Month: May 2015

Queer Coded: Sam and Frodo ("The Lord of the Rings")

Yeah, The Lord of the Rings characters Frodo and Sam are queer-coded too, at least, to me, if not to everyone else. But if the large amount of fanfiction is anything to go by, along with some forums and the reactions my former classmates had to the scene at the end of Return of the King when it looks like Frodo’s about to kiss Sam before he goes to the Undying Lands, then it would seem that Peter Jackson et al. were successful in making Frodo and Sam the hottest couple of 2003, even though they probably never intended for the relationship to be interpreted that way. 

Interview Rewind: Kal Parekh ("Pan Am")

You might recall my interview with Kal Parekh about The Spectacular Jihad of Taz Rahim a few weeks ago. As I’d written in that post, that wasn’t the first time I’d interviewed Parekh; years ago, I interviewed him about his role on ABC’s jet-set show Pan Am, which really played with my emotions, as you can see in this archived set of recaps I wrote for my old site, Moniqueblog. In those recaps, you can also see where I highlighted the moments featuring Sanjeev (or as I used to call him, The ‘Jeev). Those moments were what got me in contact with Parekh (I also landed a spot on the podcast The Secrets of Pan Am led by SQPN’s Fr. Roderick, which was pretty cool).

Anyways, I’m writing all of this to set up this interview way back from 2011 or 2012 or somesuch, when I got to pick Parekh’s brain about playing Sanjeev, what he thought Sanjeev might be dealing with in the 1960s, and what he hoped would happen with Sanjeev if the show made it to a second season. 

"Aloha" and the History of The "Asian/Pacific Islands" Hollywood War Movie

I love Bradley Cooper. I love Emma Stone. I do not love Aloha. Neither does Hawaii. (You can read Sony’s “We have our own Hawaiian supporters so the film’s not offensive” defense here.) It’s one of those movies you know everything about it without having to watch it. Just viewing the trailer is enough. And, if you’ve viewed other films set in “exotic” Asian or Pacific Island locales with their own cultures, people, and ways of life, then you probably know everything Aloha will throw at you. 

Fantasy Casting: Who Could Play Hadji in Robert Rodriguez's "Jonny Quest" Adaptation?

News of a Jonny Quest movie has been around for years. I think the first time I heard about a Jonny Quest movie was in the works was in the early ’00s and again in 2010, when Zac Efron was still a teenager and Dwayne Johnson was still “The Rock,” making his way in the movie industry. Now, years later, the Jonny Quest movie is shaping up with Robert Rodriguez at the helm. 

Exclusive Interview: Daniel José Older (Author, "Bone Street Rumba" Series)

Daniel José Older is an author you need to know if you’re a lover of sci-fi and fantasy novels. Older is the author of the Bone Street Rumba, series; the first part, Half-Resurrection Blues is already available for purchase. Also exciting is the news that hit earlier this year; Anika Noni Rose has optioned the TV and film rights to Half-Resurrection Blues, which will bring an even more diverse and richer aspect to fantasy entertainment.

I was excited to speak to Older about his writing, how his past life as a paramedic influenced his work, and how literature should provide the answers it needs to people who are in crisis, especially children. Stay on the lookout for his upcoming young adult book, Shadowshaper, as well as his short story on Tor.com; information is below.