Los Angeles

‘One of Them Days’ Takes a Familiar Store and Infuses it with Stong Characters

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

I have been around some of the neighborhoods featured in “One of Them Days” as they are not too far from where I live. They all seem to have a nice family vibe going on and are filled with all kinds of blue-collar workers who, like everyone else I know, are living paycheck to paycheck. I keep thinking a lot of people will look at these neighborhoods and apartment buildings as being very “ghetto,” but that is far too easy an assumption to make. Either that, or I am doing everything I can to not sound too white while writing this movie review.

Seeing the way the apartment buildings and inner-city areas are portrayed in “One of Them Days” helps to make this film stand out a bit. The story is old as they come, and we have seen it being done in so many movies of all kinds, but the way certain environments are shown here makes it feel a lot fresher than I ever could have expected. It also helps that the film has a strong cast who portray characters you want to follow from start to finish.

We meet best friends Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) who share an apartment in a building off of Obama Boulevard, the kind that needs a serious visit from the Los Angeles Housing Authority. The ceiling is falling apart, the air conditioning units don’t work, and everyone has one roommate too many because, as we often hear, the rent is too damn high. And into this “jungle,” as the characters like to call it, is a young white woman named Bethany (Maude Apatow) who is all smiles and comes with a dog who clearly needs a lot more training.

To top things off, Dreux gets a visit from her landlord, Uche (Rizi Timane) who informs her if he doesn’t get the rent by six o’clock, she and Alyssa will be drop-kicked out onto the street. Dreux says Alyssa has already given him the rent money, but it turns out Alyssa’s good for nothing, live in boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) has run off with it and into the arms of another girlfriend of his, Berniece (Aziza Scott). This leads Dreux and Alyssa to go on a desperate mission to get the rent money before it is too late, and the clock starts clicking like it does on the average episode of “24.”

In a lot of ways, “One of Them Days” is a version of the book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” and so many other stories dealing with missions needing to be completed before the clock strikes midnight. Dreux and Alyssa’s adventures involve parking in the wrong spot at the wrong time in Los Angeles (seriously, those parking enforcement officials are like ninjas), donating blood for money, and attempting to get a loan at one of those quick credit offices who are just waiting to overcharge their customers on interest payments.

Like many cinematic comedies, the jokes are hit and miss as I have seen some of them done better. The donating blood scene goes a bit over the top, and I remember a better example being done with Al Bundy on “Married With Children,” but the credit office scene is a hoot as it shows an employee laughing her butt off at a low credit score, something I have not seen before. But what keeps the movie together are Keke Palmer and SZA. Even as the comedy gets a bit too broad, they both nail their character’s individual strengths and vulnerabilities perfectly as they show how Dreux and Alyssa clearly want better futures for themselves, but life too often gets in the way.

In addition to making the rent, Dreux also has an interview with a corporate company for a job which will allow her to ditch her waitressing job and move up in the world. As for Alyssa, she is one of the many struggling artists out here in Los Angeles whose self-confidence is so low to where they hook up with people who can never truly value who they are.

Palmer is wonderfully energetic here as Dreux, a person eager to rise above her meager place in life, and I especially enjoyed SZA who takes Alyssa from someone lacking in confidence in herself and her work to one who has more than earned their newfound confidence in life. Even as their characters go through the usual routines of loving and hating one another to where they never want to talk to each other again, and we know they will quickly realize how much they need one another long before the story ends, both these actresses kept me wanting to follow their plight throughout.

Palmer and SZA are also supported by a strong cast which includes Katt Williams as a man named Lucky, and this is even though this character is not having any luck at life in the present. You also have Vanessa Bell Calloway whose character of Mama Ruth doesn’t get much screen time, but who remains a very strong presence nonetheless. And there is no forgetting Patrick Cage who plays the interestingly named Maniac, and he is a human being who almost dares you to judge a book by its cover. While his outward appearance might have one thinking he is that kind of a person, the reactions others have to him, let alone to a certain object of hardware he has in his car, are quite telling of those around him. In the end, Cage makes Maniac into a resilient character who gas been through a lot and has evolved a lot in the process.

I also got to say that I love how strong the women are as presented here. I say this because this relates to all the women I have worked with in life, and they often prove to be much stronger than us men for many reasons. “One of Them Days” proved to be a reminder of this for me, and this is not just because many of the male characters are such babies here. Heck, Keshawn is such a man child that you just want to smack him silly. Some out there might say that the female characters are made to look strong to help satisfy certain demographics, but I prefer to believe they simply reflect a reality we should not be the least bit surprised by.

“One of Them Days” is not going to go down as a classic motion picture, but that’s okay because I enjoyed it for what it was. If you are looking for a nice diversion from your problems for an hour or two, I think this one will do the trick.

