This is actually one of several videos for Big Data’s Dangerous. Val shared two of them previously, here and here. However, the one above is my personal favorite because it features kitties!
This video was written and produced by Tom Borden and directed by Chris Ledoux.
And it features a lot of cats! Did I mention that?
Enjoy!
I frequent a place called Newsbreak, which has virtually every type of magazine you could ever ask for, from your tried-and-true legacy mags (TIME, PEOPLE, READER’S DIGEST) to the more esoteric (dedicated to things like raising chickens, bluegrass music, and mysticism). There are a few I pick up on a regular basis, mainly dealing with old movies: FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE, SHOCK CINEMA, and PHANTOM OF THE MOVIES’ VIDEOSCOPE, (along with my monthly fix of REASON, the magazine of libertarian thought). While browsing last week, I came across something new – the 1st issue of RETRO FAN, published by TwoMorrows, who are also responsible for publications like ALTER EGO (covering the Golden Age of Comics and edited by Roy Thomas), BACK ISSUE ( Bronze Age Comics), and JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR (’nuff said!).
The animated crew of The Enterprise
RETRO FAN is for people interested in pop culture past, and…
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Happy Friday the 13th from the Shattered Lens!
This is the second Friday the 13th of 2018!
What does that mean?
It means that today is going to be even more unlucky than the previous Friday the 13th! You know what that means! Don’t walk under ladders! Respect black cats, even more than usually do! If you break a mirror, give up all hope! If you’re camping in the woods, listen to crazy old Ralph or Eustace or Earl or whoever the local weirdo may be! No late night naked swimming! No running around in the rain in your underwear! No comments about how life’s too short! No drugs! No sex! No fun of any kind!
I know, I know. We all like to live dangerously but if all of our readers die, who will be around to read the site? Think about it!
Anyway, have a happy and safe Friday the 13th! And remember the human-turned-zombie who made this holiday famous. Today is his birthday…
by Doaly
Namelessness. Anonymity. Invisibility.
For the protagonist in Jerome Ruillier’s new Drawn+Quarterly-published graphic novel, The Strange, these three things are inextricably linked — and while all of them are, to one degree or another, imposed upon him by society and circumstance, the first two are undeniably de-humanizing (even if, fair enough, he’s a dog), while the third is key to, if not his freedom, at least his continued survival in the country he is attempting to scratch out a subsistence-level “living” in.
And sticking with the theme of anonymity, it permeates this book throughout : not only is its central character never saddled with a name, neither are the countries of his birth and residence. This could be happening anywhere. To any immigrant.
Ah, yes — immigration. As far as issues go, they don’t come much more timely and topical than that, do they? In the last few years, as…
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Happy Friday the 13th!
Enjoy!
You would think THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS is just the type of movie I’d love. It’s a Warner Brothers pic from the 1940’s, it’s got Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck , there’s mystery and murder, a Gothic atmosphere… and yet, I didn’t love it, or particularly like it, either. For the first three-quarters, it’s too mannered, slow-moving, and (the cardinal sin) boring for my tastes. Things do pick up a bit towards the end, with Bogie menacing Babs alone in that gloomy mansion, but the denouement failed to satisfy me.
There are a number of reasons why the movie just doesn’t work. It was filmed in 1945, but held back two years by the studio for some reason or another (reports vary). Director Peter Godfrey, a Stanwyck favorite, just wasn’t up to the task of creating much suspense. Then again, the screenplay by Thomas Job practically gives everything away early…
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Earlier today, I posted my emmy picks.
Well, here’s what was actually nominated. As you look over this list, you’ll see that — while Twin Peaks did receive 9 nominations — it was shunned in the major categories. Kyle MacLachlan was nominated for Best Actor. Twin Peaks was not nominated for Best Limited Series.
Oh! But hey — Alec Baldwin got another nomination for doing his part to reelect Donald Trump.
The Emmys suck.
