Oscar Winning Director Robert Wise Dies

Robert Wise was one of the finest filmmakers we've ever seen. A consumate storyteller and an even finer person. I attended one of his lecturers while I was at AFI and it was just a pleasure to listen to him speak. Fifty plus years in the business and the respect and admiration of his peers and every young filmmaker that followed.

Many of you younger filmmakers may have never heard of him. Well now you have. Go to IMDB and look him. Add as many of his films, including the ones he edited, to your queue on NetFlix.

This guy was good!

Thank you, Mr. Wise.

Even bad TV has to have writers - Los Angeles Times

True. True. And those writers should be paid and represented with the full rights of their brethren in film and television.

Summer Bust Leaves Hollywood Uncertain

What is certain is that formula once again ruled the day for summer 2005. Even most of the hits were retreads of successes past: "Batman Begins," "War of the Worlds," and "Charlie and the Chocolate factory." I know that it is the movie going public that eats up sequal and remake mania every summer, but studio execs and producers are the ones shoveling this crap in the first place. I've seen two of the above mentioned summer blockbusters and one was a worthy continuation of a rich character that has a seat at the head of the table in the comic book pantheon, the other; however, should have left good enough alone.

Sadly, as a serious movie fan, I don't see as many films at the theatre as I'd like. Work and children often conspire to see to that. On the other hand, I know that if Hollywood was pumping out a string of great films, I'd find a way to be there.

Imagination, the vital spark of creativity that breathes life into an idea and transforms ordinary thoughts into something magical, is somehow missing from the equation. Huge names huge salaries huge FX budgets = lackluster blockbusters.

As one executive put it, "...I'm afraid what's foing to happen is, we're all going to sit in a room and say 'We need more penguin movies.' "So I don't really kknow what lessons we're going to take out of all this."