So, without further ado, here’s what I’m excited to see this year, in no particular order (well, actually in the order that they’re in the printed program guide:

Le Tigre: On Tour

This was our last-minute TBA!  Well, it’s been A’ed people, so start lining up.  I’ve heard that this is an excellent doc about the band and I can not wait to see it!

Beautiful Darling: The Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar

Honestly, I hate films with titles that long, but it kind of works, no?  I haven’t seen it yet, but this is one of the ones I’m saving as a special treat for myself during the festival.  I’ve heard so many good things about this film — that it’s not only a great personal profile, but also a great exploration of her identity as a transwoman.  Plus, Holly Woodlawn will be in town for it.

Undertow

I just watched this, and it really is quite beautiful, from the scenery to the mens.  (And I’m not one to see a movie because of the eye candy.)  It’s a compelling story, told well, and with a lot of depth.

Elvis & Madona

Lesbian pizza delivery boy named Elvis.  Trans/drag-queen named Madona.  They get pregnant (and I do mean “they”).  A really charming story, and nice to see queer sexualities that are a little out of the mainstream.

I Killed My Mother

Okay, I have to say it: this is so far my favorite film of the festival, and I have the feeling that it may stay that way.  While it’s not groundbreaking in style or content, I would go so far as to say that it’s close to perfect: a concise, well-told, and emotionally engaging story about a boy’s relationship to his mother.  It’s both gripping and funny, and while it sometimes hits too close to home, their extreme relationship makes me feel both relieved and like I wish we could scream at each other (literally) more often.  Plus, the writer/director/star Xavier Dolan is only 20 (makes me wonder what I’m doing with my life) and gorgeous.  It’s a shame he’s not going to be in town, but probably better for his safety, since he would be eaten alive in the Castro.

The Owls

Cheryl Dunye’s latest, featuring reunion performances by Guinevere Turner and VS Brodie.  Plus, “OWLs” is an acronym for “Older, Wiser Lesbians.”  I’m clearly on board.

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

Yodeling lesbian twins who have somehow become national treasures in New Zealand.  What?  I know.

The Adults in the Room

I happened across Andy Blubaugh’s short Hello, Thanks about M4M personals about six months ago and loved it.  This film looks at a relationship between Blubaugh as a teen with an older man, through both narrative and documentary.  From my understanding, it’s an exploration and not a condemnation of younger-older relationships, which really we don’t see enough of.

Open

Heard great things: beautifully shot, trans and intersex cast, artsy, experimental, gay relationships between cis- and trans- gender guys.  Can’t wait!  “Pandrogyny.”  Whoa.

FIT

This is our youth film this year, and I absolutely love it.  It’s like a totally PC version of Gossip Girl (or, really, more like Skins, the British teen drama that’s soooo much better).  Director Rikki Beadle-Blair also plays the teacher and makes you want to take his drama class.  It’s also free for youth 24 and under!

Mädchen in Uniform

I’ve only ever seen the 1931 version, but this is the 1958 version with Romy Schneider!

Plan B

Really lovely film about a guy who tries to get back with his ex-girlfriend by seducing her new boyfriend.  It sounds like it could be a dumb bromance movie, but it’s not.  It’s really about falling in love by accident.   There’s a lot of ambiguity, a lot of not knowing what to believe from the characters, and really good pay-off at the end.  Plus cute boys, one of whom kind of looks like GGB (Gael Garcia Bernal) from certain angles, and one who looks like a soccer-playing hippie, which brings me back to high school crushes (DMB anyone?  Oops.).

Dzi Croquettes

To call these performers the Brazilian Cockettes, doesn’t quite do it justice — really they’re a pastiche of a pastiche and I love every minute of it.  They make you feel like what we’re doing right now has been done a million times before.  It makes you want to work harder.  Every drag queen in this city should see this.  Also, every famous Brazilian is in it, as well as Liza Minelli.  What?!

Arias with a Twist: The Docufantasy

I’ve heard that if you’ve missed the show — Joey Arias and Basil Twist — this almost makes up for it.  I’m hoping that it does!

Stonewall Uprising

This one is already at Rush, so I really shouldn’t even put it on here, but I’ve heard that it answers so many questions you’ve never even thought to ask.  I can’t wait.

We Were Here: Voices from the AIDS Years in San Francisco

Lately I’ve been surprised by how many young queers seem to not know much of anything about the early AIDS crisis.  I even heard of someone I went to college with who didn’t understand why “HIV things” were often “so gay.”  Girl, please!  This film looks at the early AIDS years in San Francisco — mainly through personal stories — and sounds like required viewing for anyone under 30.  (We’re about to mark the “30th anniversary of AIDS” — are you kidding?)

Are You Krazy?

Fun, kooky, edgy, sassy shorts.  Justin Bond.  Drag queens.  Julian Vargas’s Ka.Ka was one of my favorites from screening committee.  Plus Peaches Christ’s new short.  Don’t miss it.

Gayby

It’s rare that we get a whole shorts program about queer families and kids.  Hens & Chicks was also one of my favorites from screening committee as well, about a girl who wants to know who her “rooster” is.  Tears tears tears.  Plus, I love anything with the word “gayby.”

Generations: Youth and Elders Making Movies

This is the program from our workshops where we have LGBT youth and elders make films together.  Last year I was one of the instructors for the workshop.  I always go, and I always love seeing these first-time filmmakers get to talk about their work.  Also, Always My Son is a short film about how much this family works to accept and support their son — even though it may sound cheesy, bring a box of tissues because you will not be able to stop crying.  Literally.

