SGN December 25, 2015 - Section 2

Seattle Gay News

Issue 52, Volume 43, December 25, 2015

Arts & Entertainment

Best Theater of 2015

Subtly intimate Carol a fiercely independent stunner

Faith Russell, Corey Spruill and Jeff Berryman in Best of Enemies – Photo by Erik Stuhaug

by Miryam Gordon SGN A&E Writer Can you believe another year has flown by? And suddenly, it’s time for all the “Best” lists to commence! While it is always a struggle to choose, it is also useful to look back and reflect on how much great theater this town produces. So, here is my annual idiosyncratic list of Best Theater of 2015.

Best Solo Performances: Solo performers do the hardest job in theater, I think, since they must command the entire

attention of a diverse audience. The two standouts this year were Ryun Yu in the amazing text of Hold These Truths at ACT Theatre and Joseph Lavy in Akropolis Performance Lab’s riveting The Glas Nocturne.

Best Unusual Venues: The Glas Nocturne also gets a mention along with the two productions by Seattle Immersive Theatre – Dump Site and Listening Glass – for unusual theater in unusual venues. There is an exciting trend toward exploring new ways of presenting theater that might atsee THeater 2015 page 4

Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett in Carol – The Weinstein Company

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer CAROL Opening December 25 If all you know of Patricia Highsmith

is that she brought the literary world a charming psychopathic chameleon in the form of one Thomas Ripley, then you’re only scratching the surface of the timeless treasures brought to life inside any numsee carol page 16

The year in film 2015 Tarantino’s Eight a love/hate enigma

Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche in Clouds of Sils Maria – amherststudent.amherst.edu

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer Every December I hear from both fellow critics and general moviegoers that such-and-such year has been a bad one for cinema, that there have been very few great movies released to theatres over the past 12 months. Rarely do I agree. Why? Mainly because, and I’m not just tooting my own horn, I typically watch a lot more films than the average person. As of this writing, I’ve viewed 237 motion pictures that were released to theatres in 2015 with at least one more (Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight) to go before the calendar ticks over into 2016.

So, when I say I think this hasn’t just

been a strong year for cinema, but a borderline fantastic one, I like to think I’ve got some perspective. When people disagree, part of me just doesn’t think they took the time to seek out the numerous foreign and independent gems worthy of reveling in.

Films like Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, Sebastian Schipper’s Victoria, James Kent’s Testament of Youth, Marielle Heller’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Joel Edgerton’s The Gift, Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall, Ted Geoghegan’s We Are Still Here, Alex Ross Perry’s Queen of Earth and Anne Fontaine’s Gemma Bovery sadly played to a lot of empty houses, all deserving of far more in the way of ticket sales than they received. Even high profile efforts like Danny see year in film page 8

(top row l to r) Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen (bottom row l to r) Tim Roth, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern and Demian Bichir make up The Hateful Eight – apocaflixmovies.com

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer THE HATEFUL EIGHT Now playing John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) is taking the stagecoach to Red Rock, fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) shackled next to him, the fearsome bounty hunter shepherding the murderess to town for a date with a rope swinging plaintively from a gallows. On the mountain road to Minnie’s Haberdashery, with a

hellish blizzard bearing down on them, the coach encounters a pair of stranded travelers. One is former Union war hero turned bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), the other a one-time Southern renegade, Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), claiming to be the new Sheriff of Red Rock.

The distrustful quartet make it to Minnie’s only to discover they’re not the only ones looking for sanctuary from the storm at the mountainside stagecoach stopover, four men warmly ensconced within to see hateful eight page 6

2 Seattle Gay News

December 25, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

December 25, 2015

Seattle Gay News 3

THeater 2015 continued from cover

in a diverse cast that had nothing to do with the subject matter. Kudos to Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Measure for Measure and Book-It Repertory Theatre’s Emma!

dose of charming by Sophia Franzella, at Annex Theatre. Steve Lyons brought The Ghosts of Tonkin here from Bellingham Theatre Works with a fascinating look at

tract new audiences who are looking for that kind of novelty. These shows were tops in their execution.

Best Diverse-Population Productions: Seattle is expanding in its ability to produce theater focusing on stories of niche populations, ethnically and otherwise. This year, we were able to experience a rich, graceful, ASL-enhanced production of Sound by Azeotrope that allowed both hearing and deaf to understand everything at the same time. Kudos to directors Desdemona Chiang and Howie Seago. In addition, SiS Productions gave us Paper Angels, excellently directed (with two casts) by David Hsieh, which focused on a little known history of Chinese-American immigrants, and Pratidhwani let us peek inside India with Dance Like Cast of 4000 Miles: (l to r) Adam Standley, Susan Corzatte, Adria LaMorticella and Sara Porkalob – A Man. ArtsWest also let us visit China Photo by Michael Brunk with Chinglish, the indomitable Kathy the Vietnam War. Maggie Lee helped us Hsieh leading the cast.

Let’s have more of that, please!

Best Use of Seattle Veteran Actors: It Book-It also had a great year with two have more steampunk fun with The Tumwas particularly great to see Susan Corzatte other memorable productions: Little Bee bleweed Zephyr (and will continue her in 4000 Miles at ArtsWest and Betty (with the outstanding Claudine Mboligik- steam-streak in 2016) at Pork Filled ProCampbell in Indian Ink by Sound Theatre pelani Nako) and Slaughterhouse-Five, a ductions.

Shout outs also to two valiant efforts: Keiko Green’s Bunnies and Brandon Simmons’ Is She Dead Yet? – both at Annex and both which focused on challenging themes.

Best Other Larger Theater Shows: The production that lasts and lasts in my memory this year is Taproot’s Best of Enemies. With a tight ensemble and the force of nature that is Faith Russell, that script is a winner. Also, The Flick from New Century Theatre Company, Bootycandy from Intiman, and the very, very, very funny Buyer & Cellar at The Rep make my list.

Best Other Smaller Theater Shows: Seattle Public Theater’s production of Bad Jews and the standout young actor Anna Kasabyan gets my vote as one of the best of the year.

SPT also had a winner with Slowgirl.

MUD at New City Theater was gritty and a great physical environment.

The Tall Girls at Washington EnEvan Whitfield (Daniel) and Kathy Hsieh (Xi Yan) in Chinglish – Courtesy of Arts West semble Theatre also had literal grit and a great cast. Last but not least, Theatre22 Company/Pratidhwani on stage again. Both tremendous effort for us Vonnegut fans! these great ladies still bring it!

Best Locally-Written Plays: Vincent and eSe Teatro had a winner with Water By ArtsWest gets the nod for the theater Delany’s The Art of Bad Men was not just the Spoonful, directed by the talented Julie producing consistently great work this year, well-written, but well-produced by MAP Beckman.

That’s a wrap! We’ll see ya in 2016! including Chinglish and 4000 Miles, abd Theatre and Kelly Kitchens. My Dear Miss their exciting, out-of-the-box production of Chancellor by Caitlin Gilman was a tourAmerican Idiot, Green Day’s musical about de-force of Victorian fencers, with an extra slackers.

Best Musical: Along with American Idiot, the clear rave of the year was Come From Away, Seattle Repertory Theatre’s brand new coproduction that has just ended a practically sold-out run. The uncharacteristically musically-oriented Rep also produced a lauded effort, Lizard Boy, from local talent Justin Huertas. The Great American Trailer Park Musical by STAGEright, a company that is really getting good at musicals, brought belly laughs and a particularly great trio: Loretta Deanleau Howard, Walker Caplan, and Tori Spero Dullenty.

Best Inclusivity: The buzzword is diversity, but it’s hard to find it on stage. Two Sylvie Davidson as Emma and Meme Garcia as Harriet in Emma – Photo by Adam Smith productions in particular folded

4 Seattle Gay News

December 25, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

“Laughter, Giggles, Moans and Groans; Beyond 50 Shades of Sexy”

by Mac S. McGregor and Pamela Madsen Special to SGN Maybe it’s time for all of us Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Straight and Transgender – Everyone across the binary to come together and explore with humor and straight talk what it is to bring the fun and the sexy back into our own bodies and our relationships?

As internationally known sex educators we will support you in growing the seeds of your own desires, by learning new skills without shame and with intense pleasure in this one day (with an overflow) non-residential workshop. If you have a body, you are welcome to attend!

This workshop is about breaking down the walls and finding what we all need when it comes to creating the playful and the extraordinary in our erotic lives. Gender and Sexual Orientation is simply the container.

We are going deeper. Imagine that?

The workshop will begin with a meet and greet and continue on to the morning with an optional evening event. This is a clothing-on event on Friday evening and Saturday during the day with a nudity optional lab opportunity on Saturday evening.

Here’s “the thing” about sexuality; sometimes we talk the sexy and the pleasure right out of sex! And if you are like most people, you want to get out of your brains just for a little while, and you want to get into your bodies. You are yearning to laugh and to play.

When was the last time you played with your sexuality? When was the last time you did something different?

To truly experience what it is to have sexual freedom, we need to cultivate our erotic imagination and drop the labels. For each of us, our sexual freedom and playfulness lies in our ability and willingness to create a sexuality of our very own. Forget normal. In truth, what works for doctors and some psychotherapists putting the human experiences into boxes of normal and not normal does not always serve us when it comes to sexuality. Sexuality is often politically incorrect. And, of course, that being said, “Safe, Sane and Consensual” is always a part of what we teach.

What if we were each invited to view our sexuality as a work of art, and we handed you a blank canvas that was the size of the biggest wall you had ever seen, and an endless supply of colorful paints, pencils and markers. What if we invited you to fill this tremendous blank canvas with your erotic desires? What if you felt truly free enough to create your very own sexuality without shame, judgment or inhibitions? What if we invited you to play in your sexuality?

The human erotic imagination may be one of the golden keys to having an extraordinary sex life. So many of us are raised with a spoken and unspoken understanding of what is allowable and what is not, when it comes to having sex. We are raised with this idea of what is “normal’ and “approved” and what is “kinky.”

Quite literally for many of us, our erotic imagination gets shut down and we are left with a very short list of what is allowable

please bring a bagged lunch). Dinner break on your own. Optional play shop from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Cost: $200.00 per person.

Tickets are limited! Get tickets at https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/giggles-wigglesmoans-and-groan-beyond-fifty-shades-ofsexy-tickets-19820530741 Location will be given upon registration

for us in our expression of sexuality. Everything else is somehow made “taboo” or “dirty” or “not normal.”

That leaves us either filled with shame over desires that we may think are wrong, or we simply become numbed out to the possibilities.

For others, we may simply have not explored how to cultivate our erotic imagination.

So what makes up our erotic imagination? What are some tools to free up and explore our erotic imagination?

So let’s go Beyond Fifty Shades of Sexy!

You will walk out of this workshop designed for all genders, sexual orientations, singles and couples with some wonderful ideas about how to create the playful, hot and sexy in your bedroom and beyond.

Do you want sexgasms, playgasms, orgasms and laughgasms? Then this is the perfect raucous, information-packed, fun, play shop for you. We will discuss and demonstrate an extraordinary array of toys, techniques, and ideas to get your own erotic imagination going!

You will learn all kinds of ways to extend pleasure until you are squealing with delight! And we are talking about with all of your partner’s parts and your own.

Participants will discover that both the giving and receiving of touch is not only fun and delicious, it’s also transformational and healing. Through a series of mini-lectures, demonstrations, movement, breath and touch exercises, we will open our hearts to what is possible through the power of touch.

What you will explore: Getting Down to The Basics: We will unwrap the “Foundations of Sexuality,” and not only teach you the “Erotic Equation,” we will demonstrate it for you.

Understanding the pleasures of erotic massage. Learn the basics through a live demonstration and even learn how to bring elements of kink into a massage!

How do you create an invitation for sex?

And the power of flirting! Sounds simple, but it often isn’t. We will give you the tools of effective sexual invitation and how to keep your sexual encounters in the “I want more” place to be!

Communication and Boundaries: Overcome the fear of setting limits and be comfortable with your own boundaries. Explore your own “pleasure ceiling,” and challenge

Visit us online www.sgn.org

yourself to raise it.

Exploring Gender Roles and Erotic Energy Mindful Practices ­– Movement, breath and meditations will be offered to help participants become present to the subtleties of giving and receiving touch.

We will teach you games and touch explorations – Through guided exercises, improve your touch skills and deepen your capacity to connect with self or partner(s).

Receiving Pleasure – Utilizing conscious relaxation, verbal/non-verbal communication and active receiving, we will heighten our ability to become more present to pleasure.

The Playful: Curious about “Power Games,” “Role Play,” and how to make that not only playful but a bit dangerous, safely? We got that!

Truth is, that what is known as BD/SM is a thrilling play of power, sex, and creativity.

Mac and Pamela will introduce you to role and power dynamics, exquisite toys, and some of their favorite tools for creating a new kind of play and some incredibly hot sex for you to try on your own.

Explore Sexual fantasy. Allowing ourselves to travel freely in our own mind and explore without shame or putting any labels of judgment around our sexual fantasies.

We will play with costumes. Do you have a secret sexual alter ego? Who would you be? Have you ever spent time with your sexual alter ego? We will explore that.

What about consent? Speaking your desires? Asking for what you want and don’t want in a way that can be heard? We will go there, too. It’s more than saying the right words. Consent allows you to go deeper into pleasure and we are not taught the tools. You will leave this workshop with the skills of listening to your partner and yourself moment by moment.

Come find out what you can do to make your sex life hotter, juicier, and more passionate! These tools will work for any sexual activity, including yummy vanilla or naughty kink, and can be used by people of all genders and sexual orientations. You’re welcome to come with a partner, a friend, or solo.

