Notizie

Deaf advocate, and actress Millicent Simmonds hosted last week’s Media Access Awards, in partnership with nonprofit disability services provider Easterseals.

The annual ceremony which aired virtually on ExtraTV.com/MediaAccessAwards and mediaaccessawards.com was founded by Norman Lear and now under the leadership of Deborah Calla and Allen Rucker since 2010, honors those in film and TV who include characters and actors with disabilities. The event pays tribute to individuals, series, and films that have redefined on-screen representation for the disability community, while advancing the portrayal and employment of people with disabilities in Hollywood.

The evening’s honorees were selected by the diversity committees of their professional guilds with awards from the Casting Society of America (CSA), Producers Guild of America (PGA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), and Writers Guild of America (WGA).

For the first time ever, IMDbPro, the essential resource for entertainment industry professionals, presented the IMDbPro | Media Access Award for Excellence in Directing,...

At the Media Access Awards on Wednesday, honoree Marlee Matlin summed up the mood by saying that when she came to Los Angeles in 1985, “words like equality and access were so far outside the mainstream of Hollywood, I had to make noise.” Receiving the Maa’s lifetime achievement award “pushes me to be even louder.”

The annual awards have long honored film and TV shows that offer positive portrayals of disabled people. Other honorees, which were announced in advance, included Selma Blair, Troy Kotsur, John Krasinski, Jamie Nieto, Ryan O’Connell, “Luca” producer Andrea Warren and Zeno Mountain Farm.

The Apple film “Coda” was the only winner of multiple awards, with Matlin, her co-star Troy Kotsur and the film’s casting directors Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood and Lisa Zagoria honored. The trio received the casting society of America award, with the film’s writer-director Sian Heder praising them as partners.

The...

1977: Delia left a suicide note for Pat on Ryan's Hope.

1984: All My Children's Erica and Adam were married.

1984: Knots Landing's Abby and Val mourned Gary.

2006: Passions' Miguel returned just as Kay accepted Fox's proposal."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1966: On Another World, Bill Matthews (Joseph Gallison) begged social worker Ann Fuller (Olga Bellin) to tell him the real reason Missy Palmer didn't want to marry him.

1977: On Ryan's Hope, after writing a suicide note and taking Jack's pills, Delia Reid Ryan...

1977: Delia left a suicide note for Pat on Ryan's Hope.

1984: All My Children's Erica and Adam were married.

1984: Knots Landing's Abby and Val mourned Gary.

2006: Passions' Miguel returned just as Kay accepted Fox's proposal."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."

― Machiavelli

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1966: On Another World, Bill Matthews (Joseph Gallison) begged social worker Ann Fuller...

Meredith Scott Lynn (Days Of Our Lives) has been tapped to play famed defense attorney Leslie Abramson in Lifetime’s original movie about the Menendez brothers' infamous double-murder case. Based on the true story, the movie explores the inner lives and motivation behind the murders of entertainment executive Jose Menendez (Benito Martinez) and his wife Kitty (Courtney Love) at the hands of their sons Lyle and Erik in 1989. After a mistrial and deadlocked juries (there…...

Director Amy Heckerling reteams with actress Alicia Silverstone for the upcoming comedy Vamps. Previously these two filmmakers worked together on Clueless (1995), another comedy. This time out, Silverstone plays Goody, a vampire playing it straight. Goody and Stacy forgo a life of feeding on blood for love, when the New York City dating life is more tempting than a night living in the dark. Recently, this production completed filming and here is your early look at the film's cast and latest axe-grinding photo.

Release Date: 2012.

Director/writer: Amy Heckerling.

Producers: Maria Teresa Arida, James Belfer, Adam Brightman, Stuart Cornfeld, Peter Fruchtman, Marek Gabryjelski, Molly Hassell , John Jencks, Lee Kramer, Julie Kroll, Brock Laborde, Kevin Ragsdale, Anna Rozalska, Mike Shevell and Stanislaw Tyczynski.

Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Krysten Ritter, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Stevens, Richard Lewis, Wallace Shawn, Justin Kirk, Malcolm McDowell, Zak Orth, Marilu Henner, Scott Thomson, Todd Barry, Kristen Johnston, and Meredith Scott Lynn.

