Vancouver: White Christmas...blech

Vancouver
Originally uploaded by etslee

It was a gorgeous sunny day after the big snowfall yesterday. I was able to capture this shot of the North Shore from Gastown before sunset. Greg and I ventured out for a great brunch and a little whiskey to warm ourselves in the chilly winter air. None of my highschool friends back in Vancouver (well just Greg and Anna so far) for the holidays are that impressed with the cold/snow as they're coming from Montreal and Boston. But I'm a CALIFORNIA BOY now! I'm getting tired of the snow as it's limiting my activities and will likely delay the rest of the Lee family from Portland. More snow is forecast for the 25th....and I'm actually wishing for a Wet Christmas to wash this snow away!

Obama-mania

Shocking...I know. Time magazine names Barack Obama "Person of the Year". I guess Person of the Century wasn't available? Dear media: please get back to some semblance of non-partisanship after the new year, when President -elect Obama actually becomes President. In the mean time, get a room already, it's embarrassing to watch.

Slumdog Millionaire and Doubt

I caught two more Oscar hopefuls recently, Danny Boyle's highly acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire and John Patrick Shanley's highly acclaimed stage play turned Oscar bait Doubt.

I went in to Slumdog with high expectations, after hearing the buzz from Sundance and seeing it listed on many critic's top 10. It's basically a modern day fairy tale of young love set apart by the slums of Mumbai (how timely), "How to become a Millionaire" , Bollywood and a touch of torture porn (how else could you explain the first 10 minutes??) I definitely appreciated Boyle's direction and the scenery (many beautifully framed shots), but I didn't leave with the "OMG" sense of watching a great film. Perhaps it was the unoriginal storyline and rather uncharismatic (adult) actors? The kids are entirely winning and cuter than heck. It's still a likely Best Picture nominee, combining the indie roots and feel good ending of past nominee, Little Miss Sunshine.

Doubt has Oscar written all over it, with Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and a Tony award winning script from writer/director JP Shanley. I wasn't familiar with the play and read plenty of criticism that said it didn't translate well to screen. Well, I disagree. It flowed well, and I guess I wasn't hindered by impressions from the stage production. Plus, watching Meryl and PSH chew their considerable dialogue is more than worth the price of admission. Amy Adams proves once again why she is leaping ahead of the pack of young actresses, one of the few that can do both comedy and drama (hello Anne Hathaway!) Viola Davis gives a shattering performance in one big scene that may be enough to get a nomination.

Margaret Cho sings her anti-Prop 8 song

Margaret Cho entertains the crowd at GAPA's 20th Annual Banquet. A very successful evening for GAPA and the board. Margaret stayed for the whole evening, which ended promptly by 10pm as promised by hostess Tita Aida. The only drawback? The food by Moonstar. Ugh.

Milk at the Castro Theatre

**** I caught the preview showing of Gus Van Sant's Milk last night, as it seemed only fitting to watch this important biopic of the self proclaimed "Mayor of Castro Street", at the iconic Castro Theatre. The 7pm showing was sold out, but there were plenty of 10pm tickets left. Steven, Clem and I thought we weren't going to be able to sit together after seeing the line at 9:30 snake around to the parking lot behind the theatre, but the theatre is HUGE. The last movie that I saw there was Almodovar's "Law of Desire" when the projector broke....probably why I haven't been back recently. But I was reminded of what a great fim watching experience the Castro can be, with it's grand organ player, responsive audience and lush setting.

The movie was very well reviewed, but my expectations were tempered by the director Van Sant, who can be hit-or-miss for me. I really liked Drugstore Cowboy but I couldn't get into his last film "Paranoid Park" , though it has quite a following. Overall, I am pleased with the film, delivering a cogent and timely account of Harvey Milk's rise and tragic murder. Sean Penn should get an Oscar nomination for his honest portrayal, especially appealing to the Academy's fascination with actors portraying real people. And bonus points if they are gay and murdered. I also liked James Franco, Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin in their supporting roles. Brolin had a really good year (best thing in "W" by far), though I suspect he will take on more likable characters next year?

My main reservation was that I wish there was more of an emotional punch to the film. Just the early film reel of Diane Feinstein giving her famous announcement about the murders brought a lump to my throat. The ending candlelight vigil should have brought the house to tears and sobs (as it definitely did in the superior documentary "Times of Harvey Milk"), but it seemed rather tacked on and detached. It's no Brokeback, but it couldn't be more timely after the painful loss of Prop 8. And, as Harvey alway said, you gotta have hope.

Muir Woods

An old highschool chum Gaby came for a visit over the weekend and we visited Muir Woods for the first time. Home to some of the world's oldest living things, the mighty Sequoia or Coast Redwood trees, the setting seemed quite magical and surreal at times. I learned about the fire resistant bark and why some trees seemed to grow together in "families". The unfortunate lack of rain in the Bay area meant the streams were pretty dry, but it didn't detract from the fresh air and gorgeous scenery. And it's only a 20 minute drive from downtown SF! I also got to play with my iphone camera's panorama apps.

Rachel Getting Married

***** Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married is the finest film I’ve seen this year. Anne Hathaway, in a clear break out performance, plays Kym, a chronic drug addict leaving rehab to attend her sister’s wedding. Hathaway bears little resemblance to the beauty queens she has portrayed in other films, and captures the inner conflict in her character with touching honesty. There are times you will hate her jealousy, pettiness and selfishness. An ugly toast scene at the family rehearsal dinner stands out. The film slowly unravels the pain in this family that, though many years have passed since the trauma, is still just under the surface. Demme is somehow able to maneuver this family emotional meltdown into a truly joyous wedding. All the actors are impressive, especially Rosemarie DeWitt as the sister Rachel and Bill Irwin as their father. Debra Winger has a more minor role, but makes a definite impression when she is onscreen. She seems to be channeling Mary Tyler Moore from another great family drama, Ordinary People. Prediction: Oscar noms for acting, screenplay and direction. This will be a great year for actresses!!

Madonna Sweet and Sticky in Oakland

I travelled to the Mecca of most gay men, a Madonna concert, and enjoyed the Material girl perform for the second time in my life. She put on a great show in this sweet and sticky tour, with amazing production values and gorgeous dancers, and sang some of her classics (disappointed no "Holiday" or "Express Yourself"). But it was a definite slower Madonna, with a little too much of her standing in front of the mic and strumming the guitar. And no bashing Guy-darn! The only puzzling moment? A video montage of politicians and heroes, including Oprah. Sheesh.