An Epic Update

Or not.

Had the second weekend of shooting for friend Justin's project, Big Bother. Another fun weekend. We will be regrouping toward the end of this month, or into August for the second half of his script; i.e. the second set of three episodes. Thought everyone was super, so I'm looking forward to hanging/working w/ them again. Just got a message from Justin yesterday, he had to rush back to Chicagoland...apparently a very serious emergency w/ his mother. He's in my thoughts and prayers...

Had that audition for that indie sitcom pilot on Sunday morning. Not often I can say this, but I NAILED the audition. I was offbook for it, and felt great about what I did. It's one of those situations that if I don't get chosen, there was nothing I could have done better. Absolutely no regrets. Not sure when they'll be posting the cast, but I was told it would be shooting toward the end of this month, early August. Possible conflicts? Hmmm.

Just today I sent out another 20 resumes for jobs. Lord. I've had no response to anything. Meanwhile (thankfully), the other half has been attending a great many interviews over the past week, and another two tomorrow. Someone offer the man a job already! You won't be disappointed. Just do it!

Had some fun times last week. Met up w/ friend Michael for mutual friend Leah's "Stand-Up in a Little Black Dress"; on Thursday night. Leah again did a great job, and I think her skills in this form are really coming along. She's got great material, and a unique and fun delivery. I hope she continues with it. The remainder of the comics for the evening (with the exception of one) were hysterical. I'll be attending any further events she has in the future. Good times.

Also drove over to friend's Chris and Ami on Friday night, for drinks and a movie. Their place is awesome...two stories and great space. They also have very good taste. And I love their dining table. Upon completion of the movie (more on that later) we headed back to their place and ordered some late dinner. I then bored them w/ a showing of French Toast and the soundless director's cut of Ready to Go. They seemed to genuinely enjoy French Toast; giving positive feedback; even going as far as making a comparison to Cronenberg--in certain scenes/events, etc. That made me feel good. I've decided that the only people I know who will appreciate my first film are other filmmakers. It's been my experience that anyone I show it to, doesn't get much out of it. Their silence speaks volume. I think folks that have actually made their own films see more, or perhaps are more forgiving about shortcomings. Either way, I'm getting mixed messages about Toast. Regardless, when the money starts coming in, I'm going to submit it anywhere I find appropriate.

So, movies. In the past months since we arrived here in LA, we've seen Ironman. Loved it. Great detail, and they really took the time to build the characters. Robert Downey Jr. must be added to my Stew of Sin. Gwyneth was a great deal of fun, and I loved seeing Jeff Bridges in a villian role (it's high time he is added to my stew as well). I really enjoyed this film. Mamma Mia I've already commented on. However, I will be seeing it again when it finds its wide release. Must see it again! Saw The Strangers. Very creepy. I loved its simplicity and the fact that we never knew the motivation of the intruders...until a possible clue-in at the end of the film. It was better left with their line (one that the other half and I have been quoting since the ads were being aired), "Because you were home". Other than that, a lot of predictability, but my eyes were covered most of the time anyway. The masks gave me nightmares. The movie we saw with Chris and Ami was Werner Herzog's latest, Encounters at the End of the World. I could have done without some of the overbearing music cues, but other than that, it was a beautiful film. Touching, funny and breathtaking. Highly recommended. Check it out on IMDB for info. Then there's The Happening. I realize I'm late on this, and most of you have read enough bad notices for it. Here's my take. Mark Wahlberg was absolutely horrendous. Betty Buckley and John Leguizamo were the only actors worth a squirt of piss (that's from Weird Science). They took their ridiculous lines and Goddamit, they sold them. There's a scene in the film where Leguizamo must give up something/someone to Wahlberg's character. It contains the best line in the film. It's powerful, and Leguizamo made me feel it. Then, there are the reverse shots of Wahlberg. Okay...well, those shots fell flat. Wahlberg was atrocious; and this is one of the many highlights of his failure. Buckley has a great supporting role, and she is actually quite frightening. On this same note, Shymalan continues to prove that he needs some help in the writing department. We are introduced to Buckley's character, and I think it's quite clear (unless you're a total ku-me) that she's cuckoo. 10 minutes later, Wahlberg discovers something in her home. The discovery is never quite explained, but Wahlberg is made to utter the line, "Crazy lady". Hmm, really? Thanks for the spoon feed Shymalan. Wretched. Don't think it's all bad, there are some truly horrific moments (real ones, not the Wahlberg related ones) in the opening of the film. However, if you saw the trailers, you already know what they are. The construction site sequence made me numb. So scary. One final gripe on this piece of junk. The extras were completely subpar. I was made to compare these scenes to Spielberg's War of the Worlds, and the acting going on in the big crowd scenes. Pardon my French, but that was some good shit. Everyone of those folks cried, ran and screamed their hearts out. It was frightening. The extras in The Happening just couldn't make it work. Everyone of them had the same dazed look on their faces. Perhaps they were directed to do so, but it failed...miserably. What's happened to Shymalan? He's gone down so steadily since his amazing The Sixth Sense. Signs is still my favorite, but since then, he's losing me...one picture at a time. I'm unsure if I missed any other theatre adventures, so if I did, you'll hear about them later.

I'm looking at the Roosevelt Hotel right now. It's the place where my beloved Kathy Griffin was getting a spray tan on the roof for the Emmy's (was it the Emmy's) awards show. It was on her reality program...which I think we're currently missing. We still have no TV. We haven't had for about a month and a half. I'm actually not dying for it, but I do miss being informed...although we do have internet, so that keeps us from living under a rock.

Speaking of informed, I want to make note of several passings in the entertainment community over the past weeks. I am behind, so I just will jot their names here, just so I know that they see my appreciating their gifts while they were here, and that they will be missed. That was some sort of weird runon sentence. The hysterical Harvey Korman (no one broke character better than he), the uber-talented FX maestro; Stan Winston (the day he died, there were flowers on his star on the Walk of Fame), Tim Russert (someone I always trusted to give me my news), and George Carlin (I didn't know much of his work, but I acknowledge his legacy). Their talents will all be missed, and they certainly deserve more than my pathetic little plugs here. So long, folks.

I actually started reading Sid's Apple again today. Must begin work on it. Want to get started.

I've decided that my experience on House of Black Wings, my two shorts, and currently on friend Justin's project, had prepared me enough to start searching for paying crew gigs here in LA. I guess I would be looking for AD's, Production managers, Script Supervisors and the like. I think I could do well in those positions. I'll let you know how that goes.

And, since I'm discussing House of Black Wings, David and Clare attended Flashback Weekend in Chicago, over this past weekend. Apparently they received great feedback, and got to meet some horror folks I was quite angry to have missed. Caroline Williams of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Marilyn Burns (Sally Hardesty of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre) were on hand, as were several folks from the original Night of the Living Dead, and my diety, George Romero himself. Alas.