Klaatu Barada ... Woah!

We all have what I call our own "cinematic nemesis". They are the actor or actress who, single-handedly, can ruin a whole for us.

Mine is Keanu Reeves. Seriously, why does this guy have a career? I know he's very popular for the most part, but, put simply, he doesn't do much for me. Sure, there have been movies that he has been in that I have enjoyed despite his presence (River's Edge, Speed, Something's Gotta Give). Heck, I even liked Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (mostly because it was filmed at my high school though).

However, to me, Reeves is alarmingly inept for such a big, A-list star. His performances range from the misguided (Dangerous Liaisons) to the miscast (The Matrix) to the outright mistaken (Bram Stoker's Dracula). So how does he keep getting cast in high profile movies, I wonder. The answer is as elusive as a comprehension of the Matrix sequels.

And if the idea of a remake of the classic science fiction parable The Day the Earth Stood Still isn't bad enough for you, to add insult to injury, Keanu (or, as I like to call him, "Ka-nu-nu") will play Klaatu, portrayed in the original by Michael Rennie. Do they honestly expect us to believe him as the savior of our planet? God help us all.

In other remake news, Naomi Watts in The Birds or Denzel Washington in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three don't sound too bad, but who could they get to top Roddy McDowall in another Fright Night? And don't you dare say Ka-nu-nu.

Click here to purchase the original The Day the Earth Stood Stillon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, Coronadodons.org, Variety.com, ShockTillYouDrop.com, EW.com and Cinematical.com.

The Latest on TV: Fall Has Fell

Notable movies and other programs on TV for Monday September 24 to Sunday September 30:

The fall TV season is upon us, with the networks busy airing the premiere episodes of most of their new and returning series this week. Still, there are a few movies of interest to watch out for in the next seven days.

Turner Classic Movies concludes this month's look at the breakthrough roles of our favorite stars on Tuesday, with Michael Caine in Alfie, Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou, Kirk Douglas in Champion and Edward G. Robinson in Little Caesar.

On Monday, the channel will air the second part of its salute to the lost Warner Bros. First National Teddington Studios films, including three more American premieres.

Other films not yet on DVD for the week include Cary Grant in None But the Lonely Heart (TCM, Monday; featuring Ethel Barrymore's Oscar-winning supporting performance), Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland in The Male Animal (TCM, Wednesday), Alice Brady and Cesar Romero in Metropolitan (Fox Movie Channel, Wednesday), Tyrone Power and Joan Fontaine in This Above All (FMC, Friday) and Claude Raines in They Won't Forget (TCM, Saturday).

Bravo will rerun AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies 10th Anniversary Edition on both Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Over at LOGO: Gay pastors fight to keep their jobs in the documentary Call to Witness (Monday); looks like we're not the only ones who have a little something For the Love of Dolly (Monday and Sunday); and Thursday serves up Second Serve, the Renee Richards story starring Vanessa Redgrave, as well as the GLAAD Media Award-nominated The Opposite Sex: Rene's Story.

And finally: George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola are among the directors profiled in Fog City Mavericks: The Filmmakers of San Francisco on Starz Monday.

Click on the network links to find the show times in your area. All programming is subject to change.

Links via TCM.com, FoxMovieChannel.com, BravoTV.com, AFI.com, LOGOOnline.com and Starz.com.

In the News: Boys Do Confess

In the News is a new Movie Dearest feature that will take a look at breaking stories wherein the reel world merges with the real world.

Marvin Nissen, one of the two men convicted of murdering Brandon Teena and two other people as depicted in the Academy Award-winning movie Boys Don't Cry, has recently changed his story of what happened fourteen years ago.

Nissen (portrayed by Brendan Sexton III as "Tom" Nissen in the film) now claims that he was the lone killer in the slayings. Nissen's previous testimony stated that it was John Lotter (played by Peter Sarsgaard) who fired the fatal shots at Teena and the others. Lotter is currently on death row in Nebraska, but with this confession, he has asked for a new trial. The Advocate has the full story here.

Hilary Swank won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance as Teena, whose life was also recounted in the documentary The Brandon Teena Story.

Links via Imdb.com and Advocate.com.

Blonde Ambitions

For the first item in this week's From Screen to Stage, I'll channel big screen - to stage - to small screen star Elle Woods:

- "Ohmygod, you guys! It's only, like, one week until Legally Blonde - The Musical makes its TV debut on, like, MTV! The totally fab Broadway Blog thinks it's, like, an awesome idea, and check out all the pics and chat, like, live from the pink carpet!"

