Wolfe Video

Mädchen in Uniform (Girls in Uniform)

payal — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Manuela von Meinhardis despondently lays flowers on the grave of her mother. It is Prussia in 1910, and as an orphaned teenager, she isn’t left with many options.

Manuela’s aunt takes her to a convent, which is described as a citadel by the Headmistress, Sister Superior. “Poverty is an honor,” she barks at Manuela upon the girl’s arrival. “Get used to tragic blows—you are being trained to be the future mother of soldiers.” The militaristic attitude of Prussian culture is shown in various manners throughout the film: the girls march in formation to enter the convent, they eat in a mess hall, and they regard Sister Superior as their sergeant. Superior tells the students that the values of the school align with those of Prussian women: children, church, and kitchen. The convent is not a scholarly institution; the female students are being trained to serve man, God, and country.

A source of kindness and hope that the girls experience is in the form of Fraeulein von Bernburg. Sister Superior and the teacher von Bernburg are respectful to each other, although they are clearly at odds with each other. Superior welcomes rigidity, rules, and repercussions, while Fraeulein favors empathy and guidance. After a minor disagreement about student behavior, Superior predicts that she and von Bernburg’s paths will inevitably part some day. She fails to realize how quickly that day will arrive.

Manuela is in a new environment and still grieving the loss of her recently deceased mother, so it is easy to see why she gravitates towards Fraeulein von Bernburg. Not only is the teacher beautiful and kind; she genuinely cares about Manuela and wants her to thrive. But the relationship between the teacher and student is not destined to be gentle or effortless. Within the confines of the convent, feelings of repression, jealousy, and sexual curiosity stew among the girls and the all-female staff. This combination turns into a powder keg of sorts, with Manuela and her teacher directly at the center.

The relationship between the two is fraught with angst and drama, but it’s a relationship worth remembering. Despite the fact that the feelings between Manuela and her teacher are not accepted by the society in which they live, both women have a clear conscience about their actions—a lesson that should be noted by anyone, regardless of the culture or time period.

At first I doubted that I would enjoy the film. Honestly, I thought, will I care about a movie that takes place in a pre-World War I Prussian convent that is in German and barely qualifies as being rated PG? However, I was pleasantly surprised at the emotions I found myself experiencing throughout the course of the film: sadness, curiosity, and joy were just a few. And I was genuinely interested in the plight of the characters. The actions of the women at the convent reminded me that people always seem to fulfill roles that help them to cope with difficult situations. Sister Superior was the ailing but brutal general, commanding the troops. Fraeulein von Bernberg was the mother figure, offering tender support and comfort to the girls. One student even took on the role of class clown. Her morale-raising antics caused me to laugh out loud each time she took the screen.

Mädchen in Uniform offers viewers an honest and beautiful look at the relationships between women who are all at different, yet equally trying times in their lives. Its message rings true even fifty years after the original release.

Written by: Rachel Scheib, October 28th 2010

Hannah Free

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:01:00 +0000

Directed by Wendy Jo Carlton

Wolfe Video

If LOGO and the Hallmark Channel had a baby, they would name her Hannah Free.

The story goes like this: an aging lesbian couple, together for four decades, both now find themselves confined to the same nursing home, but unable to see one another. Free-spirited butch Hannah (Sharon Gless) is paralyzed after falling off a roof, and is denied access to her comatose lover Rachel (Maureen Gallagher) by Rachel's bitter born-again Christian daughter Marge (Taylor Miller of TV's All My Children).

Bedridden and lonely, Hannah spends most of her time napping, journaling, reading mail, and talking to an imagined younger version of Rachel (Ann Hagemann). It is through these (highly contrived) plot devices that the audience is taken back into chapters of Hannah's history: her childhood chasing after little blond Rachel through wheat fields, her Depression-era youth happily roughing it in Alaska, her WWII military service as a pilot in the Women's Army Corps. Her younger version is played by relative unknown Kelli Strickland, who spends the majority of her onscreen time locked in tepid PG-13 sex scenes with Hagemann's Rachel.

