LA is Burning. And Other Stuff.

The Station Fire in Angeles Forest is still burning like crazy. The view of the smoke today was epic, even from the Marina. Apparently brush that hasn't burned in over five decades is now burning and parts of Glendale are even being evacuated.

Down here in the Marina we're plenty far away but the air quality is still pretty gross. The last few days have not been good for breathing. Combine the bad air with today's heat, not fun. Apparently parts of the westside were even experiencing brown outs but if we lost power at any point today I didn't notice.

Here's an AP article with more info on the fire along with a few images.

In other news.

I'm baking my cake! I'm actually in the middle of it. I've just taken the cake out of the oven and it's currently cooling. In a minute I'll start on the frosting. So far it's going well! I've taken pictures, of course, and those will be up just a little later.

I even bought a real vanilla bean for the frosting. It's my first vanilla bean guys! I'm inordinately excited about this vanilla.

Speaking of pictures, Thomas Lennon just posted a good one on Twitter.



Last night was, as a friend put it, classic. Not really sure there's a better way to describe it. It was really great to see cast and crew that I haven't seen since December but sad as well, given the circumstances. So classic is one way to describe it. Bittersweet another.

Strangely I did not actually have a camera with me last night. A few friends did though so hopefully I'll get to see other pictures. Or maybe it's just better if this particular evening lives on only in my memory. Either way.

All right, time to make some frosting. Expect another post once the cake is finished and tasting has commenced. There shall be details and pictures. I'm convinced this is going to be delicious!

Goodbye Reno 911!

Since Tom Lennon has now Twittered it I guess I can spread the news as well. I heard from a friend this afternoon that Reno 911! will not, in fact, be returning for Season 7. Along with many fans I am incredibly sad.

As some of you know I worked on season 6 last fall. I was the Assistant Production Coordinator (means I worked in the office, answered a lot of phones, sent the PAs on runs, and helped our fabulous coordinator out with whatever).

Ah, what can I say about Reno? It was one of the best places I've so far worked. The crew was fantastic, the people amazing, there were constantly funny and absurd things going on and being said. Beyond that, I met some of my favorite people and made some of my best friends that I've made since moving to LA.

Working on Reno was almost everything that working in this industry should be. Of course it wasn't always all sunshine and smiles, there were egos and politics and the usual nonsense, but in the end it was a great production making a fun show and I would have gone back to it in a second.

So there's that.

The A.V. Club says a word.

And here on the Hollywood Reporter.

Goodbye and cheers to Reno 911!



May you live long and prosper on DVD.

Links: Book of Caleb and Colbert Report

As if I didn't all ready love HULU enough.



The Book of Caleb, that little ol' movie I worked on out in Bucks County way back in the day, is now available on HULU for your watching pleasure. I love how the internet is giving us all of these fabulous new ways to see indie film.

Watch away!

AND!

I really have to share tonight's Colbert Report. Mostly for the bit about Neil Gaiman and his NEWBERY AWARD winning The Graveyard Book. But that stuff with Steve Martin was pretty good too. Yeah.

What was that about?

ALSO:

In actual life stuff, I have an interview for a job as an APOC on a pilot tomorrow. Wish me luck friends!

And Coraline opens this weekend (speaking of Neil Gaiman love). It's only in 3D for a few weeks apparently so you should go this weekend! If, you know, you like 3D and all that. I know I do.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 11/24

I feel like I had such a productive weekend that involved a lot of doing nothing. Hey, whatever works right?

Friday PM:

Shooting was on hiatus last week which meant we were able to get out of the office fairly early on Friday. And by early I mean before 7 PM. It was pretty awesome.



I spent most of the night just hanging out and appropriately enough the one movie I watched was the Reno 911! movie. Not something I bothered to watch previously. I wonder why...

The movie had a few moments that made me giggle but I really don't think Reno is a show that lends itself to the feature format. The improv bits come together nicely in short bursts but over the extended storyline... It was exceptionally silly.

