WAKE starring Bijou Phillips

I went to the Newport Beach Film Festival on Friday, April 24th specifically to see the indie film WAKE. I read that Danny Masterson was in the film and being a fan of That 70’s Show I thought it might be fun to see him on the big screen.

While waiting outside before the doors opened I met WAKE director Ellie Kanner, producer Hal Schwartz, actors Danny Masterson, Bijou Phillips and Bijou’s mother Genevieve Waite.

For those of you that love fun music finds check this one out from Genevieve’s 1973 album, Romance Is on the Rise.

Before the screening I asked Danny Masterson a couple questions and took some video of Danny, Bijou Phillips, and director Ellie Kanner talking with the press.

Housewife in Hollywood at WAKE Film Screening from SuzanneHIH on Vimeo.

The film WAKE is a dark comedy about Carys, played by Bijou Phillips, desperate to experience emotion she attends funerals of strangers. She meets Tyler, played by Ian Somerhalder, who is mourning his fiancée. Meeting him is the catalyst that sparks her emotions again but she discovers she might not be the only one hiding dark secrets.

Danny Masterson plays her best friend Shane, a mortician, a perfect fit for someone like Carys who values local funeral information. Jayne Seymour plays the role of her estranged mother who thinks Carys is better off eating cookies rather than digging up the past. Lila, played by Marguerite Moreau, adds to the comic relief being the roommate Carys finds annoying and at times helpful.

Sometimes dark comedy can be so abstract I can’t relate to it but this film was funny and well done. Even though Carys is an offbeat character with a strange interest in funerals, watching her journey is comical and poignant. This housewife gives WAKE the movie 4 out of 4 waffles.

“The idea for WAKE came to me when I was in school. I loved the notion that sometimes it’s only in extreme circumstances that we engage and really recognize what’s important to us. A woman who goes to funerals to experience life made a certain sense to me. I wrote a draft of the script then, but wasn’t happy with it and moved on to other projects. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I realized I still loved the idea at the heart of the movie and decided to give it another shot.” —writer and one of the producers of WAKE, Lennox Wisely.

Find out more about WAKE by visiting http://www.wakemovie.com

Tell them Housewife in Hollywood sent you.

I grew up in Chula Vista, CA right near the border of Mexico. I’ve always had a fondness for Mexican culture, intrigued by the delicious food, colorful art and the Spanish language.

Spanglish was something I envied throughout high school, listening to kids being able to mix English & Spanish together in the same conversation with ease.

Cinco De Mayo was a day that even the whitest of wetta’s like myself could feel Mexican for a day. We could dance and sing to “De Colores” and practice our Mexican slang without much ridicule.

My favorite thing to do for Cinco De Mayo, besides eating guacamole, is listen to live Mariachi music.

Sometimes Mariachi bands can get down and throw in some funk/disco.

What will you do this Cinco De Mayo?

I’ve been visiting  www.unclejayexplains.com for a few months now. Uncle Jay explains the news with his informative and entertaining videos. The site tag line is Helping Small Minds Understand Big News. Every Monday he posts something new. 

Have you been watching Uncle Jay Explains? Here’s Uncle Jay’s latest for May 4, 2009. The word for the week is hysteria.  Here it is boys & girls!

Find out more about Uncle Jay by clicking here.

Maypole Dancing

The May Day holiday is celebrated on May 1st. A traditional way to be festive is to dance around the Maypole in honor of the Summer Equinox.

Put some flowers in your hair and gather around the Maypole today. All together now:

This of course should not be confused with Basic Pole Dancing exercises. Click here if you’re interested anyway.

Emergency Code Word

Mayday is an emergency code word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications.

I tested this out once when I was a little kid riding along in my dad’s dump truck. The construction convoy stopped on the side of the road for some snacks at the Circle K. I decided it was a great time to have some CB radio fun.

I yelled into the transmitter, “Breaker Breaker Mayday Mayday!”

It worked sending more than a few truck drivers over in dismay. My dad was not so thrilled.

Genevieve the Dump Truck & Suzanne age 6

Mayday the Band

There are quite a few bands called Mayday. An indy rock band, a hip hop band and the one that I like the best is a Taiwanese Band. I’d like to find out why the biggest band in Taiwan is named Mayday. Anyone?

I dig the intro on their site, check it out by clicking here:

International Workers Day

May Day is also known as International Workers Day. Some may be dancing around Maypoles and making flower baskets while others are celebrating the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement. Organized street demonstrations and marches by millions of working people are held throughout many countries of the world.

Find out more about the origins of May Day and the 8-hour day by clicking here.

Wolverine

So what does the X-Men character Wolverine have to do with May Day? Many comic book enthusiasts will be celebrating this May Day by watching the movie Wolverine on opening day May 1st.

What will you be doing this May Day weekend?