Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 76
September 12, 2023
September 12, 2023: The Crime Binge Commences!
From horror movies to crime shows. I put out the call for recommendations recently, and you all answered.
I decided to start with the shorter runs, checking out the following five…
Deepwater Fell (2020) – 4 episodes
When a seemingly perfect and happy family is murdered by someone they knew and trusted, cracks appear on the surface of a supposedly idyllic community.
Thoughts: An intriguing set-up and interesting character dynamics, but not much of a mystery and sorely lacking in surprises.
3/5
Inside Man (2022) – 4 episodes
A prisoner on death row in the US and a woman trapped in a cellar under an English vicarage, cross paths in the most unexpected way.
Thoughts: The character motivations are simply ridiculous with our various players making decisions that simply serve to further the increasingly implausible plot rather than being grounded in reality. Over the top direction and the humor never quite lands.
2/5
Collateral (2018) – 4 episodes
Investigating the murder of a pizza delivery man, a London detective uncovers a tangled conspiracy involving drug dealers, smugglers and spies.
Thoughts: Sharp dialogue but some of the plotting is a little contrived. In the end, not particularly compelling.
River (2015)
John River is a brilliant police inspector whose genius lies side-by-side with the fragility of his mind. He is a man haunted by the murder victims whose cases he must lay to rest.
Thoughts: Smartly-written and surprisingly heartfelt. Skarsgard and Walker shine, but the casting is exceptional from top to bottom.
4/5
Mr. Inbetween (2021) 6 episodes (Season 1)
Ray Shoesmith is a father, ex-husband, boyfriend, brother and best friend, tough roles to juggle in the modern age. Especially when you’re also a criminal for hire.
Thoughts: Ray is a great character and the dark humor is delightful, but its reliance on plot coincidences and contrivances undermines the narrative.
3.5/5
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September 11, 2023
September 11, 2023: News of Note!
Well, this is nice…
Canceled But Shouldn’t Be – 20 Canceled TV Shows That Need More Seasons
Fantasy Football kicked off this past weekend and the Snow Monkeys look like they’ll be winless in both leagues.
Looks like it’s going to be a long season.
Uh oh. I could be in trouble. New bakery opened up within walking distance of my place and it’s REAAAALY good. Pictured above: the Kouign-Amman, the pistachio-chocolate croissant, and the triple chocolate croissant from Geste.
This is admittedly the Golden Age of premium programming but, all things considered, I hold that the best show currently on air is #NFLRedzone with @ScottHanson
— Joseph Mallozzi
(@BaronDestructo) September 10, 2023
In the meantime, I have commenced my CrimeBinge starting with a few of the shorter shows. Have finished four. Thought two were okay. One was awful. And one was fabulous. Once I have one more under my belt, I’ll post the reviews and scores here on the blog.
Today’s Yes/No…
Caffeinated Instant Noodles? Yes/No
Thanks(?) to @Thogar for the tip.https://t.co/t2mB7KIPJw
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post September 11, 2023: News of Note! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
September 10, 2023
September 10, 2023: Suji Sunday!
Checking under the hood.
Nap time…
Tries to eat my nose…
She loves her chicken…
Massage appointment!
After-massage nap
The post September 10, 2023: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
September 9, 2023
September 9, 2023: Recommend me a fantastic crime show!
I’m doing a crime binge! Recommend me a great crime series…
Recommend me a fantastic crime show.
Bonus marks for foreign/international and limited series.
Please, no network or espionage shows, anything pre-2000, or cross-genre (ie. vampire detectives).
— Joseph Mallozzi
Have gotten a lot of recommendations over on twitter and my list is well over 100 shows. I’ve started with the shortest and done Deadwater Fall (intriguing set-up but no surprises, a resounding meh), Collateral (sharp dialogue but some contrived plotting and wasn’t particularly engaging), Inside Man (the humor didn’t land for me and many of the decision defied credulity). So, off to a stumbling start at 0-3. I requested FANTASTIC and, so far, I’ve been underwhelmed. I may have to start muting accounts with awful taste because they have betrayed my trust.
Greatly appreciate all of the wonderful recommendations. And will harshly judge those who suggested stinkers. https://t.co/VPzNoIAJJ5
— Joseph Mallozzi
New t-shirt shipment. Which one is YOUR favorite?
Today’s Yes/No…
Matcha Tiramisu? Yes/No pic.twitter.com/Xc46Y33s8P
— Joseph Mallozzi
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September 8, 2023
September 8, 2023: Weird Deaths and pizza items!
#UnusualDeaths
According to the CDC, falling out of bed kills 450 Americans a year and injured another 1.8 million. Around 20,000 Brits a year end up in the hospital after falling out of bed compared t0 1600 who fall of ladders and 1200 who fall out of trees. pic.twitter.com/KEJDdFeSPq
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Although your chances of being killed by a falling coconut are 250 000 000/1, a handful of people end up going out this way every year (a 2014 report puts that number at 150!). A 3lb coconut falling from a 100 foot tree would hit you with a force of 4,181… pic.twitter.com/JIQ81nxob9
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Jellyfish kill more people than sharks, over 100 people a year, although the number may be much higher. Most lives were claimed by the winged box jellyfish. With its translucent body and 10 foot tentacles, it is one of the most venomous animals on the planet. pic.twitter.com/7OhgoTLLsO
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Vending machines kill an average of 13 people a year, usually as a result of cheapskates rocking the heavy machines back and forth in an attempt to dislodge free candy bars. Unsurprisingly, most of the victims were men. pic.twitter.com/6LOQp2oGtR
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Poorly written prescriptions and illegible doctors' notes result in 7000 deaths and 1.5 million injuries a year. pic.twitter.com/KRCb2rfEQM
— Joseph Mallozzi
Today’s Yes/No…
The Wacky Calzony? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/lQvpGm2B59
— Joseph Mallozzi
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September 7, 2023
It doesn’t hurt to check in with your agent every now and then…
Sadly, not uncommon. And, in many instances, the actor never finds out. Three occasions come to mind….
