Greetings,
There are a lot of things that can inspire me as a writer. Actually, anything can do the job or, at least, has the potential to do so. One of the things that inspires me the most is hearing others talk about their own writing. Sharing their process, telling stories behind stories, sharing advice or letting the world know how writing has affected their lives. So, today, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite quotes about writing. Here we go.
#10. "I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I am afraid of." (Joss Whedon) - So, he is not Buffy, but he is afraid of ... vampires? To each his own, I guess. Though, this does express how we, as writers, get to create and even live in fantasy worlds, and at the same time, almost pass as not crazy. Almost.
#9. "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." (Ernest Hemingway) - And drink. Because, you know, Hemingway. This may have placed higher on the list, but I do not use a typewriter to write. Nor do I use a computer. I mean, I do eventually, but that would be more re-writing. Also, my penmanship is sad. No, when it comes to creating my stories or poems or songs or whatever, I am a full-on luddite. Pen, paper, that's all I need. Other than that, though, I do agree with this statement.
#8. "Fill your pages with the breathings of your heart." (William Wordsworth) - I don't even think that "breathings" is a word. At least, not anymore. But this just sounds so nice. And true.
#7. "I hate writing. I love having written." (Dorothy Parker) - I see where she's coming from on this one, but whether you love the writing process or hate it, it is rarely better than looking at something you've already created and being proud of it.
#6. "You must stay drunk on writing, so reality cannot destroy." (Ray Bradbury) - I could make another Hemingway joke here, but I will not. I think this quote basically praises the escapism of writing. Even with all the chaos it can bring, it still manages to be our safe little place.
#5 "I go to great lengths to make certain situations feel right to the reader." (Sidney Sheldon) - I know it's a common thing to say that a writer should write for themselves first, not the audience. That is true, in a way. You can't consume yourself with trying to please everyone, because you won't. But whatever stories you come up with have to be right. I understand that the word "right" may seem broad or even unattainable, but, if you make it your goal, it can be reached. And when you get there, you just know.
#4. "There are 3 rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." (W. Somerset Maugham) - Oh, what! That is not cool to get our hopes up like that, and then...nothing! Seriously, though, I think what he's saying here is that every writer does have a number of rules that they follow to create their work, but each one of us has different rules in order to make our work what it is. It's what makes us all unique from each other. Even if you say you have no rules when it comes to writing, well, that right there is one. So...take that.
#3. "Talent is helpful in writing, but guts are absolutely necessary." (Jessamyn West) - In other words, you can be equipped with your bungee cord or your parachute, but if you're scared to jump, you miss out on the thrill of the experience.
#2. "The goal is to have every character take on a life of his or her own. Sometimes characters will come into the story that I haven't planned." (Francine Rivers) - If you've ever cried when you had to kill off a character, not because you wanted to , but because that is the story, you will understand this statement all too well. Sometimes I think we're just vessels or portals for all those stories that what to be told, all those characters who want to live. I can think of worse jobs to have.
#1. "You can make anything by writing." (C.S.Lewis) - As someone who did not exactly have the best life in this world, I am truly grateful that I have the gift to create others, so that I can make it in this one as long as need be. I have always done it, and I always will, wherever I might be.
So, these are some of the words that inspire me. Hopefully, they will do the same for you.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, February 21, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
The '30 For 30' Series
Greetings,
So I kind of hate sports. I think I may have mentioned that on one or two or three hundred occasions here. And let me make this quite clear. I do not hate every single person in the sports world, nor do I hate all the fans. I know that, in both of those groups, are good people. Some of them are friends of mine. But, overall, the sports thing just isn't my thing. Still, I have to be honest and give credit where it is due, as always. And, honestly, I really like this series I have recently discovered called 30 For 30.
30 For 30 is a series of documentaries from ESPN, which was created in 2007 by Bill Simmons. It's basically a collection of docs about sports stories directed by various people on various subjects. And they are really, really good. I just found them on Netflix Instant Streaming and decided to check one out. That led to my watching several others, because, despite how I feel about sports, I do like hearing interesting stories. Now, even as a non-sports fan, I could predict some of the subjects they cover here. Of course, they do one about O.J. Simpson, the baseball career of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson's HIV announcement, and the latest one I've seen, the story of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, no doubt to...commemorate(?) the twentieth anniversary of the incident. There's a story that never gets old. Still, I've watched some that deal with things that maybe aren't constantly in the forefront of people's memories, sadly, in some cases.
There are quite of few of these documentaries that discuss things beyond just "Hey, remember the great season that one team had? Well, let's talk about it". Actually, I should be less calling these shows documentaries about sports and rather documentaries about people who happen to be connected to the sports world. And those ones are very good, as well, just differently so. They have one about Len Bias, which talks more about the tragedy of his death and what potential he had to be anything, not just a sports star. And there's one that discusses the trial of Allen Iverson, and that ends up being less about him as a basketball player and more about people debating on how race did or did not play a part in his conviction. Heck, there's even one about someone who wasn't even a sports figure at all but just stumbled into the public eye by trying to catch a foul ball. Because the Law and Order episode based on that just wasn't enough!
Look, I could go on and on about all the docs in this series, but I'm going to wrap this up. It's hard for me to talk about anything sports related in a positive light, but I can't deny the quality of these short films. And I truly feel like a lot of these are very well made and should be seen. Seriously, one of the things I don't like about sports is that they bore me, personally, but, like I said, these are more about the people. They are just very interesting accounts of events in their lives. You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate that.
So, whether you like football, basketball, etc or not, and you, for sure, like good documentaries, I say check a couple of these out. Again, most of them are on Netflix on Instant, and putting them on your queue would be a wise idea.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So I kind of hate sports. I think I may have mentioned that on one or two or three hundred occasions here. And let me make this quite clear. I do not hate every single person in the sports world, nor do I hate all the fans. I know that, in both of those groups, are good people. Some of them are friends of mine. But, overall, the sports thing just isn't my thing. Still, I have to be honest and give credit where it is due, as always. And, honestly, I really like this series I have recently discovered called 30 For 30.
30 For 30 is a series of documentaries from ESPN, which was created in 2007 by Bill Simmons. It's basically a collection of docs about sports stories directed by various people on various subjects. And they are really, really good. I just found them on Netflix Instant Streaming and decided to check one out. That led to my watching several others, because, despite how I feel about sports, I do like hearing interesting stories. Now, even as a non-sports fan, I could predict some of the subjects they cover here. Of course, they do one about O.J. Simpson, the baseball career of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson's HIV announcement, and the latest one I've seen, the story of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, no doubt to...commemorate(?) the twentieth anniversary of the incident. There's a story that never gets old. Still, I've watched some that deal with things that maybe aren't constantly in the forefront of people's memories, sadly, in some cases.
There are quite of few of these documentaries that discuss things beyond just "Hey, remember the great season that one team had? Well, let's talk about it". Actually, I should be less calling these shows documentaries about sports and rather documentaries about people who happen to be connected to the sports world. And those ones are very good, as well, just differently so. They have one about Len Bias, which talks more about the tragedy of his death and what potential he had to be anything, not just a sports star. And there's one that discusses the trial of Allen Iverson, and that ends up being less about him as a basketball player and more about people debating on how race did or did not play a part in his conviction. Heck, there's even one about someone who wasn't even a sports figure at all but just stumbled into the public eye by trying to catch a foul ball. Because the Law and Order episode based on that just wasn't enough!
Look, I could go on and on about all the docs in this series, but I'm going to wrap this up. It's hard for me to talk about anything sports related in a positive light, but I can't deny the quality of these short films. And I truly feel like a lot of these are very well made and should be seen. Seriously, one of the things I don't like about sports is that they bore me, personally, but, like I said, these are more about the people. They are just very interesting accounts of events in their lives. You don't have to be a sports fan to appreciate that.