* * * out of * * * *

‘The Terminator’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“The Terminator,” directed by James Cameron, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Because of this, Warner Brothers released the film on 4K for the very first time.  This has been one of the most anticipated 4K releases in years.  James Cameron released a number of his movies this year on 4K, including “Aliens,” “True Lies” and “The Abyss.”  Many YouTubers and physical media collectors have expressed mixed opinions on the transfers of these releases, and it has caused a lot of debate in the physical media community. Cameron himself has come out and expressed his frustration with their criticism and even suggested they move out of their parent’s basements.

As far as the film itself, “The Terminator” opens up by introducing the audience to a cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who has been sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). To the untrained eye, he looks like a regular human being with his flesh, his ability to talk, and his ability to enter a room without really drawing a lot of attention to himself. Standing in the Terminator’s way is a soldier by the name of Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn).  He’s also from the future, and he has one job and one job only, which is to protect Sarah.  The Terminator’s job is to stop at nothing to eliminate Sarah because her unborn son, John Connor, is going to be the one to attempt to stop the machines from taking over after a war in the future begins.

The battle between humans and machines is one we are still battling in today’s world, especially with the introduction of artificial intelligence.  Will machines become so powerful that humans will be rendered useless and unnecessary? Cameron was way ahead of himself with 1984’s “The Terminator.”  This is a movie with big ideas and big characters.  Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator is fantastic with his movements, his screen presence, and his aura.  Whenever he is on screen, you are completely captivated by him as an audience member to where you can’t keep your eyes off him.  Linda Hamilton is terrific at walking that tightrope to where she’s seen as tough but also a little vulnerable.  Michael Biehn also turns in a stellar performance as Kyle Reese.  It’s a hard role to pull off, as Kyle needs to talk about the future in a way that will not only convince Sarah he’s telling the truth but also win over the audience.

I might be in the minority on this one, but my one issue with “The Terminator” is the love story between Sarah and Kyle.  It is why I can’t give the film a perfect rating, even though I absolutely love it.  The love story feels unnecessary when all of this is going on in Sarah’s world.  In a film where I was able to suspend my disbelief for almost its entire running time, the romance came completely out of left field for me.  Besides that, there is a lot to like about this film.  It has a ton of great supporting work from actors such as Lance Henriksen, Paul Winfield, Dick Miller, and Earl Boen. Los Angeles is a character in this film, especially late at night. In many ways, “The Terminator” felt like Michael Mann directed a sci-fi thriller.  It’s a moody and dark film with an underbelly of seediness and gloom and doom.

I also felt as though “The Terminator” had a sense of humor about itself without being too jokey.  When the Terminator himself encounters some street punks while he’s naked, it allows Cameron to have a little fun with his premise.  He is wise to not make the film too silly or goofy, however, as then it would be a completely different film altogether.  The comedic moments come more from the way people react to the Terminator and how he reacts to them.  Because he is so laser focused on killing Sarah Connor, he doesn’t have time for pleasantries.  He is a man on a mission and will eliminate anyone and anything in his way.  This film is able to feel like a big budget Hollywood blockbuster and a gritty, down and dirty independent film at the same time.  It was made for $6.4 million, but it looks top-notch and has a sense of danger to it as well.  “The Terminator” is an almost perfect film.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Terminator” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It comes with a digital copy of the film as well. The film has a running time of 107 minutes and is rated R for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence throughout, some sexuality/nudity, and strong language. You can get this film either with a 4K slipcover or a 4K steelbook.

4K Video Info:  Warner Brothers released this film on Dolby Vision HDR. It is a clean-looking transfer that doesn’t take any chances and doesn’t really need to when you consider its original source material. I thought the majority of the film looked impressive and it had a very cinematic feel to it. I don’t think there are too many things you can find wrong with this 4K video transfer.

4K Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos track is really good here.  This is a film filled with a lot of action, explosions and big moments.  Those scenes sound impressive and make for a good at-home theater experience. It wasn’t too loud or boisterous, but it made its presence known. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Deleted Scenes with Optional James Cameron Commentary

Creating the Terminator: Visual Effects & Music

The Terminator: Closer to the Real Thing

Unstoppable Force: The Legacy of the Terminator

Should You Buy It?

