Frank Apisa's Open Salon Blog

My Take on "New Moon!"

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:11:59 -0500

So I went to see New Moon on Sunday—and, as I expected, enjoyed it very much. I had read the books; enjoyed them immensely; and had decided to disregard the considerable barrage of negativity some folks were hurling at the movie.

Glad I did.

There were some disappointments. Fitting the story into a two-hour format required lots of plot gaps—but filling those gaps was no problem for those of us who have read the series. I’m sure others feel as I do that the delight I felt with what WAS included eased any discomfort with what was missing. Unfortunately, two of my favorite sequences (Bella’s encounter with the baddies while shopping in town and Bella and Edward’s interaction with the Volturi coven) were seriously short changed…and I wish they had spent more time developing those lines.

In any case, I freely acknowledge that the picture will not be a contender for Best Picture honors at the next Academy Awards ceremony…nor will the director or any of the actors or actresses be honored there either. A picture can be very enjoyable indeed without being a classic. And the special ingredient of “lots of eye candy” is not something easily overlooked. (The girls all love Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner…but for me, spending lots of time looking at Kristen Stewart’s beautiful face was a major pleasure.)

Which brings me neatly back to the “negativity” I mentioned earlier. Some of the negative comments I’ve read here in OS about the picture (and the books) have been hilarious…although I mean that in the “ridiculous and ludicrous” sense rather than as a synonym for humorous.

In one of the threads, a woman contributor was bemoaning the lack of character development in the books (folks, there is as much character development in the Twilight series as in any Hemingway novel) complaining that Bella’s character is one-dimensional and seemed unbelievable because she was so slavishly devoted to Edward and seemed not to care about anything else.

Wow, can you imagine that? A young female character who falls into what may be a destructive romantic relationship with an attractive, seductive young male…and pays no attention to the possible negatives! What kind of twisted mind could conceive of something so completely removed from day-to-day reality?

What world is that woman living on?

I think way too many people are treating the series and the movie with the kind of disdain people who consider themselves especially sophisticated usually reserve for performers like Barry Manilow, Donnie Osmond, or Neil Diamond. The kind of disdain they reserve for “popular” classics like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony or Tchaikovsky’s Sixth…or for television programming or for enjoyment of sports.

They are people too anxious to spotlight their sophistication…too anxious to see themselves above the kinds of prosaic treats only riffraff should admit to enjoying.

Too bad, all that! They are missing lots of the fun and enjoyment life offers in their silly attempts to further their supposed superiority.

To them, I say: Don’t go see the movie. It’s not for you.

To those of you who can enjoy life without all the pretensions, I say: Don’t miss it. Even if you just go to enjoy the eye candy it is a worthwhile two-hour investment of time.

Eden in Pix…With Some Nipple Shots:

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:07:46 -0400

Yesterday, in another blog, I posted a few pictures of Lea, Sheepdog, Joe Nation and our hero at the Frying Pan in New York City. I often refer to the Pan as a little bit of Paradise on Earth because it is such a delight.

Today, Nancy and I spent some time at the Jersey shore…another bit of Paradise on Earth. It was a beautiful day…with a breeze kicking up rather large waves.

Thought I’d share a few scenes with yez.

First, the nipple shot...our hero and his lady.

Couple a pix of the beach:

More nipples...and some butt in the background.

Some OSer's Meet in the Big Apple! With pix!

Thu, 9 Jul 2009 11:07:12 -0400

The lovely Lea Lane was in town…and several of us met at the Frying Pan for some chat…and a few drinks.

Here is a photo of the Sheepdog (Andy), Lea, me, and Joe Nation (Jonathan).

And then we have a broad view of the pier jutting out into the Hudson…New York City’s hottest night spot.

Finally, a view of the New Jersey skyline from the pier.

Life is good

SYTYCD...Review of 7-1-09 Show

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:07:49 -0400

Okay…I gotta step up and do my best to fill in for Juliet and Knightwriter…and thems some very big shoes to fill!

My first comment is: Oh, Shit! Mia Michaels is at the judge’s table…and she looks like she used an eggbeater for a hairdryer. Why, oh, why is she here??? (It turns out as the night proceeds that I am pleasantly surprised, because Mia actually seems quite reasonable and generous in her comments tonight.)

Jeanette & Brandon kick things off with a cha cha cha choreographed by Jean Marc and his wife: I am sure Brandon is pooping in his pants knowing Mia is gunning for him. But “the powers that be” have gotten to Mia…and she actually mentions that she has changed her opinion (for the better) of an “unnamed dancer”…whom everyone knows is Brandon. (She called him a phony earlier in the season!)

