A Guy, A Girl, and A Podcast

So in the world of entertainment, for those of us who are just starting out, I feel like we need to stick together. That's why today for me is A Guy, A Girl, and A Podcast Day. A good friend of mine, Brandon—A Guy, wants to get into film and he feels that talking about what's going on in the entertainment world will help with that (EP 1). So if you read the introduction of this blog you can see this podcast is basically me only spoken and recorded and with one extra tidbit. Behind every inspiring great young man is a beautiful young lady. The girl part is his girlfriend Christina. Together the two of them take on the entertainment world and other topics within the world in a range about thirty minuet podcast episodes.

I feel bad because Brandon is constantly keeping me updated in all the projects he does and before today I had only listened to one out of the now eleven episodes they have, including a recent one about this month’s hot topic: The Hunger Games. So I made a promise that I would listen to all of them before the days end...what he doesn't know is I'm giving them a review as I listen to them. And maybe, possibly, with each new episode I'll update a recap.

So! A Guy, A Girl, and A Podcast are, to me, absolutely great! Who says nothing can come out of Nevada? Look at Ellen Hopkins! These two are fantastic as they continue to be frantic and a little disorganized but in a way that works and makes you laugh! To be honest I was never much of a podcast listener. Like Christina says in the first episode, and I'm paraphrasing here, "who really wants to sit down and listen to someone talk for thirty minutes to an hour?" That was honestly my thought when Brandon first told me about it. Sorry, bro, I said no thank you...but he's a persistent artist and so he got me to listen to the first episode and I loved it, but I’ve been lagging on listening to the other ones, hint—the all-out ear gorge today.

Like I said this show is a little chaotic, they have an episode planned but it's a live show in a sense. They don't have a script they just have topics and they go off what one another says and sometimes it gets hysterical, like episode 3—that one had a lot of unnecessary laughter that just made me laugh with them. But it never gets annoying; no it constantly keeps you up to date with information in the entertainment world.

AGAGAPC, because I don't feel like typing that whole title, (Gosh guys, you couldn’t choose something shorter!?) is a great source of information if you want to check out some of your favorite stuff that deals with TV, Movies, Theater and etc. They have a Facebook page and a Twitter under the name of the show if you want to message them about something you may want to hear them converse about.

The two of them make a great pair; with this show you can see why they're a couple. Brandon, in my humble opinion, is the source of information. If you know him like I do or even if you just sit down and listen to the podcast which I hope you do, he just spills out what's in that head of his and Christina is the emphasis, the wonderful right wing that is the muse for every great artist. I should know, I have mine and I love her to death. But when you listen to these two it just comes alive how great a pair can be in just talking about the things they love or at least what one loves and the other loves to hear them talk about. Confusing? I know, but when you’re in love and you’re a talker, you understand. Sometimes your significant other just likes to listen to you ramble on and on. The cool thing is they have decided to record it for the rest of us to hear.

This is just the beginning for the two of them and I can't wait to hear what else they have to say as they continue to grow. They are getting into mentioning business and productions in the Reno area for those of you who feel there is nothing to do in this lovely town of ours. They also are going off topics in the world, like in one episode six they talk about the increased rate of interracial couples and marriages. You could have different opinions and maybe you can Tweet them about it or Facebook them about it and get your voice heard. Who knows they could talk about you in the next episode…hopefully they’ll say something nice. Don’t upset them! They’re on iTunes!

But don't just take it from me, these two are, like I just said, on iTunes for free go ahead and download all the episodes like me or just the new ones, especially the new one on The Hunger Games and hear what these two have to say and what they have to share. Or if you’re a lame-o and you don’t have iTunes then there is the Stitcher app as well. The first few episodes are a little low in quality, but as they grow you hear them talk about getting on iTunes, getting two different mics, using a University’s studio, and having a producer! Until next time, According to Michael III, A Guy, A Girl, and A Podcast are definitely worth listening too.