This is one of the greatest sci-fi/action films of all time, despite my issues with the love story between Sarah and Kyle.  It comes with a stand-out 4K transfer which includes Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.  This is the best “The Terminator” has looked, and it looks much better than the failed “Terminator 2” 4K release from Lionsgate a few years back.  It seems like they have found a happy medium when it comes to James Cameron and his 4K transfers.  They know how to make the most out of the 4K format without changing it too much to where you don’t recognize the film you love. Much like the prior Blu-ray release, the special features are lacking, which is a disappointment. Overall, though, if you love movies, you have to have “The Terminator” on 4K in your collection.  It is a must-own, whether you get the 4K slipcover or the 4K steelbook.   It’s a revolutionary film that holds up incredibly well on repeat viewings.  This one comes highly recommended.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

Exclusive Interview with Salome Breziner about ‘Helicopter Mom’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Back in 2014, I got to speak with filmmaker Salome Breziner about her film “Helicopter Mom.” It stars “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” creator Nia Vardalos as Maggie, a completely overbearing single mother who is about to see her only son, Lloyd (Jason Dolley), finish up high school and then move on to college. Maggie feels ever so close to Lloyd, and she quickly proves to be much too close to him. While Lloyd does love his mom, he cannot help but be constantly annoyed at her being more of a best friend to him than a parent as she is almost completely unable to leave him alone for a second.

Maggie’s relationship with Lloyd then enters another plateau when she discovers that gays can get scholarships for college. Constantly worries about she will pay for Lloyd’s college tuition, Maggie decides to tell the whole world that her son is a homosexual in the hopes of securing a scholarship. The problem is, Lloyd is not really gay or, at least, doesn’t think he is. In fact, he finds himself very confused about his sexuality to where life is not about to give him an easy answer to who he really is.

What results is a motion picture which deals with the confusion teenagers typically experience about life and themselves during their formative years, and it promotes a message of acceptance for people of all kinds. Deep down, we are only so different from one another.

Breziner previously directed the 2013 independent comedy “The Secret Lives of Dorks,” and her other directorial efforts include “Fast Sofa,” “An Occasional Hell,” “Tollbooth” and “Lift.” During my interview, she talked about how she went about director the comedic powerhouse that is Nia Vardalos, her own experience as a single mother, the luck she had in being able to shoot the film in Los Angeles and Venice Beach, and of how she got to cast Mark Boone Junior in a role which allows him to go completely against type.

Please check out my exclusive interview below, and be sure to also check out the movie’s trailer.

The SAG/AFTRA Strike Continues on at Warner Brothers Studios

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

It has been a bit, but I finally made the time to walk the picket line in support of the SAG/AFTRA strike. The WGA strike concluded after 148 days after a tentative agreement with the AMPTP was reached, but many of their members still took the time to join the picket line in continued support of the union’s efforts to gain a fair contract. While I have traveled to different strike locations in the past, this one had me returning to Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California. This is because I do not often get over the hill (figuratively speaking) to the other side where the valley is.

Actually, this day, October 2, 2023, is a very significant one as the SAG/AFTRA negotiators are set to meet with the AMPTP in an attempt to end this long-running strike once and for all. In the meantime, we still marched up and down Barham Street to make our presence known. The sun was still shining brightly in the sky, but the temperatures have cooled down a bit and there was a nice breeze going on which we really could have used during July and August.

For me, this day allowed me to catch up with friends I have not seen in the longest time (thanks for nothing COVID). It was fantastic running into Madonna Cacciatore and Robin McWilliams, both of whom have been doing fantastic work as strike captains, making sure everyone crosses the street safely and no one gets hurt. In the past, the three of us trained together for the Los Angeles Marathon as part of Team to End AIDS. More importantly, we ran it in 2011 which became forever known as the monsoon marathon as the rain kept pouring down on us with a vengeance.

I also ran into a former neighbor of mine, a screenwriter whose career has unfortunately taken a hit due to the work stoppage. Fortunately, his wife has a big job which has proven to be all consuming, and this allows him to be a stay-at-home dad to his children. Of course, he would like to get back to work soon.

But even as the SAG/AFTRA strike could be reaching an end, another one is set to begin as the union has a authorized a strike against video game companies. I included a quote near the end of this video I edited about my day on this picket line from Ralph Garman, a longtime voiceover artist and host of “The Ralph Report,” who voiced his frustrations with doing video game work, and his remarks speak volumes about how performers are endlessly being taken advantage of.

Please check out the video below and be sure to make a donation to those artists in need.

Joe Swanberg on the Making of ‘Drinking Buddies’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This article was written back in 2013.

Filmmaker Joe Swanberg has been a major figure in the Mumblecore movement, a subgenre of American independent film which is characterized by low budget production values and naturalistic dialogue. Among his films is “Hannah Takes the Stairs” which stars Greta Gerwig and was actually shot without a script. The way Swanberg works, he gives his actors an outline of the plot of what he wants to film, and they improvise their scenes from there. This way of filmmaking offers actors the opportunity to take a lot of risks and make the kind of movie Hollywood studios do not want to right now.

