It’s a plastic passion

Move over Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts—flesh-and-blood actors are being replaced by synthetic performers. Well, maybe not in Hollywood (where saline is favored), but at the second installment of Underground Movie Night, the films are all dolled up. Yep, director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven and Velvet Goldmine) cast Barbie (of Mattel fame) in the biopic Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story. Filmed in 1987, this short—which stars a cast of Barbie dolls—was quickly banned. Apparently, Haynes received threats from A&M Records and Richard Carpenter. Oh, and who could forget Deep Africa? Directed by Cathee Wilkins and Steve Hall, this flick, which tells the tale of two aspiring actresses in Hollywood, stars blow-up sex dolls. See both films when they’re screened at Luna’s Café, located at 1414 16th Street. The show starts at 9 p.m., this Friday, and tickets are a mere $5. Call (916) 441-3931 or visit www.epiphanysink.com for more information.