Nov26

Frat Boy At the Movies: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

by tonyd on November 26, 2018 at 12:33 am

Based on the book by Lee Israel, the movie is about Lee Israel—  A down and out writer in New York City in 1991.  Unable to pay her bills, Lee stumbles upon an old letter in a book from a famous person.  When the buyer tells her she’d get more money for a better letter, Lee starts embellishing, then out-right created letters from famous people in their voice.

Melissa McCarthy does a great turn as Lee, as does Richard E. Grant as her sidekick, Jack.  Jane Curtain also has a small role as Lee’s agent.

I like the movie a lot (maybe because it’s about a writer), but mostly because it’s a small world, a small story, but it’s full of detail.  It isn’t just about how Lee steals the fame and cons people with the letters, it’s also about the struggle of writers.  Maybe I’m biased, but the movie hit home for me.

I give Can You Ever Forgive Me? 8 out of 10 keggers.  Check it out at your local arthouse movie theater, bros.

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Nov25

Your Fratoscope: November 25, 2018

by tonyd on November 25, 2018 at 12:01 am

FratoScopeHeader

If your birthday is this week:   You friends pool their money and buy you an escort and she makes you an awesome cake.

Aries:  You’ll discover that eating an entire pie by yourself is really awesome, but frowned upon in the middle of the supermarket.

Taurus:  You will be mailed another coupon anger management classes and beat the shit out of your mailman.

Gemini:  This week, the sperm bank pays you the gross interest on your deposit.

Lemini:  The voices in your head give you very sound financial advice.

Cancer:  While playing Pokemon Go, you’ll look up and realize that you’ve walked onto a minefield and you missed the Dragonite.

Leo:  Your invention of the car toilet will not be approved by the patent office.

Virgo:  The stars say, the caterer at your Intervention will be terrible this year.

Libra:  You won’t stand by while an old lady is mugged, you run so the mugger doesn’t move on to you.

Scorpio:  You poly-relationship party is kicked out of the venue for having too many people in it.

Sagittarius:  Facebook will start sending you junk mail about not being on the Internet so much.

Capricorn:  You will brush your teeth with a non-toothpaste, tube substance twice this week.

Aquarius:  The cop that pulls you over writes you a fine for that fart you laid while he was talking.

Pisces:  You bookie sends a lovely greeting card along with his threat this week. 

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Nov24

Screenwriting Tips: Where’s the Money?

by tonyd on November 24, 2018 at 12:46 am

How do you make money as a screenwriter? Well, with any creative endeavor, you can’t be ALL about the money. We’re talking low budget here. What scripts are more likely to sell? What three genres are distributors looking for?

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Nov23

Frat Boy at the Movies: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

by tonyd on November 23, 2018 at 12:01 am

The Coen Brothers are back.  This time, they’ve made a movie that’s an original Western anthology.  The cast is huge and includes Liam Neeson, James Franco, Tyne Daily, Tom Waits and many others.  It has the tone of a Coen Brothers movie, moreso than True Grit did.  Each story is self-contained and doesn’t overlap into the others.

The first story is the most exciting and that’s the story where the title comes from.  Because the stories are short, you’re not sure where they’re going to go or who is going to die.  In a feature length story, you can usually tell.  It becomes way more predictable that main characters will have to change.  As always, the Coens take their time crafting a world.  They don’t rush a single a frame and it’s pretty entertaining, while maybe not a satisfying as a traditional narrative.

The last story is probably the least satisfying because I think it’s meant to be more symbolic.  Still, the entire movie is just entertaining.  Every actor nails his or her role pretty flawless and the world that’s created has an extremely loose and random feel to it.

The Ballad is playing on Netflix and in local art house theaters.  It’s worth seeing, especially if you’re a Coen Brothers fan or Western fan.

I give The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 7.5 out of 10 keggers, bros.

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