GREAT dream PRODUCTIONS 2009 Oscar Picks

Most Missed:

Original Screenplay: In Bruges
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Directing: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire





Best Picture:

Best Actors: Leading & Supporting Roles

American History

Caricature by high school pal, Ken Fallin
for the Wall Street Journal, October 2008.

Suze Orman in The First Church of Harpo

When one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world is speaking at a local event, check it out. Especially when it's Suze Orman talking while the global economy spirals downward into the worst meltdown of our life time.

Orman appeared in San Francisco on October 25 courtesy of O You!, a wildly successful 'live your best life' experience delivered by O as in The Oprah Magazine. O Yes!---if you've never been in The First Church of Harpo live with Oprah herself, you've simply got to make an effort.

Never underestimate the power of individual brand identity and marketing. My 20th Century top three include Madonna, Martha, and Oprah. Once Oprah embraces you and your message, you're sphere of influence sky rockets. As Suze Orman's brand positioning and financial expertise gained credibility, she's created her own mini-empire worth millions. She talks with Oprah weekly. And in this economic climate, one can imagine those conversations.

When the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury beckoned Orman to Washington in September and asked, "What should we do?" Orman replied, "Now you're asking?" For those folks paying attention, she's been telling all of us for the past 10 years what we should do.

Passion for money, it's power, and how one manages money to control one's destiny define Orman's message and brand success. She ends her television show on cable's CNBC with the mantra "People first, then money, then things."

In The First Church of Harpo, Orman delivers the same diagnosis and prescription we've seen her deliver recently all over cable news and network shows. On this warm, beautiful sunny October day in San Francisco, Orman took the stage where she masterfully held our attention for about an hour.

Suze flashed her trademark sparkling white teeth, walked us through what's happening, and pleaded with us to listen to her. Orman's tired and frustrated about the economic disaster, in fact, Suze's mad as hell.

Video Story:

Oh, This and That and Stuff Like That, Tina Fey on Palin

"Not since Sling Blade has there been a voice that anybody could do," Tina Fey.

The Four Tops' Songs Make A Girl Feel Good

"Well, I'm rather loud and raw," Levi Stubbs told the Los Angeles Times in 1994. "I don't really even have a style; I just come by the way I sing naturally. When I learn a song, I try to live it as best I can."

Chart toppers throughout the mid-60's,The Four Tops lost a third founding member on Friday with the death of Levi Stubbs. Stubbs experienced a long series of debilitating illnesses for more than 10 years and had not performed with the group since at least 2000.

Levi Stubbs' sang lead on a string of Top 10 Motown hits from 1965 - 1967, "Baby I Need Your Loving," "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Bernadette," and probably the most widely used hit on film soundtracks, "Can't Help Myself." It's the latter song's hook line "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" that has stayed with us forever--at this point in time, just two years shy of five decades. Best of all, with Levi Stubbs and The Four Tops singing any one of these tunes, a girl couldn't help but feel good!

Four Tops on Ed Sullivan (1967)

When it can't be done, deliver a gift of hope

Tony Melendez began learning how to play the guitar at age 16. People told him it couldn't be done. Tony played before Pope John Paul II in 1987, he has delivered his "Gift of Hope" playing guitar as a full-time musician ever since.

Let it be.

Tony Melendez, great dreamer.

Ringo "Too Much To Do" But He Loves You

After more than 40 plus years of signing autographs, Ringo Starr claims "Peace," "Love," and that he has "Too Much To Do" now to sign anything else. I'm thinking he has a point, eBay sellers may make a killing, and wondering will he sign autographs when fans approach him in person? He looks a little tired and scruffy on his web site video clip, but he loves you. . .yea, yea yea.

SNL Mavericks Take On Biden-Palin

"Gosh Darnit" NBC's Saturday Night Live Mavericks delivered another hysterical parody with the Biden-Palin VP Debate. The gang surprised us with a guest spot for Queen Latifah as journalist and moderator Gwen Ifil. A perfect pitch for Ifil's new book, who could ask for any better publicity? Latifah really held herself together as she tried not to laugh outright at Tina Fey's too funny Sarah Palin. To be fair, SNL gave "scrappy" Joe Biden the "Scranton is a hell-hole" business, too.


Links:
Tina Fey at"30 Rock"SNL's Perfect Palin
Queen Latifah Lights Up Symphony Hall

In Pursuit Of The Common Good, Paul Newman

Shameless Exploitation In Pursuit Of The Common Good, Newman's Own Founder, Paul Newman leaves a powerful legacy with more than $250 million donated to charities worldwide over the past 25 years.



Retiring from filmwork, December 2007



Check a previous post: On Cool Hand Luke

Ads Entertain: Look what the cat dragged in

Simple creative storytelling in an entertaining way, this ad says it all.

Tina Fey at "30 Rock" SNL's Perfect Palin

NBC's Saturday Night Live team gave fans a perfect parody of Sarah Palin with Tina Fey's return to 30 Rockefeller Center last night.

Amy Poehler portrayed the tougher stereotypical view of Hillary Clinton in sharp contrast to the clear likeability quotient of Sarah Palin. If we've learned one thing during this campaign, the likeability factor remains King or Queen.