Workshop Dates: Friday, January 8th at 7 p.m. (wine and cheese reception); Saturday, January 8th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (snacks provided

December 25, 2015

About Pamela and Mac Pamela Madsen is an Integrative Life Coach specializing In Women’s Issues: Sexuality, Fertility, Body Image, Wellness and Rejuvenation. Pamela founded The American Fertility Association and is Co-Director of “Back To The Body: Sensuous Retreats For Women” a first of it’s kind sexuality retreat for women. Pamela has supported hundreds of women and couples to connect to their bodies for the first time, or relight their fire. Known for her playful, vulnerable and forward thinking voice she is a favorite on speaking circuit. Her book “Shameless: How I Ditched The Diet: Got Naked, Found True Pleasure and Somehow Got Home in Time to Cook Dinner” (Rodale) has been a #1 Best Seller on Amazon.

She is a sexuality blogger at Psychology Today and The Huffington Post with a readership in the millions, and has made appearances on “Oprah,” “The Today Show,” and “60 Minutes” as well as many other news outlets. You can learn more about Pamela here: http://www.PamelaMadsen.org/ Mac S. McGregor is unique in the world of sex and gender education combining his extensive knowledge around sexuality with his unparallelled expertise in Martial Arts and Energetics. A sought after teacher in the world of sexuality from energetics to kink to gender, Mac is known for his extensive knowledge in making sexuality accessible, playful and sacred for everyone. Mac is also an internationally known Martial Arts & Chi Master, has been a world champion martial arts fighter and former U.S. Karate team member. Mac has been honored with the title Shihan and Sensei. Shihan means Teacher of Teachers and He/She who paves the way.

Mac has coached 58 national champions and 29 Junior Olympic champions and holds Black Belt ranking in 17 different styles of martial arts. Mac is a leader and activist in Gender Issues and LGBTQ Rights. The Mayor of Seattle appointed Mac as a Seattle City Commissioner in 2011. This position has enabled him to be a voice and an activist for civil rights, including but not limited to the Transgender and gender non-conforming community. Mac is the Transgender and gender non-conforming outreach director for Social Outreach Seattle and a former board member for Seattle Counseling Service. He is on the Seattle Police Department LGBT advisory board. Mac has been the volunteer director and is now the VIP Co-Director of the Seattle Erotic Arts Festival. He continuously speaks on panels at numerous colleges, non-profit groups and state and city government on gender & sexuality and writes for the Huffington Post and many other publications.

Seattle Gay News 5

Rambunctious Short a satirical time bomb

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer THE BIG SHORT Now playing In 2005, oddball San Jose money manager Dr. Michael Bury (Christian Bale) discovers an anomaly in the housing market, quickly coming to the realization that the big banks have built themselves a house of cards that’s going to tumble down into pieces sooner rather than later. Much to the shock of his investors, he decides to bet the entire value of the hedge fund he runs against what at the moment is a booming market, “shorting” housing, as it were, doing something now financial analyst anywhere at any point in history would never recommend doing.

Over in New York City, Wall Street banker Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling) discovers Bury’s plan, quickly realizing he’s only scratching the surface of what’s going on with the economy as well as just how much money could be made from knowing this information first. He in turn approaches angry hedge-fund manager Mark Baum (Steve Carell) and his crack team of analysts (Jeremy Strong, Hamish Linklater, Rafe Spall) to finance his play on the housing market, the group initially skeptical of what it is he’s telling them. But once they do their own inquiries, they learn things are far worse than anyone has imagined, the bubble that’s about to burst one that won’t just effect housing, but will likely tank the entire U.S. economy right along with it.

Based on the novel by Michael Lewis, the guy who found a way to make baseball, math and statistics fascinating with Moneyball, the satirical chronicling of the 2008

hateful eight continued from cover

wait out the coming blizzard. There’s Bob (Demian Bichir), a Mexican claiming to be looking after the place while Minnie (Dana Gourrier) and her partner Sweet Dave (Gene Jones) are away. Joining him are fellow travelers Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the county hangman heading to Red Rock to facilitate Daisy’s demise, cowpoke Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), going home to spend Christmas with his mother, and former Confederate General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern), a man Major Warren is only far too familiar with.

It will shock no one to learn that little is as it seems in Quentin Tarantino’s latest genre free-for-all The Hateful Eight. One part intimate old school Western recalling William Wyler’s The Big Country, another reveling in the Italian Spaghetti theatrics that directors like Sergio Leone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and Sergio Corbucci (The Big Silence) practically invented, the movie’s most obvious comparison might actually be the works of playwright Tennessee Williams, the scenario at hand owing more to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof than it does Once Upon a Time in the West or Shane.

You could probably add Agatha Christie to the mix, as the film has a Ten Little Indians quality that’s understandably unavoidable. Even so, even with Robert Richardson’s (Hugo) lush, marvelously refined Ultra Panavision 70 widescreen cinematography, even with picturesque images of a

6 Seattle Gay News

housing market collapse The Big Short isn’t exactly an inspirational riot, even if there are ample laughs to be found littered throughout the film. Director and co-writer Adam McKay (The Other Guys), working with screenwriter Charles Randolph (Love & Other Drugs), has crafted a star-studded, character-driven think piece that’s as funny as it is edifying. The film breaks down all that happened and took place but does so in ways that are easy to understand and simple to digest, bringing together a ragtag group of eccentrics who end up making off like bandits, even if they don’t exactly feel too good about doing so afterwards.

There are essentially three plots running on parallel courses here, the two fleshed out in that synopsis as well as a third revolving around two small town analysts (Finn Wittrock, John Magaro) and a banker-turnedparanoid-environmentalist (Brad Pitt) who make the biggest play against the housing market out of all of them. Each dissects the coming crisis with procedural-like exactitude, the trio of stories revealing different pieces of an interconnected puzzle one would guess the big banks, and likely the government agencies that were supposed to be keeping an eye on them, would rather not have the average layperson put together.

What’s most interesting is how McKay and Randolph tackle the most complicated aspects of the collapse, revealing how things work and what terms like CDO and mortgage-backed securities mean using a theatrical device Woody Allen would be proud of. Taking a cue from Annie Hall, the filmmakers enlist the help of celebrities like Margot Robbie, Selena Gomez, Anthony Bourdain and renowned behavioral economist Dr. Richard Thaler to shatter the fourth wall and talk to the audience

directly, breaking things down in ways that are both funny as well as refreshingly insightful. It’s a great conceit, one the director pulls off brilliantly, and each time it happened I inched forward in my seat eager to learn more in regards to what these outof-nowhere, seemingly random guests were about to tell me.

As for the rest of the movie, it’s pretty terrific, due in large part to McKay and Randolph’s dynamically intricate script.

Same time, the director doesn’t always appear to have the best handle on things, some scenes going on much longer than necessary while others cut themselves off too quickly. There’s also some visual inorganic lumpiness that calls too much attention to the camerawork while not paying enough of it to the story being told within the confines of herky-jerky visuals. That third scenario, the one with Pitt, Wittrock

and Magaro, also doesn’t play as well as the other two, and while it’s never bad, per se, it just doesn’t feel as refined, nor anywhere near as complete, as the other two major subplots do.

Even so, the acting is universally excellent, especially on the parts of Bale and Carell, the two of them commanding the screen every time they walk into the frame.

This is also a major step up in vision and in quality for McKay, the longtime Will Ferrell compatriot branching out in a way that gets me understandably excited to see what he’s going to be up to next. While The Big Short is hardly uplifting, it still manages to tell a rambunctiously funny tale that’s as informative as it is entertaining, humor walking hand-in-hand with tragedy to ultimately craft a comedy that’s impossible to dismiss.

wintry Wyoming countryside (actually Telluride, Colorado, but who’s complaining) under direct assault from Mother Nature, this story is all about how the characters interact, coupled with Tarantino’s signature sing-song foul-mouthed dialogue. It’s a character study, one involving a group of disparate travelers all under unfathomable duress, who they are and what their collective intentions might be only ascertained step by bloody, cranium-shattered step.

This is Tarantino’s most overtly political film. Debates about race, gender, politics and economic disparity are littered throughout, none exactly coy about what it is that is being said nor how these conversations taking place in a post-Civil War U.S. relate to the discussions happening out in the zeitgeist today. Most of this, not surprisingly, directly involves Major Warren, his interactions with General Smithers, Chris Mannix and even Daisy Domergue walking a potentially inflammatory line with fearless aplomb. Jackson makes the most of these sequences, delighting in every turn of phrase, making the violence, usually coming from out of nowhere, pack a far meaner punch than it ever could have without his tremendous efforts.

Yet in a movie overflowing in glorious elements, there is a distasteful aura I found impossible to get beyond. While I’m sure Tarantino is aiming to make some rather profound statements in regards to gender norms and racial disparities in the modern world, and even though Leigh throws herself into things with wild-eyed ferocious glee, the misogynistic temperament per-

meating things drove me crazy. Daisy gets slapped around, punched, strangled, has teeth knocked out and is called all sorts of names, the majority rhyming with “witch” and “chore.” None of which would be too awful had her backstory even been slightly more fleshed out or realized, or if she could have exacted some sort of physical retribution against those manhandling her.

Instead, she’s really nothing more than a device, a way for the remainder of the characters to work out their personal issues or come senselessly flying to her defense.

There’s something repugnant about this, a thing that annoys and disturbs me in ways I cannot for whatever reason put a name to or describe as fully as I would like to. Be that as it may, Daisy feels like someone who is only around for others to treat as a punching bag or a punchline, and by the time she had another poor soul’s brains splattered all over her purple-bruised face I felt like Tarantino had forgotten about all those great female characters he’d created for Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds and Death Proof. Instead, it was like he had become so obsessed with making a statement he somehow forgot along the way to make a reasoned, let alone well-thought-out, one, Leigh left holding a rather abhorrent bag as she valiantly attempted to make the most of a fairly disgusting situation.

Even so, there’s so much going on inside The Hateful Eight I find I cannot stop thinking about it. Legendary composer Ennio Morricone (A Fistful of Dollars, The Untouchables) provides a stupendous, unnervingly magnificent score that fits

the tone and mood perfectly, while Fred Raskin’s (Guardians of the Galaxy) editing is some of the finest I’ve seen in all of 2015.

The film is also a triumph of production design and art direction, Yohei Taneda’s (The Flowers of War) handling of the former and Richard L. Johnson’s (State of Play) crafting of the latter helping to give things a lived-in look and feel that’s marvelous.

Then there is Goggins. The former “Justified” scene-stealer is unbelievably great as Mannix. By all accounts playing the scenario’s most challenging character, he’s asked to go from being a cartoonish, absurdly racist buffoon, to mixed-up bumpkin in way out of his league, to level-headed lawman ready to do whatever it takes to see justice accomplished. Goggins went from provoking my disgust to achieving my sympathies, his complex emotional evolution revealing an innate humanity that’s something close to incredible.

But what’s the point? That’s what I keep scratching my head over. Tarantino is riffing in one of his favorite genres, and it’s clear he’s having a great time. But it’s also just as obvious he’s got plenty on his mind and tons he wants to say. Problem is, little of it is clear. Worse, most of it gets drowned in so much guts and gore, not to mention irredeemable abuse and sexism, listening to it is close to impossible. The Hateful Eight has lots to love, but just as much to abhor, making it an elegant enigma that’s as frustrating as it is impressive.

December 25, 2015

Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling in The Big Short – www.comingsoon.net

Celebrating 41 Years!

Unrelentingly terrible Point Break a ghastly remake

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer POINT BREAK Now playing After the tragic death of a fellow extreme sports star, Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) attempts to reassess his life, spending the next three years striving to be the best of the best and become an FBI agent. At the end of his training, but still under the watchful eye of his by-the-book instructor Agent Hall (Delroy Lindo), the wannabe crime fighter makes a startling discovery.

Looking at surveillance footage of a diamond heist where the crooks flew out of the top floor of a skyscraper on motorcycles and then parachuted to safety, he connects the crime to another bizarre theft where the criminals plummeted out of a cargo plane into the jungle below.

With Hall’s tentative blessing, Utah is sent back into the world of the extreme sports athlete, heading into the middle of the ocean for a big wave surfing competition he’s positive the crew responsible for the two brazen robberies will be a part of.

It is here he comes face-to-face with Bodhi (Édgar Ramírez), a persuasive, charismatic man of the world who looks at his own feats of improbable strength and athletic prowess as a way to honor the forces of Nature. Utah is captivated by this fearless guru, but when it turns out Bodhi’s willing to do whatever it takes to bring what he sees as balance back to a planet teetering on the edge of self-destruction, the FBI trainee must decide whether to bring Bodhi to justice or let him carry out his idealistic plans no matter what the consequences or who gets hurt.

I’m not going to try and make the case that director Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 cult favorite Point Break is some unassailable action classic. The film, which chronicles a young FBI agent (played by Keanu Reeves) infiltrating a group of hippie-like surfers (under the command of a charming Patrick Swayze) to bring a tight-knit crew of California bank robbers to justice, is undeniably silly, so unabashedly dopey it’s hard not to imagine writers Rick King and W. Peter Iliff intended it to be that way. But Bigelow’s handling of the film is aces, the Zero Dark Thirty, Strange Days and The Hurt Locker auteur staging a number of unforgettably crackerjack sequences where the kinetic intensity is freakishly high.

More, she allows Reeves and Swayze room to cut loose, the latter, in particular, manufacturing a signature character ranking as one of the absolute best of his entire career.

