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Many sad movies, nay, most truly depressing tales have a lesson to give, a compelling reason to exist, even hope, or some other redeeming qualities. Madeinusa, the Peruvian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, which shows this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at PIFF, had none of these. (I am also particularly thankful to report this film has nothing to do with gay culture)
 The ironically named Madeinusa lives in an isolated village in Peru, dirt poor despite being the daughter of the town’s mayor, a patient pedophile. Her mother has left her and her sister appears to hate her. On the eve of the town’s annual festivities, or "Holy Time," as they call it, a non-indigenous (gringo) geologist from Lima, Salvador, gets stranded in the town, as there is no coming or going from the town during this holiday. What begins with what might seems like a fairly benign Holy Virgin Beauty Contest and Good Friday night prayers in the Catholic Church turns sinister quickly. God is dead and will not arise until Sunday morning. Therefore, this weekend God sees nothing and there is no sin. You can do anything to want and you will not be punished. And while I’m all for debauchery and parties, moral obligations exist in both religious and secular life for reasons and it is disturbing to think that they only matter because God is looking.
The audience already knows that Madeinusa’s father has been waiting these 14 years to deflower his younger daughter when she decides to preempt him and cavort with the gringo in an alleyway. By this time you are praying that Salvador will rescue her but he refuses. Unlike any other character, however, his decency prevails when he witnesses Madeinusa’s father raping her despite her deflowerment.
But while you may have a tiny grain of hope as they prepare to flee don’t hold onto it. Madeinusa has been driven to insanity and betrayal by her dire straights. This all leads to an ending even creepier and more disturbing that you might have initially imagined. I wouldn’t claim any saving grace in the beauty of Madeinusa‘s parting shots but there certainly is elegance to the cinematography. These colorful and bizarre images that ride through the horror of this film are the only split seconds of enjoyment one might be able to take away. But even they are not worth it. The shot of Salvador’s eye through the craggy wooden slats of the cell in which he is initially imprisoned is nicely framed but is also a frequently used, trite shot that pales in comparison to close ups in something like the disturbing-but-highly-worth-it Pan’s Labyrinth. Even the scene of the urinating cow is a beautiful, welcome relief to the ugliness of the movie as a whole. And when farm animal pee is the highlight of your screen experience you just can’t recommend a film.
Madeinusa screens Tues Feb 20th, Wed the 21st and Thur the 22nd at Broadway. A complete schedule can be found on the NW Film Center website. […]
 As per my post last week about Just Out’s most eligible, I wanted to give an update and share a couple of reader suggestions.
V Day finally came last Wednesday and I was too busy to notice it right away, but it seems the Willy also did a most eligible spread in honor of the day of love. Even if my head was in the clouds, however, it did not go without notice. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a catfight but Just Out did seem to feel the need to say "We had that idea first." I have a feeling it has more to do with publishing schedule. (Who knows who really liked The Shins way before they were popular first?) And actually, I thought their choice of DJ Puppet as bachelor was a good one and would have been a much better queer choice for Just Out.
As far as reader suggestions I only got two, but they were pretty good. One was cheery faced Commissioner Sam Adams, who had crossed my mind, although I always assumed was taken. I have absolutely no verification of this so I really don’t know why I took that for granted. The other was bad boy (grown) filmmaker Gus Van Sant. I don’t know his status either, or if he would be looking but a profile seems appropriate nonetheless, even if the fella is unattainable.
[…]
The Portland International Film Festival didn’t seem to have any explicitly gay movies but themes of gender and power abound, certainly so in Sunday’s premiere screening of the French A Comedy of Power. A so called commingling of comedy and thriller A Comedy of Power emerges more like a look into the relationships between husband and wife, female friends and coworkers, as one woman intently pursues the corrupt political establishment. Whereas the American Law and Order or the British Touching Evil might take this story and make it a crime drama rife with the sounds of sirens and smashing gavels, the French intertwine the main character, Judge Jeanne Charmant-Killman’s (Isabelle Huppert), desire to clean up the government with the story of her tenuous relationship with a husband feeling overshadowed, and her intimate bond with a female peer. It accomplishes all this with a distinct lack of intrusive soundtrack or glorious camera work. It’s real. It’d raw. It’s psychological. It’s French.
 In such a film uncertainty and fluctuation are key. It opens with the nervous allergic itch-scratching of a soon to be imprisoned CEO who meets our extremely shrewd and powerful Judge very soon after. The first interrogation we see, coupled with her interaction with her husband, seem to portray Jeanne as the aggressive woman-monster archetype (“the Piranha”) we have become so familiar with. Her husband’s coworkers have even taken to calling him Mr. Charmant-Killman. And while I did catch the subtle intrusion of pink rubber gloves as Jeanne washes the dishes this insert did little to assure me that the film saw her power as a positive aspect of her character rather than as an infringement on her femininity. But the film is shrewder than I. This is merely a small interruption of the quite serious narrative with that of comedy. In fact, it might be the only truly amusing aspect of the film. And while the Power may paint Jeanne’s workaholic nature as troublesome to anyone wishing to lead a full and happy life, it also sees this same shortfall as saintly altruism. And while it is also easy to feel sorry for her neglected husband, who seems to truly love her, the film switches your sympathies quickly back to Jeanne. She is extremely intelligent and not uncaring. She’s not to be taken in, even by those who have appeared to be on her side in the past. And when yet another corrupt high-ranking official brings another woman into her department as her equal expecting that, because they are women, they will bring each other down in a rain of hair and nails, both recognize this and rise above their desire to do exactly that.
