TQC: Jonny talks with Jared Sullivan & Stephen Lowry of ShowBoy Bake Shop
Join the studio as Jonny talks with frequent Food Network competitors and the owners of the ShowBoy Bake Shop out of Vegas, Jared Sullivan and Stephen Lowry! We talk Food Network, Baking 101 tips, where the creative comes from and BROADWAY!! You don’t want to miss this! www.thequeercentric.com @thequeercentric on IG and Facebook
Show Boys Bakery Link: https://www.showboybakeshop.com/
The QueerCentric Links: WEBSITE https://thequeercentric.com
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EMAIL editor@thequeercentric.com
Check out our sister show “Bears of a Certain Age” https://thequeercentric.com/category/...
TQC: Tribute Bands, That Nostalgic Energy and The Bing Crosby Theater!
Join Jonny as he sits down with promoter, talent agent, performer and creative powerhouse, Jason Fellman to talk all about the series of tribute bands coming to Spokane’s Bing Crosby Theater. Come out and celebrate bands like the Doobie Brothers, Hall and Oates, AC/DC, and Journey!! You know it will be a great time!
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TQC: Jonny Interviews Paul Curry from Dungeons and Drag Queens
Join Jonny as he sits down with comedian Paul Curry to chat about his amazing show Dungeons & Drag Queens, now in it’s third tour. Nothing like the energy just before a show! Thank you to Spokane’s Knitting Factory and all who came out to support this amazing experience.
For future showing of Dungeon and Drag Queens
Check out more shows at Knitting Factory – https://sp.knittingfactory.com/
The QueerCentric: Queer Movie Fun
Join Jonny of The QueerCentric as he chats with film critic Nathan Box (www.natetheworld.com) about some amazing queer cinema you may have missed. Feel free to take part in the discussion and let us know your thoughts. We love a good movie discussion. www.thequeercentric.com
https://www.natetheworld.com/
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Theater Camp
Supernova
Close
Joker: Folie à Deux
The QueerCentric Links:
Interactive and Comical Experience – Dungeons & Drag Queens
Oh my god! Did you hear who is coming to town once again? … Ok, You are taking too long! It’s the crazy and fun Dungeons and Drag Queens Show with the dungeon master and comedian Paul Curry plus the musical wizard Casrson Grubb. This time around they are at The District Bar – ooh what an exciting night this will be!
I have personally had the opportunity to see Dungeons and Drag Queens twice before and each time it has been different, funny and totally outrageous. I recently had the opportunity to chat with both Paul and Carson.
This is now your third time entertaining the Spokane audiences, what keeps you bringing the show back?
We were having a drink at Natural 20 Brewing Co. after a show when a man came up to me, touched me lightly on the shoulder, and whispered, “Third time’s the charm.” His eyes looked like exploding stars. Also, it’s just a city with good vibes.
I have seen your show twice and will be watching it again on October 5th at the Knitting Factory’s new bar, The District. My question is, so far each time I have seen the show the effects have gotten cooler, can you tell us how you choose what you use and how different they might be in October?
Oh ho ho, we have some surprises for you! We’ve got animated, improvised locations and creatures on the game screen, and we’ve incorporated more traditional drag elements into the show. Let’s just say it’s mostly live-play D&D, but every so often, things get wild.
I have watched your other shows on YouTube and the drag queens are a big part of the show. How do you choose the drag queens in each city?
It’s a very select few queens who can play our game. Improv skills, fashion choices, personality, game knowledge—momma, we look for it ALL. This time, some seasoned Seattle queens are joining us, so it’s sure to be spicy.
The crazy and fun part of this show is how you and Carson play off of the drag queens’ antics as if you have rehearsed this hundreds of times. Can you tell us what goes through your minds from second to second while on stage and do you two have a special language you use to signal each other ?
The threesome scene from Challengers has been living rent-free in my head, but this time everyone’s an elf. Maybe I’m bi? No… I just like tennis. When it comes to Carson and me communicating on stage, we exchange glances like, “This NPC is gonna die, isn’t it?” Or, “Play some smooth jazz while this NPC dies.” Or, “I think this NPC is gonna have a Chappell Roan funeral ballad.”
I will leave you with this little tidbit – if you like fun, if you like interacting with a show, if you want a great meal and good drinks then grab your swords, get your staff and put on some heals for this is a night you will not soon forget… unless you drink too much and pass out…..why are you so sloppy? See you there!
