Last night armed with a large lasagne brick I watched I Survived I Kissed Dating Goodbye the apology documentary to the Christian bestseller I Kissed Dating Goodbye. Shortly after noon today I had a My Summer Lair phone interview with the documentary subject and author of the vexing book: Joshua Harris.
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My Summer Lair Chapter #105: What Is Level 16?
Level 16 is a dystopian thriller film written and directed by Danishka Esterhazy. And unfortunately for my guest Katie Douglas she’s made it all the way to Level 16.
The Level 16 breakdown:
“The walled-in world of 16-year-old Vivien is and always has been the Vestalis boarding school, supposedly a refuge from an outside world rendered toxic. It’s a neglected, antiseptic institution where girls without families are monitored, their day scheduled practically to the minute, and “education” consists of a constantly repeated list of “feminine virtues” – obedience, cleanliness, patience and humility – preached by a matriarch and propagandized in moral-hygiene films.
And, as per her age, Vivien has reached “Level 16” in her education and is ostensibly ready to be adopted by an outside family. But her friend Sophia thinks something else is going on at Vestalis, something frightening.”
This pertinent movie is timely and timeless because the issues it addresses like being a “good girl” are evolving. Ideas don’t remain static. As you’ll hear with my interview with Katie Douglas who plays Vivien.
Level 16 won 4 Bloodies at the recent Blood in the Snow Film Festival including Best Actress (Katie Douglas) and Best Director. Yeah!
Level 16 is playing at a cinema near you and as Katie and I can confirm: it is worth pants.
The trailer:
So…tonight I sat down with a large lasagne brick and watched I Survived I Kissed Dating Goodbye the apology documentary to the Christian bestseller I Kissed Dating Goodbye. I’ve got an upcoming My Summer Lair interview with the documentary subject and author of the vexing book: Joshua Harris.
Read the rest of this page »
Is this good?
Will this be good?
Every movie trailer answers or challenges those 2 questions. The ham-fisted rebuttal comes swiftly, however: no you don’t need to always see a movie to know it’s tank.
Do you really need to sit through a Michael Bay Transformers movie to know for sure? Tank is Tank. And Fresh…well Fresh is always Fresh. I’m down like I’m Brown for that.
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My Summer Lair Chapter #103: What’s Your Favourite In Living Color sketch?
You know that tension with popular tv shows like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight…are they comedy shows or journalism shows? Just what are we doing here?
In Living Color existed in a similar tension: being black in America and trying to make a significant commentary on that painful experience vs the struggle with Carol Burnett type comedy: go for the laughs rather than the commentary.
For example Handi-Man’s fascinating because it flows outta the same comedy space as being black in America and ridiculing racism. There’s an underlying aspect to racism that is humourous…I’m clearly not referring to the more dangerous aspects of institutional racism like cops shooting black kids, bombings etc.
Rather hate baked in deep ignorance reveals the underlying stupidity that courses through racism; it’s what gives racial comedy its electric charge. “Stupid is as stupid does,” according to Forrest Gump who isn’t all that bright and based in the South much like Jeff Foxworthy’s You Might Be a Redneck If….
There’s no real difference between a You Might Be a Redneck If… and Homey D. Clown and Handi-Man it’s all essentially the same funny joke. But does that alleviate or address the racism of living in America aspect or is that too much to expect from a show with Fire Marshal Bill sticking his finger into an electrical socket?
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program which is what gave the show its spine; its focus and attempt to reconcile being black in America with humour.
Writer David Peisner covers this debate and tension in his outstanding book Homey Don’t Play That! which has an intriguing subtitle: The Story of In Living Color and the Black Comedy Revolution. This is more than just Men on Film.
As for my favourite sketch? The Wrath of Farrakhan is pretty solid.
My Summer Lair Chapter #104: Did You Read I Kissed Dating Goodbye?
I did not. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t affected by that pervasive (invasive?) dating culture.