Still, I do get why Warner Bros. was eager to remake the film, and I can also see glimmers of what must have inspired director Ericson Core (Invincible) and screenwriter Kurt Wimmer (Total Recall, Salt) – who fleshed out the new story with original writers King and Iliff – to get excited about tackling the project. Bigelow’s film, as memorable as it might be, was far from perfect, and as remakes of Hollywood pulp favorites of yesteryear go this honestly didn’t sound like that dreadful an idea.

Maybe on paper it might not have been,

(facing l to r) Matias Varela and Luke Bracey in Point Break – Warner Bros.

expanding things to allow extreme sports ranging from motocross racing, snowboarding, free climbing and cliff jumping (from the top of a mountain wearing wing-suits, no less) to sit alongside the big wave surfing, but execution is another thing entirely. While I respect the athletes who helped make all of the eye-popping stunt work possible, the truth is that Wimmer’s script is so horrendous it makes King and Iliff’s work on the 1991 original appear Oscar-worthy. Additionally, Core’s staging of many of the big action set pieces is laughably incoherent, the filmmaker, who also served as his own cinematographer, working with his gaggle of editors (three are credited) to craft a visually muddled smorgasbord of mayhem and madness that’s about as appealing as a snowy faceplant into the side of a rocky mountain.

Let’s start with the plot. Utah’s journey to the FBI is rightfully glossed over, as anyone who actually thinks a shamed nincompoop who helped get his riding partner killed flying over the side of a cliff would end up at Quantico probably thinks The Smurfs is an informative documentary about miniature blue people who wear cute white hats. That aside, Utah isn’t a character, he’s a walking, talking compendium of clichés, his motivations and transformation having more to do with making sure the movie gets to the next big stunt sequence than they do anything else. He’s a big, lumbering charisma-free idiot, Bracey not exactly helping by delivering a wooden, emotionally nonchalant performance that’s about as appealing as a lump of coal resting inside a Christmas stocking.

But he’s only part of the problem. How Utah ends up meeting Bodhi. Why he in turns allows the undercover agent to infiltrate his crew. The elements that are fueling the crimes taking place throughout the film.

None of that has any weight, any meaning,

and as such none of the characters – including Ramírez’s Bodhi – are allowed to make anything close to an impression. This ends up making death meaningless, and by the time hero and villain finally stood face-toface I could have cared less about either of them and likely wouldn’t have shed a single tear had the movie thrown the ultimate twist and drowned both under a massive 100-foot wave.

None of which would matter near as much if the action sequences lived up to the obvious efforts Core and his crackerjack team of athletes and stuntmen put into them. In a year where we’ve thrilled over the practical thrills and chills offered up in summertime tent poles Mad Max: Fury Road and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Point Break had the potential to outdo both of them with the adrenaline-fueled set pieces it devotes the majority of its focus to.

Unfortunately, most are nothing more than hyperactively edited, visually nonsensical hogwash, the majestic spectacle somehow inexplicably lost in all the senseless Sturm und Drang.

There is one exception, and it is admittedly glorious. Bodhi and his team convince Utah to follow them on a mysterious hike to the top of an exceedingly high mountain, at the summit of which they spend the night. The following morning?

They jump off wearing those aforementioned wing-suits and the resulting sequence is positively wondrous. Core’s camerawork is exemplary, while the editing is smoothly organized and visually seductive.

It’s also the only point Tom Holkenborg’s (Black Mass) rambunctious score becomes one with the movie around it, everything coming together in a way that only made the anemic awfulness of all the rest stand out that much more.

Awful is potentially kind. Ramírez is a legitimately great actor, and somehow this

movie makes him look amateurish and unfocused. But the same could be said about Lindo and Ray Winstone (taking over the role of Utah’s seasoned partner Pappas, failing to make as memorable an imprint as Gary Busey did in the original), Wimmer’s script throwing all three under a bus almost as if it didn’t want anything to do with any of them.

Then there is Teresa Palmer, playing the lone female character, the wistful flower child Samsara, and potential love interest fort [***change to for] Utah. In a year with so many kick-butt heroines (Imperator Furiosa, Gaby Teller, Katniss Everdeen, SinDee, Ilsa Faust, Nelly Lenz and Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Jedi-in-the-making Rey all come to mind), this might just be the most regressive female character in any major Hollywood feature this year. The movie slaps Samsara around, treats her like a tattoo-covered sex object and little else, her whole arc about as senseless, and as insulting, as anything I’ve personally seen in quite some time, something made even worse when you consider the 1991 testosterone-laden original film and the magnetic imprint Lori Petty still managed to make inside of it.

Again, I’m not going to say remaking Point Break was a bad idea in and of itself.

But missing the point of Bigelow’s original, failing to equal the bristling, comic book machismo it reveled in, while also sabotaging the efforts of the death-defying stunt people working so hard to bring the remake’s action sequences to life, Core and Wimmer don’t just make a bad movie, they make one so terrible it’s flabbergasting just how ghastly it actually is. Rarely have I ever wanted to walk out of a film before it was over. This was one of those instances where I wished I could have done just that.

You’ve been warned.

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Seattle Gay News 7

year in film continued from cover

Boyle’s Steve Jobs and Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. had trouble generating box office numbers like they warranted, both hopefully finding passionate audiences excited to crow about their virtues once they hit Blu-ray and DVD. For my part, these were all films I considered for my own personal 2015 top ten list, and as substitutes go I’d happily swap every single aforementioned title for almost – not quite, of course – any of the ones that actually made the final cut. By my count, there were roughly 35 motion pictures I’d consider top tier or better, with another 20 or so I’d rate just behind them. All of which leads me to say, yes, I do believe 2015 was

scene, most of them coming directly out of Hollywood and featuring established or rising stars in many of the central roles.

Todd Haynes’ Carol with Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara is one of these, as is Tom Hooper’s Transgender drama The Danish Girl with Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander. There was also Paul Weitz’s intergenerational abortion comedy-drama Grandma featuring a brilliant Lily Tomlin, while other titles worthy of being talked about include Stephen Belber’s Match, Rick Famuyiwa’s Dope, Eli Hershko’s Carl(a), Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and the Flash and Lawrence Michael Levine’s Wild Canaries. Best of all just might have been Sean Baker’s shot-on-an-iPhone Christmas Eve Transgender prostitute comedy Tangerine, the movie a thought-provoking, yet

Benicio Del Toro in Sicario – Cannes Film Festival via variety.com

a great year for cinema, and I can’t help but think history will bare me out on that proclamation as the years mercilessly go by.

As for themes that encapsulate the past 12 months, I think it’s safe to say this year was beholden to the past more than just about any other in recent memory. Jurassic World broke all sorts of box office records over the summer, Mad Max: Fury Road reinvigorated a franchise after three decades of dormancy and Creed spun the legend of Rocky Balboa into a new, refreshingly timely direction that had a whole new generation rising to their feet in happy exultation. Then there is Star Wars: The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams’ take on George Lucas’ interstellar world set a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Safe to say, audiences have embraced the return of Han Solo, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker with open arms, thrilling to the adventures of newcomers Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron

still riotous, look at making lemonade out of lemons, featuring breakout performances from newcomers Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor.

It wasn’t all good news. On the retro front, remakes/reboots/reimaginings of Vacation, Poltergeist, Fantastic Four and Point Break all crashed and burned, while the less said the better in regards to new chapters in ongoing series like Terminator Genisys, The Transporter Refueled and Hitman: Agent 47. As for motion pictures with LGBT-friendly themes, Peter Sollett’s Freeheld with Julianne Moore and Ellen Page might have been well-intentioned, but that didn’t make it any more enjoyable, while the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard proved to be one of the more rancid, racist and homophobic attempts to satirically tackle race, gender, sexuality and economic disparity that I’ve ever seen.

As for Roland Emmerich’s fantastically

Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road – youtube.com

their blatant whitewashing of a major historical event so offensive there just aren’t words to fully describe my continued, flabbergasted disgust.

Thankfully, there’s so much about 2015 that makes me smile I can get over my revulsion in regards to the numerous misfires, disappointments and frustrations fairly easily. Not only was it a banner year for female characters in typically maledominated genres (Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II, Trainwreck, It Follows, Creed, Sisters, Crimson Peak and Spy were all aces on that front), it was also a superb one for animated titles, Inside Out, Anomalisa, Shaun the Sheep Movie, When Marnie Was There and The Peanuts Movie each worthy of celebration. There were a number of winning Comedies,

at the exact same time.

It was also a year where a string of high profile LGBT-themed films burst onto the

wrong-headed Stonewall, I still can’t figure out why either he or his screenwriter Jon Robin Baitz thought this was a good idea,

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2. Mad Max: Fury Road George Miller’s return to the Aussie dystopian wasteland he first created alongside star Mel Gibson back in 1979 arguably

Maika Monroe in It Follows – buffalo.com

Westerns, Thrillers and Horror titles, while tiny gems like the tragically little seen Wildlike, Meadowland, Bone Tomahawk and A Girl Like Her litter the past 12 months’ release schedule and will hopefully get their day in the sun once they become available for home consumption.

As for my part, the following are my personal ten picks as 2015’s best and worst along with a handful of additional titles I feel are both worthy of a look as well as a must to avoid. Now, before 2016 begins, I’m heading back to the theatre to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens one more time, the pull of the Force just too strong for me to ignore.

TOP TEN

Inside Out – Walt Disney Studios

Juliette Binoche) who comes face-to-face with her own career mortality when she’s asked to play the older role in the play that made her a star two decades prior. Funny, thought-provoking, intimate and authentic, the film is a nimble surprise that builds to an emotional firecracker of a climax. Costarring Chloë Grace Moretz as the ingénue taking Binoche’s place and an Oscarworthy Kristin Stewart as the longtime assistant tasked with helping her maintain a semblance of sanity, the movie is an absolute joy, and as such is one of two motion pictures in all of 2015 I’ve already watched a half-dozen times happily of my own volition.

1. Clouds of Sils Maria Writer/director Olivier Assayas’s latest drama is perfect, the movie a stunning portrait of a middle-aged actress (a dazzling

shouldn’t have gone this well. Plagued by years of restarts and production delays, with Tom Hardy brought in to replace Gibson after the latter’s antics made him persona non grata as far as financiers were concerned, the first Max Rockatansky adventure in 30 years is an instant classic, a genre-mashing smorgasbord of vehicular mayhem, gender politics and imaginative vision unlike anything else to grace movie screens in eons. An instant classic, if only for the fact it gifted audiences with Charlize Theron’s complex warrior Imperator Furiosa, this is the Hollywood action flick all others will be judged against for many years to come.

3. Sicario Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario is hardly the first thriller to tackle the United States’ seemingly endless and unwinnable war on the drug cartels, Steven Soderbergh’s 2000 Oscar-winner Traffic the most obvi-

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Géza Röhrig and Levente Molnár in Son of Saul – Sony Pictures Classic

ous example, but that doesn’t make it any less magnificent. An unwaveringly tense descent down a disturbing rabbit hole, the movie fearlessly moves around in grey areas similarly themed features run in the opposite direction screaming from. Magnificently scored, shot, edited and acted, Villeneuve stages a number of hypnotic set pieces, not the least of which is an opening look inside the walls of an Arizona/Mexico border drug house where death comes easy and horror lasts forever.

4. It Follows Few films get under the skin like writer/ director David Robert Mitchell’s sophomore effort, the supernatural horror tale It Follows a gloriously unsettling look at sex, sexuality, growing up and friendship that’s as unnerving as it is impressive. Not so much scary as it is emotionally crippling,

is a saga of romance in general, the film is a beautifully realized stunner overflowing in power and passion, richly mining multifaceted emotional interiors that transcend celluloid. While Cate Blanchett is stunning as the titular character, it is Rooney Mara as the object of her affections who stole my heart, her quietly complex performance one of the absolute best I’ll see this, or in any other, year.

6. Inside Out Pixar’s latest masterpiece is one of the studio’s most gloriously imaginative, looking at growing up and emotional maturation in ways it can likely be said no other film before it ever has. Stunningly animated, sure, it is the human element that makes the film so inspired, the journey emotions Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger go on one every person everywhere can whole-

Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years – Agatha A Nitscka via telegraph.co.uk

the movie is anchored by a performance by up-and-comer Maika Monroe that should be a part of the Best Actress Oscar conversation (but sadly is not), the star so sensational it’s impossible not to expect gigantic things from her in the very near future. More than that, though, the movie is a devastating mood piece that gets better and better as it moves along, culminating with an eerie scene of insidious suburban malaise and camaraderie I found positively breathtaking.

5. Carol An adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s groundbreaking 1952 novel The Price of Salt, director Todd Haynes’ latest melodramatic opus is a quietly fiery look at romance, class status, infidelity and parenthood that digs itself under the skin in ways that are both universal and profound. Not so much a story about a Lesbian affair as it

heartedly relate to from magnificent start to glorious finish.

7. Son of Saul László Nemes’ Son of Saul is not for the faint of heart. The story of an Auschwitz prisoner tasked with burning the bodies of those murdered by the Nazis who believes one of the children on his slab is actually his own son, the film is an unflinching look into the face of unimaginable evil that overwhelms the soul. Spectacularly shot, ingeniously scripted, the movie builds to the exact place it must, yet does so with a precise, mesmeric quality bordering on hypnotic, gifting viewers with a look at WWII and its most egregious atrocities the likes of which we have seldom seen before.

