“Every good writer has been told – Show, don’t tell. And every bad writer needs to be told again.” – a guy named Eddie There are a million people looking for writing advice and another million ready to provide it. However, just because someone offers something doesn’t mean that the something is worth taking. Just…
There are many “wrongs” in Philomena. You can debate them politically or rank them in degrees of more or less “wrong,” but only two thing matter. First, none of the wrongs can be undone. Second, when one learns of a “wrong” that has been done, what do you do next? Do you learn? Do you…
In my continuing series called “Back in the Day,” we visit a teen classic. Please pay a visit to The Cinematic Katzenjammer to read all about the real “biggest loser.” Say Anything (1989) Written and directed by Cameron Crowe Starring John Cusack and Ione Skye “…an honest reveal of what happens when losers take a…
Once a year the Oxford English Dictionary releases a list of new words and/or phrases they (whoever “they” might be) have deemed acceptable enough to officially add to their fabulous book. Usually this is due to each word or phrase being used so often that the keepers of language choose to give in and accept…
This is not one of my standard film reviews that follows my usual structure of 1. Story, 2. Performance, 3. Opinion, 4. Justification, 5. Certification. Instead, this is more of a monologue regarding the clash between the story told in this film and any religious account of Noah’s Ark. To be fair to writer/director Darren…
I was warned before watching 12 Years a Slave that it would be graphic and painful to watch. It was. I was told Chiwetel Ejiofor was equally worthy as Matthew McConaughey for his Best Actor Oscar in Dallas Buyers Club. He was. More than a generation ago, I watched Roots, which to me…
There’s a week approaching that usually arrives when the weather warms. No, not Spring Break. This week is all about stress, skill, competition, failure, and success: state standardized testing. For students, it means blood-shot eyes and frazzled nerves. For parents, some are worried but not enough. For politicians, it’s either a feather in a cap…
When asked, I don’t normally participate in round-robin, tag team kind of things unless there’s a good reason. Sometimes the reason is not what was asked but who asked. Whom asked. By whom it was asked. Dammit. In this case, I was asked by the lovely, talented tease by the name of Dana, aka, DCT designs,…
In this week’s “Back in the Day,” we pick on, I mean, look at a good thriller that was Nicole Kidman’s breakthrough role as a damsel in distress – and wet clothes – aboard a yacht with a lunatic. Back in the 80’s, many a teenage boy scoured the HBO guide to…
In this next episode of “Back in the Day,” I stretch 25 years back and look at Morgan Freeman’s first lead role. More important than how good or not-so-good a movie it might have been are the personal connections I still have to it. Click on the picture above and learn a few things…
brainsnorts inc. 