One day, following a tense interaction with Marge, a young woman named Greta (Jacqui Jackson) wanders into Hannah's room, all wide eyed and with polite questions. She draws out from Hannah her unfortunate circumstances, and quickly offers to come by at 3 a.m. to take Hannah to see Rachel. We soon learn that Greta is not just motivated by altruism; she is Rachel's great-granddaughter, and herself a lesbian. Hannah and Greta strike up a friendship, and Hannah later shares her journals with Greta; more flashbacks ensue. The third act sees Hannah, Marge, and Greta come together to make a very difficult end-of-life decision on behalf of the woman they all hold dear.

Notice my usage of the term third act? It's a common term in references to films, but it is especially appropriate in the case of Hannah Free, a film adapted for the screen by playwright Claudia Allen. Film buffs are aware that play adaptations fall into two distinct categories: those that successfully make the leap from stage to screen (e.g., Crimes of the Heart and Steel Magnolias) and those that don't. Sadly, Hannah Free just doesn't.

I appreciate issues-driven cinema as much as the next bleeding heart liberal. Admittedly, Hannah Free does address a variety of pertinent topics. These include the concepts of a loving versus “legal” family in regard to LGBT relationships and which decisions each partner is allowed to make regarding the other; the general dearth of quality elder care, specifically care for aging LGBT folks; and living openly in rural communities. With its story told by a predominantly female cast, and emphasis placed on both respect for lesbian elders and multi-generational lesbian representation in families with the character of Greta, the film also has a decidedly feminist bent. Still, Hannah Free is heavy-handed—and hokey.

As it relates to issues of health, family, and LGBT equality, Hannah Free is a relevant film. As a worthwhile cinematic experience, however, it falls woefully short.

Written by: M. Brianna Stallings, July 20th 2010

And Then Came Lola

admin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Directed by Ellen Seidler, Megan Siler

Wolfe Video

Based loosely on the art-house classic Run Lola Run, And Then Came Lola shows photographer Lola’s desperate attempt to get to a crucial meeting on time, with her girlfriend’s career and their relationship on the line if she fails. Like the title character of Run Lola Run, Lola will get three chances to get it right, with the action resetting to the beginning after each of the first two attempts. Interspersed within and between Lola’s obstacle-filled journeys through the streets of San Francisco are on-the-couch moments with the five main characters of the film, who divulge their romantic entanglements and issues to a therapist who is more involved in the story than it first appears.

As is the case with many small-budget independent films, the technical aspects of And Then Came Lola leave a bit to be desired. The mediocre quality of the sound, lighting, and camera work can be distracting at first, but generally fade into the background once the story unfolds.

The acting ranges from mediocre to good without any really great moments, though the chemistry between Jill Bennett (as Lola’s girlfriend Casey) and Cathy DeBuono (as Casey’s ex-girlfriend Danielle) is definitely a bright spot. It is always a treat to see these two together on film as their real-life love for one another produces amazing on-screen fireworks. Unfortunately, connecting with the film requires sympathy for Lola (played by Ashleigh Summer) and her relationship with Casey, but the relative lack of chemistry between Lola and Casey leaves you rooting for Danielle.

As for the plot, while the resets of Lola’s journey are interesting (if unoriginal), the interconnectedness of the lesbodrama at the heart of the film is more than a little cliché in the lesbian film genre. Here it is difficult to tell whether cliché is completely a bad thing; however, as there is no small amount of truth in the film’s representation of the insularity and near incestuousness of the lesbian community. We lesbians do have a particularly bad habit of maintaining connections with our exes, and their exes, and their exes’ exes, and so on.

Although I recently saw And Then Came Lola on a list of the worst lesbian films, I don’t think I would go that far. It wasn’t Go Fish level bad, just a bit unsatisfying. Ultimately, it’s not a film I would watch again, considering the wide range of lesbian films now available, and it’s not one I’d recommend.

Written by: Melinda Barton, June 20th 2010

The Baby Formula

admin — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Directed by Alison Reid

Wolfe Video

"Why shouldn't we have the chance to make our own babies, have our own children?”

That's one of the first lines spoken in The Baby Formula, a delightful award-winning Canadian mockumentary that took two honors in 2009: the Audience Award at the Toronto Inside Out Lesbian & Gay Film & Video Festival and Best LGBT Film at the Nashville Film Festival. Director and producer Alison Reid is also responsible for Succubus, the 2006 short film that served as the springboard from which the feature-length The Baby Formula was spawned (pun intended).

