Finished this teleplay by John Ridley for the new HBO show based on the life of Mike Tyson.
I liked it. It's gritty. You can see the rage in the lead character. Coming from a highly-dysfunctional home, growing up on the streets, hustling to make money. It's edgy, it's real.
However, is it entertaining enough to make you want to tune in each week? If it's going to concentrate on the rise of this troubled youth to heavyweight champion of the world then yes, it's entertaining. If it's just going to stay in this period of time where the young Mike Tyson is a street thug with a powerful punch then no, it cannot sustain an audience.
It'll have the same problem that HBO's HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA has. Poverty isn't entertainment. Lowlife, street-level living is gritty for a film but the subject matter is a turn-off for a weekly series. No one wants to spend a lot of time there. ENTOURAGE works because we all want to live the high-life. No one wants to see the gutter.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
UNFORGETTABLE
Before, an interesting hook like this would've been ripe for a feature. Woman can remember anything. Nowadays, it's a television series. The hook elevates it a cut above CBS' normal procedurals. Strong performances by Dylan Walsh and Poppy Montgomery make this episode a winner. We'll see how far this hook can take the series though. Can you go five years without having the lead remember? Or, if she remembers one clue at a time, how long can you string it out?
Having the lead remember the smallest details of events can quickly grow old. The writers have their work cut out for them to keep this concept fresh. Poppy's able to quickly get the audience on her side though. She conveys vulnerablility effortlessly. I'm willing to follow her...at least for a couple more weeks.
Having the lead remember the smallest details of events can quickly grow old. The writers have their work cut out for them to keep this concept fresh. Poppy's able to quickly get the audience on her side though. She conveys vulnerablility effortlessly. I'm willing to follow her...at least for a couple more weeks.
THE LEDGE
Movie that promotes atheism written and directed by Matthew Chapman. Talk about having a difficult time trying to find an audience. I read an article that stated 33% of Americans would have a hard time supporting a gay candidate while a whopping 61% of Americans would have a hard time supporting a candidate that does not believe in God.
I like Charlie Hunnam in SONS OF ANARCHY and have felt that he's too big for the small screen. He's got this smoldering presence about him. However, after watching this movie, I've changed my mind. There's nothing special about his performance. He doesn't burn with intensity the way I thought he would. Now, it could be the role or the director but still, I thought he would make a bigger splash in a lead role.
Terrance Howard and Patrick Wilson are always spot on in their performances but here, they just seem to be going through the steps. This must be the fault of Matthew Chapman's direction. There doesn't seem to be any passion in their acting. Heck, look at Liv Tyler - she's so subdued here, she barely registers.
Story might've worked on the page but probably would've been better suited on stage than on screen. Or, a better director might have been able to bring the pages to life on screen. Like Matthew Chapman as a writer however.
I like Charlie Hunnam in SONS OF ANARCHY and have felt that he's too big for the small screen. He's got this smoldering presence about him. However, after watching this movie, I've changed my mind. There's nothing special about his performance. He doesn't burn with intensity the way I thought he would. Now, it could be the role or the director but still, I thought he would make a bigger splash in a lead role.
Terrance Howard and Patrick Wilson are always spot on in their performances but here, they just seem to be going through the steps. This must be the fault of Matthew Chapman's direction. There doesn't seem to be any passion in their acting. Heck, look at Liv Tyler - she's so subdued here, she barely registers.
Story might've worked on the page but probably would've been better suited on stage than on screen. Or, a better director might have been able to bring the pages to life on screen. Like Matthew Chapman as a writer however.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
A GIFTED MAN
Caught this CBS pilot from Susannah Grant. Jonathan Demme directed the episode. With two giants like this behind the wheel, I expected a show a cut above the normal CSB fare and the duo do not disappoint.
Maybe Patrick Wilson wasn't big enough for the silver screen but he fits perfectly here. He instantly makes you believe everything that's happening.
Well-acted. The problem is, the medical cases presented are blah. Especially when compared to HOUSE or GREY'S ANATOMY or PRIVATE PRACTICE. However, that's not this show's intent. This show is about a character. A heartless doctor that's going to undergo a transformation courtesy of his dead wife's ghost.
That premise can grow old in a hurry though. I don't care how well-acted it is. We'll have to see how this plot thickens. I think it's going to have a hard time holding an audience.
Maybe Patrick Wilson wasn't big enough for the silver screen but he fits perfectly here. He instantly makes you believe everything that's happening.
