Monthly Wallpaper - February 2010: Strange Love

With Valentine's Day at its heart, February is the month for love ... of all kinds.  Therefore, this month's Movie Dearest calendar wallpaper salutes the many kinds of cinematic "strange love", unlikely romances that think outside the box.

And, as seen in several "beauty and the beast" scenarios, sometimes that is outside the species, not to mention love connections that transcend age, class and (surprise) gender differences.  Then there is the undying love (literally) of ghosts and the undead, not to mention the spark of amour that can be ignited between a certain pair of robotic lovebirds.  These may not be your typical examples of film romance, but they sure are some of the most memorable.

All you have to do is click on the picture above to enlarge it, then simply right click your mouse and select "Set as Background". (You can also save it to your computer and set it up from there if you prefer.) The size is 1024 x 768, but you can modify it if needed in your own photo-editing program.

More about those lemons...

These lemons were grown by master gardener and retired engineer M.P.M. Nair on his acreage south of Saskatoon.

Using a cutting from his home in India, he grew and selected the lemons over 30 years, until he developed a lemon that would grow as a bush, flowering four times a year and thriving in the low light of a south-facing window, even in a Saskatchewan winter.

Each type of lemon has a different characteristic whether it will be used for the juice or the peel, some with seeds and some seedless.

Nair's goal is to one day see many folks growing his lemons at home. I'll write more about his lemons in an upcoming newspaper column.

Cute Girl

Cunning, attractive, cute girl contrived to charm.

Reverend's Reviews: Saint John Not Quite Heavenly

The Church has many saints, and several Saint Johns. Saint John of Las Vegas isn't currently among this heavenly company, but it is a new movie being released in select cities starting today.

Steve Buscemi — veteran of the gay classic Parting Glances and many other memorable films — stars as John, a compulsive gambler who has fled from Las Vegas following a run of bad luck. Now living in the decidedly less-full-of-temptation city of Albuquerque, John works for an auto insurance company headed by Mr. Townsend (the always-enjoyable Peter Dinklage). John also enjoys a flirtatious friendship with his cubicle neighbor, the excessively optimistic Jill (a great turn by comedienne Sarah Silverman).

Mr. Townsend assigns John to investigate a potential fraudulent claim involving a questionable car accident that took place outside Las Vegas. John is hesitant to return there, but the promise of a promotion lures him. Accompanied by Virgil (Romany Malco), the agency's top fraud-debunker, John confronts his addiction through a series of bizarre encounters with nude militants headed by a full-frontal Tim Blake Nelson, a stripper paralyzed from the waist down, and a human torch (played by an unrecognizable John Cho, who played Sulu in the recent Star Trek reboot) stuck inside his flammable outfit, among others.

Saint John of Las Vegas marks the feature debut of writer-director Hue Rhodes. He states in the press notes that this script was inspired by the "surreal" nature of modern corporate life. The film certainly is surreal at times, and simply baffling at others. I'm still not sure the climax's twist and its aftermath add up logically, but I won't give things away here.

Rhodes' effort sports many of the flaws found in filmmakers' freshman efforts, but there is also quite a bit to like. The performances are uniformly excellent and there is an effective, Tarantino-esque balance of humor and menace. The Vegas and New Mexico locations are attractive and well filmed.

This film is also the first production by IndieVest, a promising new independent company. IndieVest's mission/approach is explained in the press notes thusly: "Whereas most independent films are produced with the hopes of securing distribution after they are completed, IndieVest's model involves raising enough financing from its pool of investors (which includes Spike Lee and Stanley Tucci) to pay for both production and an independent theatrical release."

Saint John of Las Vegas is far from perfect, but so were most of the men and women venerated today as saints in heaven. Like them, Hue Rhodes and IndieVest definitely show potential.

UPDATE: Saint John of Las Vegas is now available on DVD from Amazon.com.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.

Soup Week 4 - Chicken Soup

It's very cold ~ perfect weather for a bowl of chicken soup. On the side is a chunk of chickpea and cumin focaccia. This is the fourth of 52 pots of soup, one for each week in 2010.















