S+M Double Feature

I saw QUILLS recently. I loved it. Wonderful, delicious fun. My only complaint from this first viewing would be the tonal change 3/4ths into the film. The serious, tragic, sad stuff felt out of place and forced, sort of like the last fifteen minutes of the otherwise amazing HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG. I want to read the play of QUILLS now, written by Doug Wright of I AM MY OWN WIFE fame. Hopefully these flaws will not be as present in the stage version. Otherwise, I loved the film.

I also just today saw SECRETARY. And I hated it. Hated it hated it hated it. I mean, I love James Spader, and there's no character he can play so unlikeable that I still don't like him. But I hated everyone else's characters. Passionately. And it didn't help that the film kept screaming "David Lynch Wannabe."

The whole "normal Americana with the 'sick, perverted' underbelly" was done a LOT better in BLUE VELVET, and when the dream sequence happened with Spader opening a red curtain that looked exactly like the iconic curtain of TWIN PEAKS, the pretentiousness of the filmmaking was revealed. But really, that could have been excused if I liked the script, characters, and/or subject matter. I could go on, but due to the passionate following this film has that I'm sure spills out amongst several of you, my readers, I shall refrain. I don't want to offend anybody.

And besides, I'm just too tired anyway. I'm coming down from a "Krank'd" high and crashing hard. After dinner, a nap sounds fine to me.

ramblings

Why do I save red M&Ms for last? It's not like they taste any different. I mean, sure, I save the red jujubees and skittles and starburst, because those are usually the best. Seriously, save for the tastes of a few odd people, why do they even still have orange and lemon flavors? All anybody wants are the strawberry and cherry. But yeah, back to M&Ms. I always eat the browns and yellows, getting them out of the way, so I can have the prettiest, most flavorful-looking-ones for last. It's really stupid.

Hey, it's Matthew Modine on Law and Order: SVU. Where the hell has he been? BIRDY was a great movie. Anyone remember that one? Young Nic Cage? Peter Gabriel's first soundtrack? Good movie. Hey, this show has two cast members of OZ too, including my favorite gay serial killer, Christopher Melioni. He's not as much fun here. Lack of Toby Beecher will do that. Wow, Modine's still good. Lumpier and more leathery, but good.

I had a dream last night that I was trapped in a ship underwater with a black kitten and (magician and David Mamet regular) Ricky Jay. The hull was leaking and wouldn't be able to hold, plus we were probably running out of oxygen but I didn't think of that. We were able to get out and swim to the surface. Ricky Jay and I survived, but the kitten didn't make it. I was really sad for the first hour after I woke up.

That was my story.