Greetings,
Yes, I am doing what everyone else is doing, and no, I don't have any idea what to say either. But I thought I should say something, so short and as sweet as I can be today.
Not much out of Hollywood surprises me anymore, and I think most people would agree with me on that. The death of Robin Williams, however, seemed to shock everyone. Having been born in the 80's, I have never not known about him, and I have never not liked him. He never failed to make me laugh when he was being interviewed, and though I rarely stay awake for late night TV, if he was going to be on, I had to check it out. Since he started in comedy, that's what he was most known for. No problem with that. But as someone who is madly in love with Dead Poets Society, of course, I can't forget what a gifted dramatic actor that Robin Williams was. It's what I'll remember most about him and missed most about him.
Professional accomplishments aside, he was never quiet about his personal problems. I don't think anybody didn't know about that aspect of his life. Ironically, though he was vocal about all this, he still managed to hide it well with his upbeat and hilarious persona. Or he just managed to make us forget about the bad stuff. But we never really know how much hurt someone can be trapped by. He must have been trapped by a lot. And I understand why people feel like this came out of nowhere, but I'm not sure how totally stunned I am. There's a reason for that, though.
I can't speak for him or anyone who knew him, but I can speak as someone who has gone through severe depression. We are quite good at faking it, especially when we don't think anyone can help. I have been there. I have been suicidal and made my own attempts. Thankfully, I got through it. There are still scars, and there always will be. Maybe that's a good thing, since they remind me of what I don't want to go back to.
Some people are asking how could and why would Robin Williams take his own life. He had everything. Yeah, sometimes we forget that the world's definition of 'everything' is not what 'everything' means in reality. I don't know what would have helped him or stopped him, because I don't know exactly what kind of help he would have accepted. I credit my faith with getting me out of those dark places and keeping me from falling too deeply into them again, though I was the one who had to decide to take the help. I know a lot of people don't want to hear about faith being an answer to these kind of problems, but sorry, it worked for me, and I won't lie about that.
I'm going to end this by saying that, whatever he was going through, I wish he hadn't have done what he did. I don't want to condemn him or anything, like some have been doing. I just feel sad for him, because I understand what it's like to be looking at the choices of life and death and having to pick one. I wish he would have made a different choice. I wish it for him and all those who knew and loved him. I will certainly have them in my prayers. But I don't want to dwell on his death passed this post, and I truly hope that nothing I said offended or hurt anyone further. I'd rather remember his gift. There's one thing that won't go away.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Saturday, August 9, 2014
True Whit by Whitney Port - Book Review
Greetings,
So the way that most people approach shopping is the way that I approach a trip to the library. Sometimes, I know what I'm going there to get; other times, I go to browse. On a recent visit to said library, I came across a book, and I checked it out, as you do. I don't believe it's a book that many people would think I would go near, but I'm pretty open when it comes to these things. The book in question is True Whit by Whitney Port. Don't know who that is? Well, the world was introduced to her on a little show called The Hills.
Sit back down!
Okay, I know that not everyone is a fan of this show. I know some people downright hated it. I know, because I was once one of those people. But then, I watched it and realized that it might be one of the greatest shows ever! That may or may not have been slightly scripted. Depends on who you ask. Who cares though? It was certainly entertaining, and, while some characters on it confirmed my prejudices about them being shallow and spoiled, I ended up really liking, and dare I say it, even respecting a couple of them. One of those who gets high praise from me is Miss Whitney. She went to college, she worked hard and she built her own little fashion empire. And, yes, I do know that being on The Hills and eventually The City probably helped with her success. But I won't say she didn't work at all just because she caught a few breaks. I'm pretty sure that most hard-working people who get very successful get some breaks here and there. Anyway, I'm getting away from topic here. Let's talk about the book.
True Whit, which has a tagline(?) of Designing a Life of Style, Beauty and Fun was released in 2011 and is, what I like to call, a lifestyle book. And not just because the words 'life' and 'style' are in said tagline. It's basically 220 pages or so of Whitney giving chapter by chapter advice on everything from fashion to dating to fitness and many things in between and beyond. To be fair, I did a quick, non-reading scan of this book, and it worried me. I just couldn't see the point, initially. I mean, not everyone who picks up this thing is going to be a 25-year-old, tall, thin, gorgeous blonde who already has a successful and fast-paced career in the heart of New York City. I am certainly not that person, because - hello! - I have brown hair. And yet, once I actually took the time to read it, I saw that it was not that bad. In fact, I'd say that it is a very well put together book.
I really like how it is structured, and I like all the pictures that are used for it, both professional and personal. Yeah, I gotta love a girl who has no problem reminding everyone of some fashion faux pas she may have committed. There are some instructions on simple but effective exercises, which is good, because there are also recipes. Yay! Tried some, like them, good times. And, as someone who has done well in the professional world, Whitney gives tips about dealing with workplace issues that can apply to you no matter where you work. That kind of brings me to what I like most about this book.
This easily could have been a very nauseating and infuriating attempt for this young woman to make a book saying, "If you are exactly like me, in every way, your life will be as enchanted and perfect as mine!" Yes, VERY easily it could have been that.
Thankfully, it's really not. As I said, we are not all what Whitney is, physically, professionally or personally, and I don't think she wants us to be. I really don't think Whitney Port was or is looking for minions. Hey, I could be totally wrong, but there seems to be a level of genuine sincerity here. I think that Whitney just wanted to help people out by giving advice about what she's been through and what she knows. I certainly don't get the feeling that she's telling young woman to "Be me!". More like "Be yourself, and if these little tips can help you be a better you, then go for it!" And there certainly is nothing wrong with taking advice, here and there, from other people to improve yourself, even if that other person is a celebrity.
Look, the bottom line is that this book has an audience. It might not exactly be me or you, as a whole, but, if your 22-year-old, recent graduate daughter picks it up, don't be worried. There are much worse books and much, much worse people that she could be getting a few tips from. Honestly, I like Whitney Port. She's always seemed quite nice and sincere, and she certainly doesn't seem to be damaged by her success. So, if you come across this book, I say give it a look. If for no other reason than that Mom's Chili Cheese Bite recipe!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So the way that most people approach shopping is the way that I approach a trip to the library. Sometimes, I know what I'm going there to get; other times, I go to browse. On a recent visit to said library, I came across a book, and I checked it out, as you do. I don't believe it's a book that many people would think I would go near, but I'm pretty open when it comes to these things. The book in question is True Whit by Whitney Port. Don't know who that is? Well, the world was introduced to her on a little show called The Hills.
Sit back down!
