//PUBLISHER Peter Rayes PETER@FLAME-MAG.COM //MANAGING EDITOR Austin VanKirk AUSTIN@FLAME-MAG.COM //DIGITAL EDITOR Rachel Mann WEB@FLAME-MAG.COM //ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Dorothy “Joan” Stevenson JOAN@FLAME-MAG.COM //MEDIA RELATIONS COORDINATOR LeeAnn Connelly MEDIA@FLAME-MAG.COM //LOCAL ADVERTISING Peter Rayes ADVERTISING@FLAME-MAG.COM //NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 SALES@RIVENDELLMEDIA.COM //PHOTOGRAPHERS Alejandro Garza Murray Grondin Tony Lowe //CONTRIBUTORS Tony Lowe Joan Stevenson Rachel Mann Austin VanKirk //GRAPHIC DESIGN PR Solutions 429 Livernois Street Second Floor Ferndale, MI 48220 248.952.8075 Copyright © 2015. FM MEDIA GROUP LLC. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER OR STAFF. NO PART OF FLAME, INCLUDING STORIES, ARTWORK, ADVERTISING, OR PHOTOS MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM BY ANY MEANS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM FM MEDIA GROUP LLC. FLAME MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY FM MEDIA GROUP LLC. FLAME MAGAZINE WILL NOT ACCEPT ADVERTISING WHICH IS FOUND TO VIOLATE LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL LAW. THE PRESENCE OF THE NAME, LIKENESS, PHOTOGRAPH, OR OTHER REPRESENATION OF AN ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS, OR PERSON(S) IN FLAME MAGAZINE IS NOT AN INDICATION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
CONTENTS
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SOUND CHECK
THE SWEET SOUNDS OF CANDY BAR
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOAN
BECOME WHO YOU ARE
AT THE MOVIES WITH DOROTHY
Jason Dottley was 4-years old when Madonna’s “Crazy For You” first premiered. The Sordid Lives actor-turnedsinger didn’t discover the song until he heard it on the second CD he ever owned, Madonna’s...
DJ Selina Style is that quiet girl that is hanging out at the bar. Then she hits the decks and everything changes. She’s full of energy, all over the place, and smashing your eardrums with an incredible euphony of sounds that you...
CRAZY FOR... JASON DOTTLEY
DJ SELINA STYLE
MY “DAILY” DILEMMA
My world has been shaken, yet again. First the exit of my much beloved fictional conservative pundit Stephen Colbert, then last week Jon Stewart announced his eventual departure from The Daily Show...
ARE YOU POSSESSED?
Imagine being half a person, compromising who you are yourself for somebody else. Imagine not being able to say what you want, do what you want, love whom you want. It sucks, right? Imagine relying on another person to...
MARCH DVD RELEASES
This month there are several great movies that are coming to DVD so I thought I’d give you my opinion on just a few...
CRAZY FOR... JASON DOTTLEY
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SOUND CHECK
Written by Mick Sandoval
Jason Dottley was 4-years old when Madonna’s “Crazy For You” first premiered. The Sordid Lives actor-turned-singer didn’t discover the song until he heard it on the second CD he ever owned, Madonna’s The Immaculate Collection. He remembers being immediately drawn to it. “The lyrics speak to my own obsessive nature when I like someone,” he reveals. Now, 30-years after the release of Madonna’s original, Dottley has teamed with Dee Martello (aka DJ Twisted Dee) to recreate the classic as a modern dance floor groove. His version takes the song about compulsive fixation to a whole new level. Musically, it is moodier than the original, and darker, with incredible touches of EDM magic provided by Martello. Where Dottley really adds his own personal and twisted flare is in the music video. “Madonna’s video was basically clips from the film,” he explains. “It opened the door for me to interpret the song in a totally new light.” “I have done some crazy things in the name of love,” he continues. “Getting married was by far the craziest.” Jason Dottley was married to Del Shores (the
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director of Sordid Lives) in 2003. As one of the first gay Hollywood couples to marry, the pair quickly became the poster boys of the gay marriage movement. Their divorce in 2011 caused shockwaves through the gay community. Dottley says the relationship was similar to that of the two lovers in Vision Quest, the movie that first introduced “Crazy For You.” Most significantly, the twenty-year age difference in both couples. In the film, the woman realizes that if she truly loves her young lover, she cannot stand in the way of his future. “I wish my ex-husband could have been so enlightened,” says Dottley. “I reached a point
star is Drew Shaw, a former medical student turned actor and model. Dottley discovered Shaw while casting for another project. “When I conceptualized this video, Drew was the only actor I could see,” says Dottley. “He’s fearless, wildly intelligent and incredibly genuine.