—Michael III

A loss for Words: A miscellaneous "Smash" Recap

Sweet! Starting this in the middle of tonight’s Smash, “The Coup” and that was a nice little number. As Ellis keeps playing his little game of going back and forth and being a damn double spy (seriously, I have no idea what this kid is up to. I say kid and he’s like older than me); that Bowling number with the cast revamping “Dance to the Music” was very entertaining. I completely enjoyed it. And Ellis just told Ivy about Derek working with Karen...

Ellis is…well any of you that watch this show know that Ellis is just all over the place. But it’s not about him. He’ll get his episode eventually. Tonight is about Karen basically going behind the back of Tom and Julia to work on a new song for their baby, Marilyn; a musical about Marilyn Monroe for those of you that don’t know. For those of you that saw the last episode, “The Workshop” you know that Derek and Eileen were talking about changing some things since the workshop, in my opinion, and to basically everyone else, was a disaster. But they made it seem as if firing Michael as the male lead was the only thing they needed to do. WRONG! This episode shows a totally different story…and oh my gosh! I didn’t expect Eileen to actually bring Tom and Julia to the showing of the song…this is about to get ugly…

Okay, I stop paying attention in the middle of “Touch Me” because I can see why Tom and Julia are going to get upset, not only is not a song they wrote, but it’s a totally different feeling than the one they already had set up for Marilyn. So yes this is a total act of betrayal. Damn, even the new character, Kate, knows it was wrong. Great speech Kate! But Ivy is, let’s just say it, a bi***! (Originally I had that all spelled out, but I’m trying to keep this blog as clean as possible). And I so want to punch her lights out. She got the part and she just needs to relax. (Now that the episode is over and Eileen said they’re going to look for a star, maybe she should be a little uptight…)

Wow, some serious dirt just came out this episode between Tom and Derek. Honestly I’m kind of glad I grabbed my laptop and started typing during this episode because there is just way too much going on in this episode to try to recap it all at the ending.

From day one I’ve been in love with this show. I am a theater kid myself and the fact it was a show about creating a show for Broadway was already what piqued my interest. Then going deeper was the fact there is fantastic music in this show. Both the leads sing their hearts out and the composers compose the music beautifully for their original songs and for their covers. I love music, having sang my whole life and played the drums since I was seven. To me it’s just good, possibly over dramatic TV. A story line that keeps developing and developing besides the fact I don’t believe TV needs that much drama in one show. The reality of the fact is that crap does happen every day; cheating, backstabbing, lying, envy it’s all real and sometimes shows like Pretty Little Liars have too much of it; hint, why I only watched the first three episodes of this season of PLL and refuse to watch anymore. But this show blends it well because of the fact that the theater business is actually that ridiculous. You’ll start off all happy, but then the ugly extra heads of some people show up and it cause problems. Which is what makes the theater so magical—the fact that we all get through the drama to create art. This show blends it all together and I can’t wait to see where this season is going to lead.

It’s sad that originally they were talking about it wasn’t going to have a second season. I heard something like it wasn’t going anywhere. But you know what, Glee is on it’s what, fourth season? I don’t know I’m not a Glee fan. When it first came out it seemed like nothing but High School Musical only in TV show form, and while although I loved the story of the Wild Cats who embrace the theater, I don’t like Glee. It seems dumb to me and it still does, so no thank you.

But Smash seems real to me, not a bunch of high school nerds who have no idea what they’re doing, and I know I’ll piss off some people for saying that but I really don’t care. Honestly as Ivy and Derek get it on again, I’m at a loss for words for what will happen next or what has already happened. This is a show you have to experience for yourself if you already haven’t. This show is that good to the point it’s leaving me speechless and constantly on the edge of my seat. So I beg of you, next Monday at 10:00 p.m. sit down with your loved ones or by yourself and tune your TV to NBC, or even better, NBC HD if you have it, and enjoy the magic that is Smash. Until next time, According to Michel III, Steven Spielberg didn’t choose to produce this show for nothing!

