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wednesday, october ,
Your guide to the Tucson arts and entertainment scene
Christy Delehanty Arts Editor 520•621•3106 arts@wildcat.arizona.edu
Queer Films come out on campus Pride Alliance brings activists to speak on LGBTQ issues
By Miranda Butler ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT Were you one of many students who was surprised to see drag queen bingo on the UA Mall last October? Have you heard about the upcoming plans for UA’s Coming Out week? If so, you’ve experienced some of the many programs put on by ASUA Pride Alliance. And if not, you’re just in time to take part in Pride Alliance’s newest event. Pride Alliance is a campus organization that seeks to further the LGBTQ community and empower LGBTQ students. This group is almost entirely studentrun, organized largely by student interns and directors with a little help from UA faculty. Each year, Pride Alliance holds many events that raise awareness about gay issues, as well as celebrate people and inspire students to be themselves. This fall, they’re introducing their latest tradition: a “Queer Film Series,” which hopes to bring LGBTQ issues out into the open.
A controversial kickoff to the series
The Queer Film Series will feature three films each semester. The first, which plays tonight at 7 in Gallagher Theater, is called “8: The Mormon Proposition.” In October and November, the series will show two other films, both also on Wednesday nights. For each film in the series, a featured guest speaker will discuss the issues raised by the movies. Cindi Azuogu, a pre-physiology student and ASUA Pride Alliance intern, explained that tonight’s feature “is really controversial, without question” because “8: The Mormon Proposition” explores the lives of several filmmakers and their struggles with growing up gay in the Mormon church. Likewise, the film investigates the Mormon church’s involvement in passing Prop. 8 in California. “It’s a little charged because there are a lot of people struggling with that, that line of religion and sexuality,” Azuogu said. “(The movie questions) where to stand on that line and what it means.” Azuogu was sure to note that Pride Alliance doesn’t intend to send a bad
Other upcoming films If you can’t make it to “8: The Mormon Proposition,” there will be two other films in the series this semester: the documentaries “We’re all Angels” and “Two Spirits.”
message to the religious audience. “It’s just good to see both sides of the opinion,” she said. What’s more, the film is particularly relevant to Arizonans because recent propositions such as 102 and 107 raise the same questions as Prop. 8. “(It’s) a good film that’s really eye-opening,” Azuogu said. “The stories that you hear will be really effective to help people see many of these issues.”
Driving the issues home
Another exciting part of the Queer Film Series is the discussion led by a guest speaker. Azuogu explained that featuring knowledgeable speakers with experience in LGBTQ affairs gives students access to personalized, hands-on information that can help bring a greater understanding of the issues. Listening to the speaker’s experience drives the points home; it allows students to realize that they, too, can step up to support change. Tonight’s speaker is Cindy Jordan, an LGBTQ activist who worked on the first “freedom to marry” initiative in Washington, D.C.
According to Azuogu, “We’re All Angels”is “a documentary about two lovers who are gay and also sing Christian inspirational music. They’re really, really big activists among youth and queer youth. This is a lot more of a tame film about people who believe that you can have sexuality within religion — and that you can be yourself and still worship. You can still have a spiritual life and inspire and empower youth as well.” “We’re All Angels “ Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
NBC, Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.
Season set-up: Liz pursues a longdistance relationship with her pilot boyfriend, Carol (Damon), while Jack and Avery (Banks) prepare for WASP-y parenthood. Kenneth, who lost his job at the end of season 4, embarks on a soul-searching quest to become a page again. Freshness: The show’s media satire and word-nerd humor are consistent with what we’ve seen for the last five years, but NBC covers it up by rolling out the cameos. So far we’ve seen Matt Damon, Elizabeth Banks, “Cash Cab” host Ben Bailey and Paul Giamatti as a chubby chief editor with slave owner sympathies. Fan Satisfaction: The first few episodes have done a good job cleaning up last season’s lagging plot arcs without compromising the cast’s quirkiness. Tracy Jordan is at peak randomness, even when he has to pretend to be a responsible dad, and Pete Hornberger’s hate for his family is taking a turn for the violent and depraved. These are good things. — Brandon Specktor
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Season 6 FX, Thursdays at 10 p.m.
Season set-up: Frank, Charlie and Dennis all tied the knot in “Mac Fights Gay Marriage,” but broke it off in “Dennis Gets Divorced,” and things are back to regular, inconsequential mayhem. Kaitlin Olsen became pregnant during filming, so expect a
grotesquely amoral excuse for why Dee has a bun in the oven. Freshness: Besides a shameless spike in Coors ads and Sweet Dee’s less-birdlike appearance, the Gang hasn’t changed much. In the season’s fist three episodes, they’ve already destroyed two marriages, sunk a yacht and “made it rain” at the local strip joint. None of this is surprising. Fan satisfaction: Continuity abounds as this season brings back The Tranny (Mac’s old fling), The Lawyer (Charlie’s old rival) and The Dick Towel (the Gang’s old penis-based pub merch). It’s only a matter of time before Green Man hits the streets again.
