#Tony Farinella

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'Blink Twice' Movie and Blu-ray Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. “Blink Twice” is a film with ambition, style, and some big goals.  It does not always achieve those goals from a filmmaking perspective, but it’s an interesting directorial debut from actress Zoë Kravitz, who also co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum. The film also opens with a trigger warning for…

[davidboles]

More Excellence from Evidence Audio!

More Excellence from Evidence Audio!

Tony Farinella — of Evidence Audio fame — has been my friend since 2009. Yes, we’ve been friends for over 1,000 musician years, or in people-years, that would figure to be somewhere around 13 earth years. Tony and I were brought together by a great, shared, love of grand sound and excellent music — and if you’re in the audio biz, pro or amateur, you know that sound matters, noise matters, and…

[ericfruits]

Medical Suspension Imposed

The New York Appellate Division for the First Judicial Department has suspended an attorney who had a prior successful singing career. 

According to Wikipedia

Cantrell recorded for RCA Victor Records, releasing six albums. Her preferred style of music was pop standards, but she later made contemporary pop rock a significant part of her performances. Cantrell commented in a 1994 profile, "Think of how few people can still make their careers by singing standards.... There's Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand, and I don't know anyone else."

Cantrell was a frequent guest on television shows including The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and The Mike Douglas Show. However, she never had a top 40 hit in the Billboard Hot 100.

The court here

For the reasons set forth below, we now grant the motion to the extent of immediately suspending respondent from the practice of law and staying the Committee's pending investigation until further order of this Court.

On September 24, 2018, the Committee received a complaint from one of the parties in a matrimonial matter, alleging that respondent improperly distributed monies from an escrow account. By several letters and an email, the Committee sent a copy of the complaint to respondent and directed her to answer. Respondent did not submit an answer.

On March 27, 2019, Thomas F. Farley, Esq. contacted the Committee, identified himself as a long-time friend of respondent, and stated that he was assisting her in this matter. In subsequent letters, Mr. Farley described in detail respondent's medical conditions and enclosed a letter from respondent's medical doctor stating that she is presently unable to handle the affairs of others. Mr. Farley further informed the Committee that respondent had recently registered with the Office of Court Administration as a retired attorney.

In view of the foregoing, the Committee has presented sufficient medical evidence that respondent is presently incapacitated from continuing to practice law by reason of a medical condition, and her immediate suspension is warranted under 22 NYCRR 1240.14(b) (see e.g. Matter of Nagel, 161 AD3d 95 [1st Dept 2018]; Matter of Falls, 121 AD3d 83 [1st Dept 2014]; Matter of Rabinowitz, 97 AD3d 192 [1st Dept 2012]; Matter of Farinella, 91 AD3d 35 [1st Dept 2011].

Accordingly, the Committee's motion should be granted and respondent be immediately suspended from the practice of law, and the Committee's pending investigation be stayed, until further order of this Court.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/09/the-new-york-appellate-division-for-the-first-judicial-department-has-suspended-an-attorney-for-the-reasons-set-forth-below.html

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/09/the-new-york-appellate-division-for-the-first-judicial-department-has-suspended-an-attorney-for-the-reasons-set-forth-below.html

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Tony Farinella Interviews Me for "From Parts Unknown"

I'm not just saying this because he's a friend and a fellow 411Mania alum; I'm saying this because it's true. If Tony Farinella gets to interview you, you're in for a real treat. The man has asked some of the best questions to his long list of interviewees from movies, television and music, and I'm honored that he sent me a long list of questions to answer to promote my five-part serial, "From Parts Unknown."

I hope you enjoy reading this (and checking out the attached video clips) as much as I enjoyed answering these questions.

TONY: If someone has never heard of your story before, why should they check it and why is it worth their time? Sell me on the concept and the idea.

GEORGE: It's usually a cop-out to talk about a story having "something for everyone," but in this case, I have to say it's true. On the surface, it may just be a run-of-the-mill wrestling-as-real story like what we've seen in No Holds Barred or Ready to Rumble. But there's so much more to it than that.

This is a dystopian science-fiction story that focuses on a fierce battle for control in front of and behind the scenes of the last remaining sport in the country: a hybrid of mixed martial arts and professional wrestling called the GCL: Gladiatorial Combat League. The main character, Stephen Barker, wants to be a success in the GCL for himself and his family, but he is injected by a potent experimental serum that turns him into a living instrument of destruction called Submission. Meanwhile, another battle is going on that's being fought by people called the A.F.F.D. (Americans for Full Disclosure) They're getting the word out about how the GCL is used by the US Government to distract the American people so they are free to conduct their business without anyone knowing about the specific bills being passed.

