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.
*****
Friday, February 21, 2014
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.
*****
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.
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.
*****
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.
*****
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.
*****
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.
*****
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.
*****
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Report Card---"Mud"
"Mud" is a much, much better version of "Labor Day".
A criminal on the run with people(in this case, kids) who believe in him.
There was certainly no reason to make both movies.
There was really no reason to make either movie.
Even though "Mud" was much better than "Labor Day', that's like saying it was the smarter bear in the zoo.
If you call a movie "Mud", you kind of expect there to be a whole lot of mud in it.
Actually, it's Matthew McConnaughey's name in the movie.
Yet, there also is a whole lot of mud in this movie.
As I've said, this is McConnaughey's year to be in every movie.
They probably tried to get McConnaughey for "Labor Day", and he probably read it, saw that there was no place for him to take off his shirt, so he passed on it.
So they got Josh Brolin.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Fairly interesting.
B+.
Compelling even?
No.
D.
Is it controversial?
No..
D.
Is it a story worth telling?
It's still the same old story....
C.
Is it good storytelling?
Good enough
C.
Is it well written?
No memorable dialogue.
D.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
McConnaughey is very good. I kind of understand why everybody wants him, aside from the shirt issue. It's well shot.
A.
Is it too long? Too short?
Length is not a problem.
A.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and yes.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
I'm not really ahead of it.
B+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
I barely remembered that I saw it.
D.
Is it funny?
No.
D.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Not mine.
D-.
Is it impressive ?
No.
F.
Overall grade: C+.
Just a way to fill two hours.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
*****
A criminal on the run with people(in this case, kids) who believe in him.
There was certainly no reason to make both movies.
There was really no reason to make either movie.
Even though "Mud" was much better than "Labor Day', that's like saying it was the smarter bear in the zoo.
If you call a movie "Mud", you kind of expect there to be a whole lot of mud in it.
Actually, it's Matthew McConnaughey's name in the movie.
Yet, there also is a whole lot of mud in this movie.
As I've said, this is McConnaughey's year to be in every movie.
They probably tried to get McConnaughey for "Labor Day", and he probably read it, saw that there was no place for him to take off his shirt, so he passed on it.
So they got Josh Brolin.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Fairly interesting.
B+.
Compelling even?
No.
D.
Is it controversial?
No..
D.
Is it a story worth telling?
It's still the same old story....
C.
Is it good storytelling?
Good enough
C.
Is it well written?
No memorable dialogue.
D.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
McConnaughey is very good. I kind of understand why everybody wants him, aside from the shirt issue. It's well shot.
A.
Is it too long? Too short?
Length is not a problem.
A.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and yes.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
I'm not really ahead of it.
B+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
I barely remembered that I saw it.
D.
Is it funny?
No.
D.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Not mine.
D-.
Is it impressive ?
No.
F.
Overall grade: C+.
Just a way to fill two hours.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 28, 2014
Report Card---""Labor Day"
Josh Brolin plays an escaped convict who foists himself on a mother and her kids.
They develop a fear-love relationship.
I didn't care about any of it.
I've seen worse movies than this.
And I've seen far better movies than this.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Sometimes.
B.
Compelling even?
Never.
F.
Is it controversial?
Not at all.
F.
Is it a story worth telling?
I really don't think so.
D..
Is it good storytelling?
It's hard to tell a weak story well. The use of several brief flashbacks told from Brolin's point of view was very confusing and very annoying. Very.
C-.
Is it well written?
It's hard to write interesting dialogue for a weak story.
C-.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Brolin is kind of interesting. I don't even remember anyone else in it.
It's shot serviceably.
B-.
Is it too long? Too short?
Way too long.
D-.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Sort of, and sort of.
B.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Predictable, no surprises.
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
I barely remembered what I saw.
D.
Is it funny?
No. A little levity might have helped.
D.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Why not give it to charity instead? Adopt a tiger or a polar bear or some other animal that's about to become extinct. This movie should become extinct soon enough.
F.
Is it impressive ?
Never
F.
Overall grade: C-.
Just a time waster.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
*****
They develop a fear-love relationship.
I didn't care about any of it.
I've seen worse movies than this.
And I've seen far better movies than this.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Sometimes.
B.
Compelling even?
Never.
F.
Is it controversial?
Not at all.
F.
Is it a story worth telling?
I really don't think so.
D..
Is it good storytelling?
It's hard to tell a weak story well. The use of several brief flashbacks told from Brolin's point of view was very confusing and very annoying. Very.
C-.
Is it well written?
It's hard to write interesting dialogue for a weak story.
C-.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Brolin is kind of interesting. I don't even remember anyone else in it.
It's shot serviceably.
B-.
Is it too long? Too short?
Way too long.
D-.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Sort of, and sort of.
B.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Predictable, no surprises.
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
I barely remembered what I saw.
D.
Is it funny?
No. A little levity might have helped.
D.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Why not give it to charity instead? Adopt a tiger or a polar bear or some other animal that's about to become extinct. This movie should become extinct soon enough.
F.
Is it impressive ?
Never
F.
Overall grade: C-.
Just a time waster.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 24, 2014
Report Card---"The Wolf Of Wall Street"
Martin Scorcese:
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Only occasionally. Less so as it goes forth.