Get your tickets NOW!
TQC: Jonny and Damon L. Jacobs
Jonny and The QueerCentric are BACK!! Join our conversation as we welcome one of our FAVORITE guests; sex and relationship therapist, author and public speaker Damon L Jacobs. It’s time for a new PrEP talk to chat about the continued importance of the risk reduction of HIV with taking PrEP. We talk about allowing pleasure without shame AND for people in Spokane we remind you that he is going to be here Saturday, September 28th doing a public talk @ 2:00 at our downtown library! Give it a listen!
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Plot: “After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.” -IMDB
Review: I know what the world expects of me. I am supposed to begin this review by railing against Hollywood’s lack of creativity, endless hunger for sequels, and ceaseless catering to audiences who expect a known entity. Normally, you would be right. Before the theater lights dimmed and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice began, that is what I expected of myself.
For the first 30 minutes of this film, it seemed as if all our expectations would be met. Everyone would be happy. In those first 30 minutes, all films must present their thesis or reason for being. Sequels must do even more. They must prove their reason for existing.
Far removed from the quaint Winter River of the first film, it takes some effort to pull the Deetz family and Beetlejuice back together in a way that builds upon the original film. But once everyone returns home to a familiar setting after a family tragedy, this film settles into a story that feels both nostalgic and brand-new.
This success can be attributed to Tim Burton. As a director, Tim Burton is an auteur. Much like Wes Anderson, you know a Tim Burton movie from its style and aesthetics, but Burton doesn’t do all the heavy lifting alone here. Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz steals almost every scene she is in with the same wit and humor that made her the center of Schitt’s Creek. Michael Keaton effortlessly slides back into the role of Beetlejuice, as does Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. The newcomers to this story, Jenna Ortego as Astrid Deetz and Justin Theroux as Rory, breathe new life into a story that could have felt stale and forced.
Taken together as a team with a wonderful supporting cast, Burton delivers a wildly creative and unique world centered on a family surrounded by death at every turn. As the story evolves beyond a simple return to Winter River, Beetlejuice’s need to escape his ex-wife coincides hilariously with a daughter who has also been burdened with the gift of seeing ghosts. Tricked by a handsome boy, Astrid stumbles through a portal into the afterlife. Potentially trapped, Lydia is forced to summon Beetlejuice. Of course, the two crossing paths are unsurprising, but so welcomed.
Beyond the inventive story, I also believe Burton’s mixing of practical and visual effects should be commended here. From sets to action pieces to the look and feel of each character, this film superbly nods to the original film while expanding beyond our imagination. Finally, this story also possesses a lot of heart, as a subplot centered on Astrid and her deceased father reveals itself.
Then, there is the climax of this film. Personally, I found the wedding sequence to be wonderfully creative, hilarious, and a smart setting where all the various storylines could come together. For some, the scene may linger too long, but for me it worked perfectly.
If we must resurrect franchises from my childhood, this film gave me everything I wanted and more. It feels both nostalgic and like a natural step forward for these adored characters. It made me want to stay in their world forever.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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KINDS OF KINDNESS – A Nathan Box Film Review
Plot: “A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife’s demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide.” -IMBD
Review: When I decide to review a film, my trusty little black notebook accompanies me to the cinema. Throughout the film, I do my best to capture notes, impressions, feelings, reactions, and key moments I don’t want to forget in the story. For a standard feature, I can capture anywhere between 9 and 11 notes per film. For a film with a standard three act structure, this usually means 3 to 4 notes per act.
For the latest film from writer/director, Yorgos Lanthimos, Kinds of Kindness, I captured 25 notes for myself. Given the complexity of his films, which include The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Poor Things, and Dogtooth, this is not the least bit surprising. What I didn’t expect was the uneasy feeling that would linger with me throughout most of his newest film.
All Lanthimos films feel awkward and hyper-controlled; working within constrained limitations is their charm. Wes Anderson is my favorite director, so this sort of sandbox intrigues me. Now, if you are drawn to a director like this versus someone who does whatever the studio tells them, then read on, because this review gets more complex.
Another thing all Lanthimos films do is walk a curious line between dark comedy and deep philosophical drama. For much of this film’s runtime, you will find yourself second guessing everything that pulls a dark chuckle out of your soul. What makes this film different from his prior work is the way it is structured. Instead of one cohesive story, Kinds of Kindness is instead structured as three short stories, with the same cast members playing different characters in each story. If you are like me, you will spend the entire film and the days that follow trying to find a through line or shared theme between each.
