#but then miscast posted this video this week :)))

[glimeres]

Miscast 2022 - Andrea Martin performs I Cain't Say No from the musical Oklahoma!

[anotheruserwithnoname]

Happy 45th anniversary, Bionic Woman!

January 14 marked the 45th anniversary of the first broadcast of The Bionic Woman, the Emmy-winning spin-off of The Six Million Dollar Man and the first-ever US prime time series featuring a female superhero (Joanna Cameron’s Secrets of Isis, the actual first-ever for US TV, was a Saturday morning show, and Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman didn’t debut as a proper series until April 1976).

Lindsay Wagner become the first lead performer in a sci-fi series to win a lead acting Emmy for her work as Jaime Sommers, a former tennis pro and onetime fiancee to Six Million Dollar Man Steve Austin who becomes a secret agent for the deceptively named Office of Scientific Information (OSI) when a parachuting trip goes horribly wrong and she loses an arm, both legs and an ear. Using nuclear-powered life-like prosthetics called bionics she was given the ability to flip cars one-handed, jump 30 feet into the air, hear a pin drop from half a mile away, and run more than 100 miles per hour. (That last isn’t an exaggeration - in an early episode, she actually outpaces a race car pursuing her and they take pains to show its speedometer).

Using the slow-motion photography techniques developed for capturing the power of NFL players in action, we got to see Jaime in action for three seasons, two on ABC and then the series moved to NBC. Her co-stars, Richard Anderson as her boss, Oscar Goldman (who the later actor later confirmed was secretly in love with Jaime) and Martin E. Brooks as Dr. Rudy Wells, the inventor of bionics, became the first actors in history to appear on two shows airing simultaneously on two networks as they also kept their roles in The Six Million Dollar Man (though the frequent crossovers with Steve Austin, such as the epic 3-part “Kill Oscar” arc, came to an end).

Sometimes called a “more human” counterpart to Six Mil, the Bionic Woman tended to focus more on personal stories than “save the world” ones - though the two-part “Doomsday is Tomorrow”, which put her on the clock from stopping a doomsday device from eliminating all life on earth, remains one of the most amazing storylines of its day:

And Jaime tended to use her charm to try and defuse situations before she had to start throwing people around. Or firing off a tennis ball like a missile (a trick I’m surprised she didn’t try on the bad guys):

I loved this show growing up and, yes, I had a crush on Lindsay like so many others did. (As I write this I am greatly enjoying seeing CGI-de-aged Lindsay, resembling her Bionic Woman years, in the video game Death Stranding that I got for Christmas.) Yes, there were silly episodes that haven’t aged well (one where she infiltrates a beauty pageant more than a decade before Sandra Bullock’s Miss Congeniality; another where she pretends to be a WWE-style wrestler), and some early episodes were straight remakes of Six Mil episodes because of the very short notice the producers got to create a series after Jaime was introduced on Six Mil, immediately killed off, and then the hue and cry from viewers was so great the entire opening of Six Mil’s next season had to be reworked with mere weeks’ notice to a) revive Jaime somehow (with shades of Doctor Who’s Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald, it involved her forgetting about her relationship with Steve) and b) set her up for a new series to debut a few months later. For a while, reportedly, Lindsay wasn’t sure she wanted to put her growing film career on hold to do a TV series, so the show almost didn’t happen.

One of BW’s strengths is its heroine was not just a “punch-clock hero” who did what she was told. There were episodes where she openly disagreed with having to take on missions and the show’s finale (minor spoiler) was actually reminiscent of Patrick McGoohan’s classic The Prisoner as she tries to leave the OSI, only to find herself (befitting the episode’s title) “on the run”. In 1978 it was still rare for TV series, especially shows in the sci-fi/action genre, to have finale episodes, but BW got one. Years later, Jaime and Steve reunited for three TV movies that gave closure to both characters’ story arcs.

The magic of the Bionic Woman has proven difficult to recapture. A remake series in 2007 starring later Doctor Who one-off companion actress Michelle Ryan failed in part because they took too many liberties with the characters (including taking elements from Martin Caidin’s original novel, Cyborg, upon which Six Mil was based - Jaime herself was the creation of Kenneth Johnson, later the creator of “V” and producer of Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno’s “The Incredible Hulk” and the “Day One” Fox network series “Alien Nation”), plus many felt Ryan was miscast (I disagree) and the show never really had a chance due to a writer’s strike that forced it to end production after only about a half dozen episodes. There were also rumours of a remake starring Jennifer Aniston at one point, and another that reportedly was going to feature a non-superpowered lead with “bionic woman” being a “metaphor for the human condition” or something like that.

Glad that last one didn’t happen. Jaime Summers was (and, let’s be honest, remains) part of an elite group of female superheroes with their own TV shows. And I still think it’s one of the best. In fact, the one-two combination of Jaime Summers and the soon-to-debut Wonder Woman (plus the watered-down-for-kids-but-still-intriguing Isis on Saturday mornings) made 1976 something of a golden year for female superheroes. Nothing beats Jaime taking on Bigfoot or her recurring version of the Daleks, the Fembots. Sadly, a crossover between Jaime and WW never happened, even though they were on the same network at the time; it wasn’t until a couple years ago that DC Comics and Dynamite Comics (who have been doing BW comics for a few years) made that finally happen. 

Ultimately, though, full credit for the success of the original Bionic Woman goes to Lindsay Wagner. Some years ago the Bionic Blonde Youtube channel posted what has become a classic fan video tribute to Jaime. Titled “Bionic Kashmir” it’s just a snapshot of her in action (bookended by scenes from a 1980s reunion movie), but it’s fun. The series is available on DVD and streaming, and I recommend it if you’re interested in some retro fun and experiencing an iconic character again or for the first time.

[rosecorcoranwrites]

Happy New Year!!!

2020 in Hindsight

(I told you I would make that same dumb joke as I made last year.)

Anyway, 2020 is moldering in its grave, so it's time once again to briefly look back before gazing forward.

I won't bore you with all the numerical details, but, in brief, I didn't quite make it to my goal of four writerly activities a week, but considering what a wretched year it was all round, I don't feel bad about that in the slightest. All things considered (a pandemic, working in a city that doesn't require masks, clinical homesickness, riots, politics, wildfires, etc), I think I did rather well.

