Saturday, February 25, 2012
OSCAR NOMINATIONS
NOMINEES AND WINNERS
THE ACADEMY AWARDS
SUNDAY FEB 26
7:00 PM (East) 4:00 PM (Pacific) ABC
If you haven't seen a nominated (or WINNING) film, or you want to see it again,
you can link to DVDs, BLU-RAYs, and INSTANT STREAMING VIDEO
of the Academy Award Nominees (and winners!) from this chart, above!
Notes (2/26/2012, just before midnight on Oscar Night) -- It was a good show. It moved along. It was funny, tho not hilarious. Crystal was an efficient, pleasant host. There were no great moments, but some good ones. Streep and Plummer -- the old timers -- gave the best speeches. THE ARTIST was the big winner. It's a brilliant and tremendously entertaining film. Ironically, this show, THE ARTIST, written, produced and directed by Frenchmen was the only film shot entirely in LA!
FEATURE FILMS
Best Picture
=>"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
"The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
Here are some notes on Oscar favorite THE ARTIST
THE ARTIST
At NYFF 2011
Photo by Eric Roffman
THE ARTIST is one of the best films of this year... or any year.
It is a brand new, modern, black & white (mostly), silent (mostly) film about the end of black & white, silent pictures. And love!
The film is chock full (yes, that's probably a vintage-ly accurate expression) of Gallic irony and humor, wisdom, cinematic wizardry, and intelligence. And love of films.
It's a French film, but it has no French (hey, it's silent!), and it was made in Hollywood by an American crew.
It was brilliantly written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius...
THE ARTIST
At NYFF 2011
Photo by Eric Roffman
THE ARTIST
At NYFF 2011
Photo by Eric Roffman
...And perfectly executed by a large cast, toplined by the terrific pair of French actors, Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, assisted by a powerful American cast of supporting players.
THE ARTIST ON IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/
And here are some notes on THE DESCENDANTS, also a top Oscar contender:
At the NYFF 2011 Closing Night
Red Carpet for THE DESCENDANTS
Photo by Eric Roffman - QPORIT
George Clooney plays an unusually befuddled character in The Descendants, the Closing Night film at the 2011 New York Film Festival (NYFF), and also a featured screening at the 2011 Hamptons International Film Festival (the same weekend)!
Returning home from a more-or-less perpetual business trip because his wife fell into a coma after a boating accident, Clooney must deal with two daughters who are somewhat alien to him, the fate of his wife, and a big decision on how to divest a huge parcel of spectacular, pristine Hawaiian landscape that he is heir to and, most important, the custodian for -- on behalf of his extended family of relatives.
The film is not perfect: the awkwardness of the characters with each other at the beginning is, well, awkward; and parts of the plotting and resolution (without giving away any spoilers, here) seem a little too pat, but over all The Descendants is a very interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining film,
Director Alexander Payne's camera and direction take us into the private as well as the lush Hawaii.
On the set of THE DESCENDANTS
PHOTO BY: Merie Wallace.
The acting is excellent by all the major characters, and the minor ones too. Three young actors create impressive, strong characters,
George Clooney as "Matt King,"
Amara Miller as "Scottie"
and Nick Krause as "Sid"
In THE DESCENDANTS
Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Judy Greer is emotionally affecting in her climactic scenes, George Clooney is terrific from beginning to end, and even his comatose wife is convincing, without moving or saying a word. It's funny, but in a film like this, which revolves in part around a silent, motionless woman, it is her presence which determines whether the film can succeed, for she must be believable as the someone who can be at the center of of attention.
And Robert Forster, as the aggrieved father of the comatose wife, mother, and daughter, adds punch.
At the NYFF 2011 Closing Night
Red Carpet for THE DESCENDANTS
As the Press Photographers get a little wild.
3D Video by Eric Roffman - QPORIT
A note about 3D video on YouTube. It should start as a 3D video for Red/Cyan glasses. If it does not, or if you prefer one of the other viewing methods, follow the instructions to change the 3D viewing method. Sometimes it requires a few tries before YouTube kicks in with the correct format.
QPORIT 3D videos on YouTube SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE VIEWED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FORMATS: (but as mentioned above, the current state of the art is that it may take a few tries to change the format).
1 - 2D
2 - 3D Anaglyph (Red/Cyan glasses or other color pairs)
3 - On a 3D TV
4 - On a 3D device (without glasses!) such as a 3D tablet, game console or phone (such as the HTC EVO 3D)
5 - Using the NVIDIA 3D system for a computer.