Local ingredients in this soup include:
Chicken (thanks Susan!)
Homemade chicken stock
Carrots, onions and dill
(Last night we ate it with homemade noodles, too.)
In the bread, Saskatchewan chickpeas, cumin and salt

Off the Shelf: Drama Queers!

If you, like me, spent your teen years obsessing over getting into the next high school musical, you'll find a lot to identify with — and enjoy — in Drama Queers!

Author Frank Anthony Polito's fab follow up to his debut novel Band Fags!, Drama Queers! recounts in loving detail the trials and tribulations of, you guessed it, being a "drama queer".  Stuck in the "sorry little suburb" of Hazel Park, Michigan circa 1987, Polito's semi-autobiographical protagonist, Bradley James Dayton, yearns to be a star of stage and screen ... but first he has to graduate from "Hillbilly High".  Complicating matters is his reluctance to be an "openly gay actor", a situation not made any easier when the senior falls for a cute sophomore who also happens to be his chief rival for the lead in the next school play.  And that's just a hint of all the "drama" in this drama department.

Enriching Polito's first-person narrative is a steady stream of pop culture references familiar to anyone who grew up in the 80's, from Jane Seymour's Somewhere in Time monologue to the love theme from Ice Castles. Take it from a fellow member of the Class of '87, Drama Queers! is one "totally awesome" flashback you'll want to take.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Frank and Drama Queers!, winner of the Lambda Literary Foundation Award for "Best Gay Romance" of 2009!

Reverend's Reviews: British Invasion

The British are coming, but this time they aren't sporting redcoats and muskets. Instead, they have Rupert Everett in drag and two hot, female singer-songwriters in their arsenal. Having sampled this assortment, I predict the Brits will have a better run in the colonies in 2010 than they did 230+ years ago!

First up is the DVD release today of the delightful St. Trinian's, from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. One of the highest-grossing independent British films of all time, it features the openly gay Everett and an all-star cast of gay faves including Colin Firth (the current A Single Man), Stephen Fry (Wilde) and Toby Jones, who played Truman in that "other" Capote biopic, Infamous. In addition, British comedian Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) disguises himself in one scene as a flamboyantly gay count.

Everett actually plays two roles in St. Trinian's: the dotty Camilla Fritton, martini-swilling headmistress of the title high school for girls, and her conniving brother. Mr. Fritton has just enrolled his daughter, Annabelle (Talulah Riley), at St. Trinian's, where she is quickly set upon by the school's assortment of troubled teens. These include the Emos (short for "emotionally unstable," Goth-looking girls), the Posh Totty sorority of spoiled pretty girls, and the Chavs, an entrepreneurial clique of multi-ethnic young ladies who have developed, among other things, designer tampons.

St. Trinian's poor reputation draws the attention of Britain's new Minister of Education, who is played by Firth. Intent on shutting the bankrupt, under-achieving school down, the minister's plans are complicated by his romantic history with Camilla as well as the students' scheme to raise money to save their school ... by stealing and selling Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting. Or, as one of the dimmer girls incredulously inquires, "We're going to steal Scarlett Johansson?"

Indeed, that 2003 movie (which starred Firth in addition to Johansson) and a host of other contemporary British films serve as fodder for some of the best lines and jokes in St. Trinian's. When Ms. Fritton and Firth's Education Minister meet and recognize each other, they declare of their prior relationship, "It was another time, another country." This references the acclaimed 1984 film Another Country, in which they co-starred and Everett played a homosexual spy. St. Trinian's script also includes witty jabs at the Harry Potter series, among other targets.

The movie is based on a series of comical drawings, "The Girls of St. Trinian's," by Ronald Searle, which were previously adapted into successful British film series in the 1950's and 60's. This new, randier version is directed and produced by Oliver Parker, who was behind the recent hit films of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. With its great cast, funny script and rockin' soundtrack, you definitely ought to check it out.

Corinne Bailey Rae and V.V. Brown are the armed-and-dangerous chanteuses "crossing the pond" to the US. Bailey Rae burst onto the international music scene in 2006 with her pop-rock, self-titled debut album. The CD topped the UK charts in its first week of release and sold nearly 2 million copies in the states. It was also nominated for three 2007 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Life dealt Bailey Rae a considerable setback while preparing her follow up, The Sea, which is out today on EMI's Capitol Records. The singer's husband, Jason Rae, died from an accidental drug overdose in 2008. He was 31 years old. An article on Bailey Rae in the January 22, 2010 issue of Entertainment Weekly details her loss and struggle to overcome it.