C.
Compelling even?
Never.
F.
Is it controversial?
I keep asking how it got nominated for Best Picture.
F.
Is it a story worth telling?
We've heard it before. Better.
F.
Is it good storytelling?
It makes a major left turn from the point.
D.
Is it well written?
Loud is no replacement for Literate. But there are snatches of good dialogue.
C.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Everyone and everything is over the top.
D.
Is it too long? Too short?
A good hour could be cut out and wouldn't be missed.
D-.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
I'm sure stuff like this has happened. I didn't care about anybody.
D.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Predictable, no surprises.
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Mostly about my disappointment in Scorcese.
D.
Is it funny?
It tries----and mostly fails.
C-.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
They would have to pay for me and for my popcorn.
F.
Is it impressive ?
Never
F.
Overall grade: D-.
I'm simply astounded.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
*****
Mean Streets
These are movies that are unmatched in their artistry.
Scorcese is a national treasure.
He is the best we have.
So how did he come up with a piece of shit like "The Wolf of Wall Street"?
"The Wolf of Wall Street" is a movie about excess, made excessively.
It's nearest comp is ""American Hustle".
It shares the same theme: The Big Con.
But it is flabby. It is vulgar.
It spends most of it's time depicting the spoils of the successful con.
Debauchery.
Drugs, women, more drugs, alcohol, more women, and more drugs.
After about fifteen minutes, we get it.
Far more than fifteen minutes is spent on it.
Did I say flabby? vulgar? Let me add "bloated".
"American Hustle" tells a great linear story.
"The Wolf of Wall Street" doodles and dribbles.
These are movies that are unmatched in their artistry.
Scorcese is a national treasure.
He is the best we have.
So how did he come up with a piece of shit like "The Wolf of Wall Street"?
"The Wolf of Wall Street" is a movie about excess, made excessively.
It's nearest comp is ""American Hustle".
It shares the same theme: The Big Con.
But it is flabby. It is vulgar.
It spends most of it's time depicting the spoils of the successful con.
Debauchery.
Drugs, women, more drugs, alcohol, more women, and more drugs.
After about fifteen minutes, we get it.
Far more than fifteen minutes is spent on it.
Did I say flabby? vulgar? Let me add "bloated".
"American Hustle" tells a great linear story.
"The Wolf of Wall Street" doodles and dribbles.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Only occasionally. Less so as it goes forth.
C.
Compelling even?
Never.
F.
Is it controversial?
I keep asking how it got nominated for Best Picture.
F.
Is it a story worth telling?
We've heard it before. Better.
F.
Is it good storytelling?
It makes a major left turn from the point.
D.
Is it well written?
Loud is no replacement for Literate. But there are snatches of good dialogue.
C.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Everyone and everything is over the top.
D.
Is it too long? Too short?
A good hour could be cut out and wouldn't be missed.
D-.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
I'm sure stuff like this has happened. I didn't care about anybody.
D.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Predictable, no surprises.
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Mostly about my disappointment in Scorcese.
D.
Is it funny?
It tries----and mostly fails.
C-.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
They would have to pay for me and for my popcorn.
F.
Is it impressive ?
Never
F.
Overall grade: D-.
I'm simply astounded.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 21, 2014
Report Card---"American Hustle""
"American Hustle" is a movie about the big con.
What's more fun than a movie about con men?
It was a take on the Abscam scandal a generation ago.
What was more fun than Abscam?
I think that I've established that this movie is fun.
It also has a lot of depth to it.
It' is one of the most entertaining movies I've seen this year, with magnificent performances up and down the line.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Totally.
A+.
Compelling even?
Often.
A+.
Is it controversial?
There are certainly moral issues at play.
A.
Is it a story worth telling?
Why not?
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
Mostly. There is one huge story hole that needed to be addressed.
To reveal it here would be a Spoiler Alert. But anyone who wants to here it from me directly can e-mail me and I will respond about it.
It's what makes it a less than perfect movie.
B-.
Is it well written?
Very much so..
A.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Amy Adams, of course, is in this one too. (I keep writing that.) Wonderful turns by Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Louis C.K., Jeremy Renner, and particularly Jennifer Lawrence.
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
Never an issue.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Absolutely, and absolutely.
A+.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Never predictable, always surprising.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Mostly about how much I enjoyed it..
A+.
Is it funny?
Hilarious
A+.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
I suppose I could have waited for HBO.
C-.
Is it impressive ?
Very.
A.
Overall grade: A.
It's in my top three of those which were nominated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
*****
What's more fun than a movie about con men?
It was a take on the Abscam scandal a generation ago.
What was more fun than Abscam?
I think that I've established that this movie is fun.
It also has a lot of depth to it.
It' is one of the most entertaining movies I've seen this year, with magnificent performances up and down the line.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Totally.
A+.
Compelling even?
Often.
A+.
Is it controversial?
There are certainly moral issues at play.
A.
Is it a story worth telling?
Why not?
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
Mostly. There is one huge story hole that needed to be addressed.
To reveal it here would be a Spoiler Alert. But anyone who wants to here it from me directly can e-mail me and I will respond about it.