I got a ton of research done, including topics such as human experimentation during the Cold War, Arthurian legends, forensics, criminology, civil defense films on bomb shelters, female serial killers, auras, and 1960s radicals. (Yes, those are all for the same book series!). I also received the Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology for Christmas, which will serve my folklore and fantasy obsessed brain for years to come.

I've also been keeping up (mostly) with my 28 Rant Rave Reviews. Real people I don't know have subscribed to me and commented on my videos, which I consider a roaring success!

Finally, and most importantly, I have started drafting my AHFM trilogy (because, of course, it ballooned into a trilogy). The prologue and first two chapters are done! That being said, I still want to keep this one close to my chest for a while. I'll discuss it from time to time on my various social media sites, but I have other, bigger publicity plans this year.

2021: The Year of Styx!!!

Next year, I'm going to focus on two goals, and two goals only.

Finish the first draft of the first book of the AHFM WIP. It will be around 24 chapters long, so if I write two chapters a month, it should be doable.

Re-promote the Styx Trilogy!

I've noticed this odd trend on Writing Twitter and Tumblr to discuss "current WIPs" and nothing else, to write one (or more!) books a year, and, well, to just kind constantly produce and produce and produce and just, like, never stop? I'm not saying that focusing on churning out as many words as possible is false consciousness (but I am heavily implying it!), but it's not my style.

I love my WIP, with all it's secrets, but I also love my books, Miscast Spells, Outcast Shadows, Recast Light, and Love & Chaos. There is a reason I spent ten years of my life in that world; I really like it.

And, yet, when I first started promoting those books, five years ago (holy cow!), I was not as social-media savvy. I also had a tiny fraction of the followers I had now. Thus, while my new WIP is secretly cooking in the oven, I'm going to give my Styx books some much needed attention and TLC.

We might have one or two Styx-based surprises on here, but most of the action will be on Tumblr and Twitter, where I will be reposting/retweeting my Styxian stories, "World of" posts, and character profiles.

As for the blog, I'll still be posting my reading roundups (except for December, in which I read one book) and various thoughts on writing and storytelling. My Rant Rave Reviews shall continue as well, plus a few other vlogs that I can hopefully produce once I find some good (ie, free) editing software.

And with that, I bid you all a Happy New Year. Here's to making it one of the greats!

[ninjagoat]

Notes on Supergirl 3x14

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

I've been annoyed with the show for a while now. Season three came out of the gate with four solid eps, and then draaaagged for another seven; before finally putting things back in order: slamming a season's worth of Lena's 'development' into reverse so she can actually have her own worldview and agenda once again; giving the Legion a hidden agenda so they actually have some narrative juice; giving Alex and Kara a genuine ideological conflict for the first time since... I can't remember, and actually having a plan for the World-killers because of it; and, important to me especially, the re-emergence of Winn as a recognised problem-solver.

Which brings us to 3x14, a MASSIVE episode for Winn, and, in terms of scale, a massive episode in general: the two major action sequences are of a kind you'd expect from a season finale; they've landed a *recent* Academy Award Nominee for a guest star; there's a frank discussion of later-life mental illness, and an insight into J'onn's specific attitude toward his adopted race; and a hilarious sequence of our heroes just... hanging out.

In short, in just a few episodes (which, by sheer coincidence, would all have finished being scripted *after* AK was suspended and fired for being a mediocre sex-pest)... they fixed the show.

THEY FIXED THE DAMN SHOW.

Notes below the cut (it’s a long post this week):

- "People being addressed as soldiers going into battle before actually just trying something fun and silly" is one of my favourite tropes, and that look Winn and Kara exchange is one of the best indicators of their long-standing friendship we've seen in a long time (Winn is, of course, Kara's best friend. You many have heard her give statements to the contrary. THESE ARE LIES).

- The choice to have the characters, all played by actors who can sing, do 'karaoke voice' instead of their actual voices is a good one. Having Kara do Beastie Boys side-steps the whole 'we've heard her sing' problem; J'onn and Mr. J are both wonderfully appalling; and Alex letting the lyrics of her ballad run on as she stops to drink is, as the kids say, a Mood (I'll come back to Mon-El and Winn at the end).

- THERE ARE *STILL* NO ALIENS AT THE ALIEN BAR. WHAT HAPPENED TO KEVIN? OR BRIAN?

- James's constant need for validation crashing against Lena's particular brand of emotional - and literal - unavailability is a good choice; we've not really seen James's interest in Lena manifest outside of her needs until now, and it's the first time he's had a relatable problem since 1x06. And pairing him up with Mon-El for this scene - who's having his own issues right now - is nice.

- Speaking of which, Imra's telepathy: is this the show telling us she definitely *doesn't* have mind-control powers, or that Mon-El - currently not the most reliable expert on the Legion - doesn't *know* she has mind-control powers?

- "FELLOW DRUNKS!"

- I'll admit, James was my least favourite option for who could be Winn's emotional support in this episode, given his long history of being really quite bad at it; but in this first scene, he's actually pretty good, providing Winn with the avenues he needs to avoid the old-school masculinity coping methods he's trying to use instead.

- Winn making ABSOLUTELY SURE that his Winslow's dead, even before they tried to put him in the ground, is on point.

- Mary. MARY. The writers knew they had Tony-award-winning Steppenwolf alum Laurie Metcalf on board, and it SHOWS. She's nervous and tentative, but she's also forthright; she takes over the space when she feels she ought to (a lot of her funnier asides could have been put in Cat Grant's mouth with no problem), and physically, tangibly awkward when she doesn't; and Metcalf runs through the gear changes as only a pro of her stature can. In her first scene, she's anxious, yes, and she's having difficulty separating Winn from the little boy she left behind; but it's also clear that THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF HER LIFE, even if it isn't her son's. Mary is a catalyst for Winn's pain, but has a whole existence outside of it. That's good writing, that is.

- Speaking of Winn's pain... DEAR. LORD. That story goes toe-to-toe with any crappy parent story you've ever heard (and blows all of Lena's solipsistic crap out of the water); and Jeremy Jordan, having done so much with so little every week, completely sells that this is a story he's been waiting two decades to tell, and how being left alone with no-one to be *except* his father's son absolutely broke him.

- The Flying Monkeys sequence is the best action scene this show's ever done. Better than Reign. Better than Crossfire. And again, Mary and Winn: every time they're not focused on the time they've spent apart, it's almost like they were never apart at all.