—Michael III

"May the odds be ever in your favor": The Hunger Games--The year's first and possibly BIGGEST, Blockbuster (SPOILER ALERT!)

Woo! So I just saw The Hunger Games and let me just say, AMAAAAAAZIIIING! Oh my gosh! I don't think I've see a better adaptation of a book to movie besides possibly 2011's Breaking Dawn part 1.

For those of you that haven't read the story by the amazing Susan Collins let me tell you that this post may be a little spoiler alert for you. But you could be like me and may be one of those people that like to have things spoiled for you.

First thing is first, this movie was definitely a movie for novel fans and non-novel fans. The movie that had a budget of 78 million dollars got pretty much all of that back their first night making a little over 68.3 mill just Friday alone (EW.com). Thousands of fans lined up for the midnight premier, I could have been one of those people's but I actually like being awake enough to remember the movie so I can do stuff like this: Tell you about it.

The Hunger Games follows the story of young hunter, Katniss Everdeen who lives with her mother and sister in a post-apocalyptic dystopian society in which the powerful Capital of Panem randomly accept two kids, one boy and girl, to represent their district in the Hunger Games. It's the day of what they call the "Reaping" on the eve of the 74^th Annual Hunger Games and Katniss' sister is unfortunately for the first time in the drawing. Despite the fact her name is only in their once, her name is still drawn and then Katniss, using the famed line from the commercials, "volunteers as tribute."

I won't go into too much detail because I'm not here to recap. So go read the book, or watch the movie, or do both if it suits your fancy; the rest of this post will be for those who have done one or the other or both. Like I already said, this was a fantastic adaptation, and that's because the author, Suzanne Collins, actually helped in writing the script. Which is always a plus because lets go over people who didn't help in writing the scripts. Christopher Paolini—Eragon, Kate DiCamillo—The Tale of Despearaux, Cornelia Funke—Inkheart, and let's just say Stephenie Meyer got lucky with New Moon and B.D. part 1, but Twilight sucked and Eclipse was alright. And regardless of what you think of the Twilight Saga, I'm looking at this from a literature to film standpoint, so shut up! But like I said, fails! But people who worked with the script writers like the timeless Anne Rice—Interview with Vampire and Suzanne Collins and…and…well that’s pretty much it, made great adaptations where changes weren’t, “What they hell!?” worthy but more, “Wow, that was actually a smart idea” worthy. Apparently authors haven’t gotten the hint that generally screen writers think they know better when they really don’t know crap, at least when it comes to adapting a well-known novel or series. And you know what, Interview is still a great movie and one day my grandkids will watch as Jennifer Lawrence plays a beautiful Katniss Everdeen. Those other movies I mentioned won't be looked back on except for maybe a terrible adaptation film festival. I feel bad because Brendan Fraser made a great Mo. I honestly still don't see how they're making Inkspell when they messed up the story to Inkheart. At least Davis Entertainment has the sense not to adapt Eldest.

Seriously though, folks Jennifer did great! The scene where she hugs Lenny Kravitz's Cinna was brilliant. She was literally shaking all the way up until all the tributes are standing on their platforms in the middle of the field watching the holographic numbers count down. Lawrence brought to life the Katniss I pictured with a little more emotion. One of the reasons I thought the movie was better; I honestly feel like Collins wanted to fix some of the things she had missed. Starting with showing a little more sensitive side to Katniss but still making her the hard-ass she was. Same with Josh Hutcherson and his brilliant work with the sensitive, caring, but strong Peeta Melark. Peeta isn’t much in the first book, and since they cut down on the love between the two victors he really got to do even less, but the Zathura, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Bridge to Terabithia, star did well with what was written and I can’t wait to see him in Catching Fire where his character begins to seriously develop.

