News Stuff

Some recent goings down picked up by the SMC Radar:

• Looks like P.T. Anderson is the new Kubrick after all. His follow-up to 2007's There Will Be Blood may no longer be happening. According to cast member Jeremy Renner, "we kept coming up against a wall that we couldn't overcome. Or at least Paul couldn't overcome." He's talking about The Master, Anderson's Philip Seymour Hoffman-starring film about a Scientology like "religion". If I can scratch out a positive it's that at least the reason sounds like an artistic one. Hopefully, Paul can find a way to overcome that wall. I've found ladders are effective.

• As for a film that was made, how about this bit of Goodfellas trivia: there was early talk about the Ray Liotta and Lorainne Bracco roles being played by...Tom Cruise and Madonna. If only there was some way of knowing if Scorsese made the right call. I mean, other than logic. In case you forgot, it's the 20th Anniversary of what may be the best film of all time. Or what almost wasn't. At least Madonna's Italian.

• Finally, there appears to be a new pay cable channel: Epix. I don't know much about it other than I'm sure they're going to end up playing the same movies 6 times a day and that I'm probably not going to pay for it. But they are starting with some good cred. Click here and get free access to Louis C. K.'s concert film, Hilarious. I think Louis is best served in an extended format as he isn't so big on the one-liners.

Playlist: Louie

2 episodes tonight which I did not know that was the case.

Louis C.K. names the show "Louie"...why not "Louis" like he spells his name?...so he directed it, wrote it, produced it...and the Pilot episode he also edited it...the first episode was not very good and was sporadic like the reviewer in the last "Future List" wrote...it cut too often between the stand-up act and the show/plot...we need more of Louis and less plot...or less "sit-com" style jokes...more of Louie as a single dad I guess...but the show needs time...

The second episode was much better...they worked kinks out of the pilot and the editing was done by someone else...the same could be said for most pilots...like the pilot for "Its Always Sunny"...that was not great

Louis' second episode was funny and sad...there are a lot of moments of true reflection about life...the "faggot" story that is told...and the "whip it out" segment in the show...I won't spoil it but I think he is going for a drama/comedy rather then a straight up sit-com like "Lucky Louie" was on HBO...the sad part is that his comedy really needs to be on something like HBO...but on FX they will just bleep stuff out.

Result: Not wall to wall laughs...nothing groundbreaking...and a few laugh out loud (more like chuckle)...it's a bit predictable...but I want this guy to succeed so I will continue to watch it. Also there were 2 spots..1 for the new Season of "It's Always Sunny"...and another for "The League" ...two great shows that will air beginning in September...so till then we can look forward to a July 25th "Mad Men" start.

Out