Okay, I know that not everyone is a fan of this show. I know some people downright hated it. I know, because I was once one of those people. But then, I watched it and realized that it might be one of the greatest shows ever! That may or may not have been slightly scripted. Depends on who you ask. Who cares though? It was certainly entertaining, and, while some characters on it confirmed my prejudices about them being shallow and spoiled, I ended up really liking, and dare I say it, even respecting a couple of them. One of those who gets high praise from me is Miss Whitney. She went to college, she worked hard and she built her own little fashion empire. And, yes, I do know that being on The Hills and eventually The City probably helped with her success. But I won't say she didn't work at all just because she caught a few breaks. I'm pretty sure that most hard-working people who get very successful get some breaks here and there. Anyway, I'm getting away from topic here. Let's talk about the book.
True Whit, which has a tagline(?) of Designing a Life of Style, Beauty and Fun was released in 2011 and is, what I like to call, a lifestyle book. And not just because the words 'life' and 'style' are in said tagline. It's basically 220 pages or so of Whitney giving chapter by chapter advice on everything from fashion to dating to fitness and many things in between and beyond. To be fair, I did a quick, non-reading scan of this book, and it worried me. I just couldn't see the point, initially. I mean, not everyone who picks up this thing is going to be a 25-year-old, tall, thin, gorgeous blonde who already has a successful and fast-paced career in the heart of New York City. I am certainly not that person, because - hello! - I have brown hair. And yet, once I actually took the time to read it, I saw that it was not that bad. In fact, I'd say that it is a very well put together book.
I really like how it is structured, and I like all the pictures that are used for it, both professional and personal. Yeah, I gotta love a girl who has no problem reminding everyone of some fashion faux pas she may have committed. There are some instructions on simple but effective exercises, which is good, because there are also recipes. Yay! Tried some, like them, good times. And, as someone who has done well in the professional world, Whitney gives tips about dealing with workplace issues that can apply to you no matter where you work. That kind of brings me to what I like most about this book.
This easily could have been a very nauseating and infuriating attempt for this young woman to make a book saying, "If you are exactly like me, in every way, your life will be as enchanted and perfect as mine!" Yes, VERY easily it could have been that.
Thankfully, it's really not. As I said, we are not all what Whitney is, physically, professionally or personally, and I don't think she wants us to be. I really don't think Whitney Port was or is looking for minions. Hey, I could be totally wrong, but there seems to be a level of genuine sincerity here. I think that Whitney just wanted to help people out by giving advice about what she's been through and what she knows. I certainly don't get the feeling that she's telling young woman to "Be me!". More like "Be yourself, and if these little tips can help you be a better you, then go for it!" And there certainly is nothing wrong with taking advice, here and there, from other people to improve yourself, even if that other person is a celebrity.
Look, the bottom line is that this book has an audience. It might not exactly be me or you, as a whole, but, if your 22-year-old, recent graduate daughter picks it up, don't be worried. There are much worse books and much, much worse people that she could be getting a few tips from. Honestly, I like Whitney Port. She's always seemed quite nice and sincere, and she certainly doesn't seem to be damaged by her success. So, if you come across this book, I say give it a look. If for no other reason than that Mom's Chili Cheese Bite recipe!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Top Ten Breakfast Cereals
Greetings,
Sometimes I don't know what to right on this blog. Well, here's a list of my favorite breakfast cereals. Oh, yeah! We're going there. So, let's go.
#10. Cracklin' Oat Bran - I'm going to be perfectly honest here. I really, REALLY like this cereal, and it might have gotten even higher on the list except there's a problem. It NEVER goes on sale! I'm not kidding. It might be the most expensive cereal I see in the store, factor in price against size of box, and all, and I swear it never goes on sale. Is this just a thing in my area? Look, as I said, I really like this stuff, but I'm on a budget here.
#9. Cocoa Pebbles - So, I do not like any fruity cereals and that includes Fruity Pebbles. However, their wonderful brother cereal Cocoa Pebbles? Oh, yeah, I'll take some of that, please and thank you. And you gotta love those commercials.
#8. Honey Bunches of Oats - Now I'm not a huge fan of the flake cereals. I don't care what anyone says, they are the first to turn to mush when you pour milk on them. Still, if you can add some sweet, nutty pieces of crunchy deliciousness, I can figure anything.
#7. Golden Grahams - I've always enjoyed myself a good box of graham crackers. I couldn't imagine them being any better than how they were. Then, someone turned them into cereal. Nuff said.
#6. Frosted Mini Wheats - Gotta love a trickster cereal, am I right? You know, the kind that gets you to eat it by coating it in frosty, sugary goodness, but then, you eat it and think, "Hmm, I have a snaking suspicion that this might be healthy for me". Enter Frosted Mini Wheats. Now I know they added a bunch of variations on the original, but I don't mess with that. Just give me the stuff straight up.
#5. Special K Red Berries - Again, not into the flakies, so I was never much into Special K. But someone had the genius idea to add berries to it, little, dried, astronaut food berries that you's think wouldn't be good, but totally are. Again, I have to be honest, on its own, Special K is kind of boring. Why do you think they created a diet around it? But throw in the bite of those berries and I'll take it.
#4. Count Chocula - As I have mentioned before, I do not do the Halloween things. I do, however, look forward to it every year, because it means the return of my beloved Count Chocula. Look, if you like the other monsters cereals more, good for you. But I can't think that any of them are better than this. Also, it always serves to distract me from the annual return of the evil candy corn.
#3. Cheerios - Yep, just straight up, plain, original Cheerios. I know this brand has also thrown in some new flavors and all that, best known being the Honey Nut version, but there is something so pure and delicious about Cheerios. Just regular Cheerios. Sometimes cereal unplugged is the best way to have it.
#2. Lucky Charms - When it comes to marshmallows in their white, fluffy, well-known form, I am kind of on the fence. I'll take them in hot cocoa occasionally, but that's about it. However, if you shrink them down, dry them out, color them, put them into fun shapes and make them practically unrecognizable, more please! They even make the "healthy" half of the cereal taste kind of good.
#1. Life - This is another one of those trickster cereals. You look at it and think it's all healthy and ewww, but then, you eat it and it's all sweetness. Amazing. And I can even eat this one without milk. Not something I can do with the others, at least, not as enjoyably. What can I say? Life is good.
So there you have it, my top ten favorite cereals. I hope it tides you over until my next post. Now, go and eat, children.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Sometimes I don't know what to right on this blog. Well, here's a list of my favorite breakfast cereals. Oh, yeah! We're going there. So, let's go.
#10. Cracklin' Oat Bran - I'm going to be perfectly honest here. I really, REALLY like this cereal, and it might have gotten even higher on the list except there's a problem. It NEVER goes on sale! I'm not kidding. It might be the most expensive cereal I see in the store, factor in price against size of box, and all, and I swear it never goes on sale. Is this just a thing in my area? Look, as I said, I really like this stuff, but I'm on a budget here.
