Current Fan Favorite

A Nasty Case of Stage Fight

Theme Song: "Mortal Kombat" - The Immortals A couple of months ago, I found myself lounging around the house with a rare Sunda...

Saturday, November 25, 2017

JUST ADD ALCOHOL: “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar” (1995)



TAKE A DRINK WHEN:

๐ŸŽง Pop Diva music plays
๐Ÿ‘  Famous Drag Queens appear
๐Ÿ’‍♂️ Someone calls Chi Chi a “lil’ Latin boy in drag”
๐Ÿ‘Š Swayze channels “Road House”
๐Ÿ€ Snipes channels “White Men Can’t Jump”
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ท Chi Chi speaks Spanish
๐Ÿ‘ฎ Sheriff Dollard appears
๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿฟ Noxzeema beats someone’s ass
๐Ÿ’ Noxzeema  sasses someone
๐Ÿ˜ก Vita, Noxzeema, and/or Chi Chi argue
๐ŸŽฌ Old Hollywood movies are referenced
๐Ÿ˜ญ It becomes a Lifetime Movie of the Week (domestic violence, sappy dialogue or music, dramatic epiphanies, misguided female empowerment)


TAKE A SHOT FOR:

๐Ÿ‘— Naomi Campbell
๐Ÿคก Robin Williams
✂️ Operation Decorator Storm
๐Ÿ˜ป Julie Newmar

Thursday, October 12, 2017

JUST ADD ALCOHOL: “Josie & The Pussycats” (2001)



TAKE A DRINK WHEN:

๐ŸŽง A fake music video plays
๐Ÿ‘ Someone genuinely likes The Pussycats’ music
๐Ÿ‘Ž Someone genuinely hates the Pussycats’ music
๐Ÿ˜‚ An Alan Cummings joke lands on deaf ears
๐Ÿ˜ก (C)overt racism
๐ŸŒฎ Genital references
๐Ÿ’ Tara Reid gets dirty
๐Ÿค” Forgotten 90s celebrity appears
๐ŸŽฅ MTV or VH1 is referenced
๐Ÿ’ฐ Product placement
๐Ÿ’ Anyone says “_____ is the NEW ______”
๐Ÿ˜ˆ Wyatt or Fiona does something evil



TAKE A SHOT FOR:

๐ŸŒˆ Latent Lesbionic Moments
๐ŸฅŠ The Epic Catfight

Sunday, September 10, 2017

HUMP! 2017: PornStars For A Day

 
As many of you know, I've been a major Dan Savage fanboy since I read two of his books, The Kid and The Commitment, back in 2008. Literally a few hours after I met him at a panel discussion in Baltimore, he posted the very first It Gets Better campaign video on YouTube. I fervently supported his  recent foray into television, The Real O'Neals, until its cancellation. So when I heard his film festival was touring in BMore last weekend, I jumped at the chance to get tickets!

 
Established in Portland, Oregon, Dan Savage's HUMP is an underground, sex-positive film festival. Festival entries are all too erotic for mainstream competitions, and given the 5-minute time limit, they jump straight to the sex and skip that pesky character development. Performers in HUMP films are not looking for fame--just the chance to be pornstars for one night only. As such, there is zero publicity for any of the individual films and there is an extremely strict No Cell Phones policy at screenings. 

 
Adding a tinge of Savage's trademark dark humor, every HUMP entry must incorporate two special props: an accordion and a Make America Great Again hat. ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ


HUMP! 2017
Festival Line-Up

  • The Forbidden Tango ๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿ•บ
  • Fuck on the Mount ๐Ÿ’‘
  • You've Got Tail ๐Ÿ’‍♂️๐Ÿถ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿถ
  • Birthday Boss ๐Ÿ’‘๐ŸŽ‚
  • Camping Trip ๐Ÿ‘จ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘จ๐ŸŒฒ☀️
  • Art Primo and the Rainbow Dildo ๐Ÿ†๐ŸŒˆ
  • Correspondence ๐Ÿ’‘๐Ÿ“ธ
  • Cock-a-Pult ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ€⚽️⚾️๐Ÿˆ
  • I'm Not Poly But My Boyfriends Are ๐Ÿ’‘๐Ÿ’‘๐Ÿ’‘๐Ÿ’‘
  • The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife ๐Ÿ™
  • Toys, Trans, and Training ๐Ÿ‘ฉ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘ฉ⚔️
  • A Pervert's Guide to Avoiding Loneliness ๐ŸŽผ๐Ÿคน‍♂️
  • It's Fucking Complicated ๐Ÿ’‘๐Ÿฆ๐Ÿฐ
  • The Little Merman ๐Ÿ‘จ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿฆ€
  • Summer Fuckation ๐Ÿ’‘✈️๐Ÿšฟ
  • Boat Daddy ๐Ÿ‘จ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿ›ถ
  • Playing Scrabble ๐Ÿ‘จ‍๐Ÿซ๐Ÿ‘ฉ‍๐Ÿซ๐Ÿคก๐Ÿคข
  • Fucking Boring ๐Ÿ‘ฉ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿ›
  • Breakfast in Bed ๐Ÿ‘จ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿฅž
  • Savage Kingdom ๐Ÿ‘จ‍❤️‍๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿ†
  • Sexucation: Just Jizz ๐Ÿ“บ๐Ÿ”Ž๐Ÿ’ฆ
  • Sock Puppet ๐ŸฅŠ๐ŸŽน๐ŸŽค


Ironically, even though the festival's video introduction promises that all of the performers are amateurs, the first thing I see is one of my favorite fetish pornstars from the 90s, Van Darkholme, dancing The Forbidden Tango with a naked ginger. ๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿ•บ Hands down the most prolific Asian American pornstar, he's been the subject of countless internet memes alongside Billy Herrington and Mark Wolff from their all-star classic, Lords of the Lockerroom.


For me, the standout for overtly humorous entries was It's Fucking Complicated. It recounts a straight couple's first night together, as they share their respective laundry lists of off-the-wall bedroom fetishes, ranging from office roleplay to food to fursuits. It's a very relatable moment for anyone who has ever come out to their partner about any stigmatized kinks... often times, this admission can be a relationship dealbreaker.

 
On the other end of the spectrum, there's Playing Scrabble, a film that starts with an innocuous board game and descends into total bacchanal. For each word score, the couple acts out a related sexual scenario. The only time I had to look away from the screen was when the couple pierced themselves with needles and have sex while blood oozes out of their chest cavities. ๐Ÿคข๐Ÿคข Not my cup of tea, but more power to 'em!

 
Winner of the coveted Best in Show award, I'm Not Poly But My Boyfriends Are is an inspirational story about a middle-aged breast cancer survivor who rejects the patriarchal ideals of female monogamy and child-rearing. She takes a different path from her sister and regularly has sex with a small group of men, all of whom know about each other and sometimes make love to her at the same time. She proves that you're never too old to be sexually adventurous and look good doing it. ๐Ÿ’

 
It's great that the BMore audience, made up mostly of heterosexual couples, was so supportive during the screening. After all, as Dan Savage says, "HUMP! is a celebration of diverse bodies, orientations, genders, and experiences." Seeing others' erotic adventures on-screen makes my sex life look SO tragically vanilla... but it also inspires me to submit a film of my own someday! ๐ŸŽฌ๐Ÿ†

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Who's the Worst Witch of them all?

 
The latest in a string of reboots nobody asked for, Netflix has revived The Worst Witch! ๐Ÿ”ฎ Based on the popular YA book series by Jill Murphy, the show recounts the misadventures of Mildred Hubble, the worst pupil at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Mildred fits nicely in the traditional canon of lovable & spunky misfits alongside characters like Pippi Longstocking, Pepper-Ann, and Ramona Quimby.

 
The first Worst Witch screen adaptation was a 1986 made-for-TV movie... and it is a fabulous bucket of crazy. Brimming with girl power, the movie stars a young Fairuza Balk, fresh off Return to Oz, future star of another bewitching cult classic, The Craft. National treasure Diana Rigg, then famous for The Avengers/now famous for Game of Thrones, serves up her best Anjelica Houston impression as Miss Hardbroom. Rounding out the cast is Charlotte Rae, best known as Mrs. Garrett on The Facts of Life, as both Headmistress Ada Cackle and her diabolical twin sister Agatha.



What truly elevated The Worst Witch to cult classic status was the genius casting of Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard. Curry's flair for the dramatic turned the original song "Anything Can Happen On Halloween" into a holiday staple; I, for one, rock out to the awesomely bad music video every year. ๐ŸŽƒ Charlotte Rae's hilarious musical number, "Aggie's School," comes in a close second.