The Sea is a more melancholy, jazz-leaning recording than her debut, but it is a gorgeous achievement both lyrically and sonically. Bailey Rae wrote most of the songs herself, with collaborators on three of them. "Are You Here" and "I'd Do It All Again" are standouts, and I like "The Blackest Lily" and "Love's On Its Way" a lot as well. I anticipate more Grammy nominations for this album, and they won't be out of sympathy.

Take equal parts Amy Winehouse and Pink, throw in a jigger of Crystal Waters, shake, pour and top with a dollop of Shirley Bassey, and you'll begin to approximate the musical stylings of newcomer V.V. Brown. This Brit's first CD, Travelling Like the Light, won't be released in the US until March 16. However, it will be available for purchase as an iTunes exclusive for six weeks beginning February 2. It is, in a word, FABULOUS, and I'm so grateful to my PR friend Ryan in NYC for introducing me to V.V. and forwarding an advance copy of her CD on to me.

Brown's songs are decidedly retro, sampling 1940's jitterbug, 50's doo-wop and early 90's techno, among other genres. Virtually all of her tunes will make you want to dance and bring a smile to your face simultaneously. My personal favorites are "Shark in the Water," "Bottles," "I Love You" and the title track.

Both V.V. Brown and Corrine Bailey Rae are currently touring certain US cities, so be on the lookout for them should they invade a club near you. And buy their CDs, damn it! The Queen will thank you.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.

New Ground Cafe in the newspaper

Peter Wilson, The StarPhoenix
From iced blueberries picked in La Ronge, to fresh Prairie honey from Meskanaw, Jennifer Willems only needs a provincial road map to seek out the best and the tastiest culinary items for her rural diner. Read the story in the Star Phoenix.

These hairstyles

Styling hair today simply means giving a different and unique look during various occasions. From family get together to formal gatherings and wedding parties various formal hairstyles have given many a completely unique and elegant look. These hairstyles are found globally in every fashion magazine and very popularly used by the celebrities of Hollywood as well as Bollywood.

Very Short

The weight line of the hairstyles is at or above the ear line

About this hair

Actress and celebrity Ashley Scott has short, straight hair in a bob style with a fringe, or bangs. Her hair color is light brown and blonde.

2009 short summer

Cute Short Hair Style

A cute short style with a short fringe and a little hair in front of the ears as finishing touch..

Rihanna short hair

Rihanna short hair gallery

Aniston Short

Jennifer Aniston Short Hairstyle

Posh Spice Short

Photo of Posh Spice with short blonde hairstyle. Poshs' hair is cut very short in back, layered, and then longer on top and bangs. Her bangs are cut very long compared to the rest of her hair to almost chin length. Her hair is mostly blonde with some light brown lowlights in the bottom layers.

Eva Longoria short hair

Short Hair Style For

The model has short, mixed straight and curly hair in a shag style with a fringe, or bangs. Her hair color is brown with blonde streaks.

2010 Short Hairs

short hair cut in a shag style, very tousled and a bit spiky.
Lauren parts her hair on the left, drawing it straight down on that side to the top of her ear.

2010 Short Hair

short curly hair arranged in a cute, delightful updo.
At the front, Arielle's hair is divided loosely on her left, boosted slightly for extra height and drawn across the top of her forehead.

Best Hair Style

First of all, consider your lifestyle. Do you work indoors in an office all day? You can afford to spend the extra time on your look should you desire since there should be nothing working against your hair such as wind or rain. Or are you out in the elements? Perhaps you go to the gym after work and need a style that dries by itself and yet still looks presentable? A precision cut or permanent wave may suit this type as they both would dry stylishly on their own. Longer hair of course should be clipped up in the wind to protect its health as well as its beauty.

