Competition, the fifth book in the Courting Series, is now available as a FREE READ from Smashwords here:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/253735
Originally published for the Torquere Press' Charity Sips Blitz, all of the author proceeds from the sale of "Competition" were donated to the It Gets Better Project. Now that a new year of Charity Sips is available, benefiting the NOH8 Campaign, I decided to make Competition freely available. My new Charity Sip, Dapper Gentlemen, is available for purchase here.
Thanks for reading!
Competition by J. Rocci
Officer Joshua Dabbs and his husband, lawyer Garrison Williams, met while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps ten years ago. Their lives are very different now than from when they first started dating: they're out of the Corps and the closet, they're married and own a house, and they're getting ready to adopt two kids through the state. Josh figures their life is pretty much perfect.
When their friends challenge them to run in the annual Marine Corps Marathon, they find themselves back in D.C. and visiting their old stomping grounds around Quantico. Garrison and Josh enter a friendly competition to see who finishes the marathon first.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
FREE READ now available at Smashwords!
So I'm giving Smashwords a try here, starting with a free read:
Crocodylus Acutus by J. Rocci
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/242358
Written for the GoodReads M/M Romance Group's Love Is Always Write event.
This is the first time I'm using Smashwords, so any feedback on the download process or the files would be welcomed and greatly appreciated!
Crocodylus Acutus by J. Rocci
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/242358
Written for the GoodReads M/M Romance Group's Love Is Always Write event.
This is the first time I'm using Smashwords, so any feedback on the download process or the files would be welcomed and greatly appreciated!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
REVIEW: Synetic Theater's Jekyll & Hyde
REVIEW: Synetic Theater's Jekyll & Hyde
Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili
Choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili
Set Design by Daniel Pinha
Original Music by Konstantine Lortkipanidze
Starring Alex Mills
Running September 20 — October 21, 2012 at Synetic Theater in Crystal City
So I don't think I've reviewed stage plays here yet, but I've been trying to articulate my conflicted feelings over Synetic's Jekyll & Hyde since I saw it this past Friday and I thought this would be a good forum to do so.
First of all, let me just say that Mr. Bay and I have loved and raved about the awesomeness of every Synetic play we've been to so far, except this one. He's deaf in one ear and having to triangulate sounds or hear softly spoken actors left him with a general dislike of going to the theater, so Synetic's combination of story and dance with no spoken words and only music managed to rekindle his enjoyment and is the perfect solution for us both. Full disclosure: We're subscription ticket holders.
Given that, I have to say that I was disappointed with this latest performance. It wasn't anything technical with the choreography or set design -- that was superb as always -- but rather the interpretation of the source material, Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
I could say that I disliked this interpretation because it's darker than previous Synetic plays we've seen and has sexualized violence -- but it's not that simple. I like dark plays and will tolerate sexualized violence if I feel like it has a purpose. But in this case, I feel like it didn't. Perhaps I was spoiled by Synetic's modernization of plays like King Lear (Cordelia as the gay son) and Taming of the Shrew (celebutantes in love), where they took Shakespeare's themes and reinterpreted them in such a way that the story content felt modern/timeless and relevant while staying true to the original story lines. They actually made me like Taming of the Shrew and I have very heartfelt feelings of dislike about that play.
So Jekyll & Hyde... Each Synetic performance pamphlet has a director's note explaining the artistic interpretation, usually with commentary on the themes they're exploring and then a one to two page summary of the story line and major plot points. The director's note for Jekyll & Hyde focused on technology, how we are the technology generation and not a product of it, how we lose ourselves in it and how we're defined by it. That was all well and good, I could see that theme in the original novella and imagined Jekyll to look much like the doctor in Young Frankenstein while shouting "For Science!"
What I feel like this interpretation lacked greatly was acknowledgement of the humanity of the novella, the heart of what makes us human amidst all the technology. But wait, you say, that's been done to death and this is revitalizing a tired script. I'll give you that. Pretty much all Jekyll & Hyde performances focus on the humanity of the characters -- because that's what the novella is about. Jekyll loses himself in the cold heart of science and technology, but in the end, realizes that in trying to perfect humanity, he has lost all of his.
So when I read the one page summary after the director's note, I was a little puzzled because I've come to expect great things from Synetic when it comes to gender and sexuality, and what I read was a very flat, one note description. The two lead female characters didn't even have names, while the male ones did, and were merely labelled as their archetypes -- The Fiancee and The Stripper. Mentally, I had already re-tagged them as The Madonna and The Whore. I thought it was a purposeful oversight meant to draw our attention to the role of women in Stevenson's original work, but there was no explanation provided for it. It seemed odd.
