Deep Inside Hollywood
Reese Witherspoon and Ben Stiller Get Secretive
When powerful gay superproducer Scott Rudin wants something done, it gets done—even if you don’t get to know what it is. That’s the current secret state of affairs with his latest movie project, and the reason for all the hush-hush/DL-ness can be traced to the film’s creator, Cameron Crowe. He is known for keeping his celluloid visions under wraps for as long as he can, and this one is no exception.
But here’s what we know: It will star both Reese Witherspoon and Ben Stiller; and it’s a romantic comedy. That’s it. Now, of those info-bytes, the presence of gay-favorite Witherspoon and the words “romantic comedy” seem like the most promising. They mean that no matter what happens, it can’t be as awful as Elizabethtown. So, the future is tentatively bright. For now.
Dan Butler to Karl Rove: I Love You
What happens when a liberal, gay, Hollywood actor falls in love with an archconservative political strategist? The consequences of such a strange crush are explored in the latest indie comedy from writer-director Dan Butler, Karl Rove, I Love You. Best-known for his role as Bulldog on Frasier, Butler stars in this self-produced mockumentary as “Dan Butler,” a depressed careerist actor in 2004 who dreams of making the leading-man fame-leap by creating a one-man show about President George W. Bush’s top (at the time) political adviser. The goal? The win-win scenario of both swaying the 2004 election and getting his own name above the title for once. The Hollywood/DC satire is Butler’s debut as a quadruple threat: producer, screenwriter, director, and star. Audiences can see the finished funniness as it makes the film-festival circuit rounds, starting right about now.
Jenna Jameson Teaches How to Make Love to a Woman
Yes, the upcoming indie comedy How to Make Love to A Woman stars attractive young acting talent you’ve seen on TV: Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Krysten Ritter (Gilmore Girls), and Josh Meyers (That 70s Show). But the story of young heterosexuals suffering from sex dysfunction isn’t the reason queer audiences might be interested. That reason is Jenna Jameson, the iconic, pneumatic adult film star who has done more to bring porn (and, specifically, faux-lesbian porn) into the mainstream than just about anyone. Playing herself, according to leaked plot details, she is brought in to assist the befuddled men in making love to the woman of the title (whom Romeo presumes is Ritter). While the politics of casting Jameson are quintessentially incorrect and also very Hollywood—“Real lesbians? Still too scary.”—it can’t be denied that she’s definitely the most straight-guy-ticket-buying-friendly option. Here’s hoping female pleasure ensues.
Project Runway Goes to the Movies
Winning Project Runway may have been great for last season’s Christian Siriano, the sassy wunderkind who has become a household name after his “fierce” TV debut. But what about Season One’s winner, the independent-to-a-fault Jay McCarroll? What happened to him? The documentary Eleven Minutes follows him, as he navigates the treacherous terrain that is the fashion industry. That world didn’t quite know what to do with the man who seemed poised to become fashion design’s newest star, but whose insistence on controlling his own destiny made for a rockier road than even he imagined. Much like the Isaac Mizrahi documentary Unzipped, Eleven Minutes goes behind the scenes, as McCarroll pulls together a collection. If audiences warm to the piece (currently making the film-festival rounds), it should be a welcome shot in the arm to the talented, knit-cap-wearing designer’s career.
Romeo San Vicente was fierce before fierce was cool. He can be reached care of this publication, or at [email protected].
