Entertain Me By Michael Shinafelt

Saturday, August 9, 2025

"Curiouser And Curiouser"

"It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then," - Alice, Alice in Wonderland

Today is National Book Lovers Day!

Here is the concept behind it:

"A day for all those who love to read, National Book Lovers Day encourages you to find your favorite reading place, a good book (whether it be fiction or non-fiction) and read the day away."

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books for a plethora of reasons. One is it's insightful observations about the human condition. While using a fantasy world to convey it's thoughts and ideas.

I haven't read it in quite some time and I need to do so again as I am sure adult me would get more out of it than I did when I was younger.

See you down the rabbit hole today...

Things are going to get "Curiouser and curiouser"

National Book Lovers Day on the WWW -

https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-book-lovers-day-august-9

Friday, August 8, 2025

Cine Pride Film Festival

CinePride Film Festival is proud to announce the 31 films officially selected for its highly anticipated inaugural edition, taking place in Los Angeles from September 11–14. The four-day celebration of queer cinema will make its debut at Landmark Theatres Sunset in Los Angeles, presenting a powerful lineup that reflects the richness, resilience, and diversity of the global LGBTQIA+ community.

This year’s official selection features a dynamic mix of feature-length narratives, documentaries, and shorts spanning a wide range of genres, including drama, comedy, romance, thriller, and experimental film. Six films will make their world premieres at CinePride, with an additional four celebrating their U.S. or North American debuts. Ten more will be screened for the first time on the West Coast. Showcasing both international voices and emerging homegrown talent, CinePride 2025 provides a bold and inclusive platform for queer storytellers to share their visions on the big screen.

“We are thrilled at the response of the global LGBTQIA+ community of film makers who submitted for CinePride's inaugural edition,” says Cecilio Asuncion, Executive Director of CinePride Film Festival. “Thisyear's selections are excellent and is a strong testament that LGBTQIA+ voices and stories from around the world will not be erased! We can't wait to welcome audiences to celebrate these incredible stories with us in LA this September.”

Highlights from the 2025 official selection include:

Queer Bait – A precocious classics student is invited to dinner after he piques the interest of a tenured professor. But when his teacher's mentorship starts to push boundaries, he's forced to make a choice: protect his academic future, or preserve his dignity? The tense drama executive produced by Cate Blanchett makes its film festival debut at CinePride.

Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-shero – an animated musical fantasy featuring the voices of Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCrème, Heide N Closet, Monét X Change and Rosé. When drag queens start disappearing, a shy young barista must summon his inner super-shero to rescue them from an ambitious evil drag queen bent on harvesting their magical anti-aging tears. CinePride marks the first time this fun animated feature will be screened theatrically in Los Angeles

A Life Inside Me – Set in rural South Asia, this captivating drama tells the story of a terminally ill father who wishes to live his final days as his true self — a woman — and his daughter who is trapped in an abusive marriage. The U.S. premiere of this groundbreaking Indian film will happen at CinePride.

And You Are…? – Jane Seymour stars in And You Are...?, a most unlikely of buddy films that follows Lynn, a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer's who only has the past to prove she exists. Her grandson Max, desperately wants to erase his past as it never proved his true existence. Already winning acclaim on the international festival circuit, the film makes it Hollywood premiere at CinePride!

Lip Sync Assassin - Sampaguita, a fabulous drag queen moonlights as a hired killer to earn extra money and provide a good life for her talented daughter and sickly mother. Just when she thought she could handle any contract killing mission, her new target tests how far she can go to support her loved ones. The thrilling Filipino short film makes its World Premiere at CinePride!

Screenings will be enhanced by workshops, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, and a Director’s Brunch. Additionally, CinePride Film Festival will present awards in categories including Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Lead Performance, Best Director, and the Trailblazer Award. The coveted Audience Choice Award will be decided by festival goers.

“CinePride isn’t just a film festival; it’s a movement that belongs in Los Angeles, the epicenter of the film industry,” declares Programming Director Miguel Santos. “It’s about creating space for globally resonant queer stories that challenge conventions, defy genre, and deserve to be seen in theaters. We’re setting the stage for the next generation of storytellers who will redefine what’s possible in film.”