It's what makes it a less than perfect movie.
B-.
Is it well written?
Very much so..
A.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Amy Adams, of course, is in this one too. (I keep writing that.) Wonderful turns by Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Louis C.K., Jeremy Renner, and particularly Jennifer Lawrence.
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
Never an issue.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Absolutely, and absolutely.
A+.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Never predictable, always surprising.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Mostly about how much I enjoyed it..
A+.
Is it funny?
Hilarious
A+.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
I suppose I could have waited for HBO.
C-.
Is it impressive ?
Very.
A.
Overall grade: A.
It's in my top three of those which were nominated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 16, 2014
Report Card----"Her"
""Her" is (are? am? be?) a wondrous movie.
Imaginative, intriguing, gripping,stunning, groundbreaking, thoughtful, intelligent, brilliant, clean, thrifty, brave, and reverent.
Obviously, words fail me in describing this movie.
In the not too distant future, a man develops a personal relationship with his computer program.
It's as if his Siri developed a soul.
It sounds simple enough, but it is extraordinarily layered.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Asked and answered
A+.
Compelling even?
Almost constantly.
A+.
Is it controversial?
Eerily.
A+.
Is it a story worth telling?
Unquestionably.
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
Wonderful storytelling.
A+..
Is it well written?
Dazzlingly.
A+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Amy Adams, of course, is in this one too. Though unseen, Scarlett Johanssen steals the show.
It is shot amazingly
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
Never an issue.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Absolutely, and absolutely.
A+.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
You do see where it's headed a mile away. It's the only possible weakness.
But you don't mind that it goes where it's going.
B-.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Particularly when I'm communicating with my Siri.
A+.
Is it funny?
Here and there, not that it matters.
A.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Thirteen Euros, even.
A+.
Is it impressive ?
Astoundingly.
A+.
Overall grade: A+.
It certainly deserves it's Oscar 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.
******
Imaginative, intriguing, gripping,stunning, groundbreaking, thoughtful, intelligent, brilliant, clean, thrifty, brave, and reverent.
Obviously, words fail me in describing this movie.
In the not too distant future, a man develops a personal relationship with his computer program.
It's as if his Siri developed a soul.
It sounds simple enough, but it is extraordinarily layered.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Asked and answered
A+.
Compelling even?
Almost constantly.
A+.
Is it controversial?
Eerily.
A+.
Is it a story worth telling?
Unquestionably.
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
Wonderful storytelling.
A+..
Is it well written?
Dazzlingly.
A+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Amy Adams, of course, is in this one too. Though unseen, Scarlett Johanssen steals the show.
It is shot amazingly
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
Never an issue.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Absolutely, and absolutely.
A+.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
You do see where it's headed a mile away. It's the only possible weakness.
But you don't mind that it goes where it's going.
B-.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Particularly when I'm communicating with my Siri.
A+.
Is it funny?
Here and there, not that it matters.
A.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Thirteen Euros, even.
A+.
Is it impressive ?
Astoundingly.
A+.
Overall grade: A+.
It certainly deserves it's Oscar 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, January 14, 2014
Report Card----"Twelve Years A Slave".
There it is.
There's pretty much your problem right off the top.
The title.
The title is in itself, a Spoiler.
You have a pretty good idea that you're in trouble when you need a Spoiler Alert for the TITLE.
You've got a free black man from New York who is kidnapped into slavery in the South.
So how long do you suppose he's going to remain a slave?
I'm guessing twelve years.
There are scenes early on of him possibly getting lynched.
Do you think he gets lynched?
Not if you do the math.
He doesn't get lynched because he is "Twelve Years A Slave".
Then, shortly after there are scenes where he tries to escape.
Do you think he escapes?
Class?
That's right.
He doesn't.
And why, class?
That's right.
Because he's "Twelve Years A Slave".
As we get to the end, and they shlep in Brad Pitt, you know it's got to be for something important, or they wouldn't shlep in Brad Pitt.
Ya think it's that the kidnapee is going to get his freedom, after what looks like about twelve years?
Very good, class!
I think you're all ready for screenwriting 102.
This is one of the most predictable movies I have ever seen.
To avoid that, all it needed was a different title.
They could have called it "Morty".
Even though nobody in the movie is named Morty.
That would have been confusing, but at least it wouldn't have been predictable.
The audience might be continually asking itself "Why is this movie called "Morty"?
It's still a step up.
Aside from it's predictability, "Twelve Years A Slave" had other problems.
It is a grotesquely ugly, ham-handed movie.
And it suffers from the same problem I had with "Schindler's List"
There, you were asked to care about the survival of 1100 Jews when millions around them were being slaughtered.
Here, you are being asked to care about one black man kidnapped into slavery, when there are all these real slaves, utterly humiliated and tortured on a daily basis, with no possibility for escape.
Where's their triumph? Why shouldn't you care just as much about them?
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Here and there. Not very.
C.
Compelling even?
On rare occasions.
C.
Is it controversial?
Only as controversial as the issue of slavery itself.
C.
Is it a story worth telling?
Only with a different title. Maybe "Morty".
B.
Is it good storytelling?
Only with a different title. Maybe "Morty".
B.
Is it well written?