(Whew, that was exhausting ... how does Laura Bell Bundy do it every night?)

UPDATE: Ohmygod, they've postponed it! According to QueerSighted.com, Legally Blonde - The Musical won't air on MTV until Saturday October 13! A quick check of the MTV website confirms this -- so unfair! So, like, here's a montage of clips from the show to tide you over until then.

- New York movie musical fans take note: the "lost" Porgy and Bess movie (starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge) will be screened next week at the Ziegfeld Theatre. And this will be the rare original road show print, with overture, intermission music and exit music ... could a long-in-demand DVD be far behind?

- Speaking of older film favorites not on DVD, the movie version of The Ritz (starring original Broadway cast members Rita Moreno, Jack Weston, Jerry Stiller and F. Murray Abraham) will finally be released in January. This comes on the heels of the current revival starring Kevin Chamberlin and Rosie Perez. Meanwhile, Playbill.com's own Seth Rudetsky recounts his opening night trials and tribulations in his latest column.

- As Chicago celebrates its tenth year in London, could Tori Spelling and hubby Dean McDermott be Broadway's next Roxie and Billy?

- There are worse things Rizzo herself, Jenny Powers, could do then give fans a video backstage tour of Grease. In related news, Playbill News wonders "where are the You're the One That I Want stars now?", including Derek Keeling (smoldering up A Tale of Two Cities), Ashley Spencer (Hairspray's current Amber) and Kate Rockwell (Phantom's latest Christine).

- On the gay icons front: Rosie love Billy, Harvey has his Catered Affair and Ian rakes it in as King Lear. Plus: a "lost" Noel Coward play is found.

- Happy Days are here again - live and onstage. By the cast breakdown, it appears as if the new tuner is based on that episode where Fonzie and his newly reunited love Pinky Tuscadero take on the Malachi Brothers. Hey, at least it isn't the shark one.

- As I mentioned last week, West Side Story is turning 50 this year, and yet another album of its legendary score will be released to commemorate the occasion. But, unlike the previously mentioned (and already panned) compilation album, this will be a new recording, featuring opera singers in the lead roles. Uh, didn't they already try thatonce?

You can pre-order the West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Recordingfrom Amazon.com, available September 25, by clicking here.

- Are you itching to see the Cry-Baby musical? Well, here's our first look at the cast. Hey look, Harriet Harris!

- Those Dirty Rotten Scoundrels are going back on tour.

- Speaking of tours, Broadway World TV interviews The Color Purple tour star Jeannette Bayardelle.

- First, he was the King of Siam, now he's the Prince of Darkness. Ladies and gentlemen: Lorenzo Lamas is Dracula.

- "Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?" Donnie Darko hits the stage.

- Sally Ann Howes, who you'll recall was Truly Scrumptious in every way in the classic movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is now Mrs. Higgins in the acclaimed My Fair Lady tour.

- It will be a White Christmas in Toronto this holiday season.

- Über-producer Cameron Mackintosh will bring several musical theater classics to Chinese audiences, including the French Les Miserables, the Swedish Mamma Mia! and the British Mary Poppins.

- And finally: Mark your calendars for next year's Tony Awards.

Links via BroadwayMouth.blogspot.com, Broadway.com, Playbill.com, QueerSighted.com, YouTube.com, BroadwayWorld.com, MSNBC.msn.com and IHT.com.

Alice Ghostley: 1926 - 2007

Alice Ghostley, the beloved character actress who made a career out of playing flustered or dingy types, has died.

An accomplished stage performer (she won the Tony Award for the drama The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, and played Miss Hannigan in the original Broadway run of Annie), Ghostley was mostly known for her nearly 50 years on television.

Among her many appearances, Ghostley played an ugly stepsister to Julie Andrews' Cinderella, the bumbling Esmeralda on Bewitched, and eccentric Sugarbaker family friend Bernice Clifton on Designing Women, which earned her her one and only Emmy nomination. On film, she appeared in such classics as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Graduate and Grease.

Links via Imdb.com and NYTimes.com.

They'll Really Tie the Room Together

I never thought I would see the day when you could have your very own Jeff Bridges action figure, at least one that came with his own cocktail instead of a day-glo frisbee.

The latest in Big Lebowski-ness are these two "Urban Achiever" figures of The Dude himself and his brawny sidekick Walter Sobchak, played by John Goodman in the movie (love the removable tinted sunglasses, big guy).

