Movie Review-----LOVE CRIME

Kristen Scott Thomas can do no wrong. She is one of a handful of Actresses that if her name is on something, I will watch it no matter what it is. I had the pleasure of seeing her on Broadway a few seasons ago in a dazzling production of THE SEAGULL. In LOVE CRIME, she plays the literal 'Boss From Hell'. Her character is every employee's biggest fear. She will do anything to remain 'Top Dog', including blackmail, stealing ideas from underlings, and cooking up fake emails. About an hour into this thriller, a murder takes place. That is about all I will say about the plot. Part of the delicious fun is not knowing what waits around every corner! This is a French film with English subtitles, however there are long stretches of English language in it also. It has the feel of Hitchcock combined with a touch of DePalma. It's great fun. Don't read too much about it before seeing it. It's too much fun seeing the "perfect murder" dissected in front of you.

Movie Review-----THE TREE OF LIFE

I sat down to watch this movie late last year and made it through about 45 minutes before deciding to be merciful to myself and turn it off. I thought it was the most pretentious film I had ever seen and found it virtually plotless. So, imagine my disgust when last week it was nominated as one of the Best Pictures of the Year at the Academy Awards. Ever since I was a child, I have had an obsession with all things 'Oscar', so I put THE TREE OF LIFE back into my Netflix queue and decided that I needed to watch the movie in its entirety since clearly I gave up too soon. So this morning, I took a deep breath and pressed Play on my remote control. Two and a half hours later, I have decided that Writer/Director Terence Malick must have paid off several members of the Academy. Sitting through this movie was a true test of endurance. Part of the movie is a Period drama with Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain as a young Couple raising three boys in a suburb of an unnamed city. Part of the movie has Sean Penn walking around a desert searching for the meaning of life. And part of the movie is Terence Malick's vision of how the world was created. None of these parts equal a whole. Pitt and Chastain commit themselves and give good performances considering the weakness of the material. Penn is barely on screen long enough to truly make an impression. The cinematography is the only thing this movie has going for it. It's less of a movie and more of a beautiful screen saver. I don't understand how this was nominated for anything, much less Best Picture. It's the most ridiculous Best Picture nomination since THE SIXTH SENSE. Skip it.

Movie Review-----HIGHER GROUND

This one is gonna stick with me for a while. Vera Farmiga stars in and directs this sensitive and searching chronicle describing a woman's lifetime journey of faith--one that initially leads her to join a fundamentalist sect and then leave it again years later. Adapted from the spiritual memoir THIS DARK WORLD by Carolyn Briggs, the film looks deeply into human doubt and certainty, and the challenge of trying to match our lives with our spiritual beliefs. When the movie ended, I felt uncontrollably moved by it. If I had allowed myself to begin crying, it would have been in the weeping mode. I found this film to be very profound and incredibly thought provoking. I needed a group discussion afterwards, but the dogs unfortunately didn't get as much out of the movie as I did. Vera Farmiga's performance is absolutely riveting. She is one of those actresses who can say volumes without uttering a sound. Some of the finest NYC actors are in this film....Norbert Leo Butz, Donna Murphy, and Bill Erwin are just a few. This was a movie that will haunt me. I can't recommend it enough.

TV Review-----TOUCH

Keifer Sutherland makes his return to television in a new Fox Series called TOUCH. The title is a double meaning which refers to what Sutherland's character cannot do to his autistic ten year old son and also how one simple gesture can end up affecting several lives around the world. Sutherland plays a widower whose wife was killed on September 11, 2001 in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. She left him with a barely 1 year old autistic son. The pilot episode begins with Sutherland coming under fire from Child Services because his son keeps escaping from school to climb a very high cell tower. It suddenly becomes clear to Sutherland that his son is trying to communicate with him through a series of numbers. It also becomes apparent that the child is also a bit psychic and can see future events, which he then tries to stop by communicating with codes and numerical orders. While this is happening, a cell phone that is lost at an

NYC airport becomes a catalyst for a series of events around the globe that somehow all get linked back to this missing phone. It took me about a half hour to get into the swing of what was happening in this very fast moving first episode. But once I became invested, it was a fun and captivating journey. Sutherland has very appropriately chosen a character that is absolutely nothing like Jack Bauer. A man who is at the end of his ropes financially and emotionally, it is never less than obvious how much love he has for a son that he can barely communicate with and is unable to physically hug or touch. The episode concludes with the son typing a phone number into a cell phone, letting his father know that there is more work to be done and more people to help. It will be interesting to see if America goes for this very unique series. I hope that it doesn't become yet another "procedural" and will continue to focus on the relationship between Father and Son as they both attempt to communicate without any sort of physical connection. I can't promise that this is a show that I am going to stick with for its duration, but the pilot interested me enough that when it returns on March 19 for its regular run, I will watch a few more episodes to see if I am truly invested.