So so.
C+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Amy Adams is this year's distaff version of Matthew McConnaughey. It seems to be in her deal to be in every movie this year. And she's pretty good. Brad Pitt does a nice turn.
It's shot well enough.
B+.
Is it too long? Too short?
When you know what's coming, and what's not coming, it seems endless.
F.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, because it's true, and no, because it's pre-ordained
C.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Asked and answered, many times over. And all they needed was "Morty".
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Not even while I was watching it.
F.
Is it funny?
Never.
F.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Not any bucks.
F.
Is it impressive ?
Not to me.
C-.
Overall grade: D+.
It's one of those movies that has garnered all this attention because of it's "nobility of purpose"
This has got to stop.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
There's pretty much your problem right off the top.
The title.
The title is in itself, a Spoiler.
You have a pretty good idea that you're in trouble when you need a Spoiler Alert for the TITLE.
You've got a free black man from New York who is kidnapped into slavery in the South.
So how long do you suppose he's going to remain a slave?
I'm guessing twelve years.
There are scenes early on of him possibly getting lynched.
Do you think he gets lynched?
Not if you do the math.
He doesn't get lynched because he is "Twelve Years A Slave".
Then, shortly after there are scenes where he tries to escape.
Do you think he escapes?
Class?
That's right.
He doesn't.
And why, class?
That's right.
Because he's "Twelve Years A Slave".
As we get to the end, and they shlep in Brad Pitt, you know it's got to be for something important, or they wouldn't shlep in Brad Pitt.
Ya think it's that the kidnapee is going to get his freedom, after what looks like about twelve years?
Very good, class!
I think you're all ready for screenwriting 102.
This is one of the most predictable movies I have ever seen.
To avoid that, all it needed was a different title.
They could have called it "Morty".
Even though nobody in the movie is named Morty.
That would have been confusing, but at least it wouldn't have been predictable.
The audience might be continually asking itself "Why is this movie called "Morty"?
It's still a step up.
Aside from it's predictability, "Twelve Years A Slave" had other problems.
It is a grotesquely ugly, ham-handed movie.
And it suffers from the same problem I had with "Schindler's List"
There, you were asked to care about the survival of 1100 Jews when millions around them were being slaughtered.
Here, you are being asked to care about one black man kidnapped into slavery, when there are all these real slaves, utterly humiliated and tortured on a daily basis, with no possibility for escape.
Where's their triumph? Why shouldn't you care just as much about them?
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Here and there. Not very.
C.
Compelling even?
On rare occasions.
C.
Is it controversial?
Only as controversial as the issue of slavery itself.
C.
Is it a story worth telling?
Only with a different title. Maybe "Morty".
B.
Is it good storytelling?
Only with a different title. Maybe "Morty".
B.
Is it well written?
So so.
C+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Amy Adams is this year's distaff version of Matthew McConnaughey. It seems to be in her deal to be in every movie this year. And she's pretty good. Brad Pitt does a nice turn.
It's shot well enough.
B+.
Is it too long? Too short?
When you know what's coming, and what's not coming, it seems endless.
F.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, because it's true, and no, because it's pre-ordained
C.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Asked and answered, many times over. And all they needed was "Morty".
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Not even while I was watching it.
F.
Is it funny?
Never.
F.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
Not any bucks.
F.
Is it impressive ?
Not to me.
C-.
Overall grade: D+.
It's one of those movies that has garnered all this attention because of it's "nobility of purpose"
This has got to stop.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 9, 2014
Report Card---"Saving Mr. Banks".
I only saw "Mary Poppins" once, when it was on TV in the late 60's.
I didn't enjoy it.
As a result, I don't remember it very well.
I didn't even recall that it had cartoon penguins.
As a result, much that was told about the making of the film was a surprise to me.
I certainly didn't know that the author of the novel had to have her arm twisted to allow the film to be made.
""Saving Mr. Banks" is essentially two movies: one was about the making of "Mary Poppins", the other, flashbacks to the author's childhood.
It takes a long time for the two movies to get tied together.
There has been much written about whether or not the movie was accurate.
I haven't the foggiest idea, and it does not reflect my overall reaction to it.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Just about everything dealing with the making of "Mary Poppins" is interesting.
Almost everything that takes place in the flashbacks isn't. And way too much time is spent in the flashbacks.
B.
Compelling even?
I'll go as far as occasionally really interesting.
B-.
Is it controversial?
It seems to be very controversial to those more "in the know" than I.
B.
Is it a story worth telling?
Depending on it's accuracy, which is apparently in doubt.
B.
Is it good storytelling?
Too many flashbacks and questions of motivation.
B-.
Is it well written?
I wasn't bowled over by the level of dialogue writing.
B.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
The cast, led by Emma Thompson, with Tom Hanks as Walt Disney, is excellent.
Special kudos to Paul Giamatti.
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
It dragged during the flashbacks. The rest of it zipped along.
B.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and yes, mainly because of the performances.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Again, less predictable and more surprising for me than most.
A.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
No. It doesn't even make me want to re-watch "Mary Poppins".
D.
Is it funny?
On occasions.
B.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
No sir.
D-.
Is it impressive ?
Sometimes.
B-.