- Winn calling out James for suggesting he forgive Mary is absolutely on point; and James admitting that he was a selfish, sulky little brat after his Dad died as an argument of how it could have been just as bad if she'd stayed is interesting (James is making it up to her now, though, by... never going home for a single holiday. Ever. Still, baby steps). His argument will also end up applying, subtextually, to his relationship with Lena; stop being ungrateful for the time she's not there for you, and just be happy for the time that she is. It's what she needs you to do. She's got her own stuff going on.

- "He doesn't always get the credit, but he keeps us going around here." Kara's gentle tribute to her friend (her BEST friend) and the adaptive, outside-the-box thinking that's been keeping everyone alive for years is wonderful; not just for what she says, but for how comfortable a rapport she has with Mary, while never forgetting that being told how great her son is by *Supergirl* is as good, if not better, than hearing it from the President herself (and if Mary needs that... it could be arranged).

- On a downer note, anytime a show starts talking about a side character as the "heart of the team" or somesuch... it's usually not a good sign for that character.

- I'm not ready to go into Mr. J's illness yet. I have a personal relationship to stories like this, and I can't write about it in this format. But Carl Lumbly is still ABSOLUTELY the best.

- And I'm not the person to get into J'onn's opinion on his own blackness; except to say, in a week when David Harewood met with British MPs to discuss the 'accidental' deportations of the Windrush migrants, this is a BIG DEAL.

- Since I'm doing asides into side plots: Mon-El and Kara. His apology - agenda-free this time - is honest and heart-felt, and his full disclosure about *why* he's apologising now raises interesting questions: at what point is this honesty defined as over-sharing? Where is the line drawn between being 'open about your feelings' and 'demanding emotional labour from others'? Kara has a firm boundary - they are *not* going to talk about his marriage - and he respects that. But should he have told her about it in the first place, even if it does lead in to the new information about the World-killers? I've said before: Supergirl is the only show with a significant male audience that, whether you believe it should or not, actually tackles questions of what healthy masculinity *should* be (albeit with varying degrees of success), and it's good that they're keeping it up.

- Mary's story is not only an important reminder that the men who commit mass-murder often begin by terrorising the women in their own homes; but also, in the context of Childish Things, addresses Winn's misunderstanding of his own fears. Winn has always believed that his father was a good person, until one day, when he just wasn't; and Winn believed that any time he didn't keep a lid on his own anger, any time that he might use that part of himself to stand up and say 'no' against those that would hurt him, the same would happen to him. But Winslow Sr. wasn't a good person. It took a long time for his anger to consume him, a long time for his battles against perceived slights to affect anyone except Mary. Winn has little to worry about.

- And her decision to take the gun and take on Toywoman(?) alone is immediate, consistent, and believable. She's been without her son for twenty years to protect his life. He will NOT be taken from her now.

- Delightful stunt-casting for Toywoman, by the way (If you haven't watched The Silence Of The Lambs recently... go do that).

- The second action sequence: not as good as the flying monkeys, but still has some banging moments, as the 'heroes' drop out to handle various contraptions to leave Winn to rescue Mary.

- Speaking of contraptions: "Cloth Magic." Comics Mon-El fans, that's got to feel good.

- How many times did Mary have to sit through New Hope when Winn was a kid? I'm guessing 'more than ten'.

- Winn being offended at the idea that he's going to be killed with something as pedestrian as a *firearm* is the absolute business, and annoying because it's a beat I'd already gotten it noted down for my own fic series.

- "You haven't just survived, you have EXCELLED."

- Mon-El *butchering* a song now synonymous with a TV show that *LIVES* in the kind of masculinity he's been used to deconstruct (again, with varying degrees of success) is a solid piece of work. As is his apology.

- Okay, this episode isn't exactly what we all wanted for Winn. No-one has hugged him. No-one has told him they love him. Kara has not re-iterated that he is, in fact, her best friend (because he is). He's not designing the Valor suit. We didn't get to hear him sing. And his twenty-year-long trauma of being alone in the world is resolved a lot more speedily that it really ought to be. But that doesn't matter. Those are indulgences, and that's pretty much what fan-fiction and the Miscast performance videos are for.

    What this episode *does* do is reiterate the show's mission statement once again: We, as a people, are at our best when we depend on each other. Forgiving when we can. Understanding when we can't. And more than anything else, simply being there for each other. Whether it's supporting each other through a personal crisis, or through the decline of a loved one; teaching each other new skills, or helping to mend a beloved outfit; or even, sometimes, just having the courage or shamelessness to perform karaoke with your mum; the same truth remains:

    WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.

- Which is why it's perfect that the show end on Lena. Alone. Keeping the truth from the people she's closest to. She hasn't told James. She won't tell Kara. She's just there, trapped inside the box in which she's imprisoned her oldest friend, with no-one else there to help or to guide her. For all her claims that Kara Danvers is her hero... ultimately, the only person she will ever truly depend on is herself.

   And it's all going to go horribly, horribly wrong.

-LyraWatch: I'm bringing it to a close. It's now been eighteen episodes, and nary a mention of if they're still together or where she's gone. It's so very unlikely that she'll be brought up again.

-LenaWatch: 14 episodes (record high: 16). Most likely at this point, Winn and Lena will have a scene at some point after it's been revealed she's been working on Sam (and has probably made things worse); and Winn will, for the third time, have to help bail her out of the war-zone-like situation she'll have created through her own hubris.

[savagegardenforever]

THE prettier the rose, the sharper the thorns.

 That’s the lesson of love Savage Garden grows on its latest album, “Affirmation,” and 28-year-old lead singer Darren Hayes knows that firsthand.

 After living through the wild success of the band’s 11 million-selling self-titled debut, he separated from his wife and was ultimately divorced.

 To exorcise the feelings of loss, he moved to Manhattan to lose himself in mundane tasks in the world’s most exciting city.

 Hayes did his own laundry, got groceries, cleaned his apartment and – between all the fetching and scrubbing – managed to get his feelings about relationships on paper. What he wrote became the heart of the painfully honest “Affirmation” disc.

 The songs are often heartbreaking love songs, but that hasn’t stopped the band’s core of young female followers from snagging 7 million copies of the disc so far.

 Although the other half of Savage Garden, Daniel Jones, stopped talking to the press a while back, Hayes is a gregarious, open pop star, willing to speak about his life on and off the stage.

