E.R. Torre's Blog, page 99
August 25, 2017
Sketchin’ 20
I’ve been doing stars from the past for the most part and decided it was time to take on a more modern star and the character she plays. So, here we have Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones…
A confession: I have yet to see ANY of the Marvel Netflix shows, including Jessica Jones. But Ms. Ritter looks great in the role. Love her look and wanted a crack at it.
Hope I did her justice!
Saturday past…
A few days ago I posted a lovely (IMHO!) picture of Humphrey Bogart (here it is) and wrote how I made it despite it being a very high pressure day.
Well, more like stressful. Very much so.
It went like this…
We headed out early-ish (around 9 am) to go look for some tile for the front of our house. As we were looking around, my wife receives a phone call from her mother. Busy as we were at that moment, she considered ignoring the call while we were talking with the sales clerk but, ultimately, decided to take the call.
She started talking and walked away while I dealt with the sales clerk. She was gone the whole time I looked around and, after a while, received a strange text from my daughter saying she was just exiting the gym and was not in… prison?!
What the hell?
I got together with my wife, who looked considerably more animated, as she concluded what turned out to be one of several calls with her mother.
To make a long story short(er): Someone hacked my daugher’s phone, perhaps after she used the wi-fi at a Starbucks the day before but, honestly, who knows. Whoever did it got a hold of her phone numbers, found the entry marked “Grandma” and called that number.
There were at least two scammers involved in the call, one of whom was a female. Once the call was answered, the female scammer was hysterically tearful, appropriate because the scammers didn’t want the Grandparents to realize it wasn’t her they were talking to. The second scammer, a man, claimed to be a lawyer, told the Grandparents that my daughter was in an accident and was in jail because of it and that he needed credit card numbers so that he could pay for her release.
The scammers knew what they were doing, applying high pressure tactics and, frankly, scaring the living shit out of her Grandparents to get those credit card numbers. Cleverly, the tearful woman claiming to be my daughter begged them not to tell her parents (us) about this.
On the other hand, they were also quite inept. At one point the “lawyer” was asked by the Grandparents where my supposed daughter was incarcerated. He said he didn’t know. A laughable answer, considering he was supposedly right next to her at that moment.
Thing is, they did just enough to almost get what they wanted which was a credit card number.
Luckily, despite the hysteria the scammers created the Grandparents nonetheless made that call to my wife and in that moment, everything unraveled for the scammers and they made no more calls.
The next day, perhaps not coincidentally, I received a very official looking email supposedly from Apple which stated I had purchased an “unknown add on” app for $99. It was followed by a second email also supposedly from Apple, also looking exactly like official Apple emails, stating I had changed my password and if I didn’t do this to click on the convenient link provided in the email to fix everything.
Yeah, sure.
I didn’t click any of the links in the email and instead went directly into my Apple account. There was no such charge and there was no such purchase.
The phone call scam provided both my wife and her parents several moments of sheer terror, and its that terror that the scammers were hoping to exploit to get credit card numbers. Its a nasty business and we’ve since found, in talking to other friends/relatives, that this type of scam isn’t a new thing.
So for those who’ve read this and aren’t familiar with the scam, there it is.
Be wary.
Watch out with the use of wi-fi in restaurants or public places. Also, its helpful to keep your phone numbers listed impersonally. Instead of listing someone as “Dad” or “Mom” or “Grandma” or “Grandpa”, list them by name.
And always be weary of any phone callers who call you for any reason -however stressful it may be- and ultimately want your credit card numbers.
Please, please don’t let the emotion get you as it almost did my daughter’s Grandparents.
August 24, 2017
Batman film a stand-alone?
Over at GQ magazine online, Joshua Riviera points out that…
The Batman Director Matt Reeves Says His Movie Isn’t Connected to Any Other Batman movies
Speculatin’, especially in light of the very recently announced Martin Scorsese produced Joker movie (which reportedly also won’t fit in with any other movie continuity), suggests that DC/Warners may be moving away from the continuity heavy movie releases -ala Marvel films- and instead hit audiences with films that may not be tied into one another.
There is speculation, and it is natural, that what lies behind this may be related to a) The Justice League film being “bad” and/or b) Ben Affleck wants out of the role.
While the Justice League film certainly has an interesting backstory regarding its making, there is an Aquaman movie being currently filmed which clearly is tied into the continuity and the Wonder Woman sequel, one would think, is still tied into the continuity as well. However, reports released suggest the Flash film is taking on the Flashpoint storyline, which essentially resets the universe/continuity and could offer a way to reboot the DC superhero universe and, if necessary, remove actors who may not want to stay in their respective roles.