So, whether you like football, basketball, etc or not, and you, for sure, like good documentaries, I say check a couple of these out. Again, most of them are on Netflix on Instant, and putting them on your queue would be a wise idea.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Remembering Shirley Temple
Greetings,
On February 10, 2014, the world received some extremely sad news. Shirley Temple Black passed away at the age of 85. There is a part of my heart that is devastated at this. And, as strange as this sounds, part of me is shocked. I know she was quite elderly, and this is to be expected to happen at some point, as it happens for all of us. But there are some people without whom you cannot even imagine the world. It is impossible. As 'pie in the sky' as it seems, I think some of us just thought she would live forever. I suppose in a way she will.
I know that a lot of people have limited knowledge about Shirley. When you say her name, the first thing they think of is that adorable little movie star. It might be the only thing they ever think of. And, you know what, that is fine with me. Knowing her in only that way is more than enough. In fact, I don't doubt that she would have been fine with that as well. You could always see how extremely proud she was of everything she did as a child, and she was right to feel that way. I don't even know how many people realize what an effect she had on the whole country when she did that work. First of all, those movies came along right in the middle of the Great Depression, and though it may not have seemed like much, she could put smiles on the faces of people who probably needed them a lot. Second, the work she was a part of was kind of groundbreaking. She did a few movies with a man named Bill Robinson, wherein they did some legendary dance routines together. He was a fantastic dancer, and he was also a black man. Think about it. A black man and a little white girl, holding hands, dancing together, in the 1930's. And, as far as I know, no one really had any problem with it. Can you even imagine? Amazing. Oh, and speaking of her dancing...
So, Shirley became famous for a few things, like how adorable she was, her curls, the darling way she sang those songs. All the other things aside, even her overwhelming cuteness, this girl could DANCE. And I don't mean the way any kid can "dance". No, she could dance for real. I already mentioned Bill Robinson, but she also performed with the likes of Jack Haley and Alice Faye, and she totally kept up with them. This tiny little thing dancing with these seasoned, adult professionals, and not missing a beat. That is unbelievable to me, and, to this day, when I watch those films, I am practically mesmerized by what she could do.
Now, while everything she did as a child star is incredible, her life did not stop with Hollywood. On the contrary, she had an full and inspiring life. Most people know that Shirley was a U.S. Ambassador, but she also ran for Congress and was the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States. She was also the boards of directors for several organizations. All while being a wife and a mother. So she was one of those women who taught young girls that they could "have it all" if that's what they want.
Of course, this full life of hers wasn't always easy. Shirley went through a lot of tough times as an adult, but she somehow always made it through them. She was in a bad first marriage and was brave enough to get out of it, only to find a wonderful man, Charles Alden Black, with whom she spent fifty-four years. She also lived through a bout with breast cancer in 1972 and became one of the first women to talk about it openly, which, no doubt, helped a lot of other women. Shirley was a survivor. That is how I see her, and I always will.
You know, I can share all these things I know about her life, but it's very difficult to put into words what she meant to me and to so many people. I waited a couple of days to do this, because I had no idea what to say. And I wanted to say exactly the right thing. Maybe I have; maybe I haven't. I honestly don't know what words can do her justice. I certainly did cry for her, which counts for a lot with me, because I don't often cry when celebrities die. I suppose we all do what we can, though, to honor someone like her. I had actually been planning to devote a whole week to her in April, her birthday week, and for a moment, I almost changed my mind. But I know now that I should do it. Now more than ever, I truly want to pay tribute to this wonderful woman. Every good thing that people can say about her is exactly what she deserves. She was just an amazing woman. Shirley taught us so much about so many things, and she brought happiness to the world. For that, I will always be grateful to her and always love her.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
On February 10, 2014, the world received some extremely sad news. Shirley Temple Black passed away at the age of 85. There is a part of my heart that is devastated at this. And, as strange as this sounds, part of me is shocked. I know she was quite elderly, and this is to be expected to happen at some point, as it happens for all of us. But there are some people without whom you cannot even imagine the world. It is impossible. As 'pie in the sky' as it seems, I think some of us just thought she would live forever. I suppose in a way she will.
I know that a lot of people have limited knowledge about Shirley. When you say her name, the first thing they think of is that adorable little movie star. It might be the only thing they ever think of. And, you know what, that is fine with me. Knowing her in only that way is more than enough. In fact, I don't doubt that she would have been fine with that as well. You could always see how extremely proud she was of everything she did as a child, and she was right to feel that way. I don't even know how many people realize what an effect she had on the whole country when she did that work. First of all, those movies came along right in the middle of the Great Depression, and though it may not have seemed like much, she could put smiles on the faces of people who probably needed them a lot. Second, the work she was a part of was kind of groundbreaking. She did a few movies with a man named Bill Robinson, wherein they did some legendary dance routines together. He was a fantastic dancer, and he was also a black man. Think about it. A black man and a little white girl, holding hands, dancing together, in the 1930's. And, as far as I know, no one really had any problem with it. Can you even imagine? Amazing. Oh, and speaking of her dancing...
So, Shirley became famous for a few things, like how adorable she was, her curls, the darling way she sang those songs. All the other things aside, even her overwhelming cuteness, this girl could DANCE. And I don't mean the way any kid can "dance". No, she could dance for real. I already mentioned Bill Robinson, but she also performed with the likes of Jack Haley and Alice Faye, and she totally kept up with them. This tiny little thing dancing with these seasoned, adult professionals, and not missing a beat. That is unbelievable to me, and, to this day, when I watch those films, I am practically mesmerized by what she could do.
Now, while everything she did as a child star is incredible, her life did not stop with Hollywood. On the contrary, she had an full and inspiring life. Most people know that Shirley was a U.S. Ambassador, but she also ran for Congress and was the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States. She was also the boards of directors for several organizations. All while being a wife and a mother. So she was one of those women who taught young girls that they could "have it all" if that's what they want.
Of course, this full life of hers wasn't always easy. Shirley went through a lot of tough times as an adult, but she somehow always made it through them. She was in a bad first marriage and was brave enough to get out of it, only to find a wonderful man, Charles Alden Black, with whom she spent fifty-four years. She also lived through a bout with breast cancer in 1972 and became one of the first women to talk about it openly, which, no doubt, helped a lot of other women. Shirley was a survivor. That is how I see her, and I always will.
You know, I can share all these things I know about her life, but it's very difficult to put into words what she meant to me and to so many people. I waited a couple of days to do this, because I had no idea what to say. And I wanted to say exactly the right thing. Maybe I have; maybe I haven't. I honestly don't know what words can do her justice. I certainly did cry for her, which counts for a lot with me, because I don't often cry when celebrities die. I suppose we all do what we can, though, to honor someone like her. I had actually been planning to devote a whole week to her in April, her birthday week, and for a moment, I almost changed my mind. But I know now that I should do it. Now more than ever, I truly want to pay tribute to this wonderful woman. Every good thing that people can say about her is exactly what she deserves. She was just an amazing woman. Shirley taught us so much about so many things, and she brought happiness to the world. For that, I will always be grateful to her and always love her.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, February 10, 2014
Straight From the Theater Review - August: Osage County
Greetings,
Say, do you think your family is insane? Well, you're probably right. I mean, whose family isn't a little crazy? Still, in most cases, it could be a lot worse. Take, for example, the family that is featured in the film August: Osage County. Yeah, things get a little nuts with this group. So, naturally, I felt it necessary to review said film. That way, I can talk about one of my favorite subjects - people who are on the brink of going bonkers crammed together in confined corners as we wait for things to explode. Why is it one of my favorite subjects? I don't know, maybe because I've been through this situation a few times. Oh, deep joy. Whatever, though. It's easier to deal with on the big screen. Kind of. Anyway, let's get to the film.
