Hit job of the day

Harold Ford must be making the Republicans nervous, based on this desperate and tasteless ad.

Hit job of the day

Harold Ford must be making the Republicans nervous, based on this desperate and tasteless ad.

There you go again

Longtime Malcontenters may recall a bitch fight I had with a fellow blogger who called me a self-loathing homosexual because I don’t like what he likes. I should ignore him, but pissing him off is too much fun, even though he contends I’m a “very fucking negative person.” That’s what happens when you disagree with some people — out come the claws. If only said blogger’s were sharper. 

So this latest row starts with his post about regulating billboards that promote gay conversion:

I was driving up 85 North yesterday, and much to my dismay, I saw a billboard with the words “Questioning Homosexuality?” in bright white judgemental letters emblazoned for all to see. Needless to say, I was quite offended, because I knew that this ad references a “cause” that attempts to “save” homosexuals from themselves, by showing us that we don’t have to be gay, that it is a choice. But beyond my frustration that people actually still think that homosexuality is a choice, and beyond my fury and rage that this hatred and bigotry is plastered in huge display on such a major highway, was that it was even allowed to be put there in the first place. Shouldn’t there be some regulations on what can be advertised?

Being opposed to censorship, which is what he’s proposing, even though he claims he’s not, I commented:

(Y)our argument is ridiculous. Censorship is evil. You’re proposing censorship. I see things that offend me every day. I look the other way … so should you. Who decides what’s tolerable? God help us all if it’s someone as sensitive as you. Of course Exodus and their lot are repugnant. So are Klan marchers, but we allow them to march down the street. For God sakes, read “1984,” and grow a backbone.

Okay, maybe that was a little harsh, but I just can’t help myself, being the miserable S.O.B. that I am:

atlmalcontent, do you ever feel happy? Jesus, you are a very fucking negative person.

I have a backbone. I posted MY opinion. It takes a backbone to do that. Also, I am not proposing censorship, I am proposing regulations to prevent hatred being spread amongst the masses. In case you didn’t know, hate can cause people to do bad things; wouldn’t we want to prevent that if we could?

My turn again (God, how brave are we, posting our opinions with such reckless abandon. Where’s our medals?):

Oh be nice! So those who disagree with ur conclusions must therefore be unhappy? Not sure I follow your train of thought — if there’s any thought there at all — nor your attempt to explain the “fine line” between censorship and regulation, because my guess is it would include anything that offended you (which apparently would entail quite a lot). You can’t prevent bigotry anyways — people hate us gays, get used to it. I wish they didn’t, but they do, and that’s their business. We can work to change attitudes, but you can’t force tolerance upon people. … I know this will raise your dander, but you seem to have a lot in common with the Christian right, which also seeks to censor anything that upsets or offends them. Fear the nanny state, left or right! Now excuse me while I go be miserable.

I’ll let him have the last word:

I never said you were unhappy because you don’t agree with me, I think you are unhappy because you never say anything without being completely negative and derogatory. You’ve quite substantially proven that anyone that doesn’t bow down to you and agree with your all-knowing, ever-correct assertions deserve to be chided, demeaned, and talked down to. Thanks for confirming that what I thought about you is true!! …

People can disagree without being so negative and offensive to one another. If you don’t like what I have to say, stop reading it. The reason I said you were unhappy, is because you are only negative when you comment here. That speaks more volumes than anything I would say about you. Read it or don’t, I don’t care, just don’t be a jerk if you are going to try and have a conversation with me. It makes you look like a whiny pissed off child.

(You know you love it.)

Au revoir, Garden Hills

Yet another Atlanta institution is going dark, one that holds particularly fond memories for me:

Lefont was synonymous with intown art cinema in the 1980s and ’90s, running theaters that included the now-razed Silver Screen at Peachtree Battle and the Screening Room at Lindbergh Plaza. But with the shuttering of Garden Hills, he will now operate only one theater outside the Perimeter: the eight-screen Lefont Sandy Springs on Roswell Road.

Lefont made the decision to end programming at the 375-seat Garden Hills venue as his lease expired, citing the difficulty of competing with multiplex cinemas and frustrations with getting the films he wanted from studios.