On the other hand, DC/Warner, unlike Marvel, has a pretty long -and successful- history of having films set in their own continuity. The Christopher Reeves Superman films, regardless of their quality beyond the second one, were their own thing. As was the Tim Burton/Michael Keaton Batman films. As were the Joel Schumacher Batman films that followed them. As were the Christopher Nolan films that followed them.
Many of these films made tons of money and were very successful. Others less so.
Regardless, DC/Warners, unlike Marvel/Disney, has tasted considerable success with movies featuring their characters in their own proper continuity (Sony, who until recently owned the film version of the Spider Man character, had success with the Raimi movies and less so with the ones that followed, set in their own continuity).
Therefore, it might make more sense that they aren’t as enamored of the idea of continuity heavy films.
Sinister? A sign of bad things regarding the Justice League film and Ben Affleck’s continued presence in the famous role of Batman?
Its certainly possible as well.
August 23, 2017
Sketchin’ 19
Today I took on Constance Frances Marie Ockleman, better known as actor Veronica Lake (1922-1973).
She was another stunning beauty who starred in several unforgettable films, including Sullivan’s Travels, The Glass Key, This Gun For Hire, and The Blue Dahlia. She would be paired with actor Alan Ladd in seven films, including three of the films I’ve listed above.
Unfortunately, her career following The Blue Dahlia was mediocre at best and heavy drinking took its toll. She would die at the too young age of 50 from hepititis.
Here she is, in better times…
Weirdest movie news… perhaps ever!
I read about this movie news yesterday and I’m still more than a little stunned. The article is by Mike Fleming Jr. and its presented on deadline.com:
The Joker Origin Story On Deck: Todd Phillips, Scott Silver, Martin Scorsese Aboard WB/DC Film
Todd Phillips is probably best known as the director of the three The Hangover films (he was also the writer of the later two in the series, which were IMHO quite horrid).
Scott Silver is mostly known as a writer and his most successful project was 8 Mile.
Martin Scorsese, on the other hand, needs no introduction, being the acclaimed director of such seminal films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and, more recently, The Wolf of Wall Street.
So the article above states that these three individuals have gotten together to make a Joker “stand alone” film which explores Batman’s arch-villain’s origin. Mr. Scorsese, it is implied, will serve as a producer and not direct.
Now, a few points regarding this article:
How freaking insane does that trio of individuals coming together to make a Joker film (of all things!) sounds?
Is it really wise to make a Joker film without Batman?
What exactly will the tone of this film be? The article indicates the film will be “hard boiled” yet at least one of these three individuals is known for comedies.
It is stated the film will lie outside the other movie continuity, which seems to indicate we won’t have Jaret Leto playing the character. Given we have Martin Scorsese involved, can Leonardo DiCaprio be far behind?
I repeat: How freaking insane does this sound?!?
When I read the original article, my first move was to check the calendar.
Yesterday, alas, was not April 1st.
Over on various comment boards some people far more clever than I wrote that this sounded like a movie version of Mad Libs.
I agree.
Will this film ever get made?
I wonder.
And if it does, will it be any good?
We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?
August 22, 2017
Total eclipse of the…
…well, around these parts not quite so total.
Still, we had a fair amount of the sun blocked by the moon. I’d say at least 3/4ths of it was blocked. Here’s a photo I took of a sheet of paper (I didn’t have any fancy $2.00 sunglasses to gamble my eyesight on and therefore used the famous pinprick method of “seeing” the eclipse):
[image error]Not the most dynamic picture ever, I grant you, but at least I wasn’t doing this…
On instagram my daughter found this image of an obvious MENSA candidate that, if one believes the post, decided to stare at the eclipse a little too long without any eye protection. This was the end result…
Enjoy your future blindness, my cerebral friend.
August 21, 2017
Sketchin’ 18
So yesterday I had a little free time and pulled out the old Apple Pencil and looked around for a new subject to draw.
I found one and here it is:
Actor and inventor (1914-2000) is my latest subject.
She was an incredible beauty, easily among the most beautiful women to grace the screen. Some may find her name familiar, perhaps due to Harvey Korman’s hilarious character “Hedley Lamarr” in the film Blazing Saddles (she sued for the use of her name and the case was settled out of court). But what made Ms. Lamarr all the more fascinating beyond her many roles and her breathtaking beauty was this fact, which I’ve cut and pasted from IMDB:
(Hedy Lamarr) was co-inventor (with composer ) of the earliest known form of the telecommunications method known as “frequency hopping”, which used a piano roll to change between 88 frequencies and was intended to make radio-guided torpedoes harder for enemies to detect or to jam. The method received U.S. patent number 2,292,387 on August 11, 1942, under the name “Secret Communications System”. Frequency hopping is now widely used in cellular phones and other modern technology. However, neither she nor Antheil profited from this fact, because their patents were allowed to expire decades before the modern wireless boom.