#9. Cocoa Pebbles - So, I do not like any fruity cereals and that includes Fruity Pebbles. However, their wonderful brother cereal Cocoa Pebbles? Oh, yeah, I'll take some of that, please and thank you. And you gotta love those commercials.
#8. Honey Bunches of Oats - Now I'm not a huge fan of the flake cereals. I don't care what anyone says, they are the first to turn to mush when you pour milk on them. Still, if you can add some sweet, nutty pieces of crunchy deliciousness, I can figure anything.
#7. Golden Grahams - I've always enjoyed myself a good box of graham crackers. I couldn't imagine them being any better than how they were. Then, someone turned them into cereal. Nuff said.
#6. Frosted Mini Wheats - Gotta love a trickster cereal, am I right? You know, the kind that gets you to eat it by coating it in frosty, sugary goodness, but then, you eat it and think, "Hmm, I have a snaking suspicion that this might be healthy for me". Enter Frosted Mini Wheats. Now I know they added a bunch of variations on the original, but I don't mess with that. Just give me the stuff straight up.
#5. Special K Red Berries - Again, not into the flakies, so I was never much into Special K. But someone had the genius idea to add berries to it, little, dried, astronaut food berries that you's think wouldn't be good, but totally are. Again, I have to be honest, on its own, Special K is kind of boring. Why do you think they created a diet around it? But throw in the bite of those berries and I'll take it.
#4. Count Chocula - As I have mentioned before, I do not do the Halloween things. I do, however, look forward to it every year, because it means the return of my beloved Count Chocula. Look, if you like the other monsters cereals more, good for you. But I can't think that any of them are better than this. Also, it always serves to distract me from the annual return of the evil candy corn.
#3. Cheerios - Yep, just straight up, plain, original Cheerios. I know this brand has also thrown in some new flavors and all that, best known being the Honey Nut version, but there is something so pure and delicious about Cheerios. Just regular Cheerios. Sometimes cereal unplugged is the best way to have it.
#2. Lucky Charms - When it comes to marshmallows in their white, fluffy, well-known form, I am kind of on the fence. I'll take them in hot cocoa occasionally, but that's about it. However, if you shrink them down, dry them out, color them, put them into fun shapes and make them practically unrecognizable, more please! They even make the "healthy" half of the cereal taste kind of good.
#1. Life - This is another one of those trickster cereals. You look at it and think it's all healthy and ewww, but then, you eat it and it's all sweetness. Amazing. And I can even eat this one without milk. Not something I can do with the others, at least, not as enjoyably. What can I say? Life is good.
So there you have it, my top ten favorite cereals. I hope it tides you over until my next post. Now, go and eat, children.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Be Here Now / Oasis - Album Review
Greetings,
As everyone knows, I am a huge admirer of a little band called The Beatles. And, having been around in the nineties, that means that, when it comes to another little band called Oasis, I either love them or hate them. Because...maybe...derivative...a little. Well, good news for them, I come down on the side of love. I've been enjoying the music of the Gallagher brothers and their group for quite a long time, and I know I haven't been the only one. I, like most people in the U.S., got into them when their album (What's the Story)Morning Glory? was released, spawning hits like "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova". We can all agree that it was fantastic, so I'm going to go a step further and talk about what came right after that one. That would be the 1997 album, Be Here Now.
Let's not sugarcoat this at all. After the massive success of Morning Glory, there were extremely high hopes for the follow-up album. From a sales standpoint, Be Here Now wasn't exactly a failure. It was the fastest selling album in the U.K. at that point, it hit #1 in many countries, #2 in the U.S., and it went on to sell about 4 million copies, if my info is correct. The problem is that, after the first week or so, sales dropped because everyone realized that this was not a repeat of the previous album from Oasis. By that, they meant it was nowhere near as good, and those people spread the word fast. Okay, do I think this album is utterly amazing? Not exactly. Do I think it's terrible? Again, no. Do I think it is as good as its predecessor? Yeah, we're going to check 'no' on that one. But Morning Glory was a tough act to follow. I don't really think anything they did would have lived up to it. Also, they may have been high whilst they were making it...allegedly. No wonder so many of the songs are abnormally long. Having said that, let's talk about the goods and the bads of this thing.
First, the not so great news. Out of the dozen songs on the album, and that includes a reprise, I'd say only about half of them are songs I really like. The title track is kind of meh, as is "Fade In Out", but I can listen to them. Even though, I am not a huge fan of Johnny Depp, and he played slide guitar on the latter of those tracks. No, I'm not kidding. Whilst I tend to skip over songs like "My Big Mouth", "Magic Pie" and "It's Gettin' Better(Man!!)", there is a vast improvement in "The Girl in the Dirty Shirt" and especially "I Hope, I Think, I Know".
And now on to the actually great news. Yes, this album may have weak points, as all tend to do, but it also has some songs I really, really enjoy, starting with the opening track "D'You Know What I Mean?". Despite the fact that it's not a fast song with a driving beat, the way other openers often go, it does have that feeling of a beginning point that will send you on to the rest of what's to come. Then, there's "Stand By Me", which apparently Noel wrote during a bout with food poisoning. Hey, whatever works, as long as a good song comes out of it. "Don't Go Away" is probably the, for lack of a better word, softest song in this collection, considering that it's about not wanting to lose someone that you love. In this case, Noel wrote it when his mother was hospitalized. So, it's a love song, just not one that people may have expected. Also, Liam said he was pretty emotional during the recording, but he ended up being proud of his performance. That's good. And then we get "All Around the World" with all its glorious, self-indulgent epicness. This thing is LOOOONG! I mean, pretty much everything on this album is long, as I mentioned, but this thing clocks in at over nine minutes. And this is the song that got the reprise, so if you add that on, it's almost TWELVE minutes! And you know what? I love it! Yeah, it's so big and it has so much going on. I suppose it's because I'm a fan of songs that have a ton of interesting things to listen to. Speaking of interesting, a lot of people remember this because of the video. It was directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton and had a Yellow Submarine vibe to it. Shocking, I know. But it was great, too. I can still watch it today and be fascinated.
So, I know I'm not exactly giving this a glowing review, not as a whole anyway. It does have a lot of problems, but when it's good, it's very good. And when they tried to be productive, it worked. Trouble is, I don't how hard they actually tried. Be Here Now just is what it is. Still, I do love Oasis. They have given us a ton of great stuff, and whatever crazy shenanigans he may have been involved in, I would say that Noel Gallagher is rather a brilliant musician and songwriter. And, thus, I end on a positive note.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
As everyone knows, I am a huge admirer of a little band called The Beatles. And, having been around in the nineties, that means that, when it comes to another little band called Oasis, I either love them or hate them. Because...maybe...derivative...a little. Well, good news for them, I come down on the side of love. I've been enjoying the music of the Gallagher brothers and their group for quite a long time, and I know I haven't been the only one. I, like most people in the U.S., got into them when their album (What's the Story)Morning Glory? was released, spawning hits like "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova". We can all agree that it was fantastic, so I'm going to go a step further and talk about what came right after that one. That would be the 1997 album, Be Here Now.
