Beware of the Blog!

GLITTER AND GRIT - a chatGPT screenplay

2023-07-05T21:12:00.006-04:00

With all the panic around ChatGPT replacing the WGA, I thought I'd see what all the hype was about and ask AI for a screenplay "like" SHOWGIRLS.

Honestly, it doesn't suck, but I think I needed to be more specific with my ask.

GLITTER AND GRIT

INT. LAS VEGAS CASINO - NIGHT

The Las Vegas Strip is alive with lights and excitement. We see casino-goers laughing, drinking, and playing slot machines. Among them is LENA, a young, ambitious woman in her early twenties, dressed in a provocative outfit.

LENA (to herself, determined)

This is my chance. I'll become the biggest star in Vegas.

She confidently walks into the casino, catching the eye of an older but charismatic CASINO OWNER, MR. CARTER.

MR. CARTER (smirking)

Well, well, what do we have here? Another ambitious girl looking for her big break?

LENA (flashing a seductive smile)

You could say that. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it in this town.

MR. CARTER (with a hint of intrigue)

I like your spirit, kid. Come see me tomorrow morning. We'll discuss your future.

INT. MR. CARTER'S OFFICE - DAY

Lena sits across from Mr. Carter, who is now behind his desk, examining her closely.

MR. CARTER (firmly)

To make it in this business, you'll need to be tough, flexible, and ready to sacrifice. Can you handle that?

LENA (nodding)

Absolutely. I'm prepared to give it my all.

MR. CARTER (smirking)

Good. Welcome to the world of showgirls, Lena.

INT. DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Lena stands in front of a mirror, putting on her makeup. She is surrounded by other showgirls, all of them glammed up, ready for the stage. Tensions and rivalries run high.

SHOWGIRL #1 (slyly)

You think you can steal the spotlight, huh? We'll see about that.

SHOWGIRL #2 (mockingly)

You're just another pretty face. Let's see if you have any talent.

Lena takes a deep breath, determined to prove herself.

INT. CASINO STAGE - NIGHT

The curtains rise, revealing a lavish stage filled with mesmerized audience members. Lena steps forward, her heart pounding. The music starts, and she begins to dance with a mix of sensuality and grace. Her every move captivates the crowd.

As the performance progresses, Lena pushes herself to the limit, executing daring acrobatics and impressive dance routines. The audience erupts in applause and admiration.

INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Lena emerges backstage, sweat dripping down her face. The other showgirls stare at her in awe and envy.

SHOWGIRL #1 (angry)

How did she do that? She's stealing the show!

SHOWGIRL #2 (admiringly)

She's a force to be reckoned with. We better step up our game.

INT. MR. CARTER'S OFFICE - DAY

Lena sits in front of Mr. Carter, her face beaming with accomplishment.

MR. CARTER (smiling)

You did it, Lena. You've become the star of this casino. But remember, the journey doesn't end here. Keep pushing yourself.

LENA (determined)

I won't stop until I'm the biggest star in all of Vegas.

They shake hands, sealing their partnership.

INT. LAS VEGAS CASINO - NIGHT

The lights of the Las Vegas Strip shine brighter than ever. Lena, now a renowned showgirl, walks through the casino with confidence and poise. She has become the embodiment of Glitter and Grit.

FADE OUT.

🍀🍀🍀 5 Best Movies for St. Patrick's Day 🍀🍀🍀

2023-03-14T17:28:00.004-04:00

St. Patrick's Day is a festive holiday celebrated around the world, and watching movies is a popular way to get in the spirit.

Here are some of the best movies to watch on St. Patrick's Day and why:

🍀 The Quiet Man (1952): This classic romantic comedy-drama set in Ireland is a must-watch on St. Patrick's Day. Starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, the film follows the story of an American boxer who moves to Ireland and falls in love with a fiery Irish woman. The film is a celebration of Irish culture, with beautiful landscapes and traditional music.

🍀 Waking Ned Devine (1998): This Irish comedy film is set in a small village in Ireland and tells the story of two friends who try to claim the lottery winnings of a deceased villager. The film is full of humor, heart, and Irish charm, and it's a perfect feel-good movie to watch on St. Patrick's Day.

🍀 The Commitments (1991): This musical comedy-drama is set in Dublin and follows a group of working-class musicians who come together to form a soul band. The film features great music, memorable characters, and a love letter to Irish culture, making it a perfect movie to watch on St. Patrick's Day.

