes and flips expectations to not only comment on the genre itself but to make a comment on the characters that inhabit his stories.

“Baby Driver,” his first film without a co-writer, crackles with sharp, quick-witted dialogue, but is less comedic and has a harder edged than his previous works. Essentially, Wright has made a mid-’90s Quentin Tarantino film in the vein of “Pulp Fiction” or “Jackie Brown.”

And yet, Wright’s film has its own personality and visual style. Wright has invigorated the genre by setting nearly everything to music. The action is edited perfectly in sync the with pop- and rock-filled soundtrack. In many respects, this means the films is structured like a musical but with the cars doing the dancing.

“Baby Driver” isn’t merely style over substance as its the title character who is dictating the style. Baby (Ansel Elgort), a getaway driver for the meticulous crime boss Doc (Kevin Spacey), has tinnitus and listens to a constant stream of music through iPod earbuds to drown out “the hum and the drum.”

This music becomes the soundtrack to Baby’s life. He takes great joy in syncing the world around him to his music, even to the point of making a crew of robbers wait for the drums to kick in on The Damned’s “Neat Neat Neat” before they leap out of the car.

A lot of films set action to music. This is nothing new, but Wright has taken a different approach.

“It’s more than just editing it to music afterward,” Wright said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “Actors and stuntmen are choreographing the action to that. So, overall, it creates a real spell.”

Wright hired people familiar with action, like second unit director Darrin Prescott, who worked on “John Wick,” as well as dance choreographer Ryan Heffington who has worked with artists like Sia.

Heffington’s major contribution is a wonderful opening credit sequence in which Baby goes out for coffee. The sequence is one continuous shot with Elgort dancing his way around the busy streets of Atlanta to Bob & Earl’s “Harlem Shuffle.” Heffington also helped with the elaborate foot chases and gunfights.

“It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside when somebody like Ryan Heffington, who is a fantastic dance choreographer, and Darrin Prescott, who’s kind of like an action wizard, can be working hand-in-hand, and learn a lot from each other,” Wright told Entertainment Weekly.  “When those guys are suddenly thick-as-thieves because of the shoot, it’s like, ‘Well, my work here is done.’”

“Baby Driver” warrants repeat viewings to study Wright’s craftsmanship and meticulous eye for details.  As is true with Wright’s previous films, nothing is wasted and little things pay off later. Wright has stated that unlike many modern films, 95 percent of the stunt work was done in camera, meaning that most of what’s in the movie was done for real.

While the filmmaking on display is in many respects the star, the actors shouldn’t be slighted. Even though Wright is playing more with broad archetypes than complete characterizations, he still manages to create vivid characters within those types.

Baby’s quirks are explained in heartbreaking flashbacks that haunt him. He doesn’t say much, instead allowing music and his skills to speak for him. To Elgort’s credit, his facial expressions are able to create a character who is clearly a good person stuck in a criminal world. This theme is further emphasized by his gentle relationship with CJ Jones as his deaf foster father.

Naturally, there’s a love interest, Debora (Lily James), who is a symbol of a better life for Baby. While her character is thin, James has a warm, believable chemistry with Elgort. This shines most in a conversation about the lack of songs featuring her name. They conclude there’s only Beck’s “Debra” and T. Rex’s “Debora.”

Jon Hamm and Jamie Foxx play a pair of psychopaths that are both frightening and funny. Foxx is the more overtly deranged character while Hamm is more outwardly amicable.

Hamm and Elgort share a scene in which they bond over Queen’s “Brighton Rock.” The moment is Hamm defending Elgort from Foxx and there’s almost a big brother quality to Hamm’s performance that plays in stark contrast to later develops in the film.

Spacey is ever the master of being coolly menacing. In one moment, he can proclaim “That’s my Baby” with almost fatherly pride, only to later cruelly strong-arm Baby into doing another job for him.

There are also strong performances from Eiza González, Flea and Jon Bernthal as other members of the heists.