August: Osage County is based on a play of the same name, which premiered at the Steppenwolf Theater in 2007. So, I was not surprised that about %90 of this thing took place within the confines of a single house. Now, whilst there is a plot, and a fairly good one, this is one of those films that is more about the characters and what happens to them, how they change or don't change and whatnot. Personally, those are the types of stories I have always gravitated towards, but I know a lot of people don't. That probably explains why, though it has gotten mostly positive response, some reviews have been mixed. I kind of see where they're coming from. I think this movie is good, but also a little ... weird. Yeah, some weird things happen that are going to make your average movie-goer a bit uncomfortable. But this is about a really dysfunctional family, so that is expected. Anyway, let me say a bit about the plot.
Basically, this film is about the Weston family gathering together in the wake of a tragedy in Osage County, Oklahoma. In August. Get it. Fights are had, tears are shed, secrets are revealed, the end. No, really, that's what happens. And since I don't want to give spoilers, there is little else I can say. It's one of those plots that continually builds upon itself, so to mention one thing, I'd have to mention another and another, until I reveal everything. Don't want to do that. But, as I said, this is more about the characters. So let's get to them and the actors by which they are portrayed.
We are first introduced to Beverly Weston, former poet and current alcoholic, played by Sam Shepard, and even though he's not in this for very long, I'll take it. He's talking to a young woman named Johnna, played by Misty Upham, whom he is wanting to hire as a live-in cook and caregiver for his wife. Johnna, by the way, is an obviously kind and patient woman and also Native American. I mention this because it is a running gag, I suppose, that she is continually called "Indian", because why not? And she takes it all in stride. Anyway, Beverly's wife is Violet, played by Meryl Streep. Violet needs the hired help because she is suffering from mouth cancer, something that becomes ironically humorous considering her constant smoking. Humorous, because it gives us one of the best jokes. Anyway, shortly after this first scene, Beverly disappears and is reported missing, which is what brings the family together. We soon find out that he died, and that is NOT a spoiler because it's in the trailer. Like three times. So, it's just not.
Oh, yeah, the family. What a crazy bunch of ... I don't even know. May as well start with the oldest daughter, Barbara, played by Julia Roberts. She is very strong willed, like her mother, which seems to be the reason why they butt heads so much. She drives in from Colorado with her husband, Bill, played by an accent-free Ewan McGregor and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Jean, played by not fourteen-year-old, Abigail Breslin. Seriously, though, she is growing up quite beautifully and without embarrassing incidents. Keep it that way, honey. Barb and Bill are having some serious marriage woes, not helped by their daughter being a teenager. And, you know, teenagers, troublemakers and whatnot. Next to arrive is Uncle Charles and, Violet's sister, Mattie Fae. They are played by Chris Cooper, an actor whose success I predicted in 1996 after I saw him in A Time To Kill (you're welcome), and Margo Martindale who, between this and her stint on Justified, has redeemed herself for being in the Hannah Montana movie. For real, though, I LOVE these people. So Mattie Fae is a bit of a domineering wife, and she treats Charles not so great. Of course, that ain't even touching what she does to their son. More on that in a second. Then, we meet another Weston daughter, Ivy, played by Julianne Nicholson, the other actress who is not fourteen but could totally pass for it. At first glance, Ivy seems like the most stable and, dare I say it, normal one in the whole family. At first glance, anyway. She certainly is the nicest, no matter what secrets are revealed about her. And the last sister to arrive is Karen, played by Juliette Lewis. Karen is a bit flighty, I'd say, being a bit nonchalant about the whole "My dad's dead" thing. She arrives with her boyfriend, Steve, played by Dermot Mulroney. Steve is kind of sleazy. Or hilarious. Or both. Yeah, definitely both, which he does very well here. And, finally, we meet Charles and Mattie Fae's son, Little Charles, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. And as you may have guessed from the casting, "Little" Charles isn't exactly little. He's thirty-something, unemployed, awkward, a little lazy, maybe, and pretty much considered the dumb one in the family. So... Not Sherlock is who he's playing. Oh, and as I mentioned, his mother treats him like total crap. I mean, full on, he is a puppy, and she is always ready to do some kicking. Wow, Margo Martindale! First Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby, and now this. I hope you're not this mean to your children in real life. You're not. I just know it.
So those are the basics of August: Osage County. I thought it was pretty good. A little flawed, sure, and definitely hard to watch at times, emotionally speaking, but I still liked it. I liked the story. It was true to life and funny and even a tad violent at times. Yeah, those fights I mentioned were not only verbal. And though I'm sure people took issue with this, I like the fact that it had a bit of an open ending, without solid closure or resolution for every single character. I don't mind that, at all. Again, that's life. And I have to say this. Even in a movie that has a ton of big names in it, there still tends to be a weak link in the cast. There really isn't one here, in my opinion. I think every single actor has a chance to shine in this, and they certainly do. If nothing else, I think you will definitely be impressed by the performances.
Now, at the time that I post this, it is still in theaters. You don't exactly have to see it that way, because it's not that kind of movie. You could wait to rent. But I'd say it is worth at least one watch. You may not want to see it all the time, but if you check it out, I don't think it will be disappointing.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Say, do you think your family is insane? Well, you're probably right. I mean, whose family isn't a little crazy? Still, in most cases, it could be a lot worse. Take, for example, the family that is featured in the film August: Osage County. Yeah, things get a little nuts with this group. So, naturally, I felt it necessary to review said film. That way, I can talk about one of my favorite subjects - people who are on the brink of going bonkers crammed together in confined corners as we wait for things to explode. Why is it one of my favorite subjects? I don't know, maybe because I've been through this situation a few times. Oh, deep joy. Whatever, though. It's easier to deal with on the big screen. Kind of. Anyway, let's get to the film.
August: Osage County is based on a play of the same name, which premiered at the Steppenwolf Theater in 2007. So, I was not surprised that about %90 of this thing took place within the confines of a single house. Now, whilst there is a plot, and a fairly good one, this is one of those films that is more about the characters and what happens to them, how they change or don't change and whatnot. Personally, those are the types of stories I have always gravitated towards, but I know a lot of people don't. That probably explains why, though it has gotten mostly positive response, some reviews have been mixed. I kind of see where they're coming from. I think this movie is good, but also a little ... weird. Yeah, some weird things happen that are going to make your average movie-goer a bit uncomfortable. But this is about a really dysfunctional family, so that is expected. Anyway, let me say a bit about the plot.
Basically, this film is about the Weston family gathering together in the wake of a tragedy in Osage County, Oklahoma. In August. Get it. Fights are had, tears are shed, secrets are revealed, the end. No, really, that's what happens. And since I don't want to give spoilers, there is little else I can say. It's one of those plots that continually builds upon itself, so to mention one thing, I'd have to mention another and another, until I reveal everything. Don't want to do that. But, as I said, this is more about the characters. So let's get to them and the actors by which they are portrayed.
We are first introduced to Beverly Weston, former poet and current alcoholic, played by Sam Shepard, and even though he's not in this for very long, I'll take it. He's talking to a young woman named Johnna, played by Misty Upham, whom he is wanting to hire as a live-in cook and caregiver for his wife. Johnna, by the way, is an obviously kind and patient woman and also Native American. I mention this because it is a running gag, I suppose, that she is continually called "Indian", because why not? And she takes it all in stride. Anyway, Beverly's wife is Violet, played by Meryl Streep. Violet needs the hired help because she is suffering from mouth cancer, something that becomes ironically humorous considering her constant smoking. Humorous, because it gives us one of the best jokes. Anyway, shortly after this first scene, Beverly disappears and is reported missing, which is what brings the family together. We soon find out that he died, and that is NOT a spoiler because it's in the trailer. Like three times. So, it's just not.