Let's not sugarcoat this at all. After the massive success of Morning Glory, there were extremely high hopes for the follow-up album. From a sales standpoint, Be Here Now wasn't exactly a failure. It was the fastest selling album in the U.K. at that point, it hit #1 in many countries, #2 in the U.S., and it went on to sell about 4 million copies, if my info is correct. The problem is that, after the first week or so, sales dropped because everyone realized that this was not a repeat of the previous album from Oasis. By that, they meant it was nowhere near as good, and those people spread the word fast. Okay, do I think this album is utterly amazing? Not exactly. Do I think it's terrible? Again, no. Do I think it is as good as its predecessor? Yeah, we're going to check 'no' on that one. But Morning Glory was a tough act to follow. I don't really think anything they did would have lived up to it. Also, they may have been high whilst they were making it...allegedly. No wonder so many of the songs are abnormally long. Having said that, let's talk about the goods and the bads of this thing.
First, the not so great news. Out of the dozen songs on the album, and that includes a reprise, I'd say only about half of them are songs I really like. The title track is kind of meh, as is "Fade In Out", but I can listen to them. Even though, I am not a huge fan of Johnny Depp, and he played slide guitar on the latter of those tracks. No, I'm not kidding. Whilst I tend to skip over songs like "My Big Mouth", "Magic Pie" and "It's Gettin' Better(Man!!)", there is a vast improvement in "The Girl in the Dirty Shirt" and especially "I Hope, I Think, I Know".
And now on to the actually great news. Yes, this album may have weak points, as all tend to do, but it also has some songs I really, really enjoy, starting with the opening track "D'You Know What I Mean?". Despite the fact that it's not a fast song with a driving beat, the way other openers often go, it does have that feeling of a beginning point that will send you on to the rest of what's to come. Then, there's "Stand By Me", which apparently Noel wrote during a bout with food poisoning. Hey, whatever works, as long as a good song comes out of it. "Don't Go Away" is probably the, for lack of a better word, softest song in this collection, considering that it's about not wanting to lose someone that you love. In this case, Noel wrote it when his mother was hospitalized. So, it's a love song, just not one that people may have expected. Also, Liam said he was pretty emotional during the recording, but he ended up being proud of his performance. That's good. And then we get "All Around the World" with all its glorious, self-indulgent epicness. This thing is LOOOONG! I mean, pretty much everything on this album is long, as I mentioned, but this thing clocks in at over nine minutes. And this is the song that got the reprise, so if you add that on, it's almost TWELVE minutes! And you know what? I love it! Yeah, it's so big and it has so much going on. I suppose it's because I'm a fan of songs that have a ton of interesting things to listen to. Speaking of interesting, a lot of people remember this because of the video. It was directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton and had a Yellow Submarine vibe to it. Shocking, I know. But it was great, too. I can still watch it today and be fascinated.
So, I know I'm not exactly giving this a glowing review, not as a whole anyway. It does have a lot of problems, but when it's good, it's very good. And when they tried to be productive, it worked. Trouble is, I don't how hard they actually tried. Be Here Now just is what it is. Still, I do love Oasis. They have given us a ton of great stuff, and whatever crazy shenanigans he may have been involved in, I would say that Noel Gallagher is rather a brilliant musician and songwriter. And, thus, I end on a positive note.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, July 11, 2014
20 Feet From Stardom - Documentary Review
Greetings,
So the last documentary I reviewed was called Muscle Shoals, and it was about a bunch of people who helped shape the music industry but who go greatly unappreciated by the public at large. Today, I will be reviewing 20 Feet From Stardom, which is kind of about the same thing. Relax, though. It tells this story from a different angle and, spoilers, it's also very good.
If you happen to be one of the few people who actually watched the Oscars this past February(I was, because award show nights are some of the most entertaining nights on Twitter!), you may have seen the best part of the ceremony, where 20 Feet From Stardom won for Best Documentary. Why was it the best part? Two words - Darlene Love. Just go You Tube it. It'll be worth it. Anyway, before that night, I don't think I had even heard of this film, or if I had, it was merely in passing. That's odd for me. I love documentaries, and I love documentaries about music. So I can't believe this one slipped by me. Still, as soon as I heard of it, I added it to my Netflix queue and got down to business.
20 Feet From Stardom tells the many, many tales of the many, many background singers who have been used in the industry for decades. You know that expression about people being seen and not heard? Well, these people have been heard and not known. You won't be long into this documentary before you realize just what a shame that is. Mostly because, in some cases, the background singers are better than those in front, in the spotlight. I suppose it proves that talent is only one part of becoming successful. It's a big part, I'd like to believe, but it's not the only part.
We get a lot of great interviews in this from those singers in the back, but we also get to hear from the big name, famous artists with whom they've worked. That's good because they are the ones who seem to be the most in awe of the talent of these singers. They love them and respect them in a way that a lot of the world either doesn't or hasn't been given the chance to do so. That is why I enjoyed this movie so much. This movie is that chance being given to the world to meet these people who have done so much to build the music world.
Now, some of the singers do speak about how difficult it can be, working so closely to the spotlight but never actually getting to be in the center of it. Hence, the title. And yet, none of them seem ungrateful for the opportunities that they have been given. Sure, a lot of them would love to be as famous as the people behind whom they are singing, but, at the same time, they seem happy to be doing what they love for a living. And they love it any way it comes. If for no other reason, this is why these people should be honored and appreciated for what they do.
So, I am recommending this very highly, even if you aren't a huge music fan. But, if you are, I am recommending it even more highly. 20 Feet From Stardom was a fantastic way to let amazingly talented singers finally, FINALLY, get the recognition they deserve. As someone who notices the ones in the back, I'm pretty happy that this film exists.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So the last documentary I reviewed was called Muscle Shoals, and it was about a bunch of people who helped shape the music industry but who go greatly unappreciated by the public at large. Today, I will be reviewing 20 Feet From Stardom, which is kind of about the same thing. Relax, though. It tells this story from a different angle and, spoilers, it's also very good.
If you happen to be one of the few people who actually watched the Oscars this past February(I was, because award show nights are some of the most entertaining nights on Twitter!), you may have seen the best part of the ceremony, where 20 Feet From Stardom won for Best Documentary. Why was it the best part? Two words - Darlene Love. Just go You Tube it. It'll be worth it. Anyway, before that night, I don't think I had even heard of this film, or if I had, it was merely in passing. That's odd for me. I love documentaries, and I love documentaries about music. So I can't believe this one slipped by me. Still, as soon as I heard of it, I added it to my Netflix queue and got down to business.
