A Most Wanted Man

A MOST WANTED MAN is an excellent film based on the book by John le Carre. It is a spy thriller full of suspense, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, and Robin Wright.  All the performances are exceptional. I was especially impressed with McAdams’ portrayal of an attorney helping immigrants, which Hoffman’s character refers to as “a social worker who helps terrorists.”

A MOST WANTED MAN is one of the best films I have seen in a long time and is currently playing in theatres. For more information visit http://amostwantedmanmovie.com/.

"Party Tonight!" in Post-Production

I adapted the short story "Party Tonight!" from my book, Growing Pains - 10 short stories about growing up (http://www.tdaentertainment.com/growingpainsbook.htm). The short film is currently in post-production, which means it is being edited. The story is about 'Kim,' a conservative college freshman, who has a roommate named 'Teresa' who likes to party. The odd pairing makes the narrative comedic and dramatic.

I produced and directed "Party Tonight!" It stars Desiree Cruz as 'Kim' and Aryn Bigler as 'Teresa.' David Lundell appears as 'Joe' (Teresa's boyfriend).

The official Web site for "Party Tonight!" is http://www.tdaentertainment.com/PartyTonight.htm.

Bates Motel

The television series Bates Motel is extraordinary. PSYCHO movie enthusiasts are drawn to the show because it is a prequel to the film. For the series’ writers, exploring the early life of Norman Bates must be a complex, but enjoyable task. As a writer, I would dive into the opportunity of writing for this show (the writing staff is all female with the exception of executive producer Carlton Cuse). The Norman character is complicated, and his mother Norma Bates is equally interesting, as she operates on various levels. They are both complex. This makes Bates Motel an adventure for viewers; no one knows what to expect.

Anthony Perkins played Norman Bates in PSYCHO, and would probably be satisfied with Freddie Highmore’s magnificent portrayal of the character. Olivia Hussey played Norma Bates very well in PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING, and Vera Farmiga takes the character’s insane antics even further in Bates Motel. Farmiga deserved her 2013 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and it would not be surprising if she is nominated again.

Bates Motel takes place in White Pine Bay, Oregon as opposed to Fairvale, California in PSYCHO. This is an intelligent change, as the idea of a coastal community makes it more likely that people would visit the quaint town and need a place to stay. However, with the storyline about the bypass being built, it is uncertain if Norma will have many guests at the motel. This makes Norma extremely angry. Watching her go off on the city council is amusing and frightening at the same time. She is one crazy lady, and this is why Bates Motel should be on television: viewers get to see Norman is nutty courtesy of his unbalanced mother.

On the other hand, Norma’s eldest son Dylan, played favorably by Max Thieriot, seems more balanced. However, being a part of such an insane family must affect him in some ungainly way. The writers know this and viewers have seen Dylan in situations that support this notion.

The town of White Pine Bay is home for several peculiar residents, including the obscure sheriff, played by Nestor Carbonell. Overall, the writers have created engaging characters and storylines. Hopefully Bates Motel will be on television for a long time and sufficiently reveal the irregular lives of Norman Bates and Norma Bates.

Bates Motel broadcasts internationally on television. In the U.S. it airs Monday nights on A&E network. For more information, visit http://www.batesmotel.com/ and http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel.

Black Nativity

The movie BLACK NATIVITY is a great story about family and forgiveness. Screenwriter and director Kasi Lemmons adapted the Langston Hughes play for the screen.

BLACK NATIVITY is a musical drama starring Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Tyrese Gibson, Jacob Latimore (impressive performance), Mary J. Blige, Nas, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. Since the movie is based on a play, when leaving the theatre after the screening one feels like he or she has just attended a stage play presentation. That is a good feeling. Because the actors are all good singers, the film provides a musical theatre experience.

The Bible

THE BIBLE miniseries currently on the History Channel is an excellent adaptation of the Bible. In the past filmmakers have focused on one book of the Bible. But executive producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett have endeavored to adapt the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

THE BIBLE shows all the drama, conflict, romance, and redemption of the Bible in its proper time period. However, it is filmed for a present day audience. For example, the special effects for the parting of the Red Sea could not have been filmed as magnificently as it was if this miniseries had been produced before the technology used to create it.

Watching THE BIBLE miniseries is similar to reading the book, THE STORY. THE STORY is the Bible as one continuing story of God and His people. THE STORY is written in the New International Version (NIV), condensed into 31 chapters, so it can be read like a novel.

Damages

The DirecTV Audience Network series, Damages, ended this week. It was certainly an amazing program! The storylines were consistently intriguing and unique. The actors were always superb. Excellent casting and writing made Damages very enjoyable to watch.

Glenn Close is nominated for an Emmy–Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series. It is her fourth Emmy nomination for her portrayal of ‘Patty Hewes’ on Damages. She truly deserves the award (it would be her third Emmy for the role).

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is a movie about British retirees who move to India. The story shows how uncertain life is and the importance of just living.

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL has a talented cast: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Tom Wilkinson, and Maggie Smith. All of the actors know how to present a story well.