Well-acted. The problem is, the medical cases presented are blah. Especially when compared to HOUSE or GREY'S ANATOMY or PRIVATE PRACTICE. However, that's not this show's intent. This show is about a character. A heartless doctor that's going to undergo a transformation courtesy of his dead wife's ghost.
That premise can grow old in a hurry though. I don't care how well-acted it is. We'll have to see how this plot thickens. I think it's going to have a hard time holding an audience.
CHARLIE'S ANGELS
This reboot should get booted fast. The problem is the casting. Annie Illonzeh is terrible. She's definitely not angel material. I thought Minka Kelly was good in PARENTHOOD but she's out of her league here. She can't handle action scenes and doesn't deliver her lines with any conviction. Ramon Rodriguez as Bosley is the worst choice of all.
You cannot slap a familiar title on screen and expect us to tune in week after week. You've got to update the show by making it more tech-savvy, more international, more edgier. Instead, they give us a plot that could've been taken directly from the 70's version of this show.
The action is terrible. The dialogue is sloppy instead of snappy. And the angels aren't hot enough.
Unwatchable.
You cannot slap a familiar title on screen and expect us to tune in week after week. You've got to update the show by making it more tech-savvy, more international, more edgier. Instead, they give us a plot that could've been taken directly from the 70's version of this show.
The action is terrible. The dialogue is sloppy instead of snappy. And the angels aren't hot enough.
Unwatchable.
HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN
Caught the pilot of this new CBS comedic series.
The problem is with the lead, David Hornsby. He's not strong enough to carry the show he's created. He should've stayed on the sidelines and maybe pop up as a supportinig character the way he does on IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA. It's a shame too because Kevin Dillon, Rhys Darby, Mary Lynn Rajskub all do a good job bringing the laughs.
I expected more out of the IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA group. I thought they would've tackled network tv and turned it upsidedown. Instead, they've produced a standard, run-of-the-mill show without any innovations.
Show won't be around long.
The problem is with the lead, David Hornsby. He's not strong enough to carry the show he's created. He should've stayed on the sidelines and maybe pop up as a supportinig character the way he does on IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA. It's a shame too because Kevin Dillon, Rhys Darby, Mary Lynn Rajskub all do a good job bringing the laughs.
I expected more out of the IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA group. I thought they would've tackled network tv and turned it upsidedown. Instead, they've produced a standard, run-of-the-mill show without any innovations.
Show won't be around long.
TRUE BLOOD - Season 4
One of the few shows that has gotten better each season. However, I didn't like the first few seasons so that's not really saying much.
Season 4 starts off with a bang as we dwell in fairie-land and come to realize the fairies are not what they seem. That was visually compelling. As the season unfolds, I love the fact that they introduced witches, brujos, ancient dolls, skinwalkers and were-panthers. Examining the myths different cultures and meshing them all together is brilliant.
The problem is, the plotlines start off with a bang but the resolutions are always a letdown. Jason simply doesn't turn into a were-panther. The reincarnated-murderer's spirit in the baby turns out to be a trapped soul needing closure. Sam's deranged brother who raises all kinds of Hell and causes so much trouble for Sam simply gets the shit kicked out of him and dies. Sookie's fairy-godmother (whose intentions we are never quite sure of) simply gets killed by a vampire. It goes on and on.
By ending the plots with whimpering resolutions, the episodes fail to build upon one another and never pick up steam. The showdown between the witches circle and the vampires is a great example of this. The set-up is great with fireworks promised and then all we get is a firecracker instead of a blowout.
Season 5 needs better writers.
Season 4 starts off with a bang as we dwell in fairie-land and come to realize the fairies are not what they seem. That was visually compelling. As the season unfolds, I love the fact that they introduced witches, brujos, ancient dolls, skinwalkers and were-panthers. Examining the myths different cultures and meshing them all together is brilliant.
The problem is, the plotlines start off with a bang but the resolutions are always a letdown. Jason simply doesn't turn into a were-panther. The reincarnated-murderer's spirit in the baby turns out to be a trapped soul needing closure. Sam's deranged brother who raises all kinds of Hell and causes so much trouble for Sam simply gets the shit kicked out of him and dies. Sookie's fairy-godmother (whose intentions we are never quite sure of) simply gets killed by a vampire. It goes on and on.
By ending the plots with whimpering resolutions, the episodes fail to build upon one another and never pick up steam. The showdown between the witches circle and the vampires is a great example of this. The set-up is great with fireworks promised and then all we get is a firecracker instead of a blowout.
Season 5 needs better writers.
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