I Saw This Year's "Best Picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   When I started watching the Academy Awards, as a star struck teenager, I held them sacrosanct.  I had to see as many of the nominated films as possible, but, no matter what, I had to see all the nominees for "Best Picture," because I wanted to go through life, having seen every "Best Picture."

                                      That was then, this is now.

                                       As I got older, I saw there were films I thought should have won over what did.  And, somewhere, let's say 1995, when "Braveheart" (which I never will see) took home the "Best Picture" Oscar, my desire to see these films waned.  And now, after what happened this year, anything is up for grabs.

                                        That said, I made a conscious desire to see "La La Land" and "Moonlight" in as rapid succession as possible, in order to judge for myself.

                                        Here is what I discovered.  While "La La Land" had elements more connected to me, it was  not at all moving.  The world "Moonlight" shows could not be more different from mine, yet I was drawn into it more than the first film by the beauty and power of the filmmaking and the actors.

                                          I have driven through these grimy Floridian communities in my lifetime.  But I have never seen a film portray them so honestly, yet poetically, as "Moonlight."  The film is handsomely photographed, giving a kind of beauty to ugly realities.  There were shots that just took my breath away.

                                          As did some of the performances--Mahershala Ali as Juan, to be sure, whose sense of compassion and decency amid the indecencies he himself deals with, anchors the film, and its viewers.  Likewise, I loved Naomie Harris' performance as Paula, the jonesing, drug addicted mother, but there were times I hated her, too.  The three actors playing Chiron--Alex R. Hibbert as "Little," Ashton Sanders as the teenage Chiron, and  Trevante Rhodes, as "Black," the adult Chiron, not to mention Andre Holland, as Kevin--I have never heard of, nor have many of you, but their work in this film will not be forgotten.  I will go as far to say that the final scene between Black and Kevin in the diner, will become as classic as that between Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger in the automobile, in "On The Waterfront."

                                         Bullying, betrayal, sexual ambiguity, hiding in the closet--there isn't one of these issues "Moonlight" is not afraid to tackle, and does so bravely.  One's conclusions are one's own; at the end, I hoped Black/Chiron would eventually come to terms with himself--my belief is he does--rather than hold out, like Closet Case Kevin.

                                          "Moonlight" is a haunting, poetic film.  It should be viewed on its own merits, not for being part of a mistake that will haunt it and "La La Land" for years to come.

                                            Cliches are clichés, darling, but "Moonlight" is illuminating.

Darlings, This Book Changed My Perspective On The East Village!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Girls, let me tell you, even though "HAIR" is set in the East Village, and even though I have lived in New York for over thirty years, while never alien to me, this part of Manhattan was never "my scene."  If I would go there, it was for a reason--to meet friends, have dinner, see a show, go to St. Marks Bookstore.  In other words, I never went there just to "hang out."  I had specific places in the West Village, for that, and, besides, I always found the East Village too isolating.

                                      But after having read Tim Murphy's "Christadora," I am ready to move in there!  For starters, I never knew the East Village had such an iconic apartment building.  What did I know, but from the Dakota???????????????

                                       I loved all the characters in this novel--especially Ava, and her daughter, Milly-- but what I really loved was the sense of atmosphere and history Murphy's novel opens up.  At the time of the novel's starting point, in the early Eighties, New York and I were just becoming acquainted with each other.  The more I read, the more I realized how really dicey the city was.  The older me is now amazed that shy little me wanted to move there, at such a time--let alone, that I did.
But the young have no fear, so what was dicey now was, to me, back then, exotic and exciting. And as different from the suburbs as one could get.  How could I know this would change?

                                        As one who was there, and did my part--volunteering for GMHC, and in the Friendly Visitor Program at then Roosevelt Hospital--I can say Tim Murphy gets the whole thing right.  Reading "Christadora" is like charting my early years in New York.  I never did drugs, but I did know where the so-called "shooting galleries" were, having been down there, for other, wilder activities.

                                       I shudder when I look back at some of my youth, feeling lucky to have survived.  Which is why I loved "Christadora" so much.  It enters the pantheon of great New York novels, which I know I will pick up sometime, and reread again.  Had I done so last year, it would have made my Ten Best List.

                                        But it is a best in any year.

