#connie and carla review

[claudia1829things]

"THE BUCCANEERS" (1995) Review

"THE BUCCANEERS" (1995) Review

Years ago, I had anticipating watching for the first time, "THE BUCCANEERS", the 1995 television adaptation of Edith Wharton’s last novel. After all, I have been a major fan of "THE AGE OF INNOCENCE", Martin Scorcese’s 1993 adaptation of Wharton’s award-winning 1920 novel for years. But my eager anticipating nearly ebbed away, when I discovered that "THE BUCCANEERS" only managed to rouse a lukewarm reception from many television critics.

The five-part miniseries turned out to be an unusual production from the BBC. One, it was based upon a novel written by an American author – namely Edith Wharton. There have been other British television productions based upon the literary works of an American, but they are very rare. Another interesting aspect of Wharton’s "The Age of Innocence" is that the author did not finish it, due to her death at the age of 75. Fifty-six years later, Wharton scholar Marion Mainwaring finished the novel, which was published by Viking. Around the same time, the BBC hired screenwriter Maggie Wadey to adapt and finish the novel for the television adaptation. As a result the novel has two slightly different endings. Another aspect of this miniseries that struck me as unusual was that instead of hiring British actresses to portray four of the five leads, the BBC hired four Amercian actresses – Carla Gugino, Mira Sorvino, Alison Elliott and Rya Kihlstedt.

The plotline for "THE BUCCANEERS" is very simple. The story begins in 1873 Newport, Rhode Island; in which two sisters of a noveau riche businessman and their two friends are introduced – Virginia "Ginny" and Annabel "Nan" St. George, Conchita "Connie" Closson and Elizabeth "Lizzy" Elmsworth. Whereas the Brazilian born Conchita manages to snare Lord Richard Marabel, the dissolute second son of the Marquess of Brightlingsea, the other three girls struggle to find a place amongst the members of old New York society. When a prank committed by Ginny and Lizzy backfires, Nan’s English governess Laura Testvalley proposes to Mrs. St. George that Ginny and Nan have a London season amongst the upper-class British. She argues that their acceptance by the British high society would assure them a place amongst the upper-class New Yorkers. Due to their friendship with the vibrant Conchita, Virginia and Annabel are introduced to Lord Richard’s family – the impoverished Brightlingseas and their neighbors, the equally impoverished Sir Helmsey Thwaite and his son Guy. As they get settled to conquer British society, Ginny and Nan are surprised by the arrival of Lizzy, who has arrived in Britain for her own season.

Although the girls’ original purpose for visiting Britain was to enjoy a London season, a friend of Laura Testvalley has other plans for them. Thirty years earlier, the American born Jackie March had been engaged to a British aristocrat – namely the very young Lord Brightlingsea, who abandoned her at the altar. Miss March remained in Britain and became something of a sponsor/matchmaker for young society girls. It was Miss March who recommended that the visiting Americans rent a villa owned by one of her former sponsors, Lady Idina Hutton. She also recommended that the girls do more than just enjoy a London season in order to impress old New York society. She recommended that they consider marrying into upper-class British society. Miss March’s plans eventually come to fruition:

*Virginia or namely her father’s wealth attracted the attention of Lady Idina Hutton’s lover and Lord Richard’s older brother, Lord Seadown.

*Lizzy ended up marrying a self-made aspiring politician named Hector Robinson

*Annabel fell in love with Guy Thwaite, but ended up marrying the very wealthy Julian Folyat, Duke of Trevennick; when Guy left Britain to find his fortune in South America.

As I had stated earlier, most critics were not initially kind to "THE BUCCANEERS". Most British critics dismissed it as a costumed soap opera of the second-rate kind, with an ending that had been "Hollywoodized" (happy ending). These same critics also accused the miniseries of mocking the British aristocracy. The American critics, at least those who considered themselves Wharton purists, accused the miniseries’ screenwriter, Maggie Waddey, of changing the elements of the author’s story by including topics such as marital rape and homosexuality. Personally, I found all of these arguments irrelevant. Most dramas about personal lives – whether first-rate or not – tend to possess soap-operish elements. This hostility toward soap operas has always struck me as infantile and irrelevant. And why are all Hollywood productions guilty of having a happy ending, when that has not been the case? Other literary works and their adaptations have mocked the British aristocracy. Why was there such a big hullabaloo over how the aristocracy was portrayed in this particular story? As for the additions of marital rape and homosexuality, these elements did no harm to the story, as far as I am concerned. And I must admit that I have become increasingly weary of demands that all movie or television adaptations should be completely faithful to their literary source. Such demands strike me as impractical.

My complaints about "THE BUCCANEERS" are very few. In fact, I only have two. The first time I ever saw actress Gwen Humble on the television screen was in a miniseries called "THE REBELS", an adaptation of a John Jakes novel. Although I had no problems with her performance in that particular production, I must admit that I had a problem with her performance as Virginia and Annabel’s mother, Mrs. St. George. I understand that Mrs. St. George was supposed to be a shallow and somewhat silly woman. But I feel that Humble went a little too far in conveying those certain traits. Her performance struck me as exaggerated and a little amateurish. Another problem I had with "THE BUCCANEERS" is a rather minor one. It has to do with Virginia’s husband, Lord Seadown. His father is a marquess – which is ranked somewhere between a duke and an earl (count). As the eldest son, he is entitled to a courtesy title. But what was Seadown’s courtesy title? His younger brother was called Lord Richard Marable, which is correct for the younger son of a marquess. The courtesy title for the eldest son of a marquess is usually an earldom – namely Earl of Something. Was Seadown’s name a courtesy title - Earl of Seadown? Or was he supposed to be regarded as Lord Seadown Marable? If the latter, what was the courtesy title he used? I found it all slightly confusing.

