'Great Gatsby'

LEONARDO and his friends are coming on May 10.  This 'Great Gatsby' films looks like it will be a fabulous one.  My very high favorite writer has been the author of this novel....the eminent F. Scott Fitzgerald.  I hope Leo's movie does really "boffo" business!

Erroll Garner.....Superb Stylist

ELEGANT JAZZ PIANO MEN are a wonderful coterie of fellows.  I have tremendously enjoyed the marvelous and thrilling keyboard style of the feisty Erroll Garner, lately.  His interpretation of the beautiful tune, 'Misty' is so vivid and satisfying.

Keri Russell.....A Super-Powerful Acting Persona

STYLE in acting can be a terrific delight.  The achievements of the magnificent Keri Russell have really  energized  me, lately.  Her work in the engaging FX series called 'The Americans' is so passionate and so right on the acting mark.  The writing on this sleek and clever spy story is very lucid and the intricate design of the episodes is intoxicating.  It strikes one as very fascinating that the acerbic La Russell can portray the Russian spy as beautifully as she does.  The wily, conniving and rather brusque times that the series encapsulates makes for very remarkable and satisfying television fare.  I respect the arcane and so bright art that is grand acting and believe me Keri Russell has the ingenuous skills to get the spy genre in televised works going very passionately, indeed.  As you have more than likely surmised I am a tremendous Keri Russell fan.  I must say I do enjoy her FX series, 'The Americans' so very much.

Nice Wednesday

A feisty, sunny day...reading N. Mailer. Great!

News Types, The Northeast and Our Culture

NEWS people have worked hard, recently.  With all the huge news in Boston and elsewhere the folks in news have worked quite hard.  The complicated nature of the Boston story is especially surreal and hard to manage.  It is a harbinger of just how creative our media people are when they seize a giant story and make it have profound definition and meaning.  I am proud of the people of the news business and all their quite diligent and dynamic work.

Culture and News With Big Impact

STRENGTH is a gigantic and vigorous essence in the American psyche.  The bizarre situation in Boston shows everyone the remarkable resilient power of our people to deal with things that are overwhelming.  We keep going and that is so incredible and so vital.  Let us all pray for better days!

Boston

Let's all pray for Boston.

The Odd Movie....'Rebecca.'

HITCHCOCK made very odd, unique movies.  They were heavily-laden with plenty of bizarre twists.  A favorite of mine is the weird 1940 cinematic gem called 'Rebecca.'  This thing has lots of psychology overload.  Also, the performances by Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine are stunning.  It is a good film to really savor.

Ebert....A Man of Film and its Multi-Faceted Fabrics...Etc..

POWERHOUSE GENIUS.  That was Roger Ebert.  I loved the intensity and the brave, remarkable passion the man had about his love for movies.  His insights and thoughtfulness on the valid inner meanings of modern films totally energized me and continually got me ever more interested in the exciting panorama that is the cinematic world.  Deep down, Roger Ebert always connected with the merry adventure that is newspapering.  He was known to remark often that newspapers were his identity..

A Great Soldier

I AM GOING to a Memorial Service for my close friend from the South Atlanta area today.  He was a great man who served his country well during the Vietnam War.

A Close Friend Exits

A CLOSE FRIEND of mine passed early today.  He was a Vietnam War veteran and truly a passionate, wonderful human being.  He loved good movies and enjoyed reading.  Veterans like him are very special.  He was a great man!

Roger Ebert

ROGER EBERT passed away today and the culture and film world has indeed lost a certainly wonderful, brilliant genius.  The man had a truly uncanny way of bringing the grand magic of contemporary cinema alive.  Reading his material brought us into the powerful workings of a soul with remarkable creative abilities and intense intellect.  We will all miss so much the totally profound man of words, the one called Roger Ebert.

Conan

Last night Conan in ATL was super