COMEDY
BEST COMEDY SERIES
“Atlanta”
“Barry”
“Black-ish”
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“GLOW”
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
“Silicon Valley”
“The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
BEST COMEDY ACTOR
Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”
Ted Danson (“The Good Place”
Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Donald Glover (“Atlanta”)
Bill Hader (“Barry”)
William H. Macy (“Shameless”)
BEST COMEDY ACTRESS
Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”)
Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Allison Janney (“Mom)
Issa Rae (“Insecure”)
Tracee Ellis Ross (“black-ish”)
Lily Tomlin (“Grace & Frankie”)
BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR
Louie Anderson (“Baskets”)
Alec Baldwin (“Saturday Night Live”)
Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”)
Henry Winkler (“Barry”)
BEST COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Zazie Beetz (“Atlanta”)
Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Aidy Bryant (“Saturday Night Live”)
Betty Gilpin (“GLOW”)
Leslie Jones (“Saturday Night Live”)
Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”)
Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne”)
Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”)
BEST COMEDY GUEST ACTOR
Sterling K. Brown (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”)
Bryan Cranston (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”)
Donald Glover (“Saturday Night Live”)
Bill Hader (“Saturday Night Live”)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”)
Katt Williams (“Atlanta”)
BEST COMEDY GUEST ACTRESS
Tina Fey (“Saturday Night Live”)
Tiffany Haddish (“Saturday Night Live”)
Jane Lynch (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Maya Rudolph (“The Good Place”)
Molly Shannon (“Will & Grace”)
Wanda Sykes (“Black-ish”)
DRAMA
BEST DRAMA SERIES
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“Game of Thrones”
“This Is Us”
“The Crown”
“The Americans”
“Stranger Things”
“Westworld”
BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Jason Bateman (“Ozark”)
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)
Ed Harris (“Westworld”)
Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”)
Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)
Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld”)
BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Claire Foy (“The Crown”)
Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”)
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”)
BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”)
Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”)
Joseph Fiennes (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
David Harbour (“Stranger Things”)
Mandy Patinkin (“Homeland”)
Matt Smith (“The Crown”)
BEST DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alexis Bledel (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”)
Ann Dowd (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”)
Thandie Newton (“Westworld”)
Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
BEST DRAMA GUEST ACTOR
F. Murray Abraham (“Homeland”)
Cameron Britton (“Mindhunter”)
Matthew Goode (“The Crown”)
Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”)
Gerald McRaney (“This Is Us”)
Jimmi Simpson (“Westworld”)
BEST DRAMA GUEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis (“Scandal”)
Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Cherry Jones (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Diana Rigg (“Game of Thrones”)
Cicely Tyson (“How to Get Away With Murder”)
Samira Wiley (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
MOVIE/MINI
BEST LIMITED SERIES
“The Alienist”
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”
“Genius: Picasso”
“Godless”
“Patrick Melrose”
BEST TV MOVIE
“Fahrenheit 451” (HBO)
“Flint” (Lifetime)
“Paterno” (HBO)
“The Tale” (HBO)
“Black Mirror: USS Callister” (Netflix)
BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTOR
Antonio Banderas (“Genius: Picasso”)
Darren Criss (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”)
Benedict Cumberbatch (“Patrick Melrose”)
Jeff Daniels (“The Looming Tower”)
John Legend (“Jesus Christ Superstar”)
Jesse Plemons (“USS Callister”)
BEST MOVIE/MINI ACTRESS
Laura Dern (“The Tale”)
Jessica Biel (“The Sinner”)
Michelle Dockery (“Godless”)
Edie Falco (“The Menendez Murders”)
Regina King (“Seven Seconds”)
Sarah Paulson (“American Horror Story: Cult”)
BEST MOVIE/MINI SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jeff Daniels (“Godless”)
Brandon Victor Dixon (“Jesus Christ Superstar”)
John Leguizamo (“Waco”)
Ricky Martin (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”)
Edgar Ramirez (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”)
Michael Stuhlbarg (“The Looming Tower”)
Finn Wittrock (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”)
BEST MOVIE/MINI SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sara Bareilles (“Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert”)
Penelope Cruz (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”)
Judith Light (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”)
Adina Porter (“American Horror Story: Cult”)
Merritt Wever (“Godless”)
Letitia Wright (“Black Museum” (Black Mirror)
Poor Katie (Abbi Jacobson)!
All she wants to do is throw a surprise party for her new boyfriend and enjoy the 4th of July. Is that too much to ask? However, things are never easy. Her friends are ruthless in their critique of what she’s planning to wear. Her mother (Jane Kaczmarek) keeps pressuring her to go down to CVS and buy more makeup. As for her father (Tim Matheson) — well, he’s just too damn good-looking. All of her friends want to know if it was difficult for Katie to grow up with a “hot dad.” Katie says it was.
You know what’s even more difficult though?
Trying to throw a surprise birthday party while also trying to take care of your niece and your junkie brother!
From the minute we meet Seth (Dave Franco) it’s obvious that he’s on something. As soon as Katie orders him to roll up his sleeves, we know that this is not a new thing with Seth. Seth is a junkie, the type who shoots up in grocery store bathrooms and who buys his heroin from a man who lives in a yellow tent. Seth isn’t one of those charming junkies, either. He’s not Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting. He’s a manipulative, self-centered asshole who agrees to go to detox but only if Katie agrees to pay for it and not tell anyone that he’s using again. He’s the type who thinks nothing of begging his sister to leave the party that she’s spent weeks planning because he needs a ride to get one last hit before “getting clean.”