Bowling balls, an ex-wife's dog and a can of coffee complete the ensemble, although, just like in the movie, they're missing a rug.

Click here to purchase from Entertainment Earth: Big Lebowski Urban Achiever 8-Inch Figures Wave 1 Set.
Links via SciFi.com and Imdb.com.

Out in Film: Robert Gant

Thanks to his memorable role as everyone's dream husband Ben Bruckner on the landmark Queer as Folk, Robert Gant has become one of the most prominent -- and desirable -- out gay actors in Hollywood. Put it this way: He could have just as easily been profiled in the Cinematic Crush section here at Movie Dearest.

Gant actually started his professional life in Los Angeles as a lawyer, but show biz couldn't keep him away. He started with memorable guest spots on some of the gay friendliest shows on television, including Ellen, My So-Called Life, Melrose Place and Friends. (In the latter, he and fellow future QAF-er Matt Battaglia both vied for a fickle Phoebe's affections.)

A recurring role on Caroline in the City led to a permanent one on Popular as an eccentric school principal; all that law school must lend Gant a scholarly air, as he was next cast as Professor Bruckner in QAF's second season. Gant's Ben was linked romantically with Hal Sparks' Michael, and their characters faced such challenging storylines as Ben's HIV+ status, gay marriage and adoption.

In the "real world", Gant is an advocate for several gay elder groups, and has his own production company (with actor Chad Allen and producer Christopher Racster), which is dedicated to producing positive gay-themed projects in film and television. Their first feature, Save Me, was a hit at OutFest and should be hitting theaters soon.

After QAF ended, Gant has guest starred on such other TV series as The Closer and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and he also starred as the title character in the hysterical satirical short, Billy's Dad is a Fudge-Packer (available to watch in full at Planet Out).

And speaking of videos, it sure is nice to know that I'm not the only one who has a thing for Bobby Gant.

See more pictures of Robert Gant in The Back Room (NSFW).

Naked Boys Filming

What do you get when you combine the lurid thrill of gratuitous onstage nudity with upbeat musical theater song and dance? The answer is Naked Boys Singing, the hit Off-Broadway show that has been wowin' 'em (in more ways then one) since 1999.

And if the bumper crop of movie musicals this year hasn't been enough, the Boys will be hitting the big screen themselves this fall as well (and no, it won't be in 3-D). Naked Boys Singing: The Motion Picture (it isn't really called all that, but don't you wish it was?) will be the opening night feature at Out Takes Dallas, Texas' own gay and lesbian film festival, and it will be appearing at several other festivals as well prior to its limited theatrical release in October.

For a tease of the new movie, visit its official website, filled with cast pictures (sorry, no full frontal -- you'll have to see the movie for that!), video sneak peeks and a pictorial history of the global phenomenon that is Naked Boys Singing.

You can also get a gander at the movie's trailer (for once, that term is tres apropos) over at YouTube, where you can also see Under the Pink Carpet's backstage look at the New York production.

Links via NakedBoysSinging.com, Imdb.com, OutTakesDallas.org, NakedBoysSingingMovie.com, YouTube.com and UnderThePinkCarpet.tv.

The Latest in Theaters: Jane, Jesse and Jessica

This week's newest releases are all over the map, from a literary-minded chick flick to a grim biographical western to a high concept romantic comedy to a real life adventure tale to a post-apocalyptic thriller to one for the tweeners:

- The Jane Austen Book Club: Sure, the title is guaranteed to scare away every heterosexual male in existence, but take a look at the cast: Hugh Dancy, Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Marc Blucas, Jimmy Smits, Amy Brenneman, Kevin Zegers and Kathy Baker. (Is it just me, or do the guys out-hot the gals?)
- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Brad Pitt is the legendary outlaw, Casey Affleck the young recruit who betrays him. (Is it just me, or do they pretty much give away the whole movie with that title?)
- Good Luck Chuck: Is it just me, or does this movie seem like, if it were made two years ago, it would have starred Vince Vaughn and Cameron Diaz instead of Dane Cook and Jessica Alba?
- Into the Wild: Sean Penn directs this based-on-a-true story drama about a recently graduated college student (Emile Hirsch) who gives up his conventional life to hitchhike to Alaska. This one does star Vince Vaughn, as well as Catherine Keener, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Jena Malone and Hal Holbrook.
- Resident Evil: Extinction: Milla Jovovich returns for the third go-round in this video game-to-movie series.
- Sydney White: We loved her as Penny Pingleton, so Amanda Bynes as a modern day Snow White (complete with seven nerds instead of dwarfs) sounds like harmless fun. Or is it just me?