The 15th annual Palm Beach International Film Festival has declared its winners. After a week of screening films, the jury has named the winners for the Best Feature Film and other categories during the Closing Night Awards Ceremony.

The jury included docu-filmmakers Aaron Wells and Rob Davis, film producer Emmanuel Itier, and Frank Theaters COO Debbie Frank. They voted on Feature Films, while actress/filmmaker Meredith Scott Lynn judged the Short Films.

Scott Lynn said, "Every short deserves its own award for various reasons, so this decision was all the more difficult."

"However, the filmmaker used a device I've never seen in either short or long form where two real-life people tell a true story in voiceover, which serves as the narration for this fully-cast, beautifully directed visual. It made me cry in under 9 minutes."...

"The Film Collaborative," unveiled last month during the Sundance Film Festival, has added a growing roster of advisors. On board to guide the group, so far, include: Ruby Lerner (executive director, Creative Capitol), Rose Kuo (former Artistic Director, AFI Fest), Ted Hope (producer), Karol Martesko-Fenster (Babelgum), Meredith Scott Lynn (Actress and Filmmaker), Roberta Marie Munroe (filmmaker, author and former Sundance shorts programmer), Steve Mason (independent theatre owner and journalist for Espn), ...

Anthony Fabian's "Skin," starring Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill and Alice Krige, and Uberto Pasolini's "Machan" tied for the best feature film award at the 14th annual Palm Beach International Film Festival, which handed out its awards on Monday.

The five-day fest presented its award for best feature film director to Charles Martin Smith for "The Stone of Destiny."

Andres Faucher's "The Legacy" was named best documentary feature.

The award for best short film went to "Gone Fishing," directed by Chris Jones.

Audience choice awards were voted to David Lisle Johnson's "In My Pocket" as best feature and Dori Berinstein's "Gotta Dance" as best documentary.

The audience award for best short film resulted in another tie, going to Meredith Scott Lynn's "Parental Guidance" and Deb Hiett and Richard Kuhlman's "A Bit of Counseling."

 

The Voices of Local Films honors were awarded to "The Outlaw...

NEW YORK -- Matthew Modine and French film actress Michele Laroque will star in Eddie O'Flaherty's indie romantic comedy The Neighbor, now shooting in Los Angeles.

Modine plays Jeff, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown after his business heads into dire straits and his daughter (Gina Mantegna) tells him that his ex-wife Meredith Scott Lynn) is marrying his former best friend (David Youse). When Christine (Laroque), a high-powered real estate developer, moves into the condo below Jeff with the misunderstanding that he'll be moving out for her renovation, a battle of wills ensues that threatens to turn romantic. Complicating matters are Christine's uptight fiance (Ed Quinn) and unpleasant boss (Richard Kind).

Karen S. Shapiro, producer of the award-winning African AIDS drama Beat the Drum, is teaming with partner Michel Rampal to produce the film. Neighbor is O'Flaherty's follow-up to his feature directorial debut, Freestyle Releasing's 2005 boxing drama Fighting Tommy Riley. He co-wrote the screenplay with Riley writer and star J.P.

This review was written for the festival screening of "Finishing the Game".PARK CITY -- "Better Luck Tomorrow" writer-director Justin Lin returns to independent filmmaking following back-to-back studio movies ("Annapolis", "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") with "Finishing the Game", a raucous '70s period comedy.

Given Lin's reputation and affection for the material, sure stylistic command and engaging performances by a strong ensemble cast, ongoing festival play is assured, while well-targeted marketing by a savvy distributor will capture hip urban audiences and could help the film cross over to broader appeal.

In 1973, cerebral edema unexpectedly felled Asian-American martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. His death was a significant loss not only to fans worldwide, but also for the studio that was producing Lee's unfinished personal project, "Game of Death". Without enough footage to complete the movie, the executives foolishly cast a substitute for Lee and shot around the star's brief original footage. The finished film was released in 1978, but quickly fell into disrepute when fans rejected the manipulation of Lee's role.

Lin and co-writer Josh Diamond re-envision this misguided moviemaking process in "Finishing the Game", using a fictional documentary about the casting of "Game of Death" to send-up the many pitfalls of studio filmmaking and the foibles of the various professionals involved. At the same time, they good-naturedly confront issues of racism and the stereotyping of Asian-American actors to question whether the bad old days are really so far in the past.