The whole story, as it is now, is a nod to the science-fiction films that came out before Star Wars, like Soylent Green and Rollerball, mixed with elements of one of my all-time favorites, Network.

TONY: How do you feel you have grown as a writer overall the past few years?

GEORGE: I feel like I've grown quite a bit, mainly in confidence. I'm usually my own worst critic. Just a few years ago, it was difficult for me to even re-read the last draft I wrote of "Excelsior" before preparing it for publication. Now I can look at that novel - after making one last round of changes before it was picked up by Rocking Horse Publishing in 2013 - with a sigh of relief and honestly say that it's a good book. And I can say with all honesty that I'm really happy with how this serial is turning out as well.

TONY: On a personal level, what does this story mean to you and what is its importance to you overall?

GEORGE: I had no idea that "From Parts Unknown" would stick around with me for as long as it has, but like I said at the beginning of the Author's Note for Part 1, "Some stories just won't let you go." I think, since it's been with me since 1994 (when I was walking around Amsterdam Ave on the west side of Manhattan and asking myself what pro wrestling would be like if the over-the-top characters, situations, feuds, and matches were 100% real inside and outside of the arena), I've been very stubborn about getting it right.

At first, the story was going to be the outline for a video game. Then it was a treatment for a film. Then it was 10 drafts of a feature-length screenplay. Then it was several more screenplay drafts. Finally, in March of 2001, I started writing the novel. It was finished in July 2002 and self-published through iUniverse that November. Finally, I took one more pass at the screenplay after my friend Charlie Kessler suggested some ideas about how the promotion in the story ties into the Government.

Thankfully, the novel version of this story didn't sell very well at iUniverse, so they had no problem giving back the rights when I asked them. Once it was completely mine again, I realized that I could not in good conscience release the 2002 version as an eBook and stand behind it. I had to do much more than just inject the new subplot (which took Charlie's ideas about the Government and twisted them into a darker, more malevolent version that I could really sink my teeth into) into the story as written years ago. It had to be re-worked almost completely from scratch, and now there's as much of the original version in this serial as there are pieces of Alex Murphy in RoboCop.

TONY: Talk to me a little bit about your professional wrestling fandom and how it has grown over the years and evolved?

GEORGE: Like a lot of people, I became a wrestling fan when I was in grade school. I remember being in third grade when I was flipping through the channels at my grandparents' house and coming across the World Wrestling Federation on Channel 9 in Secaucus, NJ. I don't remember the name of the jobber, but I do remember him losing to Adorable Adrian Adonis, managed by the "Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart. (Two decades later, I'd meet Jimmy at a Ford dealership where he was doing a promotional appearance. Nicest guy, very giving to the fans.)

I went to my first wrestling event with my friend Doug and his father Sal when I was in fourth grade. It was a simple house show at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, and I had a blast. The show was three hours long and the time flew.

I was hooked from then on, but my fandom really took a jump when The Undertaker made his debut in 1990. Something about the way his character slowly stalked around the ring, and completely shook off a chair shot from Hulk Hogan, had me looking forward to his matches.

When he stopped Jake Roberts from hitting Miss Elizabeth with a chair and officially became a bad guy, I was interested in seeing where the character was going to go, and the WWF didn't disappoint me.

Sure, he was stuck in neutral when it came to the championship chase, but it was fun to see him overcome one challenge after another. I was even onboard for some of the more ludicrous moments in 1994, like the loss to Yokozuna at Royal Rumble 1994...

... and his big return at SummerSlam 1994.

It was during this time when I started asking myself the big "what if" question about wrestling, and all the over-the-top storylines, so even though the booking in '94 is looked at with a lot of disdain by the IWC, it played a key role in inspiring what I'm still working on today.

TONY: How is the writing style different from Excelsior?

GEORGE: It feels a lot more relaxed. When I'm working on "Excelsior," I have to make sure that the reader understands what I'm writing about when I describe the planet Denab IV and both races that make up its inhabitants, as well as the different animals, insects, religious cultures, etc. So there's a lot of world building and world maintaining, and making sure that the characters from another planet speak in a more formal way than those from Earth.

