Film Review: Matt Damon's The Martian 2016

  

 This year I am going to be better at trying to see as many Oscar films as I possibly can. The first movie on the list to see is The Maritan with Matt Damon.  I walked into this movie praying it wasn't going to be like George Clooney and Sandra Bullock's Gravity (2013) film, which was nominated in 2013's Academy Awards. That film I didn't care if the characters were going to die or not. 

The Maritan to my surprise was a well thought out film. Within the first ten minutes the conflict starts and within 15 minutes I already got the sense of the characters. So basically without saying what happens is about a Botanist, Mark Watney, who gets stuck on Mars after the crew leaves him during a storm on Mars because they thought he was dead but he ends up not. Now Watney (Matt Damon)'s character has to figure out how to survive on Mars for two or more years.  Every character in this film I feel for. I even felt somewhat bad for Teddy Sanders (Jeff Daniels), the boss at NASA who had to make some tough decisions. He made stupid decisions, but the pressure of having to decide if all five should die or just one. 

The movie had a really good pace to it. It had one conflict after the other. Everything was beautifully wrapped up in the ending.  I would suggest bringing some tissues because the ending made me have some tears fall down my cheek.  

I was really surprised to see Kristen Wiig, whose character is Annie Montrose, wasn't over the top stupid. She actually was normal for a change.   I never could imagine her playing a normal type character. 

I am not a science person so I can't say if what he is doing on Mars might actually work or not, but it sure is believable. That day will come when we are walking on Mars. 

I don't understand how the Golden Globes would put this film under Best Motion Picture-Musical/Comedy. Yes, it did have moments where I laughed, but the subject matter and what Mark Watney had to deal with was not funny. But then again the movie Joy with Jennifer Lawerance was under that same category and I also didn't feel like that was a comedy either.   The Martian won for Best Picture and Best Actor for Matt Damon.  

It will be interesting to see if  it wins for Best Picture as well as if Matt Damon will win a for best actor. It is also nominated for best sound editing. I think it should Ridley Scott should have been nominated for best direction. 

I would highly recommend seeing this movie. This would actually be a movie I could see again in the movie theater.  It is now on DVD so you can watch it at home, but if it's playing in the theatre near you I would highly recommend seeing it there and not at home. 

The Martian would get 5 out of 5 stars. *****

Book Review: The Definitive Biography Billy Joel by Fred Shruers

I have always wanted to know more about Billy Joel because I know nothing about him other than I love his songs.  I searched for a book about him and ran into Fred Schruers’ book.

The prologue chapter opens sets the mood by describing the crew and Billy Joel getting ready for his concert. He describes the hockey ice is covered and the stage is set while the instruments are warming up the crew is setting up the last minute chairs and sound gear all while Billy Joel is sitting in his dressing room getting ready to perform.

The first chapter, talks about Joel’s family’s tremendous journey to America. His paternal grandfather, Karl Amson Joel who came from a family in Coburg, in Bavarian Franconia, in Germany. By the time Billy’s father, Helmut, later anglicised to Howard, was born in 1923, Karl started a household linens business called Karl Joel Linen Goods Company. His business was booming even with post-WWI woes of hyperinflation and the communist uprising. With the worldwide financial crisis, Billy says, “everybody started looking to the Nazis for salvation.”  In May 1933, Der Sturmer,  ran articles accusing Karl of underpaying and sexually harassing his employees. He was arrested three times but was freed each time upon word from Tillmann, who had plans for the family business. Karl finally realized he had to take immediate measure to save his family. It goes into a little more of how they got to America. This chapter set the tone.

It didn’t really go into too much detail of what his childhood was like. Schruers went into quickly went into his high school days. Billy Joel was in a lot of different bands during his 16th -21st birthday. I surprised to find out he didn’t graduate high school, not because he wasn’t smart but because he didn’t have enough credits. His band had an important gig so he decided that was more important.

The book takes you on his journey of the ups and downs in the music industry.  I didn’t realize how many people took advantage of him and screwed him over.  I was surprised to find out that Elton John wasn’t very nice to him. As well as Oprah Winfrey giving him a such a hard interview his daughter cried while sitting in the audience.

It also goes into details about his relationships. His first relationship being Elizabeth Weber who became his manager to his last relationship Katie Lee.  It briefly talked about his struggle with being an alcoholic.

I can’t say if Fred Schruers did a great job with covering over Billy Joel’s major or even minor events because I have no clue about him other than liking his music.  I did have a hard time following Schruers way of putting the events. He seemed to try to do it chronically but there was a lot of jumping back and forward. One minute we are in 1993 and the next back in 1986. I understand sometimes it called for it, but I can’t say it wasn’t confusing at times. There were points in the book I felt Schruer spent way too much time on. For example, the part about the bands he was in in the beginning. I would be fine with it if he told more stories about being in the band but it was more of the business side of it. This would be fine, but it would have been it more interesting, as a fan, to hear some fun stories mixed with the business stuff.

I loved how Fred Schruers’s explained how Billy Joel came up with a lot of the songs and what the true meaning of them were.  For example, Laura  was inspired by the Beatles. The song was emblematic of how serious Billy took the task of writing his songs. In those lyrics, he put feelings about his mother that had seldom been heard, even among his longtime intimates. “I must have been pretty fed up with some of my own mother’s manipulation by the time I wrote the song, as evidence by the F-word in the lyrics”:

Here I am feeling like a F*** fool /  Do I react the way exactly/ She intends me to?/ Every time I think I’m off the hook/ She makes me lose my cool/ I’m her machine / And she can punch all the keys/ She can push any button I was programmed through. p.151

During the Reagan Era his songs were about people, whether it was a love song, a song about a relationship, or a friend.  Billy said, “If you try to write for an audience or to a concept, I don’t think you’re really writing for anybody, but if you’re writing for a specific person and a specific situation, a lot of people might be able to identify with that.” p.152

There were some moments in the book that made me laugh.  The one that stands out the most was when he talks about having to perform even when the mood is down or not feeling good, he explains it, “When you are not getting a good response from the audience- especially when coming off a few dates of being spoiled in cities where the fans are fervent. Whether you work the audience into a frenzy or they psych you up into one– it works both  ways– the effect is kind of like sex. There’s this exchange of energy and enthusiasm: you make them feel great, and so they make noise, then it’s your turn to feel great, and you make noise. By the end of the show, it’s just, boom, there’d be the big orgasm of applause, and everybody is going Ahhh. Then it’s it’s over.”p. 237

Then there was the Super Bowl XLI incident when the monitors were turned off and he couldn’t hear himself. It was raining and he didn’t do a pre-recording because he doesn’t believe in that.

During the 12.12.12 concert, Billy followed Kanye West. Kayne caused the audience to leave. While the audience was leaving Billy said to himself: oh shit, thanks a lot. I’m going on to play a half a house. But when he stepped on stage and started playing the audience quickly came back in.

There are some quotes in the book that I feel are very good.

• “A lesson I try to bring up is, don’t be turned around in seeking what you want out of life. Don’t be talked out of what you know is right, or as I’ve put it on occasion, don’t take shit from anybody.”- Billy Joel  (p.308)
• “Sometimes your limitations become your greatest gifts.”- Billy Joel (p.335)

I would recommend reading this book.  I would give Fred Schruers’ The Definitive Biography Billy Joel 4 out of 5 stars. 

About the Author: 

Fred Schruers enjoyed a successful high-profile career as a writer at Rolling Stone, chronicling an impressive body of musicians and actors including Feetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Jack Nicholson, Sheryl Crow, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Petty and Heartbreakers, and Chris Rock. His writing also appeared in Premiere, Entertainment Weekly, Men’s Journal, GQ, the Los Angeles Times, and Columbia Journalism Review. More About the Author

 You can purchase the book through Penguin Random House at:    Purchase the Book Here

“I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.”

Book Review: The Business of Broadway by Mitch Weiss

The Business of Broadway: An Insider's Guide to Working, Producing, and Investing in the World's Greatest Theatre Community by Mitch Weiss.  July 14, 2014.

If you are going into this industry or just love theatre then I would highly recommend this. It really tells you the steps it takes to get a show on Broadway.

This book is exactly what the title says. It contains a chapter of information on each department.

The first chapter gives the business of Broadway as a whole and each chapter after that takes go into depth of each department.

The departments they talk about is first and foremost the Producer and investor. Then the Managment, Director, Actor, Technical Director, Stage Manager, Art Director, Prop Master, Wardrobe, and Theatre Manager, Press Agent, Charities, Unions.

The departments they talk about is first and foremost the Producer and investor. Then the Managment, Director, Actor, Technical Director, Stage Manager, Art Director, Prop Master, Wardrobe, and Theatre Manager, Press Agent, Charities, Unions.

I learned so much that I didn't know before reading this book. I am a huge theatre person and have done a lot of theatre for over fifteen years. I went to school for theatre, but there were a lot of things the book touched on that I didn't know.

The first thing is exactly how the Tony Awards works.  I know a lot of how the Tony works, but not from a Producer of show's perspective.  I never even thought that the Tony Awards would cost the show thousands of dollars. I thought it just an honor which is still is, but to a producer it just more money they have to find. o the actors, lighting designer, wardrobe designer, or any job that is nominated for designing is exciting, but to a producer being nominated means having to come up with thousands of dollars.  The reason for this is because they have to pay the actors, crew and set & wardrobe designers overtime. The number that is being performed on the Tony Award has to be rehearsed which also costs money.  The costumes, set pieces, props, etc.. has to be delivered to the Tony stage which costs money. The union requires transportation for the actors to the Tony awards which, yes, costs money. The producers must have food and drinks in the green room at the Tony Awards for the actors, crew, etc.   Then in the month of May, all of the Tony Award judges have to see the shows, so there are over 100 Tony Award judges which must be put in the expensive seats for free. Each judge gets to bring a guest for free. This eats up seats that could have been bought. The book explains that a typical musical show, who is nominated and is performing at the awards, loses over $800,000 because of the Tony Awards. So if your show isn't doing so good in ticket sales then it is even more of a disaster for the show.

Keep in mind that 80% of people who invest in Broadway loses all their money. 12% of investors get their money returned and 8% actually make a profit. The profit shows are Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King. 

The Thanksgiving parade is another show that costs the production a lot of money because the actors need to have overtime. It's great as a tool for advertising, but it is also a costly advertisement. This is because they have to hire a recording studio to record the song. All of the music on the parade is pre-recorded and lip-synced.  The song has to be rehearsed both before the parade at the theatre and then the morning of the parade.

All jobs in Broadway are hard, but the jobs that have the most stress is the Producers and the Company Manager. The Company Manager (CM) is a 24/7 job. All the problems go to them.

The Producer's don't choose the theatre they perform in. Instead, the producer(s) apply to the theatres they want and the Theatre Owner's choose.   You would think how much a producer spends to use the theatre they would be able to come and go when they want to in the theatre, but this is not true. No one is allowed to be in the theatre unless the theatre manager is in the building. So if the set designer is running behind and wants to go in early they aren't allowed to unless they pay the Theatre Manager overtime to come in early.

The book talks about how much each position is paid. I was really surprised to see that an Usher on Broadway is paid over $500 a week and work anywhere between 3-4 hours a day with one day off. The ushers is a union job position. The Usher does a lot more than just ripping tickets though. Some theatres  required their ushers to have a four-year degree unless their experience outweighs it.

I thought it would be a lot of fun to work as a press agent until the book told me I have to do an apprenticeship plus attend over 32 seminars you and take a six-hour exam.  A press agent is only allowed to do 3 shows at a time. A press agent job still makes me wondering about trying it.

I thought it would be a lot of fun to work as a press agent until the book told me I have to do an apprenticeship plus attend over 32 seminars you and take a six-hour exam.  A press agent is only allowed to do 3 shows at a time. A press agent job still makes me wondering about trying it.

I love how the book explains the different union in the Broadway business as well as some the main rules  a producer  must  follow.

It doesn't really go into the world of acting.  It mainly explains acting in the form of the Actor's Equity, but not a lot about how to get an acting job.

How would I rate this book?  My rating scale is,  5 stars being a perfect book and 1 being don't even bother looking up how much it is.  I would give this 5 stars.  

It's an easy read even though this topic can be very confusing.  It really explains things well. The authors make sure you are following it.

Is there anything I don't like about the book?

Yes, it tends to repeat things a lot. If you are trying to learn the material then it is a huge problem at all. If you are just reading to get an idea about the industry as a fan then this might be somewhat annoying.

Keep in mind this book doesn't give much information about other theatre communities like Chicago. It only explains New York Broadway. It does go into a little bit about off-Broadway and touring, but again it mainly focuses on Broadway information.

I have never been to New York City. This book makes me want to go to Broadway show even more. It also makes me really want to go into the business. Surprising after learning its hard to make money on Broadway still hasn't scared me into wanting a career in it.

You can find this book at BarnesandNoble.com and Amazon.com. I bought mine with a coupon at Barnes and Noble for $17.77. I would highly recommend this book.

Rating: 

Mousetrap at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

also check out http://stephanieslifelessons.weebly.com
Mousetrap written by Agatha Christie

I just got back from seeing Mousetrap at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. What is Mousetrap all about? Well, I promised not to give to say much about the story. 

Here is a little synopsis without giving you too much: 
        A group of strangers is stranded in a boarding house during a snow storm, one of whom is a murder. The suspects include the newly married couple who run the house, and the suspicions in their minds nearly wreck their perfect marriage. Others are a spinster with a curious background, an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef, a retired Army major, a strange little man who claims his car has overturned in a drift, and a jurist who makes life miserable for everyone. Into their midst comes a policeman traveling on skis. he no sooner arrives, when the jurist is killed. Two down, and one to go. To get to the rationale of the murderer's pattern, the policeman probes the background of everyone present, and rattles a lot of skeletons. Another famous Agatha Christie switch finish! Chalk up another superb intrigue  for the foremost mystery writer of her time. Can you solve the mystery? 
 

The performance starts with a projection screen showing a film of the first murder. You know how much I hate seeing projection screens in theatre shows, but it worked for this show. Plus, it was only done once and that was it. This film clip made me really want the Civic to show some classic movies on the huge projection screen. The screen is so much bigger then the movie theatres. Back to the show. The curtain then goes up showing a huge living room area of a castle mansion. David Len, the set designer, always goes above and beyond the call of duty.  He puts so much detail into it.  He is so talented. 
   The performances were well done. The performers that really stood out was Nancy Wagner who is playing Mrs. Boyle. The role of Mrs. Boyle could have overacted making this character old and really mean, but Nancy didn't do that. She made this character believable. Another performer that stood out to me was Rachel Varley who plays Mollie Ralston. She was gorgeous and her accent was dead on. This play is set in 1952 and she 100% fit a lady in the 1950s. 
  The direction was done Penelope Notter. She is one of the best directors here in West Michigan. She pays attention to details. She can take a not so good play and make it look wonderful. She is great at choosing actors for parts. Yes, I have seen some of her shows thinking "why did you choose that actor?", but 90% of the time she is dead on with choosing the right actor. 
   Things that bugged me. First thing that drove me nuts was actor Sophie Anne Hillier who played character Miss Casewell smoking cigarettes.   I could tell in real life she never smoked a cigarette in her life because she held it those cigarettes so awkwardly.  It looked like they didn't use those fake herbal cigarettes because it never burned down.
    The play in general is not my thing. I felt there is alot of dialogue that didn't need to be in there. The show ran about 2 1/2 hour. I felt thirty minutes could have been cut out of it.  

   The show is running till Febuary 7, 2015 at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre. 
Wednesday-Saturday show time is 7:30pm and Sunday 2:00pm. 

Get tickets at http://www.grct.org/purchasetickets.html

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Miss Casewell played by Sophie Anne Hillier
Mr. Paravicini played by Don Vanden Heuvel
Mr. Raiston played by Joe Ruberg
Mrs. Boyle played by Nancy Wagner
Christopher Wren played by Eric Hatch
Detective Trotter played by Jason T. Morrison
Mrs. Raiston played by Rachel Varley
Major Metcalf played by Patrick A. Hendren