CONGRATULATIONS AND THE MYSTERIES OF SKIN

This afternoon as I rode the M train toward home, we stopped infront of the San Francisco University. And, there they were --- lovely, happy and full of hope; The Class of 2005! They all looked so radiant and excited as they posed for pictures with friends (with whom they will probably lose touch within the next 3 months), siblings, grandparents and parents. Everyone looked so happy and proud. I noticed that a number of us on the train were smiling at the energy we saw on display. Not that I wanted to rain on their parade and achievement, but I sort of wanted to call out, "Congratulations! Now, gather all of your strength for the existensial let downs you are all about to experience and get ready for full-head-on adult life! If you can, run back into that school and sign up for a PHD program and just avoid it all for another 4 or 5 years!" ...but I didn't.

Jaded much?

So, as I knew I would hear from no prospective employers today due to the pending long weekend --- I went ahead and tried to find my way to the Clay Cinema on Filmore Street. Guess what! I came close to getting there all on my own. However, after about 15 minutes of not quite knowing where I was I jumped in a cab and asked the driver if I was even remotely in the right vicinity! And, guess what! I was! Those of you who know me well are bound to be impressed. I was actually 4 city blocks away. The cabbie was so very nice and drove me there at no charge. Only in San Francisco! Another funny thing was that he asked me if I was from Bosotn. Confused, I confirmed that I had just moved to SF from Bos last month and then asked him how he knew. He then paid me a very nice compliment and said that it was in the way I carried myself -- "dignified, but friendly and self-assured" ---- he then added that this is how nearly all Bostonians are. ? I then explained to him that while I felt more like a Bostonian as I had lived there for close to 15 years, I was actually from Beaumont, Texas. This really interested him because he said I exhibited so signs of southern/Texan karma. When I asked what that was -- he told me that he found most people from the South or Texas ( I loved the way he attempted a distinction between the south and Texas! LOL!) seem to put forward an "attitude filled with fakeness and come off as somewhat dim" LOL! ...I told him that this opinion would probably get him shot in Texas. He told me that he would never share that opinion with someone unless he was "confident" that they were cool. Anyway, I enjoyed this exchange.

And, then I bought my ticket to see Gregg Araki's adaptation of Scott Heim's unforgettable novel, MYSTERIOUS SKIN. Now, don't get me wrong --- I am a fan of Araki's work, but I've always felt just a bit let down as his first two films were so very promising --- and then he became obsessed with presenting perverse little movies which either made fun of bad teen sitcoms or Doris Day movies. He called this his teen trilogy. I called it an odd choice for a director/writer with such talent. I was particularly worried about what he might do with Heim's novel. As a survivor of child abuse, Heim's novel really touched and horrified me on many levels. It remains one of the more powerful novels I've ever read. Well, I am happy to report that Araki not only did a great job --- he actually IMPROVED Heim's novel!!! Joseph Gordon-Levitt, best known as the long haired kid from THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN, gives an astounding and brave performance that makes the viewer forget he is watching a movie. I will even go so far as to say that Gordon-Levitt gives a performance that rivals DeNiro's work in RAGING BULL ---- and I don't state such things easily. Amazing work! Now, he just needs to eat a sandwich because he is far too thin! Anyway, I hope that the NC-17 rating doesn't prevent the film from getting a full release. It is an important film, but I guess I understand the rating ---and, usually I do not agree with the whole NC-17 thing, but this is a fairly hardcore movie.
Go see it!

Speaking of hardcore -- does anyone out there know what has become of the film that one of my many cinematic idols, Asia Argento, made from an adaptation of one of JT LeRoy's stories? LeRoy worked closely with her on the film and I've been dying to see it for well over a year! What has happened to it? SCARLET DIVA was one of the most interesting and self-confessional films I've ever seen by a first time film director. I love Asia --- and JT LeRoy's writing is magical.

I forgot to eat lunch today, but that is probably a good thing as I need to train myself to eat less. Save money and lose weight! Can't go wrong! Oh, money. I don't even need much. Just a freckin job!

Oy!