Get Over It (July) and Get Into It (August)

There’s no Hotnuts in July. We need a short summer break. Sorry. BUT – we’re coming back with a megabang at the end of August. Cody Critcheloe of SSION (prəˈnounst ‘shun’) is going to be in town for the Toronto premiere of his movie BOY. The screening is going to be at Mercer Union on Saturday, August 28.

And afterwards, join us for Hotnuts. Or will it be Boynuts? I dunno. Cody will be performing and shake some iPods. And I heard, KevinHBomb might bring some house music?! YAY!

For a SSION mixtape, head over to DIS magazine.

Clown, one of my favourite songs from the SSION album, got a music video this year. You have probably seen this already, if not, get on it… Kansas City, here we go.

World On A Draht

http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fpanthaduprince%2Fwelt-am-draht-animal-collective-remix&show_comments=false&auto_play=false&color=ffcccc Welt Am Draht (Animal Collective Remix) by Pantha du Prince

I have been listening to the Animal Collective remix of Welt am Draht quite a lot recently and it made me think of the Fassbinder movie of the same name. Made for TV in 1973 World On A Wire was rarely shown on television or at the movies. I remember watching it a few years back on a German Regionalprogramm. I really liked it, but it was very slow and made me a bit sleepy, which is not a bad thing. Loved the camera by Ballhaus, of course, including the mirrors placed in the sets = illusions? = divided nature? of the actors.

I found this Fassbinder quote about the movie at the MoMa site:

“very beautiful story that depicts a world where one is able to make projections of people using a computer. And, of course, this leads to the uncertainty of whether someone himself is a projection, since in the virtual world projections resemble reality. Perhaps another, larger world has made us as a virtual one? In this sense it deals with the old philosophical model, which here takes on a certain horror.”

It seems that every article on Welt am Draht has to mention the movies Matrix, eXistenZ and most recent ones also Avatar. So, there you go, I mentioned them.

A completely restored version was shown at the Berlinale earlier this year. A DVD has been released in February including English subtitles.

Barbara Valentin in Welt Am Draht (Foto: Fassbinder Foundation)

Mariah, Mary and Oprah at Precious Gala

When can you see Mariah, Mary J. Blige and Oprah together on stage? Only at the gala screening of Precious at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Clearly, Oprah took over. I was short of making an animated gif of the last two pictures below. But it scared me too much.

2 more pictures on flickr.

Tiff Is Almost Hurrr

The Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) is fast approaching. From September 10 to 19 this city is going movie & celebrity crazy.

A Serious Man

By Coen Brothers
Saturday September 12 09:00PM VISA SCREENING ROOM (ELGIN)
Monday September 14 09:00AM SCOTIABANK THEATRE 1

Seems like the new Coen Brothers movie has the world premiere at Tiff. Although it will have its official release at the beginning of October, I love to see blockbusters at the festival. The directors are in attendance and that usually guarantees a fun Q&A session.

Broken Embraces

By Pedro Almodóvar
Thursday September 10 09:30PM VISA SCREENING ROOM (ELGIN)
Saturday September 12 09:30AM SCOTIABANK THEATRE 3

Already yesterdays news in old Europe, I guess this is the North American premiere. Almodóvar is not on the list of people to attend the festival, but Penelope Cruz is. So, I can’t wait to see the movie and hopefully a Q&A with Penelope. I’ve avoided to read anything about Broken Embraces, but here are a couple of pictures from Ms. Cruz screen tests.

Precious

By Lee Daniels
Sunday September 13 09:30PM ROY THOMSON HALL
Monday September 14 12:30PM WINTER GARDEN THEATRE

Shockingly, this drama is the highlight of the festival for me. You know I prefer the light fare, but what can I do when Mariah always chooses to star as a supporting actress (here: social worker) in the serious films? And Mimi is going to be in town for the screening!!!!!!!!!!
Ahhh, I wish Mariah would appear in a comedy alongside Seth Rogen, maybe something like “The eternally 12 year old Butterfly”. That would be fun, no?

Wish me luck in getting tickets. It would be so great if they would sell some through Mariah’s fan club, Honey B. Fly. Of course, I’m a memberess…

p.s. which Mariah outfit from Precious do you like best?
I think I’m going for the first one.