Visit Fandango - Search movie showtimes and buy tickets!
Links via Imdb.com, Men.Style.com, Premiere.com and EdgeBoston.com.

The Brady Bunch

Regarding the viral saga of Timmy/Shimmy started on the "Crazy Days and Nights" blog by "Ent Lawyer", all has been revealed.

I'll cut to the chase: "Timmy" was Arthur Blake, and "Shimmy" was indeed Alice Brady. Although the original blind item alluded that Blake "took over" completely for Brady at some point (at least that's how I read it), that was not the case after all. Blake, a natural mimic, stepped in for Brady on those occasions when the frail actress was too ill to work, which was apparently often.

Therefore, both Brady and Blake reportedly appeared in Brady's Oscar nominated role in My Man Godfrey and a few other films, most notably her Academy Award-winning role as the infamous Mrs. O'Leary in In Old Chicago (pictured above in the "center square" of my Brady Bunch-esque homage to Brady. Fittingly, that was maid Alice's spot on the beloved sitcom, as we all know). Cesar Romero was the closeted gay star who met Brady/Blake while filming Metropolitan, leading to a secret love affair with Blake that lasted a few years.

As I stated previously, who knows if this is indeed true or not (either way, it sure is fascinating), and it will be interesting to see if any "legitimate" media picks up the story, or if anyone truly "in the know" will come out to confirm it. Then there is the intriguing question of whether the Academy will respond.

Regardless of any future developments, "Ent" brings up a good point regarding all his readers who were so obsessively involved with cracking this "Old Hollywood" BI. It has turned on many people to an interest in classic film, and, hopefully, they will actually watch some of these often forgotten treasures that they have read about; if anything else, I'm sure In Old Chicago has jumped to top of many people's Netflix queues as a result of all this. I know it has in mine.

Click here to purchase In Old Chicagoon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via CrazyDaysAndNights.net and Imdb.com.

Dead Man's Helmet

So yeah, today is "International Talk Like a Pirate" day.

Now, I could go all Captain Jack on you and rattle off a few "Arrrr's" or an "Ahoy, matey" or even a robust "Avast, me hearty", but no. The message I have for you today is far too serious for such swashbuckling shenanigans.

That message is this: there are other kinds of pirates out there, and they are not to be trifled with. So just remember that when you're spouting your little "Shiver me timbers" or "Raise the mizzenmast", you ... landlubber you.

Women We Love: Mink Stole

We don't usually fall for uptight prudes or religious zealots, but when they're played by Mink Stole, we'll make an exception.

As all purveyors of queer cinema know, Stole gained fame (notoriety?) as one of the original members of John Waters' guerilla filmmaking ensemble. In fact, she was one of the cast members who were infamously arrested during the making of Mondo Trasho, wherein she also memorably tap-danced topless.

Stole frequently played more then one character in the early days, such as the "religious whore" who "seduces" Divine with a rosary in Multiple Maniacs. She and Divine often played adversaries onscreen, most notoriously in the midnight movie classic Pink Flamingos as two clannish matriarchs competing for the title of "The Filthiest Person Alive".

Female Trouble, Desperate Living and Polyester followed, but it was the original Hairspray that finally found Stole and Divine playing on the same side (ironically, it would turn out to be Divine's final film with Stole). In Cry-Baby, Stole spent much of her time in an iron lung, but she was back with a vengeance as the prudish neighbor Dottie Hinkle in Serial Mom. Her profanity-riddled telephone exchanges with Kathleen Turner have become legendary.

Through the years, Stole's roles in Water's films (Pecker, Cecil B. Demented, A Dirty Shame) grew smaller, but her own cult status earned her roles in such gay-themed movies as Leather Jacket Love Story, But I'm a Cheerleader and, most recently, Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds. But to us, she will always be Connie Marble. Or Taffy Davenport. Or Marge the Neuter. Or ...

Link via Imbd.com.

Birthday Bash for AFI's 40th

In celebration of their 40th anniversary, the American Film Institute is throwing a celebration that will surely have classic movie buffs everywhere wishing they all lived in LA. I know I do.

