Poodle!

We're a little dubious about how affirmative a depiction one might expect in Choke, the adaptation of the Chuck Pulahniuk novel of the same name, but we have been amused at the trailer's bits of a forced entry roleplay scenario unfolding in the midst of cable news coverage of our nation's pending financial "bail-out."

Here, in a clip from the movie, our haplass, sex-addicted protagonist negotiates the terms of said scenario:



The movie opens tonight, but in the meantime, distributor Fox Searchlight is interested in hearing about your favorite types of roleplay. If you'd like to weigh in--or check in on some of the creative (or not) suggestions thus far--your chance is right here.

Stroke me, stroke me

In addition to a screening of Zack and Miri Make a Porno, opening night revelry for this year's Fantastic Fest included the first annual Air Sex World Championship. Kinda like air guitar, but pretty much not, as seen in this video via Spout, the competition featured live performers simulating sex, vying for the prize of a trip to Nevada and a gift certificate for some type of bunny ranch or another.



While air sex has been a regular installation at the festival's hosting venue in Austin, the activity can be traced back to Japan, the home of blurred depictions of pubic hair and other perversities. There, as seen in this clip from the television series Japanorama, the original version sports one critical distinction from its American imitators-- performers seemingly devoid of any actual sexual experience whatsoever:

Are you ready to submit?

CineKink NYC - "the really alternative film festival" - is seeking films and videos, of any length and genre, that explore and celebrate the wide diversity of sexuality. Dedicated to the recognition and encouragement of sex-positive and kink-friendly depictions in film and television, we're looking to blur some boundaries and will be considering offerings drawn from both Hollywood and beyond, with works ranging from documentary to drama, camp comedy to hot porn, mildly spicy to quite explicit - and everything in between.

Cutting across orientations, topics covered at CineKink have included - but are by no means limited to - BDSM, leather and fetish, swinging, non-monogamy and polyamory, roleplay and gender bending. Or, frankly, given the current moral climate, as long as it involves consenting adults, just about anything celebrating sex as a right of self expression is fair game. (Far be it from us to define "kink" - if you think your work might make sense in this context, please send it along!)

Scheduled for its sixth annual appearance February 24-March 1, 2009, the specially-curated CineKink NYC will also feature a short film competition, audience choice awards, presentations, parties and a gala kick-off, with a national screening tour to follow.

Discounted, early-bird entries have a post-marked deadline of October 15th, while the standard deadline is November 15th.

For more information and to download an entry form, visit http://www.cinekink.com/entries.

No soup for you, Zack and Miri!

In Kevin Smith's ongoing struggle with the MPAA to get his latest film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, out into the theaters and in front of an audience, comes news that the agency has rejected the original poster for the movie. Featuring the title characters, each fully clothed, you may also notice at the bottom edge of the poster the somewhat humorous suggestion that each is getting oral, er, attention from the other. Pretty innocuous--and banned by the MPAA!



Interestingly, as noted on CinemaBlend.com, the MPAA earlier approved very similar imagery for the Dane Cook-vehicle, Good Luck Chuck, for a poster that went even further--if you can call it that--featuring the actor more apparently in flagrante delitico.



One might chalk up the discrepancy to mere bureaucratic inconsistency. Or, perhaps something more insidious, as it brings to mind contentions made in the documentary, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, that the MPAA regularly applies far more rigorous standards when a depiction includes female sexual pleasure--and not just some guy boffing a pie.

Hypocrisy much? Meanwhile, first reports on the film, which just premiered in Toronto, can be found here!

Teasing out a climax

Whether tonight's epidode of Swingtown will be the last of the season or the last ever still remains to be seen. Either way, creators are promising some type of denouement for the evening. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly earlier in the summer, executive producer Alan Poul reported that while the season ends with a cliffhanger, "... it's also a completely satisfying ending. So, if we go forward, there are many new things that are set up to explore. And if we don't go forward, there's no feeling that we've been left with something incomplete."

The program's community forum is abuzz with either prospect, with many planning to participate in tonight's CBS-planned online block party. (Bring your own potato salad?)

CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler reportedly remains a fan of the show, but has been disappointed with its ratings and has been shopping it to various cable outlets, where it might have a better chance to flourish away from prudish broadcast standards and the pressure of right-wing extremists placed upon program advertisers.

Reasonable speculation could see the series going to Showtime, a corporate partner of CBS, which yesterday signed a two-year development deal with Swingtown creator Mike Kelley. Primary in the deal will be a new series, BiCoastal, which centers on a man trying to juggle a wife and kids in a Los Angeles and a new male love in NYC. But as enticing as that possibility might be, the Hollywood Reporter quotes Kelley on a continuing loyalty to his current series: "Swingtown is my priority, and I believe there is a home for the show, hopefully it's on CBS. But if not, we'd be happy just to be able to continue to tell these characters' story."

If you'd like to help in that worthy endeavor, please drop a note of support to CBS right here.

And some pleading encouraging words to Showtime while you're at it.

The smart choice for your future?

Last night as we settled in to watch the Republic National Convention--nothing wrong with a little bi-partisan masochism!--we thought back to a favorite, short video that was once making the rounds.

For a presidential ticket dedicated to rolling back Roe v. Wade and a party that's built abstinence-only education into its national platform, we can think of no better tribute than this semi-vintage gem, Future:



From the folks at the now-defunt TechnicalVirgin.com, who also brought us the similarly-themed Boys Can Wait, the video had a recent round of notoriety when the the actress was sacked from her hosting gig on a PBS children's show because of her involvement in it.

Family values all around!