Little Tokyo...Nisei Festival attracts thousands! Floats, street peformers, tasty food...

Last weekend the streets of Little Tokyo were bustling with tourists and Japanese residents, celebrating the tradition of Nisei week.

This year's theme was "A Year of Celebrations" heralding a handful of centennial milestone anniversaries for local community-based organizations.

Highlights of the celebrations included cultural exhibits, mouth-watering Japanese food, and dynamic traditional Japanese entertainment.

The parade featured street performers (caught on Video here) exotic floats, and this year's Queen of Little Tokyo who waved to the excited throngs packed along the decorated streets.

HD Video captured by Julian Ayrs @ the Tattler.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Barney's Beanery: no fags allowed! West Hollywood...

For years, Barney's Beanery (situated in the heart of West Hollywood & gay gulch) refused to take a sign down in the restaurant that said:

No Fags Allowed.

This past year management at the bastion of straight-dom finally complied with the Gay Community's request.

APPLAUSE!

In view of the foregoing, I thought it ironic that right across the street, City Officials erected a War Memorial.

Yes, the battle with Barney's Beanery, was won!

Video captured by Julian Ayrs @ the Tattler.

htt://www.julianayrs.com

West Hollywood...queer traffic sign causes motorists to giggle!

When I drove down Flores this morning (the 1st street I rented an apartment on when I landed in town as a Hollywood hopeful) I did a double-take.

The traffic sign featured in the clip causes many people to giggle, I learned later.

There's something a bit sexual about it, don't 'ya think?

Video captured by Julian Ayrs @ the Tattler.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Just One LA...sexy male models bikini swimsuit in WeHo!

Just One LA sent this male model (Mike Smith) into the street to push their weekend sale!

The sexy spokesman is warm (!) outgoing and not diffucult to look at.

In fact, I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers!

Oh, the trendy menswear (at bargain prices right now) is eye-catching, too!

Catch the swimsuit sale in WeHo before all the other savvy dudes in the neighborhood snap 'em all up first.

HD Video captured by Julian Ayrs @ the Tattler.

http://www.julianayrs.com

KIDS FIRST!...partners with Toys "R" Us to retail family entertainment!

Celebrate with KIDS FIRST!

August 15 (2009) was a momentous day for parents with tots who were able to pop into any Toys "R" Us store around the country to snap up dedicated KIDS FIRST titles around the country.

The partnership with Toys “R”Us - the world’s leading dedicated toy retailer - began introducing thousands of parents and children to KIDS FIRST!

The top 50 Films for Kids & Family were chosen from a whopping 196 celluloid offerings online by a widespread voting public.

The final list - voted on and arrived at by a KIDS FIRST! jury - recognizes feature films with universal appeal for children.

The films represent 71 years of filmmaking and include notable releases from the major studios such as:

The Princess Bride
(loved it!)
The Sound of Music
(Julie, hope your pipes are healed by now)
Bolt
(featuring Miley Cirus music?
Wall-E
(box office boffo)
Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who
(gosh, that fun ditty drums up memories from my own childhood)

A 1st-time filmmaker by the name of Phil Bransom - who I met at the "Backlot Film Festival" last year when I screened his 1st film - "Trainmaster" - was also selected by the Jury in spite of the fact it was not a big-budget Studio release.

Post & Review:

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/04/train-mastercharming-family.html

“We created the list to provide parents and caregivers with a reliable guide to evergreen films that are as good today as the day they were released,” said Ranny Levy who is Founder and President of KIDS FIRST!/Coalition for Quality Children's Media.

"The films on this list portray the values and ethics that we, as a culture, wish to instill in our children."

With its 18-year history of evaluating and promoting quality children’s films, KIDS FIRST! is uniquely positioned to create the list of Top 50 Kid Films.

Any film KIDS FIRST! endorses must meet or exceed the baseline criteria as follows: no gratuitous violence or abuse; no inappropriate sexual behavior; no bias in terms of race, gender, culture or religion; no condescension toward children; no replicable unsafe behavior.

In addition, the films on the list are compared with others - and to make the KIDS FIRST! grade - must be found exceptional among its peers.

KIDS FIRST! employs a unique community jury system that involves more than 3,000 children and professional adults with backgrounds in education, child development and other child-service professional.

Using a set of standardized criteria, created by leading children’s media experts, KIDS FIRST! evaluations are credible and consistent evaluations.

More than 10,000 films, DVDs, TV shows, and other media have been evaluated since 1991.

The Top 50 Films for Kids and Family list will be refreshed every six months to keep up with the bevy of new titles splashing into the marketplace.

Why not check out the current stock to prevent falling behind?

http://www.julianayrs.com

Inglourious Basterds...almost genius!

A background in the history of the Cinema or prior attendance at one of the insightful & entertaining Q&A sessions at the New Beverly Cinema - touting Quentin Tarantino as a headlining-guest - may be the kind of reference points required to fully appreciate the Brad Pitt vehicle - Inglorious Basterds - just released Nationwide in Theatres.

For example, on occasion a scene may be a send up of a classic moment in film - but, if the filmgoer has no background subtext (or familiarity with the workings of the director's quirky multi-layered personality half-built on his reverence for celluloid and the giants of the industry that fueled it) it is wholly possible the insightful (brilliant) moments may get lost in the film-flon shuffle.

In the first few scenes of "Inglourious" - Tarantino's traditional approach to laying a foundation firmly establishes not only his capabilities as a mainstream director - but his respect for the medium, as well.