That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, Hedy Lamarr was one of the two people to create what would become our manner of using cellular phones!
Sadly, she joins the list of far too many people who created/invented great things in their lifetimes but didn’t live to see their ideas/creations become well known.
Here’s to you, Ms. Lamarr. Beauty and brains.
Incredible.
Logan Lucky (2017) a (how about that?!) on time review
When I saw the first trailers for the new directed film (his first after declaring he was retiring from direction several years before) Logan Lucky, I was intrigued.
Why?
Two words: .
Seeing Daniel Craig, who for far too many years acts in films -like the James Bond films, natch- that required him to be so serious and dour, acting in this …unhinged… looking manner had my complete attention.
So this weekend, when my wife and I found ourselves with –gasp!– some free time after a far too grueling month of moving our kids into their apartments, decided to head out to the theater and watch a film.
But, what to see?
The choices boiled down to The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Logan Lucky. The Hitman’s Bodyguard, alas, has been taking a beating from critics and, to be very honest, after that grueling month I’ve been through, I didn’t want to waste my time and Logan Lucky was certainly getting a lot of critical love.
So Logan Lucky it was.
The film’s story is pretty clearly laid out in the above trailer. The Logans, Jimmy (), Clyde (), and Mellie () join forces with the hilarious Joe Bang (Daniel Craig, natch) and his redneck brothers to pull off a heist at the Nascar raceway.
Why?
The spark, apparently, for the action was Jimmy a) being fired from his job because of a knee injury sustained when fighting for the army and b) finding out his ex-wife Bobbie Jo Chapman ( in what amounts to a cameo) and her current husband are going to move to another state and, therefore, take their daughter with her.
So Jimmy wants/needs cash (perhaps… I’ll say no more), and he presents his plan to his brother, then together they visit Joe Bang in prison and we’re off and running.
Logan Lucky is far from a perfect film. In fact, the first act, before the arrival of Daniel Craig’s Joe Bang, is kinda dull.
But once the actors are in their place and we’ve moved on to the actual heist, things get fun -and funny- and we’re having ourselves a good time.
It helps, by the way, that almost all the characters presented are decent people. The only big exception is Seth MacFarlane’s Max Chilblain, a shallow Nascar promoter who is a narcissist and may wind up being the proverbial fly in the ointment when it comes to the heist going as planned.
Even Katie Homes’ Bobbie Jo and her silly new husband, who could have been presented as far more antagonistic, are instead shown to be caring parents in their own way, even if their means far outstrip Jimmy Logan’s.
So, if you can patiently wait a few minutes for the film to find its legs, you’ll have fun with Logan Lucky. It may not be one of the most scintillating comedies or heist films ever made, but its a fun piece of work and, if nothing else, its worth seeing for Daniel Craig’s hilarious turn as Joe Bang.
Recommended.
Jerry Lewis & Dick Gregory…
Two people who have been in my life one way or another have passed.
Jerry Lewis was 91 years old and, toward the end of his life, was rather notorious in his later years as a (let’s put it kindly) a crank. His style of comedy, I must admit, wasn’t to my taste but it is undeniable he left behind a large legacy and plenty of comedians who were guided/inspired by him.
My greatest memories of him is for the muscular dystrophy telethons, which took over the TV back in the 1970’s and into the 1980’s and lasted for a solid 24 hours. Mr. Lewis, toward the end of these telethons, was sometimes barely coherent but given the good he did during these events, one can’t help but admire him for that.
Dick Gregory also passed away. He was 84 and also leaves behind a large legacy though, like Mr. Lewis, his biggest contributions to culture came a little before my time. An African American comedian who was one of the very first to be able to perform in front of white audiences. He was a civil rights activist and, occasionally, actor.
While neither individual personally touched me as they did so many others of the generation(s) before mine, its nonetheless worth given them their due.
Rest in Peace.
August 19, 2017
Sketchin’ 17
A while back I did a Lauren Bacall and knew I would one day have to do a Humphrey Bogart. That day came today. Though a very high pressure day (I’ll write about that another day), I nonetheless am incredibly proud of this piece… Enjoy!
