Another list? Darn tooting! This time it’s about two great things that go great together: movies and music. CNN’s Screening Room has named its Top Ten Songs in Movies. Not soundtracks, not scores, but singles used during a particular scene. As expected, the list is heavy on the male-dominated scenes and, somewhat less expectedly, fairly violent.

10. Trainspotting, “Lust for Life” by Iggy Pop (opening scene)
9. Dr Strangelove, “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn (atomic ending)
8. The Royal Tenenbaums, “Needle in the Hay” by Elliot Smith (Richie’s suicide attempt)
7. Say Anything, “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel (Lloyd’s boom box serenade)
6. Almost Famous, “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John (bus sing-along)
5. Muriel's Wedding, “Waterloo” by ABBA (talent show triumph)
4. Apocalypse Now, “The End” by The Doors (awaiting orders in Saigon)
3. Goodfellas, “Layla” by Eric Clapton (Jimmy’’s murder spree)
2. Reservoir Dogs, “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel (ear slicing)
1. Easy Rider, “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf (opening scene)

Now, I love Nos. 7–5. I had a poster of Lloyd’s grand romantic gesture from Say Anything on my dorm room wall. And I dare you not to feel unbridled joy as Muriel and Rhonda come out in their white ABBA outfits in Muriel's Wedding. This movie made me forever love Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths. Heck, let’s watch it again, just because we can.

As for the other selections on CNN’s list, I would have picked a scene from Wes Anderson’s film Rushmore instead of Tenenbaums. And I would have gone for the “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” Uma scene from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction instead of the unfortunate Van Goghing of a victim’s ear in Reservoir Dogs. Also, no mention of The Graduate anywhere on this list? Didn’t that film practically pioneer the use of popular music in movies?

To balance out the bloody and the manly, I thought I’d add some gay, girly and (whenever possible) gay girly selections to the list. Since CNN’s list makers seemed impressed by showy outer death and destruction, how about some quiet inner devastation? In Love Actually, Emma Thompson realizing her husband is being unfaithful — set to Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” — will break your heart, guaranteed. … continue reading

I used to be in a lesbian chorus that had a gay male director. One evening before rehearsal, this incredibly talented Doctor of Music excitedly reported that he'd discovered a female singer that he thought we'd love: Patti Smith. I hope our collective inner "duhs" didn't register on our faces. How could a person whose life work is music not know one of its pioneers?

Granted, Smith took a hiatus through most of the '80s to be a mom. But a new documentary, Patti Smith: Dream of Life, that premiered at Sundance earlier this year, at least will give people who don't know her a chance to catch up. The intimate, 16mm documentary, shot mostly in black and white, was made over the past 12 years. Even the trailer reflects Smith's intense and personal approach to her music.

In the film, Smith pays tribute to the artists who influenced her life and work over the years, from William Burroughs to Bob Dylan to Jim Morrison. She had a close friendship — maybe more — with Robert Mapplethorpe and credits him with encouraging her at the beginning of her career. … continue reading

I have a really long to-do list in a notebook somewhere. I call it my things-to-do-before-I-croak list. It includes stuff like places I want to see, books I want to read and things I'd like to accomplish. Thanks to AfterEllen.com, I can sort of cross off one of those items. No. 67: Get published. Sure, the Internet wasn't what I had in mind when I added that particular item to my list, but it counts in my world.

Another thing on my to-do list is attend the Sundance Film Festival. If I could manage to squeeze in the time off and barter my way to Utah, I'd make 2008 the year to get that one crossed off the list. The complete list of films screening at next year's festival was released over the course of the past couple of weeks. Not only do some of the films sound intriguing, but the list of who's in those films should make the red carpet a true treat. In last week's Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. we told you about one reason to head for the Utah mountains, a reason named Saffron Burrows. Here are a few more reasons to make the trek.

One of the people I would expect to see strutting about town is Lena Headey. Not only would I love to drool over her in person, but I'd also like to see the movie she's in that's screening at Park City at Midnight. It's called The Broken and tells the tale of a woman who sees herself drive by in her own car while on a busy London street. She follows the mystery double into "a living nightmare." Lena Headey in what sounds like an eerie psychological thriller? Count me in. … continue reading

Last night, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted a handful of new members, including Patti Smith, R.E.M., Van Halen, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (the first hip hop group to be inducted into the Hall of Fame), and The Ronettes.

Smith recalled that her late husband (Fred Smith) predicted she would one day be inducted, "He said to me, ‘Tricia, one day you're going to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,' ” Ms. Smith said. “He asked me to accept it like a lady and not say any curse words and to make certain to salute new generations. Because it is the new generations that will redefine the landscape of rock 'n' roll.”

Smith then covered the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," then sang the hit she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen, "Because the Night." Later, the ceremony closed with an all-star peformance of Smith's "People Have the Power."

Keith Richards inducted The Ronettes, telling the audience, "They could sing all their way right through a wall of sound...They didn't need anything. They touched my heart right there and then and they touch it still."

Front woman Ronnie Spector thanked pretty much everyone on the planet except her former husband/producer (and accused murderer) Phil Spector before taking the stage with The Ronettes to sing some of their biggest hits.

One of the many highlights of the evening was Aretha Franklin's performance of "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" in tribute to the recently deceased Hall of Fame founder and record executive Ahmet Ertegun. The song was the first million-seller Franklin made with Ertegun.

The only real controversy during the ceremony was supplied by venerable drama queens Van Halen. Estranged front man David Lee Roth was invited to attend the ceremony but took his spandex and went home after an argument over what song he would perform with his house band for the evening, Velvet Revolver. Eddie Van Halen had just entered rehab and could not attend. Roth's one-time "replacement" (as if!) Sammy Hagar and recently fired bassist Michael Anthony ended up being the only VH members to attend. Hagar expressed regret that not all of the band members could be there, but added, “You couldn't get me from here with a shotgun.”

We know, Sammy, we know.

The ceremony was broadcast live on VH1 Classic and America Online, and VH1 will broadcast an edited version of the ceremony this Saturday at 9 p.m.