 
Even though Fairuza has undoubtedly left some big shoes to fill, I was very happy to see Bella Ramsey cast in the titular role. For those not in the know, Ramsey became an instant fan favorite on Game of Thrones as fearless child-ruler Lady Mormont. ๐Ÿ‘‘⚔️ As expected, she does a great job at portraying Mildred, the unpopular klutz who always manages to rescue her overconfident classmates from otherworldly threats.

 
Unlike the 1986 film, the Netflix series provides more backstory on Mildred and her non-magical family. There's also more diversity this time around, with the addition of an Asian student, a Hispanic student, and two Black characters, one being a professor and the other Mildred's best friend. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘ Each episode has a new threat looming over Cackle's Academy and ironically it's always up to the "worst witch" to defeat it, whether it's the headmistress' evil twin Agatha or just the class bully, Ethel Hallow.

 
The Worst Witch is an extremely breezy TV series; I finished the whole first season in a weekend. The extra exposition, specifically the parallel backstories of the Cackles vs the Hallows, serves its purpose and actually adds value to the narrative. And unlike the 80s classic, the visual effects are jaw-dropping in a GOOD way! The entire ensemble of child actors is very talented and the show would be right at home on the Disney Channel. ๐Ÿ“บ I'm looking forward to Season Two!

Friday, July 21, 2017

Poussey R!OT

 
OK, it's time to check back in with the ladies of Litchfield Penitentiary! ๐Ÿ‘ฎ For those not in the know, Orange is the New Black paved the way for bankable Netflix Exclusive shows. Based on Piper Kerman's darkly humorous memoir, it follows a White woman unexpectedly plucked from her suburban life of privilege and thrown into a federal prison when her sordid past catches up with her.

 
Still trying to bounce back from the painfully dull third season (aka the "Lorna Cult" season), the previous season upped the ante with a fresh crop of prison guards, many of whom engage in cruel & unusual practices like needlessly invasive body searches, sexual assault, and human cockfights. Faced with unjust treatment, Piper the Social Activist laments that the prisoners are so complacement and unlike their male counterparts, "female prisoners don't riot."

 
Silly Piper! Following the death of OITNB's most positive character and the warden's blatant lies to the Press about the incident, all Hell breaks loose. ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ”ฅ Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the Black inmates band all of the prisoners together around their fallen sister as they decide to punish their common enemy, culminating in an explosive standoff with two guards at gunpoint.

 
Season 5 takes place over the course of only a few days after the women have overtaken the prison. Stripped of all weapons and clothing, the guards are taken hostage and forced into humiliating (but hilarious) situations, including an American Idol-type talent show.
As the deceased's best friend, Taystee steps up and uses her communication skills as Caputo's office assistant to negotiate with the prison's corporate representatives. Even though Taystee's main concern is justice for her friend and having the guilty officer arrested, they want their voices heard too as they vote on a collective list of demands, some of which are moronic in comparison (e.g. stocking Flaming Hot Cheetos in the vending machine).

 
With the show's new direction, it appears that the producers have noticed the general audience consensus that Piper is no longer the most likable character. Given her ruthless turns in seasons 3 and 4, she's actually kind of a dick. Thankfully, this season highlights the extremely talented slew of supporting characters and even introduces the awesomely unexpected alliance between boss bitches Flores and Red.



Of course, my favorite characters are the fabulous cholas, Flaca and Maritza,
probably because their relationship closely mirrors the one my GBF Paul and I share. Through all of the chaos, the two women stay positive, make the best of a bad situation, and even become YouTube stars with their prison makeup tutorials. ๐Ÿ’„

 
I appreciate how layered this season is, exploring the different factors that would cause women to riot and how inmates from different factions would clash or come together in such a circumstance. Unfortunately, 99% of the characters don't realize how important and devastating the decision to overrun the prison, not listening to the more seasoned prisoners' warnings that "Riots never end well." As you'd expect, once the emotional rollercoaster is over, the final outcome is definitely not sunshine and rainbows. Be prepared: it's emotionally poignant but unlike S3, it definitely worth the watch!

Monday, July 03, 2017

The NEW Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling

 
From the creator of Netflix dramedy Orange is the New Black comes GLOW, a fictional homage to the campy 80s pro wrestling league.

 

Even though the original 1986 series was slightly before my time, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling are still cult classic staples of pop culture. As a kid, I was exposed to GLOW via one of my favorite primetime comedies, Married With Children. In one of the episodes, the Bundy family has run out of money and out of desperation, Al agrees to wrestle GLOW villainess, Big Bad Mama, for the $10,000 cash prize. SPOILER ALERT: Big Bad Mama is not the one getting pinned.