                                        Now, I have GOT to visit the building, itself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Belated Bitch Of the Week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Darlings, one  of the deadliest of living creatures is the Black Widow spider.  I am certain the concept of Woman as Bitch Castrator came from the behavior of this creature.  And, over the years lethal women in crime have come to be designated "Black Widows."  Some are actual widows, some not.

                                So it is with this week's Bitch Of the Week, Melissa Friedrich.

                                She was born Melissa Russell on May 16, 1935.  She was trouble from the get go.
Her first husband, Russell Shepard, was the lucky one.  They divorced, before Melissa did anything to him.

                                Into her mid-sixties, she really stepped things up.  She married Robert Friedrich, by trolling the Internet, and the dumb lug was so fooled he moved her right in with him.  They were married, and he began having spells of sickness, and trips to the hospital, which could not be explained.  This came to an end, fourteen months later, when Robert died, and eventually it was discovered Melissa had seized power of attorney, inherited his assets, and had systematically poisoned him over time, with prescription drugs.  His sons fought back, netting them a mere fifteen thousand dollars,  This crime took place in 2000, and she was never charged with it.

                               Can you believe it?  Sick bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               In 2005, Melissa did her act again on a man in Pinellas Park, Florida.  For this she got a mere five years in prison--why not LIFE?????--and, after that, in 2012, she was charged with attempted murder on her fourth husband, Fred Weeks.  She was sentenced to a prison in Truro, Nova Scotia, where she was released on March 18, 2016?  Why does this woman keep getting released??????  And right after Chief Justice Joseph Phillip Kennedy issued a warning stating that anyone who crosses paths with her, should watch out!!!!!!!!!!!  Like, duh????????????

                              Did this even stop Melissa??????  Of course not!!!!!!!!  She made good use of the Halifax Public Library by trolling the Internet.  On April 11, 2016, she was caught, and charged with release violation.  She faces trial (or has by now; I don't know the outcome) on February 1, 2017.  I bet she is set free again.

                             My readers, of course will recall Bessie Denker, Rhoda Penmark's  grandmother, in "The Bad Seed."  Her cultured voice and appearance, plus enchanting smile got her off every time.  Melissa has this same syndrome, only it's the Vulnerable Older Woman card people can't get beyond.  Look at the evidence, folks!  It is as easy to convict this bitch, as it was Susan Smith!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Hence, Melissa, you win the Raving Queen Bitch Of The Week Award!  You are a bitch, a murderer, and a predatory grafter, but you are no Sante Kimes!  You are just not fun and campy enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                We love you, Sante!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               

Forget Mama June! I Want To Go The Route Of Marie Osmond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           These days, girls, I feel like am Marie in that "before" photo.  Or that I am slowly turning into Carrie Fisher.  I mean, I may be a Princess, but come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            I would love to wear that dress Marie is wearing.  No more "Paper Roses," for her!  Now that March is here, I want the weather to warm up, so I can take on some physical activity, do some power walking, or look into a fitness program.

                             I love when Marie says "Bye, bye, stubborn belly fat!"

                             I want to follow her example!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Help, Marie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What If "Mulholland Drive" Had Been A Musical?????????????

                              Remember, darlings, the frenetic opening of David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive," where it seemed the whole thing was going to be a riff on musicals?  As brilliant as this film was, it is too bad David Lynch did not follow that motif.  Because "La La Land" does, and I am sorry to say it is a frustrating experience.  All the elements are in place that should have made me go crazy over this movie.  It could even have been  the next gay cult classic.  That it will not be is due to a lack of camp.  That it failed to drive me crazy will be examined here.

                               But, first, let me say I did not dislike "La La Land."  At a lengthy two hours and twenty minutes, I was riveted to the screen.  Emma Stone does her  best work here.  Neither she nor Ryan Gosling have wide vocal ranges, but when Emma lets loose on a song entitled "What A Mess We Made," I realized then why she won the Oscar.  Talk about stretching your limits.  Too bad it takes pounds of make-up to make her look halfway pretty.  Whereas Ryan hardly requires any.  And his performance is even better.  Watch him dance--who knew he was so limber?  And his manual dexterity on the piano--that is him, playing!!!!!!!--is nothing short of amazing!  Why shouldn't it be?  After all, it's Ryan Gosling!!!!!!!!!!

