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Thursday, February 27, 2014

Rothman's Osar Picks. Part Three.

Best Picture;  This is essentially a recap of the Report Cards I did on each of these movies.
But at least it's all on one page.

American Hustle"----I enjoyed the hell out of it.  Much better than I enjoyed David O. Russell's other films.  Mostly excellent.

 "Captain Phillips"---Pretty dopey.  Really doesn't belong here.

 "Dallas Buyers Club"---Starts slowly, and builds very effectively.  Very impressive.

"Gravity"---Really, really doesn't  belong here.

 "Her"---Utterly imaginative.  Spectacularly executed. Wouldn't bellyache too much if it won.

 "Nebraska"---Far and away the best film of this and most years.

 "Philomena"---Haunting and effecting.  Some other year, perhaps.

 "12 Years A Slave"---Bringing up the rear.

 "The Wolf of Wall Street"---Bringing up the rear of the rear.

So where's "Blue Jasmine" and "August Osage County"?
They both got jobbed.
But I say "Nebraska".

Enjoy the show.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Rothman's Oscar Picks. Part Two.

Best Actor and Best Actress:
(Again, my personal choices.  Not predictions.  I haven't the slightest idea who the voters will choose.)

Best Actor:

Christian Bale, "American Hustle"---Boy, is he good.  And versatile.
Only problem is, he's not Bruce Dern.

Leonardo DiCapri, "The Wolf of Wall Street"---Just an excuse to be loud and showy.  Certainly not Dern.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years A Slave----Quite convincing playing an African.  Being one might have helped.  Not Dern.

Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"---Good in every and all the things he did last year.
But nothing overwhelming.  Not Dern.

Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"---Had the very good taste to be Bruce Dern.  And to dominate and own the screen in a great movie.

Dern, Dern, Dern, Dern, and Dern.
I can't say it often enough.
.
Best Actress:

Amy Adams, "American Hustle"---I'm tired of her.  I think she's a one-note actress.

Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"---An incredibly nuanced performance.  Stunning.

Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"---What the hell is she doing on this list??

Judi Dench, "Philomena"  I love Judi Dench.  And she was wonderful in this.  But she totally underplayed it, making it less eye-catching.

Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"---Streep is the great scenery-chewer of all time.
And there is certainly what to be chewed here.  She chews it up and spits it out like it was Wrigley's Spearmint.

A two-horse race.  Blanchett and Streep. Either choice would delight me.  Put a gun to my head, and I'd have to go with Streep.

Next time, Best Picture.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****
My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Friday, February 21, 2014

Rothman's Oscar Picks. Part One.

Unlike years past, this year I have seen every nominee an every film up for the major nominations.
So I'm not doing any guessing here.
These are my choices.
Not my predictions of who will win.
Only who I think should.

We'll begin with Best Supporting Actor:

Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"----He was quite convincing playing an African.  Being one might have helped.

Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"---Way overshadowed by Christian Bale.

Michael Fassbender, "12 Years A Slave"---Nobody impressed me in this.   Including him.

Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"---Nothing I haven't seen him do before, except less gross than this.

Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"---Very impressive as a transgender.  I don't know enough about him to know what he is really like, but he scored well here.

A very thin selection to choose from .  If Paul Giamatti had been nominated for "Saving Mr. Banks", he'd easily get my vote.
As it stands, I'd give it to Jared Leto.

Best Supporting Actress: 

Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"---Way overshadowed by Cate Blanchette.  I barely noticed her.

Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"---Just great.  Maybe this generation's Alec Guinness or Peter Sellers.  A total chameleon from role to role.  And great every time.
 
Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years A Slave"---Very effective, and quite convincing playing an African.  Being one might have helped.

Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"---Very powerful, very showy, but I think ultimately miscast.
Her role required someone older-looking and frumpier.
 
June Squibb, "Nebraska"---Wonderfully funny.  If the competition wasn't stiffer, she'd have my vote.

It has to be Jennifer Lawrence.  Hands down.