Skinnyfat

I haven’t seen it yet, but so many local friends are in it!  Unfortunately it’s already at Rush, but worth waiting in line for.  And worth wondering if I, too, am Skinnyfat.  Also playing is the latest Falling In Love… With Chris and Greg.  I’ve seen this one, and let me just say this is some of the most meta, edgiest, hilarious, and profound filmmaking these days.  And includes a lovely food spread and Dolly’s “Love is Like a Butterfly.”  Heaven.

Tough Girls

Ben McCoy!  Ben McCoy!  Ben McCoy!

Oh my goodness, there’s so many more films I want to talk about, but I should stop there!  But seriously, read the whole goddam program guide yourself and pick some good stuff!  And honestly, somehow my screening committee got like all of the good shorts this year, so I can pretty much guarantee that there’s something great in all of the shorts programs.

Some inspiration:

Those sleeves!

The backstory is that I sent him an invitation since I knew he was in town doing Fiddler on the Roof at the Golden Gate Theatre.  I thought, if I can’t get Fran Drescher, I might as well have Harvey!  I was a little last-minute about it, and I sent two, but one got returned to sender.  But lo and behold!

Who knows (and who cares) if it was him or an assistant or whatever.  File this under hilarious.  Also, looks like the photo was taken by his brother Ronald (thanks internet research).

One question: would it be too much to ask for a Mazel Tov?!?

I actually had this link saved as a draft, but never got to write a post about it, so here’s a quick hit: The Under The Influence: Masters of the Universe Tribute Art Show.

Wow.  This may be the dorkiest post I’ve ever done.  But as a kid I had two toy obsessions: My Little Pony and He-Man.  I’m not kidding — sometimes I played with the together.  This may explain things.

Anyway, just wanted to share some highlights from their online catalog that I think are absolutely genius:

Johnny Sampson, “Cosmo Skeletor,” screenprint on archival paper
Based on the hottest photo ever, obvi.

Interestingly, many of these are by women, but very few deal with the not-so-subtle queerness going on in He-Man.  I don’t really feel like getting into any feminist or queer critiques right now, but seriously, y’all, tell me some of this isn’t genius.

More after the jump.

Nicole Gustafsson, “Evil-Lyn’s Quiet Time,” gouache and ink on wood

ghostpatrol, “He-Man (spirit)” and “Skeletor (spirit),” homemade plush, one-of-a-kind

Sae Soh, “Zora,” poster color on bristol board

Scott Scheidly, “Skeleton In His Closet,” acrylic on wood

John Rozum, “Master Of His Universe,” cut paper and collage, layered in 3-D

Kiersten Essenpreis, “Trimming The Bowl Cut,” flashe paint on wood, sealed in resin

My Bat Mitzvah went off without a hitch: no rain, my gluegun lasted just long enough to make the cake (a Hanukkah-like miracle), and there was a line down the block!  I literally had the time of my life and I’m grateful to everyone for dressing up gorgeous, dancing the Horah, and helping me live out this perverted dream!

Seriously, I feel like I’ve made it — not as a star or anything, but as a person in the kind of world I want to live in.  And I’ve already heard such overwhelmingly positive feedback — who knows, maybe Lil Miss will throw more parties in her new-found womanhood?  (But for now she’s going to sleep for days.)

And the best part: we raised $1500 for the US Social Forum!  (If you want to learn/give more, click here.)

Be sure to check out your PHOTOS!  (After the jump.)  And of course, huge thanks to Mikeomatosis and Justin for snapping them!

Also, while I’m doing thank-yous, let me name all the people I didn’t get to name last night:

THE BLUE MACAW: Barbara, Josette, and all of the bartenders and other staff!

And the part of the toast I forgot: “Here’s to a world based on love and justice… And where everyone can dress like Lady Gaga if and when we want to!”

xoxo,
Lil Miss Hot Mess

Photos  after the jump…

 

Thanks again, Team Mikeomatosis!

Stay Tuned!
Thanks to Joie Rey Cohen  (joierey AT gmail.com) for the photo!

For those who may not know, this is like my holiday card; it’s my cheesy tradition that I do ever year where I let myself get sentimental.  I’ve been doing it since my senior year of high school, when I named it “Seasons of Love” after the song from RENT.  (There’s too much to say about that now, so I’ll pass.)  Don’t worry: it’s not actual holiday music. I originally thought of it as a mix of music that would “evoke the spirit of the holidays” (words of a 17 year old), specifically “love songs and lullabies.”  It’s the romantic in me.  Well, it’s evolved over the years, but still fits roughly into this theme.  I think I’m officially out of my “over-investment in folk” (as Anne called it).  I’ve stopped stealing all of my music from Logan.  You will not find Dave Matthews Band on this mix.  Like last year, there are a lot of Torch Songs (or Torch Songs light).  And in some cases, it’s even gotten a little more upbeat.  Last year’s also felt more political, but maybe that’s just the mood I was in then.  Basically, it’s music I’ve been listening to this year or music that I wish I were listening to more often.

This year, I decided to also put together a bonus dance mix.  Really, it was an excuse to continue my unexpected devotion to Lady Gaga and to proselytize on her behalf.  I like the regular mix to be something you could fall asleep to (it’s often my plane music), or help you get your work done, or play in the background of a dinner party.  But sometimes you just want to shake it to the ground, especially to the love songs that would otherwise break your heart.  ANYWAY!  I did it in 2004 (I think) and one of my professors told me she worked out to it at the gym and it made my day.  (I hope you’re still on this list!)  So it’s time.

Happy (half-assed) Holidays, Mary!  I’ve been a bad little blogger lately, but I’ll add it to my list of New Year’s resolutions.  Here’s to more hot messes in 2010!

My three favorite winter holiday songs after the jump:

(live version!!!)