Tangerine - The Movie

For the first time in several weeks I went to the Tipton Cinema.  That folks is the "cinema" in my bedroom.  A 60-inch flat screen TV with surround sound.  My home theater is better, WAY BETTER than any movie house I have ever attended with the possible exception of that movie theater at The Grove in West Hollywood during our visit last January.  Now THAT was an impressive movie theater. Expensive too but plus, magnificent, and old time grandeur. My bedroom movie theater?  Not so much but comfortable?  Oh yes.  

Nadege and Pat (Nadege in red jacket and Pat to her right) in the lobby of the Pacific movie theater, The Grove, Los Angeles - this is NOT the Midway in Rehoboth Beach folks!

Oh I do like me some luxury and my bedroom/home movie theater is every bit as comfortable as the Pacific movie theater at The Grove in Los Angeles was.  Plus, I can pause the movie anytime I want to and take just a few steps to the bathroom or kitchen as need be.

But back to the subject at hand.  Last night I choose to watch "Tangerine."  One of those independent Magnolia productions, that I am usually very disappointed in.  However, I was not disappointed last night.  Folks, this movie was great!  Different?  Oh yeah but really, REALLY good.  And to think they made the whole film with an iPhone camera.

Usually these types of movies are for shit crap.  I can't get through more than five minutes before I have to push the Eject button on my DVD remote control.  But this movie?  I was transfixed.

Was there great acting?  Well . . . not really.  Production values?  Are you kidding?  No way.  This movie was "filmed" with an iPhone camera.  Heck, Pat and I will be in the very area this movie was made (West Hollywood, Los Angeles) in a few weeks.  We could do our own movie.  Hey, maybe we will!  Regular followers of this blog know how successful the "Pat and Ron" mini-movies are.  We could extend those five minute gems into an hour or so and put titles.  But that's another whole subject that I won't get into here.




If I had any complaint about this movie is that I do grow tired of the faggy "you girl!" and "hey girl!" language.  But this movie is about transsexuals. Specifically one transsexual "Sin-Dee", who just got out of prison and discovered through her friend that her pimp boyfriend now has a new girl-friend.  A REAL girl friend, with a pussy and all.  Basically the whole movie takes place one late afternoon into the night as "Sin-Dee" traipses through the familiar streets (to Pat and me anyway, last year we walked on those very same streets).  But that is the way of transsexuals, black or white.  Lots of what I call "laggy" talk which I think they think is "girlie" talk.  I find it offensive but hey, what do I know?  

But I did find all the characters believable, even the dog who belongs to the Armenian cab driver who has exotic sexual tastes.  Now how many movies have you seen a dog acting naturally?  Not many I daresay.  All the movies I've seen you can tell the dog trainer is just off camera prompting the dog, who is looking at the trainer, to do his whimpering which I assume they think is dog-acting.  But I digress (again). I am easily swayed off subject. Sorry!

But back to the movie.  I like movies with what I call human drama.  Pat likes his action movies.  I think they're alright but I am a "Downton Abbey" fan.  But I do have to warn you folks, this movie isn't "Downton Abbey" (as a matter of fact it's about a far away from "Downtown Abby" as you can get) but the human drama is just the same.  Social pecking order; love, hate, betrayal, loyalty and finally redemption.  

This movie won't receive any Academy Awards but folks, I guarantee you will be riveted.  Especially the car wash scene. (Note: this ISN'T the car wash scene from "Tangerine" but "Bad Teacher" with Cameron Diaz)