bloggie blog

I am just now watching episode 10 of season 3 of Breaking Bad. It’s the episode about a fly. You know the one! It aired on May 23, so I’m a little behind. (I like to savor delicious things — or save delicious things for later.)

Pretty much only Mr White and Jesse have any lines. More significantly: It’s hilarious (for a while). I am laughing out loud and BB is not a Laugh Out Loud show. BB is a Freak the F Out show.

Anybody else remember and lurve this lovely episode about killing a fly? From pre-credits thingy, to whacking each with an impromptu flyswatter, this episode rawks. (Insiders, read this, too.)

Frequently, people tell me I remind them of Darrin Stephens on Bewitched. It’s confusing because Darrin Stephens was played by Dick York for 156 episdoes then by Dick Sargent for 84 episodes. Two Darrens, two Dicks.

Which Dick do I remind you of most? Links in Dicks’ names are to Google Images. Click, look, and weigh in via the comments.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of Los Angeles’s best known tourist attractions. In fact, it’s way up there as far as sidewalks go. (Really, is there a more famous sidewalk in the world?) Now, I’m not one to hit up the tourist traps, but the Walk of Fame is one of few touristy things I’ve done. Inadvertently. If walking to a store counts as doing something touristy. This is because in my old apartment and my new one, I live(d) within walking distance of the Walk.

Spanky McFarland used to be the closest star to my pad. His star is at the very western end of the Walk, where La Brea Ave and the north side of Hollywood Blvd meet. Now Franklin Pangborn is closest to me, as his star is at on the east side of Vine St at Sunset Blvd. Both faces I know fondly, but the latter’s name is less well known — unless you love Preston Sturges movies. You watch Preston Sturges movies, you love them. This is a simple, reliable formula (with the exception of The Great Moment, which is a yawner, despite dealing with a worthy, historical subject).

While Franklin Pangborn also did multiple Jack Benny films and multiple W.C. Fields films, I think Sturges withstands the test of time better. So if you happen to be wanting to watch some great old movies, let me recommend the following Preston Sturges films that have Franklin Pangborn in them: Sullivan’s Travels, Hail the Conquering Hero, Christmas in July. These are not Sturges’s best three, but they’re good, and better than The Great Moment, which also happens to have Franklin Pangborn in it. The one film on this list of 3 that I need to watch again, and have been wanting to watch for months now even since a friend said I remind her of Joel McCrea, is Sullivan’s Travels. Off to the library to rent me a DVD!

My friend Stephen Katz appeared in a commercial during the Super Bowl. He’s the one that gets slapped as he graduates, slaps back, and then has a slapping moment with a dog, too!

It was a great experience to watch him watch himself. I spent that Sunday at his apartment, and after this spot aired, we high-fived and generally celebrated. We did not slap each other in the back of the head — he was too busy responding to the onslaught of text messages from his peeps. Good stuff. Congrats, Katz!

“If you want to see a movie about a douchebag, you should probably see Douchebag.” So ends a great little promotional interview with Drake Doremus for his movie.

I would love to see this film — and I will some day, I am sure, though I will not be in Park City on Friday when it premieres. I will see this movie because of an intrigue based on the clip where we hear of an extended, impractical movie-making process, similar to one I’ve been working on, and that clip also shows crazy-good acting. The film is all character-driven, my favorite. Also, one of the actresses in this movie is a new friend, and an amazingly generous and open person. Finally, it’s called Douchebag. Four good reasons! Find this clip and a little more here.

Douchebag, I’m rooting for you!

Here is the Official Obselidia Trailer.
It intrigues me. I think I would very much enjoy watching this movie, especially in an arthouse or smaller theater. I think I would enjoy the philosophical wonderings that this movie would elicit in me. I’m hoping it’s well received at Sundance, and that it enjoys a wider release.

They’ve got a Twitter account for this film. Smart people.

Recently, the Sundance Film Festival announced their lineup of competition films for the 2010 version of the annual Utah event. I have decided to follow 3 of them closely. My decision was based on a few, loose criteria: Scripted (fictional) films where the actors and directors are non-famous and the budget is pretty small, and they were filmed or based largely in southern California. Only three films met those criteria:

Douchebag, directed by Drake Doremus, with a cast that includes one actress I’ve recently met, Amy Ferguson. (This isn’t even her first appearance on a Sundance screen. Sheesh.)

Lovers of Hate, by Bryan Poyser.

Obselidia, by Diane Bell.

I’ve established Google alerts for these people, I’m asking around and doing online research, and I’m rooting for them. Go Team 3!