Then the play commenced and we see Jekyll's descent from a science-focused, naive young man into a Black Swan-reminiscent psychopath. Jekyll's best friend takes him to the redlight district to celebrate Jekyll's engagement to the nameless Fiancee. There, Jekyll's uncomfortable, he shakes off the advances of a male stripper, he hides his face from the women but peeks, then enjoys their attention. He's the epitome of repressed innocence. Then he and his friend save the Stripper from a mugger and he makes out with her at her prompting and has Impure Thoughts, capitalized because he can't deal. With any of it. He takes the Hyde serum he's been working on with his animatronics (an ensemble cast in leotards and gas masks that were like a physical representation of the Id more than a physical representation of technology), trying to rid himself of his Impure Thoughts that the Stripper evoked and it goes down hill from there.
Partying and sexual sadism (RAPE) ensue, until Jekyll can't control Hyde and murders a random male stripper, then hauls the Stripper off for a somewhat graphic rape scene behind a tinted glass door. Hyde isn't Jekyll, blaming other people for his problems -- he's Jekyll with no filters for his morals, even as he works within the boundaries of that morality. The Stripper is the second murder victim, with a second graphic rape/murder scene that reminded me quite a bit of The Royal Shakespeare Company's recent performance of Frankenstein (with Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch). I'm assuming we were meant to interpret the Stripper turning to Jekyll and his friend for protection again to mean that she didn't recognize Jekyll as Hyde from her first attack. Because really, he gives her guilt money in the mail and she seeks him out? Predictably, he's left alone with her and Hyde breaks free to give her a gruesome, graphic end.
At that point, I was feeling very discontent, because this interpretation was supposed to be all about our relationship with technology and the only moral I could pull from it was that we become callous, murderous, homophobic jackasses the deeper we go -- Anyone who's read the anonymous comments of an online news article could have told me that -- and also that women who are assaulted by a guy they've only encountered twice apparently imprint on them and go back for more. (Systemic abuse victims, maybe I could see it. Violent, sudden, stranger-based sexual assault victims? Not seeing it.)
There's a juxtaposition in my comment above that bothers me, too -- If there was anything I gathered from the fact that this play is all about the use of technology here, then it's that science and technology are inherently male, and that women have no place in it except as passive victims of its male producers.
See, Jekyll tries to pretend everything's normal after he hides the body of the Stripper, but Hyde takes over and tries to kill the Fiancee in her sleep (that's when it goes Black Swan with ballerina shoes and streaky black face paint) but Jekyll prevails. Then Hyde breaks free at their wedding, murdering everyone except the best friend and the Fiancee, then kills the best friend after a kiss (repressed homosexual desires? which, apparently, he'd rather murder people than face)
But! Jekyll kills himself before Hyde can use the serum on the Fiancee, and then she, after watching him go on a murder spree which included her father and all her friends, comes down to cradle him in her arms and the play ends. Because he can kill all those other people, but he can't stand to bring her, the epitome of purity, down to his depraved level. She remains The Madonna to the end, complete with spotlight as her love attempts to redeem him. She doesn't really fight back. She doesn't take her chance to run out the door and flee. She has no personality and is there as a witness, a foil to illustrate his downfall.
I think my disappointment boils down to this: After Taming of the Shrew, with its strong male and female leads who turn societal expectation on its head, I was constantly waiting for Jekyll & Hyde to give me something new, something innovative in its story line, and it never delivered. The story was one that I've seen done a hundred times and this interpretation brought nothing new to the table.
From a technical standpoint, the production was mindblowing -- hence my conflicted state. A bank of television screens of various sizes was incoporated in the production in an innovative manner, to give us a glimpse into Jekyll's mind, though at first it just seems to be a microscope until you realize it's representing his thoughts on what he's doing. Later, Jekyll or Hyde will go behind the bank of screens, only to appear on it (in a recording) and emerge from behind minutes later as the other. It was a very clever way to effect an on-stage transition without breaking the pace of the story or leaving bits of wardrobe lying about the stage. The ensemble dancers interacted with it, Alex Mills interacted with the recording of himself, and it was a way to show Jekyll having flashbacks of Hyde's actions without acting everything out (a reprieve when it came to the first rape).
Mr. Mills was really the shining piece of the whole production. He was able to switch characters in a split second, fighting himself physically on stage amid contortions that had us questioning whether he really had vertebrae or a Slinky in his back. He brought a physicality to Hyde that made him seem wanton but on the verge of great destruction at all times. His frenetic energy made the rest of the cast seem slow in comparison.
So there you have my feelings. They may seem overly negative, but perhaps I was more sensitive to the content than I realized going in and had different expectations.
We're definitely looking forward to Synetic's next play, A Trip To The Moon, by Natsu Onoda Power. A friend caught Ms. Power's interpretation of Astro Boy and thought it was amazing, so I have high hopes on this one.
Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili
Choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili
Set Design by Daniel Pinha
Original Music by Konstantine Lortkipanidze
Starring Alex Mills
Running September 20 — October 21, 2012 at Synetic Theater in Crystal City
So I don't think I've reviewed stage plays here yet, but I've been trying to articulate my conflicted feelings over Synetic's Jekyll & Hyde since I saw it this past Friday and I thought this would be a good forum to do so.
First of all, let me just say that Mr. Bay and I have loved and raved about the awesomeness of every Synetic play we've been to so far, except this one. He's deaf in one ear and having to triangulate sounds or hear softly spoken actors left him with a general dislike of going to the theater, so Synetic's combination of story and dance with no spoken words and only music managed to rekindle his enjoyment and is the perfect solution for us both. Full disclosure: We're subscription ticket holders.
Given that, I have to say that I was disappointed with this latest performance. It wasn't anything technical with the choreography or set design -- that was superb as always -- but rather the interpretation of the source material, Robert Louis Stevenson's novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
I could say that I disliked this interpretation because it's darker than previous Synetic plays we've seen and has sexualized violence -- but it's not that simple. I like dark plays and will tolerate sexualized violence if I feel like it has a purpose. But in this case, I feel like it didn't. Perhaps I was spoiled by Synetic's modernization of plays like King Lear (Cordelia as the gay son) and Taming of the Shrew (celebutantes in love), where they took Shakespeare's themes and reinterpreted them in such a way that the story content felt modern/timeless and relevant while staying true to the original story lines. They actually made me like Taming of the Shrew and I have very heartfelt feelings of dislike about that play.
So Jekyll & Hyde... Each Synetic performance pamphlet has a director's note explaining the artistic interpretation, usually with commentary on the themes they're exploring and then a one to two page summary of the story line and major plot points. The director's note for Jekyll & Hyde focused on technology, how we are the technology generation and not a product of it, how we lose ourselves in it and how we're defined by it. That was all well and good, I could see that theme in the original novella and imagined Jekyll to look much like the doctor in Young Frankenstein while shouting "For Science!"
What I feel like this interpretation lacked greatly was acknowledgement of the humanity of the novella, the heart of what makes us human amidst all the technology. But wait, you say, that's been done to death and this is revitalizing a tired script. I'll give you that. Pretty much all Jekyll & Hyde performances focus on the humanity of the characters -- because that's what the novella is about. Jekyll loses himself in the cold heart of science and technology, but in the end, realizes that in trying to perfect humanity, he has lost all of his.
So when I read the one page summary after the director's note, I was a little puzzled because I've come to expect great things from Synetic when it comes to gender and sexuality, and what I read was a very flat, one note description. The two lead female characters didn't even have names, while the male ones did, and were merely labelled as their archetypes -- The Fiancee and The Stripper. Mentally, I had already re-tagged them as The Madonna and The Whore. I thought it was a purposeful oversight meant to draw our attention to the role of women in Stevenson's original work, but there was no explanation provided for it. It seemed odd.
Then the play commenced and we see Jekyll's descent from a science-focused, naive young man into a Black Swan-reminiscent psychopath. Jekyll's best friend takes him to the redlight district to celebrate Jekyll's engagement to the nameless Fiancee. There, Jekyll's uncomfortable, he shakes off the advances of a male stripper, he hides his face from the women but peeks, then enjoys their attention. He's the epitome of repressed innocence. Then he and his friend save the Stripper from a mugger and he makes out with her at her prompting and has Impure Thoughts, capitalized because he can't deal. With any of it. He takes the Hyde serum he's been working on with his animatronics (an ensemble cast in leotards and gas masks that were like a physical representation of the Id more than a physical representation of technology), trying to rid himself of his Impure Thoughts that the Stripper evoked and it goes down hill from there.
Partying and sexual sadism (RAPE) ensue, until Jekyll can't control Hyde and murders a random male stripper, then hauls the Stripper off for a somewhat graphic rape scene behind a tinted glass door. Hyde isn't Jekyll, blaming other people for his problems -- he's Jekyll with no filters for his morals, even as he works within the boundaries of that morality. The Stripper is the second murder victim, with a second graphic rape/murder scene that reminded me quite a bit of The Royal Shakespeare Company's recent performance of Frankenstein (with Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch). I'm assuming we were meant to interpret the Stripper turning to Jekyll and his friend for protection again to mean that she didn't recognize Jekyll as Hyde from her first attack. Because really, he gives her guilt money in the mail and she seeks him out? Predictably, he's left alone with her and Hyde breaks free to give her a gruesome, graphic end.
At that point, I was feeling very discontent, because this interpretation was supposed to be all about our relationship with technology and the only moral I could pull from it was that we become callous, murderous, homophobic jackasses the deeper we go -- Anyone who's read the anonymous comments of an online news article could have told me that -- and also that women who are assaulted by a guy they've only encountered twice apparently imprint on them and go back for more. (Systemic abuse victims, maybe I could see it. Violent, sudden, stranger-based sexual assault victims? Not seeing it.)