8. Cinderella Disney and Kenneth Branagh join forces to prove that, just because a story is fa-

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ing way of life. A genre-bending sensation, this movie packs the type of wallop that hits you from all sides, building to a form of selfless heroism that held me spellbound in awe.

miliar, just because you don’t do anything particularly groundbreaking with it, that doesn’t mean you can’t craft a masterpiece.

There isn’t a lot of reinvention as it pertains to Cinderella, the filmmaker and the studio more than content to let the classic fairy tale speak loudly for itself. At the same time, Branagh manages to construct his most indelible and impressive motion picture since his ambitious 1996 version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the film so confident, so gorgeous, so pitch-perfect in tone, style, visuals, performances and emotion, the whole thing ends up being a bibbity-bobbity-beauty certain to stand the test of time.

TWENTY MORE (in alphabetic order) Brooklyn, Creed, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, The Gift, Grandma, Jimmy’s Hall, Love & Mercy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Phoenix, Queen of Earth, Room, Spotlight, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Steve Jobs, Straight Outta Compton, Tangerine, Testament of Youth, Victoria, We Are Still Here, When Marnie Was There.

9. 45 Years Based on a short story by David Constantine, writer/director Andrew Haigh’s 45

ANOTHER TWELVE (because I can) Bridge of Spies, Crimson Peak, Ex

Lily James and Cate Blanchett in Cinderella – Walt Disney Pictures

Years is a multilayered, memorably evocative two-person drama revolving around a longtime married couple dealing with unexpected, life-changing news on the eve of their 45th wedding anniversary. While not a ton happens, the full extent of the journey the two end up going on is massive nonetheless, what the movie has to say about love, loss and companionship a deeply personal tone poem ranking as one of the finest the silver screen has seen in ages. Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay are superb.

10. Bone Tomahawk If Howard Hawks, John Ford, Douglas Sirk and Stephen King ever joined forces on a Western, it’s likely it would look an awful lot like writer/director S. Craig Zahler’s stupendous Bone Tomahawk.

What starts off as a quiet character study slowly morphs into a four-person sojourn into the unknown to recover kidnapped townspeople, ultimately shifting one more time to become a terrifying morality tale of colonialism versus cannibalism as natives fight against the encroaching force of progress to maintain their disturbingly terrify-

Machina, Far from the Madding Crowd, Gemma Bovery, Goodnight Mommy, McFarland, U.S.A., Mr. Holmes, Ricki and the Flash, Shaun the Sheep Movie, The Walk, Wildlike.

WORST OF THE YEAR 1. Point Break 2. The Boy Next Door 3. The Transporter Refueled 4. Asthma 5. The Lazarus Effect 6. Victor Frankenstein 7. Ejecta 8. Hitman: Agent 47 9. The Last Witch Hunter 10. Fifty Shades of Grey DISHONORABLE MENTIONS (in alphabetic order) Entourage, Fantastic Four, The Gallows, Get Hard, Kill Me Three Times, The Little Death, Minions, The Pact 2, Return to Sender, Run All Night, Self/Less, Serena, Seventh Son, Stonewall, Taken 3, Ted 2, Tracers, Vacation, The Vatican Tapes, Wild Card.

Kurt Russell in Bone Tomahawk – RLJ Entertainment via filmschoolrejects.com

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Slight Daddy’s Home a minor comedic adventure

trying to one-up one another in an attempt to win approval from Megan and Dylan while also proving to their mother just how awesome each of them can be.

Daddy’s Home feels like a half-baked “Saturday Night Live” skit that’s for some reason been stretched out to feature length.

The basic thrust is rather simplistic, and where things are headed is obvious from the first moment Brad attempts to pick up Dusty at the airport. Director Sean Anders (Horrible Bosses 2), co-writing the script with Brian Burns (a staff writer on “Blue Bloods”) and John Morris (We’re the Millers), doesn’t attempt to go anyplace unexpected, keeping things moderately simple for every single one of the comedy’s quickly paced 96 minutes.

That it isn’t a complete waste of time is a testament to the talent involved, and I’m

not just talking about Ferrell and Wahlberg. Supporting players like Thomas Haden Church and Hannibal Buress play vital roles, both arguably having more laugh-out-loud moments than either of their above-the-title co-stars do. Additionally, for a PG-13 feature that pushes its rating right up to its edge (a sequence at a fertility clinic, anchored by a scene-stealing Bobby Cannavale, is especially ribald), Anders somehow still manages to craft a sweet, some might even call it saccharine, tone, fashioning an aura of familial warmth and understanding that’s moderately heartwarming.

But it’s Ferrell and Wahlberg who keep this engine revving like it does, a statement that shouldn’t come as a shock for all of those who watched the pair’s 2010 hit The Other Guys. They are a great comedic team, the two working off one another with an easygoing effortlessness that’s wonderful. Wahlberg is particularly good, his awe-shucks demeanor concealing a lethally magnetic charm that borders on Machiavellian. He’s a seductive hoot, and no matter how absurd or crazy situations might end up becoming he has a way of anchoring them in a form of uncertain, emotionally conflicted humanity that’s kind of touching. Better, he’s fearless, doing whatever he is asked, no matter how embarrassing, and as such a number of the laughs he generates feel more organic to the narrative and less robotically manufactured, a similar statement I cannot make as it pertains to Ferrell.

Still, as funny as the film can be, there’s no denying there’s not a lot going on, Anders and company stringing together a series of a loosely connected vignettes more than they’ve constructed a three act screenplay worth following all the way through to the finish line. Additionally, they’ve constructed a forgettably pedestrian role for the woefully underutilized Cardellini, the talented actress once again relegated to afterthought even though her character is the one both Ferrell and Wahlberg are going out of their way to impress. But Sarah has nothing to do other than to wag her finger at both men in her life as if they were bigger children than her actual kids, allowing Brad and Dusty to get away with boneheaded bouts of lunacy that should land them in jail, not vault them to the head of the parental honor roll.

There’s a great climactic gag, one that I surmise is a callback to Trainwreck as it pertains to Wahlberg. I will also say a sequence at a father-daughter elementary school dance is both funny and touching, a nifty little directorial balancing act on Anders part I didn’t see coming. But as funny as it might be, Daddy’s Home is too inconsequential and slight to matter, the fact it does so little with its primary female character only augmenting my feelings on this front a substantial amount. Ferrell and Wahlberg remain a potent comedy team; I just hope the next time they join forces it’s in a better movie than this one ultimately, and sadly, proves itself to be.

their views on the human condition aren’t entirely comparable I’m not too sure how apropos this actually is.

New York City in the 1950s. A shopgirl at a posh Manhattan department store, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), does a good deed for one her store’s best customers, Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett), posting her a pair of gloves she misplaced while shopping. The wealthy and affluent wife and mother is touched by the young woman’s kindness, going back to the store to express her thanks the best way she knows how, by attempting to give her a tip. But this is money Therese firmly, if still kindly, refuses, claiming returning the gloves was all part of her job and that she’s just happy Carol is pleased to have them back.

Thus starts a journey neither woman anticipated. Lunch becomes dinner. Dinner becomes trips to the country. Trips to the country become sojourns that require Therese to leave her position at the store and trust that Carol won’t strand her at a random hotel somewhere in the middle of the United States. The two are falling in love, whether they want to admit it or not, each learning things about themselves and what they want from life that go way beyond their feelings of intimacy.

The complications, however, are immense. Carol’s loveless marriage to Harge (Kyle Chandler) might be ending, but that doesn’t mean he wants to let it go without a fight, threatening to take the couple’s daughter Rindi (twins Sadie Heim and Kk Heim) away from her mother unless she stops seeing Therese. As for the former shopgirl, she’s got two different men (Jake Lacy and John Magaro) eyeing her, while the New York Times has taken interest in her talents as a photographer, messing any of that up by engaging in an affair with another woman not something polite society would consider appropriate or smart.

Haynes is in Sirk territory once again,

the look and feel of the motion picture easily comparable to the likes of Imitation of Life, Written on the Wind and All That Heaven Allows. But Therese’s journey (and, make no mistake, she is the main character) of self-discovery and inspiration goes beyond simple ideas of sexuality and gender norms. This is a young woman looking for direction, attempting to discover who she is and what mark she wants to leave on the world, Carol coming into her life at just the right moment to give her the kick in the pants she needs. Haynes and Nagy analyze and dissect this evolution with grace and intensity, peeling back layers, revealing the person aching to burst forth from deep inside a broken shell the world doesn’t notice is as damaged as it is.

It’s a stunning portrait, one that fits the era flawlessly, but at the same time is just as appropriate in today’s world even with things having changed as much as they have; the basic truths as potent then as they are right now.

Mara is sensational. She drives the movie forward, her wide eyes a sea of opportunity and adventure that burn with increasing dynamism as things progress.

She’s believable right from the start, her first scene with Blanchett at the department store counter a model of subtle emotional complexity. They way she fidgets, how she sits in a booth or allows Lacy or Magaro to brush up next to her, it all speaks to internal transformations taking hold of Therese, Mara crafting a mesmerizing portrait of self-actualization that’s delicately profound yet viscerally cathartic.

Blanchett equals her, Carol’s reaction when she discovers just how far Harge will go to bring her back into his web devastating in its animalistic ferocity. She shares a couple of wonderful moments with Sarah Paulson (playing her best friend, and former lover, Abby Gerhard), the two understanding how complicated their lives have

become and just how outside the perceived norm they find themselves, each attempting to rise above with a reserved poise that’s part posturing, part elite bourgeois classism and almost all a defense mechanism.

There’s also a terrific sequence between her and Chandler with their respective lawyers that held me spellbound, what the actress does here revealing universal truths few live up to and even less openly admit.

Haynes, the master craftsman as he is, has assembled his typical crackerjack team of technicians, chief of which being ace cinematographer Edward Lachman (The Limey) his masterful compositions, his use of light, shadow and color, beyond measure. Judy Becker’s (American Hustle) production design and Jesse Rosenthal’s (Trumbo) art direction are both equally incredible, while three-time Oscar-winner Sandy Powell’s (Cinderella) costuming is up to her customary masterful standards.

Best of all is veteran composer Howard Shore’s (Fargo) haunting score, his music the perfect counterpoint to the dramatic actions taking place throughout the drama.

It’s sad that Highsmith couldn’t claim her own novel when it was first published.

Was she Carol? Did she consider herself to be like Therese? Either way, she didn’t just understand the relationship she had crafted for her two heroines, she was by all accounts living something similar herself. Haynes takes these themes and ideas and makes them sing, never losing focus as to who this story belongs to. Carol is a timeless, brilliantly realized drama that ranks up there with the finest features the director has ever had a hand in crafting, the smile of recognition and understanding that closes things out an unforgettable celebratory stunner that shook me right to my very core.

Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in Daddy’s Home – youtube.com

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer DADDY’S HOME Now playing Brad (Will Ferrell) is a successful advertising executive working at a Smooth Jazz radio station. He is married to the beautiful Sarah (Linda Cardellini), trying his best to be a loving, approachable and caring stepfather to her two children, Megan (Scarlett Estevez) and Dylan (Owen Vaccaro). Just as things appear to be turning a corner, right when acceptance by the pint-sized duo is about to be achieved, back into their lives comes Sarah’s mysterious, free-wheeling, world traveler ex-husband Dusty (Mark Wahlberg). Suddenly it’s step-dad versus biological dad, the two men

carol

continued from cover ber of her masterful novels. Not only were her books the basis for The Talented Mr. Ripley, Purple Noon and The American Friend, it was also she that fueled Alfred Hitchcock’s timeless Strangers on a Train and helped breathe life into Hossein Amini’s 2014 thriller The Two Faces of January. Between 1950 and 1995, the year of her death from cancer, Highsmith published 22 novels, and while I have not read them all, the ones I have I adore with all my heart, her rich, complicatedly elegant prose a celebration of words and ideas beyond reproach.

Her second novel, The Price of Salt, published in 1952, is as groundbreaking as they come. Highsmith was forced to publish it under a pseudonym, Claire Morgan, the Lesbian content of the tome so diametrically different than the tricky theatrics of Strangers on a Train the publisher, as well as the author, feared the controversial nature of the story could derail a promising career before it even had the opportunity to begin. Now, over half a century later, even with Marriage Equality the law of the land, the inherent passions driving this tale forward are as potent as ever, and as such it’s no surprise at all a director like Todd Haynes would be interested in adapting it into a movie.

The result of these efforts, Carol, is an extraordinary achievement. Working with screenwriter Phyllis Nagy (Mrs. Harris), the film makes an obvious companion piece to the director’s Douglas Sirkinspired melodrama Far from Heaven as well as his award-winning HBO miniseries adaptation of Mildred Pierce. For those with narrower mindsets, it could also be described as some sort of female variant on Brokeback Mountain, but seeing as the two tales end up in entirely different places and

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Meetings Events Activities

TO GET A CALENDAR LISTING: To have your meeting or event considered for the Community Calendar, please mail, fax, or drop off details to: SGN, Attn: Community Calendar, 1605 12th Ave, Ste 31, Seattle, WA 98122.

SGN phone: 324-4297. Fax: 322-7188. E-mail: sgn2@ sgn.org. INCLUDE: Date, time, location, contact phone # for publication (if possible), brief description of event & sponsoring organization. DEADLINE: Tuesday 5pm.

ACCESSIBILITY: Is your event accessible to LGBTQ people with visible or hidden disabilities? See Jean’s List webpage www.scn.org/activism/calendar/disabilities. html for Marla Nonken’s disabilities accommodations lists.