Swanberg’s latest film, “Drinking Buddies,” stars Olivia Wilde as Kate, an employee at a Chicago craft brewery who spends her days flirting with her co-worker, Luke (Jake Johnson). They would make the perfect couple, but Kate is already going out with Chris (Ron Livingston) while Luke is seeing Jill (Anna Kendrick). But when their significant others are out of town one weekend, both Luke and Kate begin to wonder if the feelings they have for one another will eventually come to the surface.

As with “Hannah Takes the Stairs,” “Drinking Buddies” was shot without a script, and the actors improvised all their scenes. Swanberg took the time to talk with us about the experience of making the movie while at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California as well as the fascinating world of craft beers.

What would you say is the difference between a microbrew and craft beer?

Joe Swanberg: Same thing, different terminology. The way that the world is soused out is basically in terms of how many barrels a year that places are outputting between micro-breweries and macro breweries. I would argue that you’re either there because you’re passionate about it, or you’re there because it’s a job, and that’s the difference between the two.

You mentioned “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” as one of your influences on this film, and that was a studio comedy with an adult point of view. Your films always have that great point of view and you keep going back to that well time and time again. What keeps you going back there, and what was your motivation to do this film?

Joe Swanberg: Well, a lot of it has to do with operating in a space where I can carve out a little area for myself to play in. Sadly, complex contemporary adult movies, there aren’t many of them. I’ve always been allergic to just doing what everybody else was doing, so it’s kind of just remained a place where there aren’t that many other things happening. I don’t have to be nervous that we’re sort of recycling the zeitgeist or anything like that, then it’s also just one I’m fascinated by. I think if you were to catch me most days of the week and asked me what I was thinking about, it would be a conversation my wife and I had about making time for each other to both be able to do our creative things, or some friend of mine who’s going through a breakup or something. I’m interested in people in that way, how we interact with each other. It’s very easy for me to continue to generate stories that are based around that because it’s kind of always on my mind anyway.

What would you say was your favorite scene in “Drinking Buddies?”

Joe Swanberg: My favorite sequence in the movie is Jake and Olivia playing cards, he’s playing blackjack with her, and Ron and Anna are hiking in the woods. Just the start of the back-and-forth of seeing these two couples we’ve established in terms of each other sort of swapping a little bit and feeling out how to flirt with someone else. I feel like I have this experience in my own life within the context of my relationship with my wife where I’ll just be with another woman and you just sort of get to play make-believe for 45 minutes or something of “oh this is what it would be like if we were together and we went to get lunch or something. This is how we would relate to each other,” and it’s different than the relationship you’re in. These little daydream scenarios, that scene in particular is really fun to me to see play out. I also love listening to Jake and Olivia on the porch. Anna has fallen asleep and they sneak out. I’ve had a lot of those nights in my life where the floodgates open and you just start being really honest and it starts feeding into the other person’s honesty. Before you know it, you’re just talking about things you’ve never told anybody with someone you hardly know. It was fun to try get something like that into the movie and to let them share stories with each other, and I just get to bear witness to it.

Did you have this great cast in mind from the beginning?

Joe Swanberg: No. Usually I’m working with friends of mine so I do know exactly who is going to play the parts before I gear the thing up, but this was one where I just sort of had broad stroke ideas about who the characters were. It’s the first time I’ve ever done a casting process where I met with a lot of actors and try to think about chemistry and placing different people in different roles.

Why did you film in Chicago? Why not Boulder, Colorado?

Joe Swanberg: Well, I live in Chicago, so that’s a big reason. Also, there’s a specificity that I can give the movie because I know what kinds of apartments these people live in and what bars they would drink at. So, every choice gets be a real choice because I know them and I’m friends with them. I’ve been to places I’ve never been to before and done the same process, but then I either have to take somebody else’s word for it like where the hipsters drink, or where it’s just not specific at all. I’m just like choosing places that look nicer something. It was fun to do something at home where I could use the city is an indicator of certain things. Also, I have a kid now so traveling is way less appealing than it used to be. Going to sleep in my bed every night was a huge bonus.

Was the backpack scene in the woods between Ron and Anna when they have that awkward moment completely improvised?

Joe Swanberg: Yeah. It’s the first film that I’ve done where I had an art department and a props master and all these people, so it was really fun as a director to show up to the production office every day and have somebody bring in four different backpacks that I could choose from. It was just too funny to pass up. It says a lot about her (Anna Kendrick). It’s a really great use of a prop.

Beer wise, what are you drinking now especially after you’ve had this little bit of education?

