According to this article, the DOJ has partially back-pedalled and will allow the DOJ Pride group to have their annual pride celebration. Provided they pay for the use of the facilities. The claim is that they never meant to exclude the group, only that the event would no longer be sponsored. Some people quoted in the article dispute this, but the article doesn't go into delicate-enough detail to say for certain. At least they get to have their event.

This is an excellent, very touching interview/story:

B.D. Wong's real-life journey to becoming a gay father

And yet, silly goose that I am, all I could think, was, "Wow! B.D. Wong is gay?"

The first thing I saw him in was Jurassic Park, playing a pretty typical Asian actor role– scientist. The first thing I saw him in that made me think he was actually a pretty talented actor was the (sadly) short-lived Margaret Cho vehicle, All-American Girl. Again, a "model-minority" role (a doctor), but in the context of a comedy, where he was able to play up those mannerisms and poke at the stereotypes.

But the role I've seen that I really respected him for was in the HBO series, Oz, where he played the prison chaplain. Dealing not only with unrepentant inmates, but with prison politics, religious intolerance, and the weight of having so many other people's problems, with no one to go to with his own. He's done tons more than this, of course, but I don't watch a lot of TV, so this is what has grabbed me the most.

He's just published a book about the struggles he and his partner of 15 years had in becoming parents. The interview/story is well worth a read.

I kinda went into this movie not expecting much. I think that most of the cast are prety good actors, and especially like Charlize Theron, Seth Green and Jason Statham. I even have to grudgingly admit that Mark "Marky-Mark" Wahlberg has grown into a pretty skilled actor as well. I also admit that I've never seen the original (though I will probably rent it soon, for comparison). So I didn't have to worry about my expectations not being met.

It's a fun movie, with plenty of laughs. For a caper film involving hardened criminals, there's surprisingly little blood in it (we only see two deaths in the entire film, and Wahlberg's character is celebrated at one point for pulling off a heist without anyone having to point a gun at anyone else). Even though stories have abounded about Edward Norton playing his role strictly due to contractual obligation, he is still a good actor and does a good role as the slimy villian. Theron actually has the harder part, needing to cover a wider range of emotions than anyone else.

Overall, this is a good matinee movie. I saw it in the evening out of boredom, but I wouldn't recommend paying full price for it. There's a funny cameo by Napster "celebrity" Shawn Fanning (and an extra in-joke in the form of a Metallica poster in the background of the Napster flash-back), and more than enough car-chases and action to satisfy most people. It's not really a clever movie, but it's a good escape for a few hours.