🍀 Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959): This classic Disney film is set in rural Ireland and tells the story of a man named Darby who encounters a group of leprechauns. The film is full of Irish folklore and is a great choice for families looking for a fun and whimsical movie to watch on St. Patrick's Day.

🍀 Brooklyn (2015): This romantic drama film is set in both Ireland and Brooklyn and follows the story of an Irish immigrant who moves to the United States in the 1950s. The film is a touching exploration of the immigrant experience and a celebration of Irish culture, making it a great choice for St. Patrick's Day.

#StPatricksDay #Irish #Ireland #LuckOfTheIrish #Green #Shamrocks #Leprechauns #PotOfGold #Guinness #IrishDancing #Parade #Celebration #Tradition #Celtic #Folklore #IrishMusic #CornedBeefAndCabbage #IrishWhiskey #IrishCulture #GreenBeer #Clover #EmeraldIsle #IrishPride #IrishHistory

Starbucks Racial Anxiety/Bias Training Video

2018-05-30T11:33:00.001-04:00

Watch the short documentary by Stanley Nelson about race in America, shown across the country yesterday to Starbucks employees...

2018-04-13T14:03:00.001-04:00

You can now listen to my podcast OH NO THEY DIDN'T over on iHeartRADIO...

the tide pod shoplifting challenge

2018-01-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

I may or may not have just contributed to the shoplifting of six packages of Tide PODs.

There I was, shopping for more environment friendly laundry detergent in a DTLA Target when a woman behind me asks for help in reaching something.

I turn around and the woman, limited in movement, is asking me to put six of those Tide POD packs into the giant bag hanging off the back of her motor cart. Granted they’re on the top shelf, and hard to reach for anyone over the height of 5’5”, but there was something kind of strange about her need for six of the packs, and nothing else.

“Is there room for more stuff back there?” she asks barely turning her head.

I tell her she can fit about 3 small items more before needing another bag.

Off she rolls, without a thank-you, her sketchy face-tattoo and unwashed hair now glaringly giving me second thoughts about my good deed for the day.

While checking out, I notice her roll by each and every cashier without paying, and exit the store.

I really hope she isn’t going playground to playground selling the detergent pods at a dollar a pop to naive kids looking for Internet fame.

hollywood, because I could

2018-01-22T13:18:00.003-05:00

Somebody pinch me.

No, seriously, like every morning I’m going to need someone to pinch me.

After 23 years of life in New York City, I am finally a resident of the endlessly ecelctic City of Los Angeles, California.

Adding to the surealness of this new chapter of my life is the fact that my husband and I drove across country in four days with three cats in the back-seat. Without incident, I might add.

Cats are not as easy to transport as dogs. They are very “who-moved-my-cheese” when it comes to new places, so strange hotel rooms are constant resets. Strangely enough, all three were pretty excited about being in our new hotel room each night (possibly due to being out of their cages after long days).

Our drive from New York to California was South by Southwest, stopping in Roanoke, Little Rock, Albuquerque and finally our new home in Downtown Los Angeles. Or, as the locals say, DTLA.

The whirlwind of it all was rewarded with time to decompress, and in the first three days we were able to take in much of the city and a little of its suburbs.

In three days, we were able to debunk three myths about La La Land:

1) Nobody walks in L.A.
2) Nobody takes the subway.
3) Everybody is so phony and fake.

Not true.

DTLA is extremely walkable. The subways are way cleaner and more efficiant than New York City. And everyone I’ve come across so far has been the real deal. Unless they were just an aspiring actor playing “real.”

It’s so hard to tell these days.

Cities - Talking Heads

2018-01-02T10:41:00.001-05:00

Think of London, a small city

It's dark, dark in the daytime
The people sleep, sleep in the daytime
If they want to, if they want to

I'm checking them out
I'm checking them out
I got it figured out
I got it figured out
There's good points and bad points
Find a city
Find myself a city to live in.

There are a lot of rich people in Birmingham
A lot of ghosts in a lot of houses
Look over there!...A dry ice factory
A good place to get some thinking done

Down El Paso way things get pretty spread out
People got no idea where in the world they are
They go up north and come back south
Still got no idea where in the world they are.
Did I forget to mention, to mention Memphis
Home of Elvis and the ancient Greeks
Do I smell? I smell home cooking
It's only the river, it's only the river.