The film is currently playing in theatres, and being placed on even more screens faster than usual. For more information about this movie, visit http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thebestexoticmarigoldhotel/.

Signs

SIGNS is a short film about communicating without speaking. It is a very captivating story. You may watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy0HNWto0UY&feature=player_embedded.

Auburn Library Book Signing

On Saturday, May 12th I will be participating in The Auburn Friends of the Library event, Gold Country Authors Faire, from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m at 350 Nevada Street in Auburn, California. I will sell and sign my book, Growing Pains - 10 short stories about growing up.

For more information about Growing Pains - 10 short stories about growing up, visit http://www.tdaentertainment.com/growingpainsbook.htm. Thank you for your support; I look forward to meeting you.

Mayor Cupcake

MAYOR CUPCAKE is a fun movie. Lea Thompson is wonderful as ‘Mary Maroni,’ a cupcake baker who lives in Bridgeville, Delaware with her husband ‘Donald’ (played by Judd Nelson) and their three daughters. Unknowingly, ‘Mary’ is nominated for mayor of Bridgeville and wins the election, beating out a four-term mayor and another male opponent. She is unenthusiastic about the job, but swiftly makes the best of it and does very well with help from her friend ‘Albert’ (played by Dorian Harewood). She even takes pride in her duties since she was born and raised in Bridgeville and loves the town. However, there is conflict because some do not want her being their mayor. It is comical watching them try to thwart her.

Bridgeville has unique residents. One man makes it his chore to let drivers know to slow down since the police write a lot of speeding tickets, and another man owns an antique store but does not want to part with any merchandise. These and other characters are what make MAYOR CUPCAKE fun. Stories like this are good for the whole family to watch.

Red Tails

RED TAILS is an outstanding film about American heroes: the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen are a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. In the movie, as in real life, there is resistance to having them participate in the war, but after the gentlemen display their excellent skills they earn respect.

The cast of RED TAILS is very good. In addition to the exciting combat scenes, the characters’ personal lives are shown. The actors’ great performances make all the scenes fascinating. In the following interview Terrence Howard discusses his role, the special effects used, and the historical significance of RED TAILS:  http://video.pbs.org/video/2189885982.

For more information about RED TAILS, visit the official Web site at http://www.redtails2012.com/.

Anonymous

“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;”
(Jaques, II. vii. 139-140, from As You Like It by William Shakespeare)

The new film ANONYMOUS may define the quote above. The story suggests that William Shakespeare is not the author of his plays, sonnets, or poems. Instead Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford (played by Rhys Ifans) is the true scribe.

Since being a writer embarrasses the family, de Vere chooses someone to name as an originator of his work. Initially he selects writer Ben Jonson (played by Sebastian Armesto), but Jonson has too much integrity to participate in such an exercise. Jonson expresses this to his actor friend, William Shakespeare (played by Rafe Spall), who publicly clings to the idea of being a clever playwright. As a result, de Vere’s only option is to write that each work is penned by “William Shakespeare.” This is the plot of ANONYMOUS.

In the film Shakespeare is referred to as an illiterate. One character even says he cannot spell. On the contrary, the real William Shakespeare is known as brilliant and one of the best writers of all time. As someone who has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in literature and teaches the subject, Shakespeare is esteemed as the genuine author of his works. However, one can read miles of research on the subject in books and on the Internet to develop a foothold on the matter.

ANONYMOUS is excellent filmmaking. The story, a political thriller, is very fast paced in the beginning with short scenes, and as the tale unfolds the scenes become longer. The film has superior direction, acting, cinematography, and costumes. It also includes an intriguing storyline about the succession of Queen Elizabeth I and the Essex Rebellion against her.

ANONYMOUS is currently in theatres. To learn more about the film visit http://www.anonymous-movie.com/.

Film News Briefs

Each weekday I look forward to reading Film News Briefs (http://filmnewsbriefs.com/). As stated on the Web site, the reason for reading the daily newsletter is "To Stay in the Know." Anyone interested in the film industry will appreciate the project announcements and updates, acquisition and film festival information, business news, etc.

Film News Briefs was started in 2007 as a daily executive memo for a movie mogul, detailing the day’s most important entertainment, media and technology news. Since the newsletter’s debut, the subscriber list has grown exponentially and continues to be a ‘must read’ for influential industry insiders from film studios, top agencies, management firms and filmmakers. FilmNewsBriefs.com re-launched in September 2009 with new re-design and functionality, becoming the destination for cutting edge entertainment, media and technology news.

In order to continue, the staff must build its subscriber base to 20,000. The newsletter is free and sent via e-mail. To subscribe visit http://filmnewsbriefs.com/contact/?utm_source=Film+News+Briefs&utm_campaign=c6f6bfd5df-WEDNESDAY_OCTOBER_19_201110_18_2011&utm_medium=email.

The Way

The movie THE WAY is an inspirational story about individuals who walk El Camino de Santiago in Spain. Emilio Estevez has written, produced, and directed a simple story with a profound plot. Martin Sheen gives an exquisite performance.