Foreign Language Film
"Bullhead" Belgium
"Footnote" Israel
"In Darkness" Poland
"Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
=>"A Separation" Iran
Documentary (Feature)
"Hell and Back Again"
Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front"
Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"
Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
"Pina"
Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
=>"Undefeated"
TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas
Animated Feature Film
"A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
=>"Rango" Gore Verbinski
ACTORS DIRECTOR AND WRITERS
Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
George Clooney in "The Descendants"
=>Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"
Photo by Eric Roffman
Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis in "The Help"
Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
=>Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
=>Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
NOMINATED FOR THE HELP
Rising Star / Breakthrough Performer at HIFF 2010
Photo by Eric Roffman
Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
=>Octavia Spencer in "The Help"
Directing
=>"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Alexander Payne
"Hugo" Martin Scorsese
"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
=>"The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
"The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan
Writing (Original Screenplay)
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
=>"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi
SHORT FILMS
Short Film (Animated)
"Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
=>"The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
"La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
"A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
"Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
Short Film (Live Action)
"Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
"Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
=>"The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
"Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
"Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø
Documentary (Short Subject)
"The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement"
Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
"God Is the Bigger Elvis"
Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
"Incident in New Baghdad"
James Spione
=>"Saving Face"
Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
"The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen
ART AND SOUND
Art Direction
"The Artist"
Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
=>"Hugo"
Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
"Midnight in Paris"
Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
"War Horse"
Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales
Cinematography
"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
=>"Hugo" Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski
Costume Design
"Anonymous" Lisy Christl
=>"The Artist" Mark Bridges
"Hugo" Sandy Powell
"Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
"W.E." Arianne Phillips
Film Editing
"The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
"The Descendants" Kevin Tent
=>"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
"Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen
Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin
=>"The Iron Lady"
Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland
Music (Original Score)
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
=>"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams
Music (Original Song)
=>"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
"Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett
Sound Editing
"Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
=>"Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
"War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom
Sound Mixing
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
=>"Hugo"
Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
"Moneyball"
Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
"War Horse"
Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson
Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
=>"Hugo"
Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel"
Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier
*** *** ***
SONNETS-BY-SHAKESPEARE -- Sonnets & other works by & about Shakespeare
QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D
QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D
*** *** ***
Labels: Academy Awards, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jessica Chastain, Martin Scorsese, Midnight in Paris, Oscar, Rooney Mara, The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, Woody Allen
Friday, February 17, 2012
SHATNER'S WORLD
SHATNER'S WORLD
SHATNER'S WORLD is more than pure entertainment -- and it is very entertaining: funny, interesting, and inspiring! -- SHATNER'S WORLD is a reflection on why and how entertainment becomes more than entertainment: art, inspiration, politics, humor, comfort and knowledge about life, love and death.
Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It is a one-man show written and performed by William Shatner -- with anecdotes about his life and his work and what they mean to him and to others -- and directed by Scott Faris.
William Shatner is 80 (b March 22, 1931), but he could pass for 40 or fifty. Most people think of him only for one or another of his many lives... Captain Kirk in Star Trek, or Denny Crane in Boston Legal. But his career is truly amazing. Some of his many credits are listed below. He has acted in Shakespeare; owned champion horses; starred in many films, written several novels...
He describes himself as an entertainer. This show, fundamentally, at its core, at its heart, is a muse on how -- just by trying to entertain well -- the vehicles in which he has appeared (pun intended) have fundamentally influenced and inspired major changes in human lives. He knows he can not take credit for the space program. But it is clear that Star Trek has been an inspiration to many of those involved.
He describes anecdotes from his long career in entertainment. Watching this show should be a compulsory element of the education of an actor. It describes the disconnect between the effect and impression that entertainment has on its audience, and the experience of being the entertainer. Shatner has the quality of understanding and commenting on both a subjective and objective awareness of his work that illuminates both (and he does it all with sophisticated and ironic humor). It provides examples akin to what Rita Hayworth meant when she (allegedly) said her trouble with men was that "They go to bed with Gilda (her sensuous character in the movie "Gilda") and they wake up with me." What Shatner has come to realize is essentially that "me" and "Gilda" are both important. They are different. "Gilda" is important to the audience that knows little about "me". But "me" is important, because without it there would be no "Gilda". (To apply to this show, of course, change "Gilda" to "Start Trek" and Gilda to Captain Kirk.)
Star Trek only lasted three years. His other series lasted a few years. That's a fraction of a 60+ year professional career. He's been broke -- even after he was famous -- divorced, in love. He seems to be happy now.