in my marriage where I could no longer see my own life even five days in front of me. For a dreamer, that was a near-death experience. It became clear that my only hope to shine as brightly as I could was on my own.” He says he never felt freer than the day he walked away from the marriage. Today, Dottley is a new man, ready for new adventures and a new, exciting love. He’s not taking life as seriously as he used to, as depicted in his new video for “Crazy For You.” Teaming with director Wes Rolan, Dottley’s “Crazy For You” pays homage to Alfred Hitchcock. Shot in black and white, it depicts Dottley stalking a guy, watching him alone through his window, and then inserting his own sexual fantasies into the story. His co-
“And we’re not sleeping together,” he adds. Shaw is the kind of guy Dottley says he can be obsessed with in real life. And, in truth, he may be, but Dottley has too much going on right now to think about tying himself down to a new commitment. He’s busy realizing dreams. This summer, Dottley will kickoff his first one-man show called “And Then He Called Me Sir” about his life on the Gay-list, being divorced, and over thirty with a penchant for twenty-one year olds. He’s also excited to be starring alongside his friend, Amy BonFleur, in “Husband-In-Law,” a gay comedy feature film, scheduled for release this fall. For more information: visit http://www.jasondottley.com.
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DJ SELINA STYLE THE SWEET SOUNDS OF CANDY BAR
Written by Tony Lowe Photos by Tony Lowe
DJ Selina Style is that quiet girl that is hanging out at the bar. Then she hits the decks and everything changes. She’s full of energy, all over the place, and smashing your eardrums with an incredible euphony of sounds that you never thought could go together. That inescapable sound has kept people dancing in clubs that in others leave something to be desired in our music. DJ Selina Style is the new sound that everyone has been waiting for.
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FLAME // FEATURE: DJ SELINA STYLE
Let’s start off with an easy one, what’s Candy Bar and what is you’re part in it? Candy Bar is a weekly queer night at LIVE Ann Arbor, held every Thursday night. The best description of it that I’ve heard is “family night… only on the Island of Misfit Toys.” Some nights we’ll have a costume theme, other nights we’ll have Drag Wars (our monthly amateur drag showcase), and we’ll regularly bring in special guests to perform as well. As for my part — I’m responsible for the sound of the night, which is a lot of fun because it means every week I get to do some crate digging to fit the week’s theme. And since November, when our party’s founder took a break from promoting, I’ve helped our hostess Deja D. Dellataro with some of the planning and promo stuff as well. And I know your partner-in-crime, but I’m not sure everyone else does... Deja! She’s the very best partner anyone could ask for. I basically have to describe her in superlatives, because anything less is an understatement — she’s got serious makeup and costume chops, fantastic taste in music (our tastes are similar, so I might be biased here…) with the dance moves to back it up, and a magnetic personality. From the first time she came and guest-hosted, I knew that she was the only person suited to step in when our previous hostess, Andi Drogenous, headed to New York for the next step in her own career. It’s hard to pick a favorite thing about her as a performer, but I think that my favorite is that it is crystal clear that she loves the crowd just as much as they love her. Even when she has some fun on the mic and playfully teases someone, they’re always in on the joke with her rather than the butt of it. That’s not easy to do, but she always makes it look effortless. Without her, Candy Bar would be a shadow of what it is today. What events happen over at Candy Bar? What’s coming up? So, like I mentioned, every month we have
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an amateur drag competition called Drag Wars. Calling it “amateur” is almost unfair, since several of the queens who first performed there are now competing in pageants and performing all over! We usually have a throwback party each month, where we focus on music from a certain time period and usually have a costume contest or time-appropriate game for everyone to play. Coming up this month, I’m very excited that on March 19th we’ll be hosting Kandy Ho from this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Every one of the special guests we’ve had visit from RPDR have been amazing to see, and since she’s visiting just a couple weeks after the new season starts I know people will be excited. Next month on the 29th, we’ll have a visit from another of the current season’s lineup, Sasha Belle. I’ve loved checking out the promo videos from the show and YouTube performances for both these ladies, so it’ll be cool to see them do their stuff live! Where do you or have you performed and what is your style? For