Brett Ratner...Rush Hour producer recalls Bruce Lee @ Tribute! Asian Pacific Film Festival...

The Taqwacores...punk Muslims depicted in powerful potent film! Asian Pacific Film Festival...

The Artistic Director at the Asian Pacific Film Festival - Abe Ferrer - noted to me in passing at the DGA yesterday that it was a frustrating experience manning  the door of the screening rooms during the week-long event.

“I had to turn forty-or-fifty people away last night because Taqwacores was sold out.”

Uh-huh!

I was one of the lucky filmgoers to get inside the door and catch the flick at a special screening.

When "The Taqwacores" lands distribution it’s going to do quite well at the Box Office at Art Film Houses around the country.

Earlier in the afternoon, I interviewed the director - Eyad Zahra - and two of the lead actors in the thought-provoking well-crafted narrative.

Taqwacores was lovingly adapted from the popular novel by the same name.

The lead character - Jusef - is an engineering student who takes up residency in Buffalo with a circle of Muslim punks.

Say what?

I know.

"Muslim Punk" seems like an oxymoron, or an incongruity of terms, eh?

Festival organizers describe the project with the tight intense script - written by talented Michael Muhammad Knight - as an up-close peek at young Muslims trying to come to grips with the complexities of practicing their faith in modern-day America.

Is there an ounce of truth to their yearnings?

To me, the potent message - that hit me smack dab in the forehead with all the impact of a sharp pick axe - appeared to be that religion across-the-board is fu**ed up (or capable of severely messing with your head).

One filmgoer's observation was also bang-on.

The twenty-something dude seemed to think that the characters were sincere about finding the answers, and in the final analysis, hopeful that they would be able to practice their faith in a manner that was acceptable to their philosophies, beliefs, and lifestyle.

The feature is stunning visually - in part due to the fact - Zahra facilitated the "red" camera.

The artsy-fartsy grainey "look" they caputured on celluloid suited the subject matter masterfully.

In fact, after having screened the potent narrative, I can't image any other approach that would have worked  so compellingly.

The director chose a novel way to cast the picture, too.

After one notable casting director in Hollywood wailed that "Taqwacores" was uncastable, he went in another direction to secure his roster of talent.

 Zahra plummed the Internet and rustled up his actors online.

The film was well-received at Sundance last year, and this weekend at the DGA, where the Asian Pacific Film Festival in Los Angeles was holding court.

Vancouver actor, Bobby Nadari, turned in a remarkable natural performance in a challenging role that doesn’t come down the pike too often.

I was particularly drawn to the female lead's performance, too.
 
In spite of the fact the lead actress - Noureen DeWulf  - was forced to cover her face throughout the entire length of the movie according to the dictates of the Muslim tradition, she managed to captivate the audience by virtue of finely-honed acting techniques which managed to reach out in spite of the encumberances.
 
"I wanted to at least show my eyes," she noted in the interview session at the DGA (with Director Zahara and actor Naderi in tow) courtesy of the Asian Pacific Film Festival team.
 
The producers humored her, but said "no".
 
Those spell-binding peepers speak volumes, by the way.
 
The pretty petite lady also has a charismatic presence that suggests the river "runs deep".
 
The Taqwacores will be making the rounds of film festivals around the country in the near future.
 
Catch it if you can.
 
The Taqwacores is engrossing dazzling entertainment  capable of transforming filmgoers.

Bobby Naderi stars in the Taqwacores!

 

http://www.thetattler.biz

Taylor Swift...Cover girl! Sexy chanteuse to plug face products...

Taylor Swift has just signed on the dotted line to plug a line of products for Covergirl.

The fresh-faced beauty, though not in need of an overhaul  herself, is offering up a kit of skin wonders that may turn her fans into pretty young things and boost their morale in the process.

The Country Award-Winner's  ads for the new line of luxury cosmetics won’t debut until 2011.

http://www.thetattler.biz

Alexander...exec offended by Colin Farrel's ba**s! Asian Pacific Film Festival panel...

This afternoon I slipped into (squeezed rather!) a panel discussion held for young filmmakers with a two-fold purpose:


*To provide instructions for the upcoming short film contest.
  (deadline to submit May 15th)

*To provide advice for filmmakers trying to get a foot-hold in the business.

In response to one question from a guest in the audience (who asked how  to establish ties and credibility in the film industry) an exec who worked under the producer for the feature film "Alexander" underscored that young hopefuls must be brave and take a stand with their employers.

He cited an example which demonstrted how little he knew about the in's-and'out's of the business (quite literally).