When I'm writing "From Parts Unknown," I don't have to worry about that kind of difference in tone; every character is from Earth. Plus, I can mention certain areas in New York City such as Times Square and Madison Square Garden and not have to worry that the typical reader won't confuse them with a desert and a gymnasium. That allows me to focus more on telling this story, which is a good thing since it's a more complex story than "Excelsior." Well, at least the first "Excelsior" book.

TONY: Moving to St. Louis, what has the writing scene been like out there compared to New York?

GEORGE: Surprisingly, it's been beyond my wildest dreams. I was convinced when my wife and I moved here in 2011 that I would be able to corner the market on "guys sitting in a Starbucks or other kind of coffee shop with a laptop while wearing a Yankee cap." Turns out the only part of that I was able to claim for myself was the Yankee cap. (Everyone in St. Louis is a devout follower of Cardinalism.)

There are a lot of indie bookstores, even more indie authors, small press publishers (including Rocking Horse Publishing, who released the latest version of "Excelsior" in November 2013), and two major writers guilds, one for St. Louis and one for the whole state of Missouri. Thanks to the big move from NYC to St. Louis, I've done book signings in several stores, been part of a St. Louis Writers Guild outdoor festival, made some great contacts and even better friends, and got one of my books picked up by a publisher here.

When you're in New York City and you have a book to sell, it's equally inspiring and intimidating since you're competing for attention with people who have been picked up by the big publishers there. So even though I had written and released two books there, I felt like the first step to being noticed was over twenty feet above my head. In St. Louis, the atmosphere is much more relaxed, the successful writers that live here are willing to give advice and speak with those who have less experience (an awesome example is Heather Brewer, New York Times bestselling author of the Vladimir Tod Chronicles), and there are readers willing to give local authors a chance.

TONY: Why was the decision made to do it in parts?

GEORGE: Almost a full year into my rewrites, I reached the page limit of what the 2002 version was, but I was only around the halfway point of the story. I was thrilled with how the quality was enhanced, but it had me feeling more than a little lethargic. The sense of "All right, let's get on with it!"

But then, something popped into my head, the idea to tell this story in the same manner as the season premieres of G.I. Joe, one big story told in five parts. As soon as that decision was made, the project came back to life within me and it didn't seem so much like a Sisyphean task. Now, readers can download the first part for just 1.99, and if they don't want to read any further and it's only a little over 100 pages long.

TONY: What do you get out of this story creatively compared to Excelsior?

GEORGE: This story and "Excelsior" are pretty similar in one major way: both are stories that have hung around in my head for around twenty years, and I can finally get them out in the best possible way and then move on to the next.

TONY: How was the writing process? How did motivation come? Was it more difficult than you imagined?

GEORGE: I made the decision to rewrite this story in early 2011, but I didn't start until September of that year. I spent as much time as possible from February to July just jotting down notes about where I want to take the Gladiatorial Combat League and how I want to change different plot points from what was in the 2002 version. I made sure to have a small notepad in my pocket as much as possible so nothing would be forgotten.

Writing it has been more difficult than expected, since the story became much more complex than the original version and it's been pretty intimidating. Can I pull this off? I keep asking myself. Can I make this work? I'm still asking myself that while I wrap this story up with Part 5.

TONY: How are you feeling about what you have so far and where you can take it?

GEORGE: I feel it's become something that I can be proud of, and I hope that when people read it, they agree with me and want to know more about this promotion and these characters.

TONY: So much time, effort, blood, sweat and tears have been put into this. What makes it all worth it to you?

GEORGE: More than anything, it's just been about getting it done and moving on. Once I'm finished with writing and editing Part 5, I'll finally be finished with the writing process of "From Parts Unknown" and I'll be able to move on to the next projects that have been on hold for so long.

TONY: How has the feedback been so far and what has it been like following it?

GEORGE: The feedback's been pretty sparse so far (I hope that there are people who are interested, but want to wait until all five parts are released), but those who have read Parts 1 and 2 really enjoyed it.

TONY: You seem to have such a great support system, both online in your community and at home. How much has that helped you along the way?

GEORGE: It's been an absolute blessing. Between family and friends, fellow writers, past and present 411Mania contributors, past and present co-workers, old classmates, everyone's support has been so appreciated. And it's been a real motivator for me to keep writing, since I know there are people that actually want to read what I have to send out into the world.

TONY: What’s next?