the most part, I play in Ann Arbor and Detroit right now, although I’ve gotten to do a little bit of travel as well. Aside from Candy Bar, I’ve started playing for a new party in the city called Hardtop. It’s held at The Shelter at St. Andrew’s, which is like a dream come true for me — every time I’ve gone to a show at St. Andrew’s, I dreamed about getting to play there, and now I get to! I also co-host The Decadence Project at Necto in Ann Arbor, which is where Ayinde Audio and I play a little bit of everything that makes you want to dance. That’s kind of my style in a nutshell — I love music in just about any genre as long as it makes you move, and I love trying to find unexpected overlaps. Like, when a rock guitar riff and a Timbaland beat combine to make a new sound together, that’s what hits my sweet spot. I’ll play everything from Aretha Franklin to Azealia Banks in a set, and every night is a little different based on what the crowd is feeling. Growing up during the golden age of hip hop, I always loved how
samples from one song would get turned into something totally new, and that’s kind of what I hope to do live when I play. Do you have any big career goals for the future? I’m relatively new to the DJ game, but I was always the person at a party who wanted everyone to stop and listen to some hot song that just came out. So just getting to here from where I started a few years ago has been a wild ride, and right now I want to keep hustling and see where that takes me. Music gives me life like nothing else can — when I see a room full of people that walk into the club stressed out from work or school, and walk out after a few hours of dancing sweaty and smiling, it’s incredibly rewarding. My goal is to continue focusing on music — lately I’ve started dipping my toes into the water with producing my own stuff, which has been interesting to learn. There’s a lot of music theory behind DJing, and after you chase that sound you love for long enough, you get an itch to try your own hand at it. I’d also love to do some more touring, and producing is one of the best ways to step up in that arena. Being in the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor area, are you involved in anything in the campus life, outside of the nightlife of course? Well, next month I’m spinning for the SPECTRUM Center at their Lavender Graduation ceremony. SPECTRUM Center is the student group for LGBTQIIA-identified people at U of M, and they’re hosting their own graduation party in April, which should be a lot of fun. And I help out as an adult mentor at the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor, which is a teen center doing a lot of cool work for local youth. They have a variety of groups based on identity or interest for teens to find community and explore their artistic passions, and I would have loved to have something like it when I was in school.
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WORLD ACCORDING TO JOAN FLAME //
MY “DAILY” DILEMMA Written by Joan Stevenson
My world has been shaken, yet again. First the exit of my much beloved fictional conservative pundit Stephen Colbert, then last week Jon Stewart announced his eventual departure from The Daily Show. The Daily Show and the Colbert Report were my release from the stress of the day. No matter what was going on in my world, no matter how upsetting the day was, I always looked forward to my nightcap of Stewart and Colbert. Even though there were taut political issues being discussed, they were presented with just enough humor that they diffused my tension. I literally laugh out loud when I watch those shows as well as walk away with a better understanding of complex political and world news because they streamlined the current issues into clear, understandable bites to digest. For example, if it weren’t for Stephen Colbert, I (and for that matter the rest of average Americans) would not know how a super pac works and how that money shapes the electoral landscape and therefore shapes our country. I would rather watch these shows than be stuck watching World News Tonight. To be honest, I get the bulk of my world and political news from NPR, the DS and the CR. After Stephen left there was a truthinessshaped hole in my heart and my viewing schedule. There could never be anything that could take the place of the Colbert Report, but Comedy Central filled the spot with The Nightly Show hosted by The Daily Show contributor Larry Wilmore. The show was originally going to be called “The Minority Report.” But because the Fox network is planning a TV show based on the Tom Cruise film of the same name, Comedy Central had to change the name of their show. The Nightly Show is an interesting placeholder. It takes on current topics with the objective of opening a dialogue. In the short time it has been on the air, The Nightly Show has taken on topics as the allegations against Bill Cosby, the controversy surrounding the film American Sniper, the anti-vaccine movement, and the state of gay marriage in the United States.
