The Rarity of Rug-Pulls in the Modern Era of Entertainment
Pulling the rug out from under an audience is tricky work these days. We’ve all seen so many hours of entertainment, even the casual viewer has become well-versed in narrative structure, the tropes of Hollywood storytelling, and genre clichés. For a screenwriter, trying to write a screenplay that will surprise an often jaded audience becomes […]
Producers At Comic-Con State Their Intention Not To Stray Too Far Into The Unknown
At Comic-Con in San Diego two weeks ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) mapped out all of the projects in their “Phase 4” for the next few years. What was surprising was how much of what they’ve got planned is for the small screen. As part of what they’re calling Disney+ series, a host of […]
Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is Masterful, but Not Quite a Masterpiece
As Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) carves a swastika into the forehead of Nazi Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, the American quips, “I think this just might be my masterpiece.” It was a fantastic curtain line, as well as the filmmaker’s clever opinion of his work. Indeed, for my money, that […]
