Song of the Day: 'Dancing on My Own' by Elle Fanning

I wondered why a new song was already being covered -- until I realized Robyn's version came out in 2010. (Ouch.) The film in which Elle Fanning's take appears, "Teen Spirit," comes out next week. 

Synopsis: Violet, a shy teenager living in a small European town, dreams of pop stardom as an escape from her dismal surroundings and shattered family life. With the help of an unlikely mentor, Violet enters an international singing competition that will test her integrity, talent, and ambition.

Elle Fanning Plays Trans Boy in '3 Generations'

The second I saw a cisgender actor (Elle Fanning) had been cast to play the transgender boy in "3 Generations" I knew the film had a target on its back. Director Gaby Dellal accepts the criticism and has thoughtfully tried to explain how this casting came about -- that finding a F2M actor who hadn't transitioned yet but who could carry a film was a tall order -- so I watched the trailer with an open heart. (Getting past the inclusion of Susan Sarandon was the bigger issue for me!) While I think it's important for LGBT activists to keep pressure on Hollywood, I do think the movement is youthful enough to still benefit from most recognition -- short of "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry." "3 Generations" looks like its heart is in the right place, so my sense is we shouldn't dismiss out of hand everything that's not done to our ideal standards.(The fact that a transgender youth film can look so formulaic has to be a sign of progress and acceptance, no?!!!)