Ass Backwards is Subversive Fun

This darkly humorous movie will make you laugh, cringe and feel just the tiniest bit better about your own life. Ass Backwards is Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion without the gloss and glam. If Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino had come from the wrong side of the tracks (and maybe had some sort of substance abuse problem), you would have Kate and Chloe.

I don’t want to oversimplify the hilarity of this movie, but if you did enjoy the trials and tribulations of Romy and Michele, and you want to see how things would go if the duo’s lives were a bit less like a fairy tale, you will enjoy Kate and Chloe’s journey in Ass Backwards.  It’s a road trip movie starring two lovely ladies whose friendship is the heart of the film, and who happen to be ridiculous people. Ass Backwards is the perfect name for it, because it constantly throws the viewer for a loop. Nothing is as it seems, and so I’m hesitant to describe too much of the movie and ruin any of the magical twists and turns. I will say that an important part of a road trip is the music, and this particular road trip has stellar music in spades. In the hierarchy of things to consider before embarking on a road trip, it goes snacks > music > are you going to let people take their shoes off in your car?

June Diane Raphael (Kate) and Casey Wilson (Chloe) really can do anything. Not only did they write the movie together, but they starred in it and funded it through Kickstarter. One of the rewards offered was “Casey and June will call you every day for a week and read your horoscope to you!” Oh, how I wish I had seen this project when it was still getting funded. I will take this regret to my grave.

These two women are fast friends and it shows. Since moving to LA a few months ago, I’ve seen them at various comedy events around town. Their participation in The Realest Real Housewives at UCB, where they recreated famous Real Housewives scenes, remains one of the funniest things I have ever experienced (and I work at the Laugh Factory). Both women have been part of some of my favorite television projects. I knew Casey Wilson best from her starring role in Happy Endings, one of the most perfect shows of all time, and June Diane Raphael as the scene-stealing reality show contestant in Burning Love. I adore them both and so I was very excited when I saw there would be a screening of this movie near me. The only thing better than seeing a great movie is seeing a great movie free of charge.

I saw a screening at Outfest with a room packed full of exhausted people who had already seen multiple movies and were on their way to see more. I have never heard so much laughter in a theater. From the surprise reveal in the opening scene to the last of the credits, there was a constant stream of guffaws and snorts. After it ended, Casey and June came out for a Q&A, where they continued to be witty and the greatest. They were also very sweet when I approached them after the screening to confess my undying love. I’m currently planning the perfect road trip for the three of us.

You can rent Ass Backwards now on VOD and iTunes. You can see it in theaters starting November 8th. Oh, and did I mention Alicia Silverstone is in it? Because she is. Get to it!

If you want to help me plan my road trip with Casey and June or share your thoughts on Ass Backwards, I’m all about the Twitter: @emhig.

5 Unintentionally Terrible Leading Men

There are some great leading male characters on television. This article is not about those men. It is about the jerks who seem more like the villains of their stories than the heroes. Guys who make me wonder how the audience is supposed to get behind their struggles when maybe if they whined a little less and spent a little less money on hair gel, they could get what they wanted.

I am not including awful individuals like Ray Romano and Seinfeld because I’m going to choose to believe that I’m supposed to hate them. These are characters that other people love and that receive a lot of the show’s focus.

I do not love Raymond

I know that there needs to be an everyman who the typical audience can relate to. These guys aren’t the goofballs or the comic relief, they’re ordinary and responsible. Many people do relate to the characters I’m about to harp on, but that doesn’t convince me they’re not terrible.I thought about calling this article “5 Worst Straight Men” because they are the “straight guys” playing against each show’s jokers, but realized that might have other connotations…

And the Em-y goes to…

I have a lot of opinions about television, actors, characters and awards. My opinions don’t always align with the mainstream. For example, I still don’t really understand Downton Abby or Mad Men. When I watch them, I like them, but I don’t feel a burning desire to watch them on my own. So the Academy and I aren’t exactly twins. Because of this, I thought the world should know who I think deserves accolades for their performances and where I think the Academy got it wrong.

The Academy and I do agree more on actors than actresses, such as Michael C. Hall, Don Cheadle, Max Greenfield and Ed O’Neill’s well-deserved noms, so most of my list consists of the incredible actresses that have made television better over the past year. I am awarding them an Em-y. Aka an award from Emily. I’m Emily. Some of them won’t surprise you because I’ve talked about how great these people are before, but I’ve thrown in a few new faces as well!

The official Em-y

Best TV Couple: Brad and Jane, Happy Endings

Sometimes a great show slips under my radar, despite what I believe to be my proficient television watching abilities. Happy Endings is one such show which I have only recently started watching. Luckily I’m a champion marathoner and have made it through a good chunk of episodes, so my opinions are totally valid and based on fact. Through this show I have discovered what is now my very favorite television couple: Brad and Jane, played by Damon Wayans, Jr. and Eliza Coupe. These characters would not be funny without the comedic brilliance of the two actors, both of whom clearly revel in the insanity of their coupling.

True love