Movie Review-----DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

My idea of a great suspense thriller is more along the lines of Michael Myers stalking babysitters or even Jason Voorhees chasing virgins in the woods. I don't normally go for scary movies that have creatures or zombies as the villains. So I wasn't expecting much when I sat down to watch this theatrical remake of a television movie from the early 1970's. However, this movie is made with enough style and atmosphere that it kept my attention and even caused me to jump off the couch a few times. Soon after moving in with her father (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend (Katie Holmes), young Sally Hurst (Bailee Madison) discovers she isn't alone in the house: strange creatures live there--and they might not be as friendly as Sally thinks they are. It borders on utterly ridiculous, but the movie is produced by Guillermo del Toro who also co-wrote the screenplay, and no matter how many times I found myself shaking my head at the absurdity of the plot, I simply wrapped my blanket around me a little tighter and just enjoyed the ride. Having above-average performances for this kind of material certainly helps the proceedings. Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce are better than they should be expected to be with pretty thankless roles, and Bailee Madison is quite good as the juvenile lead. The floors creak, the creatures whisper, and things lurk under the bed blankets. A perfectly creepy way to spend 90 minutes.

My Thoughts On The Oscar Nominations

Full Disclosure....I have yet to see ALBERT NOBBS, THE TREE OF LIFE, A SEPARATION, and EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE.  So I can't truly weigh in on where I stand with those films, but hopefully within the next few weeks I will be completely caught up. But here are my thoughts regarding the inclusions, exclusions, and my picks so far for this year's Academy Awards in the major categories....

BEST PICTURE

What The Academy Will Choose:  THE ARTIST

What I Would Choose:  THE ARTIST

What Shouldn't Be On The List:  THE DESCENDANTS
                                                      HUGO
                                                      WAR HORSE

What Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  THE IDES OF MARCH
                                                                  MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
                                                                  BRIDESMAIDS

BEST ACTOR

Who The Academy Will Choose:  George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS

Who I Would Choose:  Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  Michael Fassbender in SHAME

BEST ACTRESS

Who The Academy Will Choose:  Viola Davis in THE HELP

Who I Would Choose:  Meryl Streep in THE IRON LADY

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  Elizabeth Olsen for MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Who The Academy Will Choose:  Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS

Who I Would Choose:  Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  Jonah Hill in MONEYBALL

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  George Clooney in THE IDES OF MARCH

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Who The Academy Will Choose:  Octavia Spencer in THE HELP

Who I Would Choose:  Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  Berenice Bejo in THE ARTIST (I believe it was a leading role)

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  Bryce Dallas Howard in THE HELP

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Who The Academy Will Choose:  THE ARTIST written by Michel Hazanavicius

Who I Would Choose:  MIDNIGHT IN PARIS written by Woody Allen

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  MARGIN CALL written by J. C. Chandor

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE by Sean Durkin

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Who The Academy Will Choose:  THE DESCENDANTS written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash

Who I Would Choose:  MONEYBALL written by Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, and Stan Chervin

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  THE DESCENDANTS written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  THE HELP written by Tate Taylor

BEST DIRECTOR

Who The Academy Will Choose:  Michel Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST

Who I Would Choose:  Michel Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST

Who Shouldn't Be On The List:  Alexander Payne for THE DESCENDANTS

Who Should Be On The List, But Isn't:  George Clooney for THE IDES OF MARCH

Movie Review-----TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

My father was obsessed with any and all things John Le Carre when I was a child.  He read all of the novels and watched all of the miniseries.  So I have very vivid memories of seeing the original miniseries TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY starring Alec Guiness when I was but a wee lad.  I also remember watching the sequel a few years later called SMILEY'S PEOPLE.  My memories of the novel and the original movie are so strong that I wasn't extremely anxious to see this new version.  But I'm happy to say that it's an above average "remake".  Beautifully acted by all involved, especially Gary Oldman, this film's only problem is trying to fit so much in in so little time.  The story is filled with twists and turns but the main plot involves the search for a Russian Mole in British Intelligence.  If only it were that simple....as with all Le Carre tales, you must keep focused and absolutely awake.  And for God's sake, don't go to the bathroom because pity what you might miss in those 3 minutes away from the screen.  Great supporting performances from Colin Firth, Toby Jones, John Hurt, and Mark Strong add to this first class production.  Certainly not for everyone's taste and absolutely not fluffy or lightweight, if you have a taste for all things British and if you enjoy a good spy yarn, seek it out.