Shatner also muses on love and death (How do you play, "dying"? -- is something he really thinks and talks about) and the treatment of animals, and the nature of humor... all with jokes and (often ironic and self-deprecating) humor.
His delivery is casual; he seemed to fluff a few lines and swallow a few punch lines, but without seriously impeding the flow of the show.
His delivery is casual; he seemed to fluff a few lines and swallow a few punch lines, but without seriously impeding the flow of the show.
He concludes the show with a nice talk-singing rendition of one song from one of his albums: He'd be great as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady!
I found the show illuminating, entertaining, and inspiring.
In fact, here's what it seems to me is so interesting: I think this show is inspiring both to comedian/actors ... And Rocket Scientists. Not many shows on Broadway can say that.
Here's a selection of Shatner's enormous list of film and TV credits:
2011 Psych (TV series)
2011 William Shatner: Bohemian Rhapsody (video short)
2010-2011 $#*! My Dad Says (TV series)
2011 Horrorween
2010 Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey
2008 Gotta Catch Santa Claus (TV movie)
2004-2008 Boston Legal (TV series)
2007 The Tuttles: Madcap Misadventures (Video Game)
2007/I Live Life (short)
2007 Everest (TV mini-series)
2006 Star Trek: Tactical Assault (Video Game)
2006 Star Trek: Legacy (Video Game)
2006 Star Trek: Encounters (Video Game)
2006 Over the Hedge
2006 The Wild
2006 Stalking Santa
2005 Atomic Betty (TV series)
2005 Last Laugh '05 (TV movie)
2005 Invasion Iowa (TV series)
2005 Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
2005 Lil' Pimp (video)
2004 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
2004 Chilly Beach (TV series)
2004 The Practice (TV series)
2003 A Carol Christmas (TV movie)
2002 Groom Lake
2002 American Psycho II: All American Girl (video)
2002 Shoot or Be Shot
2001 The Kid (TV movie)
2001 Bob Patterson (TV series)
2001 Osmosis Jones
2001 Falcon Down
2000 Miss Congeniality
1999-2000 3rd Rock from the Sun (TV series)
1999 A Twist in the Tale (TV series)
1998 Land of the Free
1998 Hercules (TV series)
1998 Free Enterprise
1997 Cosby (TV series)
1997 The First Men in the Moon (video)
1997 Perversions of Science (TV series)
1997 Star Trek: Generations (Video Game)
1997 Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Video Game)
1996 Dead Man's Island (TV movie)
1994-1996 TekWar (TV series)
1996 The Prisoner of Zenda, Inc. (TV movie)
1993-1995 Eek! the Cat (TV series)
1994 Janek: The Silent Betrayal (TV movie)
1994 Star Trek: Generations
1994 TekWar: TekJustice (TV movie)
1994 TekWar: TekLab (TV movie)
1994 SeaQuest 2032 (TV series)
1994 TekWar: TekLords (TV movie)
1994 TekWar (TV movie)
1976-1993 Columbo (TV series)
1993 Family of Strangers (TV movie)
1993 Loaded Weapon 1
1993 Star Trek: Judgment Rites (Video Game)
1992 The Larry Sanders Show (TV series)
1992 Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Enhanced (Video Game)
1991 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
1991 Voice of the Planet (TV mini-series)
1989 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
1988 Broken Angel (TV movie)
1988 The Trial of Standing Bear (TV movie)
1986 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1982-1986 T.J. Hooker (TV series)
1985 North Beach and Rawhide (TV movie)
1985 The Ray Bradbury Theater (TV series)
1984 Secrets of a Married Man (TV movie)
1984 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
1982 Airplane II: The Sequel
1982 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
1982 Visiting Hours
1982 Police Squad! (TV series)
1980 The Babysitter (TV movie)
1980 The Kidnapping of the President
1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture
1979 Disaster on the Coastliner (TV movie)
1979 Riel (TV movie)
1978 Crash (TV movie)
1978 Little Women (TV series)
1978 The Third Walker
1978 Land of No Return
1978 The Bastard (TV movie)
1978 How the West Was Won (TV mini-series)
... Lots more stuff ...
1973-1974 Star Trek (TV series -- 22 episodes)
... Lot's more stuff ...
1961-1965 The Defenders (TV series)
... Lot's more stuff including Twilight Zone & Howdy Doody ...
And, to start it off...
1953 Space Command (TV series)
1951 The Butler's Night Off
Much more as Producer, Writer & Director...