                              What kept me riveted to this film were the visuals.  "La La  Land" has to be the most beautiful, stylishly looking movie, I have seen, in years.  The cinematography and art direction are so exquisite the colors seem to leap out at the viewer,  just like the great MGM musicals, which this film is a homage to.  Those, and so many others.  Count them on your fingers--"The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg," "West Side Story," "The Band Wagon," and, of course, "New York, New York."  I am sure there are more, but the aforementioned stood out for me, right away.  I have to give Damien Chazelle credit; he grasped his concept and went with it.  He has obviously studied the history of the film music genre.  The visuals of his achievement are breathtaking--each frame is like looking at a beautiful painting, demanding this film be seen on the screen.  And yet, something is missing.  Because I did not come out of this clutching myself emotionally, having been deeply moved by what I have seen.

                                 "La La Land" moves, but is not moving.  Ryan and Emma have a chemistry, and the score is nice enough to listen to--"City Of Stars" is the first decent Oscar winning song in ages, but I kept imagining it covered by more accomplished singers, like, say, Audra McDonald.  Maybe this is the problem.  I wanted real singers and dancers in the Ryan and Emma roles.  The ensemble numbers are great, and they work well within it, but, when it is just them, impressive as they are, some magic is missing.  Take the famous dance sequence I used in this post's opening picture.  This is clearly a homage to "Dancing In The Dark," from "The Band Wagon."  Truth to tell, wouldn't you rather see dancers of the caliber of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse do the "La La Land" sequence?  Of course, you would!  Ryan and Emma--Ryan, especially--give it their best, but the incandescent magic that Fred and Cyd brought to the earlier number is just not there.

                                I know Ryan and Emma are playing a pair of dreamy aspirants.  And Emma shines especially in her audition sequences, which, as anyone who has ever auditioned, can tell you, are funny and dead on accurate.  So, the stars have to be excepted as the aspirants they are.  But when these aspirants blossom, I wondered why.  Had there been real musical artists in their roles, the transition would be believable.  I did not quite believe it here.

                                I wanted this film to be so much better than it turned out to be. And I felt so let down it was not.  I would see it again, for the visuals--I mean, I wanted to wear all of Emma's dresses, especially that yellow one--but there are simply no heart clutching moments, like the train farewell scene, in "The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg." done to the strains of "I Will Wait For You," or the moment when the camera first spots Julie Andrews on the alp, at the start of "The Sound Of Music," and the music builds, while the audience gasps. 

                               That's it, girls!!!!!!!!!!  That is what "La La Land" is missing.

                                It has no heart clutching moments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An Overdue Welcome, To Some New Readers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    For what seemed like an interminably long time period, the follower indicator stopped at 49; so much so, I never consciously bothered to look.  But, one day, my eyes happened to flash at this area, and I saw the number had changed to 50.  Then, all too quickly, 51.

                                   Meaning I have two new readers, so, on behalf of all on here, The Raving Queen wants to bid you welcome.  This blog, as I keep saying is perfect with coffee--I have one beside me right now; but, then I have tow write this, and the creative juices best flow in the morning, with caffeine.  You know the saying, girls, "When the creative juices flow, you have got to let them go!"

                                   As you can see, there is no indicator of subject matter; whatever my fevered mind comes up with gets on here.  And don't forget my regular column on Thursdays--Bitch Of The Week.  I have a great one, already picked out for tomorrow.

                                    So, welcome, new readers, on behalf of my girls, and myself!  Of course, you are now one of my girls!

                                      Here is something I have not posted, in awhile.  The song I unofficially dub this blog's theme song--"Call Me," by Deborah Harry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Welcome, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lion Or Lamb??????????? Well, It's March!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  That's right, dolls; today is the first day of March.  And Ash Wednesday, to boot!  What is wrong with this year?  Is the sun orbiting out of control.  Because it seems I just cannot keep up fast enough, what with all the events happening this year.  Maybe things will slow down, with Spring.

                                  Once upon a time, this tradition could always be counted on.  The winds of March, then the calm.  Sometimes, of course, things would reverse, but now, what with the weather, it is anyone's guess, on a day to day basis.

                                    And if March, and Lent, have arrived, Easter cannot be far behind.  And you know what that means, at this house, girls--time for the annual screening of--you better believe it!!!!!--"The Song Of Bernadette!"

                                      Then there are the Ides, this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Be good to us, March!   We all clamor for the hope of Spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!