Movies: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Harry Potter, Gay Actors

NATHANIEL ROGERS

Nathaniel Rogers would live inside a movie theater but for the poor internet reception. He blogs daily at the Film Experience.

Feature Presentation
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE is the biggie this weekend. It's already breaking records since its midnight opening. Six movies into the franchise you can already guess how you'll feel about this new edition and whether or not you want a ticket. The new film is the richest looking Potter film since The Prisoner of Azkaban but it's a bit of a mess story-telling wise, unable to keep all its plot threads involving searches for Voldemort's soul, mysteriously adjusted memories, Ministry of Magic disappearances, teen romances and attacks on Muggles neatly intertwined and coherent. Those who've read the book will mentally fill in the details and wonder why anyone else complains about the plotting.

Though the primary trio of teen wizards are still not exactly exciting actors, the supporting cast is as lively as ever. It's wonderful to see gay Dumbledore taking more of a central role as he prepares Harry for darker times to come. The new additions to the cast are also engaging: Freddie Stroma (previously seen in his skivvies here on Towleroad ) makes a dashing Cormac McLaggen (whether proudly straddling his broomstick or eyeing Hermione), Jessie Cave is quite funny as lovestruck Lavender Brown (she's got a thing for Ron) and Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge!), one of the best actors in the world, is as wonderful as always as Slughorn, a professor who likes to "collect" the brightest and best among students to augment his own reputation. You can guess who he wants to collect.

Half-Blood Prince is, despite its flaws quite enjoyable and if you're into the franchise you'll undoubtedly have a lot to discuss afterwards about what they subtracted, what they added and what the last two movies will be like.

Potter is fun but the best movie arriving this weekend is... AFTER THE JUMP

News: Nevada, Chace Crawford, Finland, David Mixner, Real World

New Yorkers for marriage equality: what you can do.

Same-sex marriage opponents in New York underfinanced, disorganized...

Whiffling: Goose photographed flying upside-down.

Chace Crawford is the new Kevin Bacon.

He's a new housemate on The Real World: Cancun, and he's gay.

Nevada Governor Gibbons says he will veto Domestic Partner bill. Spokesman: "The governor believes that government has no business in your medicine chest or your bedroom. He also believes there are existing contracts that can be created, so no change to the law is needed. If there are people who want to be domestic partners, they can do so under existing laws. He is also mindful of the fact that voters of this state on two occasions have said that marriage is between a man and a woman, and it's part of our Constitution."

Robert Pattinson joins 'Bel Ami'.

Joseph Gordon Levitt looks like a serial killer.

Universal Gear store in Washington D.C. hit by gang robbery and caught on camera.

Harmony Printing: Toronto-based printing company refuses to publish gay-themed graphic novel because they "have a lot of long standing clients who are religious organizations."

Pansies planted in Liverpool in memory of murdered gay teen Michael Causer. Pansy Project: "The pansy was the perfect choice. Tackling the gay connotations it carries in an ironic way, but also its name translates in French as 'To pause or think' which is exactly what we hope people will do when viewing these plants."

San Antonio police investigating derogatory remarks to lesbian couple during home raid: "The women, Lindsey and Carol, had been at home for the evening when police charged through the door advising, 'We have a warrant.' Evidently, a warrant had been issued after an anonymous informant who had been assisting the SAPD for over 2 years claimed that a man named 'Randy' had been seen with methamphetamine in the home. Unfortunately, after the police entered the house, they allegedly made several lewd and derogatory comments about the couple including many references to their sexual orientation.

Michael Jackson postpones first dates of his tour.

Ryan Gosling is a blue valentine.

Finland allows gay adoption.

Georgia school says 'bullycide' victim Jaheem Herrera was not bullied.

David Mixner calls for March on Washington: "My plea is for our LGBT leaders to call a March on Washington for Marriage Equality this November and if they won't do it, I appeal to our young to come together and provide the leadership."

Oklahoma Governor signs bill allowing Ten Commandments monument on state Capitol grounds: "Groups including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty had both encouraged Henry, a member of First Baptist Church in Shawnee, Okla., to veto the bill on the principle of separation of church and state."

News: Chris Pine, Twitter, Carrie Prejean, Iraq, Joe Jonas, Avedon

Arkansas GOP chair Doyle Webb believes a lesbian can't be trusted with the state's budget!

Jonas Brother is first to attempt wet T-shirt sex symbol shot (while invoking celebrity crush Daniel Craig).

New Tony Kushner play, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, begins previews in Minneapolis tonight.