The happy ending that the title implies is never fully satisfied, and yet I was quite surprised to hear my coworker exclaim at the end, “Well that was depressing.” Ambiguity and a sort of longing ennui are emotions the French excel at portraying, and you will feel none of the same satisfaction or disappointment that you would after a Law and Order verdict. Nevertheless, feelings of sympathy and pride will abound. A comedy it’s not, but perhaps that is precisely the funniest part.
A Comedy of Power plays at the fest this Sunday the 18th at 7:30 at Whitsell Auditorium and Tuesday the 20th at Broadway. A complete schedule can be found on the NW Film Center website. […]
Looks like Lon Mabon ain’t outta the woods yet. The Oregon Court of Appeals on today sided with a gay-rights activist who accused the former head of the Oregon Citizens Alliance of fraudulently transferring assets to avoid paying a judgement she won against the group in 1992. I do get frustrated when judgements are made and wealthy groups or individuals dodge them my crying poor. Let’s hope the OCA’s attempt at dodging the legal system will result in their bankruptcy.
Below is the complete Oregonian news post:
Court sides with gay-rights activist against Lon Mabon
The Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday sided with a gay-rights activist who accused the former head of the Oregon Citizens Alliance of fraudulently transferring assets to avoid paying a judgement she won against the group in 1992.
Catherine Stauffer filed suit in 2003 against former board members of the OCA, which has sponsored several ballot measures seeking to curtail the rights of gays and lesbians.
A jury in 1992 awarded Stauffer $31,500 after an OCA member forcibly removed her from a campaign event.
Stauffer has settled with some former OCA members, but not Lon Mabon, who founded the now-defunct organization, and his wife, Bonnie.
The Court of Appeals rejected the Mabon’s claim that the judge violated their rights during the trial when he dismissed their legal arguments after they resisted providing information to the plaintiff.
[…]
 Saturday I found myself engulfed in High School Cheerleaders before 9 in the morning. Now before your dirty minds make an unfortunate leap, my attendance was required at the Oregon State Cheerleading Championships because my partner’s niece had qualified for the contest. I like to leave my pre-conceived notions at the door, so I tried not to label it as a Bring it on stereotype. I shouldn’t have bothered. It was nearly identical.
But before I delve further into the non-relevant rest of this post I want to tell you what about this was gay. I’m certainly not trying to employ the derogatory and generic epithet but rather, cheerleading, and the championships in particular, really do draw from gay culture. First and foremost, the music was like a schizophrenic gay rave. No song clip lasted longer than the 10 seconds a methhead could pay attention (and they were the most nasty dirty sex songs of the past 30 years mind you) and they were pasted sloppily over intensely clubby house beats. Of course the glitter and pompoms have been shared elements of cheerleading and gay culture throughout the 20th century but the wigs and hair extensions were new to me. Of course cheerleaders all must have ponytails, but I shouldn’t have assumed they were all naturally long haired. Just like drag queens, at the end of the day they take off their false eyelashes and bouncy curls as well. Then there are the male cheerleaders. I don’t think that they’re all gay. To reference Bring it on (yet again) it does, however, seem about 50/50…like ballet dancers, not like ice skaters (that’s gotta be way closer to 90%). I’m just saying, I saw a couple adorable little baby boys that certainly seemed a little light in their white sneakers.
Now on to other, non gay related, but still rather amusing highlights of the show. I’m quite sorry to have missed the afternoon’s puking Gresham cheerleader but the truly dirty songs were mortifying enough. At one point I was certain that a school started their routine with the song from American Beauty. That’s right, the one where a very grown-up and lecherous Kevin Spacey envisions the lustful head cheerleader opening her blouse and revealing red roses. I shudder. Because that’s what truly made these songs inappropriate. Some were so old that the teens probably didn’t even recognize them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t naughty. Besides, what does shaking me all night long have to do with football?
I realize that since I attended mostly the smaller schools that they are also likely not to be near a city, which may account for this. Nevertheless, I was surprised that cheerleaders still looked the same as in my day…my elementary and middle school days that is. I don’t mean the timeless qualities of a tight sweater and a short skirt, but hair aerosoled heavenward in that glorious mallrat tower that was the early 90s. I had to wonder, at the end of the day, why this parade of fantasy is seen as “cool” when something like Dungeons and Dragons is “geeky.” […]
 Just Out recently published a most eligible article in honor of Valentine’s Day featuring a somewhat diverse array of PDX’s successful singles. They are all pretty adorable in their own way but was this the most famous, best list they could come up with? Don’t get me wrong, they do all indeed look like fabulous catches, and though I am taken myself, I’d gladly have coffee or go dancing with any of them. But I certainly hadn’t heard of them before…Surely, for a title as big as Most Eligible Bachelor, Portland has a few high profile characters. Where are the rock stars, performers and politicos, nay the pseudo-Kennedys of our fair city?
