Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Why Love, Simon is so important...

Image result for love, simonOne of my fondest memories from my pre-teen years was going to see 10 Things I Hate About You with my three siblings and then sneaking into see Never Been Kissed immediately after.  Sorry, AMC, please don't arrest me.  I sat through the Night Listener, so let's consider it even.

At that age, I probably knew I was different.  As much as I thought I should find Larisa Oleynik cute (and she was), I was more concerned about who I would pick if given the choice between Joseph Gordon Levitt and Andrew Keegan.  As creepy as it was for Michael Vartan to fall for Drew Barrymore, because technically he was her teacher, he was kind of hot, so it was okay.  And as much as I was thinking these things, I would never TELL anyone.

And, at the end of all of these movies, the girl gets the guy.  That was normal.  That was what was supposed to happen.  Girls and guys were entitled to their romantic movie moment.  It was reserved for them.

But what if you were a guy...who liked guys?  What did that mean for me?

So, I guess that's why I am having such a visceral and emotional reaction to Love, Simon.  It's literally 3 days later, and I can't stop thinking about it.  I downloaded the soundtrack today and bawled on my way to work while listening to it.  For the first time in my 35 years of existence, I feel like my experience as a closeted gay teen was finally honestly portrayed on screen.  (Potential Love, Simon spoilers ahead as I process my feelings with words.)

When I was in college, the only access I had to queer entertainment was through Netflix.  It was limited to the Eating Out movies and Queer as Folk.  The Eating Out movies were pretty horrific - a gay guy tries to deceive a hot, muscular "straight" guy into fooling around with him.  It starred Jim Verraros from American Idol...'nuff said.  But, that's all we had back then...in the days of Netflix delivering DVDs.  Yes, I'm that old.  Queer as Folk, as groundbreaking as it was, was merely just 4 hot gay friends having lots of sex and learning the value of friendship along the way.  I was a fat college kid at a Catholic University who couldn't really relate to any of this.

The characters were gay, but they weren't human.  They weren't real.  They weren't genuine.  At least for me they weren't - the ONLY thing we had in common was our gayness.  And as much as I would like to say what I saw was reflected on the screen, the one time a group of gay "friends" took me out to a club, they got me drunk, made fun of me the entire time, and then tried to take advantage of me on the ride home.  Because they weren't successful, I became their target for my senior year of college.  So, there's that.

What I love about Love, Simon and what makes it different are these little moments that rang so very true, that I felt my heart stop or I smiled or I cried...because for once, I believed someone got it right.  Simon was actually reflecting my experience.  He was me.

The whole plot is that Simon decides to out contact a classmate through an anonymous E-mail after a this classmate, nicknamed "Blue", outs himself on an anonymous secrets website.  At the beginning, Simon can't put his phone down when he waits expectantly for Blue to respond.  It's the anticipation we all have when are waiting to hear from someone we like.  It's even more powerful because this is more - Simon has found someone who may actually understand him.  When Blue finally responds, it ends up being one of the purest, most powerful and most touching Internet romances I have ever seen portrayed on screen.  They share their likes, their dislikes, they flirt...they fall in love.

The reason this impacted me so much is because although the year is different, the experience is the same.  Instead of anonymous GMail accounts, it was anonymous AOL screen names.  You reached out to someone in a chatroom who said they went to the same University you did.  You asked for guys' AIM screen names because maybe, just maybe, they were into you too.  These little things are what made Simon so relatable and why the move continues to resonate.

As time goes on, we learn that Blue is most likely one of three people.  Is it Bram, the star athlete?  He mentioned liking Halloween Oreos immediately after Blue told Simon he liked Halloween Oreos.  But then the heartbreak after Simon walks in on Bram making out with a girl in a Minion costume.
Damn slutty minions.

I've been there.  I know that feeling of joy when maybe someone drops a hint...but the defeat when it turns out to just be wishful thinking.

Is it Lyle?  The cute Waffle House waiter...who is just really friendly.  How easy was it for me to confuse friendliness with attraction, especially if he was cute?  And what happens if Lyle is actually into your female friend?!  Dammit Lyle, can't I just have this one thing!??!?

Or maybe it's Cal?  The super nice piano player in the musical's orchestra?  I find it essential that although Simon is part of the musical, he is not the lead, nor is it something he is particularly good at.  It's not essential to his identity and doesn't contribute to some idea of a stereotypical gay male lead.

Also, I can appreciate the fact that at least three of male cast i know of have publicly identified their queerness.