Through they eyes of RIchard Avedon.

Together: Frankly, I'd rather see Hugh Jackman and Robert Pattinson as bound captives.

Effort to recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams holds kick-out party: "Organizers of Thursday’s event at Nick’s Famous Coney Island restaurant said they wanted to spread the word about their efforts. And they gathered a standing-room only crowd that spilled outside the small establishment - though it was unclear how many were simply patrons uninterested in the recall. While organizers have a number of people already involved, they are hoping other citizens will sign up too." Focus on Breedlove.

It kind of seems like they Photoshopped Chris Pine's head onto suits in these GQ shots.

Is the ill-conceived American Ab-Fab kaput? Are we lucky?

NYPD seeks ex-boyfriend in slaying of gay man in Brooklyn: "Tamiz Din, 50, was shot five times in the chest and stomach at 12:45 a.m. after he exchanged words with three men, police said. His wallet was not taken. Din, a livery driver for 20 years, had been due to testify in court today on assault and harassment charges he filed against Saleem Khan, his former boyfriend, police said. Din dated Khan, also a Pakistani immigrant, for 15 years before they split up in 2007."

Real life Twitter.

San Francisco activists to hold rally at Harvey Milk Plaza protesting executions of gays in Iraq on International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) this Sunday.

Joseph Gordon Levitt covers Vman.

Adam Carolla makes misinformed remarks on gay parents: "We just get it spoon-fed to us [that] everything’s great, everything’s perfect, there’s no difference between, you know a couple of dads, a couple of moms, couple of bis and a couple of pre-op transsexuals, and a mom and a dad…no difference. Now look, I’m all for gays adopting but let’s not mistake it for being nearly as good as a mother and a father. It’s not nearly as good as a mommy and a daddy… all things being equal, it is much better for a mother and a father to raise a child than it is two of anything, all things being equal."

Focus on the Family's James Dobson talks about "dangers" of hate crime laws.

"Carrie Prejean Day" DOA in Vista, California.

Shanna Moakler just couldn't stand behind Carrie Prejean's lies: "The turning point for me, I guess, was when I was watching the Today show and she was sitting there continuing to lie. And it's obvious to everybody that the lying is still going on. I just couldn't stand behind her. I wasn't going to New York with this vendetta against her and hoping that she would be decrowned. But I was hoping that she would, at one point in time, stop pointing fingers at everyone in the world and take a little bit of accountability or a little bit of responsibility for herself."

Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum and Co. in Stop-Loss

Promo images for the film Stop-Loss, about an Iraq war veteran (Ryan Phillippe) sent back to Iraq for a second tour of duty) have begun to trickle out. Here are a few new ones featuring the cast (Rob Brown, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phillippe, Channing Tatum, and Victor Rasuk) as well as a few solo shots of Phillippe and Tatum.

The film is co-written and directed by Kimberly Peirce, who as you may remember, directed the much lauded a999 film Boys Don't Cry. The film's site has been up for a while and has already generated nearly 300 comments on the Stop-Loss policy, which is the involuntary extension of a servicemember's enlistment contract. Check it out here. See the trailer AFTER THE JUMP...

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #201

JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT: The actor does a "screen test" for the New York Times.

SENATOR CHRIS DODD: The Dem Presidential hopeful has a question for the GOP YouTube Debate.

NORWAY: Scene left out of the Michael Moore documentary "Sicko" because he thought people wouldn't believe it.

SANDRA OH: Lets it rip at the Hollywood WGA Thanksgiving rally.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here

T Magazine Talks to Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes a moment to chat with the New York Times "T" men's fashion magazine about his acting career. Here are a couple outtakes:

NYT: In [Mysterious Skin], you play a gay hustler. It was a bold decision to take on that role. Were you nervous?

JGL: "I find it very strange when people say, 'How could you make that movie?' I never had any trepidation. When I read the script, I thought the director, Gregg Araki, would want me for another part, the sensitive boy. He said,'No — I want you to be sexy.' I had not heard that a lot. I was always cast as the friend or the nice guy. It’s really great when someone says, 'I want you to be the sexy one.'"

NYT: It’s interesting that critics consider it riskier from a career standpoint to play a gay hustler than a soldier in an unpopular war, or a psychotic hit man, which you play in your next film, “Killshot.”

JGL: "As an actor, you have to be open-minded. That’s one of the great aspects of the job. In the real world, people make judgments all the time. But as an actor, you can’t judge. I would rather play someone who is different from me. You can’t be a bigot and be a great actor."

(video)

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