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Friday, January 15, 2016

Report Card---"The Big Short"

"The Big Short" has a great premise.
A few guys have figured out that the housing bubble was about to happen in the mid 2000s and the economy is about to collapse.
Nobody takes them seriously.
So they decide to bet against the economy.
If it tanks, they win.
If it doesn't, everybody else wins, and they lose.
We like these guys, and as an audience find ourselves in the strange position of rooting for them, against our own interests.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Totally.
A+.

Compelling even?

Often
A+.

Is it controversial?

Very.
A+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Absolutely.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Excellent. It got a little technical. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if I had more of a business background. My wife does, and she enjoyed it even more.
I was a little confused, but I think it was my bad.
A.

Is it well written?

The dialogue is excellent.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Great cast. Great performances.
A+.

Well shot?

Fine.
A.

Did the director put such a personal stamp on it so that no one else could have made it?

Not that I could see.
C-.

How long does it take to establish the film's locale?

It was a lot of places, and it never mattered
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

Length is not a problem.
A.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Totally and totally.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

I was not ahead of it.
A.

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

It certainly is thought-provoking.
A+.

Is it funny?

Quite often.
A+.

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

Yes.
A+.

Is it impressive?

On all levels.
A+.

Overall grade: A.

Certainly deserves its nomination.
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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@comcast.net

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

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4 comments:

  1. "Length is not a problem." Completely agree, and that might be what amazes me the most about "The Big Short." It runs more than two hours, but for once a movie that long doesn't feel that long. I'm almost tempted to go back and see how they managed that. It mostly seems to move like an express train, but without wearing you out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was struck by the fact that they were betting against the house, but if the house went bankrupt they could be right about the bubble and yet not collect on their bet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Looking forward to your review of "The Revenant." Saw it last night, and despite a few good scenes, was rather underwhelmed.

    ReplyDelete

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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."