Other things the movie touched on was making Haymitch the one to suggest the “one victor” rule change to Seneca Crane, the game maker. I thought that was perfect because I originally thought they just did that to mess with Katniss and Peeta, but seeing as the movie didn't build on the “Star Crossed Lovers" that well it may have been to help that along. What was really great was the added cameos of Liam Hemsworth's Gale. In the book series it's kind of just thrown in that Gale is in love with Katniss in Catching Fire, adding a love triangle. To me it was rushed so adding Gale's emotions as Katniss gets all lovey-dovey on the screen with Peeta will help non-readers get along with the triangle when the next movie comes out. As it was, I could hear my father make a sympathetic “man awww” when they first showed his reaction to the beginning of the crushing.

But there were some things I didn't like as well. For example, the missing of the Mocking Jays, they never show them. They can show the mutated dogs, but there wasn’t enough money for the Mocking Jays? Well after this weekend there is. The Mocking Jays not singing when Rue died, Katniss not doing Rue’s hair but the flowers around her body was okay. But the fact she didn't shoot the bastard in the throat for killing her was wrong. And the camera angle was a little weird. Too many sideways close ups. But what really cut me deep was the fact they didn’t allow Peeta to say his last line in the first book:

“One more time? For the audience?” he says. His voice isn’t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me.

I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.

This scene is the defining moment when we really realize just how much Peeta loves Katniss to the point he’ll allow her to pretend to keep her and her family safe. It also shows us just how confused Katniss is about her feelings for Peeta making you wonder when pretending turned into true feelings. Like I said they really didn’t expand on the love in the film which is the defining moment for the next two books and I wait anxiously to see how they will address that.

All in all, this movie was great and you should go see it as soon as you can. As it is, the film is estimated to have 155 million opening weekend having the third biggest opening of all time ranking behind Deathly Hallows part 2 and the Dark Knight; and possibly the highest opening for a non-sequel ever (EW.com). “The Hunger Games also holds the records for highest March opening and highest-grossing movie ever for studio Lionsgate” (TVGuide.com)...so go add to its numbers!

As for now, According to Michael III, the odds are definitely in Suzanne Collin's favor.

—Michael III

Stop screaming "TMNT" when you should be thinking "WWST!?"

So actually I lied, I’m going to jump ship. While I’m writing this it’s actually Saturday night and since I’m going to see the Hunger Games tomorrow I actually have no time what so ever to actually watch Fringe so I’m going to go ahead and do one of my other ideas that I’ve been contemplating.

So I’m pretty sure everyone has been dealing with the recent shock (some feel “betrayal”) from Michael Bay since he has decided that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles should be actually aliens from outer space. Bay says, ““These turtles are from an alien race, and they are going to be tough, edgy, funny and completely loveable” (EW.com).

Honestly my initial reaction was W. T. F!!!!!!!!!? I mean seriously what is he thinking!? To me it just seems that Bay has gotten a little too big for his britches. So what? He makes billions upon millions of dollars by doing the Transformers Trilogy (which will now be a saga seeing as he is signed on to do another one [Moviepilot.com]) and have a little success with the production of the movie adaptation of I Am Number Four—which I thought was great but I never read the books so what can I say?—and suddenly Bay thinks he can just do whatever he wants. Honestly, it just seems so commercial nowadays that, at some point when you start making the big bucks from a few changes you make and suddenly you can just change everything around like it was never what we knew in the first place. But then I started thinking!

Now from my profile, if any of you have actually taken the time to actually read it, you would know that I’m normally a writer for fiction. So when a very dear friend of mine sent me the link to the EW.com article there was one question that was asked that made me go off of this whole tangent. It made me start thinking from a writer’s standpoint and I realized that this could be either a great movie that people will still talk about for generations to come and go “wow, Bay was a freaking genius!” or they’ll say “I’m so glad he was the M. Night Shyamalan of the 2000’s” in a very sarcastic tone. Okay, that was just wrong. Sorry Shyamalan, that was just plain rude. Too many people expect you to be perfect, but come on man! I had high hopes for the Last Airbender!