However, "THE BUCCANEERS" has been one of my all time favorite miniseries, ever since I first saw it. And there is so much about it that has made it such a favorite of mine. One, producer-director Philip hired a production crew that did justice to Wharton’s story. The miniseries featured some elegant locations that served as the story’s various settings. Some of these locations included Castle Howard, Burghley House and Newport, Rhode Island. I also enjoyed Remi Adefarasin’s photography. It had a deep and rich color that did justice to a story filled with emotions and passion. Colin Towns provided an elegant and entertaining score that remained memorable for me, since the first time I heard it years ago. But it was Rosalind Ebbutt’s costumes that really blew my mind. She provided exquisitely outfits that were beautiful and elegant – especially those for the lead actresses. More importantly, her costumes not only reflected the fashions wore by the American and British upper-classes during the 1870s, they also reflected the change in the main characters’ status and in women’s fashion throughout the decade, as the following photographs show:

Another one of the major virtues of "THE BUCCANEERS" turned out to be its cast. Wharton’s novel is filled with interesting characters. And Saville and his casting director did an excellent job in finding the right actor/actress for the right role. Aside from Gwen Humble’s portrayal of Mrs. St. George, there were so many first-rate performances in the miniseries that it would take me another article just to describe them. But the supporting performances that stood out for me came from the likes of Sheila Hancock, whose portrayal of the Dowager Duchess of Trevenick struck me as an expert mixture of cool haughtiness, sharp wisdom and long suffering; Michael Kitchen, who skillfully conveyed both the charming and shallow nature of Sir Helmsley Thwaite; Jenny Agutter, who was excellent as Lady Idina Hatton, Lord Seadown’s insecure and tragic mistress; Dinsdale Landen and Rosemary Leach, who both portrayed the Marquess and Marchioness of Brightlingsea with a mixture of class haughtiness, charm and great humor; Peter M. Goetz, who seemed to personify the self-made 19th century American businessman; and Connie Booth, who gave one of her best performances as the ambitious and sharp-minded Jackie March.

Richard Huw gave a humorous, yet intelligent performance as Hector Robinson, the ambitious young Member of Parliament who ends up winning Lizzy Elmsworth’s hand. And Mark Tandy was pretty solid as Lord Brightlingsea’s heir, the mercenary Lord Seadown who marries Virginia for Colonel St. George’s money. I was very impressed by Ronan Vibert’s portrayal of the dissolute Lord Richard Marabel, Conchita’s husband and Lord Brightlingsea’s younger son. But the two male performances that really impressed me came from Greg Wise and James Frain. The latter portrayed the haughty Julian Duke of Trevenick, who manages to win the hand Annabel St. George (much to the surprise of her governess), before alienating her with his lack of skills as a husband. Frain could have easily portrayed Julian as a one-note villain, especially when one considers the act of marital rape that his character committed against his wife in Episode Three. Being the skillful actor that he is, Frain conveyed all facets of Julian’s personality – both the good and the bad. And his assertion near the end of Episode Four that he is "not a monster" may have been one of Frain’s finest moments on screen. Greg Wise probably gave one of what I consider to be three of his best career performances in his portrayal of Guy Thwaite, Sir Helmsley’s only son. His Guy could have been one of your typical handsome, romantic heroes. But Wise did an excellent job in revealing how Guy’s insecurities regarding his lack of funds led him to lose Annabel to Julian. And he also conveyed how in the throes of love, Guy could be a slightly selfish man with no thought to how his "friendship" with Annabel might affect her social standing. Thanks to Wise’s performance, his Guy Thwaite proved to be equally complex.

We finally come to our five leads in the story – the four American heiresses and Annabel St. George’s English governess, Laura Testvalley. I have noticed that whenever someone brings up Cheri Lunghi, he or she inevitable brings up her role in "THE BUCCANEERS", the Anglo-Italian governess Miss Testvalley. I certainly cannot blame them. Lunghi proved to be the glue that held the story together, skillfully serving as its eyes and narrator at the beginning of each episode. Rya Kihlstedt gave a charming and solid performance as the blunt and level-headed Lizzy Elmsworth, who seemed more impressed by Hector Robinson’s ambitions than any aristocrat. She and Richard Huw managed to create a very credible screen presence. Alison Elliott’s Virginia St. George proved to be one of the most complicated characters in the story. Thanks to the actress’ excellent performance, she conveyed Virginia’s haughtiness and obsession with being connected to an aristocratic family; and at the same time, garnered sympathy by expressing the character’s love for her husband and disappointment upon discovering that he had only married her for money. And less than a year before she won her Academy Award, Mira Sorvino proved just how first-rate she could be as an actress in her portrayal of the Brazilian-born Conchita Closson. Her Conchita was a delicious and complicated minx torn by her desire for the luxurious and glamorous lifestyle of the British aristocracy and her contempt for what she deemed as their cold personalities. If Cheri Lunghi’s Laura Testvalley was the story’s eyes and narrator, Carla Gugino’s Annabel St. George aka the Duchess of Trevenick proved to be the heart and soul of "THE BUCCANEERS". Thanks to Gugino’s superb performance, the actress literally transformed Nan from the childish and naïve sixteen year-old girl, to the bewildered nineteen year-old bride and finally to the weary twenty-one year-old wife, disappointed by a failed marriage and in love with another man. There are times that I wondered if any other actress could have accomplished what she did. It seemed a pity that none of the major television and critics awards organizations never acknowledged her performance with a nomination.

Many critics have heaped a great deal of scorn upon Maggie Wadey’s adaptation of Wharton’s novel. Frankly, I believe this scorn was undeserved. I may not have been that impressed by her other works, but I honestly believe that "THE BUCCANEERS" was her masterpiece by far. Many accused her of failing to adapt Wharton’s "spirit" or "style" by including marital rape and homosexuality into the story. Since both topics where added without any tasteless sensationalism, I had no problems with these additions. And Wadey also made sure to give the story’s happy ending something of a bittersweet edge. Despite leaving Julian for the man she loved, Guy Thwaite, Annabel found herself ostracized by society and especially by her sister Virginia – as was proven at the Marquess of Brightlingsea’s funeral. Annabel and Guy’s elopement also left the latter disinherited by his father, Sir Helmsley. And her assistance in the elopement left Laura Testvalley rejected by Sir Helmsley and unemployed. So much for the "happy ending". Because the story revolved around four American heiresses marrying into the British upper-classes, "THE BUCCANEERS" also proved to be an interesting study in culture clash between two Western nations in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. But in all of the articles I have read about the miniseries, I find it surprising that no one has bothered to noticed that the topic of the continuing decline of the British aristocracy was also mentioned . . . more than once. It almost became a secondary theme. The Brightlingseas’ interest in the St. George family certainly seemed an indication that they were more willing to marry money – regardless from where it came – rather than find a way to earn it. This seemed like a far cry from Guy Thwaite, who preferred to create his own wealth with two years in South America, rather than marry it. And the character of the Marquess of Brightlingsea literally became a symbol of the aristocracy’s decline in scenes like a heated conversation between him and Hector Robinson; and a speech by Guy Thwaite to the House of Commons during a montage that featured of his death.

