Bam Bam and Celeste

I had the chance to catch Bam Bam and Celeste at the Toronto Festival. C'MON!! This is a campy feel good hit and it should be. Whose expecting this to be an English Art film?!?!?!? Margaret Cho is beyond amazing playing her mother. WOW. Alan Cumming is completely endearing. Elaine Hendrix is so evil it's delicious. Butch Klein is ridiculously hot and crazy funny. And Jane Lynch makes me want to BE a lesbian. In fact even the one line cameos are worth a laugh. The movie moves at a quick pace and everyone walked out having a great time....and quoting lines the next day. Sure, there were things that some people didn't get, but that's why people rent cult movies over and over....so they finally get it.....I, for one, was happy to get away from the heavy overwrought drama's in the festival...(and the world, for that matter) and spend two hours with people who made me laugh. Thanks!

I saw this film at Fusion 2005 in L.A., and I laughed from start to finish, as did the entire screening audience. Cho's turn as her mother is priceless. Jane Lynch as a lesbian survivalist and Danny Hoch as a neo-nazi clerk hopped up on sump'm are both hilarious. And the super-bitch played by Elaine Hendrix made my jaw drop at times with her racist rants...when my jaw was not busy laughing. What is funniest about the movie is its willingness to "go there" with stereotypes, queer or otherwise, and turn them on their respective ears. The plot is sort of like "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert" in reverse, with a trip from nowheresville to NYC in the queerest car you've ever seen. What I have not seen reflected in any of the reviews of this film so far is that, at least at Fusion, EVERYONE WAS LAUGHING! So once it's out in theaters, grab your friends and go see it!

I just saw this movie at the Toronto International Film Festival and Margaret Cho was there greeting fans at the entrance. She took questions, she took pictures, she was infinitely sweet and patient and I wanted nothing more than to love this movie; a fag and fag-hag road trip comedy, what could be better? Unfortunately I found the comedy was often of the "Psychics with ESPN" variety or that the timing was just off and I felt a bit disappointed that Maragret and also very funny Bruce did not imbue Bam Bam & Celeste with more character and personality since both in real life are such engaging and fun comedians I know it's a comedy and I wasn't expecting in-depth character development but they often came across a bit flat. I did however LOVE the supporting cast and the cameos alone make it worth watching. Plus Elaine Hendrix as the villainous high school tormentor turned beauty salon bitch was a brilliant casting choice. And Margaret playing her mother is reason enough to give the movie a shot.

It's really colourful, really honest and clearly straight from Maragret's heart--I just wish more of the personality she shows in her stand-up would have translated into the script.

Horribly directed. I'm going to assume that this is why Margaret looked like she couldn't act her way out of a paper bag but even the director couldn't ruin her turns as her mother, which were the film's highlights.

Who told Daniels to talk like that? He had to raise his voice so people would believe he was a fag? Oh please. It's kind of insulting if you think about it.

I was really looking forward to Margaret's first narrative film but was so disappointed. I've read her books and have seen most of the concert films. I find it hard to believe she actually thought this was funny but supposedly, she wrote the script. Perhaps she should stick to stand up.

I LOVE this edgy flick and I'm here to tell you Celeste & Bambam is gonna be a CULT Classic. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN A FILM LIKE THIS BEFORE! The kinda wild combo of a funky Korean-American girl, Celeste Chun (MARGARET CHO) and hip, gay Black American guy, Bambam (BRUCE DANIELS) teams up to escape "in your face" white racism in the U.S. Midwest. While they work their way cross-country to overcome their past, Celeste tells Bambam "Someday people are gonna wanna hear what WE have to say!" Right on, Celeste! Then there's Margaret's spot-on interpretation of a goofy yet loving Mom, also played by HERSELF. "Who is this?" Mommy asks Celeste on the phone, "I'm sorry, I have to ask everyone for security reasons." There's so much going on in this film and there are more memorable lines & quirky characters. Brit actor ALAN CUMMING plays nice guy Eugene: "High school is the natural habitat of dictators," while JOHN CHO (Harold of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle") plays the host of a TV show called "TRADING FACES." I love JANE LYNCH, too, as "Darlene Dawson" - "Just a leeettle bit'a in-breedin'. Just-a touch." And later to Celeste: "I think you're even more beautiful-er in the mornin'." Darlene's the white "lesbian Lone Ranger" with a sweet heart of gold. Later Celeste has a run-in at a gas station where she tells off a racist store attendant calling her ALL kinds of names. "If you're gonna be racist, get a 'neo-Nazi to English' dictionary!" You go, Celeste! I'm not giving away anymore, but mark my words: CELESTE & BAMBAM IS a whole new Cult Classic. If you can handle it check out this flick. Thanks Margaret and Bruce!!