Mother! , Broad City, Varla Jean Merman: Bad Heroine, Billy Eichner and Will & Grace

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Greetings to all my semi constant readers. It has been a great week. Some of my blog favorites took home some Emmy statuettes. It is always good to see wonderful performances get the recognition they deserve such as Big Little Lies and The Handmaid's Tale. Luckily we have a whole new lineup of Fall favorites and newcomers right around the corner.

1) Mother! may not be for everyone, but it stayed in my mind for days after I saw it. Darren Aronofsky has this unique vision in his films that is his trademark and while they may not all have mass appeal there are many who argue he is one of the most talented filmmakers of our generation. Allegory or not, this is a very intense movie. Watching from the POV of Jennifer Lawrence's character made me feel like I was in a dream or moving underwater as everything seemed to slip out of her control. Javier Bardem, Michelle Pheiffer, and Ed Harris were fantastic in building a sense of dread until the very final scene. I think when a movie can be this devisive with critics and audiences alike it is worth checking out.

2) Broad City's first episode of this season 4 is a flashback episode to 2011 when the girls first met. It is a Sliding Doors episode and is such a sweet poignant testament to the girl's friendship that it makes this my favorite episode of all time. Iliana and Abbi are Hollywood's best power couple!

3) Varla Jean Merman has a new show- Bad Heroine. Just saw it at San Francisco's own  Oasis. I am a huge Varla fan and I think this was one of her best shows. All new material and sketches built around some of our favorites.I think Varla could have her own TV show , I know I would watch.

4) Billy Eichner is having more than a moment. He is on fire this year. Friends From College, Difficult People and a hilarious character on American Horror Story-Cult. He has been methodically building a career  starting with Billy On The Street and it culminating with his star turn as Harrison Wilton with some of the best lines in the show.

5)  Will & Grace Returns. So far only seen a sneak peek. But the foursome seems to have not aged a bit since they premiered in 1998. I was lucky enough to sit next to Max Mutchnick and David Kohan at the Emmys the year that it premiered and I knew we were in for the long haul with these characters just by hearing how lovingly they spoke of the show. I am so ready to see these Friends on September 28th.

Check out this link: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightscampaign/videos/357503701372848/

#CircusKane

Circus Scarey!!!
     by Buddy’s Mama
Chris Douglas Olen Ray does it again! If you are looking for a great film with scary clowns, a haunted fun house, a twist you won't see coming I promise, and Jonathan Lipnicki all grown up and still super cute then check out Circus Kane. If you just want to see a movie, be scared, and see scary clowns, see CIRCUS KANE. Buy it now on iTunes!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/circus-kane/id1270158753

#CircusKane on iTunes

Circus Scarey!!!
     by Buddy’s Mama
Chris Douglas Olen Ray does it again! If you are looking for a great film with scary clowns, a haunted fun house, a twist you won't see coming I promise, and Jonathan Lipnicki all grown up and still super cute then check out Circus Kane. If you just want to see a movie, be scared, and see scary clowns, see CIRCUS KANE. Buy it now on iTunes!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/circus-kane/id1270158753

#CircusKane on iTunes

More reviews on Ted Monte and #CircusKane"...a lot of fun. This is mainly due to the films satirical humour and likeable characters. Ted Monte stands out as the comic relief in the film. Full of jovial humour and limitless bad impressions, he is the type of person who has the ability to be equally annoying as he is entertaining..." Buy it now on iTunes!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/circus-kane/id1270158753

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Greetings to all my constant readers. Autumn is arriving and with it a lot of fanfare and delicious treats. Some better than others. Here are some of mine.

1)  IT has been released 27 years since its original  release and the news is good. They have cleverly drawn on the nostalgia that made Stranger Things such a hit even going so far as to use another loser playing Ritchie- Finn Wolfhard and updated the time period to the 80s which worked perfectly. The cast was perfect and we got to see a bit of each of their home lives. I have a feeling that the cast will have some breakout stars. Sophia Lillis as an illuminating Beverly Marsh and Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom will bring the heart to the movie. Different dialogue and new monsters from the book did not hurt this movie, in fact it made IT for another generation to frighten. And don't forget Pennywise the dancing children eating clown. Played by Bill Skarsgard brother of Alexander and son of Stellan. It is a different Pennywise this time , one on the brink of madness. He is definitely frightening and has more teeth in his head than I ever want to see or dream about. This movie showed us - just like the book, that monsters come in all forms, crazy parents, school bullies and the real children eating kind that only kids can see. Spoiler Alert: this was chapter one. 