Offer goes out for a series lead. A counter-offer is made. We go back and forth. Eventually, we’re almost there except for one sticking point. They want a producer credit and this is something the production company is simply not willing to budge on.The agent responds “Then this is a deal-breaker. We’re moving on.” So the production, in turn, moves on and casts someone else for the role. Two weeks later, the agent reaches out and inquires why we haven’t been in touch.
What happened to “We’re moving on?” Apparently, he wasn’t serious and is apoplectic we took him at his word. He gives up on the producer credit demand but, by this point, it’s too late. He is furious.
A year later I meet the actor at an event. They express regret at not having been able to close the deal but understood it was a money issue. I inform them it was NOT a money issue but a credit issue. According to them, they neither knew nor requested the producer credit.
Offer goes out for a series lead. Agent counters very high. We counter his counter, but the agent is adamant. The number he has presented us with is the bare minimum. We simply can’t afford it and move on.The next year, the actor auditions for a three line guest spot on the show – but isn’t quite right for the role. The year after that, I’m introduced to them through a friend at a party. They express admiration for the show and regret their audition didn’t resonate with us.
I assumed they were deflecting blame to their agent, but their shellshocked response when I told them we had, in fact, made an offer made it clear they had never been told.
An actor I worked with had been doing quite well for themself and expressed an interest in working on a specific show. One of the producers of said show informed them that they had already reached out to their agent and been flatly turned down.Instead, the agent had suggested another one of their clients who they DID end up casting. The actor was livid and demanded their agent and his entire team present themselves on the set of their current production to explain themselves. Much bowing and groveling and scraping ensued.
No actor should be involved in the minutiae of the deal-making producer. That’s what an agent/rep is for. A good one will look out for their client’s best interest and push for them to get them the best deal.
Every so often, however, it doesn’t work out that way. And, on those occasions, I think it’s important that their client be kept in the loop. Which isn’t always the case.
The post It doesn’t hurt to check in with your agent every now and then… appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
September 6, 2023
September 6, 2023: Amazing Covers!
A few that caught my eye this week…
Spider-Gwen Annual #1 – cover art by Jee-Hyung Lee
Star Wars #8 – cover art by E.M. Gist
Star Wars #38 – cover art by Josemaria Casanovas
Birds of Prey #1 – cover art by Chris Bachalo
Birds of Prey #1 – cover art by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1 – cover art by Jen Bartel
The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #10 – cover art by Francesco Mattina
Weird Work #3 – cover art by Juan Rose Ryp
Bad Omens: Concrete Jungle #1 – cover art by Nicola Izzo
So, which were YOUR favorites?
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September 5, 2023
September 5, 2023: Meanwhile, on the home front…
Cooked up some farmers’ market habaneros the other day. In terms of flavor and spice level, my absolute favorite pepper.
Uh oh. I could be in trouble. New bakery/pastry shop opened just a ten minute walk from my place, and it is delicious. Pictured, they’re pistachio pain au chocolate and their triple chocolate croissant. Geste Bistro & Boulangerie
A trip to the St. Lawrence Market today with my old high school friend, Cas, had us sampling a bit of everything –
Not pictured: the Portuguese custard tart and the chocolate-almond pretzel.
Meanwhile on the home front…
Today’s Yes/No…
Baja Blast Gelato? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/RczCWV81ec
— Joseph Mallozzi
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September 4, 2023
September 4, 2023: Unusual Deaths and sandwich!
#UnusualDeaths
In 2003, a snake escaped the clutches of an eagle and landed in a car near Khaf in the Iranian province of Khorassan. In the mad panic that ensued, four passengers were bitten. Two died. pic.twitter.com/D5qN1kYyAQ
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Hippos kill well over 500 people a year in Africa.
Territorial and aggressive, they average 8000 lbs and can reach speeds of 20mph, roughly three times faster than a fleeing you. They are wice as deadly as sharks, and their bites can snap a crocodile in two. pic.twitter.com/avsuX3avNr
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Approximately 20 000 Americans die every year from overexertion during exercise. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the chances of sudden death are 1 in 15000 exercisers per year or 1 in every 1.5 million exercises. pic.twitter.com/QkUHGd2Jvc
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Trampolines claim the lives of 1 American a year, injuring roughly 100 000 annually. These injuries range from broken bones and dislocations to concussions suffered by multiple jumpers literally butting heads. Most injuries were due to poorly executed flips. pic.twitter.com/tLc338GG2M
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
Fireworks-related mishaps claimed the lives of 11 Americans in 2022 (down from 26 in 2020) and injured more than 10 000. Hands and fingers accounted for roughly one third of those injuries. pic.twitter.com/LnxAMuS4LX
— Joseph Mallozzi
#UnusualDeaths
An average of 22 Americans are killed by cows every year, making the domestic bovine far deadlier than the wolf. According to the CDC, 75% of cow attacks are intentional. No data on what percentage of those were premeditated. pic.twitter.com/eB7pGrDZti
— Joseph Mallozzi
Today’s Yes/No…
The Tsukimi Focaccia? Yes/No
Mos Burger brings back moon-viewing and barbecue focaccia sandwiches for autumn season https://t.co/ZQFSDqhXCf via @RocketNews24En
— Joseph Mallozzi
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September 3, 2023
September 3, 2023: Suji Sunday!
Squeezing in a few more summer outings.
Lunch at Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club
Lunch and leftovers
Hanging at home
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