Martey Kurtainbaum (Sam Bottoms) is the studio executive pushing the project, assigning his inexperienced son Ronney (Jake Sandvig) to direct. Relying on clueless casting director Eloise Gazdag Meredith Scott Lynn), who declares she's seeking a "hip Genghis Khan" for the Bruce Lee role, the production team announces auditions for Lee's replacement.

Sequences of the casting preparations are intercut with interviews featuring the principal prospective stars, including arrogant B-movie martial artist Breeze Loo (Roger Fan), Southern bit-player Cole Kim Sung Kang), the very Caucasian-looking, mixed-race Tarrick Tyler (McCaleb Burnett) and washed-up former TV star Troy Poon (Dustin Nguyen).

With three rounds of auditions, Ronney and Eloise face an overwhelming response to the initial cattle call. They whittle the candidates down to a manageable number before production is suspended when bad publicity about an alleged Asian-American serial killer threatens to sour public opinion against the project.

Meanwhile, Cole squabbles with his girlfriend-manager (Monique Gabriela Curnen), Breeze fires his fawning agents when he's forced to actually audition for the Lee role and Troy quits the process in disgust, dumping his self-serving manager (M.C. Hammer). Few of the contenders, much less the filmmakers, have Troy's integrity and resolutely maintain an attitude of desperate denial once casting resumes.

Lin, an experienced documentary-maker, expertly duplicates the narrative and stylistic characteristics of the form even as he gently ridicules them, from the earnest interviews and shaky handheld camerawork to the "balanced" reporting technique. The re-creations of '70s sitcoms, cop shows and chopsocky martial arts movies are spot-on, down to the specific tropes of each genre, even though Lin insists the film isn't really a mockumentary.

Few aspects of Hollywood moviemaking escape a friendly skewering. Lin even pokes fun at the solemn sincerity of Asian-American community activism. The ensemble cast members play well off one another, particularly Fan as the self-absorbed Bruce Lee wannabe and Lynn in the role of the monumentally ignorant casting director.

Candi Guterres' production design and Annie Yun's costumes piquantly evoke the period setting, while Brian Tyler's funky score pays tribute to the overall '70s vibe.

FINISHING THE GAME

Trailing Johnson Productions in association with Cherry Sky Films.

A film by Justin Lin.

Credits:

Director: Justin Lin

Writers: Josh Diamond, Justin Lin

Producers: Julie Asato, Salvador Gatdula, Justin Lin

Executive Producers: Joan Huang, Jeff Gou

Director of photography: Tom Clancey

Production designer: Candi Guterres

Music: Brian Tyler

Costume Designer: Annie Yun

Editor: Greg Louie.

Cast:

Interviewer: Josh Diamond

Martey Kurtainbaum: Sam Bottoms

Ronney Kurtainbaum: Jake Sandvig

Breeze Loo: Roger Fan

Cole Kim: Sung Kang

Eloise Gazdag: Meredith Scott Lynn

Tarrick Tyler: McCaleb Burnett

Troy Poon: Dustin Nguyen

Saraghina Rivas: Monique Gabriela Curnen

Roy Thunder: M.C. Hammer

Running time -- 88 minutes

No MPAA rating...

PARK CITY -- "Better Luck Tomorrow" writer-director Justin Lin returns to independent filmmaking following back-to-back studio movies ("Annapolis", "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") with "Finishing the Game", a raucous '70s period comedy.

Given Lin's reputation and affection for the material, sure stylistic command and engaging performances by a strong ensemble cast, ongoing festival play is assured, while well-targeted marketing by a savvy distributor will capture hip urban audiences and could help the film cross over to broader appeal.

In 1973, cerebral edema unexpectedly felled Asian-American martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. His death was a significant loss not only to fans worldwide, but also for the studio that was producing Lee's unfinished personal project, "Game of Death". Without enough footage to complete the movie, the executives foolishly cast a substitute for Lee and shot around the star's brief original footage. The finished film was released in 1978, but quickly fell into disrepute when fans rejected the manipulation of Lee's role.