In the ancient world, Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, and Lilith was Adam's first wife, kicked out of the Garden of Eden in favor of Eve. In The Baby Formula, Athena and Lilith are a comfortably settled married couple who are about to become parents. Both are wise, defiant women, and they have decided to do things a little differently. See, these ladies are pregnant with each other's biological babies.

Shortly after the opening credits, we're taken inside the laboratory of two Canadian scientists being interviewed by a documentarian (Alison Reid). Both scientists—Dr. Oldenfield, a balding older man with a Scottish accent, and Jim, his younger awkward counterpart—claim they have made it possible to create life with artificial sperm generated from stem cells. In the wry words of Dr. Oldenfield, “People think we're making men obsolete; we're simply making them unnecessary.” “One day we'll make women unnecessary, too,” replies Jim.

It's a risky and controversial procedure, one that Athena willingly undergoes because she works for the lab and desires a family with Lilith. Athena is the first to get pregnant from artificial sperm created from Lilith's stem cells. When the two scientists are questioned about government approval for the procedure, they claim it won’t be approved for at least a decade, if at all.

While Athena is all aglow with baby on board, Lilith is jealous. She decides to also be pregnant, and gets inseminated with Athena's woman-sperm without Athena's permission. This being a comedy, we know this cannot be the only challenge for our dynamic duo. The tactless documentarian and her persistent crew contact Athena's deadbeat closet-case brother Larry, who swears that Lilith's baby is his. Larry threatens to expose the women, which could in turn expose their unique babies and cost Athena her job. The couple decide on a preemptive strike and gather both of their families together to tell them where their grandbabies were really coming from. As would be expected, that's when things get really interesting.

To say that The Baby Formula is simply a send-up of medical ethics and the lesbian baby boom would be a gross oversimplification. It gets its jabs in everywhere. For example, in one especially memorable scene, the film pokes fun at the cultural appropriation that underpins white middle class neoliberalism. Lilith and Athena are discussing possible baby names following a pregnant couples yoga class. Lilith plans to name her daughter Abigail after her grandmother, while Athena runs down a list of Japanese names. When Lilith points our that neither she nor her wife are Japanese, Athena hilariously defends herself by saying, “Hey, humanity is universal.”

In fact, The Baby Formula manages to achieve something many queer films haven't: a certain universal appeal. By introducing us to the couple's (very different) families, we are reminded of the ever-shifting dynamics every family faces when dealing with pregnancy and children. We see kids and parents learning from their mistakes, new parents quickly shifting gears from giddy to exhausted, and disparate families coming together in love during times of great sorrow. The Baby Formula even ends with a lively holiday party–which is most formulaic of happy family film endings–proving the long-standing hypothesis that no matter how they are conceived, every family borne from love is a real and valuable one.

Written by: M. Brianna Stallings, April 10th 2010

Chica Busca Chica (Girl Seeks Girl)

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:00:00 +0000

By Sonia Sebastian

Wolfe Video

For all those who have complained about the suburban whiteness of The L Word, meet Chica Busca Chica (Girl Seeks Girl). Chica Busca Chica is a new Spanish television show with a lesbian perspective. Although obviously inspired by Showtime’s The L Word, Chica Busca Chica is a pleasant inclusion in a genre that likes to paint lesbians as being almost exclusively white, skinny and beautiful and living perfect, power lesbian lives.

Meet Monica, a former Judo champion with self-destructive tendencies that cause her to ruin relationships. Then there is her former roommate Carmen, the token straight friend in the group, who is struggling with her relationship with the cheating Jorge. Monica’s current roommate is Ana, the innocent girl from the country who leads the audience on hilarious escapades as she attempts to learn about the wide world of lesbian sex and culture. Finally there is Nines, the flirtatious and confident lesbian who uses her sex appeal to get what she wants.

Chica Busca Chica is also the name of the lesbian nightclub in Madrid where Nines tends bar and the group hangs out. Many scenes find the women at the club getting tipsy over many less-than-successful quests as the twenty-something women navigate careers and relationships.

Above all, this show is fun to watch. Much lighter than The L Word, and with more lovable characters, Chica Busca Chica is truly a feel-good show, with hilarious scenes and situations. One memorable scene finds Ana on her first date. Apprehensive about making a good impression, Ana decides to cook for her date and a friend advises her to cook something exotic. The friend suggests something with curry. The next scene finds Ana serving her date canned sausages with copious amounts of curry, so much that her unassuming date is unable to eat it.

Of course Chica Busca Chica does include the predictable storyline of the overly confident, overly sexy lesbian (Nines) who becomes attracted to the straight girl (Carmen) who is trapped in a dead-end relationship with Mr. Insensitive. The sexual tension rises between the two women until it becomes obvious that it is only a matter of time until the two find themselves in bed together. Unfortunately, the season ends before the love triangle reaches that point.

Apparently the formula for a show about lesbians is a rigid one. Each episode of the award-winning show is a half-hour long and includes English subtitles. The show is for anyone who is looking for something different and fun in their pop culture portrayal of young lesbians.

Written by: Janice Formichella, January 12th 2010

She Likes Girls 4

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:18:00 +0000

Directed by Various Directors

Wolfe Video

She Likes Girls 4 is a hilarious compilation of eight short films on various ways in which girls like girls. Topics center around gender, childhood innocence, homophobia, and presumptions. _Babysitting Andy _directed by Pat Mills is a humorous short about a nine-year-old brat who tortures her wheelchair-bound uncle and his partner into schooling her on the definition of fellatio. She has overheard the term being used by her parents, but concludes that she wants nothing to do with it, and confesses she may lesbian.

In No Bikini, directed by Claudia Morgado Escanilla and written by Ivan Coyote, a young girl decides to go topless while taking swimming lessons for six weeks. Unbeknownst to the swim teacher and her classmates, the girl competes as a boy and ends up with the medal for fastest swimmer. When her mother reads a letter that constantly refers to her daughter as “him,” she realizes how the young girl betrayed the two piece.

Another favorite, Don’t Mess With Texas, directed by Carrie Schrader and Tricia Cooke, conjures up all the preconceived notions of the Lone Star State with the presumptuous behavior of a lesbian couple. The couple thinks they are rebelling against homophobia in a small town diner only to find out that their waitress is having trouble with her presumably chauvinistic male partner. When the lesbian partner comes in to apologize to her waitress girlfriend and saves the other woman’s partner from choking, the couple realizes what type of setting they are in.

_She Likes Girls _is a thought-provoking, entertaining compilation of short films worth watching again and again.

Written by: Olupero R. Aiyenimelo, September 14th 2009

Girl + Girl: Classic Lesbian Short Films

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:48:00 +0000

By Various Directors

Wolfe Video

Reviewing a diverse film collection that includes a variety pieces can be a tricky task. This has certainly has been the case for reviewing this collection of lesbian short films. The DVD features a range of lesbian shorts produced between 1988 and 2003 in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. The collection not only spans periods where lesbian filmmaking was not accessible to the wider public, but includes a range of culturally diverse perspectives on filmmaking, art, and the representation of lesbian life in cinema.

From a historic perspective, the collection is interesting and enlightening; it includes classic coming-out stories like Cheryl Farthing’s Rosebud (1991, UK) as well as the film festival favorite Maid of Honor(1999, USA), two short films that represent one aspect of the development of lesbian filmmaking in terms of topics covered and also appeal to a broader audience. From a purely entertainment driven perspective, not all of the films included in this collection are easily accessible. I struggled with the quirkier films where stories and images get lost in the films’ focus on artistic merit.

But as much as the diversity of the collection presented a challenge for writing a cohesive review, it also meant that I could skip ahead and get lost in an absolute masterpiece that is included on this DVD: Canadian director Leah Pool’s Rispondetemi (1991) is the life story of a woman as it flashes before her eyes in fifteen minutes while she is rushed to the hospital after a car accident. The film not only highlights themes, images and perspectives that return again in Pool’s later work such as Lost and Delirious, but also represents fifteen minutes of gripping, breathtaking cinema. This short film alone turns the DVD into a must have collection for anyone who enjoys the kind of dazed and confused (or should I say lost and delirious?) state of mind after having watched a truly amazing film.