Nominees for the 84th Academy Awards | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

Nominees for the 84th Academy Awards | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

TV Review-----ALCATRAZ

I was not a fan of LOST.  I watched the first season and then when it turned out that there were so many people hidden in tunnels, holes and trees on that island, I just gave up.  It got ridiculous and I couldn't stick it out.  This season, I started watching ONCE UPON A TIME which is also from the Producers of LOST.  I made it two weeks and called it a day.  So it was with very low expectations that I watched the Pilot episode of ALCATRAZ, since it also is from the writers and producers of LOST.  I found myself immediately sucked into the 2 hour pilot episode.  It is a rather ingenious premise.  Back in 1963, Alcatraz was closing and during a transfer of all of the inmates to another prison, each and every one of the Prisoners suddenly disappeared.  They turn up in present day San Francisco, ready to wreak havoc on a new century.  I will hesitate to say much more than that in case some of you didn't see the pilot yet.  I urge you to find the pilot ON DEMAND or on HULU or the Fox network website.  It is well worth your time.  From the writing to the performances, this is top notch entertainment!  Sam Neill makes his network television debut and looks to be having a grand time.  At the end of the Pilot, I found myself salivating for another episode.  So tonight, I sat down to watch the new episode with high hopes.  Again, I wasn't disappointed.  Although I can't say for certain, it is obvious that the producers and writers are hoping to get an audience to build with ALCATRAZ.  Although the story certainly continues week to week, it also has the feel of a "procedural" where modern day detectives are finding a different Prisoner each week.  It's exciting television that is beautifully produced.  I will certainly stick with ALCATRAZ....at least until a polar bear or Terry O'Quinn show up.

Movie Review-----I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT

I begin this review by stating first that Troy and I are enormous Sarah Jessica Parker fans. It doesn't matter what she's in, we find something to enjoy about it. We are the two soul Americans who loved the sequel to SEX AND THE CITY. Enough said. So tonight we lit a fire, got some wine, and sat in the living room to watch I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT. Ms Parker plays Kate Reddy, a successful executive, wife and mom whose personal and professional lives hang in precarious balance. When Kate takes on a new job challenge, she and her brood have some serious prioritizing to do. The basic theme of the film is the plight of a modern day working mother. The script is slight but sweet. Ms Parker is charming and is ably supported by Greg Kinnear, Kelsey Grammar, Pierce Brosnan, Seth Myers, and Christina Hendricks. It was an enormous box office failure and I can see why. It feels like a Lifetime movie for television, but there is something very sweet about it and it actually does bring up a few good points about the double standard for men and women in the workplace who juggle a family. If you are an SJP fan as we are, I recommend it. If you are a fan of harmless "chick flicks", I recommend it. If you are looking for something highbrow that you are going to remember 5 minutes after the end credits roll, I would skip it. Oh....and if you're sipping wine in front of a fire while watching it, all the better.

