Report Card---"Nightcrawler"

"Nightcrawler" is an extremely riveting, thoroughly entertaining movie.
It is about "newsgatherers": the guys who follow crime with their cameras and mikes to get the most gruesome stories for the local TV news shows.
It depicts them as at least one step below paparazzi.
It seems accurate.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Constantly.
A+.

Compelling even?

Thoroughly.
A+.

Is it controversial?

Moral lines are constantly crossed.
It raises many issues.
A.

Is it a story worth telling?

Absolutely.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Great storytelling, all the way through.
A+.

Is it well written?

The dialogue is exceptional. Reminiscent of Aaron Sorkin's.
A-.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Jake Gyllenhall, buttressed by the great dialogue handed him, deserved an Oscar nomination.
A+.

Well shot?

Very.
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

Right on the money.
A+.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Considering the contempt I have for Local News, it was totally believable.
I cared about the characters whenever it was appropriate. .
A.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

Not predictable, and surprising.
A.

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

There are many haunting images.
A.

Is it funny?

More clever than funny, again, like Aaron Sorkin.
A.

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

If that's the only way to see it, then yes.
A.

Is it impressive?

Extremely.
A.

Overall grade: A.

It definitely deserved its nomination for Best Original Screenplay.


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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".
They are all compilations of blog entries that have since been removed from the blog.
So this is the only way you can find them.
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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