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While Nightly does take on current issues, the balance of humor is a little different than Colbert. It is more conversational than scripted, but it goes to the nature of the show since host Larry Wilmore is not playing a character but a moderator in an open discussion. The round table discussion forum is great, but because the show is only 30 minutes it doesn’t leave much room for in depth conversation as say Real Time with Bill Maher does, but it’s basically the same type of format. In and of itself The Nightly Show is not bad, and it may prove to be a fine asset, but the Colbert I love is still gone and in a while Jon will be too. While I know that The Daily Show itself won’t be canceled, there will be a definite loss. Jon Stewart has been the driving force behind the DS for 15 years bringing an openminded viewpoint and personal passion to the desk, and that’s important to the heart of the show. Who ever the next host is, they have to be engaging enough that the audience wants to spend time with them, and they have to be credible enough. I know credible is an unusual word to use when you’re talking about “fake” news but Jon Stewart has credibility and is trustworthy. His successor has to have that right balance. The only person I could immediately think of that could take over Jon’s seat would be John Oliver. When Jon Stewart took a brief absence from The Daily Show to direct the brilliant film Rosewater, DS contributor John Oliver stepped in and took over the desk. He did such a great job that now he has his own news satire program, Last Week with John Oliver, on HBO. Because of that I don’t think he’ll be coming back to the DS. Jon isn’t leaving till the fall so maybe at some point there will be a few guest hosts to give the deck a “test drive.” That would be the fair thing to do, because this change could possibly kill the 17-year run of a great show. Comedy Central needs to carefully choose a successor I’m sure Jon will have a say in who replaces him. After Jon made his announcement, I could just hear the colossal talking (knuckle)
heads over at Fox News celebrating. I’m sure they think they’ve finally gotten rid of Jon who was a huge thorn in their sides for years. Jon’s successor needs to keep that thorn there and constantly pressing against the nerve. The Daily Show held the powers that be accountable for their actions and pointed out the hypocrisy of the republican/ conservative party and its main propaganda machine, which is Fox News. It also pointed out how broken the national media machine is and how it hurts us as a people and a nation. Daily outlined inequalities of race and class and gender in our media and in society as a whole, giving us a vast mirror in which to see ourselves. This is something that is much needed and should not be shaken. These are things that should not be lost. The new host should be just as dedicated to and passionate about this mission as Jon is, and not be chosen simply for the sake of hiring someone that’s funny. That’s my biggest concern, to trust that they will get someone that will be a good fit. As I’ve said, I know that there are no plans to cancel the show, but in a few months The Daily Show that I have known and loved for over a decade will be no more and I will have to deal with that. My dilemma is that I don’t like change, especially if it upsets my routine. I’m a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” person. *SIGH* Here’s hoping the new host, whoever that may be, is up to the task and can proudly carry on the tradition. They have a big chair to fill. //
BECOME WHO YOU ARE FLAME //
AREYOU POSSESSED? Written by Austin VanKirk
Imagine being half a person, compromising who you are yourself for somebody else. Imagine not being able to say what you want, do what you want, love whom you want. It sucks, right? Imagine relying on another person to define you, to tell you who you are. That doesn’t sound like freedom to me at all. In fact, that kind of sucks. Still, many of us are in this situation. And those of us who aren’t, want to be. Why? Because I’m talking about what a relationship looks like for the majority of people.
Never mind that Joe flirts with his co-workers.
“Austin, you’re crazy,” you think as you make to throw the magazine down. Yes, we’ve established I’m crazy several columns ago, but hear me out. When you’re in a relationship, do you not make compromises of your self? We change who we are for another person—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Time with friends and family is sacrificed for one other person. We spend time and money and other resources (did Valentine’s day put a dent in your wallet, too?) on this one other person. Why? Well, in theory, it’s to show that we care, a demonstration of affection. But at what point do we stop doing these things out of choice and more out of a desire to meet some societal standard?
Relationships, they say, are about compromise. Maybe. But a lot of those times, the compromises only exist because one person doesn’t want to give up control, or wants to exert some sort of control over the other member.
In relationships, there is this mutual control that both parties exert over one another. This doesn’t happen with all relationships, I don’t mean to say that, but it definitely does in some. Let’s say Richie and Joe are dating. Richie isn’t allowed to go the bars without Joe, and vise versa. Joe also won’t allow Richie to talk to his ex (because, come on, that bitch is a slut) and Joe can’t introduce Richie to his parents because Richie’s not out yet. Joe doesn’t like it when Richie hangs out with friends, because Joe thinks they drink too much. Similarly, Joe is stuck in on Saturday afternoons and evenings watching college football (Go Blue!) with his boyfriend, because Richie refuses to miss a game—and we have already established that Joe is not allowed to go out unless Richie is with him.
Limitations. That’s a word I can’t stand. Why should we allow ourselves to be limited in anything? There is an infinite amount of happiness in the world. Why be in a relationship that stifles the amount available to you? I’ve heard the argument that says that the happiness a couple finds in each other is far greater than anything else. But it isn’t otherwise, Richie wouldn’t be on the toilet with one hand on his junk and the other holding a Playboy. Otherwise, Joe wouldn’t be flirting with the other Geek Squad techs. And, if there is an unlimited amount of love in the world, why do we settle for exchanging it with one person? Is the human heart so limited that it is incapable of loving deeply multiple people? No, of course not. And no, loving one person alone isn’t somehow more virtuous. No, loving more than one person doesn’t mean each beloved is getting only a fraction of your love. To say that’s true is to say that you’re capable of a <em>limited</em> amount of love. Now, I don’t know about you, but the amount of love available to me knows no bounds.
