People Will Tell You About Other Oscar Contenders, But "Gran Torino" Is The Best Film I'VE Seen!!!
First of all, I pride myself on never being late for anything, but I'm a day late regarding the publication of this week's blog and I apologize for that. Other things requiring my attention took longer than expected.
OSCAR NOMINATIONS!!!
The Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress or Best Director Oscar nominations haven't been announced yet, but THREE of those nominations should go to Clint Eastwood.
If you haven't seen "Gran Torino" yet, do yourself a favor, spend the money and see this film.
The film lasts about 2 hours, but it will seem like you haven't been seated anywhere near that length of time. You will never take your eyes off the screen, you will be surprised at what appears to be the dramatic ending, you will smile at what appears to really be the ending and you will sit through the credits while watching the actual ending.
"Gran Torino" is THAT GOOD!!!
Yes, I've heard that some thin-skinned folks are "bothered" by the way the Eastwood character talks, but he talks "openly" the way a lot of people used to talk openly. It was different time, gang. Sit down, place yourself in that time and here's what will happen; You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll almost die. "Gran Torino" is THAT good!!! And yes, I stole that "laugh, cry, die" line from a line I stated (as an actor) in the Ron Howard film, "Edtv".
AND SPEAKING OF ENTERTAINMENT...
Did you see the film, "Bug" when it was released? If not, neither did I. It's being shown on the Showtime cable channels now, and I heartily recommend it. It stars Ashley Judd and this is a big time intense film. But a film you can't take your eyes off of.
There's been a lot of publicity for the second season of "Damages" on FX. I saw every episode of "Damages" last season and I was a big fan of the show. Episode one of the new season aired last Wednesday and I thought it was a disappointment.
ONE OTHER ENTERTAINMENT NOTE...
In my last blog, I mentioned that I have recently performed (in acting workshops) a monologue titled, "If I Was A Terrorist" and I printed the monologue in my last blog. Thanks very much to all of you who have commented on this monologue and my very special thanks to CLAUDE HALL who gave my monologue and this blog a nice plug in that terrific column Mr. Hall writes. Mr. Hall is a guy who everyone in radio used to read when he was the most influential radio columnist in the world while writing for Billboard Magazine. Mr. Hall now writes for Radio Daily News, which (like this blog) is easily found on your computer.
AND NOW THE DEPRESSING NEWS...
Where I live, the price of gasoline has gone up 24 cents a gallon in a little more than 2 weeks.
Where I live, it used to be next to impossible to find an apartment to rent. I walk (at least) 3 miles a day as part of my daily exercise routine. I walk past a lot of apartment buildings and every one of them (now) has "Apartment for rent" or "Apartment for lease" signs outside their buildings. For this to be happening, one of two other things have to have HAPPENED!
(1) A lot of people have decided to move to a cheaper state to live.
(2) And (or) a lot of people (because of this lousy economy) have become homeless.
Short Commentary: Yi, yi, yi!!!
FOR THOSE STILL LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A JOB...
I know. You're suffering through pay cuts on top of pay cuts, no health insurance, et cetera (etc.) on top of more lousy et cetera (etc.)
Did you hear about what Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher is doing? They're forcing their employees to take mandatory one week "vacations" without pay.
I know. Some of you are already taking one, two and three week vacations without pay. And you're doing that (along with other lousy things) to keep your job!
WHY ISN'T BERNIE MADOFF IN JAIL WITHOUT BAIL?!?
I'm sure you've heard about this creep! Smooth talking creep-a-zoid who has managed to destroy lives because of his ability to get people to "trust him" with their money.
And he's admitted it! Or at least enough of what he's been accused of to guarantee a sentence in prison that won't in any way, shape or form be enough to pay for the harm he has done to so many people and companies.
While on bail, Bernie Madoff has 24-hour a day armed guards that watch his every move and are paid for by Madoff's wife. The lawyers Madoff has are paid for by Madoff's wife. Transportation to and from court is paid for by Madoff's wife. A bulletproof vest that Madoff wears when he steps outside was paid for by Madoff's wife.
Where does the money come from that Madoff's wife uses to PAY for all these things? IT IS MONEY THAT MADOFF GOT FROM THE (now) POOR PEOPLE HE STOLE FROM!!!
I'm tellin' ya, folks...There are times when I find myself in favor of hanging someone by their thumbs in a public square and this is definitely ONE of those times!!!
Changes that are COMING and changes that SHOULD be coming!!!
Next Tuesday, we will have a new President of the United States. Our (then) former President of the United States figures to eventually (and officially) be remembered as our WORST President of the United States in our HISTORY!!!
Meanwhile, here in the Los Angeles, California area, WE are stuck with an illegal immigrant supporter/protector MAYOR, who is the WORST Mayor in our history annnd...We are stuck with an illegal immigrant supporter/protector along with being a pedophile priest protector who is somehow considered to be a law abiding man of God while having an official title that declares him to be the boss of all Catholics in this area. Yes, I'm referring to Cardinal Mahony who, for the life of me, I don't understand why he's never been indicted.
THOUGHTS AND OR COMMENTS?
Please write to me directly at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. If you write to the blog, there's no record of your email address, so I can't write back to you. I write back to every email that is sent directly to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net
THE NEXT BLOG?