These were all genuine, real, emotional moments that truly were a reflection of what I went through back in college.  I started cheering for Simon with each of these, because I had been there, I had felt that, it was me on screen.  That's the difference with having a gay protagonist...the attraction, the flirting, the hints, the sideways glances...is it just normal human interaction, or is there more?!  Because straight is the default...there's a deeper layer of need for acceptance and understanding that hasn't been portrayed in teen romantic comedies before.

This is so emotionally resonant with me because this truly was the first time I felt portrayed on screen.  This message continues to sit in my heart.  I was even still excited talking about it with a colleague today at lunch.

When Simon is outed, I felt it in my bones and guts.  What Nick Robinson put on screen was exactly what I went through.  Fear, sadness, anger, desperation, more sadness, lots of tears.  I was torn apart when Blue deleted his E-mail account...because I know what it's like to go on a drive with someone, bare your sole, and discover their account didn't exist the next morning.

Simon, in his desperation to just feel real and connected because Blue has disappeared...goes up to a classmate and practically begs to know if he is Blue.  The fear of losing the one connection he had was so palpable, I felt it.  We all just want to know that someone out there understands us...that we are desperate to cling to that someone who makes it seem real.  And when they aren't, it is devastating.

In some ways, I controlled my coming out story.  In other ways, I was outed on others' terms.  Even with the secret AOL screen names and promises of privacy, others thought it was their responsibility to let others know I was gay throughout college.  They did it to me, they did it to a lot of other people.  Are you shocked to know it's the same "friends" who took me out for my birthday?  Even in my adult life, I feel like I've been forced to come out against in my will in order to defend myself or validate my actions.

So when Simon confronts his outer and speaks about how it was up to him to tell his story.  It was his personal journey.  No one else should take that from him...you would have needed to mop me up in a puddle of my own tears.  If this movie had been out when I was in college, I like to think I would've been able to stand up for myself and own my experience - because I deserve that.  I wanted to be Simon, screaming with genuine emotion at the people who felt they had rights to my coming out.

At the end of the day, someone choosing to come out is their story.  Don't rob it from them.

All of this is done with an amazing score and amazing music (see above, it made me cry...surprising, I know.  I just have a lot of feelings.)  And the movie just isn't about Simon...it's about his four close friends who are just trying to do their best to connect and make it through high school.  But, for once, the two straight people finding love isn't the center of the story...the gay kid is.  That's what is important.  In fact, there's a moment when Simon's best friend, Leah, during a sleepover says one of the most relatable things I have ever heard in a movie -

"Sometimes I feel like I’m always on the outside, there’s this invisible line that I have to cross to really be a part of everything and I just can’t ever cross it."

Are you surprised I'm an emotional wreck after this one?

I won't spoil the identity of Blue.  But, I did warn you there were some spoilers...Simon (and Blue) get to write the first page of their love story.  It all works out for him and Blue in the end.  I gasped (and cried, of course) at the reveal of Blue.

As much as I am drawing parallels, the star athlete, the cute waiter, or the theatre guy didn't turn out to be the guy behind the screen name.  I never had the perfectly orchestrated, kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel Love, Simon moment.  And although that is the money shot, I think it's more about what happens after the Ferris Wheel.  Blue is now part of Simon's morning routine of driving to school and getting iced coffee...and when Blue gets in the car, he and Simon get to share a kiss, like any other couple, in front of their friends, as they start their day.

At my age, do I sometimes get angry or sad that I didn't have the top of the Ferris Wheel moment?  Sure.  Is it rational for me to still want something that only happens to teenagers in romantic comedies?  Maybe not.  Am I jealous of all the kids coming of age, discovering themselves now who have this movie to tell them they aren't alone?  Absolutely.  Would I go back in time and hope that I would get my experience with my own personal Blue...Yes.  But, this is reality.  And 20 years ago was a lot different for a gay kid.

I, however, am just happy to finally see my experience, my emotions, my life reflected on screen in such a powerful, honest, genuine way.  It was told with heart and with humor.

 That's why this movie continues to stick with me.

 But maybe it's not about having the big moment...because Simon and I had some pretty similar small moments, and that matters -

...the moment you can finally exhale because your Mom always knew something was holding you back, and now that it's not holding you back anymore, she still loves you...

(Sidenote - are we really at the point in history where Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel are old enough to play a teenager's parent?)

(Second Sidenote - The movie may seem super serious, but it's also really fun and moves deftly between the two styles.  Right after I am weeping as Josh Duhamel starts weeping for never realizing Simon was gay and apologizes for making gay jokes, we get this -

Josh Duhamel as a Hot Dad - "Hey I thought maybe we could sign up for Grindr together."
Simon - "You don't know what Grindr is, do you?"
Josh Duhamel as a Hot Dad - "It's Facebook for gay people.")