See that above? That’s messed up. But, what if they are in love? Maybe they think they are, but is that what love looks like? Does love look like mutual patrolling and checking? Or is it about freedom and trust. I like to think it’s about freedom and trust. Obviously, the hypothetical couple above don’t trust each other. Still, as far as they are concerned, they are a perfect couple.
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Never mind Richie and his secret stash of Playboys (oh, yeah, in this scenario, Richie is bisexual) that he keeps hidden from Joe, who’d have a conniption if he saw them (because Richie isn’t allowed to lust after women anymore because he’s in a “committed” relationship with Joe). Never mind that they both have Grindr, “looking for friends.”
Relationships and love are tricky things. They can be wonderful and happy. But then there also comes the fear of losing them. And, as somebody who’s had his heartbroken, I know losing love sucks a giant wiener—and not in a good way. Folks try to avoid that hurt and loss. How? They try to control their partners by setting up rules and parameters and curfews and limitations.
And let’s face it… humans (at the very least not all humans) are designed to be in possessive relationships like this. One, if we turn to the
animal kingdom and look to our closest animal relatives, apes and monkeys, we see none of them are engaging in monogamous relationships. Two, isn’t it something like fifty percent of all marriages end in divorce? The boundaries, the limitations imposed by those relationships obviously are not working for at least half the population. Is being possessed and controlled by your lover worth the sex and the (pseudo-)security? Nah, I don’t think so. But what do I know? //
AT THE MOVIES WITH DOROTHY FLAME //
MARCH DVD RELEASES Written by Dorothy “Joan” Stevenson
FOXCATCHER MARCH 3, 2015
RATING: 5/5 STARS STEVE CARELL AS JOHN DUPONT CHANNING TATUM AS MARK SCHULTZ MARK RUFFALO AS DAVE SCHULTZ Foxcatcher is the true story of the events that lead to the murder of Olympic Gold medal wrestler Dave Schultz. John E. DuPont heir to the DuPont fortune recruited Mark Schultz for a wrestling team he was putting together with intent to compete for the world wrestling championship. Mark and his brother Dave were both Olympic gold medalists, but while Dave seemed to gain more from his achievement, Mark was always in the background. DuPont was driven to create an unstoppable team “Foxcatcher,” and he built a private training facility on his state, and he recruited Mark for the team. He also encouraged Mark to invite his brother Dave to also join the team. Mark accepted DuPont’s offer, but at first Dave did not. DuPont demanded absolute loyalty from his team and he forged an eerie friendship with Mark that became obsessive and cocaine fueled. Mark became driven to prove himself to DuPont and gain his approval, but ultimately John wanted Dave to also join the team. Dave’s decision to join Team Foxcatcher ultimately lead to his death at the hands of John DuPont. Fox catcher is an intense film driven by the chilling performance of Best Actor Oscar nominee Steve Carell as John DuPont. Steve Carell is normally known for his comic acting, notably from the 40-Year -Old Virgin or the role of Michael Scott on TV’s The Office, but in Foxcatcher he is absolutely chilling as the obsessive and ultimately deadly John DuPont. For that alone this movie is worth seeing. Tatum Channing and Mark Ruffalo fit the bill as Mark and Dave Schultz. Director Bennett Miller (Moneyball) paints a stark picture of this true life crime story that was Oscar nominated for Best Picture. Foxcatcher is well worth seeing.