 He spoke to The Post during rehearsals for the Savage Garden tour that lands at Radio City Music Hall Tuesday.

 Post: You lived here in New York for a while. Why didn’t you stay?

 Hayes: I was going to buy an apartment on the Lower East Side. It was very expensive, very beautiful. I paid for it in cash. There was this board meeting and I was in, then I was rejected.

 Post: Why? Because you’re a wild rock star?

 Hayes: I’m the Disney of rock stars. They loved me, but they wanted me to sign papers that said because of my profession I wouldn’t have any of my friends stay over. I said, “What if my partner Daniel Jones wanted to stay over?” They said officially, he can’t.

 Post: Did you try to make them reconsider?

 Hayes: No. Two weeks later I bought a house in San Francisco. I’ve been happy ever since.

 Post: Why is that?

 Hayes: When I was living in New York, I was going through some very rough personal things, and a lot of that is recorded on this album.

 Post: Are you speaking about your divorce?

 Hayes: At that time, it was still a separation. But yes, it was relationship stuff. I loved the city then. It was the perfect place to be alone; to really soak up the isolation.

 Post: Could you compare Americans to Australians?

 Hayes: I’ve often said we’re very similar. Australia is like a baby America – or better yet, America in the ’50s. It’s the same land mass; we’ve both been brought up on the same pop culture. And apart from our British sense of humor, we are socially very much like Americans.

 Post: Is Manhattan like Australia?

 Hayes: Manhattan is like another planet. That’s what’s so intoxicating about it.

 Post: What is the song “Crash and Burn” on “Affirmation” about?

 Hayes: It about New York. About my disconnection from my culture, from family, from friends.

 Post: “Affirmation” has a sense of sadness about it, but it never nose-dives into self pity.

 Hayes: Morrissey from the Smiths has the corner on the melancholy, but I do enjoy sadness; looking at it, exploring it.

 Post: The tunes aren’t complete downers.

 Hayes: Each song does have a sense of light at the end of the tunnel. The album is the anatomy of the end of a relationship.

 Post: Are you and your image different?

 Hayes: You look at yourself through airbrushed photographs, video clips, the press reports, and you think, “That’s not me.”

 Post: But it is a facet of you.

 Hayes: Yes, but you can’t take that seriously.

 Post: You’ve sung with Pavarotti, sold 18 million albums – you’re a famous guy.

 Hayes: I’m not that famous. There are levels of fame, like the Michael Jackson or Madonna famous, where you can’t go anywhere because you are you. I wouldn’t like that. I have this really quiet life when I’m apart from Savage Garden. When I’m stopped on the streets, people might say, “You’re the guy from Savage Garden,” but not, “You’re Darren Hayes.” There is a certain amount of anonymity there.

 Post: Your partner, Daniel, enjoys his privacy by not doing interviews anymore. What’s he like?

 Hayes: He is a misplaced – no, miscast – person. He is the wrong guy for the job. He got all this attention without knowing what it required. It’s no accident he doesn’t do interviews – he just doesn’t enjoy it. I’m ambitious and I want the music to sell.

 On the last tour, when we were talking to the press, it always seemed like there was tension between us, but during those interviews, he was just miserable. He didn’t realize what he’d bitten off and what he was in for. He is just not a celebrity. He is very, very deep, intelligent and sensitive.

 Post: How would Daniel describe you?

 Hayes: He’s done it. He said I’m the most unique person he knows. He thinks I’m a bit of a clown who thrives under the spotlight, who deals with the tension. He also said I was very emotional. We are both emotional; we just execute things in different ways.

 Post: You are now single again and your audience is predominantly young and female. Are you seeing anyone?

 Hayes: I am so single, so available. You know what? I’ve been in a relationship since I was 17. Being single again has been terrifying and exhilarating, too. I’m definitely a believer in romance. I am as romantic as the songs would suggest, and I do believe in the concept of “The One” and I’m in the chase for that. I want to live up to the lyrics I’ve written.

[nitrateglow]

A response to Rob Ager’s “WHY POST-MILLENNIAL MOVIES ARE SO BAD“

After reading his borderline conspiracy theory take on A Clockwork Orange, I told myself I would avoid Rob Ager’s other work. I lied. A few weeks ago, YouTube recommended a 50-minute video by Ager in which he outlined why he thinks modern cinema sucks. I thought this would be good for a laugh and clicked it. Surprisingly, what he had to say intrigued me-- not because I agreed with all of it, but because I could see where he was coming from at times. I recently read his print version of this video, hoping he would go more into depth-- he really doesn’t.

I’ll give credit where credit’s due and say I think there is validity to some of his points (mostly non-distinct musical scores, ideological conformity, length, dominance of spectacle, internet piracy and streaming’s effect on box office numbers); however, I feel like much of this is personal taste. I don’t care for the common aesthetic of a lot of modern Hollywood blockbusters and I too cannot stand an endless stream of mumbled dialogue—but this all feels like cherry-picking. And badly argued cherry-picking at that.

Let’s start with how Ager begins the print version of his argument:

If you are of the opinion that post-millennial movies are generally as good as movies of the preceding half century of annual film releases then there's no purpose in you reading this article. It is written for readers who already agree that post-millennial movies are comparatively poor and who wish to gain a little more insight into why it is the case. Each major argument in this article could be made with a lot more detail along with extensive movie examples, but it would result in the article being a very long read. Meanwhile, I'm not particularly interested in attempted counter arguments from people wishing to persuade me, against my experience, that good movies haven't become a rarity. I may, further down the line, produce in depth articles and videos that expand on certain basic arguments made in this article. Thanks and enjoy.

Basically, “Don’t argue with me because I’m right.” A great way to make yourself seem non-biased and open-minded.

For his first argument, Ager claims he could come up with more numbers of great films in the past as compared to anything made after 2000. His definition of great movie is laid out as features that “had rewatch value or at least being movies that somehow pushed the boundaries of cinema in some memorable way.” This is SUPER subjective, especially when Mr. Ager puts movies like Oliver! or Halloween 3 on his great movies list. Once again, we all have different ideas of what is or isn’t a “Great Movie,” and a movie doesn’t need to be groundbreaking or brilliant for me to give it a 10/10—but Ager is claiming precious few new movies have rewatch value. Now I know I mostly prefer pre-1980s movies and am severely behind on anything made after 1990, but hell, even I can come up with several 21st century films I think have rewatch value (to name a few: Spirited Away, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Lost in Translation, Moon, Ida, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Super, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Neon Demon, Marie Antoinette, Black Swan, Hot Fuzz, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, The Wind Rises, Millenium Actress, The Game, Frances Ha, Up, LOTR trilogy). Also, Ager seems to mostly ignore foreign movies and animation; the whole world isn’t Hollywood.