St Louis Theater Review----A STEADY RAIN

I continue to believe that the Studio Theatre at The Repertory Theatre of St Louis is one of the most reliable spaces in the country. Some of the best productions I have seen in St Louis have been in that space....FALSETTOS, RABBIT HOLE, A QUESTION OF MERCY, SHIRLEY VALENTINE, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, CLOSER, A NUMBER, and SOUVENIR are just a few of the productions that I have seen there that have remained with me. And it is without bias (ok, maybe a little bit of bias) that I can also say that it provided TITLE OF SHOW with the ideal performing space and was an artistic experience that I will find hard to top anytime soon. Now, having said that....I walked into the Studio Theatre last night a little less excited than I normally would. I was there more out of duty than extreme interest. The play currently running is A STEADY RAIN by Keith Huff. I saw this play on Broadway a few seasons ago starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman. It's a 90 minute two-hander that is basically a series of monologues telling the story of two Chicago cops. The only reason it got to Broadway was Craig and Jackman. This is a Show that begs, practically pleads, to be in a space where the actors are so close to you that you can see them sweat and feel their stares. You can't accomplish that on Broadway in a play that is this intimate. I left the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre feeling very disconnected from the material and very unmoved by the plight of these two men. Although I admired the performances, I still felt that even from Row F in the Center Orchestra I was unable to truly appreciate the material. So I decided that I just didn't like the play itself and left it at that. So walking into the Rep last evening, I was crossing my fingers hoping that it was a quick and harmless 90 minutes. I sat in the lobby before the Show silently wishing that I could slip into the Mainstage to see SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE again....(which is fabulous and closes January 29). When I took my seat in the Studio, I immediatey looked at the tight boxed set designed by Robert Mark Morgan and felt something that I hadn't felt in NYC....atmosphere. Rather than two folding chairs sitting on a practically bare stage, Morgan has set this production in what is obviously a police precinct. There is a table with two chairs on both sides of it and two coffee mugs sitting on it. There is an old fan sitting on top of a file cabinet and copies of mugshots pinned to the walls. I took an opportunity to say to myself that it was time to open my mind and approach the evening as though I was seeing this play for the first time.....and it turns out that I truly was seeing it for the first time. I was riveted by this production. It's fair to say that 90 minutes felt like 10. I felt the twists and turns of the script for the first time and due to the brilliant performances of Michael James Reed and Joey Collins, my heart was invested in these two characters and I longed for a different ending to the piece since I knew what was inevitable. Michael James Reed plays the role that Daniel Craig played on Broadway. In NYC, I felt that Craig gave the stronger of the two performances but I still felt at a distance. Reed's portrayal allowed me to feel his angst, guilt and remorse up close. It's a strong performance. Joey Collins doesn't have the height or the matinee idol looks that Hugh Jackman brought to the part....and that's an enormous plus for the script and the production. The plot developments in the latter half of the play never rang true with Jackman in the part, but Collins gives a raw unflinching performance that absolutely makes every byzantine twist in the script plausible. It is very difficult to keep your eyes off of Collins. Just a few weeks into 2012, but Collins is giving one of those performances that I will say is going to be difficult to top for me this season. Steve Woolf directed this production and he accomplishes something that John Crowley failed miserably at in NYC....he keeps this production visually interesting and keeps it moving. There is never one moment that makes you look at your watch. He has created pictures on that small stage that ably assisted by Peter E. Sargent's light design constantly create the perfect mood. Woolf's use of music adds another layer to the atmosphere. Aside from the performances, it is truly Woolf that is responsible for the success of this production. What became stagnant and visually dull in NYC has popped to life in that small Studio Theatre and I walked out knowing that I was going to try and see this production once more before it closes. A STEADY RAIN is playing thru February 5. Brave the winter weather that is inevitable in St Louis this time of year and see it! Amazing what the right space, actors, and director can do to a piece that I had written off as tedious. This production is anything but.....

