Mismo ~ our first day on set...

That's Danny B, our DP, in the foreground with Dr. Gino Dante Borges and me checking out framing on the monitor...

Mr. Anthony ~ Natural Beauty is an Oxymoron...

I've been hiding this for so long, with no good reason... thought I might as well upload it to boobtube and post it on my own site...

Paris, Je t'aime... the making of...

What we could do with that equipment!

Paris, je t'aime... a sweeter version of the trailer...

Paris, Je Taime - Trailer

Paris Je t'aime...

If you love Paris as much as I do, this is a must-see movie. If you're a filmmaker, like I am, this is a must-see movie... learn how to make a short from some of the top directors in the biz.

Otherwise, if you have a hot French man to hold your hand in the back row, this is a must see movie!

Coming soon to a theater near you... MISMO

For the uninitiated the following is a photograph of the master scenes in a screenplay, specifically the screenplay for MISMO, the movie I am writing and producing... When the last one is off the wall, the movie is in the can!

From the folks at Paint it Purple...

What: Paint it Purple Happy Hour
Who: San Francisco Relay For Life
Where: R Bar on Sutter at Polk
When: Wed, May 30, 2007, from 6:30-9:30pm
Cost: $10 donation, 100% of proceeds go to American Cancer Society
Why:
$1 Budweiser/Bud Light
$3 shots
Door prizes every half-hour
Raffles
Amazing bartenders
Possible Tamale Lady sightings
Warm fuzzy feelings for doing a great thing!

Relay for Life is an overnight event benefiting the American Cancer Society. Relay is the largest grassroots fundraiser in the world, run entirely by local volunteers, and is San Francisco's opportunity to honor loved ones, celebrate hope, and camp under the Golden Gate Bridge.

www.paintitpurple.org

Ginger Rubio's Grand Opening

The place to be this Thursday night...

Day Dreamin' in Sunny San Francisco

I recently went for a snap-happy walk... taking in the sun and the visual delights that my 'hood has to offer (thank you to all the artists for providing such a rich palette). I threw my shots together with a couple taken later that night... set them to a couple of tunes... and click here for the results if you have patience..., otherwise, click here for the more compact version.

Point Richmond to San Francisco...

I spent Sunday afternoon in Point Richmond ~ "Point Richmond?" I hear you ask... Yes. A charming hamlet off the beaten path that has a community theater (the Masquers) supported by a committed and very talented crew. It was a delightful way to pass a Sunday afternoon, so much so that I may become a musical fan yet! And the drive home was... well you can see for yourself

The Landlord ~ guaranteed to make your day!

Hi-f**king-larious!!

Tarantino on Craig

I envy the man's creative talent ~ and I was even liking his conversation with Craig ~ but did he have to go and ruin it by showing a clip from Death Proof that featured his bad acting?! We didn't even get the benefit of seeing Rose McGowan's face! What an ego... kinda' sad, makes you wonder what kind of car he drives;)

Non-denominational Easter in the City

And what a fine Easter it was... given that I grew up in a non-religious family, other than the obligatory chocolate egg filled with Cadbury chocolates...

FLASHBACK:

Not having a taste for sweets ~ or chocolate ~ weeks after the fact, my brother and sisters would beg me to break into my untouched egg...

CUT TO:

Present day: replace the candy with two glasses of wine, served by Steve, the assiduous bartender at Rose Pistola, while I luxuriate in the company of my friend, Chris, and discuss movies and potential plots, and now you're talking!

The ride home.... who needs chocolate when you have San Francisco!

Enjoy the show (taken with my digital camera ~ all stills, on the ride home) ~ bonus points for guessing the route!

Get Ye to THE GRINDHOUSE!!

And get prepared for a rockin' rollercoaster of a ride like only Messrs. Rodriguez and Tarantino (with a little help from Mr. Zombie) can supply!

Rodriguez turns on the gore instantly and from there on out it only escalates but even though there are a couple of serious gag-reflex moments, you soon get the hang and just laugh along at the outrageousness of it all. Rose McGowan rocks ~ or should I say go-go's from start to finish and Freddy Rodriguez (the adorable undertaker from Six Feet Under) is, well, adorable.