Oh, yeah, the family. What a crazy bunch of ... I don't even know. May as well start with the oldest daughter, Barbara, played by Julia Roberts. She is very strong willed, like her mother, which seems to be the reason why they butt heads so much. She drives in from Colorado with her husband, Bill, played by an accent-free Ewan McGregor and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Jean, played by not fourteen-year-old, Abigail Breslin. Seriously, though, she is growing up quite beautifully and without embarrassing incidents. Keep it that way, honey. Barb and Bill are having some serious marriage woes, not helped by their daughter being a teenager. And, you know, teenagers, troublemakers and whatnot. Next to arrive is Uncle Charles and, Violet's sister, Mattie Fae. They are played by Chris Cooper, an actor whose success I predicted in 1996 after I saw him in A Time To Kill (you're welcome), and Margo Martindale who, between this and her stint on Justified, has redeemed herself for being in the Hannah Montana movie. For real, though, I LOVE these people. So Mattie Fae is a bit of a domineering wife, and she treats Charles not so great. Of course, that ain't even touching what she does to their son. More on that in a second. Then, we meet another Weston daughter, Ivy, played by Julianne Nicholson, the other actress who is not fourteen but could totally pass for it. At first glance, Ivy seems like the most stable and, dare I say it, normal one in the whole family. At first glance, anyway. She certainly is the nicest, no matter what secrets are revealed about her. And the last sister to arrive is Karen, played by Juliette Lewis. Karen is a bit flighty, I'd say, being a bit nonchalant about the whole "My dad's dead" thing. She arrives with her boyfriend, Steve, played by Dermot Mulroney. Steve is kind of sleazy. Or hilarious. Or both. Yeah, definitely both, which he does very well here. And, finally, we meet Charles and Mattie Fae's son, Little Charles, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. And as you may have guessed from the casting, "Little" Charles isn't exactly little. He's thirty-something, unemployed, awkward, a little lazy, maybe, and pretty much considered the dumb one in the family. So... Not Sherlock is who he's playing. Oh, and as I mentioned, his mother treats him like total crap. I mean, full on, he is a puppy, and she is always ready to do some kicking. Wow, Margo Martindale! First Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby, and now this. I hope you're not this mean to your children in real life. You're not. I just know it.
So those are the basics of August: Osage County. I thought it was pretty good. A little flawed, sure, and definitely hard to watch at times, emotionally speaking, but I still liked it. I liked the story. It was true to life and funny and even a tad violent at times. Yeah, those fights I mentioned were not only verbal. And though I'm sure people took issue with this, I like the fact that it had a bit of an open ending, without solid closure or resolution for every single character. I don't mind that, at all. Again, that's life. And I have to say this. Even in a movie that has a ton of big names in it, there still tends to be a weak link in the cast. There really isn't one here, in my opinion. I think every single actor has a chance to shine in this, and they certainly do. If nothing else, I think you will definitely be impressed by the performances.
Now, at the time that I post this, it is still in theaters. You don't exactly have to see it that way, because it's not that kind of movie. You could wait to rent. But I'd say it is worth at least one watch. You may not want to see it all the time, but if you check it out, I don't think it will be disappointing.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Commish? Reunion? I Vote Yes!
Greetings,
Now that my tribute week to The Commish is coming to a close, how should we end? Short and sweet. I am going to finish by putting it out there in the world that I want a reunion. Yes, I want a reunion of the cast of The Commish. Now whether that means a new TV movie or a gathering on some random talk show or even a special on ABC or something. It doesn't matter. I just want to see these great people together again.
I don't think the idea of this is completely implausible. Granted, a lot more work and time would have to go into a movie of sorts, and that seems like the less likely scenario. But why not just a little reunion? I know everyone from the cast probably has stuff going on, whether in the entertainment business or not, and I am happy for them. But I'd like to hope they could find a little time to make something happen. And they'd probably love to see each other. Right? I mean, I don't recall hearing about any cast members hating each other or fighting all the time, and if you have heard of such things, please keep it to yourself. I don't want to know. Good grief, I'm still recovering from finding out that Fred and Ethel hated each other in real life.
Here's my prediction. If we can get Michael Chiklis on board, I think everyone else will just fall in line, especially John Cygan. See, I heard a rumor that these two guys are best friends to this day. I REALLY hope that's true, because just the thought that it might be makes my soul dance with giddiness. Picture that, if you must.
I understand that it is quite a trendy thing these days to long for your favorite shows to return in some way, in any way, really. But I would sincerely love to see this happen. I can't be alone. I know a lot of people were fans of this show, as well they should be. On our own, individually, we are small voices, but perhaps, we can ban together and help this happen.
Now, I'm off to contact Jimmy Fallon, because if anyone can pull off a reunion of a 90's show, it is him.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Now that my tribute week to The Commish is coming to a close, how should we end? Short and sweet. I am going to finish by putting it out there in the world that I want a reunion. Yes, I want a reunion of the cast of The Commish. Now whether that means a new TV movie or a gathering on some random talk show or even a special on ABC or something. It doesn't matter. I just want to see these great people together again.
I don't think the idea of this is completely implausible. Granted, a lot more work and time would have to go into a movie of sorts, and that seems like the less likely scenario. But why not just a little reunion? I know everyone from the cast probably has stuff going on, whether in the entertainment business or not, and I am happy for them. But I'd like to hope they could find a little time to make something happen. And they'd probably love to see each other. Right? I mean, I don't recall hearing about any cast members hating each other or fighting all the time, and if you have heard of such things, please keep it to yourself. I don't want to know. Good grief, I'm still recovering from finding out that Fred and Ethel hated each other in real life.
Here's my prediction. If we can get Michael Chiklis on board, I think everyone else will just fall in line, especially John Cygan. See, I heard a rumor that these two guys are best friends to this day. I REALLY hope that's true, because just the thought that it might be makes my soul dance with giddiness. Picture that, if you must.
I understand that it is quite a trendy thing these days to long for your favorite shows to return in some way, in any way, really. But I would sincerely love to see this happen. I can't be alone. I know a lot of people were fans of this show, as well they should be. On our own, individually, we are small voices, but perhaps, we can ban together and help this happen.
Now, I'm off to contact Jimmy Fallon, because if anyone can pull off a reunion of a 90's show, it is him.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, January 31, 2014
Redemption - TV Movie Review
Greetings,
And now, for the final movie, and also the official finale for The Commish, Redemption. I know I said yesterday that the second movie was the one I found most entertaining and interesting. Still true. This one, however, may be the best, overall. The story is extremely well-done, to the point of being heartbreaking, and the acting is as top notch as it ever was on this show. And it's pretty powerful, too. I'll get to why soon. Let's begin.
In the first scene, we see two different things happening. First, there are people working in what is, no doubt, a sweat shop. Then, it cuts to someone installing a phone bomb. Within moments, we hear a phone ring, and there is a huge explosion. Miraculously, no one is killed, but Tony and Paulie immediately begin to investigate, especially motivated because there were children in the building.