My Top 10 List of Movies for 2011----Best and Worst

MY TOP 10 FILMS OF 2011 1. THE IDES OF MARCH George Clooney wrote and directed this film that harkened back to some of the great political thrillers from the 1970's. A fantastic Ensemble led by Clooney and Ryan Gosling made this film pump and I was on the edge of my seat for its entirety. My absolute favorite film of 2011. 2. SHAME This is by far the most riveting and raw depiction of an addiction that I have yet to see on film. Michael Fassbender is nothing short of perfection as a man who has everything one would want, but is suffering from a sexual addiction. The film is rated NC-17 and earns that rating tenfold. Fassbender and Carey Mulligan are simply incredible. This movie kept me in my seat for a few minutes after it ended. Very powerful. 3. THE HELP Being a huge admirer of the book, I was skeptical as to whether or not the film could hold the weight and emotion of its source material. But I was completely enthralled and thrilled with this beautiful movie. Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer lead a true Ensemble that is perfection at every turn. Special attention must be paid to Bryce Dallas Howard for one of the more overlooked performances of the year. 4. MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE Much like SHAME, I had to remain in my seat for a few moments when the end credits started rolling. This harrowing story of a young girl struggling to free herself from the clutches of a Cult made my skin crawl. Incredible performances from everyone added to the allure of this hypnotic film. If you like clean endings, this one isn't for you. It allows YOU to finish the story. Unforgettable movie. 5. MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Michelle Williams has come a long way since living on the 'Creek. She is completely captivating as Marilyn Monroe in this wonderful film set in a time of motion pictures that we will never see again. Perfect performances from all, including Kenneth Branaugh and Eddie Redmayne make this a film that won't be matched anytime soon. 6. 50/50 This was the biggest surprise of 2011. I went in expecting a Buddy Comedy and instead I got an incredibly moving story of a friendship that survives while enduring a cancer crisis. One of the best original screenplays of the year. 7. BRIDESMAIDS It's been years since I saw a movie in the cinema and actually lost dialogue because of unstoppable laughter from an audience. This is one of the best comedies to come along in quite some time with beautifully honest performances from an incredible cast. Overnight movie stars were made of Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy. The Ladies ruled the comedic box office this summer, and much deserved. 8. MONEYBALL Who knew I could love a film about two of my least favorite things, Baseball and Math? But this movie was completely enthralling and I hung on every word and frame. Brad Pitt gives his best performance to date and is ably supported by Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and a tight wonderful Cast. Absolutely loved it. 9. THE ARTIST One of the most unique cinematic experiences I have ever had. Beautifully shot in black and white with a point on eye for period detail. This silent film knows exactly how long it needs to be before the 'hook' wears out its welcome. Beautifully made and acted. 10. BEGINNERS A crowning achievement in Christopher Plummer's career, to be sure. But Ewan McGregor owns this film and is being severely overlooked this awards season. The film is gorgeously written and acted by all. But Mr. McGregor gives a performance of beautiful subtlety and in my opinion, gives the Best Performance by a Lead Actor in 2011. MY 10 WORST FILMS OF 2011 1. LARRY CROWNE How does a movie starring two of Hollywood's biggest stars fail this badly? I'm sure Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are wondering that as much as I was as I sat with my jaw dropped watching this insipid mess. Nothing in this movie rings true. Ms Roberts (who I normally can forgive anything) gives her worst performance yet. Her drunk scene is so awful, one must look away. An embarrassment for all involved. 2. ANONYMOUS When I saw the trailer for this film, I salivated at the thought of this movie that presented the idea that Shakespeare was not the author of his plays. What a Cast! What locations! What beautiful cinematography! What an absolute bore! An hour and fifteen minutes in, I got my phone out, moved to the back of the cinema, and played Jewels until this atrocity ended. 3. ARTHUR When I heard that Russell Brand was playing Arthur in the remake of one of my favorite films from the 1980's, I was actually pretty excited. But they didn't give Brand a screenplay that had any of the charm that the original film had. And replacing the role of Hobson that John Gielgud made famous with Helen Mirren is simply unforgivable. My biggest disappointment of 2011. 4. CARNAGE Confession....I saw GOD OF CARNAGE on Broadway starring Marcia Gay Harden, James Gandolfini, Hope Davis, and Jeff Daniels. So let's face it, who could top that? But....this truly awful film version suffers from bad direction (Roman Polanski), career low performances (Jodie Foster), and a severe case of claustrophobia. What worked on stage just seems to fail miserably on film. Read the play instead. 5. RED RIDING HOOD I so anticipated what looked like a beautifully atmospheric gothic take on the Little Red Riding Hood story. But what it turned out to be is a CW friendly film with beautiful people and a really bad script that wasn't sure what it wanted to be. Not worth matinee prices or even a wasted Netflix rental. 6. THE BEAVER This was Jodie Foster's second misfire of the year (see above for CARNAGE). A ridiculous story of a man played by Herr Gibson who is unable to communicate to anyone without the help of a beaver puppet. It took everything I could do to actually finish this movie. 7. TRESPASS Eventually, the Academy is just going to demand the Oscar back from Nicolas Cage. He is atrocious in this story of a family held hostage in their home by intruders. How Nicole Kidman got involved in this Joel Schumacher mess is a mystery to me. 8. ONE DAY I am a sucker for a Romantic film. I forgive most things as long as there are one or two moments of romantic bliss. I am also a sucker for Anne Hathaway, even though I think she's not always a capable actress (see also my love for Julia Roberts). But this shamble of a film never gives you a chance to feel anything for its two leads and the concept that worked beautifully in the source novel is destroyed on film. 9. FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS I am convinced that Justin Timberlake's terrific performance in THE SOCIAL NETWORK was a fluke. He was awful in this, his second mistake of the year (see below for BAD TEACHER). This movie was unjustly compared to NO STRINGS ATTACHED which was released earlier in the year and actually worked. This film is vulgar (again, normally not a prude) and badly acted by all. Left me needing to take a long shower. 10. BAD TEACHER I laughed out loud every time I saw the trailer. I laughed out loud in the movie too....at the same things I laughed at in the trailer. The movie stinks. Terrible annoying performances from Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. Jason Segal does his best to save the proceedings but too little too late. Yuck.