“Single-screen theaters are difficult to maintain now, and not just financially,” he says. “Release dates [for films] are controlled by the studios, so either you have too many movies or not enough.”

In other words, if a desirable new movie is released by its studio on a specific date, and another film is booked to play at the single-screen theater, the studios will offer their new movie to another venue with free screens.

I fell in love with movies at Lefont Garden Hills Cinema, where I was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen. While there may have been some creepy undertones to a Baptist Sunday School teacher taking 11-year-old boys to an art house theater, I’m glad I was included, because my parents sure weren’t going to take me anywhere but the local mall cineplex.   

And I would’ve never seen “Rear Window” or “Vertigo” at an impressionable age. Or “Zelig,” all of which remain in my Top 20.

I learned a valuable lesson at Garden Hills: Movies, the best ones, are not merely spectacle. Thanks to George Lefont, and that Baptist youth leader, for opening my virgin eyes.

Hit job of the day

Harold Ford must be making the Republicans nervous, based on this desperate and tasteless ad.

Hit job of the day

Harold Ford must be making the Republicans nervous, based on this desperate and tasteless ad.

There you go again

Longtime Malcontenters may recall a bitch fight I had with a fellow blogger who called me a self-loathing homosexual because I don’t like what he likes. I should ignore him, but pissing him off is too much fun, even though he contends I’m a "very fucking negative person." That’s what happens when you disagree with some people — out come the claws. If only said blogger’s were sharper. 

So this latest row starts with his post about regulating billboards that promote gay conversion:

I was driving up 85 North yesterday, and much to my dismay, I saw a billboard with the words "Questioning Homosexuality?" in bright white judgemental letters emblazoned for all to see. Needless to say, I was quite offended, because I knew that this ad references a "cause" that attempts to "save" homosexuals from themselves, by showing us that we don’t have to be gay, that it is a choice. But beyond my frustration that people actually still think that homosexuality is a choice, and beyond my fury and rage that this hatred and bigotry is plastered in huge display on such a major highway, was that it was even allowed to be put there in the first place. Shouldn’t there be some regulations on what can be advertised?

Being opposed to censorship, which is what he’s proposing, even though he claims he’s not, I commented:

(Y)our argument is ridiculous. Censorship is evil. You’re proposing censorship. I see things that offend me every day. I look the other way … so should you. Who decides what’s tolerable? God help us all if it’s someone as sensitive as you. Of course Exodus and their lot are repugnant. So are Klan marchers, but we allow them to march down the street. For God sakes, read "1984," and grow a backbone.

Okay, maybe that was a little harsh, but I just can’t help myself, being the miserable S.O.B. that I am:

atlmalcontent, do you ever feel happy? Jesus, you are a very fucking negative person.

I have a backbone. I posted MY opinion. It takes a backbone to do that. Also, I am not proposing censorship, I am proposing regulations to prevent hatred being spread amongst the masses. In case you didn’t know, hate can cause people to do bad things; wouldn’t we want to prevent that if we could?

My turn again (God, how brave are we, posting our opinions with such reckless abandon. Where’s our medals?):

Oh be nice! So those who disagree with ur conclusions must therefore be unhappy? Not sure I follow your train of thought — if there’s any thought there at all — nor your attempt to explain the "fine line" between censorship and regulation, because my guess is it would include anything that offended you (which apparently would entail quite a lot). You can’t prevent bigotry anyways — people hate us gays, get used to it. I wish they didn’t, but they do, and that’s their business. We can work to change attitudes, but you can’t force tolerance upon people. … I know this will raise your dander, but you seem to have a lot in common with the Christian right, which also seeks to censor anything that upsets or offends them. Fear the nanny state, left or right! Now excuse me while I go be miserable.

I’ll let him have the last word:

I never said you were unhappy because you don’t agree with me, I think you are unhappy because you never say anything without being completely negative and derogatory. You’ve quite substantially proven that anyone that doesn’t bow down to you and agree with your all-knowing, ever-correct assertions deserve to be chided, demeaned, and talked down to. Thanks for confirming that what I thought about you is true!! …

People can disagree without being so negative and offensive to one another. If you don’t like what I have to say, stop reading it. The reason I said you were unhappy, is because you are only negative when you comment here. That speaks more volumes than anything I would say about you. Read it or don’t, I don’t care, just don’t be a jerk if you are going to try and have a conversation with me. It makes you look like a whiny pissed off child.