Although, my ranting brings up the "prove it" point. I can think of oh so many delectable desirables but I really can’t be sure any of them are single…and plenty I know not to be. Is a town this rampant with homosexuality, polyamoury and hotness in general really devoid of single gay royalty? I really must, besides brainstorming, get a little closer the gossip machine to determine who really is eligible before I post some of my opinions on top V-Day worthy bachelors, but in the meantime, who do you think is most eligible? Please do let me know by commenting or emailing (it’s that little "contact" link near the top left of this post) and maybe we can get you in touch with your single heartthrob…
[…]
Oh I just can’t wait until Uncle Teddy gets caught again…that will make my day. […]
The topic of potentially offensive Superbowl commercials came to my attention as soon as the light faded from my neighbors 50 million inch TV I could watch through my window…but I really didn’t think much of it.
 But the chatter among news sources, gay bloggers etc continued. A friend brought this particular article to my attention and while I really only skimmed it, it did stop and make me think. At first I seemed to agree with the sentiments “…the ad [could be seen as] a parody of homophobic attitudes…” or “It’s basically the behavior of boys in a high school lockerroom…” I do think it’s important to choose your battles and expend energy wisely. But then, as the article continued, I realized something important. I shouldn’t be eating Snickers anyway.
Wait, more important than that.
These aren’t hairless tween boys in a locker room fidgeting because they don’t know how to act like an adult. These are huge corporations, franchises, institutions with very big boys (and girls) at the helm. I have been conditioned to accept that homophobia is acceptable in traditionally straight male spaces like sports television. I have come not to expect much from professional sports management because no one has forced them to be accountable. The article goes on to point out that companies that are rich enough to run ads during the Superbowl, as well as the NFL itself spend millions on marketing research and are generally very very careful with how they are portrayed in the media, who gets access and their public image as a whole. So why don’t they care as much about their gay demographic? A representative finally got back to AfterElton.com with the retort that “…humor is subjective.” I’m not hugely PC myself (among friends there have been exchanges rivaling Sarah Silverman) but there is no excuse not to know that the ad your company is producing is offensive, and that the Superbowl is not the place for humor as instigating as something that might appear on Comedy Central after 11 pm.
[…]
 In a town where queer nights rarely see their first birthday, Wednesday night’s Gaycation’s 1st year bash is a welcome change. Holocene (1001 SE Morrison) ushers the party into toddler-dom this Wednesday the 7th at 9p and, despite this being an anniversary rager, the price is still a wonderfully simple zero bucks. As usual DJ Snowtiger and Mr. Charming will be your gracious hosts. […]
There seems so much yo are not allowed to do in this country once you’d served a little stint in prison, like get any aid for college, or other things that might eventually benefit the society you’ve been returned to. But it seems Mabon, fresh from prison blues, can do plenty of damage.
This info comes courtesty BRO:
For all you who thought Lon Mabon had shuffled away with his tail between his legs and with what little was left of his dignity – we’re sad to report that you were mistaken. Fresh out of jail, Lon Mabon is back on the scene and in the beginning stages of yet another hateful anti-GLBT rampage.
Here is the latest information. Mabon and his dwindling list of cohorts gathered last weekend for an "Oregon Citizens Alliance" Convention and are working on at least two initiatives for the 2008 ballot. Neither one of them has been approved for circulation (signature gathering) yet, but we expect this to happen in the not-so-distant future.
The first of the two measures – currently numbered IP 22 – would have far-reaching consequences placing unprecedented limits on free speech in Oregon.
The second – IP 23 – is déjà vu all over again: a reprise of 2000’s Measure 9.
In 2000, Ballot Measure 9 would have amended state statutes relating to public school instruction regarding homosexuality and bisexuality. The failed measure would have prohibited public schools from providing instruction on behaviors relating to homosexuality and bisexuality in a manner that "encourages, promotes or sanctions such behaviors". For purposes of the measure, "public schools" include public elementary schools, public secondary schools, community colleges, state colleges and state universities, and all state and local institutions that provide education for patients or inmates.
Now Mabon has a new "Measure 9," which is nearly the same as above but he has included the transgender community as a target as well.
The draft ballot title of this new proposed initiative, the so-called "Student Protection Act 2008", reads: "Prohibits Instruction At Public Schools (Including Colleges, Universities) That ‘Approves,’ ‘Endorses’ Homosexual, Bisexual, Transgendered Behavior".
The full measure text and all relevant information on the two proposed initiatives can be found here:
# IP 22: "Public Decency Act": Amends Constitution, Makes Oregon Constitutional Guarantee Of Free Expression Of Opinion Inapplicable To Conduct Or Personal Behavior
# IP 23: "Student Protection Act 2008" […]
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