...the moment of silent, unspoken understanding between you and your little sister...

...the moment you just have to tell a friend, any friend, and you do, and it is all okay...

...the moment you get to kiss a guy you like (even if it's not on top of the Ferris Wheel)...

Yeah, I'm a 35 year old obsessed and touched by a teen romantic comedy...but after this blog, I hope you understand why.

Love,
Eric

ps - see what I did there?

pps - I know that the film, although amazing, does have some privilege blind spots.  I know it is not a story that reflects everyone's queer experience.  But it does reflect a queer experience, and that's important.  I know some may also find issue with Nick Robinson playing queer for the camera, but his performance is strong.  As said above, there are other queer actors involved, and they do their characters justice.










Monday, March 26, 2018

I gave up social media for Lent...and this is what happened...

Yes.

This lapsed Catholic gave up something for Lent.

I know, I know.  God probably would've preferred I give up kissing boys for Lent, but you can't give up what you aren't getting.

Related image

I went for it.

I deleted all social media apps from my phone and didn't do much on Facebook.  

What did I learn?

- Social media isn't inherently bad.  It's useful for event planning, information sharing, and pictures of cute babies and puppies.  The reason I didn't deactivate my account completely was because I needed to stay up to date on the Crossfit Open and our own gym's intramural open.  It's not bad to know what's going on in peoples' lives.  I have learned about some pretty cool events merely because they were advertised on Facebook.  

-Social media becomes bad when we confuse it for real life.  I am constantly reminded that social media is a carefully curated highlight reel of someone's life.  For every beautifully sculpted abdomen I see, we don't see that same guy crying because he can't experience the joy of downing an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's while watching an early 90s romantic comedy.  

-There's something exciting about mystery.  If I am posting my every waking thought and moment on Facebook, what can I bring to the table in person?!  Do we really want our conversations to merely be about what we posted on Facebook?  Or do we want to talk about new and different things that excite us?  I have lots of thoughts and opinions, it doesn't mean I need to share every single one with my followers.  

-I like taking photos and documenting my experiences.  Again, this isn't inherently bad.  Taking a picture with our phone is no different than your grandmother taking a picture of you during your first trip at Disney World with the Kodak disposable camera.  But, nothing can substitute the art of experiencing something.  A selfie with your friends is great...but putting your phone down and being present with them and engaging is much better.  

-People are really fun to talk to.  Because my phone was pretty much a brick that I could text with once I got rid of social media, I wasn't compelled to check my phone every five minutes.  When I was with my friends, my phone stayed in my pocket a lot more.  I recognized how more respectful I was being of their time and how much more I enjoyed my time with them.  We do "Friday Night Lights" during the Crossfit Open at my gym, and I got to appreciate a deeper level of friendship with people because I spent time chatting with them, rather than being buried in my phone.  My friends received a more genuine, engaged, open, and REAL Eric.  I owed that much to them.  

-People like me and missed me.  Although removing myself from social media was ultimately better for my mental health, my absence did cause some friends to reach out to me and see if I was okay.  So, your actions or lack of actions go noticed, even if you may not know it.

-I missed it.  I missed sharing artistic pictures of donuts.  I missed making witty comments on stati.  I missed tweeting inane thoughts about getting drunk and eating potato skins with Kathy Bates (admit it - she would be a HOOT!)  I missed seeing my friends Snapchatted as rainbow vomiting unicorns.  But, not having it made me put less value on the product and more value on the people behind it.  My friends are my friends, even if they aren't vomiting rainbows, ya know?  And now that I'm back (I ended the fast a little early...sue me), I appreciate it more as a tool - not as the be all end all of existence in our technology-heavy society.  

So, it's good to be back...but I will remind myself of these past 40(ish) days whenever I find myself falling into a dark social media rabbit hole.

And like my friend Kelaine said in her Prompt piece here - 


Now, who can get me in contact with Kathy Bates's agent...because really...It's time she and I drunkenly ingest some 'tato skins.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

#3...#2...#1...Lessssss go!

#3 - Colin Friggin' Frissell

I've decided to wrap this thing up today, because come tomorrow at 5 pm, I'll be as drunk and tired as Mariah Carey at an egg nog tasting.  Sometimes, when I drink too much holiday cheer, I find the nearest gingerbread village and pretend I'm Godzilla...and then pass out in the ruins.  