On October 3 at the ArcLight Hollywood cinema, AFI will screen not one, not two, but eleven classic films. And that's not all: each of the films will be introduced by the star and/or director of that film:

• Julie Andrews for The Sound of Music
• Warren Beatty for Bonnie and Clyde
• Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner for When Harry Met Sally ...
• Kirk Douglas for Spartacus
• Clint Eastwood for Unforgiven
• Morgan Freeman for The Shawshank Redemption
• Tippi Hedren for The Birds
• Angela Lansbury for Beauty and the Beast
• George Lucas for Star Wars
• Jack Nicholson for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• Sylvester Stallone for Rocky

Or maybe it's all for the best I don't live in Los Angeles. All of the films will be screened at the same time, so you can only see one! Talk about your Sophie's choice!

I'd probably see Beauty and the Beast, because I would love to see Angela. Plus, it's the shortest one, so then I could sneak into another theater to catch a glimpse of Julie, or maybe Tippi. Which one would you choose?

Tickets for the event go on sale today at AFI.com.

UPDATE: Wow, I'm not sure when it happened, but according to AFI's website today (Sunday, September 23), this event is now completely SOLD OUT.

Links via AFI.com.

Poster Post: Some Day My Prince Will Come

The next Chronicles of Narnia movie just got a lot more interesting. Future crush object Ben Barnes stars as Prince Caspian, the savior of Narnia or something.

But who cares, that prince is a hottie, as you can see for yourself in this production video. It must be that one-two punch of a British accent and a cleft chin.

Prince Caspian will hit theaters next May. Click on the picture above for access to a huge high-res image of the poster.

Click here to buy Chronicles of Narniaposters from Amazon.com.
Links via Cinematical.com, Imdb.com and YouTube.com.

The Latest on DVD: Leather and Polyester Edition

Two throwbacks to times of more questionable fashion choices are amongst this week's latest DVD releases:

Featured Titles:

• Cruising- After all the talk and debate, it is finally here in a deluxe "Leather Daddy" edition. OK, not really.
• Brothers & Sisters: The Complete First Season- On the heels of Sally Field's deserved Emmy win, this set not only includes every episode you've seen, but even one you haven't.
• Grindhouse Presents: Death Proof- The Quentin Tarantino half, in a two-disc special edition.
• Saturday Night Fever: 30th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition- White polyester suit not included.

Classics Corner:

• Deliverance- A new Deluxe Edition. Also available in HD-DVD and Blu-ray, so you can now see every pore on Ned Beatty's body.
• Anne of the Thousand Days/Mary, Queen of Scots- A royal double feature, these costume epics star two Oscar-nominated actresses: Geneviève Bujold and Vanessa Redgrave, respectively.
• The Threepenny Opera- Beware Mack the Knife in this Criterion edition of G.W. Pabst's version of the Kurt Weill musical.
• Robinson Crusoe on Mars- Daniel Defoe's classic gets a sci fi twist in another Criterion release.
• Alligator- OK, this one is more camp then classic, but it does feature Robert Forster and a big rubber gator.

What Else is New:

• Pittsburgh- Jeff Goldblum stages The Music Man with Ed Begley Jr. and Illeana Douglas in this offbeat documentary.
• The Gymnast- Lesbians in the air ... and in love.
• Zoo- Uh ... I'm just going to quote Imbd's plot outline on this one: "A look at the life of a Seattle man who died as a result of an unusual encounter with a horse."

What's on TV:

• Smallville - The Complete Sixth Season- Last year, Superman-to-be Tom Welling was almost out-super hunk'd by Justin Hartley's Green Arrow.
• The Best of Rocky and Bullwinkle: Vol. 2- More wackiness with moose und squirrel.
• Josie and the Pussycats: The Complete Series- Yeah, I know, now I got the theme song stuck in my head too.

Special Editions and Box Sets:

• The Roger Corman Collection- Includes eight of the cult director's drive-in classics, including Bloody Mama, A Bucket of Blood and The Man With the X-Ray Eyes.
• Wall Street: 20th Anniversary Edition- Greed is good, even two decades after the fact.
• Flashdance: Special Collector's Edition- What a feeling. Take your passion, and make it happen.
• Troy - Director's Cut- Available in a two-disc edition or an "ultimate collector's edition", as well as on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, so you can now see every pore on Brad Pitt's body.

Click on the individual titles to purchase them from Amazon.com.

Link via AfterElton.com.

Where the Boys Are

The Sex and the City movie just got a little hotter: Jason Lewis, along with David Eigenberg and Evan Handler, will join the previously announced Chris Noth as our four fabulous fashionista's significant others.