The pseudo ads between Planet Terror and Death Proof are hilarious and worth foregoing that trip to the bathroom for ~ in fact pee before entering and don't buy no grande slurpies!

Sadly, however ~ SPOILER ALERT ~ in Death Proof , Tarantino's trademark dialogue falls flat and things only pick up in the second half when the action kicks in. I won't spoil it, suffice to say, the end is abrupt and redeems what lacked earlier.

I might also add that Tarantino should stick to directing. His talents as an actor are slim to none and just come as, to put it politely, ego massage.

Overall, however, TWO enthusiastic THUMBS UP!

p.s. I already bought the soundtrack!

Compulsion

Well, we didn't advance into Round 2 of the Scary Cow contest, but our team is tight and we move on undeterred...

At The Blue Plate with Bruce Lee

How funny is this photograph? Taken with my camera at the Blue Plate last week where Anthony and I indulged ourselves in an orgy of food and wine.

300... Don't walk. Run to your iMax!

Frank and Anthony were silly enough to think they could simply show up at the iMax on Sunday, buy tix and stroll into the theater... NOT!

So, Monday, we bought tix online and arrived at least an hour before the scheduled 5:20 show time... and, yes, there was already a ticket holder line, which, surprisingly, was not just teenage boys. We, however, scored the primo center seats in the back row.

As the lights dimmed, the anticipation in the theater was palpable. And we were not disappointed.

From start to finish, this movie will grab your eyeballs and have you boggling at its brilliance, as well as captivate you with its story of passion and heroism. The cast is superb ~ who knew there would emerge from Scotland yet another gorgeous hunk in the form of Gerard Butler. And, I loved that Lena Headey, as his beautiful, intelligent and courageous wife, is not Botoxed to death. I won't wax lyrical about the rest of the cast; suffice to say they were all excellent bar none.

Of course, sitting between two homosexual men I couldn't help but be intensely aware of the buff bodies on screen ~ yikes, get yea to the gym! It can't have all been make-up and special effects.

The sound effects, the music, even the blood and gore, were handled so perfectly that, at the end of the movie, we all agreed that we wanted to sit there and watch it over again.

This is one film I'm glad to have contributed to its box office success. Two thumbs way up!

James Spader in Drag?

I don’t when I last saw something as brilliant! Maybe it’s why I don’t blog any more. There simply isn’t anything noteworthy to write about… then again, maybe this gray mare is just ramping up for a fabulous New Year!

If you watch this space, you’ll find out;)

Happy New Year

Better late than never, right?

I'm writing a screenplay, which pretty much takes up all my creative energy... well, that and I've painted/redecorated my apartment, which involved some heavy lifting for a few days there.

The script is for my film school's contest ~ deadline February 15th ~ theme is Six and the City. I'm hoping I have a winner!!! Keep your fingers crossed:)

Speaking of Sex and the City, it's become my nightly habit to watch it on KRON 4, which usually means that I catch the last of the news and, to the point, the sports wrap-up. What is going on with Gary Radnich? Is he out and out plastered every night? Or does he have dementia? The rest of the team cringe when he babbles on; that's when he's not being cut short. Does anyone know what the deal is there?

Did a movie marathon on New Year's day... saw, in the following order: The Good German, Children of Men, The Good Shepard.

The Good German was definitely the best of the bunch ~ Kate looked gorgeous channeling Deitrich; Clooney was his usual impeccable self.

*Love* Clive Owens, but the film doesn't entirely explain itself and is extremely gloomy.

The Good Shepard, I'll probably watch on DVD when I can rewind to hear every line of dialogue and pause to catch up which guy in a suit is whom ~ good guy, bad guy, Ruskie or not? Angelina, naturally, looked gorgeous; too much she didn't have more of a part. Damon is starting to become a cliche.

I do highly recommend The Painted Veil ~ came out of that film vowing I was going to move to China! I sure hope it gets a nod come Oscar time.

Okay, it's almost time for yoga ~ yeah! I'm getting back in shape.