THE NEWSREADER

THE NEWSREADER

Anna Torv is one of my favorite actresses. In The Newsreader she plays an anchorwoman virtually on the edge of a breakdown in the high-pressure world of TV news in Melbourne Australia in 1986, a year when the news moved quickly from the Challenger explosion to the “A dingo ate my baby,” story, to Hally’s Comet, Aids, and terrorism in Australia. Great show, free on the Peacock Network.

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR

The same brilliant folks who made the excellent The Haunting of Hill House have another scary story to tell. The Haunting of Bly Manor. A different haunted house in a totally different story. The only thing the two Netflix mini-series have in common is the ability to scare you with deep, thoughtful, and creepy stories without being excessively gory. Many of the Hill House actors return in totally different roles than they played in Hill House. Where Hill House is about how having lived in a haunted house changes forever every member of a family, Bly Manor tells how various love stories are created in the house, many of them very ill-fated by living in this terrifying house in England. Loved the writing because it makes what could be a simple scary movie and makes it rich and deep and layered with each character having their own powerful story.

Really Enjoyed Michael Connelly’s Latest Harry Bosch Novel “THE WRONG SIDE OF GOODBYE”

NASA HAS TAKEN THE LARGEST PICTURE EVER TAKEN. SEE JUST OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE GALAXY AND BE HUMBLED

SCREENWRITNG ADVICE FROM “GONE GIRL”DIRECTOR DAVID FINCHER

R.I.P. JAMES HORNER – FILM COMPOSER

I listen to a lot of film scores when I write so I was really sorry to see that film composer JAMES HORNER was killed in a private plane crash.  I have a lot of his scores in my collection and have listened to them often.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33235271

MAGIC CITY

I binge watched both seasons of MAGIC CITY recently.

MAGIC CITY is set in Miami in 1959, and revolves around IKE EVANS, (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) owner and manager of the Miramar, the swankest resort hotel on Miami beach and his fight to keep his dream hotel running despite union shutdowns, continuous police investigations and scandals, two unpredictable 20 something sons and an ever-ratcheting tension between Ike and his psychotic and perverse silent partner mobster BEN (the Butcher) DIAMOND brilliantly played by DANNY HOUSTON.

I liked this show a lot a recommend it.  In the same way MAD MEN puts you in the 1960s, MAGIC CITY puts you into the late 1950s Miami.

Magic City is part MAD MEN and part the GODFATHER.  In fact Godfather alumni Alex Rocco and James Caan have strong roles in the show.  Beautifully shot and acted you can find it on NETFLIX.  Make a note, lots of sexy stuff in this show.

There is currently a MAGIC CITY feature film in the works using the same cast as the television series.

OFFICIAL “THE MARTIAN” TRAILER

A while ago I mentioned that my favorite book of the past few years was Andy Weir’s THE MARTIAN, the story of an American Astronaut left behind on Mars because the crew had to do an emergency evacuation and believed he was dead.

The trailer for the up coming feature film by Ridley Scott looks pretty spectacular and seems to be pretty close to the book.

JOHNNY QUEST IS COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN — Maybe

Director Robert Rodriquez and screenwriter Terry Rossio are writing the script for a Johnny Quest feature film.

Johnny Quest was a Saturday morning cartoon show originating in 1964 with illustrations designed by the great comic artist Alex Toth.

Johnny was a ten year old Indiana Jones 25 years before there was Indiana Jones and surprisingly mature for a kid’s cartoon show.  Lots of action, adventure, gun fights, danger and high tech thrills all over the world.

It also had the coolest opening theme movie and thrilling opening and closing credits – take a look –

And then I found this absolutely brilliant stop-motion video recreation of the Johnny Quest opening.  Have a look.

I’m hoping the Rodriques/Rossio film will live up to the tone and excitement of the original one.

 

TAKING CHANCE – The Perfect Memorial Day Movie If You Can Handle The Tears

There is no better movie to honor Memorial day than TAKING CHANCE.

TAKING CHANCE is the simplest of stories.  Based on real-life events, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort officer, accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming.  Along the way we see the incredible respect and care our Marine Corps. show for for the fallen, including the very moving moment when a commercial airline Captain requests passengers remain seated as Strobl gets off first to see to the care of the fallen Marine’s remain intransit.

Kevin Bacon play’s Lt. Col. Strobl in a simple straight ahead manner which just ads truth to the telling of this very moving and often emotionally wrenching story. I have to confess I found myself teary numerous times during this movie as I was reminded again of the value of those who put on uniforms and go to far away places to fight for the rest of us.

TAKING CHANCE is available HBO. Unfortunately TAKING CHANCE is not currently available on Netflix Streaming, though it is available on Netflix DVD. If you can find TAKING CHANCE online or at one of the few Video Stores still open, I highly recommend this movie.