Now that I think about it, why should I care what others feel about "THE BUCCANEERS"? Every time I watch it, I always fall in love with the miniseries over and over again. Maggie Wadey wrote an excellent adaptation of Wharton’s novel – probably her best work or masterpiece, as far as I am concerned. Led by the likes of Carla Gugino, Cheri Lunghi, Greg Wise and James Frain, the cast proved to be first-rate. And Philip Saville did justice to both the cast and Wadey’s screenplay in his direction of the miniseries.

[ticketmastersince2k4]

TBT Anniversary: Connie and Carla, Broken Flowers, & Marley

Welcome backward, Ticketholders!

Today, we look back at September 10, 2012, when I shared a fun fact about the origin of the Drag Queen, did a review of a Bill Murray movie that gets better when it's over, and gave less than one love to the one life documentary, Marley.

Connie and Carla: C-

Broken Flowers: B+

Marley: D+

Enjoy!

[latestmoviesblog]

Movie Review: A Dolly Impersonator struggles to be “Seriously Red”

Aussie actress Krew Boylan turns out to be a better Dolly Parton impersonator than screenwriter in “Seriously Red,” her self-scripted star vehicle. It’s a self-serious and seriously-confusing identity crisis comedy tucked into what might have been a gender role romp of the “Connie & Carla” variety. Boylan can Smoky Mountain drawl like Dolly, and offer a fair impression of Parton’s keening…

[movienation]

Movie Review: A Dolly Impersonator struggles to be "Seriously Red"

Aussie actress Krew Boylan turns out to be a better Dolly Parton impersonator than screenwriter in “Seriously Red,” her self-scripted star vehicle. It’s a self-serious and seriously-confusing identity crisis comedy tucked into what might have been a gender role romp of the “Connie & Carla” variety. Boylan can Smoky Mountain drawl like Dolly, and offer a fair impression of Parton’s keening…

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Connie and Carla

I know nothing about this film requested by Chad other than the following facts: It was Nia Vardalos’s follow-up to the indie smash hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and it was universally reviled by audiences and critics alike. So I’m in for a fun afternoon! The plot is your basic Some Like It Hot ripoff - Connie (Vardalos) and Carla (Toni Collette) are childhood best friends who have spent their whole lives performing together, believing they are destined for musical theater greatness. After witnessing a murder, they go on the run and hide out in the last place anyone would think to look for them - as women pretending to be men pretending to be women, aka performers in a drag queen bar in L.A. Everything’s going great until a BOY shows up (David Duchovny), and Connie falls for him. Gender gags, musical theater numbers, mistaken identify, Russian mobsters, hijinks - yeah, we’ve all drunk this cocktail before. So was this top shelf, or something found in a plastic jug at the gas station? Well...

How about a mid-level ridiculous flavored vodka? Like Pinnacle Whipped Cream or something. The film’s conceptions of gender (and of straight women’s feelings of entitlement to what should be LGBTQ spaces) are not my favorite. But its heart is in the right place and overall this leads to something pretty fun and charming, especially if you happen to love musical theater.

Some thoughts:

If there were an airport lounge where I could watch two sad 30-somethings singing a medley of musical theater’s greatest hits, I would go there every day. I wouldn’t even book a flight, that would just be my favorite bar. I think I would go broke driving to the airport every day and buying drinks in this lounge. I’d have my birthday party there. 

Oh I love Greg Gruenberg in a bit part as the cheesy celebrity bus tour guide in L.A. 

Hello David Duchovny as Jeff! He was my first celebrity crush, and his aw shucks nice guy thing in this movie is really working for me. 

This is wildly offensive to drag queens not because of stereotypes, but because no drag act would ever come so ill-prepared with a Rocky Horror number. I recognize that in 2004 we didn’t have over a decade of RuPaul’s Drag Race under our belts, but c’mon, even the most sheltered Midwestern queer would come with something better than this. 

Is this supposed to be some kind of feminist statement about beauty standards in L.A.? This anti-botox rant Connie and Carla go on, and the makeover of the woman in the salon - no no no, straight hair and beige lipstick is Bad but curly hair and lip liner is Good. It feels confusing that we’re supposed to see this as empowering when we’re just trading one commodified flavor of femininity for another. 

There’s something that just feels deeply wrong about these women taking one of the only paying drag gigs in town, particularly when actual drag performers come to them and beg them to open up their act to include other drag queens. Note that they all offer up tangible skills - I can sew a dress in 3 hours, I can do incredible makeup, I’ve got great choreography. Yes Connie and Carla can sing, but drag is meant to be performative - the artifice is part of what makes it an art form. Smarter queer people than me have written about this, but even for the uneducated, there’s something about this concept that feels off, wrong and exploitative, and deeply rooted in straight privilege. It’s the same icky feeling I get at the gay bar when all the seats for the drag show are taken up by straight women’s bachelorette parties, while actual queer women and men who came to see the show are pushed to standing room. 

Ok, I do kind of love these interludes with Tibor (Boris McGiver) looking for the girls in every dinner theater and Broadway show in the country and the only show playing is Mame every time. Fun fact - McGiver’s father actually starred in the 1974 version of Mame!

Feels a little weird that Connie is the one who is explaining to Jeff why drag queens “like to dress up.” Is this being an ally or just erasing and talking over queer folks’ experiences? This is what I mean when I say it feels off - I don’t think it’s malicious, but the way the film handles queer stories feels like a dismissal, an invalidation. Like these straight women can do queer camp better than these gay men. 

Did Carla literally just say “I need to get out of this closet”????

Connie is literally the worst at maintaining a cover. The trappings of fame are proving too alluring! 

As far as performances go, Collette and Vardalos have great chemistry, and Duchovny is being pretty dreamy as the romantic lead who’s around because he’s trying to reconnect with his estranged brother, Robert (Stephen Spinella). Nobody is winning an acting award for this, but Collette especially is a lot of bubbly fun.