Written by: Annette Przygoda, April 27th 2009

He Likes Guys

admin — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:29:00 +0000

Directed by Various Directors

Wolfe Video

As a member of my college cinema club, I would show a film a couple of nights every month. Usually, the featured movie would be preceded by a surprise short film—nothing too long, but always something entertaining. Recently, I showed "Laundromat" by Edward Gunawan from a collection of acclaimed gay short films, He Likes Guys, to my unsuspecting audience. Little did I know that the DVD's menu page featuring a buff torso would draw a variety of gasps—some amused, some more ambivalent, and even a rather repulsed, “Whaaat?!”

Fortunately, "Laundromat" (2007, 13 mins) promised nothing loaded with hackneyed gay stereotypes. In this smile-inducing drama, newly-cohabiting couple Lawrence and Joey bicker over their differences when doing the laundry. Their squabble later gets the attention of an elderly man who teaches them a small but profound lesson in the value of love, life and relationships. So far, so Zen-like.

Another short film that I felt moved by was "Traces" (2008, 19 mins). Directed by Rachel Zisser, "Traces" examines the tragic side of trans acceptance (or rather the lack thereof.) After seeing his handsome college-going son off at the airport, a father is shocked to hear of his son critically injured in a car accident some miles away from home. Arriving at the hospital too late, he is shown the body of his son, in women's clothing and bewigged. He is later consumed by a desire to piece together his late son's hidden identity, using different objects once belonged to his son that eventually lead him to uncover not only a secret double life but also a man who had stood between them for years.

The mixed response from the audience at the prospect of watching a film with gay themes that night says a lot about the position of homosexuality in the margins of cinematic discourse. But He Likes Guys is an anthology with an important social message at its heart. Part of the pleasure of watching the mini social commentaries is attributed to the film-makers' measured use of thought-provoking drama and humour to humanise gay culture. Perhaps the only weakness can be found right at the beginning—in the first short film, "Steam" (2008) by Damien Rea. At (mercifully) three minutes long, it is effectively a music video and an exercise in male objectification—a bland starter to the far superior films that are definitely worth a watch.

Written by: Alicia Izharuddin, April 21st 2009

Ready? Ok!

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Directed by James Vasquez

Wolfe Video

The blurb on the back of the sleeve for Ready? Ok! called it a "family comedy," so naturally I expected to watch something funny. Aside from a scene where Josh’s mother loses control over him and Alex, her brother, during a live television taping, there really wasn’t too much to laugh about.

Maybe it was the array of serious issues that the movie covered that cast a blanket of sadness over it. Josh is the perky wannabe cheerleader son of jaded single parent Andrea. She’s so busy worrying about her job and money that she makes up for it by controlling everyone in her family.

The lack of understanding for her situation as sole bread winner is compounded by her own mother, who purposely does things like smoke cigarettes around her while knowing that she hates it. Alex, a perpetual bum, comes and goes, adding instability and uncertainty to Josh’s life.

To top it off, Josh attends a Catholic school, where priests and nuns make sure little boys and girls follow strict gender norms. The fact that Josh has a little trouble keeping to the rules bothers his mother. The fear that Josh may very well not be heterosexual keeps her fretting.

Despite the pressures of rigid conformity, Josh carries on in his own way. He stays true to himself and gains help from Charlie, his gay neighbor. There are many tense scenes as his mother continues to fight Josh’s nature.

Unlike his mother and the school, Josh accepts things as they are. Instead of giving up on his dreams, he works like a busy bee to succeed. Charlie also stands firm, despite the friction Andrea causes with her fears.

In the end, it’s all about perseverance and acceptance. Each character learns and changes. While the movie wraps up in triumph, I hardly agree that it can be considered a comedy. It is too much to expect Josh’s optimism to brighten a film that harbors so much sadness.

Written by: Nicolette Westfall, April 5th 2009

That Tender Touch

admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:08:00 +0000

By Russel Vincent

Wolfe Video

I once read that it was possible to become mesmerized by bad acting. I never realized how true that was until I sat through Russel Vincent’s 1969 “dykesploitation” classic, That Tender Touch. Actually “bad acting” is too strong a term. “Campy” and “overblown” are much more accurate.

The story starts with fresh-faced Terry (Sue Bernard) getting date raped. She confides in her older roommate, Marsha (Bee Tompkins), who spends the next few weeks consoling her. Predictably, Terry begins to develop erotic feelings for the matronly widow. The sexual tension between the two women culminates in a side-splittingly funny dream sequence in which Terry, having an intense erotic dream, writhes and hyperventilates, eerie voice-over included.