20 Feet From Stardom tells the many, many tales of the many, many background singers who have been used in the industry for decades. You know that expression about people being seen and not heard? Well, these people have been heard and not known. You won't be long into this documentary before you realize just what a shame that is. Mostly because, in some cases, the background singers are better than those in front, in the spotlight. I suppose it proves that talent is only one part of becoming successful. It's a big part, I'd like to believe, but it's not the only part.
We get a lot of great interviews in this from those singers in the back, but we also get to hear from the big name, famous artists with whom they've worked. That's good because they are the ones who seem to be the most in awe of the talent of these singers. They love them and respect them in a way that a lot of the world either doesn't or hasn't been given the chance to do so. That is why I enjoyed this movie so much. This movie is that chance being given to the world to meet these people who have done so much to build the music world.
Now, some of the singers do speak about how difficult it can be, working so closely to the spotlight but never actually getting to be in the center of it. Hence, the title. And yet, none of them seem ungrateful for the opportunities that they have been given. Sure, a lot of them would love to be as famous as the people behind whom they are singing, but, at the same time, they seem happy to be doing what they love for a living. And they love it any way it comes. If for no other reason, this is why these people should be honored and appreciated for what they do.
So, I am recommending this very highly, even if you aren't a huge music fan. But, if you are, I am recommending it even more highly. 20 Feet From Stardom was a fantastic way to let amazingly talented singers finally, FINALLY, get the recognition they deserve. As someone who notices the ones in the back, I'm pretty happy that this film exists.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Happy 20th Anniversary, Forrest Gump!
Greetings,
So, according to IMDB, which never gets anything wrong ever, today is the day that Forrest Gump was released twenty years ago. And even if that exact date is incorrect, I know for certain it was released in the summer of '94, so either way, close enough. We're doing this. As it happens, Forrest Gump is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I thought why not give it a little recognition on this special occasion.
I think that most people can agree that Forrest Gump is a film that has held up incredibly well in the years since we all first saw it. For the most part. Okay, it's obvious that, whilst we were all impressed with the CGI back in 1994, it has kind of lost it's 'wow' factor. Aside from the stuff with Lt. Dan's legs, which still looks quite believable, I am not as inclined to be convinced that Tom Hanks had conversations with long gone presidents and rock stars. But for its time, I can give it credit.
And I have also heard a lot of people say that they think a ton of the dialogue is sappy, even, dare I say it, fluffy. I suppose, in some cases, I agree. Yes, it had many, many memorable lines, but I almost felt like the writer just came up with a ton of those type of lines and then randomly stuck them into the script. Not that it didn't work out well, though. But, despite that, I think we all know that the "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get" line is total bull crap. I mean, hello! Boxes of chocolate always come with those little flavor/filling maps. I'm sure others have pointed this out, but I digress. And I certainly see what they were grabbing for there.
So what has held up about this movie? Well, I don't think anyone can deny that the acting was superb. Everyone did a fine job with this. Obviously, we got some greatness out of Tom Hanks, the man playing our titular character. I love when actors commit %100, and he certainly did here. Then, we got some good Sally Field as his loving mother, Mrs. Gump and Mykelti Williamson as greatest best friend of all time, Bubba. And, yes, I do think of him every time I eat shrimp. What about it? And then, there was Robin Wright(Penn, at the time) as Forrest's...Jenny. Yeah, I don't really know what to call her. And I may as well be honest and admit that I really am not a big fan of this character. Many people I know feel the same way. She came across as kind of not so nice a lot of the time. Of course, I try not to judge, considering what she went through as a child. I like to suppose she did love Forrest, but she just didn't know how to.
But even in amongst all of that awesomeness, let's not pretend that we don't know what the best thing about this movie is - Lieutenant Dan, played by my favorite actor in the whole, wide world, Gary Sinise. Yeah, I may have mentioned that a couple of times before. You know, to this day and as many times as I've seen this film, I am still so impressed by his performance. We all know it's not the easiest thing to play a character who is kind of a jerk but make him incredibly likable. And who doesn't like Lieutenant Dan? Only wrong people, I'm sure of it. So, I guess I don't need to say that he is my favorite character.
Okay, I'm going to wrap this thing up. I know this wasn't some detailed analysis. Just a few of my own personal thoughts. I really do love Forrest Gump, even if I nitpicked a little. Sure, maybe we don't see some of the technical things the way we once did, and maybe the effects look a tad dated, but I think that can be said of a lot of films. What's important is that, even twenty years later, the heart of it is still there. Any time you see it, you'll feel something. To me, that's what makes a great movie. If you have to stop and watch it every time you come across it during a channel surfing session, even if you only watch for a few minutes, that's a classic.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
So, according to IMDB, which never gets anything wrong ever, today is the day that Forrest Gump was released twenty years ago. And even if that exact date is incorrect, I know for certain it was released in the summer of '94, so either way, close enough. We're doing this. As it happens, Forrest Gump is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I thought why not give it a little recognition on this special occasion.
I think that most people can agree that Forrest Gump is a film that has held up incredibly well in the years since we all first saw it. For the most part. Okay, it's obvious that, whilst we were all impressed with the CGI back in 1994, it has kind of lost it's 'wow' factor. Aside from the stuff with Lt. Dan's legs, which still looks quite believable, I am not as inclined to be convinced that Tom Hanks had conversations with long gone presidents and rock stars. But for its time, I can give it credit.
And I have also heard a lot of people say that they think a ton of the dialogue is sappy, even, dare I say it, fluffy. I suppose, in some cases, I agree. Yes, it had many, many memorable lines, but I almost felt like the writer just came up with a ton of those type of lines and then randomly stuck them into the script. Not that it didn't work out well, though. But, despite that, I think we all know that the "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get" line is total bull crap. I mean, hello! Boxes of chocolate always come with those little flavor/filling maps. I'm sure others have pointed this out, but I digress. And I certainly see what they were grabbing for there.
So what has held up about this movie? Well, I don't think anyone can deny that the acting was superb. Everyone did a fine job with this. Obviously, we got some greatness out of Tom Hanks, the man playing our titular character. I love when actors commit %100, and he certainly did here. Then, we got some good Sally Field as his loving mother, Mrs. Gump and Mykelti Williamson as greatest best friend of all time, Bubba. And, yes, I do think of him every time I eat shrimp. What about it? And then, there was Robin Wright(Penn, at the time) as Forrest's...Jenny. Yeah, I don't really know what to call her. And I may as well be honest and admit that I really am not a big fan of this character. Many people I know feel the same way. She came across as kind of not so nice a lot of the time. Of course, I try not to judge, considering what she went through as a child. I like to suppose she did love Forrest, but she just didn't know how to.