Jeff is a difficult character to grapple with. On the one hand, he doesn’t always handle Robert’s sexuality with grace or compassion, and that can be difficult to watch as a queer person because we all have experienced that same kind of look, that tone of “why can’t you just be normal?” However, he’s putting in an honest effort to grow, and I think that should count for something. Also he straight up gets sexually assaulted by Connie, so I don’t blame him for having a hard time feeling comfortable around the drag queen scene. And that’s another fucked up thing, just adding to the “gay men are predatory and will put the moves on straight guys at the first chance” stereotype. 

Even though it sounds cringey as hell when he says it, I’m sure it is probably cathartic for any gay kid who stumbles across this movie and hears Jeff make his big speech about “I should have just loved you and accepted you and not cared about the fact that you wear dresses.” That’s what I mean when I say the script seems to have its heart in the right place even though the way it’s expressing a lot of these ideas just reinforces the status quo rather than interrogating it, or propping up the stories of people who live outside that status quo.

My god, do I love Debbie Reynolds in this head-to-toe red glitter number.

Yeah I don’t think all these queens would take this kindly to being lied to and having their act infiltrated by a couple of straight women. Like this feels laughably “all’s well that ends well.” 

Did I Cry? Ok, a tear slipped out when Jeff and Robert hugged for the first time. 

This was a very interesting watch. I know I seem to be dragging this shit out of this movie, but I actually largely enjoyed the experience of watching it. It’s got a very 2004-esque view of some complex gender and sexuality issues (and wouldn’t it have been so much more interesting if a queer person had written this and was able to use it to interrogate issues of femininity and its performance as it relates to queerness?). BUT, honestly, the whole thing is Shakespearean in its plot and its broad strokes characters. You’ve got crossdressing, mistaken identity, some light gay panic, long lost brothers reuniting - all that’s missing is a Duke and a forest setting, and you’ve got half of Shakespeare’s comedies right there. And much like Shakespeare, there’s nothing here that hasn’t been done before - it’s the medium parts of Some Like It Hot, the general plot of Sister Act (swap nuns for drag queens), the gender panic of every cross-dressing movie. All very surface-level stuff but there’s a reason these same kind of stories have been putting butts in seats for 400 years. 

If you liked this review, please consider reblogging or subscribing to my Patreon! For as low as $1, you can access bonus content and movie reviews, or even request that I review any movie of your choice.

[animeguy400]

Here’s the review of attack on titan season 3 episode 11 (48)

[miekasa]

bestie this is completely unrelated except it sorta is bc doctorxdoctor is scrumptious except i cannot with med school so my go to is professors at the same uni who are married

i think you drabbled a bit about this before??? correct me if i'm wrong lol 😭

Oh that’s hot, too and I’m on board. I probably have 😭😭 but it’s a fantastic au, so I love it when ppl wanna talk about it. Some quick ideas for both that have been in my rotation lately

Some cocky new resident bursts through the doors to the office space where you, Levi, your residents, and a few co-workers typically reside, frantic, and  demanding to speak to Dr. Ackerman. Levi only looks up from his notebook with a blank expression in his eyes to question, “Which one?” All of the kid’s confidence wavers, “Um... aren’t you Dr. Ackerman, sir?” Levi only shrugs, and points a weighted pen in the student’s direction, to an office door barely open wide enough to see a sliver of your profile as you type away on your computer, “Yes, I am, but so is she.” 

You should have known better, or at least been a little more thorough—for someone completing their MD-PhD, you’d think you’d do a quick Google search on the guy you’re seeing at least once to see if anything important pops up—because Jaeger really isn’t that common of a last name. Because not only is your boyfriend of nearly a year the younger brother your least favorite TA/supervisor, he’s also the son of the medical director of the hospital you’ll be working at next semester; and word on the street is Dr. Carla Jaeger doesn’t take lightly to her baby getting hurt. 

After taking residences in facilities nearly four thousand miles apart, Jean couldn’t care less about being a fully fledged doctor—the only thing on his mind is getting home to you, and never leaving. So, when he finally gets to your place, there’s not a single doubt in his mind when he drops his bags, cups your face between your hands, and asks you to move in with him. 

Connie really needs to stop calling you down to his office for “urgent” matters concerning the x-rays and images of your patients, when his only urgent concern is that he misses you. And that the x-ray table was freshly sterilized, so if you wanna... relieve some stress, he knows a place. 

Mikasa always had a soft spot for kids, and at one point considered pediatrics as a specialty. Even though she went down another route, she’s reminded of her love for children when Sasha asks for her to cover at her clinic for last few hours of the day. It reminds her that while doesn’t regret her speciality, but she does envy Sasha sometimes. So much so, that when she comes home to you later that evening, she can’t stop herself before she blurts out, “What do you think about adopting a kid?”

And for the professor/university side of things: 

Hange can’t help but cackle in the corner of the classroom as Levi’s student finish their presentation—a fourty-four slide powerpoint defending their belief that you and him are 100% dating—because while they compiled some pretty convincing arguments, Hange thinks it’s hilarious because Levi’s only reply is, “We’re very close with each other, as roommates should be.” 

You and Levi have a very special end-of-semester ritual. After all the exams and final papers and projects have been turned in, you like to sit on the touch with a glass of wine, and look through your course evaluations together; and they’re anonymous, but you two like to place bets on which students wrote which review. Most are positive, and you think it’s funny that 90% of Levi’s follow the general vibe of “Prof Ackerman is kind of cold-hearted on the outside and not an easy grader but he’s a good teacher.”

It’s only like the freshman think they have a chance with you—for one, you’re a senior, and secondly, you’re their lab TA and you can very easily fail them if they tick you off—but they have to admit to feeling a little crushed when they find out that not only are you not single, but you’re dating Armin, the other lab TA everyone has a crush on.

A rare au in which Levi does admit that he is married, but doesn’t disclose any information about you until the very last day of the semester. His students are practically bouncing off the walls on the last day of lecture before exams, ready for the big reveal. Imagine how dumb they feel when Levi finally tells them your name, and they realize that he’s been talking about you all the time, because your name is listed well over twelve times in the citations for the articles they’ve been reading all semester. (Eren has you sign his syllabus and his first midterm of the year, because you’re basically a celebrity at that point).  