It is at this point that I begin to believe that this movie was nothing more than Russel Vincent’s flimsy excuse to film two attractive females groping each other — the stuff of many straight men’s sexual fantasies. And the ominous swell of the music during the love scene, and Terry’s feelings of shame the morning after, bespeak an underlying homophobia on Vincent’s part.

What happens next is also a slap at lesbianism. Terry meets Ken, a doppelganger for the doll of the same name. Ken shows her that all men aren’t assholes (of course). He falls madly in love with Terry. He asks Terry to marry him (of course) without being aware of the nature of Terry’s and Marsha’s relationship (of course) and believing Terry to be a virgin (of course). Terry confesses to Marsha, who has become increasingly suspicious of Ken (of course), and reminds Terry of her previous vow to live man-free (of course). Terry accepts Ken’s proposal and runs off to suburbia, leaving Marsha broken-hearted (of course).

When Marsha appears on Terry’s doorstep, Terry squirms like any self-respecting, self-hating lesbian. She sternly warns Marsha to forget about the relationship and never to tell her dum-dum of a husband about it... then offers to put Marsha up for a few days.

I could go on with a plot synopsis, but why bother? There was more gratuitous T&A, more late '60s bouffants, more histrionics and more sly homophobia. And the suicide lacked a much-needed emotional power due to its implausibility. (Hello!!! When sober grown-ups throw themselves into swimming pools, they usually float, not drown.)

If you want to spend eighty minutes of your life giggling at melodrama, mentally re-writing stilted dialogue or getting a taste of how the lesbian lifestyle was depicted in Hollywood during the 1960s, The Tender Touch is the movie for you.

Written by: Ebony Edwards-Ellis, August 1st 2007

Bam Bam and Celeste

admin — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:38:00 +0000

Directed by Lorene Machado

Wolfe Video

Antithetical to the laugh-so-hard-you’ll-cry theory is comedian and activist Margaret Cho, who will have you crying, hard, before making you laugh like you’ve never laughed before. In her stand-up shows, she tells achingly raw stories about the torment of growing up “different” and does so in a way that makes her the only comedian who can respond to racial slurs with “fuck you” and pull it off like the most brilliant one-liner ever. Those soul-quenching moments of sweet release don’t come as often in Bam Bam and Celeste, but hey—we finally get to see Margaret dressed up as her mother, which alone makes the film worth watching.

Bam Bam and Celeste are best friends from high school who discover they’ve become “townies.” They leave their midwestern hometown for NYC in order to face their high school nemeses on the makeover show “Trading Faces.” Many encounters—pleasant and otherwise—arise along the way.

The thing about Cho’s stand-up stories is that they are inherently unfunny. It’s her comments about the stories that are side splitting. Seeing the stories come to visual life is painful. Hate crimes just don’t translate well as “zany antics.” But Margaret Cho is still damn funny.

Bruce Daniels brings a charmingly understated quality to the outrageous Bam Bam, whose gas siphoning abilities are, um, jaw droppingly good. Bam Bam adores Celeste and thinks she’s beautiful. His innocent confusion as to why this assertion would be questioned is wonderfully sweet. I haven’t liked Alan Cumming ever since his “little league” comment on the L-Word, but he pulls off the adorably klutzy show coordinator who has a crush on Celeste.

The evil arch-nemesis Jackie (played flawlessly by Elaine Hendrix) remains painfully static and is possibly responsible for the film’s flat ending, which should be the time we stand up and cheer along with the film’s TV audience. Jackie’s comeuppance isn’t equivalent to the torment she’s distributed; furthermore, she’s more psychotic than misguided and, therefore, impervious to true retribution.

Cho fans who’ve been waiting for a full on “Mommy Cho” impression will not be disappointed. In addition to the always wonderful Cho and Daniels, campy colors and outstanding guest stars (Jane Lynch, Kathy Najimy) make this a trip worth taking. Despite the loose narrative thread and content mishaps, Bam Bam and Celeste made me laugh out loud, which is the little black dress of comedy.

Written by: Michelle C. Schaefer, July 12th 2007