(You know you love it.)

Au revoir, Garden Hills

Yet another Atlanta institution is going dark, one that holds particularly fond memories for me:

Lefont was synonymous with intown art cinema in the 1980s and ’90s, running theaters that included the now-razed Silver Screen at Peachtree Battle and the Screening Room at Lindbergh Plaza. But with the shuttering of Garden Hills, he will now operate only one theater outside the Perimeter: the eight-screen Lefont Sandy Springs on Roswell Road.

Lefont made the decision to end programming at the 375-seat Garden Hills venue as his lease expired, citing the difficulty of competing with multiplex cinemas and frustrations with getting the films he wanted from studios.

"Single-screen theaters are difficult to maintain now, and not just financially," he says. "Release dates [for films] are controlled by the studios, so either you have too many movies or not enough."

In other words, if a desirable new movie is released by its studio on a specific date, and another film is booked to play at the single-screen theater, the studios will offer their new movie to another venue with free screens.

I fell in love with movies at Lefont Garden Hills Cinema, where I was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen. While there may have been some creepy undertones to a Baptist Sunday School teacher taking 11-year-old boys to an art house theater, I’m glad I was included, because my parents sure weren’t going to take me anywhere but the local mall cineplex.   

And I would’ve never seen "Rear Window" or "Vertigo" at an impressionable age. Or "Zelig," all of which remain in my Top 20.

I learned a valuable lesson at Garden Hills: Movies, the best ones, are not merely spectacle. Thanks to George Lefont, and that Baptist youth leader, for opening my virgin eyes.

“I’m capable of being just as sorry as you are”

My favorite scene from “Dr. Strangelove,” featuring Peter Sellers as the American president.

Here’s the trailer for Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece — notice how it gives nothing away.

The perfect pop song

Some days, most days, I think this is it (from The Concert for Bangladesh). Hare Krishna!

“I’m capable of being just as sorry as you are”

My favorite scene from "Dr. Strangelove," featuring Peter Sellers as the American president.

Here’s the trailer for Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece — notice how it gives nothing away.

The Larry King Blurbmeister Award

The bimbos who grace the cover of Maxim have more credibility than said magazine’s movie “critic,” Pete Hammond:

*THE SHAGGY DOG: “A doggone hilarious treat!”

*FIND ME GUILTY: “Gripping, surprising, funny and outrageous! After such classics as ‘Network,’ ‘Serpico’ and ‘Dog Day Afternoon,’ Sidney Lumet proves he is still at the top of his game! Vin Diesel is a complete revelation! He’s just plain terrific!”

*POSEIDON: “A non-stop action film that doesn’t come up for air.”

*OVER THE HEDGE: “Jumps waaaaaay over the top on the laugh meter! Trust us – This movie should be in the ‘funny’ hall of fame.”

*THE BREAK-UP: “One of the best American comedies in years. The Break-Up is a hilarious, honest, edgy and painfully funny movie that truly proves men and women really are from different planets. Vince Vaughn follows up Wedding Crashers with another winner. Jennifer Aniston is terrific. For anyone who is, has ever been or thinks they will be in a relationship.”

*THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT: “Strap yourself in for a blistering, super-charged ride. This time around the fast and furious action is simply off the charts!”

*PIRATES OF THE CARIBEEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST: “What a movie! A genuine treasure trove of fun and high adventure, loaded with state-of-the-art visual effects that will simply blow you away! As good as gold.”

*SCOOP: “A perfectly cast comic confection that’s bright, sinfully clever and packed with laughs! Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman deliver a first-class sophisticated farce. Woody Allen is back in style with his funniest movie in many years.”

*BEERFEST: “Now this is fun stuff! Check your brain at the door for this hilarious and unapologetically raunchy yukfest. Beerfest is blissfully over the top in every way, THE party film of the summer. You’ll laugh you Heineken off!”

*EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH: “(1) Outrageous good fun! (2) Outrageously funny!”

*MAN OF THE YEAR: “Robin Williams turns in his smartest, funniest performance in at least a decade. Man of the Year winds him up, sets him loose and lets him rock!”