Whatever. There are worse things I could have watched. Like Twilight... (am I going to be attacked by angry tweens if I proclaim my complete disinterest in this film publicly? I said nothing!)

Saturday AM:

Why did I wake up so early??? And why did I spend so much time on the damn couch after actually waking up early? Oh yeah. Headache. Too much beer the night before. Skins!



Oh man, of all the bad TV I watched Saturday morning (there was kind of a lot) I am totally in love with this British import. I <3 BBCA. I can't believe I have to wait for January to Netflix it all. *Sigh* I guess that's what the DVR is for.

Seriously though, if you think the hijinks of Gossip Girl are tasty, please oh please check this silliness out. It's a bunch of British teens drinking and getting high and F'ing. Plus all of the drama and scandal that that all entails.

I watched an episode (or maybe it was two, I'm not sure, I was kind of hazy with the hangover) and baby. I want more!

What else did I watch? Um. I dunno. Some South of Nowhere. A little bit of Pee Wee. Some other nonsense. Skins was all that was really interesting.

Oh wait! I'm a liar. I also watched Friday Night Lights. Now that is an actually quality show. One I'm not ashamed to admit I like (as if I have any shame anyway). I'm so going to Netflix this one.

Saturday PM:

I did some other stuff in the afternoon. Ran some errands. Ate food. You know. Life. Exciting!



Before it was time to go out for the evening I watched one of my Netflix DVDs, The Pillow Book.

The Pillow Book first caught my interest years ago during my Ewan McGregor phase. Mmmm... that was a phase that should have probably never ended. He's so cute.

Anyway. I stuck it on my Netflix queue ages ago as part of my search for really good, sexy films (think of classy stuff along the lines of Y Tu Mama Tambien not porn please). I had this idea in college for having a "Sexy Cinema" themed movie night, that never happened, and I still kind of like the idea. I've yet to put together the perfect list of films but I'm working on it. Suggestions are always welcome!

Sorry, tangent. Back to The Pillow Book. The flick is alright. There are some hot moments, the story is intriguing. I was hoping for more visually but I don't think it quite lives up to the hype. I also found it kind of slow and not in a good way.

Not my favorite movie. But if you want to see more of Ewan's junk (this boy is not shy!), that's one place you won't be disappointed.

Saturday Night:



Hung out with some friends and ended up watching a LOT of Triumph the insult dog from Conan. Not something I would normally sit and watch a lot of but I have to admit the dude is funny. Especially that Star Wars one. I also particularly liked the Hollywood Squares bit. Good times.

I know. I lead a very exciting life.

Sunday:

I slept in Sunday morning which was glorious. It's my favorite way to spend Sundays. I don't get nearly enough sleep. After hardly sleeping Friday night and waking up way too early Sunday, it was nice to spoil myself.

After reading for a while (I finally finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which has consequently all ready been adapted into a film due out in '09), getting my car smog check done and grocery shopping, L came over for some lazy TV time. We watched some Oprah, I cooked, K came back from PHX. The Wedding Singer was on TV.



The Wedding Singer is all about nostalgia for me. It's a nostalgia film, made for anyone who has any memory of the 80's. And, ironically perhaps, it's a nostalgia film for me in the sense that it always makes me think of high school. It came out when I was still happily dating my high school EX. He was my first serious relationship and a lot of my high school career involved him. There are a lot of memories, good and bad. It was also during this time when I found myself more seriously invested in film. A lot of movies bring back a lot of memories, again good and bad. It was at his house that I first discovered Kubrick and watched Dr. Strangelove. He was the reason I missed the theatrical re-release of The Exorcist (he wanted to see Deuce Biggolo: Male Giggolo. Again. Don't even get me started on that one!). He loved The Wedding Singer.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the movie. I'd probably enjoy it no matter what. But watching it now for me is never about the eighties jokes or the hair or the bad clothes. It's always a trip down memory lane. It brings back warm fuzzy feelings for a time that I really have no desire to revisit but still occasionally miss.