There's a juxtaposition in my comment above that bothers me, too -- If there was anything I gathered from the fact that this play is all about the use of technology here, then it's that science and technology are inherently male, and that women have no place in it except as passive victims of its male producers.
See, Jekyll tries to pretend everything's normal after he hides the body of the Stripper, but Hyde takes over and tries to kill the Fiancee in her sleep (that's when it goes Black Swan with ballerina shoes and streaky black face paint) but Jekyll prevails. Then Hyde breaks free at their wedding, murdering everyone except the best friend and the Fiancee, then kills the best friend after a kiss (repressed homosexual desires? which, apparently, he'd rather murder people than face)
But! Jekyll kills himself before Hyde can use the serum on the Fiancee, and then she, after watching him go on a murder spree which included her father and all her friends, comes down to cradle him in her arms and the play ends. Because he can kill all those other people, but he can't stand to bring her, the epitome of purity, down to his depraved level. She remains The Madonna to the end, complete with spotlight as her love attempts to redeem him. She doesn't really fight back. She doesn't take her chance to run out the door and flee. She has no personality and is there as a witness, a foil to illustrate his downfall.
I think my disappointment boils down to this: After Taming of the Shrew, with its strong male and female leads who turn societal expectation on its head, I was constantly waiting for Jekyll & Hyde to give me something new, something innovative in its story line, and it never delivered. The story was one that I've seen done a hundred times and this interpretation brought nothing new to the table.
From a technical standpoint, the production was mindblowing -- hence my conflicted state. A bank of television screens of various sizes was incoporated in the production in an innovative manner, to give us a glimpse into Jekyll's mind, though at first it just seems to be a microscope until you realize it's representing his thoughts on what he's doing. Later, Jekyll or Hyde will go behind the bank of screens, only to appear on it (in a recording) and emerge from behind minutes later as the other. It was a very clever way to effect an on-stage transition without breaking the pace of the story or leaving bits of wardrobe lying about the stage. The ensemble dancers interacted with it, Alex Mills interacted with the recording of himself, and it was a way to show Jekyll having flashbacks of Hyde's actions without acting everything out (a reprieve when it came to the first rape).
Mr. Mills was really the shining piece of the whole production. He was able to switch characters in a split second, fighting himself physically on stage amid contortions that had us questioning whether he really had vertebrae or a Slinky in his back. He brought a physicality to Hyde that made him seem wanton but on the verge of great destruction at all times. His frenetic energy made the rest of the cast seem slow in comparison.
So there you have my feelings. They may seem overly negative, but perhaps I was more sensitive to the content than I realized going in and had different expectations.
We're definitely looking forward to Synetic's next play, A Trip To The Moon, by Natsu Onoda Power. A friend caught Ms. Power's interpretation of Astro Boy and thought it was amazing, so I have high hopes on this one.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Charity Sips and Gift Baskets!
So I crawled into the black pit of my day job and am only now seeing the light of day (and a day off) for the first time in about a month. So hello, world! (I totally miss that show. Am I the only one who remembers it on IMF?)
September is Torquere's Anniversary month. I donated some goodies to celebrate here:
September 15 prize is an awesome J. Rocci gift basket. Come enter your name to win this or many other prizes... http://www.torquerepress.com/anniversary/
Also, this year's Charity Sips are now availble in a complete package or individually, including my short little offering of Dapper Gentlemen.
Soon, I shall rejoin the land of the living. For now, I have a weekend of home cleaning/repairs in line, as much as I can with a bum knee.
September is Torquere's Anniversary month. I donated some goodies to celebrate here:
September 15 prize is an awesome J. Rocci gift basket. Come enter your name to win this or many other prizes... http://www.torquerepress.com/anniversary/
Also, this year's Charity Sips are now availble in a complete package or individually, including my short little offering of Dapper Gentlemen.
Soon, I shall rejoin the land of the living. For now, I have a weekend of home cleaning/repairs in line, as much as I can with a bum knee.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Lessons in Humility
Soooo... I've been couch-ridden for almost a week and it's given me time to contemplate the meaning of the word "humility" as well as "humiliation." You see, I sprained my knee pretty damn bad by tripping on a cat scratching post one day, and then falling in the shower the next when the knee gave out.
Yes, you read that right. A cat scratching post.
Everyone I Know In The World: Wait, you're learning a variation of Muay Thai and it's a cat scratching post you sprain your MCL on? Really?
Me: Yes. >:(
ER Doctor: ... ooooo-kay. That's a new one.
Orthopedic Specialist: ... really?
Mother: ... like, what the cat scratches?
Friends: ... wait, the cat, or the cat's scratching post? Because cats can be evil, man, maybe they're trying to kill you. If they trip you, then you're down on their level and they can go for the jugular--
Me: *facepalm*
I've been told that I should come up with a cooler story, like I was doing a round-house kick to a 6'5" 300 lbs man's head and sprained my knee on his face, or I was back-flipping off a wall and landed wrong to avoid crushing a small child, etc. etc.