2) Del Shore's new movie A Very Sordid Wedding is everything I hoped it would be. Sissy, Brother Boy, Nolita ,Juanita, Wardell and the beloved and bigoted folks of Winters Texas are back. New twists, serial killers, new wigs and catch phrases pepper this instant classic. Kudos Del. Funny and poignant capturing the small details of life in a small Texas town. All the performances were stellar and Dale Dickey did an amazing job as Sissy and Leslie Jordan steals every scene he is in.  Meeting Rosemary and Newell Alexander ( Dr. Eve and Wardell) the originals from the early  play was an added bonus for me. What a gracious couple.  

3)  I was recently in Guerneville and visited my favorite seafood restaurant. Seaside Metal Oyster Bar. Our wonderful waitress Brook brought delicious dish after dish to our  table, each better than the last. Shigoku Oysters, Smoked Lassen Trout, Scallop Aguachile, Octopus, Dungeoness Crab Salad with stone fruit, Crispy Halibut with Curried Honey and Pea Tendrils and the famous Chowder with bacon, mussels,potato, shrimp and squid. 

4)  Kelly Clarkson's forthcoming album Meaning of Life has produced one of her best ever songs- Love So Soft. More importantly in my opinion this is the most glamorous well produced videos of her illustrious careers. Please check this out.

https://youtu.be/Zy6vBxqlapw

5)  The Deuce HBO's newest offering set in the 70's New York  is very promising. The budding porn industry is starting to go somewhat legit but things are changing in the gritty, smoke filled world that is Times Square where pimps and whores run the game. Featuring James Franco in dual roles and the wildly talented Maggie Gyllenhaal as Candy who is about to change everything. I think HBO has done it again.

Ozark, Atypical, Lady Gaga Joanne Tour, American Horror Story :Cult, Kesha Rainbow

My Top 5 Obsessions This Week

Greetings all of my semi constant readers. Fall is quickly approaching and the days are getting shorter. Everyone is getting ready to nest for the approaching holidays. There are some great things to watch and do right now.

1) There seems to be a glut of shows out about drug cartels ,some good and some not so good. Ozark which is currently streaming on  is the former. A talented money launderer Jason Bateman and his wife (played by the amazing Laura Linney) escape to the Ozarks with their two children to prove his loyalty to the cartel by laundering money and purchasing a number of failing businesses. Numerous run ins with a crime family and another thriving drug cartel are making his life difficult and his family is folding under the pressure. It is a rare thing when every actor is given the reign to be a fully rounded character. But this is a what is so great about this. Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore the Queenpin of the crime family is a standout. The perfect summer binge.

2) And for something completely on the other end of the spectrum is Atypical. Yet another Netflix Original. Starring Michael Rapaport and Jennifer Jason Leigh as parents to to 18 year old Sam (Keir Gilchrist) as a teen on the higher end of the Autism spectrum looking to start dating. This is something new. A Comedy Drama that actually manages to walk the line of funny and family drama. Gilchrist is a revelation and his relationship with his sister- the amazing Brigette Lundy-Paine. It is a discovery of a family on the brink of change and I cannot wait to see where it goes.

3) Lady Gaga's Joanne Tour is one of her more personal tours in recent history and she is totally invested in it and it shows. She opened with Diamond Heart to an adoring crowd. She had us in the palm of her hand. It felt like the first time I saw her. It was a pared down stage but she wowed us with the album title and ended with Million Reasons. But I wanted more and look forward to the next incarnation.

4)  America Horror Story Cult, the new installment of Ryan Murphy's terrifying anthology series is even more  horrifying. The 2016 election, Donald Trump, clowns and racist and homophobic America seem to be the real monsters. But its only episode one. Sarah Paulson- my favorite reason to watch television.

5) Kesha's new album Rainbow is her most personal endeavor so far and has some real lasting power. Her voice is in her perfect sweet spot in Praying and my favorite Woman sure to be the anthem of the Summer. Hymn is haunting but I am really loving Boots which should be the next single. Welcome back Kesha. We have been waiting for you.