I taught a college freshman composition course earlier this year and above all, I wanted my students to leave that class knowing one thing: if you are going to make an argumentative claim, you must back it up with sufficient evidence. Without evidence, the claim is useless, empty. Mr. Ager does not seem to realize this. He claims the protagonists in most modern Hollywood movies are morons, but he only cites Drive as an example—and even then, he doesn’t state why he thought the hero there was dumb. He calls Christopher Nolan boring, claims The Revenant was a terrible movie, and that most of Tarantino’s post-2000 movies are poor—all valid responses, mind you, seeing as art is subjective (what moves you might bore the hell outta me and vice-versa), but he never states WHY. He claims many movies are miscast these days—but never cites enough examples to convince me this is a trend. He says in the preface that if he did name examples, “the list would be too long,” but sometimes length isn’t a bad thing, especially when you are at the risk of making VERY sweeping generalizations. As a result, many of his arguments lack credibility; it feels like hearing your grandpa complain about movies he doesn’t watch. And considering how Ager claims he turns most modern movies off “after 20 minutes,” I have to wonder if he’s even qualified to talk about modern cinema as a whole at all.

I reiterate: he does have his points and I sympathize with his frustration with big Hollywood movies (part of the reason I barely go to the cinema outside of revival screenings is because I’d rather not pay ten bucks to see forgettable Hollywood schlock), but he’s being a touch—well, unfair, to put it nicely.

However, one point he made particularly interested me. Ager claims that in a world dominated by mass media, art has become “redundant” in conveying themes and messages:

Art tends to thrive when free speech is stifled. It provides an alternative means of expression for what  isn’t allowed to be spoken. But with the onset of the internet there is now  massive scope for anybody to say what they want to say to however many millions  of people are willing to listen. This sort of puts a lot of artistic expression   on a bit of a back burner. Isn’t it easier to just state your thoughts clearly  in words instead of wrapping them in fiction? It’s not a total redundancy  though because verbal statements are confined to the limited logic of language.  Human experience has facets for which we don’t yet have sufficient words to  describe and this is where art can still strike a chord with people.

Mass media has had a big impact on our lives, sure-- but the idea that art serves no moral function of any kind now does not sit well with me. What do you guys think? (Particularly you @aclockworkfilmsnob, considering you’re an aspiring filmmaker and all.)

Here’s the article, if anyone’s interested in reading it for themeselves:

http://www.collativelearning.com/Why%20movies%20so%20bad.html

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/technology/entertainment/s-n-l-welcomes-adam-sandler-back-and-mostly-avoids-politics/

‘S.N.L.’ Welcomes Adam Sandler Back and (Mostly) Avoids Politics

Was Opera Man there? Of course Opera Man was there.

It was Adam Sandler’s first time hosting “Saturday Night Live” since he unceremoniously departed the show nearly a quarter-century ago, so naturally he brought back some of his best-loved characters from the mid-90s era when he shared the “S.N.L.” stage with David Spade, Mike Myers, Molly Shannon and others.

Sandler also drew out some other celebrated “S.N.L.” alums to pop up throughout this weekend’s broadcast, which also featured the musical guest Shawn Mendes. But more crucially, Sandler’s presence seemed to inspire the current cast and creative team to dig deeply for material that matched their host’s stature and impish spirit — if nothing else, “S.N.L.” largely set aside its divisive political pantomimes in favor of more absurdist sketches, and ended on a surprisingly touching note.

But first, Sandler had to account for how his “S.N.L.” tenure had ended in 1995. As he said in his monologue, he was 23 years old when he joined the show, his cast mates David Spade and Rob Schneider were 25 and “Norm Macdonald was maybe 60.” He said that he lost his virginity “to a woman in this very studio — I don’t kiss and tell but it was the Church Lady,” adding, “She said I was special.”

Then, explaining his exit from the program, Sandler began to sing:

I was fired, I was fired, I was fired, so sad to tell Well I never saw it coming I got fired from “S.N.L.”

In another verse, he explained:

I got fired, not rehired Well it made me sad and blue I told my boy Chris Farley I got fired And he said, “Sandman, they fired my [expletive], too”

Chris Rock, a friend of Sandler’s and former “S.N.L.” cast member, turned up to contribute a verse of his own. He sang:

I got fired, I was fired, I was fired by NBC. Then I went on “In Living Color” Three weeks later, they took it off TV

Pete Davidson, a current “S.N.L.” performer, also started to sing about being fired from the show, but Sandler told him he hadn’t been let go. “I wasn’t?” Davidson asked. “How is that even possible?” Sandler replied, “I don’t know, but be patient because it’s coming soon.”

Then Sandler sang his closing verse:

I was fired, I was fired NBC said that I was done Then I made over $4 billion at the box office So I guess you could say I won

Impersonation Smorgasbord of the Week

As has often been the case this season, the opening sketch seemed at first to promise a comedic re-enactment of a recent political event. But no — as an exhausted narrator explained, Attorney General William P. Barr pulled out of a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee and then, the voice-over continued, “the Democrats chose to do some light prop comedy with a bucket of chicken. The whole thing was so depressing that we’d rather focus on the two things all Americans can get behind: ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Avengers.’”

That set up a “Family Feud” parody featuring the “S.N.L.” cast as characters from “Game of Thrones” (including Kate McKinnon as Brienne of Tarth; Melissa Villaseñor as Arya Stark) and “Avengers: Endgame” (Beck Bennett as Thanos; Leslie Jones as a comically miscast Groot). But of course the best lines went to Kenan Thompson as the host Steve Harvey, who repeatedly mocked both teams and their media franchises: “Let’s start with the Avengers,” he said at the outset, “because this show is just like their movies. We’re going to open with 45 minutes of introductions.”