But, nope. I got nothing. Just me and a modern art wavy cat scratching post I bought from Target.
And now some crutches, and ibuprofen, and couch-surfing. Because in all seriousness, when I fell in the shower, Mr. Bay thought I was dead. First time I fell, the knee didn't hurt that bad, so I went about my business for the day. Second time (first fall in shower), I pulled a silent Nancy Kerrigan with gritted teeth on the bottom of the shower stall. Then I was an idiot and stood up on my good leg. My blood pressure dropped and I went back down like a wildebeest with a lion on its ass, complete with bloodless face, unblinking eyes, and no breathing for about ten seconds. Mum knows the technical term for it, but all Mr. Bay knew was PANIC, so I've been on my best behavior since trying not to give him an ulcer.
That also means I'm antsier than a two year old with a sugar high from the enforced inactivity, and surfing the web for marathons to run in the fall while I sigh heavily and glare at the confines of my living room. So if I can focus for more than five seconds on one thing, I might finish some of the stories on my to do list. Or, conversely, I might go back to pushing myself around the house in circles on our wheeled-ottoman making pirate noises and chasing the cats.
It's 50-50 at this point...
Yes, you read that right. A cat scratching post.
Everyone I Know In The World: Wait, you're learning a variation of Muay Thai and it's a cat scratching post you sprain your MCL on? Really?
Me: Yes. >:(
ER Doctor: ... ooooo-kay. That's a new one.
Orthopedic Specialist: ... really?
Mother: ... like, what the cat scratches?
Friends: ... wait, the cat, or the cat's scratching post? Because cats can be evil, man, maybe they're trying to kill you. If they trip you, then you're down on their level and they can go for the jugular--
Me: *facepalm*
I've been told that I should come up with a cooler story, like I was doing a round-house kick to a 6'5" 300 lbs man's head and sprained my knee on his face, or I was back-flipping off a wall and landed wrong to avoid crushing a small child, etc. etc.
But, nope. I got nothing. Just me and a modern art wavy cat scratching post I bought from Target.
And now some crutches, and ibuprofen, and couch-surfing. Because in all seriousness, when I fell in the shower, Mr. Bay thought I was dead. First time I fell, the knee didn't hurt that bad, so I went about my business for the day. Second time (first fall in shower), I pulled a silent Nancy Kerrigan with gritted teeth on the bottom of the shower stall. Then I was an idiot and stood up on my good leg. My blood pressure dropped and I went back down like a wildebeest with a lion on its ass, complete with bloodless face, unblinking eyes, and no breathing for about ten seconds. Mum knows the technical term for it, but all Mr. Bay knew was PANIC, so I've been on my best behavior since trying not to give him an ulcer.
That also means I'm antsier than a two year old with a sugar high from the enforced inactivity, and surfing the web for marathons to run in the fall while I sigh heavily and glare at the confines of my living room. So if I can focus for more than five seconds on one thing, I might finish some of the stories on my to do list. Or, conversely, I might go back to pushing myself around the house in circles on our wheeled-ottoman making pirate noises and chasing the cats.
It's 50-50 at this point...
Monday, May 28, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Crocodylus Acutus by J. Rocci
My free story on GoodReads is available now on the M/M Discussion Group here!
Craig is a crocodile shifter who loves nothing more than to sit in the river all day among his pure croc brethren. Over the past few days he's been watching this cute conservationist gather data about his dwindling habitat. But when the guy falls into the mud, the rest of the crocs think lunch but Craig thinks love.
genre: contemporary; fantasy
tags: college; scientist; shifters; shifters (non-wolf/cat); geeks/nerds; soul mates or bonded
content warnings: none
words: 5,698
Stay tuned in coming months for the PDF anthology download!
Craig is a crocodile shifter who loves nothing more than to sit in the river all day among his pure croc brethren. Over the past few days he's been watching this cute conservationist gather data about his dwindling habitat. But when the guy falls into the mud, the rest of the crocs think lunch but Craig thinks love.
genre: contemporary; fantasy
tags: college; scientist; shifters; shifters (non-wolf/cat); geeks/nerds; soul mates or bonded
content warnings: none
words: 5,698
Stay tuned in coming months for the PDF anthology download!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Over on the Torquere Livejournal!
I'm not dead yet! I don't want to go on the cart!
Find out about my little writing world hiatus over on the Torquere Livejournal today and enter to win a $10 Torquere Press gift certificate!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
REVIEW: Bear Cub (2004)
Movie Review: Cachorro (2004)
English translation: Bear Cub
Review by J. Rocci
Rating: Rated R for sexuality, drug use and language
Starring: José Luis GarcÃa Pérez, David Castillo and Empar Ferrer
Language: Spanish with English subtitles
IMDB.com synopsis
Pedro, a gay man with an active social life and big circle of friends, takes in his nephew Bernardo for a couple weeks. When it appears as though it might become a permanent arrangement, however, Pedro turns to his friends for guidance as he and 9-year-old Bernardo begin to forge a household together.