As it happens, the factory was owned by Bel Chemise, a fashion company, run by Oskar Rothman and his daughter, Carla. When Tony arrives at one of their shows, he meets with Carla, played by Natalija Nogulich, who calls herself Kitty Jordan, as to give her fashion line a better name. He asks for some financial records, since the fire must be investigated, and she understands. Then, enter her father, Oskar, played by the masterful Rod Steiger, who is absolutely at his most brilliant here. He's a bit standoffish with Tony, but ultimately gives him what he needs for the investigation. As he waits backstage, Tony runs into his father-in-law, Ben, played by Mike Nussbaum, who has been working as a subcontractor for Bel Chemise. Also, he's dating one of the models named Cindy. Yeah, that's not going to do much to fix his relationship with his daughter, Rachel, which has been strained for her entire life. Still, Tony invites Ben to dinner that night, as a surprise. Funny thing, I'd think that Tony would be the one most upset about this, considering that this model is his wife. No, seriously, I'm pretty sure that Cindy is being played by Michael Chiklis' wife, Michelle. And played very well, I might add.
Now, one thing we learn about Rothman and his back story is that he is a Jewish man who survived the concentration camps. This is an important plot point for a few reasons. One is that Tony is having to deal with some hate groups that are wreaking havoc in Eastbridge. They've been attacking a lot of synagogues, including the one Rachel and David go to. So, he also has to be investigating that as he is investigating the fires. Gee, if they were connected, it might make this a little easier.
Anyway, we see Tony, Rachel and the kids having dinner with Ben at their house. He has brought his new, young girlfriend, Cindy, whom Rachel was not expecting. As I said, this does not help the tension of their relationship, but the two women manage to have a moment of kindness to each other. After they leave, Rachel vents to Tony that Ben hasn't changed, even reminding him of when her father was supposed to take her to the circus, and he never did, though she kept the tickets. Tony tries to get her to let go of the anger, but she can't. It's sad, though, because shortly thereafter, Ben has a heart attack. Rachel and her father do get a chance to have one last talk, wherein Ben reminisces about taking her to the circus, something that obviously didn't happen. Sadly, he passes away and we see the funeral. Here's where I have to give some major props to Theresa Saldana's acting. Everyone is standing in the cemetery, visibly upset, especially Tony and David, who are crying. But Rachel is just standing there, stone faced, not an emotion in sight. Yet, somehow, there is so much behind this look on her face. She did love her father, no doubt, but there was so much hurt that he brought to her, that it's almost as though she truly has no clue how to react. Like she wants to shed tears for him, but that wounded part of her doesn't think he deserves it. And her being that way, at this point, is way more effective than having her cry and grieve as much as her family was. Brilliant.
In the aftermath of that, Rachel and Tony go to Ben's apartment to clean it out. Rachel finds a stuffed bear he had given her, intending to take it home for her daughter, Sarah. Unfortunately, Tony finds something, too. It's notebook with circled dates and locations, which pretty much could be evidence that Ben was behind the fires at the Bel Chemise factories. Yes, fires, because there were more. He goes back to talk to Rothman, to determine if he was involved, especially since they got some proof that the fires might have been intentional to get insurance money. Rothman is personally offended accusing Tony of persecuting him, understandable due to his history. He is assured that the investigation will be done honestly and the police will follow nothing but the evidence.
The bad news is that a lot of the evidence continues to point at Rachel's father, like her finding one hundred dollar bills stuffed into that teddy bear and a lot of dead people turning up, including Ben's girlfriend. Then again, a lot of evidence is also pointing to one of those hate groups that had been causing trouble. In fact, Tony and Paulie go to this rough looking bar to pick up a suspect, and everyone there tries to be scary to them, but Paulie pulls out a huge, Terminator-style gun, so they back off. Why does Paulie have a huge Terminator-style gun? Because he's Paulie, and that's how he rolls. Turns out, the guy they picked up used to date Cindy, but she dumped for an old, Jewish guy, which is going to make someone in a hate group not so happy. They really think he's guilty until another fire is set while he's in custody. They also eventually find out that someone robbed an armory and is planning an even bigger explosion. That technically sucks, but Tony and Paulie do find this out by way of an informant named Magic, and the scenes with that guy are priceless.
Anyway, Tony is more motivated than ever after David is beat up by members of the hate group at the synagogue. A clue they manage to find is the initials "C.W." Unaware of what it means, they continue to investigate Oskar Rothman. What they find out there is that Oskar Rothman died in the camps back in the forties. So, what's going on? Well, it turns out that the man they have been talking to who calls himself Oskar Rothman is actually Carl Wolfe, the "C.W.", and not only is he not Jewish, but he is a German who left the country and fled to America with this false identity to escape being prosecuted for war crimes. Can you even imagine? But we're not even done yet.
Wolfe plants another phone bomb at Rachel's and David's synagogue whilst several people are there. They manage to get everyone out, and Tony finds Wolfe, drags him back inside, and makes him dial the phone number, which would set off the bomb. Of course, he doesn't do it and ends up being arrested. Outside, Tony demands that Wolfe tell Rachel that her father was innocent and to explain himself and why he did this. The only response he gives at first is to very coldly and nonchalantly say, "He was a Jew". You know, sometimes it takes just one little statement like that, just a few chilling words, for you to feel a lifetime worth of hatred in a person. He does go on to say a few more things to explain himself, but the way they are said is so overwhelming to me. And I give credit to Rod Steiger for being able to do this, because he delivers these words, these utterly hateful words in such a flippant way, but that's how someone like this character would say it. It's as though he's saying, "Of course, I framed him. He was Jewish. Who cares?" Sorry to use this word again, but it was so chilling, this accepted hatred. It's also a bit frightening.
We, then, see Wolfe led away to jail, and, as his daughter, Kitty, stands there, he shouts out that he loves her. Kitty, with her back turned to him, just says, "Papa" and cries. It's so devastating, because you realize that this woman's entire world has literally collapsed, because she knows now that the person she loved most has been building that world on lies. Rachel goes to comfort her, and that moment is just so moving between them. And it's that moment that, I think, leads us to the final one.
The last scene is Tony and Rachel at her father's grave, where she is finally able to let go and cry. And I believe that her seeing Kitty weep over losing her own father, despite the horrible things he had done, made Rachel realize that, while her father may have made a lot of mistakes, it could have been much worse. And the last thing we see, the final image for the entire series, is Tony comforting Rachel, holding her up and loving her as always. And I cannot even imagine a better way to go out. I mean, as I've been saying over and over, yes, this was a cop show, but it was so much more. And, frankly, the love between Tony and Rachel was always the heartbeat of the show. It was where we got the life and the warmth, and seeing them be there for each other is the last image I would have wanted to see from this series.
So, that was Redemption, and what else can I say about it, other than it was excellent. Also, it has emotionally drained me, so I will stop. Until tomorrow, that is. Because we have one more day to The Commish tribute week. Just one more day.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
And now, for the final movie, and also the official finale for The Commish, Redemption. I know I said yesterday that the second movie was the one I found most entertaining and interesting. Still true. This one, however, may be the best, overall. The story is extremely well-done, to the point of being heartbreaking, and the acting is as top notch as it ever was on this show. And it's pretty powerful, too. I'll get to why soon. Let's begin.
In the first scene, we see two different things happening. First, there are people working in what is, no doubt, a sweat shop. Then, it cuts to someone installing a phone bomb. Within moments, we hear a phone ring, and there is a huge explosion. Miraculously, no one is killed, but Tony and Paulie immediately begin to investigate, especially motivated because there were children in the building.