The first short film focuses heavily on Robert (Jesse Plemons) and his boss, Raymond (Willem Defoe). Robert is on a predetermined path set for him by his controlling boss. Every facet of his life is regimented by Raymond down to when he eats, how much he eats, and when he has sex with his wife. In many ways, Raymond presents as a god-like character in the life of Robert.
Following Raymond’s path has been fruitful for Robert, until he is asked to cross a morally compromising line. When he chooses to defy the wishes of Raymond, his life becomes undone and begins to spin out of control. The repercussions begin almost immediately. With it, Robert loses his job, his wife, and any prospects for the future.
At his lowest point, with all hope lost, Robert meets Rita (Emma Stone), a woman on an eerily similar path of rejection and redemption. Where this story goes from here, I won’t dare spoil. Instead, I will say I believe this story is the strongest of the three.
The second story focuses its attention on Daniel (Jesse Plemons), a man whose wife, Liz (Emma Stone), is missing at sea. Daniel is a broken-hearted cop who sees his wife’s face in the faces of strangers. Lost and aimless, his friends rally around him, providing the best support they can. Then, miraculously, Liz and her crew are discovered, shipwrecked on an island.
At first glance, with some time, healing, and patience, it seems that life has all the potential to return to normal after such an ordeal. But Daniel is wary. This version of Liz doesn’t sit right with him. The doubt begins to grow so much that Daniel begins to pose questions to his best friend about the possibility that this version of Liz is not his actual wife. Instead, he suspects she is a body double.
From these suspicions, this story devolves into a Hitchcockian style film that will leave you questioning the truth. Is Daniel on to something or is he psychologically falling apart? If this was where the story ended, I would have been more than satisfied. Unfortunately, it continues down an even weirder and darker path. It spirals into something odd and almost tortious. Again, I will not spoil the outcome of this story for you. I will just say I think this story is the weakest of the three.
At this point in the movie, you will wrestle with the connection between the first two stories. As the third story begins to unfold, you will find yourself questioning everything you witnessed so far. You will be frantically searching for themes and driving yourself mad when one doesn’t easily surface.
The third film begins in a morgue. Emily (Emma Stone) and Andrew (Jesse Plemmons) are with a promising young woman who may possess potential to raise the dead. The morgue serves as a proving ground. It was at this point that my true irritation with this film dawned on me.
Great stories don’t tell you what is happening. They show you. For me, this film does too much showing and not enough telling. I find these types of films frustrating. It is the same thing that bugs me about David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. I find the overbearing puzzle distracting. When films like this finally do land, it never feels satisfactory. This is also my chief complaint about Kinds of Kindness. The puzzle is exciting for a while, until it isn’t.
From the eerie morgue, Emily and Andrew return to their gated community led by Omi (Willem Defoe). Here, the film gave me weird sex cult vibes. I still can’t decide if this is a tool meant to distract us or show an unflinching devotion to Omi between Emily and Andrew. My advice here is not to get too distracted by moments spent in the commune. They aren’t the mission. The commune is where people on a mission go.
So, what is the mission? Emily and Andrew are desperately searching for a woman, one half of a set of twins that must meet certain qualifications. Beyond the challenge of tracking this woman down, we learn Emily has a husband and daughter she walked away from to fulfill this mission. After a chance encounter, she cannot resist the urge to step back into their lives. This puts Emily in a dangerous situation, where the potential for contamination and exile from the community hangs in the balance like a thick fog.
Predictably, this is what happens. Still, Emily continues her search, hoping it will bring her back into the good graces of her community. One last time, this is another ending I will not spoil. Instead, I will encourage you to hold on tightly, because the landing is a bumpy ride.
As the credits began to crawl up the screen and the house lights turned on, I found myself dumbfounded. On the long walk back to my car, I kept wrestling with the experience searching for meaning. After several blocks, it dawned on me that the common themes were rejection and rebirth. As I replayed the story one more time, it all began to make sense to me. Satisfied, I then had to ask myself the most important question any film critic can ask themselves. Did I enjoy the journey enough to recommend it to others? My answer? Sure, but not a full-throated endorsement. Instead, I think this is a film you should spend some time with, for no other reason than it deserves to be debated with other lovers of cinema. Beyond that, I didn’t find a lot to enjoy.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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