Trash Humpers

By Harmony Korine
Saturday September 12 09:45PM SCOTIABANK THEATRE 2
Monday September 14 11:45AM SCOTIABANK THEATRE 1
Friday September 18 10:00PM JACKMAN HALL – AGO

Although the title could suggest some serious fun, Korine’s new movie seems to be darkly serious. I wasn’t really impressed with “Mister Lonely” and all its impersonators, so maybe this one is going back to his rougher days.

And More…

There are two Werner Herzog films: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done and the new Claire Denis film, White Material (But I’m not supposed to write about that one. I’m not even supposed to write that I’m not supposed to write about it.).

Sylvester: Mighty Real

I have just written an article for Laser Magazine about the Cockettes, which I believe will be out in September. I’ll post that one later.

Sylvester, who was part of the drag troupe, is finally getting his own documentary. The 10 minute preview features interviews with Martha Wash (who started as a backup singer for him in the Two Tons o’ Fun), Patti Labelle and out-of-drag RuPaul. But a gay doc would not be complete without recollections by your favourite drag daddy, John Waters, right?

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2225907&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

SYLVESTER: MIGHTY REAL from Tim Smyth on Vimeo.

On some websites, the 10 minute version is listed as a mini documentary in it own right. And this preview has been uploaded for a while, so let’s hope there is a feature length baby coming soon.

Earlier:
Dancin’ Wheels (Sylvester & Two Tons rollerskating)
Martha, I love you

Raw at Inside Out

This Friday, get ready for a great night at Inside Out, Toronto’s LGBTTIQQ2S film and video festival.

There is a rare screening of Viola Klein’s movie Raw. Doc Nancy, Toffi and myself play Hortense, Phyllis and Susan, who live in a self-supporting environment, far away from their former stage, the Vanity Ballroom.
Get tickets for this program Friday, May 15th, 7:45pm.

After that, you should just stay at Cinecycle for a screening of The Beaver Trilogy.

Then, take a cab to The Beaver for the afterparty. Mary Messhausen is hosting, Fay Slift is performing with M+M, Will Munro and Alex W are djing. You don’t want to miss that.

Walküre Valkyrie

I kind of watched Walküre on the plane and took some screen caps. Ok, I didn’t watch it. However, I still fantasize about the movie being a great Hollywood b-movie, like Showgirls or something. I guess it isn’t and to keep the fantasy alive, I only took the pictures from the first 15 minutes. I could still watch it.

Bigger on flickr.
Earlier: Valkyrie Spoiler Alert

Broken Embraces Teaser Trailer

Below are the first 30 seconds of the new Pedro Alomodovar movie, Los Abrazos Rotos (Broken Embraces). The film was shot in Madrid and Lanzarote last year, featuring Penelope Cruz and Rossy de Palma (yay!).
Premieres are scheduled for Spain in March, Germany in August, North America in November. Hopefully, we’ll get it a bit earlier in Toronto with the TIFF in September.

Earlier: From the set of Broken Embraces

A Highly Advanced 3D Text Message of My Future Self

Finally, last night I saw some Ryan Trecartin. His 100 minute video I-Be Area kept me on my toes. So much fun to watch, too many lines to remember. I wish my reality was more like that. Identity switching, walking through walls, baby stealing(?), blotchy make-up, sped up voices, repeated dialogue. What’s there not to like?
Ryan Trecartin plays a lot of the characters himself, over the top gay pronunciations or a Southern accent included.

Pasta (played by Trecartin) and Wendy M-PEGgy

In this clip, I-Be2 (played by Trecartin) appears at around 3:15, becomes Oliver and changes his name to Amerisha

All of Ryan Trecartin’s videos are on his youtube page.

Spoiler Alert

I’m all excited about the eyepatch movie, Valkyrie. The two quotes below sent me over the edge: Now I want to see it.
Soon, we’re going to have friends visiting: Bitz & Bobs. To make sure they don’t get bored I’m putting together a list of activities including a big night out at the movies with Tom Cruise.
It’s all about fun, fun, fun.

“Looks like the Razzies are confident in their prophesy that “Valkyrie” will land in their next derby, which commences on Jan. 21 when noms are unveiled. Last year the Razzie ceremony ended with big photos on stage of films they expect to see next year. Tom Cruise in that eyepatch got the biggest play “” and the most howls, guffaws and applause from the audience.”
(LA Times)

“”œYou can”™t make a World War II movie with no American soldiers in it,” let alone one about a conspiracy whose outcome is a foregone conclusion. (Spoiler alert: Hitler lives.)”
(NY Times)