Apparently, the pompous  "quote" - industry-insider - "unquote" - was put off by a scene in which actor Colin Farrel exposed a little too much flesh (in his estimation).

"As a heterosexual  man, I objected to the fact he was showing so much of Farrel's ba**s," he actually said with a straight face.

I laughed out loud as the rest of the audience fell silent.

Obviously, he was clueless to the fact that his boss left the naugty scene in because it would rustle up a lot of gossip, titillation, and controversy - and hence - translate to a flurry of ticket sales at the box office.

In fact, all the filmgoers I was acquaintedf with at the time of the release, trotted of to catch the period flick on the wide screen (snicker) at the movie theatre for just that reason!

No wonder this hapless dude is handing out bad advice to novices in the industry at panel discussions; he doesn't appear to have much more to offer in the industry in my opinion.

A case of the bland leading the blind, eh?

The rest of the panel discussion was informative, enlightening, and worth taking in.

A post on the event will follow.

htt://www.thetattler.biz

The People I've Slept With.. Koji Sakai on red carpet at Asian Pacific ...

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival...warped energy trips up events! Archie Kao appears with "People I've Slept With" cast on red carpet...

Throngs of film enthusiasts swarmed the DGA excitedly in chic designer threads with tickets in hand, the talented cast of “People I’ve slept with” strode the red carpet hyped-up and at-the-ready to discuss their much-anticipated sex comedy, and a rude unprofessional photographer cast a poll on the event long enough to raise a question or two in my mind.

Was it possible that some kind of warped energy swept through the DGA - and tarried just long enough - to throw a monkey wrench into an event that normally went off without a hitch on an upbeat note each year?

The Chinese have a saving worth pondering on occasions like these.

“May you live in interesting times."

Ultimately, will success spoil the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival?

3rd night into the festival, spirits were high, as the paparazzi started snapping away at a posse of well-heeled actors there to plug a movie they were in or one they were supporting on behalf of friends in the business.

On the red carpet, I was rustling up one-on-one interviews, contented as heck.

The cast of  - “People I’ve Slept with” -  were first up and were great subjects to work with by the way (the HD Video captures will be uploaded onto my YouTube site later today).

About two-thirds of the way through - a tall pushy photographer arrived late in the red carpet area - and began to barge his way through a line-up of press hounds who had staked out their perches an hour or so earlier.

At one point, he turned to me, and had the audacity to ask me to move to the other end of the roped-off VIP section so he could assume my spot.

Frankly,  he wasn't asking as much as he was demanding.

No way, Jose.

Not one to stab a person in the back (I prefer telling a person to their face what I think of them cause it helps me sleep nights) I proceeded to point out - in so many words - that he was an hour late for the red-carpet event, unprofessional, and insensitive to other people working the gig.

“You’re a selfish man who only thinks about himself,” I concluded before informing him I did not intend to budge an inch.

I should have broken into the show-stopping "Dream Girls" Broadway Stage hit.
“I tell you I'm going!”

In an angry retort, he yelled back at me.

“Ok. I apologize.”

But - because it was uttered up with such an acid tongue - it didn’t amount to a meaningful heartfelt one.

Was it just for show to appease the other photographers who were now gazing on - shocked - by his insulting conduct?

In addition to his inappropriate behavior, I couldn’t help but notice that he was obviously down on his heels a tad.

For instance, when he bent over at one point, I spotted a seam in the a** of his pants coming apart.

And, it was also obvious to me why folks were trying to avoid the man (who was constantly in everyone's  face) like the plague.

His breath was so wretched it turned the stomach.

Whew!

For the record, it should be noted that this loser has been turning up at events around town, like an old unwashed penny over the past year or so.

One day at the AFI Film Festival, I distinctly recall, that  he complained to me about the fact he often snapped three thousand shots for an event, but often found it difficult to make contacts with media outlets willing to publish (and pay for) the publicity stills.

My immediate thought?

Golly, if you can’t nab the image in two or three shots, give it up.

In my estimation, he’d be better off cleaning toilets somewhere.

At least in that line of employment, he wouldn’t have to fix the hole in his pants or purchase any mouth wash!

Then, at the screening of  - "People I’ve Slept with" -  director Quentin Lee revealed he must have had one too many drinks before the Q & A on stage.

Maybe he was on mind-altering drugs?

For instance, when asked how the “look” of the film - bolstered up with great lighting and a myriad of eye-catching colors which appealed to the artistic sensibilities - came about, he was quick on the uptake (but off the mark).

“Oh, the editor was responsible for that. We should get him up here,” Lee suggested almost as an afterthought.