Lin and co-writer Josh Diamond re-envision this misguided moviemaking process in "Finishing the Game", using a fictional documentary about the casting of "Game of Death" to send-up the many pitfalls of studio filmmaking and the foibles of the various professionals involved. At the same time, they good-naturedly confront issues of racism and the stereotyping of Asian-American actors to question whether the bad old days are really so far in the past.

Martey Kurtainbaum (Sam Bottoms) is the studio executive pushing the project, assigning his inexperienced son Ronney (Jake Sandvig) to direct. Relying on clueless casting director Eloise Gazdag Meredith Scott Lynn), who declares she's seeking a "hip Genghis Khan" for the Bruce Lee role, the production team announces auditions for Lee's replacement.

Sequences of the casting preparations are intercut with interviews featuring the principal prospective stars, including arrogant B-movie martial artist Breeze Loo (Roger Fan), Southern bit-player Cole Kim Sung Kang), the very Caucasian-looking, mixed-race Tarrick Tyler (McCaleb Burnett) and washed-up former TV star Troy Poon (Dustin Nguyen).

With three rounds of auditions, Ronney and Eloise face an overwhelming response to the initial cattle call. They whittle the candidates down to a manageable number before production is suspended when bad publicity about an alleged Asian-American serial killer threatens to sour public opinion against the project.

Meanwhile, Cole squabbles with his girlfriend-manager (Monique Gabriela Curnen), Breeze fires his fawning agents when he's forced to actually audition for the Lee role and Troy quits the process in disgust, dumping his self-serving manager (M.C. Hammer). Few of the contenders, much less the filmmakers, have Troy's integrity and resolutely maintain an attitude of desperate denial once casting resumes.

Lin, an experienced documentary-maker, expertly duplicates the narrative and stylistic characteristics of the form even as he gently ridicules them, from the earnest interviews and shaky handheld camerawork to the "balanced" reporting technique. The re-creations of '70s sitcoms, cop shows and chopsocky martial arts movies are spot-on, down to the specific tropes of each genre, even though Lin insists the film isn't really a mockumentary.

Few aspects of Hollywood moviemaking escape a friendly skewering. Lin even pokes fun at the solemn sincerity of Asian-American community activism. The ensemble cast members play well off one another, particularly Fan as the self-absorbed Bruce Lee wannabe and Lynn in the role of the monumentally ignorant casting director.

Candi Guterres' production design and Annie Yun's costumes piquantly evoke the period setting, while Brian Tyler's funky score pays tribute to the overall '70s vibe.

FINISHING THE GAME

Trailing Johnson Productions in association with Cherry Sky Films.

A film by Justin Lin.

Credits:

Director: Justin Lin

Writers: Josh Diamond, Justin Lin

Producers: Julie Asato, Salvador Gatdula, Justin Lin

Executive Producers: Joan Huang, Jeff Gou

Director of photography: Tom Clancey

Production designer: Candi Guterres

Music: Brian Tyler

Costume Designer: Annie Yun

Editor: Greg Louie.

Cast:

Interviewer: Josh Diamond

Martey Kurtainbaum: Sam Bottoms

Ronney Kurtainbaum: Jake Sandvig

Breeze Loo: Roger Fan

Cole Kim: Sung Kang

Eloise Gazdag: Meredith Scott Lynn

Tarrick Tyler: McCaleb Burnett

Troy Poon: Dustin Nguyen

Saraghina Rivas: Monique Gabriela Curnen

Roy Thunder: M.C. Hammer

Running time -- 88 minutes

No MPAA rating...

NEW YORK -- Lesley Ann Warren is teaming with an ensemble cast that includes Jack Klugman, Michael Lerner, Shiri Appleby and Mili Avital for Twin Falls Idaho producer Steven J. Wolfe's indie feature When Do We Eat. Eat revolves around a Passover seder at which the family patriarch is slipped a dose of Ecstasy by one of his kids, "igniting conflict and chaos on the way to healing and redemption," the filmmakers said. The comedy -- by helmer Salvador Litvak -- also features Ben Feldman, Max Greenfield, Adam Lamberg, Meredith Scott Lynn and Cynda Williams. Nina Davidovich Litvak penned the screenplay. Amy Salko Robertson is serving as co-producer. Said Wolfe: "The fun of this film was putting together the perfect dysfunctional family. When you combine such well-respected actors as Michael Lerner, Lesley Ann Warren and the legendary Jack Klugman with such an unbelievably gifted ensemble, the humor and comic timing on the set each day makes it hard to feel like you're really at work." The film is shooting in Los Angeles. Warren is repped by Innovative Artists and Acronym Entertainment.