Next time, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Report Card---""Nebraska"

This is the last Report Card I will do until after the Oscars are given out.
Then, I'll do a few more.
But by doing "Nebraska" now, I will have covered all the major nominations.
And the next three posts will have my choices and reasons for who should receive the awards.
And this last one is easily the best.
I've seen a lot of wonderful movies this past season, but "Nebraska" is the only perfect one.
"American Hustle" had it's story hole.
"August Osage County was slightly miscast, and wasn't even nominated.
Nor was "Blue Jasmine"
"Dallas Buyers Club" started out way too slowly.
"Nebraska" surpassed all of these.
By being perfect.
 
On to the scoring: 

Is it interesting?

Fascinating.
A+.

Compelling even?

Totally.
A+.

Is it controversial?

Only in that I keep telling everyone how perfect it is..
A+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Over and over..
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Wonderful. 
A+.

Is it well written?

Perfectly.
A+.

Is it well cast? Well played?  Well shot?

Yes, yes, and yes.
Bruce Dern was brilliant and compelling.  June Squibb as his wife, was a complete hoot.
The cinematography was magnificent.
A+.

Is it too long? Too short?

Perfect.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Perfect, and perfect.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Never, and always.  Perfect.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Often.
A+.

Is it funny?

Brilliantly.  And it's not a comedy.
A+.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

I'm sorry I didn't see it that way.
A+.

Is it impressive ?

Perfect.
A+.

Overall grade: A+.

I guess this has been a bit of a spoiler alert for my choice for Best Picture.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Sid And Shirley.

Back to more Report Cards next time.

It's simple.
This week, we lost two of the most talented people who ever lived.
I mean two of THE most talented.

Shirley Temple, aside from brightening up the lives of an entire generation who desperately needed it, did it in a manner so incandescently that the word "dazzling" is a major understatement.
Talent just oozed out of her.
Singing, acting, making you care about her, making you feel that she cared about you, and most interestingly, dancing.
Witness when she shared the screen with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson to dance with him.
He taught her what he knew, and she instantly caught on.
Robinson himself was astounded.
Then, she grew up.
And it was all over.
What was there as a child wasn't really there as an adolescent or an adult.
But her talent as an adult wasn't a creative one.
It was a talent for living an honorable, successful life.
My favorite song that she sang in one of her movies is "I Love To Walk In The Rain".
Someday soon, I hope that it will be raining outside, and I will have the opportunity to walk in it.

When network television was in it's absolute infancy, one man made it almost instantly enormously popular overnight.
That man was Milton Berle.
And he caught the excitement and immediacy of live television, and rode that wave for several years.
But talent-wise, Berle was no more than a middleweight.
The Berle Show was basically shlock.
A couple of years later, one other man single-handedly turned television into an art form.
He was easily the most sophisticated, glib, physically gifted, and gut-busting funny sketch actor.
He was also the most sophisticated and gut-busting pantomimist.
I'm including Chaplin here.
He was the best interpreter of written material.
The better the material, the better he interpreted it.
Even to the point of improving it, in an improvisatory way.
Live.
In front of America.
It literally became Comedia Del' Arte, in the best sense.
That man was Sid Caesar.
He did satires of foreign movies in very convincing phony Italian, German, Japanese, and Russian gibberish, when most of his audience had never even SEEN a foreign movie.
Jackie Gleason attempted some artfulness, but was a distant second, and far more broad.
Then, people started getting TV sets in Wyoming.
And they weren't interested in art forms.
NOBODY in Wyoming had seen a foreign movie.
They were interested in Lawrence Welk, who knocked Caesar off in the ratings.
And it was over.
Caesar never lost his creative talent, but never recaptured his success.
And I understand that it embittered him.
And he never again had a talent for living a contented life.

Sid and Shirley both lived long lives chronologically, but their losses, in the same week, are staggering.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Report Card---"Blue Jasmine"

To be molested as a child is about as terrible a thing that can happen to a person.
To be accused of molesting a child when you didn't, in public, is a close second.
One of these things involved Woody Allen.
After reading all the pertinent things to be read about the matter, I'm inclined to think the latter.
It's not a firm judgment.
Just an inclination.
I saw 'Blue Jasmine" a few weeks ago, and nothing about this case has changed anything about my reaction to that film.
Woody Allen is that rare kind of filmmaker who can turn out five stinkers in a row, and I will  get in line to see the next one.
That's how great the great ones are.
"Blue Jasmine' is right up there with his greatest:
"Broadway Danny Rose"
"Crimes and Misdemeanors"
"Bullets Over Broadway"
"Manhattan"
"Radio Days"
"Annie Hall"
"The Purple Rose of Cairo"
"Zelig"

It is absolutely exceptional.
It's his take on the Bernie Madoff scandal, with a touch of Blanche DuBois thrown in.
That it wasn't nominated for Best Picture by the Academy is disgraceful.