NOTE: Phone numbers accompanying listings are within area code (206) & locations of meetings/ events are in Seattle unless otherwise noted.

community calendar

Boxing Day - First Day of Kwanzaa Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 9am. Greenlake (outside Evans Pool). Every Saturday. GLBT running & walking club sponsors weekly runs, monthly potlucks, track & field activity, annual Run With Pride. 448-8518. www.seattlefrontrunners.org.

Crystal Meth Anonymous. 10:30am. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org.

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 6pm-12 midnight. Call for location & details. Every Saturday. (253) 671-2838. www.oasisyouthcenter.org.

(Also meets Thursdays & Fridays 4-10pm.)

Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 6pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Saturday. Games also on Tuesdays & Thursdays. $4 fee includes coffee & snacks.

For more information visit www.rainbowbridgeclub.org or email rainbowbridgeclub@gmail.com

SUNDAY - December 27

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6:30pm, Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am. More info: crystalmeth.org.

Pride League Bowling. 6:30pm. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW. Every Sunday (except during the summer). Regular league bowling. Jeff, 932-3731.

Integrity/Puget Sound. 7pm-Worship & Fellowship. St. Mark’s Cathedral, Thomson Chapel, 1245 10th Ave E. Integrity is an international ministry of Gay & Lesbian Episcopalians, their friends & families, dedicated to education, support & service within the Church & the GLBT community. (425) 226-2746.

Noche Latina - Latino Night. 10pm. Neighbours, 1509 Broadway. Every Sunday.

MONDAY - December 28

SATURDAY - December 26

For information on GLBT-friendly religious/spiritual organizations in the Greater Seattle area, call or email Rick at the SGN office: 206-324-4297; sgn2@ sgn.org.

Center for Spiritual Living. Services 8:25, 9:45, 11:30am. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! Info 527-8801 ext 203, www. cslseattle.org Ravenna United Methodist Church. 5751 33rd Ave NE. 8:30am “Seattle’s most dangerous Sunday school;” 9:45am worship. A reconciling congregation, fully inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ persons. 525-7988.

Seattle Unity Church. 9am & 11am-Sunday Services.

200 8th Ave N. “Come join our Gay & Lesbian-friendly, spiritual family at Seattle Unity Church. Our mission is to bring love, miracles & spiritual awakening into everyday life!” 622-8475; www.seattleunity.org.

Seattle Soto Zen. 9:15am-Zazen Instruction, 9:30amZazen. 101 Nickerson St, Lower Level. Follow the traditional forms of the Soto school of Zen in a spirit of warmth & inclusion. Anyone interested in meditation, whether new or experienced in Zen practice or other traditions, is welcome. 323-1659, www.seattlesotozen.org Gay Men’s Bowling in Lynnwood. 9:30am. Brunswick Majestics Lane, Lynnwood. 9:30am Every Sunday.

Spectators welcome. Join us for lunch afterwards!

Sponsored by the Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force. For info email John at johndmarsh@mac.com; www.gaysnohomish.org Tacoma First United Methodist Church. 9:30amWorship, 11am-Adult Education. 423 Martin Luther King Way, Tacoma. This reconciling congregation welcomes with warm hands, warm hearts & open minds GLBT persons seeking a spiritual home. (253) 627-0129, www. fumctacoma.org Central Lutheran Church. 10am-Worship. 1710 11th Ave (just north of E Pine St). An open & affirming church, which in Lutheran churches is called “Reconciled in Christ.” “We seek to share God’s love with all people regardless of race, age, gender or sexual orientation.”

All are welcome. 322-7500.

East Shore Unitarian Church. 10am-Sunday Service.

12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue. An open & affirming congregation. (425) 747-3780.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church. 10am-Worship. 911 Stewart St. A downtown faith community centered in justice. An open & affirming congregation. 682-3620.

Unity Church of Kent. 10am. 218 State Ave S, Kent.

A welcoming congregation open to people of all races, religions, creeds & lifestyles. Join us any Sunday for an inspirational message, joyful fellowship & a fresh spiritual outlook. 253-854-9747.

University Congregational United Church of Christ.

All ages education 9am, Worship 10am. 4515 16th Ave NE. UCUCC is an open & affirming congregation. 5242322; www.universityucc.org.

Wallingford United Methodist Church. 10am-Worship.

2115 N 42nd St. A progressive congregation. In 1984 Wallingford UMC became the 9th reconciling Methodist church in the U.S. 547-6945 (office); 285-5077 (George).

All Pilgrims Christian Church. 10:30am-Worship.

500 Broadway E. Come as you are. All are welcome.

A congregation of the Disciples of Christ & the United Church of Christ. 322-0487, www.allpilgrims.org

December 26 thru January 3

Living Water Fellowship. 10:30am-Worship. 7204 NE 175th St, Kenmore. All GLBT welcome. Pastor Susan George. 963-0807. www.livingwaterwa. com Seattle Sunday Bowling. 10:30am. West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave SW (at SW Oregon St). Open bowl every Sunday for the GLBT community & friends. You don’t have to worry about how you bowl! $6.50 + $2 shoe rental. (425) 785-4725.

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

10:30am. 7141 California Ave SW. 935-0418, office@ wsuu.org, www.wsuu.org Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church Seattle. 11am-Worship. Chapel at University Temple United Methodist Church, 1415 NE 43rd St. MCC is a progressive Christ-centered faith community committed to providing a nurturing environment for individual & community growth thru Jesus Christ while celebrating unity in diversity. MCC is Seattle’s oldest Gay-friendly church. 325-2421, www.mccseattle.org.

Meditation for GBT Men. 11am-1pm. Cal Anderson House, 400 Broadway. Suitable for beginning & experienced meditators. Sponsored by Dharma Buddies.

Contact Forrest Rode, 920-6117, Mike Chin (509) 990-0007, or Doug Allison, doug.l.allison@gmail.com. www.dharmabuddies.org. (Women may wish to contact our sister meditation group at www.LotusSisters.org.)

St Paul’s United Church of Christ. 11am-Worship.

6512 12th Ave NW. An “open & affirming” congregation.

“We celebrate our diversity in religious background, sexual orientation, race, age & abilities.” 783-6733; www. stpauluccseattle.com.

Holy Covenant International Christian Community Church. 12pm. 4525 19th Ave NE. Outreach to the LGBT community. holycovenantccc@gmail.com Just for Today. 12-1:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Sunday. Drop-in 12-step (Narcotics Anonymous) group open to anyone in recovery. 322-2437; www. sasgcc.org Paths to Recovery Al-Anon Family Group. 12-1:30pm.

Seattle University Student Center, 901 12th Ave, Room 122. Every Sunday. LGBTQ supported. The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness & that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org Rain City Soccer Club - Ripple Effect. Sunday afternoon. Location varies. Ripple Effect soccer team plays

December 25, 2015

an almost weekly recreational scrimmage game for LGBTQ players in Seattle. Perfect for individuals looking for more relaxed play, who are just getting back into soccer, just learning the game and/or want to supplement their competitive play with a recreational team. To sign up visit www.raincitysoccer.org Seattle Prime Timers Rap Group. 12:30pm. SASG House, 303 17th Ave E., Room 1 (upstairs in the southwest corner). Topic: How do we approach end-of-life matters? This meeting is open to all members and the public in general. On or near Metro routes 8, 10, 12 & 43. www.seattleprimetimers.org No Safeword Writers Group. 1pm. Meets 4th Sunday each month. NSWG exists to provide mutual support for members’ efforts. Support is in the form of critique & commentary on each other’s work, information about publishing opportunities, & discussion of issues facing writers. NSWG’s primary focus is erotic writing - but they welcome anyone who writes. The only requirements are to write, to attend, & to be respectful. For info & location, NSWG@sexpositiveculture.org; www.nosafewordwritersgroup.org (Also meets 2nd Tuesday, 7pm.)

Rain City Jacks. 4th Sunday each month at 1pm; 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month at 7pm. West Queen Anne/ Interbay. Location & membership details provided upon request. RCJ is a traditional jack-off club. Friendly, sexpositive, non-profit and private. Membership required.

Adult men only. Enroll at the door. www.raincityjacks. org, email info@raincityjacks.org or call 1-888-809-5035.

Grace Gospel Chapel. 2pm-Worship. Gift of Grace Lutheran Church, 2102 N 40th St. Oldest independent church ministering primarily to the Gay & Lesbian community. An exciting fellowship ... a place to believe, a place to belong. 784-8495.

Orca Swim Team Workout. Sun: 5-6:15pm; Mon/Weds/ Fri: 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. Every Sun, Mon, Wed & Fri. Pre-registration required. Orca Swim Team workouts are for both competitive & recreational swimmers. www.orcaswimteam.org Shame to Grace Sunday SAA. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Sunday. SAA is a fellowship of men & women who share their experience, strength & hope with each other so they may overcome their sexual addiction & help others recover from sexual addiction or dependency. Seattle SAA helpline 237-8828, SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191.

SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @

SOBER - On Meds. 1-2pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Monday. 12-step group open to anyone in recovery & living on a medicine regimen. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Strength Over Speed. 2-3:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12 step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. For information visit www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org A Conversation with Jamison Green - Making the Case for Transgender Health & Rights. 6pm. Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E. Jamison Green speaks about the context for the recent Transgender movement, and its importance for our society today.

Jamison Green, PhD (Law), has spent nearly 30 years working for Transgender civil rights, health, and social safety. Starting with a grass-roots support group in San Francisco in 1988, he is now President of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. HIs work on anti-discrimination legislation, healthcare access, and insurance reform has impacted governments and businesses throughout the world.

Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Thurs @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org.

Pozitively Me! 6:30-8pm. Gay City Health Project, 517 E. Pike St. Every Monday. A group and conversation about HIV for Gay & Bi men newly diagnosed and for Gay & Bi men facing the challenges of living with HIV longterm. www.gaycity.org.

Freely Speaking Toastmasters. 7pm. FredLind Manor, 1802 17th Ave. Every Monday (except holidays & the last Mondays in August & December). Seattle’s only LGBT speaking club. www.FreelySpeaking.org Orca Swim Team Workout. 7-8:15pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.)

PFLAG/South King County Monthly Meeting. 7pm.

Unitarian Universalist Church, 25701 14th Pl S, Kent.

Meets 4th Monday each month. Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays is a national support organization for parents, spouses & families of GLBT persons, as well as those sexual minorities. PFLAG/Puget Sound: 325-7724.

Trans Youth Group. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. A chance for youth to talk with others about their experiences & concerns related to identifying as Transgender. www.lamberthouse.org Lambert House Art Night. 7:30-9:30pm. 1818 15th Ave. Every Monday. Bring your ideas & let’s have some fun.

322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org Unity Gay Men’s AA Group in Tacoma. 7:30pm. New Heart MCC, 759 S 45th St. Tacoma. Every Monday.

(253) 474-8897.

Washington Gender Alliance Support Group Meeting in Shoreline. 7:30pm. Center for Human Services, 17018 15th Ave NE, Shoreline. Meets every Monday. For information email info@washingtongender alliance.com Queers, Crackpots & Fallen Women AA. 8-9pm.

SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Monday. Open women only AA group. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.

TUESDAY - December 29

LGBTQ Questioning & Allied Youth Drop-in Group in Renton. 6-8pm. Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS), 1025 S 3rd St, Renton. Meets every Tuesday. Confidential. Snacks provided. Bring friends or come alone - anyone 12-18 is welcome. Questions? Call Sarah Hardin, 425-271-5600 ext 155, or email sarahh@rays.org Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12 step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. For information visit www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Diverse Harmony. 6:30-9pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Every Tuesday. Diverse Harmony is the nation’s first Gay/Straight Alliance Youth Chorus. Youths ages 13-22 are welcome regardless of sexual orientation. www.diverseharmony.org Queer Young Females Group - For Female-Identified Youth, Ages 22 & Under. 6:30-7:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Tuesday. Topics range from family issues to school happenings to like/lust/love relationships. All Queer females welcome. Come discuss how smart. strong Queer women live their lives. 322-2515, www. lamberthouse.org Tuesday Night Sex Addicts Anonymous (GLBTQI).

7-8:30pm. All Pilgrims Christian Church, 500 Broadway E (enter at 509 10th Ave E; buzz in, Dickson room). Every Tuesday. SAA is a fellowship of men & women whose primary purpose is to stop addictive sexual behavior &

Celebrating 41 Years!

help others recover from sexual addiction. Seattle SAA helpline 237-8828. SAA International Service Organization 1-800-477-8191.

Over 40’s Group - For Lesbian Women 40 & Older.

7-8:30pm. University Congregational Church, 4515 16th Ave NE, Pilgrim Room. Every Tuesday. Open group for Lesbian women, 40 & older, in every stage of coming out or being out. Lots of social activities in addition to Tuesday meetings. 545-3521.

Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Tuesday. (See Saturday listing at 6pm.)

Different Drummers. 7:15-8:30pm. Every Tuesday.

Hand drumming classes for Gay men. It’s easy, it’s fun & anyone can do it! Learn traditional African & AfroCaribbean rhythms & basic hand drumming techniques.

Experience connection, community & spirituality. Drums are provided. For info & location call Dennis at 363-4500 or www.outdrum.com What About Me? 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Tuesday. Drop-in social, support & discussion group for Gay & Bi men of all ages. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Here & Now Gay & Lesbian AA Meeting in Tacoma.

7:30pm. Christ Episcopal Church, 310 N “K” St, Tacoma.

Every Tuesday.

Spiritual Empowerment. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. A group for all LGBT & friends of any spiritual belief to explore how spiritual practice can enrich their life. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Bellingham. 7:30-9pm. St James Presbyterian Church, 910 14th St., Bellingham. Every Tuesday. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com. (See Wednesday listing at 7:30pm for details.)

Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every Tuesday & Thursday. GLBT & GLBT-friendly co-ed water polo team is open to all who want to play. Beginners & experienced players welcome. Check our website for up to the minute details, or call the Otter Hotline 414-8797. www.otterpolo.com.

Seattle Poetry Slam. Doors 8pm, Show 8:30pm. Rebar, 1114 Howell St. Every Tuesday. A spoken word poetry event that features a weekly open mic, feature poet, and slam (poetry competition). Come out and express yourself. LGBTQ- & QTPOC-friendly; all genders welcome. $5. 21+. seattlepoetryslam.org

community calendar

SATURDAY - January 2

(See previous Saturday for ongoing activities.)

Northwest Bears Potluck and Meet & Greet Beer Bust. 6pm. The Cuff, 1533 13th Ave at E. Pine St. Meets 1st Saturday each month. Northwest Bears is a Gay men’s social and service organization providing a focal point within the Gay community for Bears and Bear admirers. www.nwbears.com.

SUNDAY - January 3

WEDNESDAY - December 30

Mature Friends Morning Exercise/Health & Fitness Get-Together. 10am. Ballard Odd Fellows Hall Bldg, 1706 NW Market St. Every Wednesday. An hour of health-related activities, followed by a walk around Greenlake & lunch at a local restaurant. MF is a social group for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www. maturefriends.org True Colors: Connecting LGBTQ Teens in Shoreline.

4-5pm. Every Wednesday. Discussing your important issues, building a supportive community. For information, location & to REGISTER call Lindsay Bagley 362-7282 x 8018 or email lbagley@chs-nw.org GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): A Support Group & HIV/STD Prevention for Youth (14-20) in Everett. 6-8pm. CCA Building, 3331 Broadway - Bottom Floor, Everett. Every Wednesday.

Sponsored by PFLAG Everett chapter. David/Brenda, (425) 263-2908. globeleaders@hotmail.com The Rowing Team Peer Recovery Group. 6-7:30pm.

All Pilgrims Church, 500 Broadway E. Meets every Wednesday. This peer recovery group provides a safe & supportive faith community to share your recovery journey with, God answers our prayers & sends us a boat.

Sometimes rowing furiously for yourself & sometimes for others. All are welcome.

Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Wednesday. Discuss the best LGBT novels with other book-lovers in a safe, comfortable conversation. Come once or come every week.

Check our website for this month’s book. http://faculty. washington.edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/ SASG 322-2437 Lotus Sisters Meditation & Dharma Discussion North. 6:15-8pm. Ravenna Bryant neighborhood. Meets every Wednesday. Call 525-7295 for location. www.

LotusSisters.org.

Center for Spiritual Living. 6:30pm-Meditation, 7pmService. 5801 Sand Point Way NE. Blessings & we hope to see you soon! Info 527-8801 ext 203, www. cslseattle.org Seattle Frontrunners Fun Run. 6:30pm. Volunteer Park (in front of Black Sun across for museum). Every Wednesday. (See Saturday at 9am.)

HIV/AIDS Support Group. 7-8:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Wednesday. Please arrive by 7:00pm.

FREE peer-facilitated emotional support group for HIV+ men who are newly diagnosed or newly dealing. 3222437; www.sasgcc.org Ingersoll All-Trans Drop-In Support Group. 7-9pm.

Seattle Counseling Services, 1216 Pine St, Suite 300.

All Transgender, Gender Variant, Gender Queer, Gender Questioning, allies, family & friends are welcome. This is a drop in group to get & give support, social interaction & information for the whole Gender community. No fee, donations welcome. www.ingersollcenter.org Seattle Movie Bears Movie Night. Check website for details. Every Wednesday night. Gay & Bi men enjoy a movie at a local theater with opportunity to socialize before & after movies. More info: http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/seattlemoviebears; or e-mail: seattlemoviebearssubscribe@yahoogroups.com Mature Friends Weekly Bridge Group. 7:30pm. Call for location. Every Wednesday. All levels welcome. MF is a social organization for Gay men & women, 40 years & over. www.maturefriends.org

days 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.)

Strength Over Speed. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. FREE drop-in support group (not a 12-step) for Gay & Bi men who desire recovery from meth. www.strengthoverspeed.org. SASG 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Lambert House Queer Movie Night. 7-9:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Friday. Lambert House is a nationally-recognized activities & resource center for GLBT & questioning youth, ages 14-22. 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org Destiny Gay AA Group in Tacoma. 7:30pm. New Heart MCC, 759 S 45th St, Tacoma. Every Friday.

(253) 474-8897.

LGBT Friday Night Al-Anon Family Group. 7:45pm.

Seattle Counseling Service, Rainbow Room, 1216 Pine St at Melrose Ave. Every Friday. The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives & friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength & hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness & that changed attitudes can aid recovery. Greater Seattle AIS 24-hour number 625-0000; www.seattle-al-anon.org

Orca Swim Team Workout. 7:30-8:45pm. Seattle University, Connolly Athletic Center, 14th Ave & E Cherry St. (See Sunday listing at 5pm.)

Washington Gender Alliance Open Support Meeting in Everett. 7:30-9pm. Everett United Church of Christ, 2624 Rockefeller Ave, Everett. Every Wednesday.

Trained peer facilitators lead a structured support meeting helping people deal with issues of gender identity & expression. All adults are welcomed, including those who are questioning, allies, or identify as FTM, MTF, Transgender, Queer, or Intersex, among others. (360) 445-2411; www.washingtongenderalliance.com.

THURSDAY - December 31

Alcoholics Anonymous “Safe & Sober Group.”

12noon-1pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Open meeting of AA. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org.

BABES Women’s Support Group/Lunch Meeting.

12 noon-2pm. Call for location. Every Thursday. The BABES Network is a peer led agency; a sisterhood of women facing HIV together. 720-5566 or 888-292-1912; www.babesnetwork.org.

Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Thursday. (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org (Also Fridays 4-10pm & Saturdays 6pm-12 midnight.)

Everett-Snohomish County Friendship Dinner for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. 6pm. Grace UMC (formerly Firs United Methodist). Meets last Thursday most months. FREE. Everyone welcome. Sponsored by the Evergreen AIDS Foundation & SNOCO Gay Men’s Task Force. For information call (425) 252-7751.

Shifting Gears. 6-7:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Thursday. Drop-in support group (non 12-step) for anyone of any orientation or gender who desires recovery from drugs or alcohol. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group). 6:30-8pm. Call for location. Every Thursday. Sponsored by Youth Eastside Services, which offers many programs for GLBT youth.

(425) 747-4937.

Crystal Meth Anonymous. 6:30pm. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church, 1729 Harvard Ave. Also meets Mon @ 6:30pm, Sat @ 10:30am, Sun @ 6:30pm. More info: crystalmeth.org.

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation - Contemplative Service. 6:30pm. 7141 California Ave SW. 935-0418, office@wsuu.org, www.wsuu.org

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Boys’ Group - For Male-Identified Youth, Ages 1422. 7-8:30pm. Lambert House, 1818 15th Ave. Every Thursday. Youth take the opportunity to talk about issues that relate to their everyday lives, with the facilitation of a male volunteer. 322-2515 ext 16. www.lamberthouse.org Rainbow Duplicate Bridge. 7pm. Bus-accessible Central Area location. Every Thursday. (See Saturday listing at 6pm.)

Buddhism & Recovery. 7:30-9pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Every Thursday. A meditation/recovery group.

322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Gay Fathers Association of Seattle. 7:30-9pm. Group Health, 201 16th Ave E, Central Bldg, Lower Atrium.

Every Thursday. Support meetings for Gay fathers & Gay men who are currently or previously married. Safe, anonymous, non-judgmental environment of caring fathers & friends. You are not alone. For information, community events & “questioning” visit www.gfas.org or our message board at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/ gayfathersseattle Gay Male Sexuality & Relationships. 7:30-9pm.

SASG, 303 17th Ave. E. Every Thursday. A discussion group that is strictly focused on sexual topics and relationship issues related to being a Gay male. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Seattle Otters Water Polo Team. 8-9:30pm. Medgar Evers Pool, 500 23rd Ave E (at E Cherry St). Every Tuesday & Thursday. (See Tuesday listing at 8pm.) [summer break June 19-Sept 2]

(See previous Sunday for ongoing activities.)

Border Riders Motorcycle Club First Sunday Ride.

Contact Border Riders for details and rendezvous point.

Meets 1st Sunday most months. BRMC provides a social & educational fraternity for individuals interested in recreational motorcycle touring. www.borderriders.com PFLAG/Kittitas County. 4-5:30pm. First United Methodist Church, 3rd & Ruby Sts, Ellensburg. Meets the first Sunday of every month. For information, (509) 925-7937.

St Aelred’s Independent Catholic Church in Olympia.

5pm. Olympia Unitarian Church, 2200 East End St NW, Olympia. Meets 1st & 3rd Sundays each month. Worship for the GLBT community & friends in the Roman Catholic, Anglican & other liturgical faiths tradition. Fr. Bob Withrow, (360) 664-5449.

Seattle Jazz Vespers. 6-8pm. Seattle First Baptist Church, Seneca St & Harvard Ave. 1st Sunday of every month (October-June). The historic Gothic sanctuary of Seattle First Baptist Church is offered to the best jazz groups in the city to perform 100 minutes of their own popular music. FREE. For info 325-6051, www.seattlefirstbaptist.org/sjv Ski Buddies Monthly Potluck. 6-8:30pm. Meets 1st or 2nd Sunday each month (Oct-Feb). Come & hear about all the great ski trips & winter activities Ski Buddies has planned. Whether you snow board, downhill, cross-country, or telemark, there are trips & events for you. Bring a potluck dish to share. Ski Buddies is a nonprofit GLBT & GLBT-friendly club which meets regularly thruout the fall & winter, offering camaraderie & deeply discounted skiing adventures for all levels of skiers & snowboarders. www.skibuddies.org

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Happy New Year!

(Because of the New Year’s holiday, some regularly scheduled events may be cancelled or rescheduled.

Check with the sponsors of your event to confirm date, time & place.)

AA Ageless in Recovery. 12noon-1pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Meets every Friday. A drop in AA group for older & wiser people 55+. www.sasgcc.org Re-Parenting Ourselves. 12noon-1pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Meets every Friday. A peer support group for adult children of any addiction. www.sasgcc.org SLAA Road to Recovery. 12noon-1:30pm. SASG, 303 17th Ave E. Meets every Friday. Ongoing 12 step group for sex & love addicts. www.sasgcc.org Oasis Youth Center in Tacoma - For Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Youth, Ages 14-25. 4-10pm. Call for location & details. Every Friday.

(253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcenter.org (Also Thurs-

Allyship - an organization of LGBTQ individuals fighting for economic and social justice. www.LGBTQAllyship. org, allyship@yahoo.com, 279-8169.

American Veterans for Equal Rights - www.aver.us Another Gay Social Club! - www.meetup.com/AnotherGay-Social-Club/ Bellingham/Whatcom County - www.theslowlane. com/guide.html BiNet Seattle is a mixed gender, social group for Bisexuals, their partners & other Bi-friendly folks - www. binetseattle.org.

Bremerton/Kitsap County - www.outwestsound.org Capitol Hill Alano Club - www.chacseattle.org Central Washington University GALA Hotline: (509) 963-1994.

DIFFA/Seattle (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). 763-8885; www.diffaseattle.org DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & SEXUAL ASSAULT: Crisis Clinic, 461-3222 (24 hour line); King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) - 24-hour crisis line for information, support, & medical & legal assistance: 1-888-99-VOICE; Northwest Network - support & advocacy for Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian & Gay Survivors of Abuse & Dating Violence, 568-7777 (voice), 517-9670 (tty), www.nwnetwork.org; Pierce County Domestic Violence Helpline: Teresa, (253) 798-4166; Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities - offers on-going support groups for men: 323-1768; Seattle Police Dept Domestic Violence Unit, 684-0330; State Wide Domestic Violence Hot Line, 1-800-562-6025.

In an emergency call 911. Report domestic violence and sexual assault.

Equal Rights Washington - 324-2570; www.equalrightswashington.org Everett/Snohomish Cty - www.gaysnohomish.org Freely Speaking Toastmasters - www.freelyspeaking.org Gay City organizes events & activities for Gay & Bi men & offers anonymous & confidential HIV/STD testing at the Center for LGBT Health, 517 E Pike St. More info or to schedule an appointment, 860-6969. www.gaycity.org Gay & Lesbian National Hotline (GLNH): 1-888-THEGLNH (1-888-843-4564). Non-profit, peer-counseling, information & local resources telephone hotline for GLBT people across the country.

December 25, 2015

Seattle Gay News 19

FRIDAY - January 1

GLSEN/WA - Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - 330-2099; www.glsenwa.org Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) - 3639188; www.thegsba.org HIV/AIDS Program, Seattle/King County Dept of Public Health, provides confidential/anonymous information about & testing for HIV/AIDS. 205-7837. For a comprehensive list of HIV/AIDS service organizations see the GSBA Guide or visit www.thegsba.org or call Lifelong AIDS Alliance, 328-8979.

Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic & Rainier Empire - www.facebook.com/ISCSORE; www. imperialcourtofseattle.com Lambert House - 322-2515; www.lamberthouse.org LGBT Library - 517 E Pike St. Open Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. A wide range of fiction and non-fiction for the LGBT community and allies can be borrowed free of charge.