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THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1
MARCH 6, 2015
RATING: 5/5 STARS
JENNIFER LAWRENCE AS KATNISS EVERDEEN JOSH HUTCHERSON AS PEETA MELLARK LIAM HEMSWORTH AS GALE HAWTHORNE WOODY HARRELSON AS HAYMITCH ABERNATHY This is the continuation of the Hunger Games movie series based on the book trilogy by Susanne Collins. Mockingjay Part 1 continues to follow heroine Katniss Everdeen after her rescue from shutting down the arena in the hunger games quarter quell from Catching Fire. Katniss finds herself in the presumably destroyed District 13. District 13 is the seat of the rebellion against the government, the Capital, and in a cat and mouse game with President Snow. The leaders of district 13 reveal to Katniss that through a series of propaganda videos, they want her to be the face of the revolution. Jennifer Lawrence is strong and yet vulnerable in her portrayal of Katniss, a young girl who has the weight of the world on her shoulders. She is truly a girl on fire. If you are a fan of the Hunger Games, this movie should not disappoint. While I have not read the books, I have seen all of the movies so far. The action and suspense is taut and I found myself really hating that this movie was split into two parts. I wanted to see the entire story now! The studio (Lionsgate) seems to be handling the cinematic universe of these books like MGM is handling The Hobbit series: milking it for all it’s worth by splitting the final book into two movies. If you’re into these movies, I recommend Mockingjay Part 1 highly. If you have not seen any of these movies do not start here, you need to start from the beginning, because this is a continuing and growing story. The Hunger Games movies would make an excellent binge watch.
INTO THE WOODS MARCH 24, 2015
THE IMITATION GAME
MERYL STREEP AS THE WITCH EMILY BLUNT AS THE BAKER’S WIFE JAMES CORDEN AS THE BAKER ANNA KENDRICK AS CINDERELLA CHRIS PINE AS CINDERELLA’S PRINCE TRACEY ULLMAN AS JACK’S MOTHER CHRISTINE BARANSKI AS STEPMOTHER JOHNNY DEPP AS THE WOLF
BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AS ALAN TOURING KIERA KNIGHTLY AS JOAN CLARKE MATTHEW GOODE AS HUGH ALEXANDER CHARLES DANCE AS CDR. ALASTAIR DENNISTON RORY KINNEAR AS DETECTIVE NOCK
RATING: 4/5 STARS
Disney strives to be the keeper of all things fairy tale so it should be no surprise that their studio produced the long awaited movie adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s beloved musical Into The Woods. With a star-studded cast, Director Rob Marshall delivers a fanciful visual fairytale feast. Future Late Late Show host James Corden is absolutely cuddly and charming as The Baker. Chris Pine embodies superficial charm as The Prince. Emily Blunt is suprisingly refreshing as is Anna Kendrick. What can you say about Meryl Streep as the witch except that she gives life in another flawless Oscar nominated performance, especially in her final number of the film. For those who are not fans of the stage musical, the movie may seem slow in places to you. Each of the fairytale characters have a wish to change their lives that ultimately leads them “into the woods” to seek out their desires. “The Woods” themselves is an allegory for times in our lives where things are not clear, a moment of doubt, a moment of difficulty, a trial to be faced. “The Woods” is an area of uncertainty that we have to make our way through. That theme and intent is much more evident in the stage musical, and that may be lost on someone who has not seen it on stage. As with most musicals that are transferred to film, several songs have been cut and slight story changes have been made in the name of story or character development, but the bulk of the work remains intact. While I think that they didn’t have to drop all of the songs, this is still an an enjoyable film. If you are a Sondheim devotee, I think you will enjoy this film. If you are one for whom musicals are difficult, this may not be your cup of tea. Even though I knew the plot, I admit I was feeling a little disconnected to the story construction, so I understand if anyone coming to this fresh is a little confused. Still, I think it’s well worth it to see Streep belting in full on drag mode and the costumes, which are to die for.
MARCH 31, 2015
RATING: 5/5 STARS
Best Actor nominee Benedict Cumberbatch stars as British mathematician and computer pioneer Alan Touring who, along with a team of cryptographers, is trying to decrypt the Enigma machine that the Nazis use to send coded messages. Alan Touring is considered to be the father of modern computers. His work is the reason we have computers. In fact, his formulas and algorithms are still used in computing today. Touring and his team constructed a machine that ultimately deciphered coded Nazi messages, information that was key to helping the war effort. The information that was gathered actually helped to bring WWII to an end two years earlier than predicted. Because the work that this genius group of people were doing was in the name of world security, it was classified and top secret. They could never reveal any of what they were doing, not to friends or family. Alan touring was a genius, but he was also a gay man in a time when it was illegal to be a homosexual in the UK. After it had been discovered that he was in a homosexual relationship, he was convicted on indecency charges and was given a choice between being imprisoned for 2 years or accepting chemical castration. He chose chemical castration so that he could continue his work. Some time shortly after this conviction he committed suicide. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a brilliant performance as he brings Alan Touring to life with all of his genius and awkwardness. The Imitation Game, a Best Picture Oscar nominee, is a MUST see!
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CLUB GOLD COAST / SIN MARCH 2015
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MARCH 2015