Fake Ad of the Week

Sandler turned in a memorably deadpan performance as Joe Romano, the proprietor of Romano Tours, a company offering vacations in Italy to customers who come from all over “but mostly Long Island and Jersey.” Yet as the commercial went on, Sandler made clear he was addressing a certain kind of clientele: “People love us,” he said, “but every so often a customer leaves a review that they were disappointed or didn’t have as much fun as they thought. So here at Romano Tours, we always remind our customers: If you’re sad now, you might still feel sad there, O.K.?”

As he went on to painstakingly explain, with onscreen graphics and client testimonials, Sandler said, “Remember you’re still going to be you, on vacation. If you are sad where you are, and then you get on a plane to Italy, you, in Italy, will be the same sad you from before. Just in a new place. Does that make sense?”

Family Reunion of the Week

The celebrity family reunion sketch is a format that “S.N.L.” has used before, with hosts like Christopher Walken and Jim Carrey, but it seemed especially suited for Sandler, allowing the host to play straight man while the current cast served his characters and mannerisms back to him. That roster included Melissa Villaseñor paying homage to Sandler’s title character from “The Waterboy” and Pete Davidson as “Little Nicky,” as well as guest appearances from Jimmy Fallon and Kristen Wiig.

‘Weekend Update’ Character of the Week

Kate McKinnon reprised her recurring role as Elizabeth Warren, appearing at the “Weekend Update” desk to ask why her policy proposals aren’t getting more traction as the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination heats up. “I’m over here, working ’round the clock to give you free college,” McKinnon said. “But oh, look-ee there — Beto O’Dork did parkour in a Starbucks. Wow. Whoops, I just figured out universal pre-K but what’s that over there — Mayor Pete Bu-Judge Judy-Jute’s playing piano and speaking fluent Klingon.”

Opera Man Medley of the Week

Yes, Sandler did previously put on the wig and cape of Opera Man, his grandiose “Weekend Update” vocalist, for the “S.N.L.” 40th anniversary special that aired in 2015. But we’ll regard this segment as his true return to the character, when he finally got to croon about President Trump, “Game of Thrones” and the prospects for the 2020 election. As he sang to the tune of “La donna è mobile”:

Kamala, Gillibrand Klobuchar, Warren They have slim chance-o They wear no pants-o

Cory, Pete and Beto Will have to wait-o Here we go again 70-year-old men

Chris Farley Tribute of the Week

With a tenderness and sincerity that he doesn’t often reveal in his comedy performances, Sandler closed out the show standing on the stage of Studio 8H with a guitar, singing a moving tribute to his “S.N.L.” co-star Chris Farley. Farley died from a drug overdose in 1997, at the age of 33, and a screen behind Sandler showed candid photos and videos of Farley from throughout his life, as well as some of his memorable “S.N.L.” performances, while the host sang about him in a balladeering, Springsteen mode:

The first time I saw him he was sweeter than honey Plaid jacket and belt too tight, and he wasn’t even being funny Then he cartwheeled ’round the room and slow-danced with the cleaning lady He was a one-man party You know I’m talking about — I’m talking about my friend Chris Farley

[starhuman]

With the Tony Nominations today I was able to talk to several people about this spectacular season and I kept getting the question, “how do you stay up to date with current Broadway shows?” It’s hard to stay connected to Broadway if you’re like me and you live miles away and can’t visit NYC, but here are some of my tips for staying up to date on current Broadway shows, and knowing what to look for during awards season, even if you can’t see these shows live.

Getting to know shows without seeing them live

- First I’ll just get it out of the way: bootlegs. But if thats not your thing thats totally fine!

- Listen to cast albums! This year the 4 musicals nominated for best musical have all released some sort of cast album. The Great Comet one is off-broadway, but they have released the first song from their Broadway cast album. If you’re having trouble following the story try listening to all the songs in order, and then reading a summary online.

- Watch (legal) recorded performances! Several of the new musicals this season performed on the Today Show recently. Additionally, many musicals perform on different talk shows in NYC. There are also several benefits that cast members attend, and although they don’t often sing songs from their respective shows the performances are always fun and full of heart. (My personal favorite benefit is Miscast)

- Follow tech people on social media to see cool progress on different aspects of shows, especially costume and sets! I love David Korin’s instagram. This year he designed the sets for Dear Evan Hansen, War Paint, and Bandstand. Throughout the season he posted cool videos and sketches of the set process.

Staying up to date on Broadway news

- My personal favorite source of news is the Playbill Post. This is on the Playbill instagram story almost everyday, and provides quick and well written articles about current and upcoming shows.

- The New York Times sends FREE theater news emails once a week, and the articles that are sent to you are fairly easy to customize.

- broadwayworld.com chatboards are a cool way to easily connect with other theater lovers about current shows, or they can just be a nice break from critics.

- I love the broadway.com buzz section, and broadway.com also posts clips of current shows.

Predicting awards and nomination

- Reviews are obviously a great way to see critical reception if you can’t see a show!

- Playbill does a nice roundup of reviews the day after shows open, and they usually post the story on the Playbill Post.

- If you’re just going to read one review, read The New York Times review. It’s often regarded as the make-or-break review for a show.

- If you’re predicting for the Tonys, look at what has already been nominated for different awards, like the Drama Desk Awards. Also the Pulitzer Prize is a good indicator of what play/musical will be nominated.

Theater is super accessible in this day and age, and with all the incredible new shows I couldn’t be happier! And remember: even if you can’t see shows on Broadway there are still touring, community, and school productions so you can see something live! Happy awards season everyone!!!

[newyorktheater]

Broadway from A to Z, 26 profiles that I completed over the (first) six months that Broadway has been shut. https://newyorktheater.me/category/broadway/alphabet-series/

To mark the six months of Broadway’s shutdown this past weekend, we could look back, as I did — The Best Theater in Six Months of No Theater — or we could compile suggestions for a changed theater of the future, as the New York Times did (see below.) But we couldn’t answer the question everybody has had from the start of this unprecedented moment: When will Broadway reopen?

This past week, Dr. Anthony Fauci weighed in, in an interview with the actress Jennifer Garner. The first article I read about his remarks quoted him as saying it won’t be safe to return to theaters until “almost a year” after an effective vaccine was widely distributed. But later in the day, the publication “updated” (i.e. corrected) the article: The government’s infectious disease expert had said not safe without a mask. That reassured some people for some reason.