Movie Review----BRIGHTON ROCK

This nifty period piece takes place in Brighton Rock, England in 1964. In hopes of silencing a waitress (Andrea Riseborough) who saw him kill another criminal, a young thug (Sam Riley) decides to romance her and suss out how much she knows. But at what point does his premeditated plot blossom into true passion? And are either party's motives 100 percent pure? John Hurt and Helen Mirren co-star in writer-director Rowan Joffe's film adaptation of Graham Greene's novel. The film slugs a bit slowly at times, but for the most part, I was captivated by this English Mob drama. Filled with delicious period atmosphere and filled with great performances, it proves to be a winning way to waste a few hours. Sam Riley and Andrea Riseborough are terrific as the leads, but the real standouts are the supporting players, most notably John Hurt and especially Helen Mirren. Ms Mirren looks like a million bucks and relishes every moment of her role as an older woman whose young lover is murdered. Her quest for justice is the fuel behind most of the action in the story. If you enjoy crime dramas with a bit of a "mob" influence, you will love it.

Book Review----GOD, IF YOU'RE NOT UP THERE, I'M F*CKED: MISADVENTURES IN STAND-UP, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, AND OTHER MIND-ALTERING MAYHEM by Darrell Hammond

I admit that I was not very aware of Darrell Hammond before turning on THE ROSIE SHOW and seeing him interviewed about his Memoir. I found the interview completely compelling and immediately downloaded the book to my Kindle, got a cup of tea, and sat in the living room for the next 2 hours reading this book cover to cover. Part of the book is an entertaining and informative inside look backstage at SNL and what a normal week is like for the Cast and Guest Host. But the other part of the book is a harrowing look at how your destiny is chosen for you at a young age by the handling of your parents, or should I say the mishandling. Darrell Hammond was a victim of child abuse at the hands of his mother. She did things like stick his fingers in electrical outlets, slam his hands in car doors just for fun, and hit him in the stomach with a hammer. She was an incredibly disturbed woman who created within Mr. Hammond the belief that he was not worthy of being loved or respected. This carried into his adult life as he began a downward spiral of drug and alcohol abuse which sent him in and out of rehab units for several years. He also unfortunately began cutting himself at a young age and this has continued into his adult life. In fact, he admits to cutting himself while writing the Memoir. It is not a fun read and will definitely not be for everyone, but I found it riveting. I was unable to shake it for days after finishing the book. I also spent a few hours on YouTube watching Darrell Hammond in action on SNL, the only place that he ever has felt completely worthy. This is the most raw book on addiction I have read. Worth your time if you can handle it.

My Opinions.....nothing more, nothing less

I have enjoyed writing Reviews of movies, tv, and theater since I was in junior high. I first started writing them on my first electric typewriter and my first review was after seeing the movie WARGAMES starring a very young Matthew Broderick. When I started high school it was with the intention of getting thru the 4 years and then going to college to pursue a degree in journalism. However when I started high school, I began to lean more and more towards making a career out of playing the piano. And so, I put the idea of becoming the next Roger Ebert aside and focused everything on music. So, I have spent the past few decades acting as a frustrated Critic and have written reviews to movies and theater that have entertained no one but myself.
So, rather than continue having manila folders filled with printed reviews for my own enjoyment, I have decided to begin my own blog.
This is just for my own left-brain use and I don't truly expect anyone to pay attention or care what I think, quite frankly.
I will be writing Reviews on movies, television, and Broadway Shows. If I read a book or hear an album that makes an impression, I will comment on that as well. I will avoid writing anything about St Louis Theater unless I see something that truly blows me away because let's face it, I live here and I don't need any more enemies. Who does?

So, feel free to comment if you agree or disagree. The only people I truly expect to read this or even care are Friends....we can agree to disagree, correct?And if no one reads this or cares, so be it. This is just my way of keeping a long dormant dream of being Clark Kent alive.