BioPics and Depictions of Real-Life Events

My Pinterest Board for Movies Based on Real People

My Pinterest board for movies and TV based on WWII

World War II Film and Television

My Pinterest Movie Board

Check out even more cool movies, TV, and animation by checking 
out my Pinterest account!

Kerosene: Girl is on Fire

Hot Picks: MADE IN DAGENHAM

The Grande Dame, Jeanne Cooper

She was a consummate actress and professional,

a stalwart presence and striking energy for

daytime viewers for almost four decades!

Her commanding delivery and offscreen

firecracker personality made her highly

popular and found her a place in the hearts

of millions of viewers.

Jeanne died Wednesday at age 84.

Thanks to a true bright light for all the many

memories and inspiration.

***

"Call Me Crazy: A Five Film" (event)

If you haven't been watching, Lifetime has a tremendous series of

shorts entitled "CALL ME CRAZY: A FIVE FILM."

The films sport an incredible cast of actresses and directors,

including Ashley Judd, Laura Dern, Jennifer Hudson,

Jennifer Aniston, Brittany Snow, Octavia Spencer,

and many more!

The five short films deal with a range

of different mental health issues through

a single different woman's personal

journey and struggle.

The project was designed to elucidate what

it is to have mental illness (and to deal with a

loved one who has it,) and is designed to erase the

stigma--to start dialogue and healing.

For a more detailed look at the films, the actresses,

and  to get show times for the next movies, check out

"Call Me Crazy" website

***

WTF!?!? A Bomb didn't hit the TV station, did it?

Look, my week has been pretty shitty, and the

last thing I like to do at the end of a difficult day

is dwell on Real World problems and upset.

I like to Veg-out. I like to get lost in fantasy.

I like to drop out for a while so my mind can numb.

Now, granted, my week hasn't been 'lose-an-arm in a bomb'

bad or 'face-full-of-shrapnel' bad, but it's not a fucking

contest and my stress needs dealing with, so...

I was more than a tad annoyed when I tuned in to see

"Revolution" Monday night, only to find it preempted by

more NBC News lack-of-coverage and anything-but-fact-finding.

(Don't get me started on non-stop space-filler 'coverage' of

tragedies where inanities abound. And yes, I was hoping to

escape real-life strife by watching fictional strife; sue me!)

So I heard there was a great ep of "Independent Lens" featuring

the history of Wonder Woman on instead! Eureka!

A solution! I haven't been abandoned by the TV goddesses!

Helllllllll to the No!

They aired (locally, at least) a god-damned episode

about Fort Lauderdale and the history of tarpon fishing!
(Or something to that effect; I was so upset about the

pre-empting, I didn't linger to get the whole scoop!)

All I know is, that by tonight, I better have

some fricking "Happy Endings" on the tube, or there

may be some more upset on the streets soon enough!

Dammit--I ask for so very little!
How much endless cycling or horrible images do

people really need, anyway!!??

Just Sayin'



"Ummm.....it's The Apocalypse, girlfriend...

You gots to learn to fucking MULTI-TASK!!!"

-Georgia Unity



A Favorite Uncle Passes

My first memories of the 'Dynamic Duo' of Roger & Gene

must have been from about age 12 or 13. I was a hopeless

insomniac, and would watch the overnight syndicated TV shows

as one of my means of getting through the night.

And there it would be, their movie review show, with

witty yet venomous banter, intelligent speaking on the

art and history of cinema, and I was mesmerized.

I knew I was into movies as an escapist forum, but

I was only just coming to understand my love for

the knowledge of actors, directors, nuances, and so forth.

Certainly I had no one to help cultivate such interests in

Southern Podunkia, and now I had found an outlet and

an inspiration for truly experiencing film.

I was exposed to so many ideas and textures, indeed

exposed to films themselves. I was so excited by footage of

the 1986 French film, "Summer"/"The Green Ray" (Le Rayon Vert,)

that I sought out a special Saturday morning foreign film showing

in Tampa--my first foreign film, I'm sure--and was mesmerized!

Film became not just an isolated experience, but a trip into

the larger world.

On a family outing in Daytona Beach, while everyone else was

gung-ho for watching some stock racing one night, I slipped

away to a theatre I had spied with a showing of "Shy People"

(an incredible movie with Jill Clayburgh, Barbara Hershey,

and Martha Plimpton) at the age of 17, knowing where

my true heart was to be found. It was amazing, and I had been

introduced to the film by an episode of  "At The Movies."

I learned whose opinion jived with mine and whose was

the polar opposite, and either way I was able to accurately

determine which movies to avoid or rush to probably 95%

of the time. For a long time, Roger's outlook nearly identically

mirrored my own, until he seemed to swing in a different

direction. And still I enjoyed his evaluations!