 

Just because I wasn't a GLOW fanatic doesn't mean I didn't watch female pro wrestling. On the contrary, I've always had a ton of respect for pro wrestlers and stunt doubles. I am especially impressed with the women because they are expected to perform the same dangerous maneuvers as their male counterparts AND they're expected to look sexy doing it. ๐Ÿ’ Growing up, I rooted for trailblazing WWF superstars like Alundra Blayze (the All-American blond bombshell), Luna Vachon (the punk rocker Oddity), and Chyna (the 9th Wonder of the World).



In Netflix's latest reboot, writer Jenji Kohan pays tribute to the Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling even though the network reportedly didn't ask permission from the original roster, much to the chagrin of GLOW alumni like Matilda the Hun. ๐Ÿ“บ As if the show takes place in alternate universe, Kohan took the general concept of female pro wrestling and created a new fictional history and new characters "inspired by" the 80s cast. 

 

The bulk of the new series is a "VH1 Behind the Music" mockumentary of GLOW, not a revival of the pro wrestling extravaganza. It follows aspiring actress Ruth (played by Allison Brie) as she answers a casting call for "unconventional women."

 

Up until the season finale, Ruth experiments with several different wrestling personalities before settling on the evil Soviet, the antithesis of squeaky clean Beauty Queen, Liberty Bell.  ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Like other pro wrestling leagues, GLOW is infamous for its stereotypical, politically incorrect stable of fighters; the reboot creates equally borderline-offensive combatants with monikers like Fortune Cookie, Beirut, and Welfare Queen. 

 

It reminds me of my own brief foray into the pro wrestling world, crossing the childhood fantasy off my Bucket List years ago. One day over lunch, the studio head casually told me that audiences wanted to see "the Black guy rape the White guy"... FIGURATIVELY, I hope! ๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ I can only imagine playing a negative stereotype on a weekly televised wrestling show, especially since the "bad guys" have to deal with some intense audience hecklers.

 

Even if you're not a wrestling fan, GLOW is a highly addictive 80s throwback/comedy/soap opera, loosely inspired by a true story. The actresses not only do an amazing job of selling themselves as relatable Hollywood outcasts but also as professional wrestlers. Definitely Must See TV!

Sunday, June 25, 2017

MELODRAMA, Ya Ya Ya

 

MELODRAMA
By Lorde
(Released 2017, Republic Records)
✮✮✮✮✮

 

Praised by the late David Bowie as "the Future of Music," Lorde has become one of the most underrated and talented musicians of this generation overnight, particularly when her sleeper hit "Royals" won the coveted Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Even though she shies away from the public eye, Lorde has become a pop culture icon, famously caricatured by Randy Marsh on South Park and inexplicably as part of Taylor Swift's Girl Power Posse. ๐Ÿค” She's certainly a mystery wrapped in enigma. 


Wise beyond her years, the 20-year-old songwriter's music is already synonymous with the Hunger Games franchise, which adds tremendously to her fanbase. Three years after her Grammy-winning debut Pop album, Pure Heroine, Lorde is back, this time bringing the Melodrama.



Due to a major misstep in lead single choice, the album's initial reception hasn't been great. That's because "Green Light" comes off as less of a poignant commentary on mindless overproduced pop music... and more of just another overproduced pop song itself. ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ™„ Will this be Jewel's notorious "sellout" album, 0304, all over again? Is T-Swift behind this?

 

Luckily, "Green Light" is the only outrageous  power pop anthem on the album. Don't get me wrong: it's not a bad song--it's just very uncharacteristic of the Lorde we know and love. Everything else is pure moody musical brilliance. My personal favorites are "Liability," "Writer in the Dark," "Sober," and "Supercut." The lyrics to "Liability" alone could totally pass as poetic verse:

The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy
'Til all of the tricks don't work anymore
And then they are bored of me
I know that it's exciting
Running through the night, but
Every perfect summer's
Eating me alive until you're gone
Better on my own
They say, "You're a little much for me
You're a liability
You're a little much for me"
 

I can especially relate (along with a certain blond songstress) to "Writer in the Dark," about a scorned artist who gets revenge on her ex-lovers through writing. In my case, writing violent short stories and of course, inflammatory blog entries, about several of my volatile relationships has been extremely cathartic. 