People who say that high school encompasses the best years of your life are either liars or haven't led very exciting lives. High school was no where near the best years of my life. Neither was college for that matter. But there were certainly good times and good people and every once in a while I don't mind a movie that takes me back there. The Wedding Singer is one of those movies.

Sunday PM:

If The Wedding Singer was the warm and fuzzy part of the evening then this next bit was the "gouge my eyes out" part. Oh no. Someone put on Charm School. You know. The thing on VH1 with Sharon Osbourne and the girlies from Rock of Love.



I have nothing to say about this trash. It was so godawfulbad. Do people like that really exist? Do people really like this show?? Whyyyyyy???

After that I had to save my brain cells somehow. What better way than with Fellini and 8 1/2?

Yes. I know. I'm a snob.



I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of Italian cinema is sadly lacking. I have a cursory acquaintance with most of the big names: Fellini, De Sica, Antonioni, etc but I have not seen nearly enough. I'm using Netflix to reconcile this sad lack and fill the gap.

I have to say, I loved 8 1/2. I think it's a beautiful film that captures filmmaking so neatly. It's true that there are many insider jokes, but I don't think it's so obtuse that people will be left out. I mean, as long as you like old Italian flicks.

It's such an intriguing mix of memory, fantasy, and reality. Where do the lines end? Guido is great. He's such a Man/Boy. Trying to make life fit his fantasy, to make his film fit his memories, to make his fantasy his film. To have it all either fall apart or come together, depending on how you look at it.

This film frequently finds itself at the top of Best Of Lists. You better believe there's a good reason for it. What I wouldn't give to see a print of this in a theater. If anyone hears of a screening in the LA area, please let me know.

On The Slate:

You may have noticed that I still haven't seen Quantum of Solace. I know, excuses. But my parent's have seen it either and they like the Bond stuff and I'll be home for Thanksgiving. So that's now the plan.

Coming from Netflix: Play Misty for Me and Day for Night. Eastwood and Truffaut. I sort of have mixed feelings about Truffaut so I'm especially curious to check this one out. I'm also continuing with the theme of artsy meta-filmic flicks. I'm getting my film nerd on hardcore. Go me?

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 4/28

It was another weekend of nonsense, mischief, and TV watching. One of these weekends I really will catch up on movies. And watch Once.

Friday PM:

I was supposed to go see Body of War which opened at the Nuart Theater up on Santa Monica after I got off of work. However I ended up leaving work early and went home and then I just couldn't get the motivation to get back into rush hour traffic to make the movie. Rush hour in LA? Yuck.

Instead I put in the second disc of Season 1 Tudors and committed my night to Henry and his court.



This second disc (episodes 4-6) left me feeling a little ambivalent about the show. The production value continues to be incredibly impressive, I think the acting is fine, and there a few steamy, exciting scenes. Overall though, I'm left wanting more. A lot of the time it feels like the episodes are just glossing over the events. There is a lot that I want to see more fully developed. Characters, plot, history.



I did like the subplot with Charles Brandon and Henry's sister Margaret. I think that's actually been my favorite bit so far actually. I'll be honest and admit that that partly has to do with Henry Cavill and the fact that he looks pretty amazing without a shirt.

I'm not completely shallow though! I also think that they actually manage to do a decent job with the development here, I have a pretty good idea who these characters are, what they're feeling, what's going on between them. There's less crazy intrigue going on with them, it's a pretty straightforward bit of story, so I guess they had less to tell in more time and were able to give more attention to details. Or maybe it's a sign that the series will improve over the course of the season and some of these issues I'm having will be resolved. Here's hoping for that!

Saturday AM:




Scrubs again! I love Comedy Central and its Saturday morning Scrubs marathon. I watched a few episodes and then got ready for the day. It was pretty brilliant.