But the idea of having the input, the familiarity, the connection

of these two film aficionados and critics to turn to on a

regular basis was a large part of my life, and I will always

appreciate the impact these two gents had.

Thanks for the education and the memories, Roger...

I'll see you at the movies.

The Seventh Sign (1988)

"The Seventh Sign" trailer

***

"Jesus of Montreal" full movie

"Jesus of Montreal" full movie

***

TV Favorites, Episode 3

If you're not already watching, check out these great shows on

netflix, hulu, or the shows'/networks' websites to catch up with

older episodes.

***

The Walking Dead: Pisses and Moans

Michonne (Danai Gurira) was brilliant as always,

but...Thank Goodness we got to see more of the Real Deal!

She holds it in when Rick the Dick starts his posturing

and pissing contest early on, and simply maintains herself.

After saving his bone-head life, (and later the twerp's

too,) she still gets hassled, but stays the course.

Hell yeah she's gonna eat the food of your equally-

crazy friend! The mat did in fact say "Welcome!"

(Yeah, ya let somebody else down Rick, ya self-

absorbed control freak!)

Go sweat yourself, high-and-mighty narcissist nut-job Rick;

my girl side-stepped your baloney like a pro.

And finally, someone tells that kid to get off too!
"Cut the bullshit!"

I just felt bad for that hitchhiker, but I guess we

needed yet another guidepost as to how far down

our protagonists have been taken by their

ordeal. Survival's a bitch. Trust, a luxury.

***

Bragging Rites

Better Late Than Never...

both for his recognition by the Academy

(more or less) and my

giving a nod of approval to my honorary

husband, Ben Affleck.

And damn if that beard doesn't look goooood!

***

Monday Night Suspense-Fest

In what could otherwise easily be referred to as

one of the most atrocious nights of the week in

terms of broadcast television, Monday

nights have been rocking lately thanks to

two new entries in the suspense/drama category.

"The Following" (FOX, 9 p.m. EST)

followed by "Deception" (NBC, 10 p.m. EST)

are great addictive TV, replete with sprawling

quality casts, intricate pot-burner mysteries,

and fast-paced story lines that keep you hooked tight.

If you've taken up knitting on Monday nights,

check out these hot new series today!

***

30 Rock finale

The '30 rock' cast and crew

Well, after last season's Desperate Housewives finale, I learned to

bag expectations for final episodes. Fortunately that's how I went into

the final '30 rock' the other week.



The entire cast was superb as always, but it was a very lackluster effort

overall (the script) as it just seemed to meander. There were cute bits,

and it wasn't horrible, but let me just say this; Jane Krakowski saved it

from being a greater loss with her "Rrrr-Jrr" ("Rural Juror") performance

which had me splitting my seams.



The significance? Well, maybe you had to be there. Be there for the last

several years, to be in on the joke. But stunning, still--and it was a fun ride.

"Law & Order: SVU" is Red-Hot

SPOILER ALERT:
Discusses plot elements from the

February 6th show.

***

Another great episode of Law &Order SVU this last week! (Man this

season is shaping up into one of their best!)

Mike Tyson was great as an adult survivor, and it's always nice to

see (you know what I mean) the end run of childhood abuse, all

those many years later played out. The story was well-crafted and

reliably intricate. Ed Asner had a tremendous role as well, definitely

a turn for him.

But back to Tyson; I was really shocked that he would take such a role,

and it's so important. Not just because male survivors have it so tough

but also because black men in particular have such a burden with

bearing things silently.

And anytime the Injustice System gets put on trial, it's a good day.

Another job well done, all the way around.

***

2013 Oscar Noms: Silver Linings, Life of Pi, Zero Dark...Oh MY!

Still a ways off until the 85th annual Academy Awards ceremony,

and I'm mixed about the rather strange choice of host (Seth MacFarlane,)

but the one thing you can't go wrong with?

Checking out all the awesome movies ahead of time so you can

enjoy them and be better informed come Oscar night!

And, throw down with a mad Oscar-party if you can! Debating and

cheering and jeering is the best part!

For a complete list of the nominations, check out the official site:

Oscar Nominations 2013

and then watch the Oscars Live on

Sunday, February 26th.

******

"Wanda's One Night Stand"

Funny, funny stuff..and just the care needed for the winding down of the
holiday season and the year!

Have a chuckle, chill out, don't get wound up, and just remember
to try not to take it all so seriously; It's all kind of a joke, but as long
as you're in on it, it can't be all bad!

Just own your business and your circumstance, Wanda-style!

********************************************

Twilight Saggin'

What do you know?

My gag reflex just reinstated itself.

Hmm.

***