By wpengine
Despite the common assumption that the new millennium has brought about greater acceptance (and, therefore, fewer stereotypical gay roles in movies), the lisping, overzealous characters still manage to dominate side plots throughout the Hollywood scene. Thankfully, a rogue independent film occasionally slips through the cracks and goes against such monotony. One such film is Bucatinsky’s All Over the Guy. The film chronicles the lives of two gay men in their thirties, Tom (Richard Ruccolo) and Eli (Dan Bucatinsky), who are set up on a blind date by two friends who have just started dating. Tom is an alcoholic raised by abusive, alcoholic parents. He is what one might consider the “typical guy” — afraid of commitment, stubborn, etc. Eli (whose parents, as overenthusiastic psychotherapists, raised him on the other end of the spectrum) is neurotic, insecure, and ready to settle down. Their relationship flip-flops as Tom tries to come to grips with his fear of love. Even with background knowledge of the film, it is surprising to see that the complex relationship between Eli and Tom was actually the focus of the movie, rather than a peripheral plotline embedded in the wall of a straight romantic comedy. The chemistry between Eli and Tom — both sexual and social — is palpable, which adds to the credibility of the film. Bucatinsky and Ruccolo complement each other nicely, and do not disappoint the audience in their roles. While the occasional fight or family flaw may have elicited serious thought, All Over the Guy definitely belongs to the romantic comedy genre. Laughs abound throughout the film, a testament to a well-written script by Bucatinsky that was wittily and intelligently executed without succumbing to the precedent often revisited by other gay roles. Consistently funny were the glimpses at Eli’s family life, both through childhood flashbacks and present contact with his mother. Andrea Martin (who was seen in Hedwig and the Angry Itch) masterfully plays the “touchy-feely” therapist mother who forces naked dolls and family recitations of the word ‘vagina’ on Eli and his sister (Christina Ricci). These vain attempts to create open sexual discussion in the family are hilarious examples of the many ways that our parents can screw us up. The only visible flaw of this film is the abundance of random, unnecessary scenes that seem to drag it out a bit. It still remains a mystery as to why certain scenes were even included. Because of these extensions, the constant vacillation in the relationship of Tom and Eli becomes somewhat tiring by the end. Thankfully, the high caliber writing, as well as acting, save this indie film from getting stuck in a rut and keep it on the road of ingenuity.Archived article by Stacy Williams
By wpengine
With Ivy League play just around the corner, the volleyball team is finally beginning to hit full stride. Coming off a second place finish at last weekend’s Big Red Invitational, the women travel to Staten Island, N.Y. for the Wagner invitational. The Red will do battle with Long Island University, Boston College, and Wagner in the final warm-up to Ivy League competition. Confident The women will head into the Wagner Invite with renewed confidence, after a strong showing at home in the Big Red Invitational. The Red played some dominating volleyball and was unlucky to finish runner-up to Manhattan College. Led by the hard-hitting duo of Senior Jennifer Borncamp and Sophomore Debbie Quibell, the women brushed aside Fairleigh Dickinson, St. Francis, and Stony Brook in straight sets. Only a narrow five-set defeat to Manhattan prevented the Red from completing a perfect 4-0 weekend. After a patchy beginning to the season, the return to form couldn’t have come at a better time for the women. Next weekend, the Red face its first Ivy League opponents, with back to back match-ups against Columbia. The key catalysts of the revival have been outside hitters Borncamp and Quibell, while the emergence of middle blocker Jamie Lugo has been a pleasant surprise. Borncamp looks destined to power her way into Cornell volleyball history, recently becoming just the fifth player in school history to reach 800 kills and 800 digs. Quibell too looks set to re-write the record books, having already reached 516 kills in just her second year. The main challenger to Cornell at the Wagner Invite figures to be Boston College, who enter the tournament 8-3 overall, including an earlier victory over Ivy League side Dartmouth. Wagner College and Long Island will provide lesser opposition, holding records of 1-7 and 1-12, respectively. The match-ups at the Invite will be the last non-league ones of the season for the Red, who plays 14 successive Ivy League matches thereafter. Archived article by Soo Kim