When the affable dude strode up to the stage and joined the director, they proceeded to make silly remarks (which didn’t make any sense) about the editing process.

Was Mr. Lee Poking fun at the film buff who put forth a question that actually made sense (which ultimately flew over their heads?).

Fortunately, the female lead (Karin Anna Cheung) piped up after grasping the obvious.

“I think he was asking about the lighting, the choice of colors, and the “look” of the film.”

Ah, someone got it.

Duh!

As the director stood there like an idiot, Cheung  noted that there was a large female crew toiling away on the production on set - and that their influence amounted to a female touch.

Thank the Lord for feminine energy!

Quentin Lee didn’t have a clue!

A review of the raunchy sex comedy (riddled with stereotypes and clichés) will follow in a day or two.

At the after-party, it became evident that they should have aptly-named the film group - El Cheapo Productions, though - view of the stingy way they offered up the finger-food.

Before I dashed off to catch - "The Mikado Project" - I couldn’t help but notice that the waiter must have been having long breaks in the back room where the food was being prepared, or had been specifically instructed to drift through with the meager offerings every fifteen minutes or so (because there was so little of it to go around).

A low for the Asian Pacific Film Festival where the organizers are usually quite generous with their filmgoers and patrons.

Then, there was the issue of rude snippy volunteers and staff presiding over the prestigious Fest.

In the three years I’ve attended the festival, I have never encountered snotty workers on duty.

So, the two Asian women manning the door at the Atrium where Quentin’s after-party was being held, stood out like sore thumbs (or nasty bit**es, take your pick).

For instance, when guests attempted to depart the “Sleep" screening celebration, they often strode out of the Atrium with beer in hand for obvious reasons.

After all,  in the main lobby, a number of guests were sipping on bottled beer here and there so it didn’t appear there was any liquor consumption restriction.

The party-goers got a rude awakening when these two iron maidens sharply sniped at them to turn in their bottled beer before exiting the soiree.

Then, a second dilemma arose on the heels of that demand.

When a startled guest  attempted to sit the alcohol container down, there was no place to deposit it.

If the workers were professional, and had some smarts, they would have had a small side table available where guests could set the offending beer bottles down with little fuss.

Such a device would have also tipped off the guests that alcohol wasn’t allowed outside that perimeter.

Instead, the dizzy broads made guests go back into the Atrium, where they had to track down a table top or garbage to displose of it.

There were slim pickings in that regard!

As to “The Mikado Project”?

Well, for starters, a comment made in an intro before the screening just didn't fly.

A speaker at the podium asked filmgoers to look to their left and ask themselves one question.

Is that person next to me illegal?

Then, they were instructed to gaze in the other direction to the individual on the right side, and ponder the same question once again.

Everyone sat a little puzzled by the question.

Then, the off-the-wall host continued.

In the wake of the Arizona Immigration Law, the Asian-American people won't have to worry about being considered illegal.

Why?

He asserted that it was because of the preservation (and presentation) of films with a focus on the Asian-American community over the years, that the community had established around the country they were part of the fabric of the United States.

Hence, there was any chance that the Asian Community would be thought of as illegal.

Huh?

Frankly, I thought the comments were inapprorpiate.

Filmgoers were there to catch a flick, not be hammered over the head with the political agenda of the filmmakers or Festival organizers.

As to "The Mikado Project"?

A critical disaster!

The poorly-made feature was so shoddy and sloppy, it doesn’t even merit a bad review.

But, there were a few fun moments at the DGA Saturday eve.

At the after-party for the "People I’ve Slept With", for instance, ticket-holders who attended the screening were treated to free sex paddles (there are scenes in the film where a female character gets spanked with one) studded bondage neck collars, and other sex toys provided by the local WeHo Pleasure Chest.

A caterer by the name of  "First Street Cuisine" also  provided a number of delectable rice dishes (with chicken and the like) that were reasonable priced until they closed-up shop at about 7 p.m. in the lobby.

Fortunately, I snapped up a healthy-sized chicken & rice bowl before the festivities for the night commenced.

Otherwise, I would have starved to death, thanks to the stingy hosts!

But, today is a fresh day, and I expect that the energy will be renewed.

On the schedule?

Shannon Lee appears at the DGA in a panel discussion about her father Bruce Lee that is expected to attract a large audience of die-hard action-hero fans.

Later in the evening, I expect to take in a couple films.

The "Clash" and "Enemies of the People" (a doc on the "Killing Fields") look promising.

See 'ya there!

Karin Anna Cheung appears here in "Double-Wedding" scene!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Julia Ling...chats with paparazzi on red carpet! Asian Pacific Film Fes...