Beantown Bastad's Blogdom

My Movie Picks This Year Thus Far

2006-10-18T23:20:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of independent films (even way before I became an actor). Maybe it's because I'm drawn to to risks taken, the truth and character driven plots. HALF NELSON was a great film and Ryan Gosling is phenomenal in it. There have been many great films that I have seen recently, but usually one comes along and just glues me to my seat leaving me craving for more. A Guide To Recognizing Your Saint is the best movie I have seen all year! It's a breath of fresh air filmmaking that breaths reality into every frame. And all the performances were brilliant.
The Departed was entertaining. It was good to see Dicaprio doing what he does best, intense dramatic acting. Maybe I'm bias because I still think the original film INFERNAL AFFAIRS was much more entertaining. I grew up in the mean streets of Beantown, East Boston to be exact. Eastie as we call it, so I know South Boston , Southie way too well. Besides the big landmarks shown in the film, where was the mean streets of Boston? Where was Southie? I felt Boston in Mystic River but it departed in The Departed...guess we'll let Matt Damon and Mark Whalberg be authentic while the others are on cruise control on the I-95. The Last Kiss was surprisingly good. Oh, and a movie I recently rented call LONESOME JIM was a trieu pleasure. X-MEN THE LAST STAND, who can say no to that? When are they going to friggin bring GAMBIT to the force???!!!

Beyond the 17th Parallel

2006-08-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the Ojai Playwrights Conference. I had a wonderful time last year and this year was even better. It's an amazing conference. Such a great feeling to be in a beautiful setting like Ojai surrounded by a diverse group of talented artists. I had the privileged to be a part of T.D. Mitchell's (watch out for this new emerging playwright) Beyond the 17th Parallel. Abigail Deser is an amazing director who I'd love to work with again. It was a joy to sit back and watch this cast of veteran actors do their stuff each day(it was like I had front row seats and backstage pass). Not only are these gentlemen gifted actors but kind and giving human beings as well. Michael O'Neill, Barry Shabaka Henley, Rudy Ramos, John Jackson, Andy Robinson, James Lashly were truly a Bravo company! I will go into the trenches any day with this group.
Beyond the 17th Parallel is a powerful play skillfully written by a talented playwright. Keep your ears and eyes open!

Mako Paved The Way

2006-08-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

Mako, actor/activist, original founder/first artistic director of East West Players passed away last week. Mako was a talented actor, got nominated for an Oscar for his role in The Sand Pebbles opposite Steve McQueen. A few years back I was fortunate enough to have been directed in a play by Mako( Frank Chin's Year of The Dragon). I've always admire Mako for placing the art over show business and the celebrity Hollywood bullshit. R.I.P. Mako and thank you for the truth in your art!

East West Players 40th Anniversary

2006-04-10T23:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the 40th Anniversary Dinner for EAST WEST PLAYERS, held at the Hilton Hotel @ Universal City. Can't believe the theater has been around for that long, still a major driving force in its commitment to supporting asian artists! It was very inspiring and empowering to be around other talented asian artists.

Dust Of Life

2006-03-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

Dust of Life directed by Kiet Van Le, is an indie I acted in awhile back. If you're in the Southern California area, come support this Vietnamese American story and its artists.

www.dustoflifemovie.com

Crash Brokedown Surprise

2006-03-10T01:11:00.000-08:00

Need I say more than I have inferred?

OSCAR

2006-03-03T03:48:00.000-08:00

I'm sure many will be tuning in this Sunday to watch the Oscars. So many performances and films go under the radar. Watched Separate Lives the other night on DVD. Tom Wilkinson has been on my "actors to watch list" since I saw his performance in In The Bedroom. In Separate Lives, he has moved up even further on my to watch list. This man has got some serious skillz. Speaking of skillz, just watched Nine Lives this evening. Written & Directed by Roderigo Garcia (produced by one of my fav directors, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu). Nine Lives is the exploration of the individual experiences of 9 women as told through 9 single unbroken takes (lucky actors! THEATER!). This movie examines the claustrophobia of being in a relationship, how we are held as captives emotionally, both past and present.
Can someone give Robin Wright Penn some serious props?
Also, I always love it when not really famous or non A-list actors show up on films and just completely floor me with their performance. Elpidia Carrillo is one of them. If you don't know who she is, look her up. She deserves that.

Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award

2006-02-18T23:29:00.000-08:00

The stage reading of Monkey Jar was well received tonight. Thank you to all who came out on a rainy night to show your support!

Working on the play Equus with George Takei was a honor and a privilege. The opportunity to tackle the role of Alan Strang and be a part of a talented cast and production team was immensely rewarding in itself. Receiving my nomination letter from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle has left me without words. A thank you from my heart must go out to the LADCC for letting me be a part of this year's ceremony!

Nuttin much more to report. I'm still hustlin' each day to find more work. Keep ya head up and don't let the "BUllSH-it" keep ya down.

Las Vegas

2006-02-07T17:23:00.000-08:00

Waiting for the phone to ring...went on tape yesterday for producers for a co-star role on NBC's show LAS VEGAS. That would be crazy if Sonny Corleone gives me a beatdown. That'll be an offer I can't refuse.

American History

2006-02-04T02:52:00.000-08:00

Groundhog sees his shadow as we head into February. Shortest month of the year and this is also Black History Month. Came across this following article on AOL in regards to something actor Morgan Freeman said. Just shows you how the friggin media can just blow shit way out of proportion or stir things up just because a "celebrity" is involved. I really don't want to get political or take sides (even though they misinterpret what Morgan was saying), but before anyone talks about history or what race owes who what or what is being taught or not, one should really LEARN and REMEMBER the true history of this country. Native American Indians!!!! Relearn history, it's never too late.

Adam Carolla Self Proclaimed Moron

2006-01-29T01:46:00.000-08:00

Click on this link to hear an adult still using ignorant grade school playground antics. Celebrity or artist? More like self proclaimed idiot!

U Can't Handle Da Trieuth!

2006-01-27T01:05:00.000-08:00

Click on that orange arrow to hear me talkie talkie if ya think reading is not fundamental. But if you'd rather read like the intellect that you are, keep them eyes moving this way...There ya go, 2006! Welcome! This is the trieuthfully told no holdsbarred blogspittin bout the career, life & pasttime of a Beantown bastad (yeah, yeah, "bastard", but in Boston unlike the rest of da country, we speak proper english, aight?). This is America baby, freedom of spinachless so choose ya words carefully! Relax, you won't read or see any trivial shit on this blog. No postings about me running into what star at the supermarket or at auditions, or what not. And never ever will I post something like whether or not I had a pear for breakfast. Why? Cause I don't eat breakfast and pears expensive as hell baby! I'm a starving artist, only thing filling my belly is poverty, and it ain't being televised! Won't even tell you what types of pears I prefer, cause that's just name dropping baby! Thanks for your web surfing time, stay tune for more blogspittin...PEACE!

www.trieutran.com (get ya back to my website, still underconstruction)

www.sdswebs.com (get ya in contact with a bombazz webdesigner, no joke!)