On to the scoring: 

Is it interesting?

Fascinating.
A+.

Compelling even?

Totally.
A+.

Is it controversial?

Only in that it wasn't nominated.
A.

Is it a story worth telling?

Better than the real version.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Wonderful.  Great intercutting between past and present.
A+.

Is it well written?

Tops.
A+.

Is it well cast? Well played?  Well shot?

Beautifully cast.  Cate Blanchette was magnificent.  Nice turns by Alec Baldwin, and, of all people, Andrew Dice Clay.
A+.

Is it too long? Too short?

It seemed all too brief.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Totally, and totally.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Never, and always.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

It's quite haunting.
A+.

Is it funny?

Very.  But that's not what's great about it.
A.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Yes.
A.

Is it impressive ?

I was in awe.
A+.

Overall grade: A+.

I would have sat through ten stinkers in a row to stand in line for this one..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Saturday, February 8, 2014

A Few Words about Jay.

No, I'm not done with the movie Report Cards, but this is far more topical.
And if not now, when?
I've mentioned before that I've had a couple of personal dealings with Jay Leno in the past, and found him to be extremely pleasant and ingratiating.
I remember seeing him as far back as the early 70's at the Comedy Store and the Improv in L.A., where he worked far hipper, much like he did when he guested on "Letterman", and was as funny as just about anybody.
I think it's pretty apparent that he got some unfairly bad press from the media and from Conan O'Brien, when he reclaimed "The Tonight Show".
It is, after all, a business.
And show business at that.
I watched Jay's interview on "60 Minutes" and was somewhat taken aback by something he said.
When asked if he had felt "screwed" by NBC, he posed the question "If you were told in your 20's that you'd end up making millions of dollars, and then get screwed over and over, would you constantly scream 'I'm always getting screwed!' ?  Or would you take that deal and shut up?"
I must say it stopped me in my tracks for a moment, considering that I have had something of a reputation for crabbing about being screwed over the years.
But then, I recognized that it was not a level playing field.
I've never made the kind of money Jay has, he has far more options than I do, and I've been screwed far more often than Jay and Conan put together.
And usually (not always), I at least have a pretty good public face about it.
Anything to justify crabbing, I guess.

In his early days hosting "The Tonight Show", I never missed Jay's monologues.
And I thought he was quite brave to do essentially 20 minutes of it every night.
And you could tell that he loved it, and I loved it.
It certainly outshined Letterman's, who to this day, looks like he's phoning it in.
And Jay's Vegas act is nothing short of sensational.
Far more about storytelling and sharing life's intimacies with you.

All of this being said, he lost me along the way as a "Tonight Show  (And 10pm)
viewer, and I never returned.
I think it began with the snarky "Jaywalking", the very unhip sketches, and the more and more formulaic nature of the monologues.
My wife Tivoed the final week, but the only one I wanted  to watch was the final show.
The farewell.
It was, of course, an event.
Billy Crystal put together a faux Von Trapp Family, in costume, singing special lyrics to "So Long, Farewell"
It was brilliant.
Then, he brought out celebrity Von Trapps.
Jack Black, Kim Kardashian, some basketball player from the L.A. Clippers, Cheryl Crowe, Jim Parsons, Carol Burnett, and to close, Oprah.
I don't know if there were any tiffs about order of appearance, but it seemed right.
All of the celebrity Von Trapps came out in civvies.
No costumes for them.
Think of how much funnier it would have been if they were all in costume.
Think of how difficult it would have been to convince them to do it.