As it happens, the factory was owned by Bel Chemise, a fashion company, run by Oskar Rothman and his daughter, Carla. When Tony arrives at one of their shows, he meets with Carla, played by Natalija Nogulich, who calls herself Kitty Jordan, as to give her fashion line a better name. He asks for some financial records, since the fire must be investigated, and she understands. Then, enter her father, Oskar, played by the masterful Rod Steiger, who is absolutely at his most brilliant here. He's a bit standoffish with Tony, but ultimately gives him what he needs for the investigation. As he waits backstage, Tony runs into his father-in-law, Ben, played by Mike Nussbaum, who has been working as a subcontractor for Bel Chemise. Also, he's dating one of the models named Cindy. Yeah, that's not going to do much to fix his relationship with his daughter, Rachel, which has been strained for her entire life. Still, Tony invites Ben to dinner that night, as a surprise. Funny thing, I'd think that Tony would be the one most upset about this, considering that this model is his wife. No, seriously, I'm pretty sure that Cindy is being played by Michael Chiklis' wife, Michelle. And played very well, I might add.
Now, one thing we learn about Rothman and his back story is that he is a Jewish man who survived the concentration camps. This is an important plot point for a few reasons. One is that Tony is having to deal with some hate groups that are wreaking havoc in Eastbridge. They've been attacking a lot of synagogues, including the one Rachel and David go to. So, he also has to be investigating that as he is investigating the fires. Gee, if they were connected, it might make this a little easier.
Anyway, we see Tony, Rachel and the kids having dinner with Ben at their house. He has brought his new, young girlfriend, Cindy, whom Rachel was not expecting. As I said, this does not help the tension of their relationship, but the two women manage to have a moment of kindness to each other. After they leave, Rachel vents to Tony that Ben hasn't changed, even reminding him of when her father was supposed to take her to the circus, and he never did, though she kept the tickets. Tony tries to get her to let go of the anger, but she can't. It's sad, though, because shortly thereafter, Ben has a heart attack. Rachel and her father do get a chance to have one last talk, wherein Ben reminisces about taking her to the circus, something that obviously didn't happen. Sadly, he passes away and we see the funeral. Here's where I have to give some major props to Theresa Saldana's acting. Everyone is standing in the cemetery, visibly upset, especially Tony and David, who are crying. But Rachel is just standing there, stone faced, not an emotion in sight. Yet, somehow, there is so much behind this look on her face. She did love her father, no doubt, but there was so much hurt that he brought to her, that it's almost as though she truly has no clue how to react. Like she wants to shed tears for him, but that wounded part of her doesn't think he deserves it. And her being that way, at this point, is way more effective than having her cry and grieve as much as her family was. Brilliant.
In the aftermath of that, Rachel and Tony go to Ben's apartment to clean it out. Rachel finds a stuffed bear he had given her, intending to take it home for her daughter, Sarah. Unfortunately, Tony finds something, too. It's notebook with circled dates and locations, which pretty much could be evidence that Ben was behind the fires at the Bel Chemise factories. Yes, fires, because there were more. He goes back to talk to Rothman, to determine if he was involved, especially since they got some proof that the fires might have been intentional to get insurance money. Rothman is personally offended accusing Tony of persecuting him, understandable due to his history. He is assured that the investigation will be done honestly and the police will follow nothing but the evidence.
The bad news is that a lot of the evidence continues to point at Rachel's father, like her finding one hundred dollar bills stuffed into that teddy bear and a lot of dead people turning up, including Ben's girlfriend. Then again, a lot of evidence is also pointing to one of those hate groups that had been causing trouble. In fact, Tony and Paulie go to this rough looking bar to pick up a suspect, and everyone there tries to be scary to them, but Paulie pulls out a huge, Terminator-style gun, so they back off. Why does Paulie have a huge Terminator-style gun? Because he's Paulie, and that's how he rolls. Turns out, the guy they picked up used to date Cindy, but she dumped for an old, Jewish guy, which is going to make someone in a hate group not so happy. They really think he's guilty until another fire is set while he's in custody. They also eventually find out that someone robbed an armory and is planning an even bigger explosion. That technically sucks, but Tony and Paulie do find this out by way of an informant named Magic, and the scenes with that guy are priceless.
Anyway, Tony is more motivated than ever after David is beat up by members of the hate group at the synagogue. A clue they manage to find is the initials "C.W." Unaware of what it means, they continue to investigate Oskar Rothman. What they find out there is that Oskar Rothman died in the camps back in the forties. So, what's going on? Well, it turns out that the man they have been talking to who calls himself Oskar Rothman is actually Carl Wolfe, the "C.W.", and not only is he not Jewish, but he is a German who left the country and fled to America with this false identity to escape being prosecuted for war crimes. Can you even imagine? But we're not even done yet.
Wolfe plants another phone bomb at Rachel's and David's synagogue whilst several people are there. They manage to get everyone out, and Tony finds Wolfe, drags him back inside, and makes him dial the phone number, which would set off the bomb. Of course, he doesn't do it and ends up being arrested. Outside, Tony demands that Wolfe tell Rachel that her father was innocent and to explain himself and why he did this. The only response he gives at first is to very coldly and nonchalantly say, "He was a Jew". You know, sometimes it takes just one little statement like that, just a few chilling words, for you to feel a lifetime worth of hatred in a person. He does go on to say a few more things to explain himself, but the way they are said is so overwhelming to me. And I give credit to Rod Steiger for being able to do this, because he delivers these words, these utterly hateful words in such a flippant way, but that's how someone like this character would say it. It's as though he's saying, "Of course, I framed him. He was Jewish. Who cares?" Sorry to use this word again, but it was so chilling, this accepted hatred. It's also a bit frightening.
We, then, see Wolfe led away to jail, and, as his daughter, Kitty, stands there, he shouts out that he loves her. Kitty, with her back turned to him, just says, "Papa" and cries. It's so devastating, because you realize that this woman's entire world has literally collapsed, because she knows now that the person she loved most has been building that world on lies. Rachel goes to comfort her, and that moment is just so moving between them. And it's that moment that, I think, leads us to the final one.
The last scene is Tony and Rachel at her father's grave, where she is finally able to let go and cry. And I believe that her seeing Kitty weep over losing her own father, despite the horrible things he had done, made Rachel realize that, while her father may have made a lot of mistakes, it could have been much worse. And the last thing we see, the final image for the entire series, is Tony comforting Rachel, holding her up and loving her as always. And I cannot even imagine a better way to go out. I mean, as I've been saying over and over, yes, this was a cop show, but it was so much more. And, frankly, the love between Tony and Rachel was always the heartbeat of the show. It was where we got the life and the warmth, and seeing them be there for each other is the last image I would have wanted to see from this series.
So, that was Redemption, and what else can I say about it, other than it was excellent. Also, it has emotionally drained me, so I will stop. Until tomorrow, that is. Because we have one more day to The Commish tribute week. Just one more day.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Father Image - TV Movie Review
Greetings,
And now for Commish movie number two, Father Image. I'm going to say something right off the bat. Of the three movies, I think this one is, by far, the most entertaining. Is it the best where other things are concerned? Maybe, maybe not. I honestly can't decide. I would say that it's also the most interesting based on a few things, which I will get to, but a lot of it has to do with the plot. Or plots, I should say. As I've said, the show would normally have a main plot and at least one subplot. Here, it kind of has two main plots that intertwine into one, very well, as a matter of fact. So, we can go back and forth between the two, but see that they are still holding hands. Now let's get started.
The movie starts at a fundraiser dinner for the current mayor, Louise Hinton, played by Linda Darlow, and it is being attended by people who paid a thousand bucks to be there. Also, Tony and Rachel. I bet they got in for free. Anyway, Mayor Hinton was actually a recurring character on the show. She was always on the side of The Commish, wanting him to do whatever he could to catch the bad guy du jour, but she got a bit pushy sometimes. This was mostly because, whilst she did want the bad guys caught, she knew that if Tony failed, it would reflect on her. And here, we are on the brink of an election, wherein Hinton is facing a younger, charismatic, male opponent. This comes in to play a bit, but later.
