The WGA strike has halted production on just about all television series’ and has also received support from the Screen Actors Guild Of America. This means that not only are the writers, writer’s assistants and producers on the picket line, but the very actors that appear on said shows as well. What these writers are asking for isn’t a lot, nor is it completely unreasonable. If you do some work and you create something then you should stand to receive fair compensation or a reasonable percentage of the revenue it generates for it...as well as additional compensation if your intellectual property/work goes on to generate a shitload of money through the internet or DVD sales.
My advice to Hollywood and all television networks on the East and West coasts: Cave the fuck in, dummies! Give up now! Give the writers everything they’re demanding. You do notice that without them you have no programming and nothing to have for the companies and vendors to buy advertising from, right? What do you do when all of these series’ and programs run out of episodes? Put people on national television live improvising shit for the home audience? Do you know how many films are put on hold right now? How about all of the popular shows that may not even have new episodes until 2009? You can't sell DVD’s of shows that don’t exist, you clueless assholes!
Take my advice and wave the white flag. You cannot hope to win here. The pen (or in this case, the laptop) is mightier than the asshole with no imagination in a suit. Overseas they're experiencing blackouts where their favorite shows used to air instead of reruns like we get. Don't let it get far enough that you start suffering. Cave, fuckers! Cave!Now on to my film recommendations and monthly awards for November below:
Top 5 Apple Trailers Of The Rest Of Novermber (11.16.07-11.30.07):
Cloverfield AKA 1.18.08
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/
City Of Men
http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/cityofmen/trailer/
Redacted
http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/redacted/trailer/
What Would Jesus Buy?
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/whatwouldjesusbuy/
Valkyrie
http://www.apple.com/trailers/mgm/valkyrie/featurette/
Top 5 Imdb Trailers Of The Rest Of November (11.16.07-11.30.07):
Midnight Meat Train
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805570/trailers
Charlie Wilson’s War
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472062/trailers
Semi Pro
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0839980/trailers
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0841046/trailers
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465234/trailers
Poisonous Paragraphs’ Short Film Of The Month (November):
Help Is Coming by Ben Mor (Blood Of Abraham):
Poisonous Paragraphs’ Independent Movie Of The Month (November) :
He Was A Quiet Man by writer/director Frank A. Cappello
http://www.myspace.com/quietmanmovie
Poisonous Paragraphs’ Director Spotlight For November: Takashi Miike
While he’s famous for his shocking crime dramas and gory horror films in the past (City Of Lost Souls, Ichi The Killer, One Missed Call, Gozu, Sukiyaki Western Django), his latest project is an adaptation of a popular manga title. Here is the trailer for his new film “Crows: Episode Zero”:
Recommended movies for rental (or adding to your queue early):
Live Free Or Die Hard
Angel-A
Dirt (The Complete First Season)
Dragon Tiger Gate
Bad Boys (1983)
Waitress
Paprika
Home Of The Brave
The Namesake
Drunken Angel (Criterion Edition)
First Snow
Skinwalkers
The Insurgents
Rescue Dawn
Guy X
Dr. Katz-Professional Therapist The Complete Series (animated)
Ghosts Of Cite Soleil
RFK Must Die-The Assassination Of Bobby Kennedy
Even Money
The Man From Earth (courtesy of Feral Cat @ Late Film)
Pirates Of The Carribean: At World’s End
Superbad
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
The Last Man On Earth
Sukiayaki Western Django
Exiled
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
The Bourne Ultimatum
Triangle (Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam & Johnnie To...3 Kings)
Also check out my recently posted list of my favorite 100 “cult” films for more rental suggestions.
Dart’s Picks:
Hitman- This looks like it could be hella good. I’ll let you all know.
No Country For Old Men-Duh! Didn’t Dallas already tell y’all what the deal was?
Live Free Or Die Hard-This was a great action film...my eyes only rolled to the back of my head twice throughout the whole thing. Who doesn’t love Maggie Q? Cyril did the damn thing once again.
Rescue Dawn-Watch this film now...unless war/war related movies aren't your thing, that is.
Home Of The Brave-Look at my recommendation for “Rescue Dawn” and assume the same ffor this. If you get depressed at watching films that are “too real” then skip it, though. It could depress you real quick.
Even Money-Great under the radar film about all of the aspects of betting/gambling addiction and assbetting. Great drama.
Dragon Tiger Gate-Don’t take it too seriously ...just enjoy watching some ill special effects and ridiculous fight scenes. Based on the famous Jademan Comics series known in the States as “Oriental Heroes”.
Dart’s WTF?/Watch This Bullshit At Your Own Risk Awards:
Battle Warrior- Do NOT rent or buy this grainy ass low budget Tony Jaa “film” from 1997. It sucks almost as bad as the 1989 Jet Li flick made in America “The Master”. Hell to the naw!
The Santa Clause 3- Guess why.
Mr. Bean’s Holiday-Self explanatory.
Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne-I have nothing for contempt for that dude and any product or property with his name on it. I’m sure any of my regular readers know why.
I Know Who Killed Me-So does everyone else, Lindsay. She’s in the mirror, try and stop her sometime.
I'm Torn About This Flick:
This Christmas- I hate holiday films...but I LOVE Regina King, Sharon Leal and Lauren London. Preston Whitmore made one of my all-time favorite films "The Walking Dead" as well so I know he can write (and direct). The inclusion of Chris Brown makes me wanna hate it. The Big 3 are making that very hard to do.
One.
4 comments:
I'm sure this is all prompted by the fact that I'm also a writer-director, but I feel exactly the way you do regarding the strike. Without the writers, there would be nothing on TV, there would be no films, and we as a viewing public would be forced to watch nothing but reality shows all day, and I guarantee that, if the money-hugging producers actually follow through on their threat to replace all TV shows with reality crap, then viewers WILL get sick of it and tune out, causing advertisers to lose money, viewership, and to lose sales, all while people are drawn to the Interweb for their entertainment fix, where, hopefully, they will find both yours and my own blog. That rant took a weird, albeit positive (for us) turn, but the bottom line is, I'm striking in my heart, and I don't see why the producers wouldn't give the writers their demands, except for the fact that they're greedy fuckers, and the entertainment industry is, when all is said and done, a corporation.
Good read.
-Max
Hip Hop Isn't Dead
Yeah but writers also help put "Caveman" and "Gossip Girl" on TV...I mean come on...
Dart FYI, Triangle and Sukiyaki Django are not out on DVD, at least not on netflix. I don't think the bootlegs even made it to chinatown yet.
@ Alex:
I also list movies to add to your Netflix queue hella early to guarantee that you're in line to get it first. It says so right there on the recommendations list.
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