— Brandon Specktor
Mad Men, Season 4 AMC, Sundays at 10 p.m.
Season set-up: Mad Men’s fourth season started off big, with Don’s psyche taking a larger role in the show’s plot, in the aftermath of his life-changing divorce and move to an apartment in the city. From the premiere, it seems like season four will focus more on changing times, with a twopiece swimsuit ad one of the main features of episode one. Freshness: With crisp writing, exceptional set design, costumes and an ever changing plot, this show is definitely one of the biggest on TV, and shows it — from the show itself, to
Bigger goals for the film festival Altogether, Pride Alliance hopes to start a new tradition by kicking off their Queer Film Series tonight. Azuogu explained that as the first annual series, “It’s the start of something new and fresh for the history of Pride Alliance, which is really cool, and it’ll definitely be continued throughout the years.” Taking part in tonight’s film showing is not only a part of the history of ASUA Pride Alliance, but it’s also another historical step toward social justice and equality in Arizona and the U.S.
Gallagher Theater, free The film “Two Spirits” tells the story of a Navajo teen who was murdered for being “too spirited.” In the Navajo culture, this term means that he was able to harmoniously embody both masculine and feminine traits. In the past, such a status was highly regarded and respected among the Navajo, but in this case, the teen was killed for it. The film tells of the boy’s conflict between his identity, culture and community. “Two Spirits” Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., Gallagher Theater, free
Premier premieres: TV that ‘Rocks’ 30 Rock, Season 5
Jen Hoefle, the program director for LGBTQ Affairs at the UA, was involved in selecting Jordan to speak at tonight’s showing of “8: The Mormon Proposition.” Hoefle explains that Jordan “is a media strategist who has a very wide-ranging career.” Jordan worked closely with the “No on 107” movement in Arizona — and since Proposition 107 didn’t pass, a presentation from Jordan promises to be especially relevant and inspiring after tonight’s film.
commercial breaks designed to mimic the show, viewers feel as if they’re participating in something big. Fan satisfaction: With so much drama last season, this first episode seemed a little blasé. This season premiere was slightly slow, but with a purpose — it seems like AMC has a few tricks up its sleeve with this season, they’re just ordering their cards with episode one. — Kellie Mejdrich
Dexter, Season 5
Showtime, Sundays at 9 p.m.
Season set-up: The season opened with the after-effects of the murder of Dexter’s wife. The rest of the season will focus on his strained relationship with his stepchildren, his desire to kill and the police investigation into the murder of his wife’s killer. Freshness: Dexter’s insanity is consistently fascinating to watch. You sympathize with a serial killer. And this season, there’s more attention given to his struggle to cope with emotions, which he never seemed to have before. Fan satisfaction: In a rare moment, fans were able to see humanity burst through the cool exterior of this blood-obsessed serial killer. Fans should be looking forward to the rest of the season and watching the interior struggle between man and murderer. — Michelle A. Monroe
New club sheds light on sci-fi By Johanna Willett ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT Galactic empires. Firebreathing dragons. Epic battles. Welcome to the new Sci-Fi Cats club at UA. A joint project between the Honors College and UofA Bookstores, Sci-Fi Cats hopes to create a community where students can discuss fantasy and science fiction — genres that are usually overlooked. “Fantasy and science fiction permeate pop culture,” said Chris Schafer, a program coordinator at the bookstore who helped develop the idea. “There was no way for students with that common interest to come together and talk about it.” Ryan Winet, the advanced First-Year Composition instructor spearheading the club, agreed that one of the club’s primary goals is to create a sense of community among students outside of the classroom. “I grew up with ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’” Winet said. “It’s been a kind of quiet obsession for most of my life. This club seemed like a great way to create a community around this genre.” Sci-Fi Cats plans to meet every couple of weeks to discuss SCI-FI, page 5
WEEKLY FIVE WHY
WAIT
PLEASE
YOU MUST
DON’T FORGET
not join the Arizona State Museum’s associate conservator for a cup of coffee? Today from 3 - 3:45 p.m. in the museum’s lobby, Teresa Moreno will explain how artifacts are preserved over local coffee and Paradise Bakery cookies.
to make your Halloween plans. Wildlife will have some tips for you as the time gets closer.
parent-proof your room. Don’t let Family Weekend catch you with condoms on your nightstand or Coors in your mini-fridge.
go see renowned nature poet Gary Snyder read from his work at the UA Poetry Center tomorrow.
to get your “Wicked” tickets! Tickets for the January show are available to the public through UApresents starting Oct. 8.