Anyway, Tony is complaining about having to be there, and in a random moment, some guy bumps into Rachel and starts hitting on her. Of course, Tony does his whole "Back off. Because I'm her husband" thing, and the guy leaves. At first, this seems like, as I said, just a random moment, used for one-off joke. Not so. The guy heads down to the bar and finds a gorgeous, British woman there, impressing the bartender with her knowledge of ... well, fancy booze, I guess. And, of course, because he's clearly on a roll, the guy starts hitting on her, as well. I'm sure things will work out for him this time. Cut to an undetermined amount of time later, and Tony gets beeped...on his beeper. The nineties! Anyway, they tell him to get to the parking garage, where - surprise! - the guy who likes to hit on women has been murdered, with a straight razor, no less. Things look a bit messy at the crime scene. Especially when the press shows up. Yeah, there's also a bit of a thing about the intrusive reporters getting in the way. We do always need some side stuff.
While that's continuing, we then find ourselves in a dark apartment, belonging to ... the British woman from the bar. Why do we care about this person? What's her deal? Well, she sits down in her room, starts to take off her make-up, as you do, then her fake nails, because again, the nineties, and also she removes a wig. Okay, so she likes to dress up a lot when she goes out. Nothing wrong there. Until she opens her purse and pulls out a straight razor. If you would like to call this foreshadowing, be my guest, but this is just them flat out telling us that this woman is the killer. We actually witness her killing someone at one point, but this story is not about us trying to figure out who's guilty as the police do, the way it usually works. This is all about why she is doing it. Now when it comes to this character, her name is an issue and a non-issue at the same time, so, for now, I will be referring to her as Disguise Lady. And she is played by Wendel Meldrum, an actress who did an amazing job here. Seriously, when I said this was entertaining and interesting it is thanks, in large part, to her. Now let's get to that other plot.
After briefing his precinct about the murder, Tony goes off to pick up an old friend and mentor of his named Terry Boyle, played by The Old Man Parker, himself, Darren McGavin. And if you thought I wasn't, or am not again, going to make any A Christmas Story references, first, welcome to the blog, and second, you are just no fun. Anyway, though Terry is merely there for a visit, as he is going through a difficult time in his life, Tony talks him into helping with the investigation. Wait, isn't that how he got Paulie to work for him permanently? Well, at least, he's consistent. And nothing could possibly go wrong with this. Right?
So, let's get back to Disguise Lady. She turns up at, of all places, the precinct, and she's there talking to Officer Ronnie about having to pick up her car, because it was found abandoned, after she apparently misplaced it. Her car. Just go with it. Of course, when we see her now, gone is the classy Brit and in her place, we find a woman who is quiet and clearly shy, uneasy being out in public, and most importantly, she isn't dressed as well as she was, so downgrade. Relax, though. As soon as she gets to her car, she, quite literally, whips her hair back and forth, and decides to take on a new persona. This one consists of a lot of leather. Leather vest, leather chaps...over jeans, so calm down, and a brand new accent. Southern, this time. Yeah, I guess if I was forced to nitpick at all about the performance of this actress, I'd say she went a bit over the top with this persona. Not bad, just a bit much. But it's a small nitpick. Anyway, she goes into a tattoo parlor where she does two things. First, she gets a rose tattoo...on her boob, as you do, and second, she leaves with a guy who is old enough to be her father and has a motorcycle. No, he's not going through a midlife crisis at all. Not at all. So, he takes her for a ride on his bike, letting her sit behind him. So, isn't there some thing about not turning your back on certain people, because, you know, stuff can happen? Well, stuff happened. She basically killed him. How? She covered his eyes as he drove, proceeding to gouge them and then jumped off the bike just before he flew off the side of a mountain. That was quite creative, also risky, considering she may have killed herself, too. But, hey, you have got to take a few risks if you want to have an adventurous life.
They find motorcycle dude's body and bike at the bottom of the mountain, and Tony, Terry and Paulie begin to speculate on what might have happened. Doesn't take that long for them to figure it out, nor to get rid of the crime scene paparazzi. Yes, they show up again. Go away, just go away. The boys do some more canvassing, which leads them to the tattoo parlor. They show the artist the police sketch from the previous murder, but he draws the woman he saw. They look kind of different. Of course they do. It's Disguise Lady.
Speaking of which, in this time, she has decided to go blond and go personal trainer, and she manages to sneak into a country club. Well, she manages to "idiot security guard" her way in, which is more accurate. Ironically, Tony is there at the same time, picking up his son David, who is there with friends. And he actually has a conversation in passing with the woman. WHAT! Okay, to be fair, he wasn't looking for a blond and probably didn't think that a serial killer could be so ... perky. Too bad he didn't know who it was because she ended up killing someone else. Another old guy, and this time, with a golf club. Killing an old guy with a golf club at a country club. There's irony in there, somewhere. Also, another old guy? What could it mean? It's at this point where Mayor Hinton, who has been on Tony's back the whole time, decides that she wants Terry to officially be on the case. And I don't know if he got paid, but I'm sure he would have been quite happy with a new furnace and some turkey. Yeah, I went there.
Now, it's around this time where we start to figure out just why Disguise Lady is doing all this. The biggest clue is when she wakes up and freaks when she sees the tattoo. She also starts calling out different names asking who did it. Get it! They aren't just disguises or personas that she chooses the take on. She has multiple personalities. This was, by the way, a major go-to in the eighties and nineties in television and movies. Well done here, though. And she is so upset with the tattoo, she tries to burn it off with hot water, something that lands her in the hospital. It's around this time, as well, that Tony finds out about the woman who came in to find her car near the start of the movie, and we finally find out that her name is Emily Daniels. Hey, now I can call her that. She eventually is arrested when they find the straight razor with the victim's blood on it in a box of detergent in her house. She maintains her innocence and is eventually let go. But not because of that.
As it happens, Terry, so sure of her guilt, thought it would be a good idea to plant some evidence to ensure her arrest. Let me stress that he is not a bad guy,; he just did a bad thing. I don't think that's a good idea and neither does Tony. It's because of this that they have to let Emily go, but, after talking with a doctor about a previous case, he believes that Emily may be both innocent and guilty, due to multiple personalities. He goes to her house managing to bring out the core persona, a little girl named Jessica who was abused by her father. So you see why she chose all older men to kill. But it's not enough to re-arrest her. Besides, Tony feels like Emily might not even know what she has done. So, despite being upset with his friend, he lets Terry help, acting as the bait for one of Emily's murderous personalities. It eventually works, ending with Jessica coming out, trying to do the only thing she thinks she can to stop all the people inside of her, which is to kill herself. But Tony manages to save her life, probably in more ways than one.
And so everything comes to a close, with the mayor celebrating her re-election and Tony sending Terry back home. Their relationship has been obviously strained, but it is still intact, nonetheless. It's clear that, though Tony has always looked up to him, wanting to be so much like, he has to do what he always does - the right thing. It's what ultimately always sees him through.
And that was Father Image. As I said, it is the one I find most interesting and entertaining, what with so much going on. Still, you never seem overwhelmed with it all. It's just right. Well, it is after all, The Commish.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
And now for Commish movie number two, Father Image. I'm going to say something right off the bat. Of the three movies, I think this one is, by far, the most entertaining. Is it the best where other things are concerned? Maybe, maybe not. I honestly can't decide. I would say that it's also the most interesting based on a few things, which I will get to, but a lot of it has to do with the plot. Or plots, I should say. As I've said, the show would normally have a main plot and at least one subplot. Here, it kind of has two main plots that intertwine into one, very well, as a matter of fact. So, we can go back and forth between the two, but see that they are still holding hands. Now let's get started.