There are a number of things to admire in "Standing on Fishes", an alert and poignant comedy-drama that screened last weekend at the Hollywood Film Festival. For one thing, the indie film bristles with humorous insights into life on the fringes of show business. It also contains an emotionally unsparing portrait of a crumbling romantic relationship.

But, crucially, the film accomplishes something that's always difficult in movies -- it credibly shows an artist at work and the daily struggles to maintain the integrity of his art.

"Fishes", which debuted at the 1999 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, is a natural for the festival circuit. And it should win appreciative audiences in sophisticated specialty venues should it get to theatrical distribution.

Even by the standards of the film medium, "Fishes" is an unusually collaborative effort. Its two stars, Bradford Tatum and Meredith Scott Lynn, co-directed from a script by Tatum. Lynn was one of the producers, and all the sculptures featured in the film belong to Tatum, an accomplished sculptor. No wonder the film has a lived-in look.

The mostly comic framework for the story concerns the frantic struggles of an artist to gain a measure of financial security by selling out to Hollywood. A fine sculptor, Caleb (Tatum) has been hired to create a prosthetic vagina by a deeply demented film director (an inspired performance by Kelsey Grammer).

While both Caleb's assistant (Jason Priestly) and lover of two years Erica (Lynn) question this enterprise, Caleb in turn starts to question other aspects of his life including his relationship with Erica, a frequently unemployed actress whose aggressive need for attention has lost much of its charm.

The story is peopled with outrageous personalities, none of whom seems the least bit exaggerated to anyone who has spent any time in L.A. -- the stressed-out producer (Pamela Reed), the out-of-control bitch actress (Stacy Haiduk) and a dreamy waif (Lauren Fox), whose allure brings the troubled relationship between Caleb and Erica to a head.

"Fishes" often feels like a play because of the paucity of locales and frequent conversations about off-camera developments. Undoubtedly, budgetary constraints helped create this claustrophobic sensation, but in this case it actually aids the drama.

For life is closing in on Caleb, as he finds himself caught between the demands of his neglected art and girlfriend and his chronic need to make a buck to pay the mortgage.

It's also refreshing to see a movie about an artist in which the actor can create the art in question. Watching Tatum sculpt -- not to mention his construction of the female genitalia from high-density silicone -- is genuinely fascinating.

While Tatum's sculptor is the focus of the story, Lynn's neurotic control freak nearly steals the show. Several of her confrontations with her boyfriend, especially when she catches him in a romantic embrace with another woman, make for delicious comedy.

"Fishes" is a talky film, and the filmmakers have apparently addressed the problem. While the print that screened here ran 97 minutes, the version getting shown to potential distributors runs 89 minutes.

Technical credits are fine given the production's limited resource. Some funky music could be a plus were an soundtrack album to be produced.

STANDING ON FISHES

Big Hair Prods./Red Horse Entertainment

Credits: Producers: Meredith Scott Lynn, Alan Welch; Directors: Bradford Tatum, Meredith Scott Lynn; Writer: Bradford Tatum; Executive producer: Sheilah Goldman; Director of photography: Mark Mervis; Production designer: Mark Hofeling; Music: Juliet Prater; Costume designer: Karen Swerling; Editor: Skip Spiro. Cast: Caleb: Bradford Tatum; Erica: Meredith Scott Lynn; Jason: Jason Priestly; Camille: Lauren Fox; Janice: Pamela Reed; Verk: Kelsey Grammer; Anna McAffery: Stacy Haiduk. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 97 minutes.

Tits and ass and jokes about Loni Anderson's chin are the main attractions in Paramount's "A Night at the Roxbury", which stars Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan as obnoxious club-hopping losers. Based on the pair's "Saturday Night Live" skits, "Roxbury" is briefly amusing -- such as when a woman screams "Ikea" as she's having an orgasm -- but it's mostly gawky, scattershot gags starting with the god-awful clothes and idiotic personalities of the monumentally immature leads.

