Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013, February 16, 2001, Page 34, Image 34

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A
lthough the weather outside hasn’t been too frightful, it’s still
the season for curling up with books and videos on a winter
night. So dish up some popcorn, kindle a fire and enjoy these
suggestions for an evening’s entertainment.
Whiling away an evening
An assortment of amusements
with women in mind
I’ ve H eard the
M ermaids S inging
the kind of people who write books.”
Eventually, Polly realizes she has
feelings that are difficult to identify:
“1 think I kind of fell in love with the
efore Canadian
curator. I know that love is a pretty
director Patricia
strong word when you’re talking about
Rozema made the
another woman, and she’s not your
lesbian film favorite
When Night Is Falling,
mother, but there you go.”
she put together a treat
Polly becomes intent on helping
of a flick in I’ve Heard
the resistant Gabrielle display her own
the Mermaids Singing.
work in the gallery. This, together
The then 29-year-old
with the arrival of Gabrielle’s young
lesbian won the Young Polly wants a girlfiend
ex-girlfriend, leads to trouble.
Cinema Award in 1987 at Cannes for this fan­
Sheila McCarthy is an absolute joy as
tastical tale about a rather clumsy young
Polly with her unexpressive, gray clothing
woman who is talented with a camera but low
and a rumpled carrot top of a head, which
on self-esteem.
gives way to a perpetually puzzled expression.
The film weaves in images of Polly’s fantasy
Polly wanders aimlessly through life and a
succession of temp jobs before landing a perma­ life (in which she can fly and say frightfully
intelligent things) as well as shots of her nar­
nent part-time gig at a small, trendy art gallery
rating the story in front of a video camera.
run by Gabriel le St. Peres, whose poise and
Careful editing keeps this from becoming
sophistication equal her name. Polly is enam­
ored with Gabrielle’s perfection, particularly in
confusing.
light of her own awkward reality.
Fantasy, story and film reality blend effort­
lessly. As an added bonus, Gabrielle’s ex dons
“She was like a fairy tale," Polly narrates. “She
some great ’80s clothes.
— Lisa Bradshaw
went to school all over the world and talked to
B
V.'
S om ething B etter S oon
Maureen Kelly • Meaux Records
T
he first thing I notice about Maureen Kelly’s
C D Something Better Soon is the strength and
tear-at-your-heartstrings quality of her voice.
She has that great combination of clarity and pain
of all raw, honest folk and country singers.
A t times she reminds me of an early Cris
Williamson. Although her lyrics are not particu­
larly “out,” her homage to love, “Swept Away,”
certainly feels woman-identified.
Kelly writes her own music and lyrics, and like any
passionate country singer/songwriter, she embraces
topics that are painful snapshots of the human experi­
ence. For instance, “Lonely Town U SA ” is about a
plant closing and how it affects the residents.
But this C D mostly is about love: hav­
ing it, losing it and finding it again.
Kelly sings, “Even brokenhearted,
come to find 1 can’t
leave love.’
ass»
;y,*y •: • •
k
F ire
F
ire is the first in Deepa
Mehta’s trilogy of elemen­
tal films, followed by Earth
in 1998 and Water, slated for
release later this year. The
Indian-born director, who
immigrated to Canada in the
'70s, says passion is the con­
necting theme in all three.
Fire takes place in modern-
day New Delhi, where Sita, a
young and beautiful bride,
enters the home of her new hus­
band, Jatin. He was coerced into
getting married by his older brother, Ashok,
with whom he lives in a traditional “joint” fami­
ly—sharing a home and all income generated
She cites Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison, Joe Cock­
er, Janice Joplin, Patsy Cline and Melissa Etheridge as
her musical influences. This is evident in her no-
holds-barred vocal style.
. Although her CD has an overabundance of midi
track backup, Kelly’s voice is able to transcend the
patently canned sound of the drums. She does incor­
porate acoustic and electric guitars; however, I would
love for her to record with a live band. If she can do
this much with what amounts to basically a band in a
box, there’s no telling where she could go with a live
sound.
Kelly is Portland-based, although she originally
hails from Wyoming. She has performed throughout
the United States and toured extensively in Canada.
She recently joined forces with two Portland favorites,
Donna Luckett and Barb Galloway.
This nine-song C D and Kelly’s earlier work Yester -
day's Child are available from www.meauxrecords.com
or by writing to P.O. Box 230685, Portland, O R
97218. If you would like to be notified of upcoming
concerts and events, you can be added to the mailing
...Lp
.
list by sending an e-mail to Maureen®
meauxrecords.com.
— Lynn Thomas
from the family’s video rental
and takeout business.
The brothers are in constant
disagreement about their living
arrangement and about Jatin’s
continued love affair with his
Chinese girlfriend, who refused
to marry him. Meanwhile, Sita
gets busy learning the family
business and helping Ashok’s
wife of 13 years, Radha, main­
tain the household.
Both Sita and Radha essen­
tially have been abandoned by
their husbands: Jatin takes no
real interest in Sita, and Ashok
has made a vow to resist desire, brought on by
Radha’s inability to bear children. Sita and
Radha soon discover a surprising— but appealing
and liberating—attraction to each other.
The movie has its problems. It’s filmed in
English, which is Mehta’s first language, but that
detracts from authenticity. And Sita is a bit of a
stereotype. She waltzes into the house, defying
convention from the very first hour of her arrival,
and pursues a relationship with Radha rather
effortlessly, as if she falls in love with her hus­
band’s traditional Indian sister-in-law every day.
M ehta’s metaphorical references, how­
ever, and the absolutely flawless perform­
ance of Shabana Azmi as Radha save the
day. She carries this movie and is a com ­
manding screen presence. W atching Radha
discover her own desires and needs and
come to the realization that she has a right
to them is in itself worth viewing the film.
Fire derives its name from the trial by fire of
Hindu mythology. A pure wife will survive the
flames unscathed, which Radha ultimately has
to do in order to escape her suffocating life.
The visual reference of the trial by fire is
a heart-stopping climax, and the final scene
is breathtakingly moody and sensual. As a
woman who left a husband to jump into the
unknown with a foreign girlfriend, I have a
hard time not loving this film.
— LB
■
W i'u Me M
\Jou
putt tva Hid.
Make Bender Properties your real estate home. Put your feet up
and relax! Details are our business. You won’t lift a finger as we
attend to every aspect of buying or selling your home-even the lit­
tle chores that others sweep under the rug. And successful? When
it comes to fresh marketing or resourceful hunting, our enterpris­
ing agents really clean house. Complete service and client educa­
tion are always our priority.
»r-
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