Joe Swanberg: I’m still leaning on the hoppy IPA side of things, but it’s interesting because I didn’t drink at all until I was 25. On my honeymoon I had a beer. I guess I must’ve felt like “alright, I’m here,” so it’s new to me. It’s really been something that I’ve just gotten into in the last five years. It’s interesting because I remember drinking a really hoppy beer early on and just thinking it tasted disgusting, and now I really like the flavor so I’m really curious as to where my taste buds will lead me in terms of the stuff. I find that I go through cycles with it. There was a period of time where I just wanted to drink stouts and dark beers, and then I got into Belgian stuff and then went to the hoppy stuff so I don’t know what the next wave will be.

Any brands you like?

Joe Swanberg: Sure, but too many to even name. I’ll stick to the Midwest: Revolution Bar where we shot, Three Floyds, and Half Acre. We are very spoiled in Chicago. I think twelve new breweries opened this year. It’s a nice time to be in Chicago right now.

“Drinking Buddies” is available to own and rent on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital.

‘Aliens’ Cast Discuss Their Most Quotable Lines

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

While at the Days of the Dead convention held in Los Angeles, California in late August of 2023, I got to attend the “Aliens” panel which featured several actors from the classic film. An audience member told the cast how this is one of the most quotable motion pictures of all time and asked if they ever get their famous lines of dialogue yelled back at them on a daily basis. Indeed, there are a plethora of memorable lines throughout which stay with the viewer long after they watch this film. Whether it is Sigourney Weaver saying, “get away from her you bitch” or the late Bill Paxton yelling out “we’re on an express elevator to hell, going down,” there is no forgetting what is said onscreen. This is saying a lot as James Cameron, who wrote and directed this sequel, is not always known for giving his actors great dialogue to work with. Then again, it is far better than the dialogue George Lucas gave us in those “Star Wars” prequels.

There is no doubt that actors will often find themselves faced with fans yelling lines of dialogue at them as they love what was said, and they always want to see if they can get a reaction out of those particular thespians. I remember interviewing Pierce Brosnan once about his movie “The November Man,” and I walked in to see him pouring himself a cup of coffee and mixing in some milk and sure. To this, I could not help but bring up a famous line he and several other actors have utter throughout history, but with a certain twist:

“Ah, stirred but not shaken!”

Thank goodness Brosnan had a great sense of humor about it.

When it comes to the cast of “Aliens,” their memories of their most well-known dialogue remain very vivid to them, and this provided some of the most entertaining moments during this Q&A session.

Daniel Kash (Private Spunkmeyer): I was in Florida once, and while I was there, someone said, “Nice pet you have there, Bishop.” That was right out of the blue. It was such an average line that no one cares about.

Carrie Henn (Newt): So, there was a line in the movie that, at the time, I asked why I am even saying this. And I know everybody says to me I know you hate the line, but you said it anyway. I learned to love it. The word “mostly,” it is amazing how many times that comes up. People will say it, and my friends will text it to me and they will say, “While I mostly saw this…” And then they always send me a second text saying “mostly.” People, I will be walking by them, and they will say it, and someone will then say “mostly.” If they only knew who was walking next to them. But yeah, it is the weirdest line, but it sticks.

Ricco Ross (Private Frost): This was maybe five years after the movie was made, and I had done a music video with Whitney Houston called “Saving All My Love for You.” I was the guy she was saving her love for. I remember walking in the hood one day and, this is a true story, a guy shouts out, “Hey Mr. Whitney Houston, how’s that Arcturian poontang?”

Cynthia Scott (Corporal Dietrich): I had a next-door neighbor in London, and he would come home from the pup every night three sheets to the wind. If I happened to be entering the house at the same time he’d go, “Oy, say that line again! Say your line!” And I would go, “Borderline malnutrition, but I don’t think there’s any permanent damage.”

Jenette Goldstein (Private Vasquez): People will yell “let’s rock” at me a lot.

William Hope (Lieutenant Gorman): You know, it’s just like, nice to meet you. You always were an asshole. And this happened in a swimming pool!

For myself, I would love to know if Sigourney Weaver ever gets anyone quoting one of Ellen Ripley’s best lines to her,

“Burke, I don’t know which species is worse. You don’t see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage.”

Whatever you may think of Cameron’s talent for dialogue, this remains one of the best things he has ever written.

The Scene at the SAG/AFTRA and WGA Picket Line Outside of Netflix

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

After joining the union members of SAG/AFTRA and WGA, still on strike for a fair contract from producers, in front of Paramount Studios, I joined them again outside of Netflix, Sunset Bronson Studios and KTLA Channel 5 studios on July 27, 2023. It was a scorcher of a day as the temperature got up to ninety degrees, but the union members remained determined to march on, and the strike captains did their best to keep everyone safe and, most importantly, hydrated.

