Up, Up and Away

As you can tell from the date on my last post, its been a while. You might be asking yourself, "What's been keeping him so busy?" You might just as easily be asking yourself what you want to eat for dinner, so for the sake of getting things rolling here, let's assume the former.

The answer dear reader is fairly simple: Twinprov. Last month's grueling rehearsal schedule culminated with our second Speakeasy performance on June 8th. In the event that you missed it, video from that show will start going up over the weekend on my YouTube Channel. This crazy venture with Buck & Clint has been equal parts exhausting and exhilarating but always gratifying. For more info. on all things Twinprov head over to our website www.twinprov.com.


One of the reasons I've been able to spend so much time on Twinprov lately is because I was on a hiatus from The Oklahoma Gazette for all of May and the first part of June. During that time my second feature, a piece on the local independent stand-up comedy scene, did come out. You can read it in all its awkwardly formatted glory here. I've been assured that some day someone at The Gazette is going to fix the problem. Sigh. My first piece back on the job is a review of Reduxion Theatre's production of Taming of The Shrew. You can read that here. If you're in the OKC area, definitely try to catch the show this weekend or next.


I think that's it's probably worth noting that since last I posted I was awarded "Best of Show" at The 2nd Annual Carnality Ball for my photo entries:




You can view the rest of the pictures from that photo shoot here. Be warned though, these were taken for an erotic art show. So if sexual or fetishistic imagery bothers you then skip the link and just keep on reading. Thanks again to Jeremy for all your help with equipment and lighting and to Michael - one of the prettiest men I know - for letting me share that beauty with others.

The Carnality Ball itself was a mixed bag. While ambitious in scope, just like last year it suffered from organizational and planning issues. On the upside their were actual stages this year so that you could see all the performers. On the downside, the downstairs stage was always brightly lit because all the businesses and a few artists had booths on the lower floor. The upstairs area was mostly empty space with the art along two walls and a stage in the middle. At around 10:30 all but the stage lights were turned off leaving all the art, that unlike last year was not individually lit, in the dark. So, if you didn't get a chance to browse through before then, tough titty! I also think the show suffered from just too many acts. If they use the same space next year, I'd like to see them move the art downstairs with the artists and business booths were it can be seen all night long and keep the entertainment downstairs on the light side so there's some place people can actually talk and keep the party and main performers upstairs. Also, it sucks that it's called a Ball but there is no actual dance. I think that at midnight there should be a big ball upstairs. But that's just my opinion.

You can watch some videos from the Carnality Ball 2009 here.

Unfortunately, my entries for Biting The Apple were not accepted. If you're interested in seeing my photo narrative homage to Lonely Island's Dick in a Box, get in touch with me.


After a dismal few months for film, some good movies have finally been released that I can recommend. Although we're halfway through the year and I only have 8 films that rank above a 7 (out of 10). I'm going to try and write up quick reviews for each of those 8, starting with my favorite film of the year so far, Pixar's Up:

I'm not one of those people that automatically gives every Pixar film a pass. While the quality of their body of work is indisputable there are issues of taste that come into play. So, while The Incredibles and Ratatouille rank among some of my favorite films of all time, I don't universally love everything thing they do (see: Cars).

That being said, for me Up is a perfect movie. Like Wall-E, the first act features one of the finest examples of pure visual storytelling you'll see any in any film being made today - beautiful, compelling, and ultimately heart breaking - and that's all before the narrative proper even gets going. Unlike Wall-E, Up maintains its quality throughout.

The film does an incredible job of making you aware of your own mortality while also convincing you that its never too late to have that one last great adventure. Modern films hardly ever get that right, letting overly elaborate set-pieces, poorly-used CGI, or just plain bad writing stand in for a really compelling adventure story that can sweep you up, thrill, delight, and even touch you. Nostalgia colored lenses aside, that is one thing that so many films from the 1980's did well.

Up is one of those few films that I actually knew nothing about going in, other than that it was supposed to be very good. I hadn't even seen a trailer. As a result, every character introduction and narrative turn were all complete surprises. I'd recommend that if you haven't seen it yet, try to go in as unspoiled as possible and do yourself the favor of seeing it in 3D. Like Coraline and a few other films being shown in 3D these days, Up trades in the cheap in-your-face gags of decades past for the effect of completely immersing you in this brilliant world that the geniuses at Pixar have created.

Simply put, Up is an amazing film that leaves you feeling nothing but. (10/10)

In future blogs I'll cover The Brothers Bloom, Star Trek, Coraline, Watchman, Drag Me to Hell, Away We Go, and Fired Up!.


I'd planned to cover more in this post, but I think it's already gone on long enough, so I think I'll just say adieu for now dear readers and leave you with this literal lyrical interpretation of the Tears For Fears music video for Head Over Heels. Enjoy!