GEORGE: Quite a bit. After the last part of this serial is released on eBook in December, Rocking Horse Publishing will release the paperback edition that combines all five parts into one in March of 2015 (in time for WrestleMania XXXI).

I can also get back to finishing the first draft of the first of two "Excelsior" sequels: "Ever Upward: Part Two of The Excelsior Journey." Also, I have several smaller stories waiting in my mental queue that are based on characters I created back in grade school and kept refining over the decades.

If "From Parts Unknown" really takes off, I do have a sequel in mind. I always wanted to do an angle similar to the ill-fated WCW/ECW InVasion in 2001, and I have a 1-2-page premise written out, but I'll likely work on that only if there's enough demand for it.

PURCHASE PART 1 OF "FROM PARTS UNKNOWN" HERE FOR JUST $1.99.

PURCHASE PART 2 HERE FOR JUST 99 CENTS.

PRE-ORDER PART 3 HERE FOR JUST 99 CENTS.

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'American Fiction' Movie and Blu-ray Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. “American Fiction” is the kind of adult drama which has been sorely missing from Hollywood over the past decade and a half.  Hollywood has become obsessed with the big screen blockbuster and superhero films. Now, of course, there is nothing wrong with those films, but the adult drama along with R-rated comedies…

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'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. I’ve never quite understood the appeal of Jason Momoa as an actor. I’ve never walked away from a movie of his and been impressed or blown away by his performance.  He has the look of a movie star, but he doesn’t really stand out in his film roles.  He’s merely just a buff dude on screen. Of course, we have seen…

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'Training Day' Movie and 4K UHD Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. It has been a long time since I have sat down and watched “Training Day” from start to finish.  Upon hearing about its 4K release from the fine folks over at Warner Brothers, I was looking forward to sitting down and revisiting it and seeing how it would hold up twenty-two years later.  Denzel Washington can…

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'National Lampoon's Vacation' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. When it comes to comedy in films, I’m well aware of the fact it is subjective.  In fact, film criticism as a whole is subjective, but I feel as though with comedy, it is especially subjective. What I find funny in film, you might find painfully stupid and vice versa. When it comes to the National Lampoon films…

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'A Good Person' Movie and Blu-ray Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. I’m an emotional, sensitive and empathic person, and I tend to seek out films which will make me think, move me to tears and tell a narrative that resonates with me.  However, I have a good barometer for films that are trying too hard to tug at my heart strings and doing just a little too much to get an emotional…

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'Trap' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. It’s interesting how timing can work when watching movies, as I recently checked out “The Sixth Sense” on 4K with it being its 25th anniversary.  “The Sixth Sense” is one of my favorite films from M. Night Shyamalan along with “Unbreakable.” These two are great reminders of what he can do when he’s in the right…

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'A Nightmare on Elm Street' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. It’s hard to believe “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. When legends of the horror genre are discussed, Freddy Krueger is one of the most talked about names that comes up in conversation.  It all started with the original, which was directed by horror icon Wes Craven. It was…

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'The Watchers' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. “The Watchers” is the feature film debut of Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan. M. Night Shyamalan is one of the most polarizing directors of the past twenty-five years.  He caught lightning in a bottle early on in his career, and for the most part, he hasn’t been able to recapture that magic…

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'Challengers' Movie and Blu-ray Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. “Challengers” is a film I went into with high expectations.  Even though I’m not a tennis fan, it looked very promising based on its director, young cast and premise.  I thought it would be a stylish and entertaining film that would be one of my favorites of 2024. This brings me to my next point, which is the…

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'American Sniper' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. Out of all the films I watched in 2014, “American Sniper” was the one which hit me the hardest.  I had never seen a film like it before, and I was surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did, considering I’m not a huge fan of war films. This is much more than a war film, though.  It’s a personal story, and this part…

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'The Beekeeper' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. Jason Statham is one of the most successful action stars of the 21st century, even though he’s not exactly reinventing the wheel with his performances. In most cases, if you have seen one Jason Statham performance, you have seen them all. He’s a calm, cool and calculated killer with a sense of humor. There is an…

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'Blue Beetle' Movie and 4K Review

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella. For those of you who keep up with my reviews on this website, you are familiar with my feelings on most superhero films. It is not my favorite genre, but I’m always willing to give it a try and hope for the best.  It hasn’t happened in a while, which is why I was so pleased to be completely enamored with “Blue…