The Larry King Blurbmeister Award

The bimbos who grace the cover of Maxim have more credibility than said magazine’s movie “critic,” Pete Hammond:

*THE SHAGGY DOG: “A doggone hilarious treat!”

*FIND ME GUILTY: “Gripping, surprising, funny and outrageous! After such classics as ‘Network,’ ‘Serpico’ and ‘Dog Day Afternoon,’ Sidney Lumet proves he is still at the top of his game! Vin Diesel is a complete revelation! He’s just plain terrific!”

*POSEIDON: “A non-stop action film that doesn’t come up for air.”

*OVER THE HEDGE: “Jumps waaaaaay over the top on the laugh meter! Trust us – This movie should be in the ‘funny’ hall of fame.”

*THE BREAK-UP: “One of the best American comedies in years. The Break-Up is a hilarious, honest, edgy and painfully funny movie that truly proves men and women really are from different planets. Vince Vaughn follows up Wedding Crashers with another winner. Jennifer Aniston is terrific. For anyone who is, has ever been or thinks they will be in a relationship.”

*THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT: “Strap yourself in for a blistering, super-charged ride. This time around the fast and furious action is simply off the charts!”

*PIRATES OF THE CARIBEEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST: “What a movie! A genuine treasure trove of fun and high adventure, loaded with state-of-the-art visual effects that will simply blow you away! As good as gold.”

*SCOOP: “A perfectly cast comic confection that’s bright, sinfully clever and packed with laughs! Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman deliver a first-class sophisticated farce. Woody Allen is back in style with his funniest movie in many years.”

*BEERFEST: “Now this is fun stuff! Check your brain at the door for this hilarious and unapologetically raunchy yukfest. Beerfest is blissfully over the top in every way, THE party film of the summer. You’ll laugh you Heineken off!”

*EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH: “(1) Outrageous good fun! (2) Outrageously funny!”

*MAN OF THE YEAR: “Robin Williams turns in his smartest, funniest performance in at least a decade. Man of the Year winds him up, sets him loose and lets him rock!”

The perfect pop song

Some days, most days, I think this is it (from The Concert for Bangladesh). Hare Krishna!

The blogosphere says what?

I saw a bumper sticker today and it really hit home. “Mean People Suck!” They sure do. I’m sick of mean people, really sick. Randy and I were at Burger King — gotta get some of that Whopper, you know me, girl — and we heard this fat redneck talking to his friend about some “fag” he works with. Right there, out in the open, in the middle of the restaurant, he says that. Randy and I looked at each other and I swear we both wanted to cry. I mean, I wanted to say something, I really did, but he was big and violent looking and I feared for my safety. So I ran into the bathroom and didn’t come out for like 20 minutes. Fortunately he was gone.

It ruined my whole weekend. I should’ve called the police on his ass. I mean, don’t we have hate crime laws? If we don’t, we should. The only thing that could make me feel better was my “One Day at a Time” box set Randy bought me. You’re the best, Rand-O. Okay, I know it might not have been the best show ever, but I love Bonnie Franklin. I sooooooo wish she was my mom. Then again, things didn’t work out too well for Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips. Sweet Val married that poopy old drunk Eddie Van Roth, and Mackenzie did lots and lots and lots of drugs. But she’s off them, thank God, and doing some really fine work on Lifetime movies. You go, Mac.

Anyways, after cuddling up in bed all day with Bonnie and the gals (and is just me or is there something kind of sexy about Schneider), I finally felt good enough to go outside. We bought a newspaper to check out the movie listings and there was this article talking about Madonna adopting that cute little African boy. And people are actually saying she did something bad. Hello? She’s like so good-hearted and helping people and of course there’s all these mean people out there who’ve never helped anyone who are criticizing her. I guess they’re jealous, but leave my Madge alone. I was so upset I had to go back home and get under the covers. You go, Material Girl! And as for mean people, suck my you know what. Tee-hee. 

I’m feeling better now, following the advice of the “One Day at a Time” theme song: “This is life, the one you get so go and have a ball. … So up on your feet (up on your feet). Somewhere there’s music playing. Don’t you worry none we’ll just take it like it comes. One day at a time.” Watch it here on YouTube.

Laters!