[thatonecomicguy]

Today's comic is an adorable pile of cute wrapped up in the feelings of acceptance and discovery with a neat little bow of downright joy placed right on top.

Rock and Riot is set in the 1950s with gangs being the main plot point only there is an LGBT twist to it all. We even open our story with Connie, the leader of the girls only gang, the Jaquettes, arriving at school with her crew only to be smitten by a beautiful girl named Carla. After trying everything she can think if, which includes flexing, trying to look cool while smoking, and pulling some sweet donuts in a beautiful car shame on you for ruining those tires! she finally decides to just go up and talk to Carla, and what a miracle it actually works!

As I said already this story is a cute overload. As someone who is pansexual, but has also made the recent discovery of being aromantic this is a warm gift that really helps calm the confused storm whirling about in my head. While it is mostly about the LGBT community, there are hints of other topics gently dropped in the middle of chapters, or episodes as the artist likes to label them (lovely touch in my opinion). 

The art style is very cartoony. Not in the sense of Looney Toons or with outrageous expressions and stretches, but more like Hey Arnold from Nick way back when. Realistic but taking every advantage of its media format as possible. Not only are the orientations diverse, but the body types as well, something that is very easily seen with the first page above. If you’re looking for a comic with tons of representation look no further than Rock and Riot. I’m sure you’ll find it as heartwarming as I do.

And, as always, I hope you enjoy as much as I do.

Wanna show your support for a wonderful comic? Check out their patreon right over here! If you want to have physical copies, which I certainly do, there is even a store you can buy some merch on! Just wanna keep up with the comic? Well follow it on Tumblr @rockandriotcomic or the artist @cheriiart and their twitter under the same name. Like my reviews? Well I also have a patreon going! Check out and maybe throw a few bucks my way.

[dreaming-jun-chu]

Rock and Riot review

 Warning: This post is very long! I will have a typed up summary/shorter version come very soon.

Ah, the 1950s in the United States. 

Milkshakes!

Carhops!

Poodle skirts!

Racism.

Segregation.

Civil Rights Movement.

Homophobia and Transphobia.

These are the reality to that time period. As much as people want to erase the “sucky” parts, that’s the reality of it and it shaped how we view ourselves as queer people of color.

That’s where Rock and Riot comes in. And let me say: It’s not good.

Rock and Riot is an LGBT comic about queer kids and kids of color in the 1950s finding love. The comic prides itself on it’s diversity to not only race but to sexuality and gender. To queer white kids, it’s extremely diverse and “progressive”. To queer people of color like me, it’s really offensive and just plain jarring.

Going chapter by chapter, I will tell everything wrong with not only the chapter but for the overall story.

Chapter 1

It starts off with the main protagonist, Connie, riding up with her school gang The Jacquettes. While traveling down the hallway, she notices this blonde hair and blue eyed girl named Carla and instantly falls for her. Connie then goes through the “i’m gonna impress her” motions of flexing her muscles, smoking to seem cool and driving her car in donuts before finally speaking to her.

Let’s pause that for a second.

Connie is African-American/Black while Connie is White. During the 1950s, you’d be hard pressed to find a Black person really speaking to a White person if it wasn’t during a musical scene or at the Black person’s job. 

If this town is based in the Northern to Midwestern United States; while there wasn’t Jim Crow like in the South, Whites and Blacks (and by extension, anyone who was of Color) were segregated by tradition.

And the interracial relationships during that time; they got ALOT of shit for it. 

Chapter 2

So, the second chapter deals with Connie and Frankie, the leader of the rival school gang, the Rollers, get into an argument over...something, it wasn’t memorable. Frankie’s a sexist pig, Connie’s upset and they roll into the water and mess up their hair.

Pausing again.

If we wanna be realistic: Frankie would probably be aggressively misogynoirist against Connie. Sexism for White women is not the same as sexism for Black women. If you want to keep sexism, don’t treat it as if the sexism white women face is universally the same for all women. 

He implied that Connie isn’t tough enough to wear a jacket. 

If this was toward a White woman, this line would make sense. White women are always seen as too weak, too small and not tough enough.

On the flip coin, Black women are treated as the opposite. Black women are seen as too manly, too tough, and too emasculating to even be around. That a Black woman’s “masculinity” is too much for a White man.

Yeah, it’s a small comment but even a small comment like that really puts in perspective that the author didn’t do any research. Especially in the 1950s.

There’s other comments Frankie prolly would say but I’ll leave that to your imagination. 

Chapter 3

So the next chapter deals with Connie and Carla’s first date. They’re at a drive-in movie. So Carla asks if it’s normal for couples to go there and hook up. Connie falls over herself trying to say that they dont have to hook up and carla kisses Connie on the cheek.

In the next few pages, we see Clyde and Eugene (members of the Rollers) getting nervous about being alone together. Of course, they show signs of liking each other before Frankie comes up and honks their horn. The other two members of the Rollers went to Clyde’s house and his sister told them he was on a date. Edd asks if a girl bailed on Clyde and that’s why he’s hanging with Eugene.

Pausing once again.

On a story point of view, this scene is awkward. Why would Frankie and Edd disrupt Clyde’s date? The scene is supposed to be funny but it comes off as awkward. Unless it was actual important business regarding their school gang, there’s no reason for them to barge in. I don’t care if that’s the type of people they are: they aren’t about to be my friends if they pull a stunt like that on me. This chapter was poorly written.

Chapter 4

Hope everyone’s ready for the next chapter cause here’s where “trans-friendly” writing rears its ugly head.

So the next day at school, there’s a new kid named Ace. Connie and Frankie want Ace as part of their gang. if you don’t mind, i’d like to insert what Ace looks like here

So Connie and Frankie try and recruit Ace into their gang with no success until the two leaders begin to argue with one another in front of Ace. Ace asks why the leaders want Ace so bad. While Connie and Frankie yell their crap, Ace dismisses both of them and leaves.

Rolly, a “sweet’ member of the Jacquettes, comes and talks to Ace. They have a talk and Rolly explains how she was once part of the Rollers and Connie's gang accepted her in. So Ace says that neither of the gang is right for Ace and that Ace has a gang already.