But even in amongst all of that awesomeness, let's not pretend that we don't know what the best thing about this movie is - Lieutenant Dan, played by my favorite actor in the whole, wide world, Gary Sinise. Yeah, I may have mentioned that a couple of times before. You know, to this day and as many times as I've seen this film, I am still so impressed by his performance. We all know it's not the easiest thing to play a character who is kind of a jerk but make him incredibly likable. And who doesn't like Lieutenant Dan? Only wrong people, I'm sure of it. So, I guess I don't need to say that he is my favorite character.
Okay, I'm going to wrap this thing up. I know this wasn't some detailed analysis. Just a few of my own personal thoughts. I really do love Forrest Gump, even if I nitpicked a little. Sure, maybe we don't see some of the technical things the way we once did, and maybe the effects look a tad dated, but I think that can be said of a lot of films. What's important is that, even twenty years later, the heart of it is still there. Any time you see it, you'll feel something. To me, that's what makes a great movie. If you have to stop and watch it every time you come across it during a channel surfing session, even if you only watch for a few minutes, that's a classic.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, June 30, 2014
Top Ten Vincent D'Onofrio Movies
Greetings,
I seriously cannot believe it has taken me so long to do this, but I am finally doing my Top Ten list of Vincent D'Onofrio movies. Why today? Well, if you believe everything you read on the internet, and I do, today is his birthday. Since I'm broke and I don't actually know him, we'll call this a gift. Oh, I guess, after that, I should probably say that I will be giving a few movie spoilers in this list. Yes, I'm going to be nice today and tell you that.
Anyway, if you have read this blog before, you may have noticed that I have a great love for Mr. D'Onofrio. I have mentioned him a few times here. I mean, for crying out loud, I did a post search and saw that his name came up in about ten other things I've written, and only two of those actually were specifically related to him. And if you've read my first published book, you'll know that I dedicated it to him. That may seem like a weird thing for me to do, and it probably is, but there's a decent explanation for it. And I will give it somewhere within this blog post. So, anyway, I enjoy this man. I suppose that makes it even stranger that I haven't done this yet, but today seems like as good of a day as any.
I don't want to waste too much time here, but I have to say this was one of the more difficult lists I've had to do. Vincent D'Onofrio has been in a lot of films, and even if said films weren't always overwhelmingly good, he tended to be the bright spot in them. Also, much like what I said about my beloved Gary Sinise, he is not usually the main star in many of his movies. He has been that, but he generally as a supporter or part of an ensemble. Funny thing is, even in those cases, it is not an odd occurrence if he ends up stealing the show. But I think that's how he is. He doesn't have to be the star. He just wants to be a part of something good. Well, that would be a win on his part. Still, to make things a bit easier for myself, I excluded anything where he has less than, let's say, twenty minutes on screen. I know, I know. But here are a few quick words about those. In Adventures in Babysitting, he was a better Thor than Chris Hemsworth, and, in Ed Wood, he was a better Orson Welles than...Orson Welles. Okay, that might be pushing it. But I thought I'd narrow this down. So, let's get down to business. Here are my Top Ten Vincent D'Onofrio movies.
Honorable Mention: Yeah, I'm doing one of these again. This little award is going to The Cell. Now, admittedly this movie has a few flaws, but Vincent's performance was so great, I had to give it a bit of a shout out. He's does a pretty amazing job of playing Carl, a serial killer with a tragic past and some hobbies that are, in the words of the Nostalgia Critic..."specific". Usually, the whole villain and victim thing being meshed together doesn't work for me, but it does here. Also, hats off to him for dealing with all the over the top costumes and make-up for this thing. I admire the patience.
And now for the actual list.
#10. Sherlock: Case of Evil - This film was made in 2002, long before the craze caused by the Robert Downey, Jr. movies and the BBC Sherlock show and the far superior to either of those in my opinion, Elementary. So, sadly, I think it came and went relatively unnoticed. And that's not good at all. Now, normally, when the name Sherlock Holmes comes up in association with Vincent D'Onofrio, it's in regards to his Law and Order: Criminal Intent character, Detective Robert Goren, with good reason. Much like Holmes, he has somewhat adopted the "I love puzzles, but not so much people" philosophy of life. But here, he is not playing Sherlock. He's playing Moriarty! What?! That's right. He went to the other side on this one. Well, he is very good at playing bad guys and smart guys. Why not put the two together?
#9. Full Metal Jacket - I cannot be the only person who has watched this movie all the way through only once, and, with all subsequent viewings, stops after about 47 minutes, because...you know...the thing happens. Okay, maybe I just do that sometimes. Look, let's be honest. Everyone says that the best part of this movie is the first half, specifically all the parts with D'Onofrio. And I have met more than a few women who kinda sorta started to crush on him here. It's the woobie thing. You spend the whole time either wanting to give him a hug or beat the crap out of the guys who were picking on him. Or was that just me?
#8. The Narrows - I love a story about someone trying to get out of where they are, and this is about a young man trying to do just that. Vincent does not play the young man, as that role went to Kevin Zegers, but he does play the young man's father. Nice. Besides the obvious fantastic acting, this film also has some really great dialogue in it. I know. What a shock that I noticed that. There's also a mob thing going on within the plot. That's always good. Well, maybe not always, but certainly usually. In fact, unless my memory is playing a really wacky trick on me, I think there's an interview with Vincent on the DVD where he talks about his family being from New York...and Italian...but totally not in the mob. Well...Amen? Ya know, I really hope I didn't make that interview up in my head. I mean, I'm good, but I'm not that good.
#7. The Newton Boys - I can't be certain, but I think this is where the bromance of Vincent D'Onofrio and Ethan Hawke began. Sorry, I don't mean to undermine the great friendship that these two guys have. Anyway, it was their first movie together, as far as I know, but not their last. This is about the Newton Gang, a band of bank robbing brothers, and not only do we get Vincent and Ethan here, but also Skeet Ulrich and Matthew McConaughey. Yeah, good times, indeed. Now, I do like a good Western-type film every now and then, but the reason I really like this one is that it's a lot of fun. Sometimes that's all I need, to just sit there and be entertained. This movie takes care of that quite well.
#6. Staten Island - Again, we're getting Vincent D'Onofrio and Ethan Hawke doing some acting together. Here, D'Onofrio plays a mob boss, and he is very, very funny. I'm not kidding. I mean, it's been a while since I've seen this, and I know it's not a comedy, but, come on. He basically lives up in a tree for a good chunk of time. Shoot as many guns as you want, but that scenario can't not be funny. I think this movie did not get super great reviews, but I was so incredibly entertained by his performance that I could watch this several times. And, for a guy who tends to play darker characters, it was refreshing to see him being so humorous at the same time. He really needs to do more funny.