 

With Melodrama, Lorde has made a seamless transition from Pure Heroine's teenage angst to twenty-something angst. The album's stripped down vocals, mature lyrics, and heavy use of stringed instruments and piano makes it a refreshing departure from current pop trends. Cannot wait to see Lorde perform live in DC next year!!! ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜



 

Monday, June 12, 2017

๐Ÿ’ช Sport Flicks ๐Ÿ†

Looking back on it, sports-themed movies are the most homoerotic films known to man--not a big surprise considering that they are practically drenched in testosterone. I didn't realize this until my teenage years when it became readily apparent that both my Mom and I LOVED Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal movies for the same reasons... none of which were the acting, that's for damn sure! ๐Ÿ˜†



๐Ÿˆ  Little Giants (1994)

I remember seeing this movie at Kevin & Jeff's 2nd grade sleepover. It's a classic formula: rag-tag band of unathletic misfits go through a few training montages to magically defeat the best team out there. In a special twist, the best Footballer of them all is a girl nicknamed "ICE-BOX." ๐ŸŒฌ But for me, it was all about teen heartthrob, Devon Sawa!



๐Ÿ€  White Men Can't Jump (1992)

"MOOKIE!" ๐Ÿคฃ I LOVE this movie because my brother and I practically grew up on the Basketball courts, even though I was usually videotaping on the sidelines. When "Black-As-Night" Wesley Snipes and "Wonder Bread" Woody Harrelson join forces with Rosie Perez, it's movie magic.



⚾️  A League of Their Own (1992)

YASSSSS!! ๐Ÿ’ Truly one of the ultimate Girl Power movies, the cast is a veritable Who's Who of queer icons: Madonna, Geena Davis, Rosie O'Donnell, and Lori Petty. It's refreshing to see strong independent women hold their own in any male-dominated field... Even if it is boring-ass baseball. #DirtInTheSkirt!



⚽️  Ladybugs (1992)

"Looks like Norman Bates is playing soccer!" "...After the game: No Showers." ๐Ÿ˜ฑ๐Ÿ”ช Before She's the Man, there was Ladybugs! Teen heartthrob Jonathan Brandis dons a wig and a skirt for this soccer romp starring comedian Rodney Dangerfield and the FABULOUS Jackรฉe Harry. ๐Ÿ’ It re-enforces every teen movie clichรฉ, most laughably the idea that eyeglasses and a ponytail can make an otherwise beautiful girl look hideous. ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿคข



๐Ÿ’  D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996)

FUN FACT: At age 12, I received a Cease & Desist email from Vincent A. LaRusso's girlfriend after I leaked his Boston University email address, which was undoubtedly blown up by dozens of fanboys and girls. Even though D3 is universally regarded as the weakest installment of the Mighty Ducks trilogy, the film spotlights Vincent's character as the posh rich kid is recruited for the Varsity Hockey Team over his Duck counterparts. Not to mention the intense fight scene between him and teen dream Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek).



⛸  The Cutting Edge (1992)

Two years before the 
Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan Olympic Scandal, this film exposed the ugly politics around Professional Figure Skating. Opposite worlds collide when washed-up Olympians  Kate (the Ice Queen) and Doug (the Hockey Player) join forces in a last ditch effort to attain their former glory.



๐ŸฅŠ  Rocky IV (1985)

Guess I've always been a fan of guys beating the hell out of each other. ๐Ÿ‘Š But in the franchise's darkest moment, former champion Apollo Creed is killed in the ring by Soviet robot, Ivan Drago (played by Dolph Lundgren). Of course, it's up to Apollo's friend/rival Rocky Balboa to avenge his death in an epic ring battle. Although unrealistic, it's quite satisfying to watch Sly Stallone tear the perfect Aryan specimen apart.