Like that day at Paramount, there was a great feeling of solidarity on display as both SAG/AFTRA and WGA remain united in this strike. At the same time, I also felt the increasing tension between members and the studios as the need for a fair contract felt more intense than ever before. The strike captains were on their bullhorns getting everyone to say, “What do we want? A Fair Contract! When do we want it? NOW!” Well, it was either “now” or “yesterday,” and everyone clearly prefers that this fair contract would have arrived yesterday. Suffice to say, this strike is far from over.

There were no big Hollywood stars on the picket line this day, and one man was holding a sign which said, “Where is Quentin Tarantino?” But once again, this is about the working-class actors and writers, those who just want to make a healthy living. Keep in mind, not everyone in show business wants to be famous like Brad Pitt or George Clooney. In fact, a lot of my friends who are actors are fearful of being a movie star. They would rather be one of those character actors we see in every other movie or television show we watch on a regular basis.

Kudos goes out to Voyage Real Estate whose employees went out of their way to pass out cold bottles of water, and for bringing out the Fluff Ice catering truck which gave everyone free ice shavings. Big thanks to the strike captains who kept everyone safe and in line, and for encouraging us to stay hydrated. Like they said, this corporate greed has got to go!

The video above also has some websites where you can make donations to those union members in need.

WRITER’S NOTE: For the record, I am not currently a member of SAG/AFTRA or the WGA. This video was not endorsed by either union.

Walking the WGA and SAG/AFTRA Picket Line at Paramount Studios

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

On July 20, 2023, I did something I had been meaning to do for a long time: walk the picket line alongside members of the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG/AFTRA). Both unions are in a furious labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) as streaming has forever changed the landscape of entertainment. The residual deals many actors and writers previously enjoyed are no longer such a thing, and streaming services have not been quick to give out the numbers of viewers or streams their programs have received thus far. Also, with artificial intelligence (AI) on the rise, many careers threaten to be rendered obsolete as those with all the money keep finding new ways to eliminate the human equation. Plus, when you compare the amount of money someone like Bob Iger makes to the average worker, one cannot help but be infuriated by the infinite corporate greed on display. As John Carpenter once said, the 1980’s never left us.

Signing up to walk in the picket line was very easy, and you do not have to be a member of either union to participate. Considering the continued divide between the haves and the have nots and the dangers posed by AI, I encourage you to participate as the technology itself poses dangers not just to acting and writing careers, but to careers in other fields as well. Clearly, many people still need to watch the first two “Terminator” movies to understand what happens when AI becomes self-aware.

It was a privilege to be walking with these people, union and non-union alike, along Melrose Avenue outside of Paramount. It quickly became clear to me of how everybody was looking out for one another, and this was great considering the hot temperatures we are currently enduring. The temperature reached up to around ninety degrees at one point, and there was only so much shade we could hide in. Paramount does not have any Ficus tress outside their studios, but if they did have any, they would already have had them trimmed.

Big applause goes out to the strike captains who made sure everyone was safe and kept everyone in line, and to all those who donated food, water, snacks and tons on sunscreen for us to utilize. You can never wear enough sunscreen on a day like this. I also have to say how much I appreciated everyone crossed the street both safely and legally. These days in Los Angeles, no one seems to know how to cross the friggin’ street anymore.

With the video I shot and edited above, I wanted to show the harmony of the strikers on display as this event has brought Los Angelenos together in ways I have not seen outside of the LA Marathon. Also, this video shows how everyone was looking out for one another, and how everybody was respectful of the rules set out for them. These visuals really do speak for themselves more than words can. Granted, writers can say a lot about the strike too, but we need to pay them more first.

If you are interested in helping out in the strike or want to make a donation, please visit the following websites by clicking down below:

Writers Guild of America

SAG/AFTRA

Motion Picture & Television Fund

Entertainment Community Fund

WGA on Strike

WRITER’S NOTE: For the record, I am not currently a member of the WGA or SAG/AFTRA. This video is my creation alone and is not endorsed by either union or any other organization.

‘The Muppets’ – Jason Segel and Company Get Jim Henson’s Creations Just Right

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Watching Kermit the Frog sing “Rainbow Connection” in “The Muppets” brought back one of my most cherished memories. “The Muppet Movie” was the first film I ever saw on the silver screen, and I consider myself fortunate that this was the case. I even brought along my own Kermit hand puppet with me, and I had him singing “Rainbow Connection” along with the real Kermit, and this was long before such actions might have been annoying to other audience members like when anyone takes out their cellphone during the latest cinematic spectacle which the MCU has to offer. These characters were a large part of my childhood, and I still find them endlessly entertaining all these years later.