Jeremiah Moss - On Cities Changing

2018-01-02T10:36:00.002-05:00

Jeremiah Moss's Vanishing New York blog has served me, and countless other New Yorkers like me, of the city's change for the worse.

His new book Vanishing New York: How a Great City Lost Its Soul, has been extremely helpful as I put in perspective my departure of New York City. Both Jeremiah and I have been New Yorkers for the same period of over 20 years. I believe we've crossed paths multiple times as we took in the vanishing bars, movie houses, bookshops, cafés, concert venues, and specialty shops.

Here's a passage from the conclusion of his book, which really struck a chord with me...

For generations, New Yorkers have both celebrated a grieved the city's changeability. Harper's claimed in 1856 that New York is "never the same city for a dozen years together. A man born in New York forty years ago finds nothing, absolutely nothing, of the New York he knew." More recently, Colson Whitehead declared: "You are a New Yorker when what was there before is more real and solid than what is there now." Fair enough. But as I hope this book has illustrated, the nature of urban change has changed. As Adam Gopnik put it, "Cities change. It is their nature. Those which stop changing stop being cities. Cities that change entirely, though, cease to be themselves." For years now, New York hasn't been itself. It is being de-urbanized.

goodbye new york

2017-12-29T10:44:00.001-05:00

You may have seen it on social media if you follow me there, but it's official. We're moving to Los Angeles in a few weeks.

I've lived in New York City for almost 22 years, and in that time I've had some incredible experiences. I've never lived anywhere else longer than here, and it's bittersweet to leave friends and family behind.

So, due to opportunity out West, we've loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Okay, not really. We have people loading the truck (and packing) for us. And we're moving to DTLA, which like everywhere in Los Angeles is only a 20 minute drive away.

I'd like to say a studio has bought the rights to this blog for a new Netflix series, but I can't really go into the details right now. Also, that's not true. But, we're driving across country with three cats, and if that's not material for a Nat Geo or Animal Planet live-streaming special, I don't know what is.

Keep tuned to the blog here for updates, and if you follow me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, you'll probably get some live-video on there during the move and after.

Christmas is for Zinger Zappers

2017-12-22T09:26:00.002-05:00

When talking Christmas memories with folks from the New York area, there's always a strong denial that Dolly Madison snack cakes never existed.

Not to be confused with First Lady Dolley Madison, Dolly Madison was a bakery that produced a variety of sugary, processed baked goods that really took off when they associated with the Peanuts characters.

Probably due to regional preference to Drake's Cakes, amount other East Coast snacks, the Dolly Madison commercials, products, and apparently packaging, never really made it to the New York Tri-State area.

That's a shame, because my East coast friends will never associate A Charlie Brown Christmas with the incredibly addictive coconut covered raspberry Zinger. This snack was so good, you would eat it even when it was crushed by a thermos in your lunchbox.

Luckily, we have Fandom to gather the proof of Dolly Madison's long-time association with the Peanuts gang. A lot of the original commercials I remember as a kid are available on YouTube. Recreate your memories of Zinger Zappers below, or prove to your East coast deniers that this existed...

The World I KnewTodd Leaves New York City

2017-12-21T10:25:00.001-05:00

I know this is slightly corny, but I've always had a soft spot for the quasi-Christian rock band Collective Soul.

Their eponymous second album was released around the same time I moved to New York City, so there's one song from it that always sticks.

Hitting the charts around now, 21 years ago, THE WORLD I KNOW might be the most perfect summation of my emotional state as a prepare to leave Manhattan for Hollywood. I'm not usually a lyrics person (I hear the music before I listen to the words), but this air-guitar ballad pretty much nails it.

The World I Know

Collective Soul

Has our conscience shown?

Has the sweet breeze blown?

Has all the kindness gone?

Hope still lingers on

I drink myself of newfound pity

Sitting alone in New York City

And I don't know why

Are we listening

Hymns of offering?

Have we eyes to see

That love is gathering?

All the words that I've been reading

Have now started the act of bleeding

Into one, into one

So I walk up on high

And I step to the edge

To see my world below

And I laugh at myself

While the tears roll down

'Cause it's the world I know

Oh it's the world I know

I drink myself of newfound pity

Sitting alone in New York City

And I don't know why, don't know why

So I walk up on high

And I step to the edge

To see my world below

And I laugh at myself

While the tears roll down

'Cause it's the world I know

Oh it's the world I know

So I walk up on high

And I step to the edge

To see my world belo

And I laugh at myself

While the tears roll down

'Cause it's the world I know

Oh it's the world I know

save the LINCOLN PLAZA CINEMAS!