#5. Men in Black - Speaking of funny, 'My name is Vincent D'Onofrio, and I've been possessed by an alien bug!'. So, if we set aside Will Smith and Will Smith's song, I think that D'Onforio is the most memorable thing about this movie for a lot of people. In this role of Edgar the Alien Bug Man, he does not hold back at all. With the skills of a lesser actor, this part could have gone into silly territory, but with Vincent, he commits 100%. So, we get this weird character that's funny and disgusting and over the top and just plain insane. And it's amazing. It has to be hard to steal the spotlight from Will Smith in his own movie, but I think that's kind of what happened here.
#4. Steal This Movie - And now speaking of stealing and movies...Biopics can go either way, more than any other kind of film, I think. In Steal This Movie, Vincent plays Abbie Hoffman. When I said these things can go either way, I mean that this very easily could have become a caricature, since Abbie Hoffman was quite distinct in the way he talked and acted. But it was not just an impersonation being done here. Vincent really captures how this man was and how he behaved. And as I am quite shocked that he has never received an Oscar nomination, I think I'm most shocked that he didn't get one for this. Oh, also, if you get this on DVD, watch it, and then watch it with the commentary. Because said commentary is glorious.
#3. That Championship Season - Okay, I talked about this film before when it made my Gary Sinise list, so as to not be repetitive, I'll be brief. Now, this is technically a TV movie, but I don't care. It's so good I have to include it. The story is about four guys, who used to play basketball in high school, getting together with their coach after several years. May not seem like much, but it is. It was based on a play, and it really has the feel of one, since most of this is just five guys talking in a room. Sounds simple, maybe that's the point, but between the great writing and the superb acting of Vincent and the rest of the cast, it's actually incredible.
#2. Chelsea Walls - And in our final installment of the D'Onofrio/Hawke Show (OMG, somebody call the Bravo network NOW!), we have this fine film. Okay, for this one, Vincent does the acting and Ethan does the directing. It was actually his directorial debut. Chelsea Walls is about a bunch of artists living in the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York City. Why artists? Well, because, obviously, they are the only people allowed to live in the Chelsea Hotel. Seriously, I don't even think they do credit checks; they just look at your portfolio. Anyway, this is another ensemble piece, and it's an amazing ensemble at that. Vincent is joined by Natasha Richardson, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Sean Leonard and Rosario Dawson, just to name a few. Also, Uma Thurman, because she may have known the director at the time. Kidding. She's fantastic in this, too. Again, this film wasn't exactly a huge hit, but I kind of understand that. It's different. It's very subtle and character driven, which is not always popular. I don't think this is something that everyone is going to be able to appreciate fully. I do, but I'm also an artist. And artists like to watch things about artists. Because we're all kind of narcissistic, in a way. We like to watch each other fail and triumph and live, just because. So, if you're into that, definitely check this one out.
#1. The Whole Wide World - The very first review I did on my blog was of this movie. I don't think I can give it any more praise than I did there, and I gave it a lot. Now, I don't want to repeat that entire review, so go back and read it, at some point, to get the whole story. I'll put a link down below, alright? As for now, I'll just say a few words. This film is absolutely brilliant. It's captivating and funny and heartbreaking. It's pretty much Vincent D'Onofrio at his very best. Oh, and since I got the title of my first book from a line he said in this film, that's why I dedicated it to him. Because why not?
So, there is my list. Sorry if I left off your favorites, but, like I mentioned, this was really hard. I've said this so many times, but it's worth being said again. I am such a huge admirer of Vincent D'Onofrio. He has made me laugh and cry and maybe even terrified me sometimes. I think he is one of the few true artists left in the entertainment industry, and, honestly, he is one of the people who makes me extremely honored to be an artist as well. I'm very grateful to him for that. So, I guess the only thing left for me to say is "Happy Birthday, Vincent D'Onofrio...if, by some miracle, you are reading this!" Here's hoping.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Link to my The Whole Wide World review: blogspot
I seriously cannot believe it has taken me so long to do this, but I am finally doing my Top Ten list of Vincent D'Onofrio movies. Why today? Well, if you believe everything you read on the internet, and I do, today is his birthday. Since I'm broke and I don't actually know him, we'll call this a gift. Oh, I guess, after that, I should probably say that I will be giving a few movie spoilers in this list. Yes, I'm going to be nice today and tell you that.
Anyway, if you have read this blog before, you may have noticed that I have a great love for Mr. D'Onofrio. I have mentioned him a few times here. I mean, for crying out loud, I did a post search and saw that his name came up in about ten other things I've written, and only two of those actually were specifically related to him. And if you've read my first published book, you'll know that I dedicated it to him. That may seem like a weird thing for me to do, and it probably is, but there's a decent explanation for it. And I will give it somewhere within this blog post. So, anyway, I enjoy this man. I suppose that makes it even stranger that I haven't done this yet, but today seems like as good of a day as any.
I don't want to waste too much time here, but I have to say this was one of the more difficult lists I've had to do. Vincent D'Onofrio has been in a lot of films, and even if said films weren't always overwhelmingly good, he tended to be the bright spot in them. Also, much like what I said about my beloved Gary Sinise, he is not usually the main star in many of his movies. He has been that, but he generally as a supporter or part of an ensemble. Funny thing is, even in those cases, it is not an odd occurrence if he ends up stealing the show. But I think that's how he is. He doesn't have to be the star. He just wants to be a part of something good. Well, that would be a win on his part. Still, to make things a bit easier for myself, I excluded anything where he has less than, let's say, twenty minutes on screen. I know, I know. But here are a few quick words about those. In Adventures in Babysitting, he was a better Thor than Chris Hemsworth, and, in Ed Wood, he was a better Orson Welles than...Orson Welles. Okay, that might be pushing it. But I thought I'd narrow this down. So, let's get down to business. Here are my Top Ten Vincent D'Onofrio movies.
Honorable Mention: Yeah, I'm doing one of these again. This little award is going to The Cell. Now, admittedly this movie has a few flaws, but Vincent's performance was so great, I had to give it a bit of a shout out. He's does a pretty amazing job of playing Carl, a serial killer with a tragic past and some hobbies that are, in the words of the Nostalgia Critic..."specific". Usually, the whole villain and victim thing being meshed together doesn't work for me, but it does here. Also, hats off to him for dealing with all the over the top costumes and make-up for this thing. I admire the patience.
And now for the actual list.