J thinks:
I'm debating on how much I liked this film. I mean, I liked it-- The plot was original, it made you put a lot together on your own first, then validated your conclusions, and the relationships in it were obviously complex.
My only complaint is that the climax felt more like an epilogue than a culmination of all the rising action. It didn't leave you hanging, but it felt pared down (Perhaps due to time constraints?) and not as fleshed out as the rest of the movie. It was true to the characters, yes, but still. It felt rushed.
But I liked all the characters, and it was definitely a movie that emphasized shades-of-grey rather than falling into obvious stereotypes. Pedro, the main character, has reasons for acting the way he does and keeping people distant, but he's a nice guy about it so you really can't hold it against him. Bernardo sees/knows more than everyone expects him to (except his mother), and he's not a total brat about it. He's a mature kid who still acts like a kid at times, making him very believable. I even felt bad for the grandmother.
All in all, a film with complex characterizations that really carry the whole thing, and through that, the plot is believable. I'd recommend it for people who aren't looking for heavy action and want a film to dissect afterwards.
English translation: Bear Cub
Review by J. Rocci
Rating: Rated R for sexuality, drug use and language
Starring: José Luis GarcÃa Pérez, David Castillo and Empar Ferrer
Language: Spanish with English subtitles
IMDB.com synopsis
Pedro, a gay man with an active social life and big circle of friends, takes in his nephew Bernardo for a couple weeks. When it appears as though it might become a permanent arrangement, however, Pedro turns to his friends for guidance as he and 9-year-old Bernardo begin to forge a household together.
J thinks:
I'm debating on how much I liked this film. I mean, I liked it-- The plot was original, it made you put a lot together on your own first, then validated your conclusions, and the relationships in it were obviously complex.
My only complaint is that the climax felt more like an epilogue than a culmination of all the rising action. It didn't leave you hanging, but it felt pared down (Perhaps due to time constraints?) and not as fleshed out as the rest of the movie. It was true to the characters, yes, but still. It felt rushed.
But I liked all the characters, and it was definitely a movie that emphasized shades-of-grey rather than falling into obvious stereotypes. Pedro, the main character, has reasons for acting the way he does and keeping people distant, but he's a nice guy about it so you really can't hold it against him. Bernardo sees/knows more than everyone expects him to (except his mother), and he's not a total brat about it. He's a mature kid who still acts like a kid at times, making him very believable. I even felt bad for the grandmother.
All in all, a film with complex characterizations that really carry the whole thing, and through that, the plot is believable. I'd recommend it for people who aren't looking for heavy action and want a film to dissect afterwards.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Please, stay safe and be well, and be kind to each other.
Normally I'd reserve this for my personal journal, but in the spirit of the season that so many others celebrate, I'd like to share this -- my own personal celebration of life -- with you while wishing you good health, and happiness, and good fortune in all you endeavor.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid al-Adha, Yule or the solstice; whether you're religious, agnostic, atheist or just plain apathetic; whether you're young, old, rich, poor, privileged, under-privileged, male, female, man, woman, gay, straight, anywhere in between -- You are all part of this global community we live in and you're welcome here, at my table. Pull up a chair :)
So this past year was a little rough on my tiny household. I lost a grandmother, a mentor, and a canine companion. I watched as my friends lost mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, and siblings. I've watched the world fall to pieces and lose all semblance of civility, but I've also seen the sweetest, kindest acts come from unexpected places. I traveled to Ireland, published more stories, and tried to be a little more open to letting others in. Even in the darkest spots, I've been grateful for the love and support of my beloved, the closeness of our friends, and the strength of the family we have carved out for ourselves over this past decade.
I am so lucky, and I know full well that luck can change in an instant. I won't take unnecessary risks, but I won't live in fear of that inevitable moment. Fear, I think, is the root of most of our actions. It defines us as humans. But so does love.
Years ago, when I was researching a fanfic of all things, I came across a quote by Vaclav Havel and it resonated within me, as someone who believes you can do good acts and be a good person without religion or sharing a faith with others:
"Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good." Vaclav Havel (Czech Playwright and President of Czechoslovakia (1989-92), b.1936, d. 2011)
When he passed away this last Sunday, my first reaction was sadness. It was quickly overcome by my admiration for him and the realization that, here I am, a person sitting on their couch in America, mourning the loss of a man half a world away and remembering him for what he did and what he symbolized and who he was -- that, friends, is someone whose goodness has touched more lives than he could have ever realized.