๐Ÿฅ‹  Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon (1985)

The Last Dragon is the first movie I ever remember seeing (at age 3) and it had a HUGE impact on me. I was instantly attracted to both the male and female lead characters. My personality formed as an amalgamation of both soft-spoken gentleman Taimak and sassy sex kitten Vanity. As a kid, it meant a lot to me to see beautiful and tough Black actors carrying their own movie; it inspired my lifelong dream of becoming a Director. ๐ŸŽฌ



๐Ÿคผ‍♂️ Vision Quest (1985)

Before his villainous turn in Netflix's Stranger Things, Matthew Modine starred in this cheesy coming-of-age wrestling drama. Although I appreciate the film's gratuitous use of slow-motion Greco-Roman action, the real star of the show is young Madonna in her feature film debut (performing "Crazy for You" and "Gambler"). ๐ŸŽค๐ŸŒˆ



๐ŸŒ  Happy Gilmore (1996)

Adam Sandler achieves the impossible by making golf somewhat exciting. Honestly, the only scene I remember from this one is Gilmore's hilarious brawl with beloved game show host, Bob Barker. "The Price is Wrong, BITCH!" ๐Ÿ’ฐ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ



๐Ÿ  Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

I know, I know, I really don't consider NASCAR a sport. ๐ŸŽ As usual, Will Ferrell plays the loveable idiot in this one. It earns a spot on my favorites list because it makes the best Scientology joke. "Save me, Tom Cruise! Save me with your crazy voodoo magic!" ๐Ÿ”ฎ

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Save Me, Tom Cruise; Or, Would You Run From Calista Flockhart?

 
 
THE MUMMY
(2017, Dir: Alex Kurtzman)
✮✮✩✩✩

 

As a belated Mother's Day gift, I took my Mom to the movies yesterday. But since she's already seen Wonder Woman and I don't want her to catch me lusting after Zac Efron & The Rock in Baywatch, we decide to see Tom Cruise in The Mummy reboot. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ



From the trailers, this film looks like it will provide a much darker take on the mummy tale than the Brendan Fraser trilogy. Since my biggest complaint about those movies was that they were too campy and Fraser wasn't a believable action star, surely legitimate leading man Tom Cruise (Top Gun, Mission:Impossible, Risky Business) will change all that, right?

 

WRONG. ๐Ÿ˜ฉ Even though Kurtzman's version is a modern retelling of Universal Studios' 1932 horror classic, it is not remotely scary. He confusingly tries to combine action, laughs, and "scares" to create a well-rounded blockbuster; instead, it's just a big ol' mess. 

 

Frankly, Tom Cruise isn't funny. With the exception of Tropic Thunder (in which Tom is basically unrecognizable), he should stay far away from comedic roles. On top of this, the film's chronic lack of character development makes it difficult to pin down Tom's character and his motivations: Is he a petty thief? A mercenery? A tomb raider? An American soldier? It's never clear.


While raiding tombs in Iraq, Tom's character accidentally discovers the sarcophagus of Princess Ahmanet (played by Sofia Boutella), an ancient Egyptian princess mummified alive for making a pact with the God of Death and slaughtering her entire family in hopes of usurping the throne. Her backstory is the most compelling element of the film and I only wish she had more screen time; plus, I love how she is serving up Dark Willow realness as she terrorizes London. ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ”ฎ

 

The movie is off to a decent start but about halfway through, it flies off the rails in every way imaginable. At one point, a gang of zombies are chasing Tom Cruise underwater and Mom literally YELLS at the screen, "Now THAT can't happen!" ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ™„ And I just turn to her like, You have no problem with Tom Cruise resurrecting a 16,000 year old woman, but swimming zombies is where you cross the line? ๐ŸŠ๐ŸŠ Oh well, I'm just glad she has a line. You have to walk into action & horror movies with a reasonable suspension of disbelief; otherwise, I'd never believe that anyone could be scared of mummies, ghosts, demon clowns, or 5-lb stuffed dolls.

 

Overall, the special effects are decent and the acting is convincing, given the ludicrous source material. The Mummy's fatal flaw is its messy convoluted narrative that raises more questions than it answers:

Is it action, comedy, or horror?
Are we supposed to like, hate or pity the Mummy?
Why the hell are Dr Jekyll & Hyde in this?

The film's climax is bleak, non-sensical, abrupt and sets up a sequel to this remake... neither of which anyone asked for. ๐Ÿ˜’ Y'all know I can appreciate an awesomely bad movie, but this movie is just genuinely bad and a total waste of time. SKIP IT!

Thursday, June 01, 2017

TEAM Griffin

It's funny, my brother and I rarely talk but he texted me earlier today to ask my thoughts on the latest Kathy Griffin scandal. ๐Ÿ’ While I'll always love my Miss Kathy and have always been a proponent of everyone's right to Freedom of Expression, I can't condone what she did. Although there were equally if not more offensive images directed at the Obama Administration, none of those had a celebrity scapegoat attached.