Brandon’s starting lift is terrific. Seemed like a bit of disco to this cha cha cha that I liked. Jeanette looks terrific tonight…with a hairdo that is out-of-sight. Excellent passes and transitions…very, very lively…outstanding cha cha steps. Brandon even has time at the end of the routine to wink at the audience. All three judges love it!

So did I…a lot.

Kayla & Kupono do a contemporary routine choreographed by Sonya. The theme is death…and being dragged to death! (Not sure where or why they came up with that…but choreographers are a very strange lot!) Music for the dance is “Eye On Fire” from the movie, “Twilight!” Make-up is pure vampire. Nigel gets to mention, “Interview with the Vampire”; “True Blood”, and “Twilight.”

I am not crazy about the choreography at all…although I think Kayla and Kupono deal with it as best as can be expected. He does some good lifts…she stretches her body out beautifully and keeps her lines where the judges like. They do several sequences where they dance alone and apart…rather than in synchronization…and I think they do an excellent job with that part. The judges all come up with very favorable comments. I am not thrilled…but I expect this has something to do with the fact that neither Kayla nor Kupono are among my favorites. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kayla & Kupono back in the bottom three.

Randi & Evan do a Broadway number choreographed by Joey Dowling who obviously worked at Guantanamo torturing prisoners at one point. She is a royal bitch! The dance is done to the Rich Man’s Frug from Sweet Charity. My guess is that Bob Fosse (if still alive) and Gwen Verdon (if still alive) both turned over in their graves!

Famous dance; Randi & Evan did not do it justice. I did not like it at all…and the duo never seemed to connect. I’m really not sure if it was the dancing that turned me off…or the choreography…but neither rang my bell. Evan especially should have been better…this is his thing. Judges’ remarks were subdued…and Mia’s comment about Randi being “heavy” in her dancing actually made sense to me. My opinion: Randi & Evan will be in the bottom three.

Jason & Kaitlin do a Pop Jazz routine choreographed by Brian Friedmann. Theme is an alien coming to Earth to procreate with the last human. The man is to become impregnated in this reverse role dance. (Did I mention that choreographers are a very strange lot?) Weird shit…but I think Jason & Kaitlin pulled it off nicely.

I loved the dance while they “were doing it.” Kaitlin looked very hot to me…and not at all like a dancing condom, which is how Nigel described her. Excuse the baseball analogy, but I think Friedmann threw the dancers a knuckle ball…and they got lots of bat on it.

I certainly liked the dance a bunch more than the judges…who seem to regularly rate Jason & Kaitlin harshly.

Jeanine & Phillip do Hip Hop choreographed by Napoleon & Tabitha.

Not sure of why Nap and Tab wanted “the chain” in this routine…but I think the Hip Hop woulda been much better without it. I think everyone was expecting some kind of mishap…but it didn’t happen. Her pretty face contrasts strangely with his rather homely face.

Best I can say about the dance is: It was okay.

Interesting comment she made at the end about “the chains all over OUR APARTMENT!” Nigel immediately said, “TMI…too much information!” She was suitably embarrassed…and he was suitably happy the world found out he is doing it with a fine looking chick.

Melissa & Ade do a pas de deux from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Thordal Christiansen. (Sorry, Juliet, that you would miss reviewing the first appearance of Juliet, the character, on SYTYCD.)

My thoughts during the dance were: This is spectacular. And it was. Ade’s lifts, right from the very first one, were exquisite…effortless. She, of course, had fabulous lines. Both showed sensational jumps and running passes. I was enthralled…and this was one of the best efforts I’ve seen in one of these shows. Of course, this is her specialty, so she was expected to excel. She did…and so did he. The judges all were all praise…for the dancers…for the choreographer…and for themselves and their show.

All as it should be!

Karla & Vitolio do a QuickStep choreographed by Jean Marc. What can I say? The QuickStep is rightly feared, because it is a very tough and demanding dance. I think Karla & Vitolio aced it! “Entertaining” was the word I wrote while they were performing…and “entertaining” was the word the judges used after it ended.

Not sure who the guy sitting behind the choreographers in the beaver hat was…but I suspect he was Canadian…and still celebrating Canadian Day in honor of Juliet and Knightwriter.

Norm Coleman...Gracious Loser!

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:06:38 -0400

From the New York Times....breaking news:

Norm Coleman, the Republican incumbent, has conceded to the
Democrat Al Franken in the contested Senate race in
Minnesota, ending a seven-month battle over the seat. Earlier
Tuesday afternoon, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled
unanimously that Mr. Franken was the winner.

Boy...what a gracious loser!