“The Muppets” represents the kind of Muppet movie I have been yearning to see for years; one which appeals to the whole family and does not condescend to kids in the slightest. Ever since Jim Henson passed away in 1990, everything Muppet has been geared towards children without much thought to adults. The ironical humor we knew these felt characters for vanished without a trace, and Disney took over the franchise without really knowing how to sell them to either new or old generations. This became abundantly clear when “Muppets from Space” collapsed both critically and commercially back in 1999, and perhaps this was because they were not partying like it was 1999.

But with “Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s” Jason Segel and “Flight of the Conchords'” co-creator James Bobin directing and Bret McKenzie supervising the music, “The Muppets” is a movie the whole family can enjoy together, and it will put a smile on even the most jaded fan’s face. Granted, a number of puppeteers from this infamous franchise (namely Frank Oz) refused to participate because they felt the script did not respect the characters. I beg to differ on that.

Segel stars as Gary whose brother Walter is a Muppet himself, and both are die-hard fans of “The Muppet Show” in childhood. Their love for the Muppets stays strong even through puberty, and they finally get their chance to visit Muppet Studios when Gary invites Walter to come along with him and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) on a vacation to Los Angeles. But when they get there, they find the Muppet theatre it is now in a dilapidated state as Kermit and company have not performed together or seen each other in years.

Even worse, Walter overhears the evil oil magnate Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) planning to buy the Muppet theatre not to preserve it as a historic landmark, but to instead drill for oil underneath it. As a result, Walter, Gary and Mary join forces to reunite the Muppets in order to put on a telethon which will raise the money needed to save not just the Muppets, but the theatre where all the magic started.

My guess is Oz and the other puppeteers never saw the Muppets splitting up and going their separate ways, but having re-watched a lot of “Muppet Show” episodes recently, they did not always have the best time working together. Besides, they did split up, if only temporarily, in “The Muppets Take Manhattan” when Kermit got all pissed off about the gang constantly leaning on him to figure out what to do next. Heck, that Kermit didn’t ditch Miss Piggy sooner is amazing in retrospect.

Starting off with the Muppets having gone their separate ways years ago gives “The Muppets” an interesting jumping off point. Like many, these characters wonder if they are still relevant in today’s popular culture. While they are a big favorite of my generation, whether they can translate to another is still feels uncertain.

Even though the voices of the original Muppet performers are not present, the characters have not changed nor have they gotten cynical (unlike Statler and Waldorf). Steve Whitmire performs Kermit the Frog and does great work in capturing his unforgettable mannerisms without ever simply going through the motions. The same goes with the rest of the puppeteers here as they make each character from Miss Piggy to Animal all their own.

It ia also interesting to see where all these Muppets are at today. Kermit is living in a mansion which is not in the best condition, Miss Piggy is the editor in chief of Vogue Paris, Scooter works at Google, and Sam the Eagle is a Fox News-like personality which seems to be the perfect venue for his endless pomposity. But the one Muppet who practically steals this movie is Animal who we meet up with again at an anger management clinic where Jack Black is his sponsor.

As for the human actors, Segel is a hoot as Gary, and his love for the Muppets shines through every contribution he has in this film. Amy Adams remains infinitely adorable as her sweetness is no act, and she scores a huge musical highlight with the song “Party of One.” We even get to see Chris Cooper do a rap song, and it is not as terrifying as it sounds. As for Jack Black, he becomes the most unwilling guest star “The Muppet Show” has ever had.

The music is really good as well, and it never becomes cringe-inducing thank goodness. “Life’s a Happy Song” starts off the proceedings with a happiness which feels genuine, and you can tell Segel is having the time of his life while singing it. The one song though which truly deserved a Best Original Song nomination is “Man or Muppet” where both Segel and Walter bring down the house in deciding who they really are, as if the answer was not the least bit obvious. And yes, it did win the Oscar in that category, but this should not have surprised anyone as this song did not have much in the way of competition.

It is also great to see that ironic humor the Muppets were famous for back on display here. They push the bounds of the PG rating to where if the kids do not get what is being said, it is probably just as well. I loved how they got away with the Muppet chickens singing Cee-Lo Green’s “Fuck You” without its explicit lyrics. Oh, I’m sorry, I mean Cee-Lo Green’s “Forget You” (right, whatever).

But what makes “The Muppets” so good is that everyone, be it the Muppets, the human actors or those making cameos, comes into this project without any cynicism. Making a movie with the best of intentions or one with a happy ending is greeted with our eyes rolling in the back of our heads as we come out feeling utterly and shamelessly manipulated. The filmmakers even bring back “The Muppet Show’s” opening theme song as it was performed in season three, and it looks almost exactly like it did all those years ago. Even “Mahna Mahna” is brought back, and being it was the very first sketch on “The Muppet Show,” that should show you how much these filmmakers value their childhood entertainment.