After Scrubs it was off for bike riding and the beach. I managed only a slight sunburn so I'm pretty happy with that. The weekend was gorgeous, a little hot even, and Saturday was perfect for a day at the beach.

Saturday PM:



After the beach and bike riding to Santa Monica with the roommate, I was a little tired. We talked about going out but managed to make it only as far as the neighbors' house. After socializing we wandered back to our couch and turned the TV back on. We talked about catching some Monty Python action but didn't make it that far. Instead it was back to the old staples. Sex in the City and some No Reservations.



Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations is one of my favorite shows currently on TV. It combines so many elements that I love (cooking, travel, a snarky host) into a perfect blend of entertainment, commentary, and even a bit of education. Tony Bourdain is hilarious and while his delivery with the narration can border on cheesy it's always clever and well written. I love seeing all of these different sides to places I've always dreamed of going. And I mean, this guy gets to travel cool places, eat cool food, write about and have his own TV show. How lucky is he?

That is one reality show I would LOVE to work on.

The rest of the weekend:



Scattered throughout the rest of the weekend was more of pretty much everything. Mixed with some of the US version of The Office, BBC's Robin Hood, and some Family Guy. Honestly, with as much as I did this weekend (a lot) I'm really surprised by how much TV I still managed to watch. I went to the beach, I did lots of shopping, I spent almost all of the second half of Sunday at the neighbors' BBQ. I guess that could be why there was a lot of TV but no actual movies. Makes sense to me.

On The Slate:

Body of War - I'll definitely be going to see this either tomorrow or Wednesday. Normally I'm not a huge documentary person but this one looks really, really good. Check out their site for more info and the trailer and showtimes.

Once - I really will watch it this week! I promise!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - An old Sarah Jessica Parker flick my roommate really wants to check out. With the Sex and The City movie coming up, we're preparing ourselves.

More Tudors - depending on how much else I get through, I may watch the next disc.

And that, as they say, is that.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film

Normally I use my weekends as catch up time for all of the movie watching I failed to do during the week. However this past weekend was rather lackluster in terms of film. It was just too nice outside to spend my time indoors. I did manage a little movie and television watching though.

Saturday AM:



Before I managed to make it outside, I did spend some time on my couch recovering from Friday night's mischief. A couple hours of Scrubs did help me forget about my slight hangover.

I still really enjoy that show. They manage to create a nice blend of humorous situations and serious topics. It's not just another medical drama (although I am a fan of a couple of other medically themed shows. Like House) but it manages to deliver on the dramatic medical topics.

It's also possibly my favorite thing that Zach Braff has done. Garden State was okay I guess but I like him better in Scrubs. And Dr. Cox makes me happy to no end. He's by far my favorite character.



Unfortunately Comedy Central decided to air the movie Ladies Man after a couple of delightful hours of Scrubs. I don't have much to say about it other than it caused my headache to come back. It was good for one thing: it managed to motivate me to turn off the TV and move from the couch.

Saturday Early PM:



Before I finally left my house for bike riding and beach going, my roommate and I watched the first episode of season 1 of The Tudors. I know, I'm still on season 1. I have the excuse of not having Showtime but I do have Netflix. So The Tudors DVDs are slowly making their way to my living room.

I've so far watched the first two episodes, as well as a smattering of little bits from later in the season. I'm very excited for the series. It has an immensely talented cast, high production values, and it's about an incredibly fascinating period of history. Sex, war, intrigue. It delivers in every way that The Other Boleyn girl failed to. (If you've read my review of that, you know I was extremely disappointing with the awful adaptation of Phillipa Gregory's novel).

We only made it through the first episode. It was a gorgeous day and we do live only a mile from the beach after all. Couldn't spend the entire day in front of my TV!