At least one newcomer to the film (which just got a prime release date) has been added. Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson will play Carrie Bradshaw's assistant, which leads me to believe a new job is in store for our favorite sex columnist.

As for the show's two main gay characters, Mario Cantone is rumored to return, but what about Willie Garson? I don't know what Carrie ... or I ... will do without Stanford Blatch.

UPDATE: Is America ready for a woman president? The Daily Show's Samantha Bee channels Carrie Bradshaw to find out.

Links via Imdb.com, MoviesBlog.MTV.com, People.com and LATimes.com.

Film Art: Minnelli by Warhol

We all love Liza. We can't help it; it's in our genes. Of course, some of us have more in the genes then others ... not that there's anything wrong with that.

Links via Imdb.com and YouTube.com.

Toronto: 'Eastern' Wins Northern Prize

Eastern Promises, David Cronenberg's crime thriller starring Viggo Mortensen, won the top prize at the just completed Toronto International Film Festival. As conventional wisdom states, that means this unconventional film is now officially a "frontrunner" in this year's awards race. Nevertheless, we'll have to wait and see if its grim subject matter doesn't turn off older Academy members like the duo's last outing, A History of Violence, although that didn't hurt The Departed last year.

Shaping up to be this year's Little Miss Sunshine is Jason Reitman's quirky look at teenage pregnancy Juno, with no less then Roger Ebert predicting an Oscar nod for its 20-year old leading lady, Ellen Page. See for yourself with the official trailer for the comedy, which boasts a fine supporting cast that includes such favorites as Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons and Jennifer Garner, herself receiving some early Oscar buzz.

Cate Blanchett's two diverse biopics continued to receive mixed responses, even if everyone was enthralled by her own performances as the Virgin Queen and the Folkie King in, respectively, Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Todd Haynes' I'm Not There.

However, the most divisive film of the festival, and likely the year, was Alan Ball's Nothing is Private. The bleak drama features a controversial sex scene between Aaron Eckhart's character and a 13-year-old Arab-American girl (played by 19-year-old Summer Bishil) that the ultra-conservative Fox News likens to "kiddie porn". Here's what the trades had to say about it.

Other notables at the fest:

• Breakfast With Scot: In this, the so-called "gay hockey movie", Tom Cavanaugh and Ben Shenkman star as a couple who look after their flamboyant nephew (think Ugly Betty's Justin, only in Canada).
• A Jihad for Love: This documentary, filmed in secret over a six-year period, examines the often dangerous lives of gay Muslims.
• Then She Found Me: Helen Hunt stars in her directorial debut, where she plays a baby-wanting woman who meets her long absent birth mother, played by ... Bette Midler?!
• Trumbo: Blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo is the subject of this doc, which, considering its subject, is sure to nab an Oscar nom.
• And continuing their road to glory: Atonement, In the Valley of Elah, Into the Wild, Michael Clayton and No Country for Old Men, another wacky crime caper (à la Fargo) from the Coen Brothers, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and Woody Harrelson.
• Or not: Rendition and Cassandra's Dream.

Even with some promising standouts, the general consensus is that ... there is no consensus. Which means it should be an exciting awards season this year.

UPDATE: Here's the official trailer for Atonement. Anyone else reminded just a tad of The Children's Hour?

Links via GoldDerby.LATimes.com, TIFF07.ca, AwardsDaily.com, RogerEbert.SunTimes.com, YouTube.com, EW.com, EdgeBoston.com, Blogs.MercuryNews.com and MoviesBlog.MTV.com.

Cinematic Crush: William Holden

Often underrated but never overlooked, William Holden was a Golden Boy long before he got his big break opposite Barbara Stanwyck in that film. He could have easily coasted through life on his boy-next-door looks and rakish charm, but he proved time and time again that he had talent behind that cleft chin and those dreamboat eyes.

Holden became a leading man when Montgomery Clift turned down Sunset Boulevard, and never looked back: he was a natural. As Joe Gillis, the opportunistic yet tortured screenwriter-turned-kept man, Holden earned his first Academy Award nomination. He would win the Oscar three years later as a cynical P.O.W. in Stalag 17.

As adept at comedy (Born Yesterday, The Moon is Blue) and romance (Sabrina, Love is a Many-Splendored Thing) as drama (The Country Girl, The Bridge on the River Kwai), Holden never took himself too seriously. All you have to do is watch his legendary guest spot on I Love Lucy to see that. He never shied away from the hunk factor either, often appearing shirtless in the posters advertising his movies (Picnic being the famous example).