Andrew Lloyd Webber reportedly wants the British government to “give us a date” when theaters will reopen, telling a committee of Parliament “We simply have to get our arts sector back open and running … We are at the point of no return, really,” But of course the coronavirus doesn’t care about human deadlines and timelines.

Still, we look to the future with hope. At Miscast20, the twentieth anniversary of MCC Theater’s popular annual gala, which for the first time was presented online, the last two singers Joshua Henry and Heather Headley, sang about the sun coming up,  “Tomorrow” (Henry from “Annie”) after an “Endless Night” (Headley from “The Lion King.”)

For some, the sun is already out, as Hannah Grannemann chronicles, from museum-goers in New York to theatergoers in Tokyo.

  Week in Reviews and Previews

  Incidental Moments of the Day, the final Apple Family on Zoom play. (Watch the video and read my review)

Eisa Davis in Lynn Nottage’s play for the virtual Theatre for One, “What Are The Things I Need to Remembe?”

Lynn Nottage on Theatre for One, and theater for many, and keeping busy during COVID

Update: Due to popular demand, extra late-night performance times have been added through September 24 and performances have extended through October! 

Paul Rudnick

Paul Rudnick On Coastal Elites, Trash-Tweeting Ivanka, and How Bette Midler and Theater Give Him Hope

  Week in Theater News

Ben Brantley will no longer be a theater critic for the New York Times, starting on October 15. “This pandemic pause in the great, energizing party that is the theater seemed to me like a good moment to slip out the door,” He’s been a critic there since 1993. we plan to take our time during this pause selecting Ben’s full-time successor.

The Pulitzer Board had changed its eligibility requirements for its Drama award. Eligible plays for Pulitzer Prizes will include those “that were scheduled to be produced in theatres in calendar 2020 but postponed or cancelled due to the pandemic, as well as plays produced and performed in places other than theater” (ie online or outdoors)

Theater artists and activists will gather September 21 for Lights Up on Voter Mobilization, a virtual town hall, will be presented by the Broadway Green Alliance September 21 at 8 p.m., to share  “actionable steps to mobilize and register voters, break down candidates’ positions on climate issues, and explore the intersection of environmental and racial justice issues.”

“Bulrusher” announces its swoon-worthy cast, the next livestream of Paula Vogel’s Bard at the Gate, starting September 17.

32nd Annual Festival of New Musicals from the National Alliance for Musical Theatre will occur online November 19 and 20th, with video excerpts of eight new musicals

20 Theater Figures on How to ‘Revolutionize’ Their World

Director Lavina Jadhwania loves watching plays with captions, hopes such access continues post-pandemic

Director Jay Stull suggests universal basic income/medical insurance from a pool created by artists who make it

Also: A new Federal Theater Project – director Lear deBesonnet Works that span traditional theater venues, digital media and the streets – artistic director Niegel Smith

Eliminate unpaid internships – dramaturg Lauren Halvorsen

institutionalize media production departments- #Psalmayene24

Five New York Times critics on what must change Open up the canon – Maya Phillips Embrace streaming – Jesse Green Make affordable tickets available for essential workers – Laura Collins-Hughes (how about for everybody?) Pool resources among for-profit and non-profit theaters (the way sports leagues do) – Elizabeth Vincentelli Relax theater etiquette – Alexis Soloski

June 14 Lloyd Suh King Henry V

Congratulations to Lloyd Suh for winning the Horton Foote Prize + $50,000 for his play at MaYi Theater, “The Chinese Lady,” based on the true story of the first female Chinese immigrant to the U.S.

Isabelle McCalla and Caitlin Kinnunen as high school girlfriends in The Prom

The filmed version of the Broadway musical The Prom will make its Netflix debut December 11

Ayad Akhtar novelist and Pulitzer-winning playwright (Disgraced, The Invisible Hand, Junk) will be the new president (starting Dec 2) of Pen America,, the literary and human rights organization. In interview: “I’m not convinced that literature is the best way to form political opinions. It’s the great form of nuanced intellectual discourse. We can have profound conversations about literature, but I’m not sure that political opinions — like who to vote for — are the purview of literature. But increasingly everything has become politicized, and I think an organization like PEN has to acknowledge that.”

Tonya Pinkins among an all-woman cast for Moliere in the Park’s School for Wives, which will be live streamed at 2pm and 7pm on October 24th

X is for Xavier Rubiano, a Broadway casting director who likes Miscast

Xavier Rubiano is the last in the Broadway Alphabet series — not as well known as most of the previous 25. But he represents the many behind-the-scenes folk who have always made Broadway possible.

Rest in Peace

Diana Rigg portrayed Eliza in a 1974 production of Pygmalion in the UK. Forty-four years later, she portrayed Mrs. Higgins in the current Broadway production of My Fair Lady

Medea

Lauren Ambrose as Eliza and Diana Rigg as Mrs. Higgins

 Diana Rigg, 82, memorable for her performances on Broadway (Medea, My Fair Lady), TV (The Avengers, Game of Thrones) and for her witty book of bad reviews through the ages, “No Turn Unstoned”

After Six Months, What? #Stageworthy News of the Week To mark the six months of Broadway’s shutdown this past weekend, we could look back, as I did -- …

[365footballorg-blog]

Hamstrings, #WondoWatch and playoff verdicts: What you missed in Week 32

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October 8, 20181:22PM EDT

It was another wild weekend in MLS with big goals, big performances and big calls as we’re just 20 days from Decision Day – let’s get hype. Before we get there, here’s what you might have missed in Week 32. 

Milestone goals

A moment to remember.@_georgebello’s first @MLS goal. What. A. Strike. https://t.co/IYcowNdMCJ

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) October 6, 2018

Opposite ends of their careers, and of the league table, George Bello and Chris Wondolowski found the scoresheet this weekend. 

At 16 years and 257 days young, Bello became the league’s sixth-youngest goalscorer in Atlanta’s 2-1 win over the New England Revolution. The flying fullback looked a seasoned veteran with his run and smart first touch ahead of the defender before smashing home his first goal. Then he hit the Milly Rock. This is precisely what dreams are made of.

A legendary @ChrisWondo goal for your timeline.

He’s one away from tying the record, people.

ONE. AWAY. 👀 #WondoWatch pic.twitter.com/A0DJZ8kraX

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) October 7, 2018

Spoiler alert: Wondolowski did not Milly Rock. But he did score, in a losing effort, and is now one goal away from tying Landon Donovan’s all-time MLS record. We are under full blown #WondoWatch and, with two games left against Colorado (H) and Seattle (A), can he tie or break the record before 2018 comes to an end?