Jay then did a very touching, heartfelt farewell from his desk.
It made me like him even more.
But at no point did it make me feel that I'd missed anything by not watching the show for all of this time.
Then, they quite anti-climactically had Garth Brooks close the show with some shit-kicker song.
As the show business saying goes, "I wouldn't give that spot to a leopard"".
And Brooks certainly made the least of it.
But the show certainly lived up to  it's billing as an event, and I was very glad I saw it, and very glad for Jay that it was as good as it was.
It's the way you'd want to remember him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Report Card----"Captain Phillips"

"Captain Phillips". like "Gravity", is also an amusement park ride.
This one is sort of like "Pirates of the Caribbean"
It is much more of a ripping yarn than "Gravity".
But there are two significant problems with it.
All the promotion for it, and the interviews with the real Captain Phillips create a spoiler alert.
You know he'll end up fine.
Also, Captain Phillips, portrayed by Tom Hanks, is essentially a shmuck and a putz.
There are fully insured ships carrying cargo through Somali Pirate infested waters, where the crew can be armed with weapons to defend themselves.
Yet, Captain Phillips knowingly and willingly commands ships that aren't insured for weaponry.
This is known as 'Asking for it".
Or perhaps "Captain Phillips is not a good enough captain to gain employment on one of those weapon-insured ships.
It leads, in any case to "shmuck and putzdom'

On to the scoring: 

Is it interesting?

Very.
A-.

Compelling even?

Not really
C.

Is it controversial?

Only in what I've already mentioned.
D..

Is it a story worth telling?

Why not?
A-.

Is it good storytelling?

At least you briefly got to see the good Captain's home life when his wife drives him to the airport.
"Gravity" cried out for such scenes.
B+.

Is it well written?

Not bad.
B.

Is it well cast? Well played?  Well shot?

They sure got Africans who sounded like Africans.
I guess that's why they got all those Oscar nominations.
I'm curious to see how they would tackle other roles.
C-.

Is it too long? Too short?

A little long.
B-.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

It happened.  I didn't care.  In the end credits, it said that Captain Phillips went back to sea.
Probably in another of those uninsured ships.  So I cared even less.
C-.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

You didn't need no crystal ball for this one.
D.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Just about how anyone can be nominated for an acting award because of accurate casting.
D.

Is it funny?

Occasionally.
B.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

Not even in Somali trinkets.
F.

Is it impressive ?

It didn't impress me.
C.

Overall grade: B-.

Another one that didn't deserve it's Best Picture nomination.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Report Card----"Gravity"

"Gravity" is a glorified amusement park ride.
It didn't do much for me.
I saw it on my 60-inch HD screen.
Some people that I know told me that to really appreciate it, you have to see it in IMAX.
I can think of very few movies that wouldn't be better in IMAX.
But they sent me a regular DVD, so that's how I'm judging it.
It takes two very well-known actors and put them in spacesuits and space helmets, has them hurled into outer space, and expects you to care about them purely on that basis.
Not me, Charlie.

On to the scoring: 

Is it interesting?

Just barely.
C-.

Compelling even?

Never.
D.

Is it controversial?

No.
D.

Is it a story worth telling?

I really don't think so.
D.

Is it good storytelling?

This is where it really fails.
The movie starts with Clooney and Bullock already suited up, already in space.
It required scenes between them before they left the ground, to establish a relationship of some kind.
Antagonistic, affectionate, SOMETHING.
But no.  We're already in space when the movie begins.
F.

Is it well written?

It didn't even seem written.
D.

Is it well cast? Well played?  Well shot?

How do you not like Clooney?  How do you like or believe Bullock?
It was supposed to be a technical achievement.
I guess it was.
In IMAX.
B-.

Is it too long? Too short?

Pretty long.
C-.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

It was all too technical for me., and I couldn't care less about Bullock.  It was really her movie anyway.
D+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

You pretty much know where it's headed.
D.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

Not at all.
D.

Is it funny?

It tries occasionally, but no.
D.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

It is to laugh.
D-.

Is it impressive ?

Technically, yes.
B+.

Overall grade: C.

That this was nominated for Best Picture and others were not, is criminal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****

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About Me

Hi. I am, according to my Wikipedia entry,(which I did not create) a noted television writer, playwright, screenwriter, and occasional actor. You can Google me or go to the IMDB to get my credits, and you can come here to get my opinions on things, which I'll try to express eloquently. Hopefully I'll succeed. You can also e-mail me at macchus999@aol.com. Perhaps my biggest claim to fame is being responsible, for about six months in 1975, while Head Writer for the "Happy Days" TV series, for Americans saying to each other "Sit on it."