Upon the recommendation of a fellow Cornellian at a recent alumni gathering, I put 5 small Los Angeles theaters on my list. “See their shows,” that list. I’ve seen about a dozen productions in the smaller theaters around LA, and they always have glaring weaknesses, but I will keep exploring, I promised, with this new list of 5.

First up, The Road Theatre Company. Last night I saw their current production, The Unseen, written and directed by Craig Wright. (I wish he had been there: I’d like to see if I remind him of Peter Krause. But that’s another story.)

My review is short and simple: “This is good theater.” The 3 actors are very good. Nice work, Douglas Dickerman, Matt Kirkwood and Darin Singleton. The direction is tight and compelling, the tech solid. The play itself — intense, dark, disturbing, horribly brutal at one point, but oh so intelligent in most places, particular in the dialog of Wallace — left me sitting there saying only a quiet “Whoa.” But the non-stunned part of me shouts, I found it! I found high-quality theater in Los Angeles. Glory be!

(My only complaint: the special effects are on the loud side a couple of times. Good writing, acting and directing provide the best jolts.)

Congratulations to the Road and their fine team. Congratulations and thank you.

30-35, Intense, Smart, Sexy, Parental, Cool dad, Plumber, Outdoorsman, Loyal, Cowboy, Creepy coach, Blue collar, Mischievous, Dad, Dark, Cynical, 33-40, Blue collar, Dad, Handsome, Rugged, Doctor, Man you want to marry, Sad, Rugged, Southern boy, Midwestern, Dad, Sam Shepard, Dirty Harry, Rough, Bad, Easy Rider, Farmer, Edgy, Handsome, Dad, Worker, Blue collar, 35-45, Could play a cool thug, Humorous, Cute, Kinky, Rugged, Blue collar, also white collar, CEO, Lumberjack, Dad, Principal, Professor that fools around with students, Could have a drug problem, Rugged, Confident, Western, Country, Blue collar, Dark secret, Loving, Dad, Trustworthy, Works with hands, Played football and stayed in same small town, Pedophile, Stalker, Gay, Nice guy, Awkward, Video gaming adult, Silent killer, 27-33, Farmer, Suspect (murder), Professor, Pediatrician, Dentist, Trouble, Husband, Dad, Young dad, Crazy, Dangerous, Mid 30s, White collar, Trusting yet up to something, Doctor, Outdoorsy, Late 30s early 40s, Hip, Rugged, Cool dad, Really cool uncle, Worldly, Always planning, All-American, Texan, 35-40, Best friend, Serious, Friendly, Doctor, Nice, Funny, Texas, Intelligent, Artist, Gay or straight, Charisma, Laid back, Comfortable in skin, Serial killer, Quick-witted, Early-mid 30s, OCD, Dangerous, Artist, Creepy, Seductive, Mean, Intelligent, Goofy, Good or bad father, Athletic, Determined, Lawyer, Doctor, Leading man, Serious, Romantic, Educated, Dad, Late 30s to early 40s, Intelligent, Professor, 30s, Husband, Intense, Stalker, 35-40, all-American, Dad, Office guy, Wears a suit well, Corporate, Smart, Manipulative, Bad guy, Best friend turned bad, Urban, Cool dad, Northern California feel, Discerning, Friendly, Approachable, Smart, All-American, Nice, Young dad, Teacher, Secretly gay, Farmer, Late 30s, Rugged, Handsome, Professor, Best friend, Witty, Spontaneous, Sweet, 35-40

Pushing Daises is done. The final episode has aired now in the UK, even if it hasn’t aired here in the States yet. Do you miss it? In a word, I don’t.

On the good side, it was different. A lot of the top shows are so similar, and this show was different. I grant that that might be good in and of itself.

But the apparent sense of insight from listing amounts of time in accuracy up to the second; the repeated use of “The facts were these” as our narrator’s segue; and the very fact that the narrator has a British accent: all these actually give a false sense of insight. All these turn off the thoughtful viewer. And so many scenes are painfully created in a way that is very far from reality. A strange and unholy blend of attempts to be very real and yet very false in the above, in casting, in art design and color, in dialog, etc. This is why it never really worked for me. Also, it’s a little too copycat if you’ve seen a certain extremely famous French movie. Also, the cartoon voice of Ms. Chenoweth (and some guest actors) is a little too, well, cartoony. Also, the new veneers and reworked bangs that Anna Friel has started wearing strike me as contrived. Also, the preposterous setup of lovers that can never touch — that’s going nowhere unless they jump the shark.

Okay, enough. Did you love it? Tell me why. I’m listening.