For the full list of films selected for CinePride Film Festival 2025, go to: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZqWrp15eM6nRH9yDXN6PI9btloAmDr3WfJe0yo04N-8/edit?tab=t.0

For more information, visit CinePride.org and follow @CinePrideFilmFest on social media.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

Michael's Musings

"While cruisin' through the ionosphere, I saw these alien beings"
Michael Shinafelt

"I was havin' this out-of-body experience

Saw these cosmic beingsEverywhere I went up there, they were shakin' their cosmic thingsLike someone gave you a wild gooseOr a freight train with a loose caboose

You better shake your honeybuns, shake your honeybunsShake it 'til the butter melts, shake it 'til the butter meltsShake that cosmic thing, shake that thing, shake it (oh)" - Cosmic Thing, The B-52's

Someday is not a day of the week. LET'S GO!!!

Breast Milk Ice Cream "Just Like Mom Used To Make" - discuss...

In case you haven't hear Sydney Sweeny's jeans/genes are blue, the more you know

Did you know August is National Dog Month? Now you do...Arf!

A Great White Shark was spotted 50 yards off of Santa Monica Beach, there's that

It was a place to go for 44 minutes a week, a windowless room filled with nitrous oxide, that's all

BTW a little she-bopping is good for the soul, right here, right now

Tuna shaming is the worst kind of shaming

Woman Crush of the Week - Kesha, because everyone likes a good comeback. Keep on slaying!

Republicans complain about Texas Democrats "fleeing" - Yet just days ago, they themselves fled DC to avoid voting on the Epstein files. Think about it, but not too much.

Let Love Rule: Spread cheeks, not hate

Freakier Friday opens tomorrow, can't wait to see Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan together again at the movies!!!

Don't be the bigger person today. Be the person that helps them understand that sometimes when you F#ck around you find out.

My morning ritual is drinking lemon water, what's yours?

Tell me here -

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://bsky.app/profile/michaelshinafelt.bsky.social

https://www.tiktok.com/@michaelshinafelt

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Hump Day & Chill

Wednesday Addams

Today is Wednesday and not quite so wickedly coincidental it is also the premiere of Season 2 of Wednesday on Netflix.

What does it all mean?! It means we are going to have a Hump Day & Chill Wednesday, to, well, Wednesday...nevermore...

Here's hoping that this season is better than the last. Which, whilst entertaining enough was a tad on the tepid side for this viewer. Translation: it played it a little too safe and did not go out on a limb as far as it should have, and I personally could have done without the romance angle. So there!

One sure thing we can count on is Jenna Ortega playing the title character pitch black perfect, yet again.

Thus let's raise a glass of Wolfsbane and give a Hump Day & Chill toast to Wednesday, Wednesday on Netflix.

"I don't believe in Heaven or Hell. But I do believe in revenge"

I'll drink to that!

Wednesday on the WWW -

https://www.netflix.com/title/81231974

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

"Lost In Space"

On September 2, the science fiction adventure Lost In Space makes its global 4K UHD debut. A surprise hit upon its 1998 release—famously topping Titanic at the box office for a brief moment—Lost In Space returns in a definitive 4K restoration from the original camera negative, approved by director Stephen Hopkins. The Limited Edition set is packed with hours of special features, collectible packaging, and newly commissioned extras.

The Earth is close to being uninhabitable in 2058. Mankind's only hope for survival is to send Professor John Robinson (William Hurt, Avengers: Infinity War), his wife Maureen (Mimi Rogers, Bosch), son Will (Jack Johnson, Love Affair), and daughters Judy (Heather Graham, Boogie Nights) and Penny (Lacey Chabert, Black Christmas), along with pilot Major Don West (Matt LeBlanc, Friends), to the planet Alpha Prime to create a transporter gate. This device will allow Earthlings to flee to a new world. There are people who don’t want the Robinsons’ mission to succeed, including the treacherous Dr. Smith (Gary Oldman, The Dark Knight). The family’s physician sneaks onto Jupiter II to sabotage The Robot (Dick Tufeld, the voice of The Robot from the TV series). The mechanical mayhem leads to the spaceship becoming lost in space. Can the Robinsons regain their bearings and reach Alpha Prime? The movie features cameos by Mark Goddard, June Lockhart, Marta Kristen, and Angela Cartwright from the original TV series.

Special features include archive audio commentaries; newly filmed interviews; a brand new video essay; deleted scenes; archival featurettes; a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series; bloopers; an Illustrated collector’s booklet; articles from American Cinematographer; and an excerpt from the original production notes.

Watch the trailer for Lost In Space here:

https://youtu.be/X19rPM4_ZfA?si=N9yny07BlBttALuN

Order Here:

https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV648