Brendan Shea's Blog, page 27

Mourning the Loss of Andre Hill

As I have further access to the story, I’ll write more, but this type of tragedy is unacceptable insofar as man can bring about change. Meaning, as people, these incidences are completely unacceptable.

Don’t Pass Donner This Christmas

Okay, so I have a new favorite Christmas movie this year, and it was directed by one of my filmdom favorites, Richard Donner.

Here are a few of my all-time favorite Christmas movies:

It’s a Wonderful LifeDie HardThe Apartment16 BlocksJoyeux NoëlHome AloneThe Sound of Music

I don’t know what magical directorial garments he dons when helming a picture, but Donner seldom makes a cinematic faux pas.

16 Blocks was released to theaters 14 years ago, which was 18 birthdays after Bruce Willis’ big splash in Die Hard, and that breakout star from 1980’s TV classic, Moonlighting, turned fifty-one, 16 days after ‘Blocks’ release.

Bruce Willis with Cybill Shepherd and Allyce Beasley in Moonlighting

There are Mos Def some great supporting players, but the aforementioned absolutely shares top-billing with Willis, as Eddie Bunker, seemingly full of random musings, but actually at least as relevant as his TV namesake counterpart, Edith Bunker, of All in the Family.

Dante Smith aka Mos Def currently known as Yasiin Beym, under which name the artist is doing humanitarian work

Mos’ real name is Yasiin Bey, and he is a multitalented artist who’s been in a number of films I’ve enjoyed, including Be Kind, Rewind and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (although I liked the books more, go figure).

Smooth as Cylk Cozart of the underrated School Daze and hit thriller Conspiracy Theory shines along with lovely Jenna Stern of Hitch, save that Cozart plays a baddie this time out. Cozart is a character actor favorite, and Stern was one of Hitch‘s many standouts. She only had a few lines opposite Will Smith and Adam Arkin, but she really made them count.

Cylk Cozart, Jenna Stern; excellent character actors

I enjoyed watching David Morse for years in St. Elsewhere, and liked him in The Green Mile as well. He also won acclaim as President George Washington in HBO Miniseries, John Adams.

Veteran Character Actor David Morse

As for Mr. Donner, he was 76 when 16 Blocks was released. I love him for pictures such as Superman The Movie, Conspiracy Theory, Ladyhawke, and the Lethal Weapon movies.

Director Richard Donner & wife, Producer Lauren Schuler Donner

So, if you’re looking for a compelling story about two guys from disparate backgrounds, thrown together reluctantly, realizing they are allies and clinging to justice and change, with lots of slam-bang action, 16 Blocks might be right for you.

I particularly liked the DVD’s alternate ending, and while this story is fiction, I feel it has fine acting, great direction, excellent writing and is worth a watch.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas

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Don’t Pass Donner This Christmas

Okay, so I have a new favorite Christmas movie this year, and it was directed by one of my filmdom favorites, Richard Donner.

Here are a few of my all-time favorite Christmas movies:

It’s a Wonderful LifeDie HardThe Apartment16 BlocksJoyeux NoëlHome AloneThe Sound of Music

I don’t know what magical directorial garments he dons when helming a picture, but Donner seldom makes a cinematic faux pas.

16 Blocks was released to theaters 14 years ago, which was 18 birthdays after Bruce Willis’ big splash in Die Hard, and that breakout star from 1980’s TV classic, Moonlighting, turned fifty-one, 16 days after ‘Blocks’ release.

Bruce Willis with Cybill Shepherd and Allyce Beasley in Moonlighting

There are Mos Def some great supporting players, but the aforementioned absolutely shares top-billing with Willis, as Eddie Bunker, seemingly full of random musings, but actually at least as relevant as his TV namesake counterpart, Edith Bunker, of All in the Family.

Dante Smith aka Mos Def currently known as Yasiin Beym, under which name the artist is doing humanitarian work

Mos’ real name is Yasiin Bey, and he is a multitalented artist who’s been in a number of films I’ve enjoyed, including Be Kind, Rewind and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (although I liked the books more, go figure).

Smooth as Cylk Cozart of the underrated School Daze and hit thriller Conspiracy Theory shines along with lovely Jenna Stern of Hitch, save that Cozart plays a baddie this time out. Cozart is a character actor favorite, and Stern was one of Hitch‘s many standouts. She only had a few lines opposite Will Smith and Adam Arkin, but she really made them count.

Cylk Cozart, Jenna Stern; excellent character actors

I enjoyed watching David Morse for years, in St. Elsewhere and liked him in The Green Mile as well. He also won acclaim as President George Washington in HBO Miniseries, John Adams.

Veteran Character Actor David Morse

As for Mr. Donner, he was 76 when 16 Blocks was released. I love him for pictures such as Superman The Movie, Conspiracy Theory, Ladyhawke, and the Lethal Weapon movies.

Director Richard Donner & wife, Producer Lauren Schuler Donner

So, if you’re looking for a compelling story about two guys from disparate backgrounds, thrown together reluctantly, realizing they are allies and clinging to justice and change, with lots of slam-bang action, 16 Blocks might be right for you.

I particularly liked the DVD’s alternate ending, and while this story is fiction, I feel it has fine acting, great direction, excellent writing and is worth a watch.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas

(make it) Count, Shmoop

I grew up with Sesame Street and Count Count’s imperative, “ONE…TWO…THREE!”, but on the Goldberg’s, Beverly G. would have told her son Adam to, “Count, Shmoop!” God told King David not to count the troops, and it was a serious thing, but here, I’m not assessing if God will provide the victory, I’m just appreciating the increase he’s provided. FitzGerald Press is not a big hit like TV’s fun show, The Goldberg’s, but I’m grateful for the successes we do have here.

I am thankful to you my readers, for making 2020 the year with the most visitors, views, likes and comments yet, on FitzGerald Press, and also noting that followship increased by a whopping 46%. Keep in mind that we are still a very small boutique following, but I value my readership and wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your time and interest.

FitzGerald Press Visitors Stats Bar Graph

I also want to wish you all the best of holidays and a great 2021. I realize that each of you may celebrate differently, and that for some, this is not an easy time. Not only that, but with Shelter-in-Place, we are all isolated somewhat, and that can be difficult. Whatever your situation, I wish you good things, and as I don’t have silver or gold, I wish you health, happiness and prosperity, to each, their need.

Here’s the song I thought of this morning as the vaccine’s are proliferating to joyous reverberation.

Courtesy of Genius Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Don’t sleep until the sunrise, listen to the falling rain
Don’t worry about tomorrow, don’t worry about your pain
Don’t cry unless you’re happy, don’t smile unless you’re blue
Never let that lonely monster take control of you

[Chorus]
Be glad that you are free
Free to change your mind
Free to go most anywhere, anytime
Be glad that you are free
There’s many a man who’s not
Be glad for what you had, baby, what you’ve got
Be glad for what you’ve got

[Verse 2]
I know your heart is beating, my drummer tells me so
If you take your life for granted, your beating heart will go
So don’t sleep until you’re guilty, because sinners all are we
There’s others doing far worse than us, so be glad that you are free

[Chorus]
Be glad that you are free
Free to change your mind
Free to go most anywhere, anytime
Be glad that you are free
There’s many a man who’s not
Be glad for what you had, baby, what you’ve got
Be glad for what you’ve got

[Bridge]
Soldiers are a-marching, they’re writing brand new laws
Will we all fight together for the most important cause?
Will we all fight for the right to be free?