#10. Sherlock: Case of Evil - This film was made in 2002, long before the craze caused by the Robert Downey, Jr. movies and the BBC Sherlock show and the far superior to either of those in my opinion, Elementary. So, sadly, I think it came and went relatively unnoticed. And that's not good at all. Now, normally, when the name Sherlock Holmes comes up in association with Vincent D'Onofrio, it's in regards to his Law and Order: Criminal Intent character, Detective Robert Goren, with good reason. Much like Holmes, he has somewhat adopted the "I love puzzles, but not so much people" philosophy of life. But here, he is not playing Sherlock. He's playing Moriarty! What?! That's right. He went to the other side on this one. Well, he is very good at playing bad guys and smart guys. Why not put the two together?
#9. Full Metal Jacket - I cannot be the only person who has watched this movie all the way through only once, and, with all subsequent viewings, stops after about 47 minutes, because...you know...the thing happens. Okay, maybe I just do that sometimes. Look, let's be honest. Everyone says that the best part of this movie is the first half, specifically all the parts with D'Onofrio. And I have met more than a few women who kinda sorta started to crush on him here. It's the woobie thing. You spend the whole time either wanting to give him a hug or beat the crap out of the guys who were picking on him. Or was that just me?
#8. The Narrows - I love a story about someone trying to get out of where they are, and this is about a young man trying to do just that. Vincent does not play the young man, as that role went to Kevin Zegers, but he does play the young man's father. Nice. Besides the obvious fantastic acting, this film also has some really great dialogue in it. I know. What a shock that I noticed that. There's also a mob thing going on within the plot. That's always good. Well, maybe not always, but certainly usually. In fact, unless my memory is playing a really wacky trick on me, I think there's an interview with Vincent on the DVD where he talks about his family being from New York...and Italian...but totally not in the mob. Well...Amen? Ya know, I really hope I didn't make that interview up in my head. I mean, I'm good, but I'm not that good.
#7. The Newton Boys - I can't be certain, but I think this is where the bromance of Vincent D'Onofrio and Ethan Hawke began. Sorry, I don't mean to undermine the great friendship that these two guys have. Anyway, it was their first movie together, as far as I know, but not their last. This is about the Newton Gang, a band of bank robbing brothers, and not only do we get Vincent and Ethan here, but also Skeet Ulrich and Matthew McConaughey. Yeah, good times, indeed. Now, I do like a good Western-type film every now and then, but the reason I really like this one is that it's a lot of fun. Sometimes that's all I need, to just sit there and be entertained. This movie takes care of that quite well.
#6. Staten Island - Again, we're getting Vincent D'Onofrio and Ethan Hawke doing some acting together. Here, D'Onofrio plays a mob boss, and he is very, very funny. I'm not kidding. I mean, it's been a while since I've seen this, and I know it's not a comedy, but, come on. He basically lives up in a tree for a good chunk of time. Shoot as many guns as you want, but that scenario can't not be funny. I think this movie did not get super great reviews, but I was so incredibly entertained by his performance that I could watch this several times. And, for a guy who tends to play darker characters, it was refreshing to see him being so humorous at the same time. He really needs to do more funny.
#5. Men in Black - Speaking of funny, 'My name is Vincent D'Onofrio, and I've been possessed by an alien bug!'. So, if we set aside Will Smith and Will Smith's song, I think that D'Onforio is the most memorable thing about this movie for a lot of people. In this role of Edgar the Alien Bug Man, he does not hold back at all. With the skills of a lesser actor, this part could have gone into silly territory, but with Vincent, he commits 100%. So, we get this weird character that's funny and disgusting and over the top and just plain insane. And it's amazing. It has to be hard to steal the spotlight from Will Smith in his own movie, but I think that's kind of what happened here.
#4. Steal This Movie - And now speaking of stealing and movies...Biopics can go either way, more than any other kind of film, I think. In Steal This Movie, Vincent plays Abbie Hoffman. When I said these things can go either way, I mean that this very easily could have become a caricature, since Abbie Hoffman was quite distinct in the way he talked and acted. But it was not just an impersonation being done here. Vincent really captures how this man was and how he behaved. And as I am quite shocked that he has never received an Oscar nomination, I think I'm most shocked that he didn't get one for this. Oh, also, if you get this on DVD, watch it, and then watch it with the commentary. Because said commentary is glorious.
#3. That Championship Season - Okay, I talked about this film before when it made my Gary Sinise list, so as to not be repetitive, I'll be brief. Now, this is technically a TV movie, but I don't care. It's so good I have to include it. The story is about four guys, who used to play basketball in high school, getting together with their coach after several years. May not seem like much, but it is. It was based on a play, and it really has the feel of one, since most of this is just five guys talking in a room. Sounds simple, maybe that's the point, but between the great writing and the superb acting of Vincent and the rest of the cast, it's actually incredible.
#2. Chelsea Walls - And in our final installment of the D'Onofrio/Hawke Show (OMG, somebody call the Bravo network NOW!), we have this fine film. Okay, for this one, Vincent does the acting and Ethan does the directing. It was actually his directorial debut. Chelsea Walls is about a bunch of artists living in the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York City. Why artists? Well, because, obviously, they are the only people allowed to live in the Chelsea Hotel. Seriously, I don't even think they do credit checks; they just look at your portfolio. Anyway, this is another ensemble piece, and it's an amazing ensemble at that. Vincent is joined by Natasha Richardson, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Sean Leonard and Rosario Dawson, just to name a few. Also, Uma Thurman, because she may have known the director at the time. Kidding. She's fantastic in this, too. Again, this film wasn't exactly a huge hit, but I kind of understand that. It's different. It's very subtle and character driven, which is not always popular. I don't think this is something that everyone is going to be able to appreciate fully. I do, but I'm also an artist. And artists like to watch things about artists. Because we're all kind of narcissistic, in a way. We like to watch each other fail and triumph and live, just because. So, if you're into that, definitely check this one out.
#1. The Whole Wide World - The very first review I did on my blog was of this movie. I don't think I can give it any more praise than I did there, and I gave it a lot. Now, I don't want to repeat that entire review, so go back and read it, at some point, to get the whole story. I'll put a link down below, alright? As for now, I'll just say a few words. This film is absolutely brilliant. It's captivating and funny and heartbreaking. It's pretty much Vincent D'Onofrio at his very best. Oh, and since I got the title of my first book from a line he said in this film, that's why I dedicated it to him. Because why not?
So, there is my list. Sorry if I left off your favorites, but, like I mentioned, this was really hard. I've said this so many times, but it's worth being said again. I am such a huge admirer of Vincent D'Onofrio. He has made me laugh and cry and maybe even terrified me sometimes. I think he is one of the few true artists left in the entertainment industry, and, honestly, he is one of the people who makes me extremely honored to be an artist as well. I'm very grateful to him for that. So, I guess the only thing left for me to say is "Happy Birthday, Vincent D'Onofrio...if, by some miracle, you are reading this!" Here's hoping.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Link to my The Whole Wide World review: blogspot
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