But here is the question my lovely blog readers. EW’s Marc Snetiker asked, “What would Shredder think?”

MY GOD THAT IS A BRILLIANT QUESTION!

What would Shredder think! WWST?

Holy crap! Just think about it. This whole alien plot line will be based off of two things. How is Shredder going to fit into this story line and what the heck about Master Splinter? Now if the turtles are supposed to be aliens then how does Splinter come into the story as their teacher? Is this going to be like a story like Son Goku, the legendary Super Saiyan; a powerful being from a different planet that got trained by someone to use his powers for good? And if so, then how is Splinter still a giant talking rat? Is his story going to be the same? For the turtles and Splinter, in the original story since 1984, they all end up in toxic waste that mutates them. Now it wouldn’t make sense for Splinter to still come from that story line when the turtles don’t. So my thought is Splinter will have to be an alien too. So will he be from the same planet? Will he be from a neighboring planet that is peaceful with the turtle’s people? And above all, how does he still end up being their master? For Christ’s sake, how does he even know the turtles!?

Then there comes in the reason why they’re on earth in the first place. Is Bay going to pull another transformers and their world was destroyed and Earth was the only suitable planet. Are they going to come with their whole race or are they going to be the only ones to survive? If the whole race comes are they going to be the only ones that are peacekeepers and the rest of the race wants to enslave the humans? And if that’s the case then the enemy won’t be Shredder and Bay might as well stop putting the TMNT stamp on it and roll with the fact it’s most likely Transformers 5, because we all know there will most likely be a fifth one. Just like Christopher Nolan is probably going to do fourth Dark Knight movie…when he really needs to make a second Inception. Damn cliff hangers!

Sorry, off topic. Back to Shredder. Now if he is going to be the villain, then how do you tackle him? Now he could be the same badass that he is in the comics and the recent revamp of the TV show in the early 2000’s OR! they could do this. Pull a Ben 10—Forever Knights type story.

Yeah, I may be turning 20, but I still watch Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and I will probably watch Ben 10: Omniverse. But the original story of the Forever Knights, for those of you that don’t know, they were a radical group of Knights that went out of their way to hunt down alien tech and aliens and keep them off our planet and occasionally experiment on them. So I’m thinking with Shredder they should pull a story line where Shredder was once an ordinary man who got a loved one, probably a wife, murdered by an alien and since then he has dedicated his life to hunting down aliens on Earth. Which if there are other aliens on Earth then it’s going to have an M.I.B. twist too. Now when the turtles show up, for whatever reason, they will be good—also for whatever reason, BUT Shredder is so blinded with rage that he goes out of his way to eradicate all aliens, good or bad causing conflict with the turtles as they try to do good.

Now these are just ideas I had running through my head, and Bay, as a fellow writer, has to have something cooking up there! Like I said, one question got my mind turning and I thought of this from a writer’s standpoint. As it is, one of the co-creators of TMNT, Peter Laird, told fans to “swallow the ‘chill pill’ Mr. Bay recently suggested they take, and wait and see what might come out of this seemingly ill-conceived plan” (EW.com). I don’t know, everyone seems all upset and quick to jump, but it’s a good thing Bay at least said something now instead of six months before the movie comes out. That would have been really bad. This at least gives people the time to chill before they just decide all together they don’t want to see it. But as for me I’m waiting for the trailer but until then, just ask yourselves, what would shredder think? Comment below what you have in mind. And here’s the link to the article with the question I’ve mentioned (http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/03/22/michael-bay-teenage-mutant-ninja-alien-turtles-peter-laird/). Anything else you want to know about TMNT, just type those exact letters into EW.com’s search engine. Until then, According to Michael III, we should all stop and ask: WWST?

—Michael III