LGBT MS Connection - 250-5002; LGBTMSConnection@gmail.com. Support group for LGBT persons with MS and their partners and their caregivers. Sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Lifelong AIDS Alliance - 328-8979, www.lifelongaids alliance.org MEN: Gay City: 860-6969, www.gaycity.org; Knights of Mantra: 329-0886, www.jetchapterkofm.com; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Northwest Bears: www.nwbears.com; The Olympians: www.TheOlympians.net; POZSeattle: www.pozseattle.org; Q-Squared: www.qsquared.org; Rain City Jacks: 888-809-5035, www.raincityjacks. org; Seattle Gay Couples: www. seattlegaycouples. org; Seattle Men in Leather: www.seattlemeninleather. org; Seattle Prime Timers: Gay & Bi men 40 & over, www.seattle primetimers.org. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

MUSIC: Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony.org; Rainbow City Band: 1-866-841-9139 ext 2126; rainbowcityband@onebox.com; www.rainbowcity band.com; Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus: 388-1408, 323-0750. www.flyinghouse. org.

Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project - gayhistnw@aol.com Northwest Rainbow Alliance for the Deaf - www. nwrad.org Olympia/Thurston County: www.RainbowCenterOly. org Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Seattle Regional Affiliate supports the work of LGBT employees and the growing number of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) making a difference within local companies, including Alaska Airlines, Amazon.com, Amgen, AT&T, Bank of America, Deloitte, Macy’s, Microsoft, Russell Investments, Safeco Insurance, Starbucks Coffee, Xerox. www.outandequal.org/affiliates/seattle PARENTHOOD: Families Like Ours provides a gateway for LGBT families interested in adoption & provides a network of safe placement agencies, training, support & resources: 441-7602, www.familieslikeours. org; Family Works offers support, information & activities for LGBT families: 694-6727, www.familyworksseattle. org; Gay Fathers’ Association of Seattle offers support groups & social activities: www.gfas. org; Proud & Loud Families - Northwest, www.meetup.com/proudand-loud-families-northwest, plfnorthwest@aol.com; Queer Parent Networking Dinners: 568-7777, info@ nwnetwork.org; Rainbow Families of Puget Sound: www.rainbowfamiliesps.org PFLAG is the national organization for parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ people united for equality with chapters in Seattle, Bellevue/Eastside, the Puget Sound region and across Washington state. PFLAG Seattle: 206-325-7724, info@pflagseattle.org, and www.pflagseattle.org; PFLAG Bellevue/Eastside: 425483-6642, info@bellevue-pflag.org, http://community. pflag.org/PFLAGBellevue; PFLAG Pacific Northwest: www.pnwpflag.org; PFLAG Washington state: www. pflagwsc.org.

PEOPLE OF COLOR: Asian/Pacific Islander Queer Network Program at API Chaya, 467-9976; Center for MultiCultural Health, 461-6910, www.multiculturalhealth.org; Entre Hermanos, GLBT Latinos/as, 322-7700, www.entrehermanos.org; Ile LaiLai, 7813565, iya@ilelailai.org; Men of All Colors & Cultures Together (MACCT), 923-8313, macctseattle@yahoo. com, www.macctsea.org; Nubian Pride Productions, nubianpride@gmail.com; People of Color Against AIDS Network (POCAAN) offers rapid HIV testing, M-F, 10am-5pm, 322-7061, www.pocaan.org and on Facebook; Seattle Two Spirit, SeattleTwoSpirit@ hotmail.com; Sistah 2 Sistah, LBT women of African descent, 322-7061, 255-8951; Sistah Sinema, www. sistahsinema.com, info@sistahsinema.com; TrikoneNorthwest, GLBT South Asians, (425) 985-4376, www. trikonenw.org; Two-Spirit Honor Project, 1-866-6850164; U.T.O.P.I.A. Seattle.

Pride Foundation - 323-3318; www.pridefoundation. org Project NEON is a program of Seattle Counseling Service providing FREE information & services to Gay & Bi men to reduce health risks associated with methamphetamine use. 323-1768. www.crystalneon.org Public Health-Seattle & King County Online Comprehensive Health Information for Sexual Minorities: www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/ glbt.aspx Q Law: The GLBT Bar Association of WA - 682-6711; www.q-law.org Q Law GLBT Legal Clinic - 235-7235.

Resource & Referral Line can connect you to LGBTfriendly resources throughout Puget Sound and beyond.

Call 323-LGBT Mon-Fri 2-8pm; Sat 2-5pm. At other times leave voice mail and your call will be returned. Or

20 Seattle Gay News

community calendar

visit www.gaycity.org to view list of resources online or through Facebook.

Rosehedge/Multifaith Works - 324-1520; www. rosehedge.org Safe Schools Coalition - www.safeschoolscoalition. org; 451-SAFE (451-7233).

SEAMEC interviews, researches & rates candidates for public office on issues of concern to the LGBT community. 905-9941, www.seamec.org Seattle Area Support Groups & Community Center (SASG) is a non-profit organization that builds community and cultivates powerful, healthy lives by providing emotional support and personal development services to those affected by HIV/AIDS, the Queer communities, and those who love them. Our work is done in a spirit of safety, trust, inclusiveness, and celebration of individual differences. 322-2437; www.sasgcc.org Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities - 684-4503.

Seattle Counseling Service for Sexual Minorities is a community mental health service for GLBT persons & their families providing comprehensive mental health services on a sliding scale. 323-1768.

Seattle Out & Proud - 206-322-9561; www.seattlepride.org Seattle Police Department Sexual Minorities Community Advisory Council: kim.bogucki@seattle.gov Seattle PrideFest - www.seattlepridefest.org Seattle Treatment Education Project (STEP) E-zine is an electronic resource distributed to people affected

by HIV/AIDS, case managers, front line workers & other health professionals. Now a part of Lifelong AIDS Alliance, 328-8979, www.thebody.com/step/steppage.html Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - (202) 328-3244; www.sldn.org SHIFT: A Peer Recovery Network - www.shiftrecovery. org Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan - 860-3666; www.theabbey.org Snohomish Health District HIV/AIDS Program provides free confidential/anonymous HIV counseling & testing 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, until 7pm Tuesdays.

(425) 339-5298.

Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) - www.facebook.com/ socialoutreachseattle South Sound Q Calendar - LGBTQ events in Tacoma, Olympia & Sound Puget Sound area; www.SouthSoundQCal.com Spokane/Inland Northwest - www.outspokane.com;

December 25, 2015

www.stonewallnews.net SPORTS & RECREATION: Bent Car Guys: www. bentcarguys.org; Border Riders Motorcycle Club: www.borderriders.com; Bottom Dwellers Scuba Club: www.bottomdwellers.org; Capitol Hill Cyclers: join their Facebook group or email capitolhillcycling@ groups.facebook.com or jordan.l.simonson@gmail.com; Cascade Flyers: www.cascadeflyers.org; Different Spokes Bicycling Club: www.differentspokes.org; Emerald City Mudhen Rugby: www.mudhenrugby. com; Emerald City Softball Association: www.emeraldcitysoftball.org, www.eteamz.com/womensecsa; Ethyl Forever Car Club: ethylforever@hotmail.com; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes.com; Olympic Yacht Club: www.oycnw.org; OutVentures: outdoor education & recreation activities, www.outventures.org; Pacific Northwest Gay Rodeo Association: www.pacificnwgra.org; Puddletown Squares: www. puddletownsquares.org; Rain City Soccer: www.raincitysoccer.org; Rain Country Dance Association: a country-western dance organization catering to the LGBTQ community but open to all, www.raincountrydance. org; Sea Dawgs: LGBT ice hockey - SkateSeaDawgs@ gmail.com and on Facebook; Seattle Frontrunners: www.seattlefrontrunners.org; Seattle Gay Basketball Association: www.seattlegaybasketballassociation. com; Seattle Orca Swim Team: www.orcaswimteam. org; Seattle Otters Water Polo: www.otterpolo.com; Seattle Quake Rugby: www.quakerugby.com; Seattle Tennis Alliance: www.seattletennisalliance.org; Seattle Unified Bowling Association (SUBA): magee98106@ aol.com, www.teamseattle.org/bowling.htm, www. theprideleague.com, Century 21 League; Seattle Volleyball Club: www.seattlevolleyballclub.com; Ski Buddies: www. skibuddies.org; Team Seattle Gay Sports Network is an umbrella organization for a wide range of local GLBT sports activities, 367-4064, www. teamseattle.org (see website for comprehensive list of sports clubs); Triangle Recreation Camp at Bender Creek: recreational camping for GLBT folks. Must be 21; ID required. trc@camptrc.org, www.camptrc.org, 1122 E Pike St #1069, Seattle 98122-3934.

Strength Over Speed - www.strengthoverspeed.org Tacoma/Pierce County - Rainbow Center, 2215 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, a resource center for the LGBTIQA community of Pierce County, (253) 383-2318, www. rainbowcntr.org TRANSGENDER: Emerald City Social Club: (425) 827-9494; Gender Alliance of the South Sound: www.

SouthSoundGender.com; Gender Justice League: www.genderjusticeleague.org; Gender Odyssey:

www.genderodyssey.com; Hermanos Trans Latino & Foreign-Born Support Group: 322-7700; Ingersoll Gender Center: 329-6651, www.ingersollcenter. org; The New BoyZ Club: www.olympiaftmgroup. webs.com; Olympia Trans Discussion Group: www. facebook.com/pages/Olympia-Trans-DiscussionGroup/262449878114; Washington Gender Alliance: (360) 445-2411, www.washington genderalliance.com WOMEN: Aging Lesbians in South Seattle (ALISS): Fai, 722-0729, alissquestions@gmail.com; BABES: support groups for HIV+ women. 720-5566, 1-888-2921912; Festival of the Babes: www.festivalofthebabes. com; Lesbians Over 40: 722-0729; Mature Friends: Gay men & women 40 & over, www.maturefriends.org; Older Lesbians Organizing for Change/WA State Chapter: gloria@oloc.org, mary@oloc.org, www.oloc. org; Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives: www. pnwlesbianarchives.org; RainshadowWomen: RainshadowWomen@aol.com; Seattle Girls of Leather: www.sgol.org; Tacoma Lesbian Concern (TLC): www. tacomalesbianconcern.org; Women of West Seattle (WOWS): a fun, member-driven social group for Lesbians, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/womenofwestseattle; YWCA Women’s Health Outreach: providing low or no-cost mammograms for income eligible 40+ LBTQ individuals. Follow us at http://lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot. com, twitter.com/ingridWHO or email lbthealth@ywcaworks.org, 461-4493. (See also listings under Bisexual, Parenthood, People of Color, Transgender.)

Yakima: First Fridays - (509) 576-0276. www.gayakima.com/1stfridays.html YOUTH: B-GLAD (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Trans & Questioning Adolescent Drop-In Group): Youth Eastside Services offers many programs for GLBT youth, including B-GLAD, (425) 747-4937; Diverse Harmony: www.diverseharmony. org; GLSEN/Washington State (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) & Washington State GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) Network: GLSEN works to create safe schools for LGBT students. WA GSA Network supports youth-led GSA’s to fight harassment & homophobia in Washington state schools. 330-2099; www.glsenwa. org; www.wagsa. org. GLOBE (GLBTQ Loving Ourselves, Becoming Empowered): a support group & HIV/STD prevention program for GLBTQ youth, 14-20, in Everett, (425) 263-2908, www.globeyouth.org; It Gets Better Project: www.itgetsbetter.org; Lambert House: an activities & resource center for LGBT youth, 14-22, in Seattle, 322-2515, www.lamberthouse.org; Lifelong HEYO (Health Education Youth Outreach): for LGBTQ youth, ages 16-24: 957-1665; www.llaa.org/HEYO; www.MatthewsPlace.com; The Mockingbird Society: 323-KIDS (5437), www.mockingbirdsociety.org; Oasis Youth Center: for GLBTQ youth, ages 14-25, in Tacoma, (253) 671-2838, www.oasisyouthcen ter.org; Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG)/Puget Sound: 325-7724, www.seattle-pflag.org; Peace for the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS): 7268500; www.psks.org; Pizza Klatch: weekly lunchtime support groups for LGBTQ youth in Thurston County, www.pizzaklatch.org; Prism: for LGBTQ youth, 14-21, in Puyallup - Cherise.Alexander@ multicare.org; www. facebook.com/PuyallupPrism; Proud Out Wonderful (POW!): for LGBTQ youth, 13-21, in South King County, 206-326-9112, www.facebook.com/proudoutwonderful; Q Youth Resources: in Kitsap County - 360-698-3335; www.kchaf.org; Renton Area Youth Services (RAYS): LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth drop-in group, ages 12-18 - Sarah Hardin, 425-271-5600, ext 155; sarahh@rays.org; Safe Schools Coalition: www. safeschoolscoalition.org; 451-SAFE (451-7233) (nonemergency), 1-877-SAFE-SAFE (1-877-723-3723) (crisis line); Seattle Young People’s Project (Queer Youth Resource Board): 860-9606, www.sypp.org; Street Youth Ministries (SYM): 524-7301 ext 111; www.streetyouthministries.org; Teen Link: 461-4922, 1-888-431-TEEN; The Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor; www.thetrevorproject.org; True Colors - Connecting LGBTQ Teens: in Shoreline, 362-7282 x 8018, lbagley@chs-nw.org; Vista Youth Center: for LGBTQ, questioning and allied youth, ages 14-21, in Kennewick, 509-396-5198, www.vistayouthcenter.org; YouthCare/ Isis Program (Transitional Living Home for LGBTQ Young Adults, 18-22): 522-8412; YouthCare/Orion Center: 622-5555; Youth in Focus: 723-1479; www. youthinfocus.org; Youth Suicide Prevention Program (OUTLoud-GLBTQ): 297-5922, ext 116, 1-800-273TALK, www.yspp.org

Happy Holidays from the Seattle Gay News Celebrating 41 Years!