Overall grade: B-.
Giamatti, as Emma Thompson's chauffeur, steals what there is to steal in this one.
He's on my list for Best Supporting Actor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
I didn't enjoy it.
As a result, I don't remember it very well.
I didn't even recall that it had cartoon penguins.
As a result, much that was told about the making of the film was a surprise to me.
I certainly didn't know that the author of the novel had to have her arm twisted to allow the film to be made.
""Saving Mr. Banks" is essentially two movies: one was about the making of "Mary Poppins", the other, flashbacks to the author's childhood.
It takes a long time for the two movies to get tied together.
There has been much written about whether or not the movie was accurate.
I haven't the foggiest idea, and it does not reflect my overall reaction to it.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Just about everything dealing with the making of "Mary Poppins" is interesting.
Almost everything that takes place in the flashbacks isn't. And way too much time is spent in the flashbacks.
B.
Compelling even?
I'll go as far as occasionally really interesting.
B-.
Is it controversial?
It seems to be very controversial to those more "in the know" than I.
B.
Is it a story worth telling?
Depending on it's accuracy, which is apparently in doubt.
B.
Is it good storytelling?
Too many flashbacks and questions of motivation.
B-.
Is it well written?
I wasn't bowled over by the level of dialogue writing.
B.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
The cast, led by Emma Thompson, with Tom Hanks as Walt Disney, is excellent.
Special kudos to Paul Giamatti.
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
It dragged during the flashbacks. The rest of it zipped along.
B.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and yes, mainly because of the performances.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Again, less predictable and more surprising for me than most.
A.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
No. It doesn't even make me want to re-watch "Mary Poppins".
D.
Is it funny?
On occasions.
B.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
No sir.
D-.
Is it impressive ?
Sometimes.
B-.
Overall grade: B-.
Giamatti, as Emma Thompson's chauffeur, steals what there is to steal in this one.
He's on my list for Best Supporting Actor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 7, 2014
Report Card---"Inside Llewyn Davis".
Today, I am keeping my word.
I am doing a Report Card on a movie that I absolutely detested.
And it's been getting a lot of hype.
And it's by the Coen brothers, whose work I am generally in awe of.
It's about folk singing in the early 1960's.
I remember folk singing in the early 1960's.
It was fun.
"Hootenanny" and all that.
Llewyn Davis, the title character, doesn't have fun.
He NEVER has fun.
The audience NEVER has fun.
This is a dreary movie.
Llewyn Davis is a dreary character.
Nothing good happens to this character.
He doesn't seem to want anything good to happen to him, unlike the audience, who does.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
It starts out interesting, just from establishing the atmosphere, but by about twenty minutes into it
all interest is lost.
C-.
Compelling even?
Never.
D.
Is it controversial?
Never.
D.
Is it a story worth telling?
Not to me.
F.
Is it good storytelling?
Only if you like well-crafted stories about deterioration.
C.
Is it well written?
I was too bored to notice.
D.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
The lead actor, who I never heard of, is a complete cipher.
He sings well, but that's not enough.
You know you're in trouble when you have John Goodman in a movie and HE'S boring.
C-.
Is it too long? Too short?
It seemed endless.
F.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and not at all.
D.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Not predictable, surprising, but none of it in a good way.
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
I've tried not to.
F.
Is it funny?
On rare occasions. Too rare.
C.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
What do you think?
F.
Is it impressive ?
Only the music. All it needs is a better movie to be wrapped around it.
C-.
Overall grade: D.
I promise you that there will be more movies that I didn't like.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
I am doing a Report Card on a movie that I absolutely detested.
And it's been getting a lot of hype.
And it's by the Coen brothers, whose work I am generally in awe of.
It's about folk singing in the early 1960's.
I remember folk singing in the early 1960's.
It was fun.
"Hootenanny" and all that.
Llewyn Davis, the title character, doesn't have fun.
He NEVER has fun.
The audience NEVER has fun.
This is a dreary movie.
Llewyn Davis is a dreary character.
Nothing good happens to this character.
He doesn't seem to want anything good to happen to him, unlike the audience, who does.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
It starts out interesting, just from establishing the atmosphere, but by about twenty minutes into it
all interest is lost.
C-.
Compelling even?
Never.
D.
Is it controversial?
Never.
D.
Is it a story worth telling?
Not to me.
F.
Is it good storytelling?
Only if you like well-crafted stories about deterioration.
C.
Is it well written?
I was too bored to notice.
D.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
The lead actor, who I never heard of, is a complete cipher.
He sings well, but that's not enough.
You know you're in trouble when you have John Goodman in a movie and HE'S boring.
C-.
Is it too long? Too short?
It seemed endless.
F.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and not at all.
D.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Not predictable, surprising, but none of it in a good way.
F.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
I've tried not to.
F.
Is it funny?
On rare occasions. Too rare.
C.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
What do you think?
F.
Is it impressive ?
Only the music. All it needs is a better movie to be wrapped around it.
C-.
Overall grade: D.
I promise you that there will be more movies that I didn't like.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, January 3, 2014
Report Card---"Philomena"
I know.
It's starting to look like I've liked every movie that I've been sent.
Well, "Philomena" is no exception.