2017-12-20T15:08:00.001-05:00

cool cinemagraph from Flixel...

2017-12-20T13:44:00.002-05:00

I've become obsessed lately with Cinemagraphs.

Finding new ones and creating my own.

Here's one I created from one of 2017's best films:
A GHOST STORY

You can check out more of my work here...

the last ten films I've seen...

2017-11-09T14:12:00.000-05:00

HIGH TIDE (John Reinhardt, 1947)
STRAW DOGS (Sam Peckinpah, 1971)
THE BODY SNATCHER (Robert Wise, 1945)
PURPLE NOON (René Clément, 1930)
ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (Charles Barton, 1948)
HALLOWEEN (John Carpenter, 1978)
HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS (Joe Chappelle, 1995)
MAGIC (Richard Attenborough, 1978)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (Kenneth Branagh, 2017)
SIGN 'O' THE TIMES (Prince, 1987)

no surprises • radiohead

2017-10-17T23:26:00.000-04:00

a new album from THE HORRORS

2017-10-13T13:21:00.001-04:00

At long last a new album from one of my favorite modern bands THE HORRORS.

They get more commercial in sound with each release, but they're still dark and spooky. Dig the first track HOLOGRAM here...

MY OUTDOOR MOVIE FESTIVAL

2017-06-15T10:13:00.000-04:00

Since moving into our awesome apartment in 2013, Craig and I have hosted epic screenings outside on our terrace (with the exception of 2014's terrace closure).

Amidst the backdrop of midtown Manhattan, here's every film we've screened to date, and some of the opening trailer reels I created for these special nights:

2017 (so far)

2016

2015

2013

THE LAST JEDI trailer at last

2017-04-14T13:25:00.000-04:00

FOUR FRAMES PER FILM

2017-03-19T12:50:00.003-04:00

One year ago, I started the Twitter account FOUR FRAMES PER SECOND.

While I wish I had the time to do this every day, I do plan to post more in the upcoming year.

Bonus points to anyone that can identify all of the frames in the 50 films below...

Criterion Collection's MILDRED PIERCE a restoration explained

2017-03-05T22:00:00.001-05:00

If you're a CRITERION COLLECTION nut like me, this is what we get excited about. A beautiful detailed look at what went into the new 4K restoration of MILDRED PIERCE...

Gotham City of Stars

2017-02-23T11:08:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to figure out where I've heard the opening of the La La Land tune City of Stars before.

Not to ruin your Oscar weekend, but...

La La Land - the video game

2017-02-23T08:07:00.001-05:00

Just when you thought La La Land couldn't get any more annoying, here's the 8-Bit Cinema video game edition...

a bit more of the old IN and OUT

2017-02-19T13:09:00.003-05:00

IN OUT

Grey Black

Janelle Monae Beyoncé
"RESIST" "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN"

KenKen Sudoku

Butter Bacon

Cash PayPal

$200 Chromebook $1000 iPad Pro

FilmStruck SeeSo

Dungeons & Dragons Game of Thrones

James Baldwin Ta-Nehisi Coates

MET Opera Terminal 5

Iced Americano Ice Coffee
Rasputin Hamilton

Chartreuse Bitters

Snow Snapchat

Reality BitesThe New Yorker Review

2017-02-18T17:36:00.001-05:00

President Donald TrumpThe Simple Child

2017-02-16T13:31:00.004-05:00

Trump, the Simple Child, answers your Passover questions:
Why is this night different from all other nights?  Let me tell you. It's a very special night, you know.  Very special. We may be eating flat bread, which I gotta tell you is a little bland, but I'll be able to do something about that. Where was I. Oh, right, you know there was no way that Pharaoh was going to let your people go. No way. But you know what he did. He let them go. We are going to do that sort of thing to, you know. We are going to let our people go and make America great again. So many people. Many of them happen to be Jews. Jews that voted for me, some of which are at this seder table right now. I think a lot of Jews want to see a change. And speaking of change, Melania sitting over there on the orthopedic cushion would like to replace this roasted egg with a more permanent faberge egg you can enjoy for Passovers to come. Okay? Thank you.