Because I successfully outgrew it I forgot how complicated it was to just talk to a girl and ask her out for tea. Remember that? I’m not interested in you; I have no desire to marry you…I’m not sexually attracted to you: I have tea with my guy friends; I’d like to have tea with you. Not TEA just tea. It’s really nice when you can just hang out with a girl and that’s it.
(Married girls were the best…we all had clear boundaries: I have no desire to touch your boobies!)
Well that complicated communication between the sexes got even more complicated in 1997 with Joshua Harris’ I Kissed Dating Goodbye.
That book became the symbol of a culture that warped sex, politics, purity and fear…so much fear. The analogy I use in the interview is apt: we all experienced this same fear from adults over weed. If you got into weed it’d be a slippery slope…you’ll become destitute!!
That fear is of course is rooted in control. Which is well meaning but ultimately irrational; it’s like wrapping kids up in bubble wrap before sending them to school.
Prompted by recent online discussions about his book and that culture Joshua Harris began reflecting on the damage his good intentions caused…and that has lead to this documentary I Survived I Kissed Dating Goodbye and this My Summer Lair visit.
Is this good?
Will this be good?
Every movie trailer answers or challenges those 2 questions. The ham-fisted rebuttal comes swiftly, however: no you don’t need to always see a movie to know it’s tank.
Do you really need to sit through a Michael Bay Transformers movie to know for sure? Tank is Tank. And Fresh…well Fresh is always Fresh. I’m down like I’m Brown for that.
Read the rest of this page »
Netflix and Chill with…Behind the Curve a fascinating documentary about flat eathers!
In Germany Professor Roland Imhoff (of Johannes Gutenberg University) wanted to understand what makes some people choose their beliefs. In particular, dude studied outliers like conspiracy theorists. The facts aren’t at issue here; obviously they can’t be.
His research found that conspiracy theorists are taking comfort in their standing as outliers: they’re searching for a feeling not a logical truth. Oh.
That makes so much sense…you’ll see that reflected in this doc and the humane way director Daniel J Clark frames the flat earthers.
Imhoff writes, “Adherence to conspiracy theory might not always be the result of some perceived lack of control, but rather a deep-seated need for uniqueness.” My independence is more valuable than your acceptance. 100%!!
That’s true in life and business…it’s not limited to flat earthers.
Check it out this weekend.
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My Summer Lair Chapter #103: What’s Your Favourite In Living Color sketch?
You know that tension with popular tv shows like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight…are they comedy shows or journalism shows? Just what are we doing here?
In Living Color existed in a similar tension: being black in America and trying to make a significant commentary on that painful experience vs the struggle with Carol Burnett type comedy: go for the laughs rather than the commentary.
For example Handi-Man’s fascinating because it flows outta the same comedy space as being black in America and ridiculing racism. There’s an underlying aspect to racism that is humourous…I’m clearly not referring to the more dangerous aspects of institutional racism like cops shooting black kids, bombings etc.
Rather hate baked in deep ignorance reveals the underlying stupidity that courses through racism; it’s what gives racial comedy its electric charge. “Stupid is as stupid does,” according to Forrest Gump who isn’t all that bright and based in the South much like Jeff Foxworthy’s You Might Be a Redneck If….
There’s no real difference between a You Might Be a Redneck If… and Homey D. Clown and Handi-Man it’s all essentially the same funny joke. But does that alleviate or address the racism of living in America aspect or is that too much to expect from a show with Fire Marshal Bill sticking his finger into an electrical socket?
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program which is what gave the show its spine; its focus and attempt to reconcile being black in America with humour.
Writer David Peisner covers this debate and tension in his outstanding book Homey Don’t Play That! which has an intriguing subtitle: The Story of In Living Color and the Black Comedy Revolution. This is more than just Men on Film.
As for my favourite sketch? The Wrath of Farrakhan is pretty solid.
Recorded: Tuesday February 19, 2019 at 7pm at WeWork
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