Pausing again.

There’s a reason why I avoided pronouns for Ace intentionally for the summary of this chapter. Ace is supposed to be non-binary and uses They/Them pronouns. This wouldn’t be a problem...If Ace told them. A friend of mine actually asked “why are they using They/them pronouns for this trans man?”

When i told him that Ace is supposed to be non-binary, he was a bit...miffed to say the least. Because it doesn’t make sense for these characters to know Ace’s pronouns without knowing or even asking. I’d actually like it better had Connie said “She” and Frankie say “He”; because the scene where Ace gets angry and doesn’t want to be part of either gang would make more sense. And Ace revealing to Rolly that they don’t see themselves in either gang feel more natural.

But because Frankie and Connie immediately used they/them pronouns, it’s feels forced. As if the author is afraid of showing transphobia. In the 1950s.

Concerning Rolly; she is out, wearing dresses and uses She/Her pronouns. Pre-HRT. And passes.

I can’t speak for trans women so I won’t say much about Rolly other than, the fact she passes, out and no one gives a second glance is concerning.

But, i can talk about Ace. To give you a bit of a perspective, i am Bigender. I use He/Him and She/Her pronouns. I don’t pass nor am I androgynous. Nor do i want to. 

Ace being androgynous is a major trope of NB trans folks and if you havent heard: WE ARE TIRED OF THAT BULL. Some of us are still NB and don’t pass. While the other members of Ace’s gang don’t pass: Ace is front and center. Ace is the face of the gang and the face we see first before the other three.

Every trans person that appears in this comic either passes or everyone instantly knows the pronouns said trans person uses.

Chapter 5

So the next chapter is fairly unmemorable. Connie’s gang notices that connie’s been acting strange and believe she’s dating a boy.

PAUSE.

The author doesn’t seem to to know whether her world has transphobia/homophobia/racism or not and it’s overall confusing. Why wouldn’t Connie’s gang accept her being a lesbian? 

I barely remember what happened with Clyde and Eugene in this chapter so...I can’t really comment on this one. It’s unmemorable.

Chapter 6

Do you remember the paragraph above mentioning whether the author not know whether she wanted racism in her world or not? Here’s where everything starts going down the drain.

So Connie goes to the diner where Carla works. Because they don’t get to be together often, Carla suggests they go to a little dance hall to be together and hang out when she gets off. 

So when they go to the Dance hall, the bouncer says Carla can go in but Connie can’t. That because they’re under new management, they can’t let Connie in because of complaints.

Connie, surprisingly, acts a bit realistic here and suggests they just go. Carla gets angry and yells at the bouncer and says she’ll reveal that he’s been having little dates with the librarian and possibly would tell his wife before saying “let’s take our business else where.”

They go to a little lake and comment how no one will judge them there and they have their little date.

PAUSE.

Let’s go back to the author for a second. On her Rock and Riot tumblr, she said that this comic is supposed to be the 1950s without the “suck’ as she says it. Which means, there’s supposed to be no homophobia. There’s supposed to be no Transphobia. And certainly, there’s supposed to be no Racism. But Sexism for Whites TM is okey-dokey.

Please decide whether you want Racism or not in this comic. Personally, i don’t like that you nixed it just because you wanted a “happy” comic when the 1950s was a turning point and led into alot of revolutions and movements.

This incident pops up and then disappears. It’s barely mentioned again or at all. 

Chapter 7

Another unmemorable chapter, sadly. It’s supposed to be how Rolly came to join the jacquettes. I can’t say much on it because it’s unmemorable and just a rip from “Look at me, i’m Sandra Dee” from Grease.

Chapter 8

I’m gonna admit, i had to read back over this cause I remembered only bits and pieces. This chapter deals with Connie catching Clyde and Eugene making out in the classroom when everyone’s gone. 

The chapter ends with Clyde and Eugene trying to cover up their making out as Clyde does push ups.

It was quite a bland chapter at an attempt at creating drama. Which, I could realistically see Connie catching Eugene and Clyde making out behind the school.

Chapter 9

So Carla, Connie, Clyde and Eugene are at Suzy’s diner. Sadly, this chapter was pretty damn unmemorable except for the next part.

Clyde asks how Connie and Carla knew they were different (how they found out they were gay).

Connie said she never liked men. Carla said she doesn’t have a preference.

PAAAAUUUUUSSSSSEEEEE

Connie never liking men is such a horrible stereotypes of Lesbians. She could have said “I felt more comfortable around girls” or even “I tried dating men for a bit but I never really felt a connection”. ANYTHING.

I feel it’s even worse given that she’s a Black Lesbian at that.

So the four of them continue talking UNTIL~

Their respective school gangs show up and catch them “in the act”.

So to cover their asses, Connie and Clyde pretend to date and so does Eugene and Carla.

This doesn’t make sense in a world where homophobia shouldn’t exist. 

So Debby freaks the hell out, Frankie is angry. Debbie tells Connie that she’s not part of the Jacquettes anymore and Frankie is angry.

Pause~

Now, from what i assumed: Connie created the Jacquettes or atleast came up with the idea. Wouldn’t it make more sense for Debby to say that they quit the Jacquettes than severing a tie with connie? When Connie’s the leader?

Chapter 10

This chapter was...not written well, but none of these chapters really were.

So this chapter deals with Ace’s gang, The Bandits. They’re selling answers to quizzes and tests to students. A few students say that their answers are bogus and won’t shop with them again.

So the members go to Ace and they come up with a plan.

Now, this next part is annoying to me because it’s fairly obvious that the author isn’t a Spanish speaker...Nor was this necessary.

So while Ace and the Bandits devise a plan, Ace’s mother comes in and tells them to stay hydrated for stealing tests and Ace responds that they’re writing essays

NOT ONLY THAT, why the fuck would Ace’s mother be okay with them stealing tests? I hope it was a joke. a horribly written joke.

Ace gets the brilliant idea to rewrite the tests.

So Ace and the bandits break into the school (again, apparently) and rewrite the tests and answers. 

James Bond/Mission Impossible reference noted.

So the next day, the school kids all get their tests...And apparently, the teachers nor the entire school does an investigation on why one of the choices on the tests is “What is your gender?”