Another dumb-guys-get-babes comedy might have had a chance, but the ho-hum disco setting, unknown stars and a PG-13 rating are hardly the enticements for more discriminating adults. While the target audience of teenage boys is well-served with many teasing shots of pulchritudinous females -- with special attention paid to their barely covered-up assets -- "Roxbury" is a joyless affair which at least is over fast, clocking in (minus end credits) at less than 80 minutes.

Dim-bulb brothers Steve (Ferrell) and Doug Butabi (Kattan) sport sideburns and iridescent suits. They share a room and seem joined at the hip. In their father's car, they both nod their heads in time with music -- the duo's signature ha-ha gag that is old after the first of many times it's repeated. But get them near a floozy or just plain attractive woman, and they become insufferable, horny jerks used to being violently repulsed.

Their sense of humor is painfully retarded, and it's no surprise they're both virgins. Their inability to get into clubs is likewise obvious. It takes a traffic accident on Sunset Boulevard to start turning things around, with the bozos rear-ended by Richard Grieco playing himself. It just gets unfunnier.

A regular at the hottest club in town, Grieco helps the brothers get in -- and they're snapped up by money-hungry babes Vivica (Gigi Rice) and Cambi (Elisa Donovan). Thinking they have well-heeled swells in tow, the girls take the bubble-headed bros to bed. But this lustful quartet soon breaks up, with Steve falling into the grips of family friend Emily (Molly Shannon), another nakedly ambitious, in-love-with-sex femme.

Dan Hedaya and Anderson as the brothers' parental units are pillars of respectability in this geek show. Lochlyn Munro, Meredith Scott Lynn and Mark McKinney are likewise attention-getters in small but crucial roles. As for Ferrell and Kattan, they are allowed to self-destruct in several scenes that go on too long, but their one-note shtick is ably rendered on screen for the ages by director John Fortenberry.

A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY

Paramount Pictures

In association with SNL Studios

A Lorne Michaels and Amy Heckerling production

Director: John Fortenberry

Screenwriters: Steve Koren, Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan

Producers: Lorne Michaels, Amy Heckerling

Executive producer: Robert K. Weiss

Director of photography: Francis Kenny

Production designer: Steven Jordan

Editor: Jay Kamen

Costume designer: Mona May

Music: David Kitay

Casting: Jeff Greenberg

Color/stereo

Cast:

Steve Butabi: Will Ferrell

Doug Butabi: Chris Kattan

Emily: Molly Shannon

Craig: Lochlyn Munro

Kamehl Butabi: Dan Hedaya

Barbara Butabi: Loni Anderson

Credit Vixen: Meredith Scott Lynn

Vivica: Gigi Rice

Cambi: Elisa Donovan

Father Williams: Mark McKinney

Richard Grieco: Himself

Running time -- 81 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...

Praised when it bowed at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, writer-director Julie Davis' low-budget feature debut is a love-it-or-hate-it modern romantic comedy about a 25-year-old virgin and her foolish ways with the men in her life. While the Goldwyn project, released by MGM, boasts an enlightening moment or two and a few sharp lines, there's not much more in the way of originality or reasons for most moviegoers to touch this one.

In a cute moment, the lead character comments that she feels like she's in a Henry Jaglom movie. The semi-autobiographical film certainly appeals to the same demographic -- adult women -- and it revels in its self-obsessed, often-annoying central presence. With a jokey title that won't impact its already slim boxoffice prospects, "I Love You, Don't Touch Me!" has a slightly brighter post-theatrical future.

On her way to the big event of her young life, L.A. gal-about-town Katie (Marla Schaffel) suffers a "romantic holocaust" in her early 20s, and she starts feeling pressure when her critical best friend (Nancy Sorel) gets engaged to a "perfect" man.

Katie wants to find the right guy and predictably brushes off longtime pal Ben Mitchell Whitfield), a pudgy-but-sweet romantic she likes to set up with her less-than-winning single friends.

One day, Ben goes out with Katie's sultry co-worker Janet Meredith Scott Lynn), and the two embark on a stormy love affair. Janet knows what she wants, and Ben is tired of waiting for Katie, who becomes jealous and soon meets older composer Richard Webber (Michael Harris). Encouraging Katie to pursue a singing career, Richard shows up at her audition. Soon, he's got her in bed -- and the long-awaited event occurs.