Guys, you had to have known this was coming.  Every time Colin Frissell is on screen, it's like nails on a chalkboard.  I understand he is meant to provide some comic relief, but holy hell, it's evident that subtlety is not his strong suit.  His main story line is that he is going to travel to America (Madison, Wisconsin specifically) to unleash his unique brand of sexual terror upon the masses...Mainly because no woman in Britain will sleep with him.  

Let's review a sampling of some of the things he says to or around the women of Britain -

"I am Colin.  God of sex.  I'm just on the wrong continent, that's all."

In the middle of the airport - "Watch out, America.  Here comes Colin Frissell...and he's got a big knob."  

"I'm on shag highway heading west."

"Try my lovely nuts."  This is said to a woman in the office where he delivers sandwiches.

"Beautiful muffin for a beautiful lady."  Said, again, in the same office.

Not to mention his horrible attempt at picking up Nancy the horrible wedding caterer.  And he even tries to hit on Mia, and you know she isn't having it.

How is ANY of this acceptable?  Sure, 2003 was a simpler time...but sexual harassment was still a thing.  

I hate you Colin Friggin' Frissell.  You make me cringe.  You're not charming.  You're not funny.  You're accent DOES NOT make you more attractive.  You are the farthest thing from what I imagine a God of Sex to be like.   The only God of Sex in "Love Actually" is Karl.  Or at least we are all left imagining what he would be like in bed because of Sarah's damn phone.

Colin Friggin' Frissell, go say "bottle" and "straw" somewhere else.

#2 - Harry

I don't think I need to go too much in this one.  But this right here is why he's the worst -


Not to mention, he did THIS to Emma Thompson.  And whenever I watch the damn scene, I ugly cry too.  So, congratulations Alan Rickman as Harry, you made us ALL ugly cry for Christmas.



And the necklace he got for Mia was ugly as sin.  I'm not going to condone cheating, but if you are getting something for your mistress, maybe it shouldn't look like a piece of papier mache noodle art.  But that's just me I guess.

Harry is so horrible, I actually feel sympathy for Professor Snape and Hans Gruber.  

#1 - Mia

Sure, Harry is bad but MIA IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST.  

Look at her.  She's just so...smug...and homewreckey.  If you haven't seen the movie, in this scene, she opens her legs to convince her boss that she wants a "Christmas gift."  Real subtle there, Mia.

Now, I know full well that Harry and Mia both choose to engage in this affair and ruin a marriage.  Perhaps you may think I am clearly allowing my gender bias to influence my rankings.  

I OBJECT!  A lady friend of mine turned to me immediately during this scene and outright demand that Mia be #1 on this list.  SO THERE.  I dislike homewreckers equally.  And if this ranking really ruffles your candy canes, feel free to switch them up in your mind.  Feel free to debate it over Christmas dinner with your drunk Republic uncle!

Let's also review the fact that she dresses up as SATAN for the office Christmas party.  First, Halloween was two months ago, lady.  Second, don't @ me trying to defend a woman who cosplays as the Prince of Darkness to celebrate the holidays with her co-workers.  

We are going to ignore the fact that MARK...yes, cue card MARK, is her date to the party.  She completely ignores him so she can make her move on Harry, in plain sight of Karen.

What the HELL, lady?!  You.are.horrible!

Apparently, Harry did give her the gold spray-painted macaroni necklace, and she wears it like a predator proudly displaying the teeth of her victims around her neck.  

She even flirts a little with the Prime Minister when he accidentally shows up at her door.  Girrrrrrrlllllll...I'm all about being confident in your sexuality, but you've already ruined one marriage, try not to the ruin the whole of Great Britain.  

Merry Christmas!
Happy New Year!
A candy cane for Glenn Coco and all of you...and none for Gretchen Wieners (or Mia)...bye.








Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The 4th Worst Person in "Love Actually"

#4 - Karl

Let's set the scene.  

It's 2003.  

A college senior is on the cusp of discovering his sexuality.

A new company called Netflix will send DVDs (digital video discs) directly to this student's dorm room.

So, he requests "Love Actually", a feel-good Christmas romance.

He gets comfy in his Twin XL bed to enjoy the fact that a DVD got sent DIRECTLY to his college mailbox AND he won't have to worry about insane Blockbuster late fees.

SPOILER ALERT - this college student is ME!  Shocking twist, right?

I am also a die hard romantic at 21.  I think my heart blackened and died around age 23?

So, I cannot WAIT for Laura Linney's Sarah to have her Dawson's Creek moment with the SMOLDERING and SEXY Karl, played by the SMOLDERING AND SEXY Rodrigo Santoro.

Who didn't realize they were a little bit, if not totally, gay after this?