The canvas is lush, the brush strokes are broad and confident, and the characters are set within the framework with precision and ease, by a director who is clearly at the height of his creative powers.

Then, Tarantino takes us by surprise with an off-the-wall "belch" that underscores the auteur is a prankster, a send-up artist, keen on playful cerebral interpretations that end up highlighting a unique signature style.

When I reflected a bit on the subject, it struck me that Tarentino was not unlike Pablo Picasso in some respects.

In some quarters, art connoisseurs were put off by Picasso's abstract expressionist paintings when they were first unleashed on the public decades ago.

Critics howled that Picasso was a fraud who created the anti-art pieces because he was incapable of rendering a portrait in a realistic vein on par with the Great Masters.

Not true.

In early days of his career, Picasso painted a handful of exquisite portraits that breathed with a life and vitality that few artists are capable of capturing on canvas to this day.

Similarly, Tarentino prefers to go out on a limb, with the ultimate aim of stretching his creative muscle along that rocky - but rewarding - road.

Curiously, in spite of the fact Tarantino is a perfectionist, "Basterds" is flawed.

For example, in one dialogue between Brad Pitt's character and a Nazi soldier, Tarantino opens on the conversation with a two-shot (okay, by any professional standard).

However, when the camera operator cuts to Brad for a single, the footage does not match.

For some inexplicable reason, Tarentino's normally-keen eye - was blind to the glaring technical gaff.

Sloppy filmmaking like this is inexcusable for a man of Tarantino's stature.

The "Kill Bill" director also jars the filmgoers sensibilities now-and-then when he recklessly throws musical traditions aside and weaves in a distracting (out-of-place) soundtrack to satisfy a whim.

In another key scene mid-way through the film, though, a punched-up tune by David Bowie is effectively used to shift gears and send the whole cast of characters headlong to a delightful climax.

On occasion - Tarantino exercised poor judgment, too - when he gave the nod to fluff that went against the natural flow.

It is generally held that the technical aspects of filming (such as the set-ups, lighting, camera pans, etc.) should be seamless - manipulated by an invisible hand - if you will.

When the camera moves, for instance, the operator should be mindful not to draw attention to the technique facilitated to accomplish the end goal.

To his detriment, Tartantino broke that golden rule two or three times during the course of the World War II spoof.

In one scene at a farmhouse, for example, two characters chat each other up at a table.

Suddenly, for no good reason, the camera pans "half-circle" from one side of the table to the other.

Because the pan was not effected to seque-into an upcoming entrance or exit, or relevant focal point, the shot fell flat.

Essentially, Tarantino was grand-standing.

Self-indulgences like these ended up adding a slab of unwanted fat to the overly-long Weinstein-produced film (yawn).

Brad Pitt tackles his role as a Lieutenant out-to-scalp a few Nazis with gusto.

Although his performance is a bit uneven at times - underscoring his limitations as an actor overall - Pitt entertains the audience thoroughly with a portrayal that is reminiscent of a John Wayne character - albeit - a twisted one.

There's has been a lot of twittering going on about excessive violence onscreen.

Personally, I did not find those intense theatrical moments uncalled for (or offensive in any way) due to the fact they were a necessary "evil" to carry along the plot line.

Not all filmgoers will warm up to "Inglourious Basterds", though.

After all, it is a film that resonates best with intelligent audiences, who have the patience to wade through creative excesses common Joe's may grow restless and bored with.

If only a film goer could view it through my eyes!

Almost genius, in my opinion!

http://www.julianarys.com

Facebook...Dear Amy consoles jilted friend!

Lopez no friend of mine!

The "Dear Amy" columnist at one of the daily papers was asked to give her opinion on an incident which occurred on Facebook recently.

The write-in correspondent was irate over the fact that a woman she was friends with years ago - but lost touch with - uploaded her picture (and stats) recently and included her in a circle of friends pictured there.

"How dare she infer I am a friend," the irate Facebook-user lamented to Dear Amy.

Right on, lady!

Here's on how the dictionary defines the term friend:

friend

–noun

1.	a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

2.	a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends of the Boston Symphony.

3.	a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?

4.	a member of the same nation, party, etc.

5.	(initial capital letter) a member of the Religious Society of Friends; a Quaker.

Ha!

Just as I surmised.

A friend is not a mere acquaintance, but rather, a special person in one's life.

And, once a bond has been established between two individuals - the relationship should be cherished - not treated lightly or cast off so carelessly like disposable rash.

In my estimation, if a person ends up with at least five real friends during the course of their lifelong existence on this mortal coil (trustworthy, loyal, and true) they should count themselves lucky, too.

Part of the problem rests with (and has been created by) Facebook staff.

For example, one day when I logged in to my Facebook homepage, I spied a photo of writer Steven Lopez staring down at me from a prominent section of the web page.

A caption beneath it (embedded into the home page) suggested that I contact Mr. Lopez with the ultimate aim of becoming "friends".

Since Facebook has been known to hook-up folks who have mutual friends (or take a good-faith stab at connecting individuals in the same line of work for networking purposes) I clicked on the link provided - at which point - the friendship request zipped off into the blogosphere.

Imagine that!

In spite of the fact Steven Lopez touts himself as a good-guy columnist at the Los Angeles Times daily newspaper, the gushing word-pusher didn't even give me the courtesy of a reply!

What an a**hole!

Yup, the old stick-in-the-mud, is on my enemies list now.

Next time, I'll expect to be wined and dined - and courted a little - before I cave in at Facebook.

Hell hath no fury like a potential friend scorned!

The fabric of friendship

http://www.julianayrs.com