“Baby Driver” is just about as perfectly crafted a film as you could wish for. It is thrilling, inventive, joyful filmmaking. It is one of the summer’s few must-see films.

[alecthemovieguy]

‘Homecoming’ gets Spider-Man right

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” represents the second reboot of Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man” franchise in a decade. In other circumstances that would be a bad omen, but this latest incarnation of Spidey is a rousing success because he is now part of Marvel Studio’s ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.

A little background: In the 1980s, Marvel Comics sold the movie rights to its characters to various production companies to stave off bankruptcy. As long as these companies regularly produced films based on these properties, they retained the rights to the characters.

Slowly, many of those contracts lapsed, and Marvel Comics was able to start making its own films, starting with 2008’s “Iron Man.” Several studios still own a few characters, though, Spider-Man being one of them.

After “Amazing Spider-Man 2” took a thrashing from both critics and fans, Sony decided to correct course by loaning out Spider-Man to Disney’s Marvel Studios, thus creating an unlikely collaboration.

Tom Holland’s debut as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in last year’s “Captain America: Civil War” was one of the stand-out elements of that film.

Director Jon Watts and his team of six writers, including, fittingly enough, John Francis Daley from the show “Freaks and Geeks,” have used that cameo in “Civil War” to springboard into a film that captures the right tone and essence of the character.

With no disrespect to previous actors — Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield each had their strengths — Holland absolutely nails the character. For the first time in a film, Peter actually looks and acts like an insecure, geeky teen who just happens to be a superhero.

Unlike Maguire and Garfield, who often times were overly melodramatic and downright mopey, you never doubt Holland’s Spider-Man genuinely loves being a hero. Holland is 20 years old but easily passes for a 15-year-old. He’s full of youthful enthusiasm and energy.

Holland’s Spider-Man is constantly quipping, but he’s also awkward and is uncertain of how to be a hero, which is directly addressed in a great cameo scene with Donald Glover.

Marvel Studio’s films work best when the superhero formula is grafted to another genre. “Captain America: Winter Soldier” played like a 1970s spy thriller. “Ant-Man” was a heist film. Much of “Homecoming” plays like a John Hughes-style teen comedy. Imagine Anthony Michael Hall’s characters from “The Breakfast Club” or “Sixteen Candles” with superpowers and you’ll have the idea of the film’s tone.

The area Marvel Studios usually struggles with is a strong villain. That isn’t the case in “Homecoming,” which features easily one of the franchise’s strongest adversaries. Former Batman Michael Keaton plays Adrien Toomes, a contractor who begins stealing alien technology left in the wake of the Avengers’ various conflicts and creates new black-market weapons.This is a clever way of acknowledging the cinematic universe Spider-Man has been added to without being too heavy-handed.

Toomes (aka the Vulture) is a villain whose motivation is clearly conveyed and, even to a degree, sympathetic. He is loyal to his family to a fault. His drive to support them ultimately pushes him into a life of crime. There’s a moral ambiguity to the character that Keaton gets just right.

In the film’s best sequence, Toomes and Peter meet for the first time. Peter knows Toomes’ secret identity, but Toomes initially isn’t aware that Peter is Spider-Man. It is a terrifically suspenseful scene as Toomes slowly pieces things together and, given the circumstances, Peter is unable to do anything. Holland and Keaton impeccably act the scene.

For those who skipped “Civil War,” it is possible to jump right into this film thanks to a witty opening in which Peter uses his phone to make a home movie of his exploits in “Civil War.” It is funny and in a few minutes perfectly establishes Peter Parker.

Robert Downey Jr., once again reprising his role of Tony Stark/Iron Man, takes on a mentor role to Peter. Jon Favreau’s Happy Hogan, Stark’s head of security, also appears and acts as Peter’s contact in Stark’s absence. There’s also an amusing recurring cameo by Chris Evans as Captain America appearing in a series of educational spots shown in Peter’s high school.