Fey hit the mark on every media discussion point of recent days by covering the difference between pitbulls and pigs, Palin's foreign policy experience "I can see Russia from my house," and professing her service as mayor of the "crystal meth capitol of Alaska." SNL fans should expect to see more of Fey's Palin. It seems only fitting at this point, if we can't cry over the election mess, we'll just have to laugh. Again.

MAMA MIA Delivers On Happy

Seriously sappy and happy, MAMA MIA triumphs on the big screen. Ignore the critics. Don't expect a great film, see it for the sheer entertainment of watching Meryl Streep lead an eclectic ensemble cast in being silly and charming while singing ABBA tunes amid a glorious Greek Island backdrop. I defy women over 50 to not walk out of their neighborhood movie theatre with a smile and lighter step, it can't be done.

I remember seeing Streep for the first time in a PBS broadcast version of Wendy Wasserstein's stage show "Uncommon Women and Others"-- it's hard to imagine this now, but the show had to be at least 30 years ago. The next time I remember seeing her was in "Julia" and "Kramer vs. Kramer." These critically acclaimed performances were followed a few years later with her emotionally shattering performance in "Sophie's Choice." Watching MAMA MIA caused me to reflect that Meryl Streep has delivered many of the most naturally striking performances of my generation. Very cool.

It seems odd to me, but I have friends who really don't care for Meryl Streep, something that I don't quite understand since I'll actually see a film because it has Streep in it--regardless of the critical reviews. I'm always curious to see how she delivers a role, embodies a character. So, I appreciate Meryl Streep in just about any project she undertakes.

Her early breakout performances underscore womens' role in society, MAMA MIA offers yet another culturally historic snapshot of circumstance, choice, and consequence. Among my generation, it's very familiar territory when contrasting her character's life with those of her best pals, played by the incomparable Julie Waters and Christine Baranski.

As for me and MAMA MIA, I always enjoyed listening to ABBA in the 70's for sure, and "Dancing Queen" is one of my favorite numbers in the film.

I was struck by the lighting in the film and attribute some of this to what I remember about the Greek Islands. The light and color of the sky and water are like no where on earth. When you first see Meryl Streep on screen, you'll notice she's standing in a halo of light, the effect is a combination of natural light and how the film is lit. My filmmaker friends tell me that lighting is the most important aspect of a film shoot, I can't say otherwise after watching MAMA MIA. The director and DP definitely make the most of light. Silly entertainment with a lot of heart, MAMA MIA delivers on happy.

Got a MAMA MIA story to share? Feel free to comment.

Photo Credits: Universal, Peter Mountain

Check out a fun clip of "Dancing Queen":

Living Your Dreams

"If you live your life properly, your dreams will come to you."
-Randy Pausch, Great Dreamer

Primetime special tribute to Randy Pausch with his "The Last Lecture: A Celebration of Life" Tuesday July 29 on ABC "Primetime" at 10 p.m. ET & PT.

Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution

Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution airs today on San Francisco's KQED at 6:00 p.m. with additional showings on May 21. The film made it's local PBS premier on KCSM San Mateo in April and continues to air around the U. S., I caught this initial local airing on KCSM.

It's the second film in a trilogy by Bay Area filmmaker Rosemary Rawcliffe. A Quiet Revolution world premiered at the 2007 Mill Valley Film Festival.

Rosemary's film depicts three generations of Tibetan women and His Holiness the Dalai Lama telling the story of one of modern history's greatest movements in nonviolent resistance.

An estimated 15,000 unarmed Tibetan women took to the streets of Lhasa in 1959 to oppose the violent Chinese occupation of their country. The surviving exiled elders are the last generation of women left to tell the story of the Women's Uprising and transmit their cultural legacy. Having survived decades in prison and perilous escape across the Himalayas, they have become the architects and builders of the new Tibet in exile. His Holiness the Dalai Lama pays tribute to their spirit and influence.

View trailer below.

To learn more about Rosemary's trilogy: Women of Tibet

More on On Peace

Artwork Image Copyright © 2004 Frame of Mind Films. All rights reserved.

Mama and Me In The First Church of Harpo

Oprah arrived at our family home to meet and speak with my Mother. Since Mama died 19 years ago a few days before Mother's Day, I find it significant that the high priestess of The First Church of Harpo sought her out.

I'd opened the front door to find Oprah coming up the walk, a small entourage of people with her, a limousine parked out front on the narrow street that most people have a hard time finding.

"Oprah's here," I called out, silently wondering what in the world is Oprah doing at my childhood home in Florida. A flurry of activity and greetings followed all around, a few "Faithful Friends" from my parents Sunday school class were there helping Mama get ready for a luncheon.

"O" came into our living room and sat in one of the upholstered side chairs. She was tired and without pretense told us she "needed a little refuge time along with some spiritual rejuvenation."

Everyone left Oprah alone for a moment except me, I'd been standing off to the side observing. She fit right in with her surroundings as if it was perfectly normal for her to be sitting in a stranger's living room. Someone handed her a tall glass of ice tea.

Even though "O" looked bone tired and needed refuge from celebdom, I cast aside my southern manners and approached her.

"Would you mind taking a picture with my Mother and I before you left?" I asked.

Her people 'weren't sure.' One of the "Faithful Friends" gasped out loud.

"O" didn't mind at all.

Photo: Me and Mama, Antonelli's Begonia Gardens, Capitola, CA, 1984.