If Ace and the Bandits are supposed to be inclusive; they fall extremely short. I didn’t like this chapter. At all.

Chapter 11

If there was a chapter that the author did that I completely and utterly loathed? It’s this one. And with complete good reason.

So Connie goes to Carla’s house and climbs up Carla’s tree, calling out to her girlfriend and throwing rocks at her window.

PAUSE.

First off: Connie is Black. Second, Connie is Black in the 1950s. ANYONE could tell you that Connie going into (what i will assume) an All White Neighborhood is a death sentence first.

Thirdly: Connie is Black in the 1950s climbing a White person’s house. Neighbors during this time were nosy as fuck. Connie’s Black ass would have been shot out that tree faster than Taylor Swift switches boyfriends.

If Connie wasn’t shot by Carla’s father or Carla’s neighbors, the police would have shot her out that tree,

So Connie goes to Carla (after finding out Carla is on the bottom floor and that she needs to keep the noise down cause Carla’s daddy is home) and they talk. Debby and Triss won’t talk to her but Rolly will. 

Carla asks if she thinks Connie should tell Rolly the truth.

I’ll pause for this one

I would think Rolly of all people would be the only one to know Connie’s a lesbian. Then again, I guess drama to make drama?

So carla suggests that Connie tells them all and Connie is worried they’d see her differently.

I’d like to make a mention that this comic is supposed to be a world where the 1950s had no suck. So it still doesn’t make sense that Connie keeps this to herself...if Homophobia isn’t suppose to exist.

So Connie kisses Carla and tries to make out with her...But Carla says she left her iron on. Connie asks if she ever gets frustrated and Carla says she wants to wait til she’s married.

Connie retorts that them getting married is as likely as a Black President.

P. A. U. S. E.

Aside from Connie climbing up that tree, this line boiled my blood the most. Racism isn’t supposed to be in this world and yet, Connie drops this line?

Yes, in the 1950s and 1960s, White people told Black folks that a Black President was completely unlikely. That Black folks could NEVER be president. 

I’d give this line a pass...If it weren't for the nonsensical hypocrisy of this entire comic. If the 1950s were played straight and correct, this line makes sense. For the world the author established, it makes no sense whatsoever.

So Carla says she never saw the point in physical activities and wants to wait. Connie respects that. Carla’s dad comes in and Connie jumps out the window.

-siiiiigh-

Oh and apparently there’s a scene with Clyde and Eugene. I almost forgot about that part. Wasn’t particularly interesting.

Chapter 12

This was a chapter that really wasnt necessary to begin with so I won’t say much other than, it’s a flashback chapter. It gives insight to how the Rollers and Jacquettes were made but other than that, not necessary.

Chapter 13

This chapter is completely cringe worthy. This chapter doesn’t boil my blood as much as Chapter 11; but it’s cringe-worthy and completely forced.

So Debbie and Frankie get into a fight and they get detention. So instead of just Frankie and Debbie getting detention; both gangs get detention.

This doesn’t make sense as, unless the other members joined in, there’s no reason for the entire gangs to be there in detention. I don’t give two blueberry muffins and a puppy; Guilty by association doesn’t work in public schools...Or private schools. Or any school. 

If only you and another person was caught fighting, only you two get detention.

Anyway, Connie freaks out and Debbie wants to go off on Connie for “dating” Clyde.

Rolly comments that she’d smack both of Frankie and Debbie had she been there. Debbie calls out that Rolly was with that “Ace girl”.

I’m only pausing because I actually appreciate this. That realistically; Debbie doesn’t know Ace’s pronouns and wasn’t told so she’d immediately say “she” or “girl”. I dunno about you all; but I’m for it. 

So Rolly outs Ace as “Non-Binary” without permission...And without Ace being there to ok it. Thanks Rolly.

And so Debbie riles up so much that Connie comes out and says she’s dating Carla.

This is where this entire scene is just forced to high heaven.

This starts a chain of people coming out of the closet about their sexualities. Debbie’s dating Triss and Frankie is dating or atleast pining after Sasha, a jock.

Edd is the oddman out and says he doesn’t like anyone when Rolly asks if anyone else is going to come out.

This chapter was incredibly forced and just bad on all accounts. Outing someone without permission is horrible. It doesn’t matter if that character is trans as well. If Rolly is out, awesome. I don’t know if Ace is out because no one has asked nor have they said they were.

Honestly, this comic was a roller coaster that continued to spiral downward. Personally, i like the art. The art, in my opinion, is the best part of this comic.

The colors are nice and I love the panels. It’s a simplistic style. It’s nothing truly special but I like simplistic cartoony styles. So it’s part of the reason i stuck around was because of the art.

But the story, the premise, all of it...Downright bad if not very offensive. 

So if i could rate ONLY the art: 7 out of 10. There’s a few off model issues here and there but the colors and composition are nice.

The rating of the story: 0 out of 10. It’s incredibly boring, it cant decide whether it wants the phobias and -isms or not, only showing up when it wants to.

[larryland]

by Barbara Waldinger

How is it possible for a local theatre, performing in a school with a cast of seventeen, including a small group of experienced actors working alongside a number of young students, to mount a credible, fully-staged and costumed production of Shakespeare’s Richard II, a play written entirely in verse?

That is what Walking the dog Theater, celebrating its twenty-first anniversary this year, has happily achieved at Hawthorne Valley School Hall, under the direction of Melania Levitsky, with yeoman assistance from composer/music director Gotthard Killian, set designer Serena Hoffman and costumer Elizabeth Frishkoff (and assistants).

Written in 1595, the play takes place during the reign of  Richard II (1377-99), an incompetent, self-centered, corrupt king, eventually deposed by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, whose property Richard seized after banishing  him.  Wallowing in self-pity as Bolingbroke amasses forces against him, Richard willingly hands over his crown.  Why should we be interested in this weak king?  Because, as Shakespeare scholar Harold Bloom suggests, Richard is a remarkable poet–a “master of metaphor”–whose lyrical passages become more eloquent as his position as God’s anointed ruler slips away.  Upon learning that Bolingbroke has been murdering the king’s supporters, Richard speaks these famous lines:

“For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground

And tell sad stories of the death of kings.”  (III.ii. 155-6)

Fortunately, David Anderson, Executive Artistic Director and a founder of Walking the dog Theater, plays the title character.  His portrayal goes a long way towards explaining why Bloom thinks Richard would have been better off as an actor than a king.  Anderson masterfully captures Richard’s many moods:  his cruelty, insecurity and the manic-depression that propels him from wanting to defend his title, which he has held since childhood, to the realization that he is nothing.