Here's a link to Shatner's movies, books and music on Amazon:
LINKS
SHATNER'S WORLD -- OFFICAL SITE
http://shatnersworld.com/
WILLIAM SHATNER'S OFFICIAL SITE
http://www.williamshatner.com/
WILLIAM SHATNER on WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shatner
WILLIAM SHATNER on IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000638/
And, by the way...
GILDA on IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038559/
*** *** ***
SONNETS-BY-SHAKESPEARE -- Sonnets & other works by & about Shakespeare
QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D
QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D
*** *** ***
Labels: Boston Legal, Captain Kirk, Comedy, Denny Crane, Scott Faris, Shatner's World, Space Program, Star Trek, William Shatner
Monday, February 13, 2012
CALIFORNICATION
I've always enjoyed Californication. David Duchovny as Hank has a unique quality that mashes up sarcasm and sincerity, truth and infidelity, love and more infidelity. The show is kinky. Far out.. Fun and funny.
But tonight was more than usual. Tonight's episode, set against the background of everything that has happened in the story, was absolutely brilliant. It was one of the best half hour stories/shows I've ever seen on television!
(This is episode # 5.6 "Love Song".)
LINKS:
CALIFORNICATION ON WIKIPEDIA
CALIFORNICATION HOME PAGE
IMDB on DAVID DUCHOVNY
IMDB on MEAGAN GOOD (Plays KALI in this episode)
Labels: Californication, David Duchovny, Hank Moody, Kali, Meagan Good, Showtime
Saturday, February 11, 2012
SNL -- FEB 11, 2012 -- ZOOEY DESCHANEL WITH KARMIN...
Zooey Deschanel hosts SNL tonight. She has been a charming, wacky presence in a number of fine movies, including (500) Days Of Summer and Gigantic.
While she sometimes plays a somewhat flaky young woman, Zooey herself is no flake at all: She actually has an amazing film resume... see the list below! (Also, links to some of the films on Amazon, at the end of this post.)
I first saw her in Almost Famous, but first really noticed her as quite a kinky presence in WEEDS as a "love" (or sex) interest of Andy Botwin, the brother of Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker). She is best known, currently, as the new girl on New Girl. (My own take on this show is that it could -- and should -- sharpen its concept a bit, and tighten up the quality of the writing. It's getting awards, but some hard, creative work on the writing and direction could take it to another level.)
In addition to her film and TV work Zooey is a very skilled, singer, song-writer, and musician -- on several instruments. I wonder if SNL is going to let her be musical.
Some personal notes that may come up in the show: Zooey is 5' 6", and just turned 32 -- born January 17, 1980. She recently separated from her husband. She's rumored to be "affiliated" with Russell Brand, who just separated from Katy Perry, who could almost be a twin of Zooey, separated at birth.
SNL SHOW SYNOPSIS:
COLD OPEN: Romney as the common-man (not!) had a few laughs at the start, but then petered out into a bland routine that was too much like the real thing to be particularly funny, and not real enough to be particularly funny either. Romney is not a very funny guy.
MONOLOGUE: WEIRD little girl dress, but it was on purpose, I guess. At least the hearts, for Valentine's day. The song was amusing.
CLINTWOOD CHRYSLER COMMERCIAL came in three parts. #2 was the payoff!
PIERS MORGAN was the least effective element of the sketch: interviews about the FINGER episode at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Zooey was terrific as the downspun morality queen. The DECENCY STRAP -- a brilliant invention to prevent the FINGER -- got spontaneous-sounding applause from the audience!
LES JEUNES DE PARIS was again a great sketch (see 1/21/12 SNL Emma Stone -
http://qporit.blogspot.com/2012/01/snl-jan-21-2012-emma-stone-coldplay.html) Jean Dujardin (from THE ARTIST) made a surprise appearance. He seemed to be enjoying himself as always.
THE DAILY POST required the most sophisticated acting I've seen on SNL. It was a nice little sketch about movie actors that talk too fast in those movies about newspaper reporters and editors.
KARMIN was wearing an outfit even stranger than Zooey's opening monologue dress. It also looked like she had a dark slinky on her head.
Some interesting commercials. There was a commercial (then a second one later) for William Shatner's limited-run Broadway Show. (I'm looking forward to see it next week. Check back for a report.) CAMRY had a good commercial. And there was a sketch about selling Verizon 4G service which seemed easier to understand than their usual commercials, so I wasn't sure whether it was a parody fake commercial or a funny real commercial.