 


It'd be different if the joke were actually funny, but it just comes off as tasteless and unnecessary. It's a shame that she's losing all of her endorsements now, but that's the risk you take when a joke crosses that fine line. That's why it's so important to have a second set of eyes look over your artwork to see if the risk will be worth the reward. Someone should've said NO!


 


Kathy definitely could've made the same point but in a less literal and overt way. Back in 2005, Margaret Cho released her politically charged ASSASSIN comedy special, taking on the George W Bush regime. The poster art depicts Margaret in all black, wielding a microphone stand like an assault rifle, using her words to metaphorically annihilate the President. Kathy holding Trump's bloody decapitated head is not symbolic or creative; it's graphic and literal and no one should be surprised when it's perceived as a death threat.




Despite the recent controversy, I'll still support Kathy's books and standup shows, and I just hope her career can bounce back after this major setback.

Who Killed Sister Cathy?

 


CHILLS. ๐Ÿ˜จ๐Ÿ˜จ Watched the entire series in a day because I HAD TO. It's a damn shame that two young Baltimore women are brutally murdered in 1969 and yet, a group of civilian vigilantes are more compelled to solve these cold cases than the county police and FBI. Especially since most people directly connected to the case are already dead. 


 


Even though I was raised Methodist, my family still has several ties with Catholicism. Since he and my sister were never married, the one thing my niece's father has agreed to pay for is her Catholic schooling because he feels forever endebted to the Church. ๐Ÿ™ My niece Ava is also my goddaughter (probably because I might never have kids), which is a fundamentally Catholic concept. My older brother briefly attended Cardinal Gibbons, the all-boys school located next to Archbishop Keough, where Sister Cathy worked. And for the past few months, I've been hooking up with someone working for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. ๐Ÿ˜‡๐ŸŒˆ


 


It's eerie watching the show because I've lived in every featured location: Anne Arundel, Gettysburg, and Baltimore County. It's all literally quite close to home, and it makes me even angrier that the crime has gone unsolved.




The show's tagline is correct: the real story isn't about the murder of Cathy Cesnik, it's about the coverup (by the Archdiocese and the State Attorney's Office). If you're like me and LIVE for true crime documentaries or conspiracy theories, then you've gotta see this!

Monday, May 29, 2017

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME???!




These boys are so confusing nowadays. Sometimes you literally have to break down and ask whether they're looking for a friend, a fuck, or a same-gendered life partner. ๐Ÿ™„๐Ÿ™„ With all this new dating technology, you can never tell if anyone's completely unattached, technically single but dating around (my category), or married & sneaking around.

 

This guy is a sweetheart who isn't into hookups (according to his profile, haha), and yet after a month of chatting and one date, all I know about him is his name, his occupation, and he's a bottom. Oh yeah, and he enjoys The Golden Girls. ๐Ÿ’ I could see myself developing feelings for him, but when every conversation basically turns into phone sex, it's really hard to see a real future together. Which brings us back to, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME??! ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”

 

I hate being so analytical when it comes to romance, but sometimes you literally have to spell everything out early so no one gets hurt. As I believe is the case with most adult humans, I'm open to most arrangements, so long as both parties know what it is and don't try to call it something else.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Meals On Wheels DGAF!

W-T-F. Came home and saw a suspicious looking middle-aged White guy hanging outside my block, shoving what appeared to be a pamphlet in someone's door, before jumping into his pickup truck. On the walk to my place, I realize... it's A SLICE OF PIZZA! ๐Ÿ•๐Ÿค”๐Ÿค”


 


Ummm... who does that? I don't know if it's a stupid prank or what. I hover around the door for a few minutes, not sure if this is real life or if I fell asleep watching "Twin Peaks" again. ๐Ÿ•ต️๐ŸŒณ It wouldn't be the first time.




I believe a very elderly woman lives in that unit... YES, that same old lady who--after watching me shovel two parking spaces out of the snow, implied that I shovel her out too--after which I politely told her to eat a big black dick (not mine, of course). ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ†


DEEP deep down inside I am a Good Samaritan so I consider knocking on the door and informing the resident of this pizza situation. But then I think, What if they see me out here and wrongfully assume I DID IT? They'll just shoot my black ass and pay a $20 fine. ๐Ÿ˜ฑ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚ 




I also consider grabbing the slice and tossing it in my trash can, but what if this wasn't a malicious gesture and my neighbor will be ecstatic to find a crusty-ass piece of pepperoni pizza on her doorstep? Perhaps it's just another one of those White things I'll never understand...