Kermit, Fozzie, and Miss Piggy will never feel or sound exactly as they did from years ago, but “The Muppets” proves they still have their charms and humor long after their glory days. It is a film made with a lot of love for the imagination Jim Henson gave us, and deep down we all would hate to see his wondrous imagination die away without a trace.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

Charlie Hunnam on Acting in ‘Deadfall’ and Portraying a Former Boxer

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This article was written back in 2012.

Best known for his roles in the film “Green Street Hooligans” and on the television series “Sons of Anarchy,” actor Charlie Hunnam gets to do a variation on his tough guy image in “Deadfall.” Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, he portrays Jay, an ex-boxer who has just been released from prison. He is contemplating going back home to have Thanksgiving dinner with his parents, but things go awry for him after he seriously injures, albeit accidentally, his former coach who had betrayed him. Fearing he will be sent back to jail, Jay flees the scene and goes on the run.

While talking with Christina Radish of Collider, Hunnam said there was “real poetry” to Zach Dean’s script when he first read it and that he related to Jay’s frustration and anger over how his life felt completely out of his control. When actors study and prepare to play a role, they are always expected to go over the similarities they share with their characters as well as how they are different from them. Hunnam found that his life as an actor was similar to Jay’s career as a boxer.

“I thought that was really interesting and I could relate to it, in a way, living in Hollywood,” Hunnam told Radish. “I’m very disciplined and I have a very clear idea of how I want to be spending my time, but I’m at the mercy of everybody else who decides how I get to spend my time and whether I get to work or not. In classic storytelling terms, with the classic hero’s journey and contemporary male narrative, a man being released from prison is a dynamic that I was predisposed to be interested in and like.”

The other interesting thing Hunnam brought up in his interview with Radish was how Jay was a successful athlete. Now in crime dramas like “Deadfall,” we typically expect boxers like Jay to have failed in their profession in one way or another, be it through drugs or some sort of gambling controversy. But here, Jay proves to be a victim of circumstance which has rendered his past achievements non-existent.

“This guy seemed like a guy who had dedicated his entire life to this goal of becoming a world class athlete and actually achieved it,” Hunnam said of Jay. “We just all inherently understand the dedication and sacrifice that is needed to achieve that because we’ve all grown up watching professional athletes on TV, so I understood that. He seemed like a guy where it was day one of the rest of his life. He had ruined the prior 30 years and he was coming out completely with nothing, at all.”

One of the best things about “Deadfall” is how beautiful the snowy landscapes look and how brutally cold they appear. I got to attend the movie’s press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, and it was surprising to hear Hunnam say how he looked forward to working in the freezing cold. Many actors would give anything not to work in such frigid temperatures, but for Hunnam it offered a change of pace. Still, he did find the snow to be a challenging environment to work in.

“I had actually been really excited about a period in the cold weather because we shoot ‘Sons of Anarchy’ in LA through the course of the summer, and I’m a skinny guy who wants to look as big as possible so I wear several layers of clothing; it gets really old being that hot,” Hunnam said. “But I must say that a couple of days in, I was craving the sunshine. You know when you’re really hot you get miserable and a little bit grumpy, but the cold is really debilitating.”

Hunnam did take the time to train as a boxer which helped him better understand his character. It also turned out he had a unique way of getting into Jay’s psyche which he accomplished by working out a lot and then suddenly stopping. Anyone who has exercised a lot at the gym and then stopped for a period can clearly understand how difficult it is to start all over again.

“I’ve also always been interested in boxing so I put myself through an intense boxing academy where I got up and ran five miles every morning and then went and had breakfast and boxed a couple of hours and then came home and watched fights all day long and then went and swam, and I did this seven days a week for five weeks before filming this movie. Then when I got to Montreal (where the film was shot) I wanted to stop completely and feel the absence, and I knew that was going to have a very negative effect on my psychology. It’s kind of a shortcut, rather than intellectually empathizing, to actually feeling the emotion. I got into a very dark and happy place during shooting because of that preparation,” Hunnam said.

Charlie Hunnam still has “Sons of Anarchy” to work on, and many are excited at what the show’s upcoming season finale has to offer. Up next for him is Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” in which he will be playing Raleigh Antrobus, a washed-up former pilot who has to defend the world by piloting a giant robot and fighting monsters who are rising out of the depths of the ocean. Thar one looks to be Hunnam’s biggest movie yet.

SOURCES:

Christina Radish, “Charlie Hunnam Talks DEADFALL, SONS OF ANARCHY Season 5, PACIFIC RIM, and Writing a Movie About a Drug Lord for WB and Legendary,” Collider, December 5, 2012.

Ben Kenber, “Interview with the Cast and Director of Deadfall,” We Got This Covered, December 7, 2012.