WEEKEND UPDATE was pretty good. Spot-on impression of Ariana Huffington. Then the "IN THE CAGE" spot, which is usually pretty dreadful came alive with Nick Cage interviewing Nick Cage (clones!) Nick Cage explained a Nick Cage movie as one in which "All the dialog is either whispered or screamed." Cage (the real one) did a perfect deadpan throughout the routine. He was great.
BEING QUIRKY WITH ZOOEY explained the process of quirkification. During the sketch they knitted a sweater for an octopus.
CRAB BLAST parodied the failure to produce. I'm afraid there will be more of these until one finally pays off.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE TECHNOLOGY HUMP was not as effective as the last time. The setups were more elaborate, but the humping was not as convincing.
ENGLAND 1860 was a bunch of letters from two women to each other about their men. The men were funny, and the sketch had a few laughs. But it was letters. It ended with something about the women getting together with each other, gay marriage in California, and surfing in 1960.
Most all the sketches were either funny or interesting. Zooey was an active participant and did well. Going back to my muses before the show: Zooey did sing, but did not mention her separation or Russell Brand. Except for the monologue, there was no mention of Valentine's Day.
}
ZOOEYS FILMS:
2011-2012 New Girl (TV series) - Jess
2011 Your Highness -- Belladonna
2011 Our Idiot Brother -- Natalie Rochlin
2010 Havin' a Summah (video short)
2010 Drunk History (TV series) -- Mary Todd Lincoln
2010 Funny or Die Presents -- Mary Todd Lincoln
2009 Bones (TV series) -- Margaret Whitesell
2009 (500) Days of Summer -- Summer Finn
2008 Yes Man -- Allison
2008 Gigantic -- Happy Lolly
2008 The Happening -- Alma Moore
2008 The Simpsons (TV series) -- Mary (voice)
2007 Tin Man (TV mini-series) -- DG
2007 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford -- Dorothy Evans
2006-2007 Weeds (TV series) -- Kat
2007 Surf's Up -- Lani Aliikai (voice)
2007 Surf's Up (Video Game) -- Lani Aliikai (voice)
2007 Raving (short) -- Katie
2007 Flakes -- Miss Pussy Katz
2007 Bridge to Terabithia -- Ms. Edmunds
2007 The Go-Getter -- Kate
2007 The Good Life -- Frances
2006 Live Free or Die -- Cheryl
2006 Failure to Launch -- Kit
2005 Once Upon a Mattress (TV movie) -- Lady Larken
2005 Winter Passing -- Reese Holden
2005 American Dad! (TV series) -- French Maid/Candy Striper Stripper (voice)
2005 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Trillian
2004 Eulogy -- Kate Collins
2004 Cracking Up (TV series) -- Heidi
2003 Elf -- Jovie
2003 House Hunting (short) -- Christy
2003 It's Better to Be Wanted for Murder Than Not to Be Wanted at All -- Gas Station Girl
2003 All the Real Girls -- Noel
2003 Whatever We Do (short) -- Nikki
2002 Frasier (TV series) -- Jen
2002 Sweet Friggin' Daisies (short) -- Zelda
2002 The New Guy -- Nora
2002 Big Trouble -- Jenny Herk
2002 Abandon -- Samantha Harper
2002 The Good Girl -- Cheryl
2001 Manic -- Tracy
2000 Almost Famous -- Anita Miller
1999 Mumford
Here's some music by Karmin:
*** *** ***
SONNETS-BY-SHAKESPEARE -- Sonnets & other works by & about Shakespeare
QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D
QPORIT3D - A new blog about consumer 3D
*** *** ***
Labels: (500) Days of Summer, Almost Famous, Elf, Gigantic, Karmin, New Girl, Saturday Night Live, SNL, Weeds, Yes Man, Your Highness, Zooey Deschanel
Sunday, February 05, 2012
CHEKHOVEK
The Actors' Ensemble and GoShow Entertainment present
Chekhovek
The New York Premiere of a New Comedy
Based on Nine Short Stories by Anton Chekhov
ArcLight Theatre
Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00pm
Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm
Cast of Chekhovek
Chekhovek, a new comedy adapted and directed by Melania Levitsky from nine of Anton Chekhov's best known short stories, with new music composed by Jonathan Talbott, in its New York City premiere, brings the short fiction genius of the Russian master to the stage, with nine of his most famous and theatrical stories performed by five actors and one musician. The Chekhov short stories are...