6 Balloons is a short film, one that takes place over the course of one long night. While the party goes on without her, Katie drives Seth around the city. Whenever Katie objects to what Seth is asking her to do, Seth guilts her. He continually assures her that he just needs to get high one last time and then he’ll be able to do detox. Meanwhile, Seth’s daughter sits in her car seat and begs to be taken home.
The acting is okay. Both Dave Franco and Abbi Jacobson are best known for their comedic work so it’s interesting to see them taking on such dramatic roles here. At the same time, it sometimes seems like both of them are trying too hard. The same could be said of 6 Balloons. This is a film that could have used a little dark humor. Instead, it’s relentlessly grim and serious and, as a result, a bit of a chose to sit through. For a 70 minute film, 6 Balloons seems to go on forever.
The problem with films about junkies is that, for the most part, hardcore junkies are dull people and not much fun to be around. Christiane F, Trainspotting and several of the films influenced by them dealt with this problem by featuring a propulsive soundtrack and some imaginative cinematography. (Trainspotting also wisely devoted more screen time to Mark and Sick Boy than to Spud. Just imagine how difficult it would be to watch Trainspotting if the entire film had centered on Spud getting high and crawling underneath cars.) With its hand-held camerawork and it’s subdued soundtrack, 6 Balloons takes more of a documentary approach. The film will leave you with no doubt that heroin is bad and it’s not good to be an enabler but, at the same time, it’ll probably also inspire you to glance at the time and ask yourself, “Is this thing over yet?”
Hi, everyone!
I meant to do this a lot earlier in the month but with the combination of the 4th of July and some other things I had to attend to, I didn’t get the chance until now. In just a few hours, the 2018 Emmy nominations will be announced. Hopefully, it’ll be a good morning for Twin Peaks!
Anyway, here’s who and what I would nominate in the major Emmy categories if I had all the power. Please notice that I just said major categories. There’s like hundreds of different Emmy categories, the majority of which aren’t ever awarded during the prime time awards show. As much as I’d love to post every single category, it’s late and I’m not sure that you really care who I think should win Outstanding Art Direction For An Informational Program, 30 Minutes Or Shorter.
Anyway, here are my picks. Obviously, I’ve only nominated films and TV shows that I actually watched during the 2017-2018 season. For the most part, I also limited myself to the shows and performers that have actually been submitted for Emmy consideration. You can see a full list of all the submissions here.
Anyway, here are my nominees. (Winners are in bold.)
Programming
Best Comedy Series
Atlanta,
Barry,
Brooklyn Nine-Nine,
The End of the Fucking World,
GLOW,
New Girl,
Silicon Valley,
Young Sheldon
Best Drama Series
The Americans,
Game of Thrones,
The Crown
Legion,
Ozark,
Stranger Things,
Trust,
Westworld
Outstanding Limited Series
The Alienist,
American Vandal,
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,
Genius: Picasso,
Howard’s End,
Picnic at Hanging Rock,
The Terror,
Outstanding Television Movie
(I cheated with this category. Jesus Christ Superstar was submitted in the category of Outstanding Variety Special. I felt it belonged here and since it’s my list, I went with it.)
I Am Elizabeth Smart,
Psych: The Movie,
The Tale,
USS Calllister (Black Mirror)
When Love Kills: The Falacia Blakely Story
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
The Amazing Race,
The Bachelorette,
Big Brother: Celebrity Edition,
Dancing With The Stars,
Hell’s Kitchen,
Project Runway,
Survivor,
World of Dance
Performers
Best Actor (Comedy)
Bruce Campbell in Ash Vs. Evil Dead
Donald Glover in Atlanta
Bill Hader in Barry
Pete Holmes in Crashing
Alex Lawther in The End of the Fucking World
Andy Samberg in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Best Actor (Drama)
Jason Bateman in Ozark
Tom Ellis in Lucifer
James Franco in The Deuce
Ed Harris in Westworld
Donald Sutherland in Trust
Jeffrey Wright in Westworld
Best Actor (Limited Series)
Antonio Banderas in Genius: Picasso
Daniel Bruhl in The Alienist
Darren Criss in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Tyler Kitsch in Waco
Kyle MacLachlan in Twin Peaks: The Return
Jimmy Tatro in American Vandal
Best Actor (Movie)
Matthew Broderick in A Christmas Story Live!