Anyone who has lost someone close to him or her, and especially parents certainly understand Sheens’ character’s motivation for taking the trek. One may assume that for each of the characters’, the adventure is a spiritual journey, even though they give other reasons. For the most part, the characters are authentic. When referring to his life one character says, “I’m not sorry. It’s the life I chose.” Instead of being regretful and complaining about his past, he is honest and realistic.

It seems like more movies should be like THE WAY. The story is refreshing. This film is why I appreciate independent moviemaking.

THE WAY is in theatres now. For more information visit the official Web site at http://theway-themovie.com/.

Footloose

Paramount invited me to a screening of FOOTLOOSE. At first I was apprehensive about seeing the movie because I enjoyed the original. To my surprise, this new film is awesome! I had so much fun watching it. From the beginning I was entertained because the actors enthusiastically dance.

For those of us who have seen the 1984 film the story is familiar, but there is originality, and even modern updates with the music. Songs from the 1984 movie have been redone. My favorite FOOTLOOSE song has always been “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams. I am so happy her version is in this film. However, this song has also been updated. The very talented Jana Kramer provides an excellent rendition that also plays in the movie. Thanks to Jana, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” is still my favorite FOOTLOOSE song.

In addition, the film has a great cast: the acting and dancing are very good. Kenny Wormald’s (‘Ren’) performance is entertaining, along with Julianne Hough (‘Ariel’), and Miles Teller (‘Willard’). Thanks to Miles, ‘Willard’ is my favorite character. The movie also stars Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell. Overall, this film has a diverse cast.

For more information about FOOTLOOSE, visit the Web site at http://www.footloosemovie.com/en_us/. FOOTLOOSE will be in theatres on October 14.

Old Sacramento

This past weekend I visited Old Sacramento (http://oldsacramento.com/), rediscovering what a wonderful place it is and why people travel from all over the world to see it. The theme was “Gold Rush Days.” People walked around in period dress, soldiers rode on horseback, historical re-enactments took place, and bombs went off.

First, I toured the California State Railroad Museum (http://www.csrmf.org/), which is always a pleasure, because the exhibits are fun and informational. One exhibit featured films that involve trains titled, Rails and Reels: Hollywood, Trains and the Making of Motion Pictures.

Second, I stopped by the Sacramento History Museum (http://www.historicoldsac.org/shm.asp) where there is an entire room dedicated to educating visitors about Susan B. Anthony and her campaign for women to vote in government elections. I also observed several other interesting exhibits displaying the history of Oak Park (a Sacramento community) and gold mining.

Lastly, I ate lunch at Fanny Ann’s Saloon, made a candy purchase at a taffy store, and strolled along the Sacramento River. I appreciated all of the upgrades and renovations the city has made to this area. It was relaxing being able to stop, sit, and watch boats go by while enjoying a peaceful atmosphere.

The Help

THE HELP is a wonderful movie. It is based on a novel by author Katheryn Stockett. The film is written and directed by Tate Taylor.

Praise is in order since THE HELP displays positive female characters. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer each portray their roles with dignity. In fact, the entire cast is excellent–Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Sissy Spacek, and Mary Steenburgen co-star, and are always a joy to watch perform.

For more information about THE HELP, visit http://thehelpmovie.com/us/. As stated on the official Web site, THE HELP is “deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope…a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.”

The Hustle

Last night I attended the premiere of a Deon Taylor film called THE HUSTLE, starring Charlie Murphy, Al Shearer, David Alan Grier, Tamala Jones, Kym Whitley, David Faustino and Ling Bai. Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister, John Witherspoon, and Brigitte Nielsen make appearances.

THE HUSTLE is a very funny movie, and the large audience I viewed it with laughed a lot. For more information about THE HUSTLE visit http://www.deontaylorenterprises.com.

Hatley Castle

I recently visited Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. A highlight was seeing Hatley Castle in person, which is located at Royal Roads University.

I wrote about the television series, Poltergeist: The Legacy, in my May 18, 2009 blog post -http://terridawnarnold.blogspot.com/2009/05/poltergeist-legacy.html. That show was filmed at Hatley Castle and Hatley Park.

For more information about Hatley Castle, visit http://www.hatleycastle.com/.

Wise Women Speak

This week I watched the documentary, GET REAL! WISE WOMEN SPEAK, at the Sacramento International Film Festival. The film is uplifting and confirms the importance of living each day to its fullest by living your dream and pursuing your passions. Overall, each of the women expresses what it means to age wisely.

Various topics are discussed: career, faith, spirituality, relationships, body image, plastic surgery, etc. The ladies candidly share their perspectives. In addition, director Joni Steele Kimberlin does an excellent job of showing at least two sides of subjects like marriage and grandparenting. Lastly, I applaud Kimberlin on the selection of women in the documentary. They range from actress/author Jane Fonda to oceanographer Sylvia Earle.

For more information about GET REAL! WISE WOMEN SPEAK and to watch the trailer, visit: http://www.cowgirlfilms.com/.