Short Hair Style

short hairstyle

Rihanna cool short

Rihanna short hair style
Rihanna short hair style
celebrity Rihanna short hair

Short Black Hair

Short black hairstyles are a popular look for the summer season. Although many people tend to traditionally lighten the hair through the summer season, black is an in color for those seeking to become stylish and trendy within the world…

Short Hairstyle

Is there a secret behind putting on make-up? In a word, no. Applying make-up is about knowing how make-up works – how it makes one area stand out and another recede, why it glides over dry skin or adheres to oily skin. The best way to learn make-up is to experiment. Use this site as a guide, but remember, all advice is simply advice. Have fun! That's what make-up is for.

Beckham Short

A lot of celebrities have gone way out on the line in the name of fashion and their hair is certainly no exception. With a wide range of options in terms of how they choose to style their hair, plus the desire to always create new and unique hairstyles it is certainly no wonder why Hollywood is often the birthplace of incredible styles. From the Rachel haircut that swept the country after the hit television show Friends, to the Dido flip following the popular singer to even the cornrows that Bo Derek made extremely popular there are tons of choices and a lot of diversity.

The Short Bob

The Short Bob hairstyle suit square and oval shaped faces. so, If you have a very round face, get a longer version. The Short Bob hairstyle is ideal for straight hair. To get that gamine, face-hugging effect, the longest length of a piece of hair should be about one inch above the chin. To keep the Short Bob haircuts look well maintained you will need to visit the salon about once a month.

short-hair

Short-Hair-Styles-Prom-Cut Of Sedu

Better Bread Box

Young people in Saskatoon are learning job skills by baking bread. And for $20 every two weeks, you can subscribe to their Better Bread Box.

Read about this fantastic new initiative in the Star Phoenix.

Visit the Better Bread Box on Facebook.

Reverend's Reviews: Swim Trial

David Oliveras' Watercolors, about a high school art student who falls in love with a hunky if troubled member of the swim team, made quite a splash (no pun intended ... OK, maybe a little) at Outfest, Los Angeles's GLBT film festival, way back in the summer of 2008. It is finally being released theatrically this weekend in Los Angeles and New York as part of a gay mini-fest sponsored by Regent Releasing/here! Films and Gay.com.

The plot of Watercolors is reminiscent of the superior, 1999 British film Get Real, in which a self-accepting gay student also has the hots for a closeted athlete. To Watercolors' detriment, Oliveras turns up the angst and minimizes the humor in his tale of conflicted boy-love. He stacks the odds against Danny (played by Tye Olson, who won the 2008 Best Actor award at Outfest for his work here) and the object of his affection, Carter (Kyle Clare, also quite good). Both are the sons of recovering alcoholics. Carter, a promising athlete, suffers as a result of his father's too-high expectations and turns to drugs. Meanwhile, the bullied, effeminate Danny hones his artistic technique under the tutelage of a compassionate teacher played by camp movie queen Karen Black.

One can't blame Danny for falling for the seductive Carter when the latter ends up staying at Danny's home one weekend. Sexy if unsurprising, almost requisite scenes involving skinny dipping, smoking lessons using a shared cigarette, and tentative same-sex kisses result. And also predictably, things between Carter and Danny end tragically.

Oliveras suffuses his film with odd, unnecessary vignettes of the grown-up Danny fighting with his current boyfriend over his continuing obsession with Carter during an exhibition of Danny's art. The tipsy boyfriend comes across as a jerk, and I kept hoping Danny would dump him instead of begging him not to leave. The movie's finale, intended to be romantic, felt hollow to me.

The best feature of Watercolors — apart from its Speedo-clad swimmers — is the lovely, color-saturated cinematography by Melissa Holt. Also of note is the presence of out champion diver Greg Louganis, suddenly middle-aged but still very attractive, as Carter's demanding swim coach.

Watercolors is playing for a limited time as part of a triple feature with Murder in Fashion, about gay party boy Andrew Cunanan and the killing of Gianni Versace, and Misconceptions, a promising-sounding comedy in which a conservative Southern woman decides to act as a surrogate for two gay men after receiving a message from God telling her to do so. For more information about the fest and these films, visit Gay.com.

UPDATE: Watercolors is now available on DVD from Amazon.com.

Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and the Orange County and Long Beach Blade.