John-Scott Legg as Henry Bolingbroke is a worthy opponent.  As a man of action he presents a strong contrast to Richard, who is all talk.  Though he claims to have returned from banishment only to retrieve his stolen property, it is clear that Bolingbroke won’t stop until he is seated on the throne.  Six years after the play was first performed at the Globe Theatre, it was revived by followers of the Earl of Essex on the eve of his 1601 rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, who, realizing their intention,  retorted:  “I am Richard II, know ye not that?”

Two other professionals in the WTD cast offering powerful performances are TAMIR as the Duke of York, uncle to the king (the casting throughout is gender-fluid), and Carla Lewis, doubling as the Duchess of Gloucester and Earl of Northumberland.  Anderson, Legg, TAMIR and Lewis are the anchors of this production.

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Levitsky’s direction is superb.  Her large cast is well-rehearsed and choreographed, as they perform on a series of platforms in the center of a long, narrow room with the audience on two sides.  Every scene contains courtiers, soldiers and/or members of the king’s retinue, populating the stage as if it were truly a royal court. Even Levitsky can be seen onstage in a cameo appearance.

Hoffman’s set serves both the room and the production well.  Two smaller platforms on either end of the room, accessible by steps, are connected by a lower, longer platform in the middle.  The platform farthest from the audience contains a structure that houses musicians, with a gauzy curtain in front, above which is a balcony from which the king can look down on his subjects.

Killian, the composer and music director, is a wonderful cellist, providing music between scenes and during the dance that concludes the performance.  He plays several instruments in the course of the evening, including the recorder, chimes, drums and a cymbal.  When a horn was called for, heralding a momentous occasion, an enthusiastic cast member stepped in.  Unfortunately he was not up to the task, resulting in repeatedly jarring interruptions.

Frishkoff’s Elizabethan costumes are sumptuous, plentiful, and colorful while Sean Madey’s lighting design adds to the formal style of the production.

Given the different levels of the performers, Levitsky faced huge challenges in staging Richard II.  Would it have been more effective if the cast were all accomplished actors?  Undoubtedly.  But these hard-working players rose to the occasion and successfully brought home this rarely-performed play with its glorious language and intriguing political theme.

RICHARD II runs at the Hawthorne Valley School Hall on July 19-21, 25-28 at 7:30 pm, and July 22 and 29 at 2:00 pm.  Tickets may be purchased online at www.wtdtheater.org or call 518-392-3399.

Walking the dog Theater presents RICHARD II by William Shakespeare.  Directed by Melania Levitsky.   Cast:  David Anderson (Richard II), James Luse (John of Gaunt, Bishop of Carlisle), John-Scott Legg (Henry Bolingbroke), Scott Mendelsohn (Mowbray, Glendower, Exton), Carla Lewis (Duchess of Gloucester, Northumberland), James Kuhn (Duke of Aumerle), William Sanderson (Lord Marshall), Savannah Shulkin/Solomon Bergquist (Lord Bagot, others), Sam Ferrone (Lord Bushy, others), TAMIR (Duke of York), Eliaz Hassel (York’s Attendant), Yuan-rong Liao Anderson (Queen), Hsiu Hsin Chuang (Lady in Waiting), Simon Frishkoff (Lord Ross, Gardener), Sean Madey (Connie Chatwell), Norm Peebles (Albie Short).  Musicians:  Gotthard Killian, Simon Frishkoff, James Kuhn; Music Composer/Director:  Gotthard Killian; Costumes:  Elizabeth Frishkoff and others; Set Design:  Serena Hoffman; Lighting:  Sean Madey; Stage Manager:  Serena Hoffman.

Running Time:  2 hours 15 minutes, including intermission.  Hawthorne Valley School Hall, 330 County Route 21 C, Ghent, NY., from July 19; closing July 29.

REVIEW: “Richard II” at Walking the dog Theater by Barbara Waldinger How is it possible for a local theatre, performing in a school with a cast of seventeen, including a small group of experienced actors working alongside a number of young students, to mount a credible, fully-staged and costumed production of Shakespeare’s…

[courtneysmovieblog]

Mini Reviews: (Un)Forgettable

The other movies that I watched this month...well, none of them were very memorable.  Entertaining, but nothing special:

The Reluctant Astronaut: Don Knotts plays a NASA janitor with a fear of heights who -- you guessed it -- winds up in space.  Leslie Nielsen plays a fellow astronaut and it’s strange to see him play straight man to Don Knotts.  Of course this was before he became a late-in-life comedian.

Best Defense: Did you know Eddie Murphy and Dudley Moore were in a movie together?  Neither did I.  Unfortunately it wasn’t that good.  I don’t think they actually had one scene together.  What a missed opportunity.

Sneakers: Robert Redford leads a team of hackers or something.  Whatever.

There Goes The Neighborhood: Screwball comedy where a bunch of different stars try to rob a house or something.

The Beautician and the Beast: Fran Drescher winds up as a tutor to a European dictator’s (Timothy Dalton) children.  A lesser version of The King and I, except with no singing.

True Heart: Kirsten Dunst and Zachary Ty Bryan are siblings lost in the wilderness.  Predictable.

Connie and Carla: I wonder how a movie about two women posing as drag queens would be received today.  I’m sure Twitter/Tumblr would be up in arms over it.

[krissysbookshelf]

Free Ebooks (6/11/17)

    PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE FREE PRICING IS ONLY A SPECIAL FOR THE DIGITAL FORMAT OF THE BOOK THAT IS LISTED AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME, SO BE SURE TO PURCHASE THE E-BOOKS BEFORE THE PRICE RETURNS TO ITS NORMAL LISTING. (Unless you want to buy them at full price:)

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  The Amun Chamber by Daniel Leston: The first book of the David Manning archaeological thriller series, where he seeks the greatest ancient treasure of all time.

This book is Free on June 11, 2017

Kindle

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