But, NO.  We don't get our happy ending.  Sarah doesn't get her happy ending.  Colin Friggin' Frissell gets his happy ending (in fact, it would appear he gets at least four.)  But not poor Sarah.

Why does Karl suck so much?

One, in this scene, he puts his clothes back on, rather than taking more off.  

Two, he proceeds to totally disregard the fact that Sarah has taken an urgent phone call.  Mid-hook up, when an emergency call has come in, at least have the heart to make sure everything is okay. But nope...nary a "How can I help?" to the woman who was just straddling you moments before.

Then, a few scenes later...Karl rolls up to Sarah's desk, when they are all alone in the office and merely says "Good night."  That's it.  Nothing more.  

In a movie where pretty much everyone else gets who and what they want...Karl is absolutely one of the freakin' worst.  What he should've done is figured out from Alan Rickman's Harry where Sarah was always going...and in a grand romantic gesture, show up to Sarah's brother's hospital to HELP HER.  RIGHT?!??!  

You know that's how you wanted that story to end.  Admit it.  

The one saving grace is he is still pretty with his shirt off...but pretty damn useless in "Lost" as Paolo.  So, I guess if you want to ruin a TV show or movie with a useless character, hire Rodrigo Santoro.




The 5th Worst Person in "Love Actually"

Thank you for sticking with me.  It's good to know I have, like, two people across the far reaches of the Internet universe who enjoy my writing on a somewhat consistent basis.  

This was an idea conceived over too many half-priced watermelon martinis at Houlihan's, as all good/bad ideas tend to be.  

And whether you love or hate "Love Actually", you need to admit there are some pretty horrible people peppered through the Christmas classic.  I am firmly in the "love" category, but as mentioned, the cynicism that comes with living through the dumpster fire that is 2017 has made this all possible.

So, with no further ado, we enter the "Top 5" of the Worst People in "Love Actually."  I feel like Billy Mack did when he beat Blue for the #1 Christmas hit in that movie "Love Actually."

#5 - Rufus, the Jewelry Salesman

According to something I read on the Internet (and if you read it on the Internet, it must be true), it was meant to be revealed that Rufus was, in fact, an angel.  

Wait, wut?!  Richard Curtis must've been smoking some pretty potent mistletoe laced with hallucinogenic reindeer antler if he thought that was going to be a good idea.  Let's take a story (relatively) grounded in reality and add an angel.  If he had done that, Rufus could've done all types of things to make this movie less sad.  He could've resurrected Liam Neeson's wife.  He could've messed with Sarah's phone signal so she could make sweet, passionate love to Karl.  He could've written Colin Friggin' Frissell out of the script.

However, the Internet is forever, and I just can't get the idea of a what a spectacularly crappy angel Rufus turns out to be.

I don't know.  I like to think that the man upstairs would be a bit more direct with a man who is cheating on his wife with his secretary who literally DRESSES AS THE DEVIL FOR THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY.  Instead of making a Broadway-worthy performance of wrapping a horrifically ugly heart necklace, perhaps Rufus could've sprouted his wings, grabbed Alan Rickman by the coat lapels and screamed some sense into him.  

"GOD IS WATCHING YOU.  DON'T CHEAT ON YOUR WIFE.  AND GIRRRRRLLLL, THIS NECKLACE IS UGLY."  

Now, I know what you're going to say - "Eric, Rufus redeems himself by distracting the gate agent so Sam can run past and profess his love to Joanna."

Yes.  Rufus does do that.  However, his actions would theoretically have led to a complete security lockdown at Heathrow, thus disrupting MILLIONS of travelers' holiday plans...just so a kid can tell a girl he likes her.  

Is he going to use his divine powers to get everyone to Grandma's house on time for her last Christmas when all of their flights are cancelled just so Sam can tell Joanna he loves her!?!?!

Yet again, another character who is pretty crappy at their job.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Almost to the Top 5!

#6 - Ant and Dec


I know.  I'm counting them as one person.  But, they are pretty interchangeable.  And I've had my Top Five set I even conceived this idea...it's the other 20 that have proven to be a bit of a challenge.  

This spot almost went to Miss Dunkin' Donuts 2003, but I love that bish.


And she gives great face.



So...Ant and Dec...out of desperation and the numbers working against me...and this is really just a Miss Dunkin' Donuts 2003 appreciation post in disguise.  See, I'm not a completely cynical bastard!

Seacrest and Dunkleman you are NOT.  




#7

#7 - The Costume Designer

For letting Laura Linney's character wear this hat to a wedding.  


(Side note, I watching this movie twice on Saturday.  I never knew a purple hat could cause me such rage.)