The addition of these characters helps to solidify this new Spider-Man as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but instead of being shoehorned in are a natural extension of the story. Downey  appears in only a few scenes and by no means takes over the film. He uses his time wisely and adds interesting shadings to his well-established character.

There are also wonderful supporting performances by Jacob Batalon as Peter’s best friend Ned, who massively geeks out upon discovering his secret; Zendaya as a quirky, deadpan school misfit; Laura Harrier as Peter’s love interest Liz; and Tony Revolori as the bully Flash Thompson.

“Homecoming” is the 16th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second of three released this year, but there are no signs of franchise fatigue. This new “Spider-Man” ranks among the best Marvel Studios productions.

[alecthemovieguy]

Sketch-based ‘I Love You’ puts a comedic twist on romance

M&D Playhouse’s latest production, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” the second of three shows by Joe DiPietro this season, is an often hilarious collection of songs and skits centered around love and romance.

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” which opened Thursday, July 20, and is running  through Aug. 5 at 1857 White Mountain Highway in North Conway, N.H., stars June Desmond, Chris Figaratto, Sam Kilbride and Nate Lamy who all play multiple roles in the tradition of sketch comedy shows like “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” and “Saturday Night Live.”

While there is no ongoing narrative, and the skits each stand alone, they are sequenced in a way that reflects the progression of a relationship. The first act focuses on dating and being single, and the second on marriage, raising kids, divorce and growing old.

DiPietro’s book and lyrics rely on broad gender stereotypes. At times, this means the jokes can come off as stale, but then DiPietro flips the cliche on its head. This is most noteworthy in the song “Tear Jerk,” which plays with the ideas of what kind of movies men and women like to see.  

The best comedy moments are the ones that embrace absurdity, as is the case of a scene that plays as a commercial for a lawyer who will help couples sue for bad sexual experiences, or a scene in which a convict participates in the Scared Straight to the Altar program.

Figaratto plays both of these characters with wild abandon and terrific comic timing. As the convict, his cartoonishly over-the-top facial expressions get the production’s biggest laughs. Figaratto proves to be the cast’s most versatile performer, playing a wide array of characters, including a pompous golf enthusiast and, in perhaps the play’s best scene, an old Jewish man.

In the scene, Figaratto plays a widower who spends a lot of time at funerals. When he notices a woman (Kilbride) he has seen at other funerals, he strikes up a conversation. Kilbride is equally wonderful as the fellow Jewish widow. The scene is both funny and sweet and features the production’s best song, “I Can Live With That."

Kilbride and Figaratto are also funny together in a first date scene in which the pair decide to skip to various touchstones of their inevitably doomed relationship.

Other highlights include a dinner party in which parents (Figaratto and Desmond), who are expecting an engagement announcement, get a break-up announcement instead. The way in which Desmond contemptuously tosses an engagement gift to the ground is hilarious, as is the bitter song, “Hey There, Single Gal/Guy," that follows.

On the less cynical side of things, Lamy sings “Shouldn't I Be Less In Love With You?” Many of the scenes and songs have some sort of ironic twist, but this one is a simple, tender ballad that Lamy sells with the right amount of warmth.

Lamy also shines in the song “A Stud and a Babe" in which he and Desmond lament that they aren’t ideal specimens. Both actors smoothly transition from mousy, awkward personas to the confident ones the song requires.

Desmond showcases her strong voice and comic timing in “He Called Me," a song in which she rejoices that a guy actually called back, complete with backup singers from the local pizza place.

While the cast taught themselves their musical parts, they aren’t singing along to canned music as Mountain Top Music Center Executive Director George Wiese is accompanying the cast on piano.

As is the nature of sketch comedy, some bits work better than others, but director Ken Martin keeps things moving, so if you don’t like one skit, another will be coming along soon enough.

All in all, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” finds the right balance of cynicism and idealism when it comes to love and manages to be both funny and poignant.

For more information or tickets, call [phone] or visit www.mdplayhouse.com