In later years, Holden alternated between acclaimed pictures (The Wild Bunch, Network -- his third and final Oscar nomination) and far lesser fare (The Towering Inferno, Damien: Omen II) while his handsomeness grew more rugged and his personal life more tempestuous. But he will always be a "golden boy" in our hearts.

Links via Imdb.com and IMPAwards.com.

Who's Cruising Who?

A lot of movies are talked about long after they come out, but those are usually good ones. Cruising, the notorious gay killer thriller written and directed by William Friedkin and starring Al Pacino, is not a good movie by any means. Yet, here we are, 27 years later, still talking about it.

The controversy surrounding the making of the film places it in a unique place in gay history. However, aside from occasional airings on pay cable or dusty VHS tapes, it has mostly stayed buried since its box office failure back in 1980. More people have heard about Cruising then have actually seen it, and the coverage the book and film The Celluloid Closetgave it pretty much damned it in the eyes of most, sight unseen. Friedkin rarely discussed it, and as far as Pacino was concerned, he never made it (for example, it was conspicuously absent from his recent AFI tribute).

Nevertheless, the film did develop a sort of "cult" following through the years, largely due to its scarcity. It was even unofficially "remade" as a comedy, two years after it was first released, as the even more dreadful Partners. (If you really want a laugh though, skip that one and watch Boy Toys, a scene-for-scene "remake" of Cruising ... using Ken dolls. Warning: lots of gratuitous fashion doll nudity and violence.)

So now that Cruising is making its long-delayed DVD debut this Tuesday, a lot of people have been talking about it even more; Friedkin himself is particularly chatty about it. Some say it's worth another look, while others naively wonder what all the fuss was about; this being the internet, there are diverse opinions ranging from the clinical and balanced to the superficial and dismissive.

However, if you read one article about Cruising, make sure it is this superlative piece from Entertainment Weekly contributing writer Mark Harris. Harris covers all the bases regarding the film's infamous makings and deconstructs it with not just a critical eye, but with the eye of a gay man. He also calls to task Friedkin and producer Jerry Weintraub, who (in the DVD extras) try to frame the movie as "a work of art ahead of its time". Yeah, right. If anything, Cruising was a product of its time, not a victim of it.

UPDATE: For his typically laugh-out-loud take on something other then Top Chef, be sure to check out Steven Frank's irreverent look at Cruising over at After.Elton.com.

Click here to pre-order Cruisingon DVD from Amazon.com. Click here to buy Cruisingposters from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, AFI.com, YouTube.com, eBAR.com, Cinematical.com, NYBlade.com, SFBayTimes.com, VillageVoice.com, BrightLightsFilm.com, SFBG.com, NewNowNext.com, AfterElton.com and EW.com.

Awards Watch: God Bless America

Tonight was yet another bizarre year in the bizarre history of the Emmy Awards. (James Spader? Over James Gandolfini? Really???) Questionable wins aside, let me first give a shout out to the four actors from "my shows" that did win:

• America Ferrera, Best Comedy Actress for Ugly Betty: Not only is it fantastic to see somebody win who so very much deserves it, but our gal America was so gracious and humble in her acceptance speech, I confess to tearing up just a tad. You go, Betty, we love you!
• Katherine Heigl, Best Drama Supporting Actress for Grey's Anatomy: What a year our Izzie Stevens is having -- first she's Knocked Up, then she wins what was probably the most competitive race of the night, and on top of all that, she was the best dressed of the evening; seriously, she looked fabulous. (And it's "High-gull", not "High-jull" ... you would think they would prep their announcers on such things.)
• Terry O'Quinn, Best Drama Supporting Actor for Lost: He rightfully should have won two years ago, so it's great to see this incredible character actor finally get the gold. His John Locke is a complicated role, and he pulls it off brilliantly every week.
• Sally Field, Best Drama Actress for Brothers & Sisters: I love this show, and Field's Nora Walker is the heart and soul of it. She gave a great speech too ... until she got flustered ... and then she was cut off in the middle of an anti-war statement. Gee, what a surprise from the Fox Network ...

Rob Marshall also won for his classy Tony Bennett special, as did another Tony ... the awards show, that is. Also, the über-gay friendly Ugly Betty won two other awards (and if you too can't wait for that show's second season to start, here's a hilarious preview to tide you over until September 27).