[Chorus]
Free
(Be glad that you are free)
Free to change my mind
(Free to change your mind)
Free to go most anywhere, anytime
(Free to go most anywhere, anytime)
I’m just glad, I’m just glad I’m free, yeah
(Be glad that you are free)
There’s many a man who’s not
(There’s many a man who’s not)
Glad for what I had, baby
(Be glad for what you had and)
Glad for what I got, oh yeah
(for what you’ve got)
Oh I’m just glad, I’m just glad I’m free, yeah
(Be glad that you are free)
Free to change my mind
(Free to change your mind)
Free to go most anywhere, anytime
(Free to go most anywhere, anytime)
(Be glad that you are free)
(There’s many a man who’s not)
I’m so…
(Be glad for what you had and for)
(what you’ve got)

© 1999 Prince Rogers Nelson

(for audio only click here)

Sesame Street’s Count von Count

It’s Kind of a Funny Story

I recently watched a film from 2010 about a young man flirting with suicidal thoughts that suddenly became intense. He realizes he should not end his life, so he checks himself into a mental hospital, but the teen ward is closed, so he is thrust into uncharted waters, experiencing a more mature community of people caught in difficult circumstances, along with some juvenile’s as well. Directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden culled great performances from all of their cast members.

Keir Gilchrist demonstrates appropriate teenage angst in playing depressed Craig Gilner, a young man fraught with social, intellectual and familial pressures; Zach Galifianakis takes on the rold of Bobby, a man with a touch of Hawkeye Pierce, who seems to transcend the concept of a psych ward patient, does not have the kind of resources Craig has, and is a perceptive friend to Craig; Emma Roberts portrays Noelle, the lovely young lady whose misuse of scissors to deface her physique is unsettling.

A beautiful fact about this movie is that most every character in it is enjoyable to watch; Craig’s parents were the only possible exceptions, especially his dad, who didn’t get that his son was not meant to be in business. But then, they were unaccustomed to the world their son found himself in.

Another wonderful thing is that It’s Kind of a Funny Story realistically depicts life in a mental ward, shows the trials and the pathos, and more importantly, the camaraderie. I’ve been a patient in several different psychiatric hospitals, and they are not easy places to be, but like any disparate group thrown together in adversity, good things can sometimes happen; the film definitely recounts those types of things.

Finally, the film is not only a well-told tale of the human condition, but has humor and romance to boot. Craig is enamored with his ‘best-friend’s-girl’ Nia, but it is the relationship that develops between Craig and fellow patient, Noelle that is great to watch, also evinced in character Bobby’s observations of the young couple’s progress.

There are a ton of great supporting performances, including roles filled by Viola Davis, Jeremy Davies, Bernard White, Adrian Martinez, Mathew Maher and Lou Myers. A sad coda to the story is that the author of the story, Ned Vizzini, who struggled with depression, and himself once spent five days in a mental hospital, ended his life at age 32. But don’t miss the movie for that. It’s very sad about the author, but the story is full of hope.

Presenting: Double-Dutch Life!

Dear Readers, Amazon was prompt in their publishing timeline promise. Here’s a sneak-peak at my new book, now available for purchase on Amazon: Please preview for free, purchase, rate and review!

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Liver care

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day The liver is the second largest organ in the body and has more than 400 functions. It is the primary organ of filtration, which mainly helps in the metabolism of food and absorption of the necessary nutrients. 467 more words (when you click below link)

Liver care

Liver care

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day The liver is the second largest organ in the body and has more than 400 functions. It is the primary organ of filtration, which mainly helps in the metabolism of food and absorption of the necessary nutrients. 467 more words (when you click below link)

Liver care

Liver care

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day The liver is the second largest organ in the body and has more than 400 functions. It is the primary organ of filtration, which mainly helps in the metabolism of food and absorption of the necessary nutrients. 467 more words (when you click below link)

Liver care

Liver care

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful and safe day The liver is the second largest organ in the body and has more than 400 functions. It is the primary organ of filtration, which mainly helps in the metabolism of food and absorption of the necessary nutrients. 467 more words (when you click below link)

Liver care