Well, dear readers, our New York adventure was a lot of fun and definitely a learning experience. I was so happy to see some folks I haven’t seen in way too long and the shows went very well. I had exactly one hour of sleep before having to get ready to be on my way to the airport. We got there in thirty minutes, I was told I was security approved and therefore I didn’t have to remove my shoes or anything, didn’t have to take out the toiletries – that was a first. I gather it’s a random thing, but I liked getting through there with so little effort. Then we boarded the plane about ten minutes late, but did take off on time. It was almost a six hour flight, but I dozed off for about thirty minutes, otherwise just played on my laptop and iPad until we finally arrived back home.
I got to the home environment about ten-thirty, went through all the mail and packages, was delighted to see that the very first of the DGA screeners had arrived, happy to get a tiny royalty check for The Faculty, and threw away a lot of junk mail. Then I unpacked, had some telephonic conversations, answered a backlog of e-mails, and then finally went and had a chicken salad sandwich and no fries or onion rings. Then I picked up a couple of packages and came back home. I did more work on the computer, but I was just way too exhausted to think clearly, frankly, or to think frankly, clearly. I did get Sandy’s new album up on Amazon, and we also got the news that we’ve been nominated for two Broadway World Awards in LA – Sandy Bainum is up for best female cabaret artist for the show Simply, which I put together and directed for her. And the Kritzerland shows are up for best special theatre event. So, if you feel like it, go to Broadway World, find the LA nominations and vote like crazy for us – yes, it’s a total popularity contest – whoever has the most people vote for them wins. Here is the direct link to the awards. Just register and voting takes about two minutes. Again, our categories are Best Female Cabaret Performer and Best Special Theatre Event.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/vote2014region.cfm
Then I relaxed a bit and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched the first of the DGA screeners, a film entitled The Judge, starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Robert Duvall. It’s one of those calculated Oscar bait films with juicy roles for its two stars and they do just what you’d suspect they’d do. They ACT. There is not one beat, one moment of the screenplay that isn’t a cliché and that hasn’t been done in countless other films. There is not one shot or camera move that isn’t derivative of a hundred other films – for me, it was not directed well at all. The music is exactly what you’d expect – little tinkly piano chords over sustained strings, with an occasional completely nauseating song interrupting things and trying to make us feel something. To show you where these writers and this director are coming from, the film opens with Mr. Downey urinating on someone in a bathroom, and then we get not one, not two, not three, but four or five vomit scenes, and one completely disgusting scene with Mr. Duvall that has to be seen to be believed. Somehow the movies got along just fine for many, many decades without having to shove our noses in “realism”. And to top it off – two hours and twenty minutes. For me, a complete bust in just about every way.
After that, I took a hot shower, and then decided to write these here notes and schedule them to post at midnight so I could just go to bed.
Tomorrow, I’ll hopefully arise after a really good night’s beauty sleep. Then I have a lot of errands and whatnot to do, some banking to do, hopefully I’ll pick up some packages, I’ll eat, I have to give notes on the Indiegogo listing and video so those can be finalized and we can begin our campaign, and then I’m sure I’ll relax and watch a motion picture of some sort.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals, going and doing, and prepping the holiday show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do errands and whatnot, bank, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, give notes and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite film performances of Robert Duvall? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I shall hopefully feel less exhausted – but I am happy to be home.