All right, back to the show. Some random observations:

• The "in-the-round" set: A good idea in theory, but it seemed to throw most everybody who stepped foot on it. Just goes to show how many television actors these days have very little experience in the "thea-tah". (I did love that cool circular video screen though.)
• Ryan Seacrest: Ryan, Ryan, Ryan ... you know, you were doing OK ... until you came out in that costume from The Tudors and said it looked "a lot less gay on the rack". Are you kidding me? At what point did you think that was funny, let alone that it would fly in this day and age? What flabbergasts me about the whole thing is that the whole thing was just that: a lame gay joke. GLAAD better be all over this by tomorrow is all I'm saying.
• I also expect some backlash to be directed at Conan O'Brien and Bill Maher for their little skits showing, respectively, Mexican immigrants piling into a pick up and a toe-tappin' bathroom brigade. Oy, where do I start?
• It always amazes me that these award shows really think they can get it all in during the allotted time, so they have clips of all the early acting nominees but then have to cut them for the bigger categories later in the show. In other words, we get to see a bit of Ed Asner's nominated performance in something called The Christmas Card, yet none from Helen Mirren's winning performance in Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act. Go figure.
• Forgetaboutit! The cast of Jersey Boys was awesome! But is it just me to think that it was a big stretch to connect it to The Sopranos (winner of Best Drama Series for its polarizing finale season)? And did we really need to see Silvio whacking Adriana to the tune of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"?
• Ellen and Portia looked great on the red carpet together, but I missed Neil Patrick Harris with beau David Burtka. And T.R. Knight looked very dapper, except when they cut to him after an Isaiah Washington joke; then he looked pissed.
• And finally: What was up with that creepy guy staring at Queen Latifah during the Roots tribute?

Click here for a complete list of this year's Emmy winners.

UPDATE: If you missed them too, here's a pic of Neil and David on the Emmy red carpet.

Links via YouTube.com, TheEnvelope.LATimes.com and AfterElton.com.

The Latest on TV: A Hitch in Time

Notable movies and other programs on TV for Monday September 17 to Sunday September 23:

AMC continues their "7 Nights of Hitchcock" this week, with several of the master's best, including The Birds, Rope, Vertigo, Psycho and Shadow of a Doubt. To get you in the mood, the channel's website has a list of his ten most famous onscreen murders. Gee, I wonder what #1 is?

Over at Turner Classic Movies, they serve up their second batch of lost Warner Bros. First National classics from London's famed Teddington Studios on Monday. Three of the titles have never been seen in the United States in any way, shape or form.

Tuesday on the channel brings more "A Star is Born" films, movies that gave big stars their big break. Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis and Patricia Neal are spotlighted this week; Neal's The Founthead will be followed by her own Private Screenings one-on-one with Robert Osborne.

On Saturday, TCM presents a look at the first "talkies" of several silent greats, including Harold Lloyd in Welcome Danger and Lon Chaney in The Unholy Three, both not available on DVD.

Other classic movies on TV but not DVD for the week include Anne Bancroft in The Pumpkin Eater (Monday, TCM), Jennifer Jones in Tender is the Night (Tuesday, Fox Movie Channel), Greta Garbo in The Kiss (Tuesday, TCM), Tyrone Power in Lloyd's of London, Susan Hayward in The President's Lady and Bette Davis in The Virgin Queen (all Saturday, FMC) and Mickey Rooney in Young Tom Edison (Sunday, TCM).

If you ever wanted to learn more about the exciting world of location scouts, then be sure to catch one of the screenings this week of IFC's Action Indies: Extraordinary Location Scouts.

And on LOGO this week, Monday brings No Dumb Questions, a documentary about how three small children come to terms with their uncle becoming their aunt. M. Butterfly, David Cronenberg's film version of the Tony Award-winning play starring Jeremy Irons and John Lone (which is surprisingly not on DVD) airs Tuesday. More docs on Thursday (When Ocean Meets Sky takes a look at the notorious gay hotspot, Fire Island) and Saturday (100% Woman concerns a transsexual mountain bike champion), and, just for fun, be sure to catch the light-hearted look at gay TV faves, from Wonder Woman to The Golden Girls, in Inside TV Land: Tickled Pink on Sunday.

Click on the network links to find the show times in your area. All programming is subject to change.

Links via AMCTV.com, TCM.com, FoxMovieChannel.com, IFC.com and LOGOOnline.com.