It is an outstanding movie.
Judi Dench is marvelous, but comparing her to Streep is like comparing apples to pears.
I happen to prefer apples
A mother is searching for her long lost son.
It's a true story, and a fascinating one.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Extremely. .
A+.
Compelling even?
Often.
A+.
Is it controversial?
Quite..
A+.
Is it a story worth telling?
Absolutely.
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
A great story, told in great fashion..
A+.
Is it well written?
Well enough.
A-.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
All of the above.
A+..
Is it too long? Too short?
It never seemed long.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Absolutely, and absolutely.
A+.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Not predictable, totally surprising.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Quite a bit.
A..
Is it funny?
Occasionally, considering that it is not a comedy..
A.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
I easily could have waited.
C.
Is it impressive ?
Totallly.
A+.
Overall grade: A.
I promise you that there will be movies that I didn't like.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
It's starting to look like I've liked every movie that I've been sent.
Well, "Philomena" is no exception.
It is an outstanding movie.
Judi Dench is marvelous, but comparing her to Streep is like comparing apples to pears.
I happen to prefer apples
A mother is searching for her long lost son.
It's a true story, and a fascinating one.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Extremely. .
A+.
Compelling even?
Often.
A+.
Is it controversial?
Quite..
A+.
Is it a story worth telling?
Absolutely.
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
A great story, told in great fashion..
A+.
Is it well written?
Well enough.
A-.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
All of the above.
A+..
Is it too long? Too short?
It never seemed long.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Absolutely, and absolutely.
A+.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Not predictable, totally surprising.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
Quite a bit.
A..
Is it funny?
Occasionally, considering that it is not a comedy..
A.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
I easily could have waited.
C.
Is it impressive ?
Totallly.
A+.
Overall grade: A.
I promise you that there will be movies that I didn't like.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, December 31, 2013
Report Card---"August Osage County".
A while back, I did a Report Card on the play "August Osage County" when it appeared on Broadway. I thought it was slow, talky, long, and took a whole lot of time to get where it was going.
But when it got there, it was worth the wait.
The film version is a whole different animal.
It came flying right out of the gate.
The playwright was also the screenwriter, so apparently he was very open to criticism.
I think he won a Pulitzer Prize with the play, so he probably didn't have to take shit from anybody.
Except maybe Meryl Streep.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Extremely. From the opening bell.
A+.
Compelling even?
Perhaps the definition of the word "compelling"".
A+.
Is it controversial?
Very.
A+.
Is it a story worth telling?
It always was..
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
Great storytelling, considering what it used to be.
A+.
Is it well written?
Extremely well written. Great dialogue.
A+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Mostly. Streep is at the top of her game. But I thought Julia Roberts, good as she was, was miscast.
The character she plays is described by other characters as aging, destined to be ugly and losing her looks. Julia Roberts looked fantastic. Something seemed amiss.
A.
Is it too long? Too short?
It never seemed long, which was a major accomplishment.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
It's still a bit theatrical, . but yes, and yes.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
I didn't remember the play that well, so it was not predictable, and surprised the hell out of me, on several levels.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
You are overwhelmed by it.
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?
If that was the only way to see it, definitely. Particularly with a full audience.
A.
Is it impressive ?
Stunning.
A+.
Overall grade: A+.
I think Streep already has my vote in her pocket.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
But when it got there, it was worth the wait.
The film version is a whole different animal.
It came flying right out of the gate.
The playwright was also the screenwriter, so apparently he was very open to criticism.
I think he won a Pulitzer Prize with the play, so he probably didn't have to take shit from anybody.
Except maybe Meryl Streep.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Extremely. From the opening bell.
A+.
Compelling even?
Perhaps the definition of the word "compelling"".
A+.
Is it controversial?
Very.
A+.
Is it a story worth telling?
It always was..
A+.
Is it good storytelling?
Great storytelling, considering what it used to be.
A+.
Is it well written?
Extremely well written. Great dialogue.
A+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
Mostly. Streep is at the top of her game. But I thought Julia Roberts, good as she was, was miscast.
The character she plays is described by other characters as aging, destined to be ugly and losing her looks. Julia Roberts looked fantastic. Something seemed amiss.
A.
Is it too long? Too short?
It never seemed long, which was a major accomplishment.
A+.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
It's still a bit theatrical, . but yes, and yes.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
I didn't remember the play that well, so it was not predictable, and surprised the hell out of me, on several levels.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
You are overwhelmed by it.
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?
If that was the only way to see it, definitely. Particularly with a full audience.
A.
Is it impressive ?
Stunning.
A+.
Overall grade: A+.
I think Streep already has my vote in her pocket.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, December 26, 2013
Report Card---"Enough Said".
"Enough Said" is a romantic comedy drama that stars James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.
It was Gandolfini's last film.
He died during shooting.
You really can't tell.
It borders on being a chick-flick, but stays within the borders.
It is very warm, entertaining, interesting, and thoughtful
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Very.
A.
Compelling even?
I wouldn't go that far.
B.
Is it controversial?
To a minor extent.
B.
Is it a story worth telling?
Absolutely
A.
Is it good storytelling?
Very. It is relentlessly interesting.
A.
Is it well written?
