Weekend in review

After a particularly crappy Thursday being abused by actors, had a wonderful Friday with my producing partner Heidi and friend/fellow director Leslie Lello checking out a buddy's
comedy show. Troy Conrad does an amazing job ripping his religous upbringing to shreds, and commenting on current political issues, all while wearing a robe and ridiculous wig. I highly recommend checking out his Comedy Jesus Show, either live on tour, in this month's Hustler magazine, or get a glimpse of the comedy through short movies on his website.



Troy played the protagonist in my Diva's Inc. reading last December. We're looking forward to casting him in our upcoming movies so that you can see the supermagic he's already broughten.



So after the comedy show (which included free alcohol!), Heidi and Leslie and I ended up next door at Tokyo Delves (putting the Ho in Noho!). Still one of my favorite places on Earth, even if the 20-something crowd doesn't seem to know they're supposed to dance on the tables (it's okay...I did it for them, and had a hot waiter worshipping my ass for my troubles). Tokyo Delves has been the site of many a b-day party of mine. Perhaps someday I'll post a Delves retrospective, but for now look at the header above...the pic of the Fies family frolicking is from our favorite sushi bar cum Club Med.

Saturday brought my best friend Valencia and her sweet boyfriend Mike into town. After having way too much fun giggling with Valencia and running around my newish apartment showing her my pretty things, we went to the Grove/Farmers Market to get some more pretty things. Ah, there's nothing like hanging with a friend from high school. So effortless and fulfilling. Then we went to Manhattan Beach for a great party with great new people, that we frequently exited to go girl talk in the guest bedroom.

Sunday morning was the Pistoleras girls' graduation from Impact Safety Training, which was so moving and inspiring. Great to be in the audience and to hear the crowd's laughter and support of seeing women actually fight for their lives. Can't wait to get these techniques into the mainstream through movies. I was a proud Mama Bear.


Then it was back to the Farmer's Market for brunch with new friends from the party. And the evening ended perfectly: The Cinespia screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetary with Leslie, Troy, and his awesome wife Liz (who got her MA today...congrats!). We saw Holy Mountain, which is just now back in print. It's amazing; rent it through Netflix!

Deep thoughts without Jack Handy

When the heart grieves over what it has lost, the spirit rejoices over what it has left.-Sufi epigram

For Sopranos viewers...

Feeling betrayed, yet again, by a tv show you've invested years in? Here is the best of the "Director's Cuts" floating around YouTube. Number 3 being the one that nicely sums up how all us Twin Peaks/X-Files/Lost/Sopranos viewers now feel...



Still upset? Read Salon.

I say god daaaaam!

Rescue Me was on fire last night. Freaking love this TV renaissance. This is more exciting than living in Dickens's time. And series creator Peter Tolan now places right below David Lynch as Best Director Cameo. Sooooo great. But they better drop that boring insurance scam plot and get back to Tommy talking to dead people.

What did you guys think of The Shield finale? I thought it was tooooo much pipe-laying. I wanted more sex, violence, tension, shit hitting the fan...give me something more than the promise of the final showdown with Vic and Shane! The Dutch moment was sweet, but everytime I look at him I see him killing that kitty. How could the show just move on from that? I don't like it when writers adapt that angle of The Sopranos and X-Files...more unrewarded details, just like life. Too much for my head.

You are not my father

Click to appreciate the genius. Your Freudian mileage may vary:



Finally, an appropriate father's day gift for the majority of children on this planet! You know, the 75% living in a single-parent home below the poverty level...

And a funnier take on the gift/covert hostility award.

Thriller Night

A friend of mine is writing a thriller and is looking for screenwriting info, which got me all happy...Thrillers are my absolute fav to write and to view. And apparently they're very hard to do, because most are crap. So since it's on my brain, here's my favs. They're all flypaper movies for me. Even though I own them all, I'll stop and watch any of them if I'm flipping the channel.

Notorious
Unbreakable
Alien
Seven
The Silence of the Lambs
Witness
No Way Out
The Shining
The Wicker Man
Rosemary's Baby
The Big Easy
Gaslight
Blue Steel
Blue Velvet
Misery

Some are hybrids with horror or crime, but I'm not in the mood to argue screenwriting genre definitions, since no one can agree anyway and the people who are loudest about it all have a book to sell. I just know when I'm in the mood for a smart, scary mystery that grips me from start to finish and gives me a rush, these are what I watch.

Decent recent ones:

Tape
Hard Candy

And if you've seen all the above and want more:

Apt Pupil
The Seventh Sign
Heavenly Creatures

Plastic Surgery

The Ten Worst Celebrity Boob Jobs

Apropos

Weird. Just got this email from my friends Sianna and Fed. I had forgotten they were making this video for her pretty song. Check out their great work:



Pretty typical coincidence in my life. But isn't it great? Pass the link on!

Question of the Night

Have you ever dated anyone who has killed anyone? I'm specifically thinking of military service, though I suppose the issue applies to reformed criminals, too. Did it queer you out, or did you not think about it?

Measure of a Man

Every man has three characters:
that which he shows,
that which he has,
and that which he thinks he has.

-Alphonse Karr