The movie starts at a fundraiser dinner for the current mayor, Louise Hinton, played by Linda Darlow, and it is being attended by people who paid a thousand bucks to be there. Also, Tony and Rachel. I bet they got in for free. Anyway, Mayor Hinton was actually a recurring character on the show. She was always on the side of The Commish, wanting him to do whatever he could to catch the bad guy du jour, but she got a bit pushy sometimes. This was mostly because, whilst she did want the bad guys caught, she knew that if Tony failed, it would reflect on her. And here, we are on the brink of an election, wherein Hinton is facing a younger, charismatic, male opponent. This comes in to play a bit, but later.
Anyway, Tony is complaining about having to be there, and in a random moment, some guy bumps into Rachel and starts hitting on her. Of course, Tony does his whole "Back off. Because I'm her husband" thing, and the guy leaves. At first, this seems like, as I said, just a random moment, used for one-off joke. Not so. The guy heads down to the bar and finds a gorgeous, British woman there, impressing the bartender with her knowledge of ... well, fancy booze, I guess. And, of course, because he's clearly on a roll, the guy starts hitting on her, as well. I'm sure things will work out for him this time. Cut to an undetermined amount of time later, and Tony gets beeped...on his beeper. The nineties! Anyway, they tell him to get to the parking garage, where - surprise! - the guy who likes to hit on women has been murdered, with a straight razor, no less. Things look a bit messy at the crime scene. Especially when the press shows up. Yeah, there's also a bit of a thing about the intrusive reporters getting in the way. We do always need some side stuff.
While that's continuing, we then find ourselves in a dark apartment, belonging to ... the British woman from the bar. Why do we care about this person? What's her deal? Well, she sits down in her room, starts to take off her make-up, as you do, then her fake nails, because again, the nineties, and also she removes a wig. Okay, so she likes to dress up a lot when she goes out. Nothing wrong there. Until she opens her purse and pulls out a straight razor. If you would like to call this foreshadowing, be my guest, but this is just them flat out telling us that this woman is the killer. We actually witness her killing someone at one point, but this story is not about us trying to figure out who's guilty as the police do, the way it usually works. This is all about why she is doing it. Now when it comes to this character, her name is an issue and a non-issue at the same time, so, for now, I will be referring to her as Disguise Lady. And she is played by Wendel Meldrum, an actress who did an amazing job here. Seriously, when I said this was entertaining and interesting it is thanks, in large part, to her. Now let's get to that other plot.
After briefing his precinct about the murder, Tony goes off to pick up an old friend and mentor of his named Terry Boyle, played by The Old Man Parker, himself, Darren McGavin. And if you thought I wasn't, or am not again, going to make any A Christmas Story references, first, welcome to the blog, and second, you are just no fun. Anyway, though Terry is merely there for a visit, as he is going through a difficult time in his life, Tony talks him into helping with the investigation. Wait, isn't that how he got Paulie to work for him permanently? Well, at least, he's consistent. And nothing could possibly go wrong with this. Right?
So, let's get back to Disguise Lady. She turns up at, of all places, the precinct, and she's there talking to Officer Ronnie about having to pick up her car, because it was found abandoned, after she apparently misplaced it. Her car. Just go with it. Of course, when we see her now, gone is the classy Brit and in her place, we find a woman who is quiet and clearly shy, uneasy being out in public, and most importantly, she isn't dressed as well as she was, so downgrade. Relax, though. As soon as she gets to her car, she, quite literally, whips her hair back and forth, and decides to take on a new persona. This one consists of a lot of leather. Leather vest, leather chaps...over jeans, so calm down, and a brand new accent. Southern, this time. Yeah, I guess if I was forced to nitpick at all about the performance of this actress, I'd say she went a bit over the top with this persona. Not bad, just a bit much. But it's a small nitpick. Anyway, she goes into a tattoo parlor where she does two things. First, she gets a rose tattoo...on her boob, as you do, and second, she leaves with a guy who is old enough to be her father and has a motorcycle. No, he's not going through a midlife crisis at all. Not at all. So, he takes her for a ride on his bike, letting her sit behind him. So, isn't there some thing about not turning your back on certain people, because, you know, stuff can happen? Well, stuff happened. She basically killed him. How? She covered his eyes as he drove, proceeding to gouge them and then jumped off the bike just before he flew off the side of a mountain. That was quite creative, also risky, considering she may have killed herself, too. But, hey, you have got to take a few risks if you want to have an adventurous life.
They find motorcycle dude's body and bike at the bottom of the mountain, and Tony, Terry and Paulie begin to speculate on what might have happened. Doesn't take that long for them to figure it out, nor to get rid of the crime scene paparazzi. Yes, they show up again. Go away, just go away. The boys do some more canvassing, which leads them to the tattoo parlor. They show the artist the police sketch from the previous murder, but he draws the woman he saw. They look kind of different. Of course they do. It's Disguise Lady.
Speaking of which, in this time, she has decided to go blond and go personal trainer, and she manages to sneak into a country club. Well, she manages to "idiot security guard" her way in, which is more accurate. Ironically, Tony is there at the same time, picking up his son David, who is there with friends. And he actually has a conversation in passing with the woman. WHAT! Okay, to be fair, he wasn't looking for a blond and probably didn't think that a serial killer could be so ... perky. Too bad he didn't know who it was because she ended up killing someone else. Another old guy, and this time, with a golf club. Killing an old guy with a golf club at a country club. There's irony in there, somewhere. Also, another old guy? What could it mean? It's at this point where Mayor Hinton, who has been on Tony's back the whole time, decides that she wants Terry to officially be on the case. And I don't know if he got paid, but I'm sure he would have been quite happy with a new furnace and some turkey. Yeah, I went there.
Now, it's around this time where we start to figure out just why Disguise Lady is doing all this. The biggest clue is when she wakes up and freaks when she sees the tattoo. She also starts calling out different names asking who did it. Get it! They aren't just disguises or personas that she chooses the take on. She has multiple personalities. This was, by the way, a major go-to in the eighties and nineties in television and movies. Well done here, though. And she is so upset with the tattoo, she tries to burn it off with hot water, something that lands her in the hospital. It's around this time, as well, that Tony finds out about the woman who came in to find her car near the start of the movie, and we finally find out that her name is Emily Daniels. Hey, now I can call her that. She eventually is arrested when they find the straight razor with the victim's blood on it in a box of detergent in her house. She maintains her innocence and is eventually let go. But not because of that.
As it happens, Terry, so sure of her guilt, thought it would be a good idea to plant some evidence to ensure her arrest. Let me stress that he is not a bad guy,; he just did a bad thing. I don't think that's a good idea and neither does Tony. It's because of this that they have to let Emily go, but, after talking with a doctor about a previous case, he believes that Emily may be both innocent and guilty, due to multiple personalities. He goes to her house managing to bring out the core persona, a little girl named Jessica who was abused by her father. So you see why she chose all older men to kill. But it's not enough to re-arrest her. Besides, Tony feels like Emily might not even know what she has done. So, despite being upset with his friend, he lets Terry help, acting as the bait for one of Emily's murderous personalities. It eventually works, ending with Jessica coming out, trying to do the only thing she thinks she can to stop all the people inside of her, which is to kill herself. But Tony manages to save her life, probably in more ways than one.
And so everything comes to a close, with the mayor celebrating her re-election and Tony sending Terry back home. Their relationship has been obviously strained, but it is still intact, nonetheless. It's clear that, though Tony has always looked up to him, wanting to be so much like, he has to do what he always does - the right thing. It's what ultimately always sees him through.
And that was Father Image. As I said, it is the one I find most interesting and entertaining, what with so much going on. Still, you never seem overwhelmed with it all. It's just right. Well, it is after all, The Commish.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)