Katie falls hard for attentive Richard, who says up front that he samples women like food, as he is the kind of man who doesn't want to eat the same meal every day.

Bitchy, critical, not really listening but seemingly always in someone's face, Katie is a well-realized character, but some will find it hard to stay interested in her search for answers. Part of the problem is the storytelling, which is consumed with one aspect of the characters' lives, while overall, uneven performances and uninspired direction fail to make the film fun or entertaining.

I LOVE YOU, DON'T TOUCH ME!

MGM

Goldwyn Entertainment Co. and Westie Films

in association with Big Hair Prods.

A film by Julie Davis

Credits: Writer-director: Julie Davis; Producers: Scott Chosed, Julie Davis; Executive producer: Jennifer Chaiken; Production designer: Carol Strober; Director of photography: Mark Putnam; Costume designer: Wendy Greiner; Music: Jane Ford; Editor: Julie Davis. Cast: Katie: Marla Schaffel; Ben: Mitchell Whitfield; Janet: Meredith Scott Lynn; Richard Webber: Michael Harris; Jones: Darryl Theirse; Elizabeth: Nancy Sorel. MPAA rating: R. Running time -- 83 minutes. Color/stereo.

PARK CITY, Utah -- A straightforward, coming-of-sexual identity story about a gay photographer from Indiana who has migrated to the flats and hills of West Hollywood, "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" is a solid, sensitive drama about a young man's quest to balance his life.

A well-realized and often witty film, this Sundance Film Festival dramatic competition entrant will do well on the festival trail and should buff some select-site change in art house venues.

Sean P. Hayes stars as Billy, who is taking his lumps as a fledgling photographer in Hollywood. He's out of work, out of love and -- though he regards the necessary payment of dues in launching a career -- has no dreams of wallowing in poverty or despairing in singledom. After the perfunctory dalliances and flings, Billy's keen camera eye focuses on a classically handsome young musician aptly named Gabriel (Brad Rowe). The looming hangup: Is Gabriel gay? After all, he alludes to a girlfriend in San Francisco (but not frequently), and on the K-scale (Billy's indicator of "straightness"), he scores on the gay side.

The central story is somewhat one of puppy love as young Billy casts adoring eyes at Gabriel, but it is nicely rounded with broader, psychological insights into love. Billy tends to project things and get in relationship doldrums because of his shy way of assessing romance that often turns out to be completely off base. While the film depicts a gay romance, the psychological pinions and missteps transcend sexual preference.

"Billy"'s appeal is due, in large part, to the measured, sympathetic performances of its leads. Hayes brings an everyman aspect to his character, the sort of person for whom you root to succeed; and as the sexually conflicted Gabriel, Rowe's canny performance shows the inner anxieties of a young man who on the surface appears placid and perfect. Supporting players, including Richard Ganoung and Meredith Scott Lynn, bring credible shadings to their roles, while Paul Bartel aptly camps it up as a big-time photographer.

This "Screen Kiss" is nicely fleshed by smart technical assists, namely Alan Ari Lazar's dicey score and Julia Bartholomew's personality-revealing costumes.

BILLY'S HOLLYWOOD SCREEN KISS

A Tommy O'Haver trifle

Producer: David Moseley

Screenwriter-director: Tommy O'Haver

Line producer: Irene Turner

Co-producers: Meredith Scott Lynn,

Irene Turner

Associate producer: Marcus Hu

Director of photography: Mark Mervis

Editor: Jeff Betancourt

Costume designer: Julia Bartholomew

Production designer: Franco-Giacomo Carbone

Choreography: Michele Spears, Joseph McKee

Music: Alan Ari Lazar

Music supervisor: Robin Urdang

Casting: Robert McGree

Color/stereo

Cast:

Billy Collier: Sean P. Hayes

Gabriel: Brad Rowe

Perry: Richard Ganoung

George: Meredith Scott Lynn

Rex Webster: Paul Bartel

Whitey: Matthew Ashford

Holly: Holly Woodlawn

Running time -- 89 minutes

No MPAA rating...