The Lady with the Dog,
Death of a Government Clerk,
The Ninny,
A Blunder,
The Huntsman,
The Chemist's Wife,
The Black Monk,
Vanka,
The Chorus Girl,
and Gusev (makes ten, but it's just a little Coda from a lyrical -- not tragic -- piece of this story).
Anton Chekhov was an author of brilliant short stories, he wrote hundreds, yet he is best known today as one of the world's greatest playwrights. His short stories are filled with the compassion and humor of an observer who is both uncle and journalist, critic and poet, witnessing episodes in the lives of a vast array of flawed men and women. Chekhov's stories most concisely express his sentiments about the human character: we are beautiful and ridiculous and funny and heartbreaking.
THE NAME:
"Chekhovek" [Russian; derived from chelovek, meaning person; vek, meaning century, or life (arch.); and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, author, 1860-1904]
A comedy about desire, death and foolishness, in 15 scenes.
CAST & CREATIVE CREW
Starring in Chekhovek, presented in this engagement by The Actors' Ensemble and GoShow Entertainment, are Eddie Allen, David Anderson, Elizabeth Fountain, Rob Leo Roy, and Celia Schaefer.
Director and adaptor Melania Levitsky, who has lived in Russia, has been working on adapting Chekhov short stories for the stage for some time. Last year, a version was performed upstate by Walking the Dog Theater, for which she is associate artistic director.
Scenic design is by David L. Arsenault, lighting is by Nastassia Jimemez and costumes are by Erica E. Evans.
CHEKHOVEK is an entertaining enactment of stories by Chekhov, adapted by Melania Levitsky.
There have been many adaptations of Chekhov's stories for the stage, notably including Neil Simon's The Good Doctor on Broadway. I've even done some myself.
There have been many styles of adaptation. The style chosen for Chekhovek is to narrate excerpts from the stories and then dramatize and perform selected sections, especially those with dialog in the original story. This works very well. Checkhov, even when translated, is a very subtle writer, and hearing selections verbatim enriches the story (as compared with a pure, narration-less dramatization).
Perhaps the most extreme version of this technique is GATZ, Elevator Repair Service's adaptation of The Great Gatsby. This production of Chekhovek does not go to the extremes of GATZ -- it is several stories, excerpted, not a single story from beginning to end; and it uses stage design and costumes effectively. But thinking about both GATZ and Chekhovek suggests the power of this technique on stage. (Would it work in film?) It suggests that it might be interesting to try this approach to stage the complete story, "Lady with a Lapdog," rather than just an except mixed with other stories.
The cast is very good. The most effective is perhaps Celia Schaefer, in both Lady with a Lapdog and The Chemist's Wife.
Lady with a Lapdog
Chekhovek
There was a feeling, however, that some of the performances were still a bit tentative. At the early preview that I attended, some of the actors seemed to be trying out different approaches to speaking the language in a way that suggests Russian characters, causing a bit of inconsistent characterization; they seemed to sometimes be most uncomfortable with the heavy use of names with patronymics. ("Yegor Vlassitch"..."Dmitri Dmitritch"..."Ilya Sergeitch Peplov and his wife Kleopatra Petrovna Peplova")
I think there might have been a deliberate choice in the adaptation of "Lady with a Dog" (note: personally, I prefer the translation of the title as "Lady with a Lapdog") to make Celia (as Anna) seem younger and more attractive as she falls in love. Still, I would have like to see her looking radiant -- though distracted and lost and very secretly looking for adventure -- at the very first moment we encounter her.
The second act seemed to include quite a few sad and troubling stories, so the play ends on a bit of a down. Even Lady with a Lapdog, a story about finding true love, has an ending that is quite complicated in tone, and not just "happily ever after:"
"And it seemed as though in a little while the solution would be found, and then a new and splendid life would begin; and it was clear to both of them that they had still a long, long road before them, and that the most complicated and difficult part of it was only just beginning."
I suspect that reading Chekhov's stories before seeing this play would enhance it's enjoyment. (And if you can't do that, I would strongly recommend reading the stories after! Melania Levitsky has indeed picked a terrific selection of stories. )
In addition to Lady with a Lapdog, my favorite section was the portrayal of "The Chemist's Wife".
All in all, the play Chekhovek did give an accurate impression and a very enjoyable account of nine of Chekhov's most brilliant stories.
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Labels: Anton Chekhov, ArcLight Theatre, Celia Schaefer, Chekhovek, David Anderson, Eddie Allen, Elizabeth Fountain, Lady with a Lapdog, Melania Levitsky, Rob Leo Roy, The Chemist's Wife