Volunteer Park

• BACON MANSION

E. PROSPECT ST. • SHAFER MANSION E. ALOHA ST.

12TH AVE. E.

E. ROY ST.

16TH AVE. E.

15TH AVE. E.

13TH AVE. E.

• B&B ON BROADWAY E. ROY ST. • UNDER U 4 MEN

E. VALLEY ST. 14TH AVE. E.

11TH AVE. E.

FEDERAL AVE. E.

10TH AVE. E.

BROADWAY AVE. E.

E. WARD ST.

E. MERCER ST.

MALDEN AVE. E.

BROADWAY E.

• THE CANTERBURY E. REPUBLICAN ST. E. HARRISON ST.

• BROADWAY GRILL

10TH AVE. E.

11TH AVE.

E. HOWELL ST.

.

• CLUB Z BATHS

• THE STRANGER

NAGLE PL.

Cal Anderson Park

• LAMBERT HOUSE

BROADWAY

Seattle Central Community College

HARVARD AVE. E.

• LINDAʼS • BILLʼS OFF BROADWAY

C.C. ATTLEʼS• TOMMY GUN• THE SOCIAL•

B&O ESPRESSO • BOYLSTON AVE.

BELMONT AVE.

E. DENNY WAY

• SUPERSTAR TATTOO

E AV

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• UPS STORE

• HILL HOUSE

• NEUMOʼS

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S IKE

• SIMPLY FRAMES & MINER GALLERY E. JOHN ST.

• THE LOBBY • PLATINUM RECORDS

• SEATTLE EAGLE

GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT •

• NEIGHBOURS

.

E AV

• BAUHAUS • BALTIC ROOM

BO

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• GLOʼS

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• AURIFICE • R PLACE • HONEY HOLE SANDWICHES • TOYS IN BABELAND

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• TRAVELERS • THE FEED BAG

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SUMMIT AVE.

• REBAR

• STEAM WORKS

A EW

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• THE CRESCENT

T.

S RT

• GSBA

DENNY WAY

E. THOMAS ST.

• JULIAʼS

METRO CLOTHING CO. • STUDIO 229 • PANACHE • LAUGHING BUDDHA TATTOO •

BELLEVUE AVE.

• SEATTLE COUNSELING SERVICE FOR SEXUAL MINORITIES MELROSE AVE.

HAIR CONNECTION•

E. OLIVE ST. THE SGN GLSEN ONYX LEATHER • SEA-MEC

BATHS

CLUB Z - (men) 1117 Pike near Boren - 622-9958 HOT HOUSE SPA & SAUNA - (women) SW corner of Pike & 11th (stairs behind Wildrose) - 568-3240 STEAM WORKS - (men) 1520 Summit - 388-4818

RESTAURANTS & BARS

88 KEYS - 315 2nd Ave. S. - 839-1300 BALTIC ROOM - 1207 Pine St. - 625-4444 THE BOTTLENECK LOUNGE

2328 E. Madison St. - 323-1098 C.C. ATTLE’S BAR & GRILLE 1701 E. Olive Way - 726-0565 THE CANTERBURY - 534 15th Ave. E. - 322-3130 CHANGES IN WALLINGFORD 2103 N. 45th - 545-8363 THE CRESCENT - 1413 E. Olive Way - 720-8188 THE CUFF COMPLEX 1533 13th Ave. - 323-1525 DIESEL BAR - 1413 14th Ave. - 322-1080 DOUBLE HEADER - 407 2nd Ave. S. - 464-9918 GLO’S - 1621 E. Olive Way - 324-2577 JAZZ ALLEY - 2033 6th Ave. E. - 441-9729 JULIA’S - 300 Broadway Ave. E. - 860-1818 KREMWERK - 1809 Minor Ave. #10 - 682-2935 THE LOBBY - 916 E. Pike St. - 328-6703

Clo Jan sing . 1s t

•WILDROSE • HOT HOUSE

ON

E.

E. PIKE ST. • CHOP SUEY • MADISON PUB • DIESEL BAR • PONY

MAE’S CAFE 6412 Phinney Ave. N. - 782-1222 MADISON PUB - 1315 E. Madison - 325-6537 NEIGHBOURS - 1509 Broadway - 324-5358 OUT WEST - 5401California Ave. SW POCO WINE ROOM 1408 E. Pine St. - 322-9463 PONY - 1221 E. Madison St. - 324-2854 PURR - 1518 11th Ave. - 325-3112 R PLACE - 619 E. Pine - 322-8828 RE-BAR - 1114 Howell at Boren - 233-9873 SEATTLE EAGLE - 314 E. Pike - 621-7591 TOMMY GUN - 1703 E. Olive Way WILDROSE - 1021 E. Pike - 324-9210

RETAIL SHOPS

CASTLE SUPERSTORE #17 206 Broadway Ave. E. - 204-0126 THE CRYPT - 1516 11th Ave. 325-3882 DOGHOUSE LEATHERS 1312 E. Pike St. - 257-0231 EMERSON SALON - 909 E. Pike St. - 323-7437 METRO CLOTHING CO. 231 Broadway Ave E - 726-7978 ONYX LEATHER - 1605 12th Ave. #8 - 328-1965 PANACHE - 225 Broadway E. - 726-3300 STAN’S ADULT SUPERSTORE 9630 16th Ave. SW - 762-3299 TABOO VIDEO - 1012 1st Ave. - 622-SEXY TOYS IN BABELAND - 707 E. Pike St. - 328-2914 UNDER U 4 MEN 709 Broadway Ave. E. - 324-6446 WILD AT HEART 1111 NW Leary Way - 782-5538

IS AD

ST.

M

E. UNION ST.

LA CONNER

THE HERON INN & WATERGRASS DAY SPA 117 Maple Ave. - (877) 883-8899 info@theheron.com

OLYMPIA

DARBY’S CAFE 211 5th Ave. S.E. - (360) 357-6229 LOVER’S 3959 Martin Way E. Suite D - (360) 456-7300 JAKES - 311 4th Ave. E. - (360) 956-3247 URBAN ONION 116 Legion Way - (360) 943-9242

PORT ANGELES MAPLE ROSE INN 112 Reservoir Rd - (800) 570-2007

SPOKANE

ANDY’S 1401 W. 1st Ave. - (509) 747 - 0304 IRV’S (Drag Shows) 415 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 4450 NYNE BAR AND BISTRO 232 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 474 -1621 SPOTLIGHT LOUNGE 321 W. Sprague Ave. - (509) 624 - 0722

TACOMA

BAR MYX - 1212 California St. - 425-610-4071 LOVER’S - 112 SE Everett - (425) 353-3607 LOVER’S - 3402 Broadway - (425) 252-8754

CASTLE SUPERSTORE 6015 Tacoma Mall Blvd. - (253) 471-0391 CLUB SILVERSTONE 739½ St. Helens Ave. - (253) 404-0273 THE FANTASY SHOP 2301 6th Ave. - (253) 272-6640 LOVER’S 7002 Tacoma Mall Blvd., #F - (253) 475-2271 THE MIX - 635 St. Helens Ave. - (253) 383-4327 RAINBOW CENTER 2215 Pacific Ave. - (253) 383-2318 SHAKABRAH JAVA CAFE 2618 6th Ave. - (253) 572-2787 TANDEM FOR GEAR, CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES 3019 6th Ave, Ste. B - (253) 301-3026

KENT

TUKWILA

BELLINGHAM

LOVER’S 193 Telegraph Road - (360) 752-1862 RUMORS CABARET 1119 Railroad - (306) 671-1849

EVERETT

LOVER’S 25801 104th Ave. S.E. - (253) 852-1720 THE VOYEUR 604 Central Ave. S. - (253) 850-8428 NASHVILLE’S SPORTS BAR (Drag Shows) 114 - Railroad Ave. N. - (253) 852 - 0909

Visit us online www.sgn.org

• POCO WINE ROOM

• THE CUFF COMPLEX E. PINE ST. • PURR • THE CRYPT • POST OPTIONS • DOGHOUSE LEATHERS

E. UNION ST.

SEATTLE

• THE GASLIGHT INN

December 25, 2015

LOVER’S 530 Southcenter Blvd. - (206) 248-5085

WENATCHEE

THE CELLAR CAFE 240 N. Mission St. - (509) 662-1722

Seattle Gay News 21

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10 housemates

14 Help wanted

10 housemates

14 help wanted

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11 for rent

11 FOR RENT

19 19 home services

HOME SERVICES

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12 12 housing wanted WANTED HOUSING

20 health & health & well being

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13 13 housing for sale

HOUSING FOR SALE

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20

WELL-BEING

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First session 50% off = $45/1.5 hours (travel extra). By appointment only. References available.

Chris Pringer, Reiki Master, 206286-0899. If you get a voice message mentioning “extension #,” please hang up and call back again. Brochure, testimonials, etc. via chalicebridge.com/BMIBrochure.html. 44/21 _______________________________

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________________________________ RAIN CITY JACKS Seattle’s own JO Club, RCJ hosts three group jack-off events every month. Hot, friendly, safe fun!

Adult men only. 888-809-5035. info@raincityjacks.org; www. raincityjacks.org. 03/12 _______________________________ FREE & ANONYMOUS HIV & STD COUNSELING/TESTING Walk-In or by Appt GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT 517 E. Pike St. MON-FRI: 3pm-8pm SAT: 12:30pm-5pm More Info & to Schedule Appt 206-860-6969 _______________________________ SEATTLE PRIME TIMERS A social organization for Gay and Bisexual Men over 40 and their admirers. www.seattleprimetimers.org; info@seattleprimetimers. org SGN/ _______________________________

dress for the occasion use a condom to prevent hiv & other stds

Truth be told

Jameson Currier – amazon.com

by Eric Andrews-Katz SGN A&E Writer Jameson Currier’s based on a true story is a compelling new novel that retells an actual horrific crime that never should have happened. Told in the narrative firstperson, the book explores how a quartet of Gay men interact with each other over a Thanksgiving dinner when various connections to a murder are revealed. Going beyond the actual crime itself, the book explores the relationships we have (both currently and in our pasts) with each other, our significant others, and ourselves.

Tom left his Southern roots long ago for the much less restrictive Manhattan collegiate lifestyle. It is there that he comes out and establishes an eclectic line of friends and lovers, including two men named Neal (a friend) and Scott (a lover who quickly became a close friend). Years after college,

22 Seattle Gay News

Tom publishes a book of eulogies for the many friends who have died of AIDS, and after feeling oppressed from their loss and the struggle to write anything else, decides to move to Asheville, North Carolina where he eventually meets Harley. Harley is a blue collar, slightly older, burly man who works for a tow company. After a year and a half of dating Harley moves into Tom’s A-frame cabin where they are about to host Thanksgiving dinner for Scott and his new partner, Aiden.

Both Scott and Aiden were Southern raised but moved out to Los Angeles for different reasons. Scott wanted to leave New York and start anew and Aiden to avoid the oppression of Southern Gay life.

They have traveled to Atlanta to spend the holiday with Aiden’s sister and her family.

A tragic event occurred involving Aiden’s nephew Perry, and the tensions of the tragedy’s settled heaviness cause Scott and Aiden to drive up to Asheville, NC in the hopes of having a less traumatic holiday. Aiden, the youngest of the forty-something men, is the only one that is unknown to either of the hosts. While the tragedy of Aiden’s family is known among the hosting couple, it is only after Aiden sees a picture from Tom’s past that his previous connection to the culprit is revealed. What follows is the unfolding of the tragic events involving obsession, sexual stalking, and the inevitable path that culminated in a preventable murder. based on a true story is more than a retelling of a senseless act. It explores how we relate to one another in both love and friendship. The book shows that loss can materialize in many different forms, and that the pain lingers on rippling outward,

December 25, 2015

affecting the lives of others for years to come. It explores not only how the individuals deal with tragedy, especially that with a homosexual basis, but also how the community does as well, in both positive and negative ways.

Jameson Currier is not a stranger to adapting True Crime circumstances to fiction while keeping the accuracy of the original case. By changing names and incidental details, Currier created an exciting and gripping account of the events surrounding Matthew Shepard’s murder in his previous novel, A Gathering Storm. In based on a true story Currier demonstrates his style of, once again, recreating the situations of another horrific crime of homosexual brutality. Although the longer sentences of first-person narration can be daunting to some, the book easily engages the reader bringing them into the scene as a silent observer to the unfolding of events. Despite its practically being a novella, consisting of only 153 pages, it holds the punch of a more extended account without bogging the reader down with needless details. Currier expertly and carefully explores the details of the senseless and horrific murder that is based on a true story.

than four decades of writing His work has appeared in various places including Christopher Street, Harrington Gay Men’s Fiction Quarterly, Wilde Stories, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and Newsday among many other prestigious publications. In 2010 he founded Chelsea Station Editions, an independent press devoted to Gay literature. The following year Chelsea Station literary magazine was released and since has published the works of more than two hundred writers.

Jameson Currier is the author of seven novels, four collections of short fiction, and a memoir and has spanned more

Celebrating 41 Years!

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December 25, 2015

Seattle Gay News 23

24 Seattle Gay News

December 25, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!