Assuming I'm not late again, or that something unexpected comes up, the next blog will be written the day after Inauguration Day, which will be Wednesday, January 21st. The blog figures to be posted by sometime that evening.
OSCAR NOMINATIONS!!!
The Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress or Best Director Oscar nominations haven't been announced yet, but THREE of those nominations should go to Clint Eastwood.
If you haven't seen "Gran Torino" yet, do yourself a favor, spend the money and see this film.
The film lasts about 2 hours, but it will seem like you haven't been seated anywhere near that length of time. You will never take your eyes off the screen, you will be surprised at what appears to be the dramatic ending, you will smile at what appears to really be the ending and you will sit through the credits while watching the actual ending.
"Gran Torino" is THAT GOOD!!!
Yes, I've heard that some thin-skinned folks are "bothered" by the way the Eastwood character talks, but he talks "openly" the way a lot of people used to talk openly. It was different time, gang. Sit down, place yourself in that time and here's what will happen; You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll almost die. "Gran Torino" is THAT good!!! And yes, I stole that "laugh, cry, die" line from a line I stated (as an actor) in the Ron Howard film, "Edtv".
AND SPEAKING OF ENTERTAINMENT...
Did you see the film, "Bug" when it was released? If not, neither did I. It's being shown on the Showtime cable channels now, and I heartily recommend it. It stars Ashley Judd and this is a big time intense film. But a film you can't take your eyes off of.
There's been a lot of publicity for the second season of "Damages" on FX. I saw every episode of "Damages" last season and I was a big fan of the show. Episode one of the new season aired last Wednesday and I thought it was a disappointment.
ONE OTHER ENTERTAINMENT NOTE...
In my last blog, I mentioned that I have recently performed (in acting workshops) a monologue titled, "If I Was A Terrorist" and I printed the monologue in my last blog. Thanks very much to all of you who have commented on this monologue and my very special thanks to CLAUDE HALL who gave my monologue and this blog a nice plug in that terrific column Mr. Hall writes. Mr. Hall is a guy who everyone in radio used to read when he was the most influential radio columnist in the world while writing for Billboard Magazine. Mr. Hall now writes for Radio Daily News, which (like this blog) is easily found on your computer.
AND NOW THE DEPRESSING NEWS...
Where I live, the price of gasoline has gone up 24 cents a gallon in a little more than 2 weeks.
Where I live, it used to be next to impossible to find an apartment to rent. I walk (at least) 3 miles a day as part of my daily exercise routine. I walk past a lot of apartment buildings and every one of them (now) has "Apartment for rent" or "Apartment for lease" signs outside their buildings. For this to be happening, one of two other things have to have HAPPENED!
(1) A lot of people have decided to move to a cheaper state to live.
(2) And (or) a lot of people (because of this lousy economy) have become homeless.
Short Commentary: Yi, yi, yi!!!
FOR THOSE STILL LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A JOB...
I know. You're suffering through pay cuts on top of pay cuts, no health insurance, et cetera (etc.) on top of more lousy et cetera (etc.)
Did you hear about what Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher is doing? They're forcing their employees to take mandatory one week "vacations" without pay.
I know. Some of you are already taking one, two and three week vacations without pay. And you're doing that (along with other lousy things) to keep your job!
WHY ISN'T BERNIE MADOFF IN JAIL WITHOUT BAIL?!?
I'm sure you've heard about this creep! Smooth talking creep-a-zoid who has managed to destroy lives because of his ability to get people to "trust him" with their money.
And he's admitted it! Or at least enough of what he's been accused of to guarantee a sentence in prison that won't in any way, shape or form be enough to pay for the harm he has done to so many people and companies.
While on bail, Bernie Madoff has 24-hour a day armed guards that watch his every move and are paid for by Madoff's wife. The lawyers Madoff has are paid for by Madoff's wife. Transportation to and from court is paid for by Madoff's wife. A bulletproof vest that Madoff wears when he steps outside was paid for by Madoff's wife.
Where does the money come from that Madoff's wife uses to PAY for all these things? IT IS MONEY THAT MADOFF GOT FROM THE (now) POOR PEOPLE HE STOLE FROM!!!
I'm tellin' ya, folks...There are times when I find myself in favor of hanging someone by their thumbs in a public square and this is definitely ONE of those times!!!
Changes that are COMING and changes that SHOULD be coming!!!
Next Tuesday, we will have a new President of the United States. Our (then) former President of the United States figures to eventually (and officially) be remembered as our WORST President of the United States in our HISTORY!!!
Meanwhile, here in the Los Angeles, California area, WE are stuck with an illegal immigrant supporter/protector MAYOR, who is the WORST Mayor in our history annnd...We are stuck with an illegal immigrant supporter/protector along with being a pedophile priest protector who is somehow considered to be a law abiding man of God while having an official title that declares him to be the boss of all Catholics in this area. Yes, I'm referring to Cardinal Mahony who, for the life of me, I don't understand why he's never been indicted.
THOUGHTS AND OR COMMENTS?
Please write to me directly at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net. If you write to the blog, there's no record of your email address, so I can't write back to you. I write back to every email that is sent directly to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net
THE NEXT BLOG?
Assuming I'm not late again, or that something unexpected comes up, the next blog will be written the day after Inauguration Day, which will be Wednesday, January 21st. The blog figures to be posted by sometime that evening.
posted by Scott St. James at 10:03 AM
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