Dule Hill in Psych: The Movie
John Legend in Jesus Christ Superstar
Al Pacino in Paterno
Jesse Plemons in USS Callister (Black Mirror)
James Roday in Psych: The Movie
Best Actress (Comedy)
Jessica Barden in The End Of The Fucking World
Melissa Barrera in Vida
Alison Brie in GLOW
Zooey Deschanel in New Girl
Justina Machado in One Day At A Time
Ella Purnell in Sweetbitter
Best Actress (Drama)
Claire Danes in Homeland
Claire Foy in The Crown
Rose McIver in iZombie
Krysten Ritter in Marvel’s Jessica Jones
Keri Russell in The Americans
Evan Rachel Wood in Westworld
Best Actress (Limited Series)
Hayley Atwell in Howard’s End
Natalie Dormer in Picnic at Hanging Rock
Jennifer Ferrin Mosiac
Anna Friel in The Girlfriend Experience
Sarah Gadon in Alias Grace
Louisa Krause in The Girlfriend Experience
Best Actress (Movie)
Alana Boden in I Am Elizabeth Smart
Laura Dern in The Tale
Parisa Fitz-Henley in Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance
Kelly MacDonald in The Child In Time (Masterpiece Theater)
Maya Rudolph in A Christmas Story Live!
Catherine Zeta-Jones in Cocaine Godmother
Best Supporting Actor (Comedy)
Andre Braugher in Brooklyn Nine Nine
Brian Tyree Henry in Atlanta
Marc Maron in GLOW
Stephen Root in Barry
Henry Winkler in Barry
Zach Woods in Silicon Valley
Best Supporting Actor (Drama)
Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones
Noah Emmerich in The Americans
Brendan Fraser in Trust
James Marsden in Westworld
Zahn McClarnon in Westworld
Matt Smith in The Crown
Best Supporting Actor (Limited Series)
Tyler Alvarez in American Vandal
Miguel Ferrer in Twin Peaks: The Return
Robert Forster in Twin Peaks: The Return
Michael Horse in Twin Peaks: The Return
David Lynch in Twin Peaks: The Return
Finn Wittrock in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Best Supporting Actor (Movie)
Corbin Bernsen in Psych: The Movie
Brandon Victor Dixon in Jesus Christ Superstar
Aldis Hodge in Black Museum (Black Mirror)
Jason Ritter in The Tale
Jimmi Simpson in USS Callister (Black Mirror)
Skeet Ulrich in I Am Elizabeth Smart
Best Supporting Actress (Comedy)
Stephanie Beartriz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Suzanne Cryer in Silicon Valley
Sarah Goldberg in Barry
Rita Moreno in One Day At A Time
Zoe Perry in Young Sheldon
Hannah Simone in New Girl
Best Supporting Actress (Drama)
Summer Bishil in The Magicians
Lena Headey in Game of Thrones
Margo Martindale in The Americans
Thandie Newton in Westworld
Aubrey Plaza in Legion
Tessa Thompson in Westworld
Best Supporting Actress (Limited Series)
Penelope Cruz in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Laura Dern in Twin Peaks: The Return
Dakota Fanning in The Alienist
Judith Light in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Julia Ormond in Howards End
Naomi Watts in Twin Peaks: The Return
Best Supporting Actress (Movie)
Sara Bareilles in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
Ellen Burstyn in The Tale
Michaela Coel in USS Callister (Black Mirror)
Anna Gasteyer in A Christmas Story Live!
Anjelica Huston in The Watcher In The Woods
Letitia Wright in Black Museum (Black Mirror)
Best Guest Actor (Comedy)
Bill Burr in Crashing
Josh Hamilton in Sweetbitter
Lee Majors in Ash vs. Evil Dead
Wallace Shawn in Young Sheldon
Danny Trejo in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Gerald Webb in Barry
Best Guest Actor (Drama)
Michael C. Hall in The Crown
C. Thomas Howell in Marvel’s The Punisher
Matthew Modine in Stranger Things
Denis O’Hare in American Masters
Jimmi Simpson in Westworld
Jonathan Tucker in Westworld
Best Guest Actress (Comedy)
Gail Bean in Atlanta
Rashida Jones in Portlandia
Nasim Pedrad in Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Sheridan Piece in One Day At A Time
Elizabeth Perkins in GLOW
Wrenn Schmidt in Sweetbitter
Best Guest Actress (Drama)
Jodi Balfour in The Crown
Donatella Finocchiaro in Trust
Marlee Matlin in The Magicians
Lily Rabe in Legion
Diana Rigg in Game of Thrones
Mageina Tovah in The Magicians
Through the Shattered Lens 