So I want to wish you well, not just for this day or week or season, but for all your years beyond, all your tomorrows and yesterdays and the unfolding potential beneath your feet. Even when the world seems like a grim and dark place, and you wonder if you'll ever get out of a funk or stop being lonely or stop fearing others or yourself--
It does get better. Because when you stumble, there are others who are willing to carry your burdens and your hopes for you until you find your feet again. There are good people out in the world, regardless of faith or creed, who strive and push and pull the rest of us toward mercy and love and understanding; who we can only try to emulate and carry on even when they themselves stumble. Because everyone hits those rough patches and there's no shame in reaching out for help.
When it comes down to it, we're all each other have, cliché as it is, with all these fragile human relationships and connections. When we harm each other with fists and words, we're harming ourselves most of all. We box ourselves in our comfortable little holes and patterns, and fear anything that threatens to drag us out. To constantly open ourselves up to the world and all that it entails -- it's exhausting, it can be painful and terrifying, but it can also be so beautiful and interesting and diverse and breath-taking in its constant seething mass of humanity.
When my heart aches and I see the bittersweet shapes the world has twisted itself into, I want to pick up my pen and write a love story to the universe. I want to compose a sonnet dedicated to the bravery of our children, and more than anything, I want to sweep my brush across a page and promise them kindness and love and happily-ever-afters.
I want to smudge hate and violence out of existence, exit stage right. I want the villains to be caricatures, twirling their mustaches and winking at the audience, easy to identify, and for them to never once use their religion -- or anything else that's meant to do good deeds -- as a weapon. I want my pen to fly across scrolls of paper, draped over the shoulders of my heroes like wings waiting for the right words to let them take flight.
I want to give the gift of unashamed emotion, rather than hiding behind a clenched jaw and loose fists. I want my lips and tongue and fingers to be sore from trying to express this bright feeling bursting in my chest, instead of trying to fix what others have broken.
I want to ink a story over my skin where I can raise up my chin and open my eyes and say: This -- this busy street, this noisy house, this crowded kitchen -- this is the hearth of my heart, where banked embers flare. I will remember that, no matter how cold outside, in here is where I return to warmth and love and family. The lifeblood in my veins, the breath in my lungs; they're steeped in this warmth and it echoes in my every step. Even when I'm tired or frustrated or sorrowful, I can carry that beauty -- that love story -- in me, and blaze a trail of pure feeling across the pavement; a beacon and a promise and a wish. I can do this and not lose pieces of myself, because my faith is in myself and in you, and our inherent drive to love and accept one another.
So my heartfelt wish for you, friends:
Please, stay safe and be well, and be kind to each other. We all deserve it.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Eid al-Adha, Yule or the solstice; whether you're religious, agnostic, atheist or just plain apathetic; whether you're young, old, rich, poor, privileged, under-privileged, male, female, man, woman, gay, straight, anywhere in between -- You are all part of this global community we live in and you're welcome here, at my table. Pull up a chair :)
So this past year was a little rough on my tiny household. I lost a grandmother, a mentor, and a canine companion. I watched as my friends lost mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, and siblings. I've watched the world fall to pieces and lose all semblance of civility, but I've also seen the sweetest, kindest acts come from unexpected places. I traveled to Ireland, published more stories, and tried to be a little more open to letting others in. Even in the darkest spots, I've been grateful for the love and support of my beloved, the closeness of our friends, and the strength of the family we have carved out for ourselves over this past decade.
I am so lucky, and I know full well that luck can change in an instant. I won't take unnecessary risks, but I won't live in fear of that inevitable moment. Fear, I think, is the root of most of our actions. It defines us as humans. But so does love.
Years ago, when I was researching a fanfic of all things, I came across a quote by Vaclav Havel and it resonated within me, as someone who believes you can do good acts and be a good person without religion or sharing a faith with others:
"Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good." Vaclav Havel (Czech Playwright and President of Czechoslovakia (1989-92), b.1936, d. 2011)
When he passed away this last Sunday, my first reaction was sadness. It was quickly overcome by my admiration for him and the realization that, here I am, a person sitting on their couch in America, mourning the loss of a man half a world away and remembering him for what he did and what he symbolized and who he was -- that, friends, is someone whose goodness has touched more lives than he could have ever realized.
So I want to wish you well, not just for this day or week or season, but for all your years beyond, all your tomorrows and yesterdays and the unfolding potential beneath your feet. Even when the world seems like a grim and dark place, and you wonder if you'll ever get out of a funk or stop being lonely or stop fearing others or yourself--
It does get better. Because when you stumble, there are others who are willing to carry your burdens and your hopes for you until you find your feet again. There are good people out in the world, regardless of faith or creed, who strive and push and pull the rest of us toward mercy and love and understanding; who we can only try to emulate and carry on even when they themselves stumble. Because everyone hits those rough patches and there's no shame in reaching out for help.