Extremely well written. Not quite Aaron Sorkin level, but close.
A+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
All of the above. Particularly if they had to do gymnastics to cover Gandolfini's posthumous scenes.
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
Just right.
A.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Considering that the premise might seem far-fetched, totally, and totally..
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
The ending was a bit predictable, but nothing else along the way was.
B+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
The story was quite intriguing, and I thought a lot about Gandolfini.
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?
I needn't have left the house, but that's me.
C.
Is it impressive ?
Quite.
A.
Overall grade: A.
This was the best possible way to remember Gandolfini.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
It was Gandolfini's last film.
He died during shooting.
You really can't tell.
It borders on being a chick-flick, but stays within the borders.
It is very warm, entertaining, interesting, and thoughtful
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Very.
A.
Compelling even?
I wouldn't go that far.
B.
Is it controversial?
To a minor extent.
B.
Is it a story worth telling?
Absolutely
A.
Is it good storytelling?
Very. It is relentlessly interesting.
A.
Is it well written?
Extremely well written. Not quite Aaron Sorkin level, but close.
A+.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
All of the above. Particularly if they had to do gymnastics to cover Gandolfini's posthumous scenes.
A+.
Is it too long? Too short?
Just right.
A.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Considering that the premise might seem far-fetched, totally, and totally..
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
The ending was a bit predictable, but nothing else along the way was.
B+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
The story was quite intriguing, and I thought a lot about Gandolfini.
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?
I needn't have left the house, but that's me.
C.
Is it impressive ?
Quite.
A.
Overall grade: A.
This was the best possible way to remember Gandolfini.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, December 24, 2013
Report Card: "Dallas Buyers Club".
Yes folks, it's that time of year again.
The studios have sent me their screeners with care.
So it's sure that my report cards soon will be there.
For the uninitiated, Report Cards are my way of reviewing films or plays as I witness them. attempting to give the reader as little plot information as possible to be able to make an informed judgment as to whether or not he or she should make the effort to see them.
I do this because I go out of my way every year to be avoid being bombarded with clips and other reviewers' plot summaries so I can be surprised by what I see.
I also try to present you with a screenwriter's point of view.
Something most reviewers are incapable of providing.
If you agree with what I have written after you see any of these films, Report Cards can be a valuable tool for you.
That's my intent.
So, unless something far more fascinating to write about comes along in the next few weeks, this space will be bombarded with Report Cards.
The first film is "Dallas Buyers Club""
It stars Matthew McConaughey.
Every year, it seems to be in somebody's deal to appear in every movie.
This year, it's Matthew McConaughey.
I've seen about five films so far, and he has been in three of them.
The film is about the rise of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980's.
All the way back to Rock Hudson.
The ad campaign, from what I've seen of it, is quite violent.
This is a bit of a mislead.
There is maybe a minute-and-a-half of violence in the whole movie.
And minor violence at that.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Extremely.
A+.
Compelling even?
Occasionally.
B+.
Is it controversial?
Quite. Questions of morality jump out at you from all over the place.
A+..
Is it a story worth telling?
Absolutely
A.
Is it good storytelling?
Very. It starts a little slow and depressing, but really snowballs after that.
A.
Is it well written?
Very well written.
A.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
All of the above.
A.
Is it too long? Too short?
Just right.
A.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and yes.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Nothing predictable. I was quite ignorant about the subject, and the particular aspects of it that they got into, and found it to be a very positive education.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
There is quite a bit to chew on.
A+
Is it funny?
When it tries to be, which isn't often.
A.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
I could have waited to see it on HBO..
C.
Is it impressive ?
Quite.
A.
Overall grade: A.
This is a very impressive film.
We're off to a very good start..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
******
The studios have sent me their screeners with care.
So it's sure that my report cards soon will be there.
For the uninitiated, Report Cards are my way of reviewing films or plays as I witness them. attempting to give the reader as little plot information as possible to be able to make an informed judgment as to whether or not he or she should make the effort to see them.
I do this because I go out of my way every year to be avoid being bombarded with clips and other reviewers' plot summaries so I can be surprised by what I see.
I also try to present you with a screenwriter's point of view.
Something most reviewers are incapable of providing.
If you agree with what I have written after you see any of these films, Report Cards can be a valuable tool for you.
That's my intent.
So, unless something far more fascinating to write about comes along in the next few weeks, this space will be bombarded with Report Cards.
The first film is "Dallas Buyers Club""
It stars Matthew McConaughey.
Every year, it seems to be in somebody's deal to appear in every movie.
This year, it's Matthew McConaughey.
I've seen about five films so far, and he has been in three of them.
The film is about the rise of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980's.
All the way back to Rock Hudson.
The ad campaign, from what I've seen of it, is quite violent.
This is a bit of a mislead.
There is maybe a minute-and-a-half of violence in the whole movie.
And minor violence at that.
On to the scoring:
Is it interesting?
Extremely.
A+.
Compelling even?
Occasionally.
B+.
Is it controversial?
Quite. Questions of morality jump out at you from all over the place.
A+..
Is it a story worth telling?
Absolutely
A.
Is it good storytelling?
Very. It starts a little slow and depressing, but really snowballs after that.
A.
Is it well written?
Very well written.
A.
Is it well cast? Well played?, Well shot?
All of the above.
A.
Is it too long? Too short?
Just right.
A.
Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?
Yes, and yes.
A.
Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?
Nothing predictable. I was quite ignorant about the subject, and the particular aspects of it that they got into, and found it to be a very positive education.
A+.
Do you think about it after you've seen it?
There is quite a bit to chew on.
A+
Is it funny?
When it tries to be, which isn't often.
A.
Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?
I could have waited to see it on HBO..
C.
Is it impressive ?
Quite.
A.
Overall grade: A.
This is a very impressive film.
We're off to a very good start..
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, December 19, 2013
"Oklahoma!" And "Top Banana"
These two Broadway shows have never previously been linked in any way.
But they actually had a great deal in common.
Films made from these two shows were both major abominations.
With "Oklahoma!", I'm not referring to the 1955 film that starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.
This version was quite acceptable, even though much of the humor was lost.
It was a quite sincere rendition of the show, much like the NBC "Sound of Music" was quite sincere.
What I am referring to is the 2011 filmed version done by the Royal Nationall Theatre of Great Britain, which starred Hugh Jackman, and a bunch of other Brits.
What I learned before I saw this production on PBS by seeing other live performances of it is just how FUNNY the show is.
And how audience-dependent it is for it's laughs.
"Oklahoma!" is a show that was always audience dependent.
Agnes DeMille, the original choreographer, was interviewed about the original production, which took place in 1943.
She talked about how the show's audience was always filled with soldiers and sailors, about to be shipped out to most-likely meet their doom.
It reminded them of what they were fighting for.
The audience contributed mightily to the success of "Oklahoma!"
In the Hugh Jackman production, as good as it was on so many levels, they created the pretense of there being a live audience there to witness it.
You saw them filing in.
The overture started, and you never heard from them again until the final curtain calls.
The cast played it for all the laughs that were there.
They got no laughs from the "audience".
There was no applause from the audience after any musical number.
It was missing in action.
And I do mean "missing".
It was an obvious attempt to create the illusion that there was a live audience.
The critical reaction was praise for bringing out the "drama" that existed in the text.
But no criticism for letting the comedy fall flat as a pancake.
""Top Banana" was a somewhat different animal.
The filming was done completely on the cheap.
They simply went into the theatre where it was being performed, and shot a very theatrical performance of the show.
The only problem was that there was no live audience.
It was as if they filmed a dress rehearsal in the middle of the run.
It was about burlesque, and you could tell that many funny things were supposed to be happening.
I mean, it had Phil Silvers in the lead, and all.
And even so, some of it was hilarious.
But some of it was painfully terrible.
Not helped at all by the lack of an audience.
There was an occasional "stock shot" of an audience applauding, but that didn't fool anybody.
Why weren't they laughing?
Some shows are simply audience dependent, and without them, why bother?
Like I said, "The Sound of Music" at least stayed true to itself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 & 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 available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.
******
But they actually had a great deal in common.
Films made from these two shows were both major abominations.
With "Oklahoma!", I'm not referring to the 1955 film that starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.
This version was quite acceptable, even though much of the humor was lost.
It was a quite sincere rendition of the show, much like the NBC "Sound of Music" was quite sincere.
What I am referring to is the 2011 filmed version done by the Royal Nationall Theatre of Great Britain, which starred Hugh Jackman, and a bunch of other Brits.
What I learned before I saw this production on PBS by seeing other live performances of it is just how FUNNY the show is.
And how audience-dependent it is for it's laughs.
"Oklahoma!" is a show that was always audience dependent.
Agnes DeMille, the original choreographer, was interviewed about the original production, which took place in 1943.
She talked about how the show's audience was always filled with soldiers and sailors, about to be shipped out to most-likely meet their doom.
It reminded them of what they were fighting for.
The audience contributed mightily to the success of "Oklahoma!"
In the Hugh Jackman production, as good as it was on so many levels, they created the pretense of there being a live audience there to witness it.
You saw them filing in.
The overture started, and you never heard from them again until the final curtain calls.
The cast played it for all the laughs that were there.
They got no laughs from the "audience".
There was no applause from the audience after any musical number.
It was missing in action.
And I do mean "missing".
It was an obvious attempt to create the illusion that there was a live audience.
The critical reaction was praise for bringing out the "drama" that existed in the text.
But no criticism for letting the comedy fall flat as a pancake.
""Top Banana" was a somewhat different animal.
The filming was done completely on the cheap.
They simply went into the theatre where it was being performed, and shot a very theatrical performance of the show.
The only problem was that there was no live audience.
It was as if they filmed a dress rehearsal in the middle of the run.
It was about burlesque, and you could tell that many funny things were supposed to be happening.
I mean, it had Phil Silvers in the lead, and all.
And even so, some of it was hilarious.
But some of it was painfully terrible.
Not helped at all by the lack of an audience.
There was an occasional "stock shot" of an audience applauding, but that didn't fool anybody.
Why weren't they laughing?
Some shows are simply audience dependent, and without them, why bother?
Like I said, "The Sound of Music" at least stayed true to itself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 & 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 available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.
******
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