Easier With Practice: DVD Review
By Jeff Walsh
Easier With Practice is one of those movies that is impossible to review on a gay site, especially for someone as spoiler-adverse as me.
Because the distributor sent me this with another title, and I didn't even bother to read about it in advance, I just converted it so that I could watch it on my iPad and review it on the plane to or from Hawaii. And, for 90 percent of the movie, my thought was "Why did they send me an interesting, albeit seemingly heterosexual movie?"
In the back of my mind, of course, I thought, "The only way this would be a gay movie is if..." and, of course, that is what ends up being the case. So, we have a gay movie that is sort of a twist gay movie, except to review it on a gay website almost requires you to tell people the twist, so that it actually seems like a gay story.
The question I have, of course, is... if you watch this movie based on knowing it will eventually be a gay movie, even though it doesn't seem like it for most of the film and, because of that knowledge, figure things out in advance that you otherwise wouldn't or shouldn't, is it still a satisfying movie?
And I don't know the answer to that question.
Contest: Win a copy of Strings Attached
"Strings Attached" by Nick Nolan is a great story of how a closeted teen's life changes and he becomes a man (see review below).
We have three copies of this book to give away. One grand prize winner will get a signed copy, and two others will win copies of the book, as well.
To enter, send me a private message with a subject line of Strings, before July 6, and you're entered. Only one entry per member. And, of course, if you enter, you have to be Ok receiving a gay book in the mail, obviously.
Good luck!
Strings Attached: Book Review
By Jeff Walsh
Nick Nolan's "Strings Attached" is a fun beach read of a book. I can safely say that, as I read it on a beach all day today. But seriously, this novel starts out like your typical gay young adult novel, but then adds a lot of additional layers and metaphors to make it an even more compelling read.
When the book starts, Jeremy has to call 911 for his drunk mother, who almost died... again. He ends up living with his aunt, with whom his mother had a falling out after the death of Jeremy's father. This aunt is incredibly rich, with butlers and a huge mansion overlooking the ocean. In short order, Jeremy goes from poverty to posh.
As you know is a gay young adult novel, you start lining up all the things that will likely happen, and most of them don't. Or few things happen as you initially suspect. If anything, I'd go as far as to say Jeremy's awakening about being gay, while integral to the story, is less dramatic than the family drama around which it is set.
Latest journal entries.
Boston
18 April, 2013 - 5:15am — Perhaps We Shou...This is so wrong.
So very fucking wrong.
What happened in Boston... shocked me. Jarred me. Disturbed me. Honestly, I haven't a good word for the feeling.
a text on nothing
17 April, 2013 - 9:12pm — angel syndromei would just like to be quiet with someone who understands the ways of why i can't continue right now, i feel so anchored to something which wants to keep me unwell. how do you cope with such a strange and frightening body? i hate it, i hate it! i don't want to take too-many medicines. i don't want to be afraid of turning the page.
i need to believe in love like some people believe in faerie-tales but more often than not i find myself even more alone within it. i wish you could visit me more often, i can't stand waiting in this springtime.
Boston Marathon Disaster
17 April, 2013 - 6:09pm — Bosemaster42I'm sure everyone has heard by now what happened at the hallowed Boston Marathon, so I won't bore you with the details. There's an inordinate amount of information online and elsewhere, some of which is true, some not exactly correct. Make no mistake, this was indeed an act of terror, it's just too early to make assumptions on who's responsible. Fortunately, the people of Boston and surrounding communities are pretty tough, Literally and figuratively. This is the kind of shit that just embolden's Bostonians to act.
yay!
17 April, 2013 - 6:39am — MaddieJoyI've snagged the best cast ever! My crush, as it turns out, loves Buffy & will be playing one of the lesbians. Hope against hope she comes out using the role...Also, I've filled the other roles with older kids who are starring in the current musical and stuff. The boy playing my romantic interest can even play guitar.
I'm so excited! I actually get to play Buffy! Outside of my shower! In front of people! My voice is perfect for the role and all the cool kids will be in it, which makes me one of them!
We have a FaceBook group and everything.
Bomb Jovi did it
16 April, 2013 - 1:10am — anarchisthttp://boards.4chan.org/mu/res/35150163#p35150270
Incase the thread's 404'd, here's the archive:
http://chanarchive.org/4chan/mu/68917/itt-what-dadrock-bands-you-actuall...
Well, I'm no longer a /mu/tant. People are going to be calling me a /mu/slim now.
Anyway, I went to the record store again last Saturday and got Yanqui U.X.O. by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Glow Pt. 2 by The Microphones, the Andrew Jackson Jihad/O Pioneers!!! split, and the collector's edition of Until the Quiet Comes by Flying Lotus.
Something Is Rotten in the State of Denmark
15 April, 2013 - 9:33pm — radiosilence95My social life seemed to peak during the last week, only to plateau again. Last Tuesday was my eighteenth birthday so I endured the obligatory family gathering to celebrate. My cousin's boyfriend decided to invite himself without bothering to inform anybody and showed up in the middle of our dinner just to eat our food. He didn't speak to anybody but my cousins and he was very curt when anyone else tried to start conversation. He left without saying a word of thanks, because I guess a nice "Thank you for letting me eat six slices of YOUR pizza" is too much. What a douche.
If you are not getting confirmation e-mails from Oasis to complete your membership, don't hesitate to e-mail jeff at oasismag dot com. Be sure to include your username.
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