Saturday PM:



So after all of this beach time and biking, not to mention continued hangover recovery, I definitely did not have the energy for an excessive Saturday night. So instead of too much crazy the roommates and I stuck in the, ah, entertaining Killer Klowns From Outer Space.

How exactly does one describe this movie? For my one roommate who watched it as a kid, she went back to a place of nostalgia and childhood fear. For me, having only seen it in the midst of my horror movie craze, I enjoy the cheese, am vaguely disturbed by horribleness of it, and mostly just laugh. For my other roommate, who had never seen it before, she was mostly just mystified by our giggles and saw it as only one of many bad 80's horror movies.

It's a sort of unique, sort of bizarre, mostly terrible genre film. It subscribes to most of the horror conventions of 80's horror and contains bits that are just down right bad (the hillbilly's accent and dialog any one? Ugh). At the same time... I mean, they wrap people in cotton candy and drain their blood. They shoot popcorn at people and chase people with balloon animals. They kill people with puppet shows. Who thinks of these things??? There are so many elaborate set-ups that I can't help but being reluctantly impressed.

And it's a movie about Killer Clowns! Clowns make you laugh! Lots of people are scared of them! The movie is horrible but it just has so much going for it that I can't help but be entertained.

That being said, I really don't recommend the special features on the DVD. At least not viewed directly after the film. There's only so much a sober brain can take.

If you're so inclined you can see more of the Chiodo brother's, the masterminds of Killer Klowns, at their website here.

Saturday Late PM:



My final viewing of the night, of the weekend in fact, was a late night screening of Disney's Aladdin. It was always one of my favorites as a kid so naturally I own the DVD.

There were a few years, when I was still a part of Disney's target audience, when it seemed like just could not miss. The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King. Each one presented us with stellar animation, engaging characters, songs that I still know the words to. Maybe it's just that I was the right age for them but personally I think it's more than that. I think they're all well crafted animated films that will continue to appeal to kids and parents for a long, long time.

Although, watching Aladdin again after not having seen it in a very long time, I did notice points that were not quite as cute as I remember them being. Aboo can be annoying and Gilbert Godfrey's charm has kind of worn off. (Um, Gilbert Godfrey has charm? Not exactly...)

I still enjoy singing along though. That at least will probably never change.

Sunday:

It was way too nice out yesterday to sit inside at all. And with no hangover, I had nothing to even tempt me to take up residence on the couch. So sorry, no Sunday movie watching to report!

On the slate for this week:

More Tudors for sure. I've got the next two episodes on disc 1. Then I'll send it back to Netflix for more!

Once: It's been on my To See List since I first heard about it and I've finally got it to watch. I'm excited.

There Will Be Blood: Possibly. The DVD came out last Tuesday and I picked it up over the weekend. I'm ready to watch it again. We all ready know that I love PTA. And I like milkshakes.

Other than that? Not sure yet. There are a few things I might try to catch in the theater. Juno comes out on DVD tomorrow. Who knows what will be on TV. Or how much time I'll have. There will be something though, there always is!

Production: A Sport Show

Tomorrow I start work on a sports show that's being shot for the Fox Sports Network (I think that's the deal). I'm going back to being scripty. A development I feel sort of ambivalent about. But hey, it's not a bad gig. Hopefully it will be fun.

I did most of my prepping today after spending a couple of days last week shadowing the Script Supervisor for the upcoming Comedy Central show American Body Shop (which has the potential to be hilarious btw). I'm a little excited about the work I got done today. I have new forms and templates that, at least aesthetically, I like a lot better than the ones I've used previously. I know I'm a dork. But I like the idea of paperwork that actually looks professional.

I also purchased a new digital camera. As well as my old one treated me, it had its limitations and it was just time to move on. So now I've got a little Casio that will hopefully be my new friend. As soon as I figure out how to turn the flash off...

And since I have to be up super early it's off to bed for me. Maybe I'll actually post stuff about what I'm doing during this job. That would be fun. We'll see.