When it comes down to it, we're all each other have, cliché as it is, with all these fragile human relationships and connections. When we harm each other with fists and words, we're harming ourselves most of all. We box ourselves in our comfortable little holes and patterns, and fear anything that threatens to drag us out. To constantly open ourselves up to the world and all that it entails -- it's exhausting, it can be painful and terrifying, but it can also be so beautiful and interesting and diverse and breath-taking in its constant seething mass of humanity.
When my heart aches and I see the bittersweet shapes the world has twisted itself into, I want to pick up my pen and write a love story to the universe. I want to compose a sonnet dedicated to the bravery of our children, and more than anything, I want to sweep my brush across a page and promise them kindness and love and happily-ever-afters.
I want to smudge hate and violence out of existence, exit stage right. I want the villains to be caricatures, twirling their mustaches and winking at the audience, easy to identify, and for them to never once use their religion -- or anything else that's meant to do good deeds -- as a weapon. I want my pen to fly across scrolls of paper, draped over the shoulders of my heroes like wings waiting for the right words to let them take flight.
I want to give the gift of unashamed emotion, rather than hiding behind a clenched jaw and loose fists. I want my lips and tongue and fingers to be sore from trying to express this bright feeling bursting in my chest, instead of trying to fix what others have broken.
I want to ink a story over my skin where I can raise up my chin and open my eyes and say: This -- this busy street, this noisy house, this crowded kitchen -- this is the hearth of my heart, where banked embers flare. I will remember that, no matter how cold outside, in here is where I return to warmth and love and family. The lifeblood in my veins, the breath in my lungs; they're steeped in this warmth and it echoes in my every step. Even when I'm tired or frustrated or sorrowful, I can carry that beauty -- that love story -- in me, and blaze a trail of pure feeling across the pavement; a beacon and a promise and a wish. I can do this and not lose pieces of myself, because my faith is in myself and in you, and our inherent drive to love and accept one another.
So my heartfelt wish for you, friends:
Please, stay safe and be well, and be kind to each other. We all deserve it.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Connections (Courting #6) now available!
Nice: Connections by J. Rocci
This Christmas is going to be a special one for Officer Josh Dabbs and his husband Garrison Williams: For the first time, they're sharing the holiday with their children, Henry and Gabriella. Of course, this being the Dabbs-Williams household, there are crazy dogs, visits from the in-laws to prepare for, and the uncertain waters of parenthood as Gabriella tests her boundaries. But Josh and Garrison have each other, and their family and friends, and a house full of love, so the holidays will be perfect.
Pick up your copy today!
More about the Courting series!
This Christmas is going to be a special one for Officer Josh Dabbs and his husband Garrison Williams: For the first time, they're sharing the holiday with their children, Henry and Gabriella. Of course, this being the Dabbs-Williams household, there are crazy dogs, visits from the in-laws to prepare for, and the uncertain waters of parenthood as Gabriella tests her boundaries. But Josh and Garrison have each other, and their family and friends, and a house full of love, so the holidays will be perfect.
Pick up your copy today!
More about the Courting series!
Monday, October 17, 2011
FREE Army Green PDF mini-stories!
I've written ten mini-stories for the Army Green boys and it's starting to get a little unwieldy over here on my journal, so my solution? Make a PDF. Have fun with photoshop while doing it.
This PDF is a free download prepared by me featuring mini-stories written from reader prompts provided during Torquere Press Livejournal hosting days over the last year or so.
The Army Green series is a contemporary romance series set in Kentucky at Glenhaven Farms, where Neil and Ms. Susan have raised, boarded, and shown horses for decades. The focus of the series is their adult grandson, Evan, and all the strays they've taken in over the years. The series started off with Taction, then grew with Army Green and Army Green: Burning Bright.
I've arranged the mini-stories in chronological order, and have included purchase information and excerpts from the three main stories so readers will know if there are spoilers in the mini-stories ahead. I've also provided character summaries for the main characters at the front.
So please, check out the download over here, and let me know whether or not you like it. Does it play nice with your e-reader? Does the formatting work for you? I'd like to make these as stream-lined and accessible as possible :)
This PDF is a free download prepared by me featuring mini-stories written from reader prompts provided during Torquere Press Livejournal hosting days over the last year or so.
The Army Green series is a contemporary romance series set in Kentucky at Glenhaven Farms, where Neil and Ms. Susan have raised, boarded, and shown horses for decades. The focus of the series is their adult grandson, Evan, and all the strays they've taken in over the years. The series started off with Taction, then grew with Army Green and Army Green: Burning Bright.
I've arranged the mini-stories in chronological order, and have included purchase information and excerpts from the three main stories so readers will know if there are spoilers in the mini-stories ahead. I've also provided character summaries for the main characters at the front.
So please, check out the download over here, and let me know whether or not you like it. Does it play nice with your e-reader? Does the formatting work for you? I'd like to make these as stream-lined and accessible as possible :)
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