Almiron done for regular season with hamstring injury

Déjà vu?

For the second straight year, Atlanta United will finish their regular season without Miguel Almiron in the starting lineup due to a hamstring injury. Again it comes at the most inopportune of times as ATL chase the Supporters’ Shield and league record for points. Last season, Almiron returned off the bench in the final game of the regular season before being able to start their playoff game. This season? Tata Martino has ruled him out for their final two games and it remains to be seen if a few weeks will be enough for his hammy to heal 100 pct.

The good news: they’re going to have a bye in the knockout round, lending Almiron some extra time to recover. But, until then, enter Ezequiel Barco. As Matt Doyle pointed out in the above video, this lends Barco the golden opportunity to play down the center, which could be a blessing in disguise for Atlanta. Perhaps he’ll look a star ready to carry the team’s creative duties through the center of the field rather than miscast on the wing, which would be fantastic timing for Atlanta’s front office decision-makers ahead of the winter in which many expect to see Almiron sold to Europe.

Stars shine bright

D.C. United, Montreal Impact, LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps all needed results this weekend in their respective chase for the playoffs, so, Wayne Rooney (2g), Ignacio Piatti (1g), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (1g), Diego Valeri (1a) and Yordy Reyna (2a) all stepped up.

Ibrahimovic’s penalty goal came in a respectable 1-1 draw at Sporting Kansas City (more on that in a second) while the rest helped lead their teams to victories. We won’t have the pleasure of watching at least two of the above players in the playoffs this year, it just remains to be seen which ones with their clubs fighting to get (or stay) above the red line.

Controversy in KC

The Galaxy scored a much-debated penalty, then had a much-debated goal ruled back for offside. Both keepers made some breathtaking saves as did the post. Johnny Russell took on about five Galaxy defenders in the 83rd minute to score an equalizer for SKC: this game had it all. Words won’t do much justice; just watch those highlights.

Six playoff verdicts signed, sealed & delivered

Another weekend, another round of checking on the #math. Here’s what the numbers can say, with totality: Philadelphia, LAFC and Sporting Kansas City are in the playoffs while, Toronto, Orlando and Minnesota are out. There are no surprises, with all six teams having long known their fate before it could be mathematically confirmed, but it’s still worth noting.

The biggest news, of course, is TFC being out of the playoffs with three games left in the season. We were all waiting for a run of wins to launch the reigning champs above the playoff line, but that never came as their season was rife with false starts and disappointment. They dealt with injuries – many of them – as well as a Concacaf Champions League run, but from breaking the league’s single-season point record in 2017 to freefalling in 2018 cannot be explained by one or two factors.

What you haven’t missed…

Monday night MLS! The weekend isn’t over yet – not until Seattle host Houston (10:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info), and it’ll be a good one. If Seattle takes all three points, they’ll be jostling with LAFC and SKC to get a first-round bye. If they don’t? They get dragged into the race for the final two playoff spots with Real Salt Lake, the Galaxy and Whitecaps. 

Topics: 

Stay connected: The all-new, completely redesigned, FREE official MLS app is your best mobile source for scores, news, analysis and highlights. Download:  App Store  |  Google Play

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Hamstrings, #WondoWatch and playoff verdicts: What you missed in Week 32 was originally published on 365 Football

[junker-town]

The List: Let’s fill out my NBA All-Star ballot

NBA All-Star Game votes are in. Here is a look at how I made my starter choices for the 2018 game.

It is All-Star voting time and once again your LIST maker has a media vote. This is not something I take lightly. In addition to watching an unhealthy amount of basketball each night, I’ve devoured the stats and consulted with a few trusted NBA people to come up with my selections.

I’m throwing out that disclaimer because a few selections still came down to either/or propositions. Voting for All-Stars is hard. Picking the reserves is going to be even more difficult, but that’s why we have coaches.

Reminder that we get two backcourt and three frontcourt picks from each conference. Traditional positions like point guard and center do not matter.

EAST BACKCOURT

Kyrie Irving: Much has been made of the fact that Irving’s numbers aren’t that much different than the ones he posted in Cleveland. He’s still the same old Kyrie, capable of jaw-dropping scoring bursts that leave defenders muttering expletives and shaking their heads. His defense has been a little bit better, but that’s not enough to vault him into All-Star starter territory, let alone MVP talk.

The numbers may be similar, but Irving’s situation in Boston is completely different. Kyrie is the unquestioned leading man for the Celtics, so much so that their offense falls apart when he’s not on the court. When the game is on the line, there is no doubt that Kyrie will be the focus of attention and his numbers in the clutch are strong. As impressive as he’s been, that kind of production was expected.

Watching Kyrie operate Brad Stevens’ system has been revelatory. He’s had epic scoring nights and he’s had games where he’s acted as a facilitator for his teammates in the face of double-teams. His teammates, meanwhile, have all testified to his leadership abilities. I’m still not all the way sold on Irving as a top-5 MVP candidate, but he’s earned the All-Star nod.

DeMar DeRozan: I’ve always appreciated DeRozan’s throwback game. In a league of 3-and-D wings, any variance is welcome. DeRozan has worked and refined his game over the last few years to the point where it’s become notably effective. Still, it has its limits.

Meet the new DeMar. His shooting percentages are up and his rate of 3-point attempts has finally joined the current century. DeRozan has also taken on a bit more of a playmaking role and proven capable in that regard. It’s not that he changed his style as much as he’s evolved. Put it all together and this has the feel of a career year.

This pick was one of those gut calls between DeRozan and Indiana’s Victor Oladipo. I’m giving DeRozan the slight edge to honor Toronto’s regular-season success.

Others: Much as it pains me to leave the wonderful Oladipo off my ballot, it also hurts to not list Kyle Lowry among the starters. Both are deserving of All-Star nods. Kemba Walker has been tremendous under difficult circumstances.

John Wall missed a few too many games to crack this starting lineup but he’s an All-Star. Bradley Beal offers a compelling case. A few of these guys are going to feel justifiably snubbed. Ben Simmons is a year away. Goran Dragic has been Miami’s best player throughout the first half, but not to the level of Lowry, Walker, Wall, etc.

EAST FRONTCOURT

LeBron James: Watch him survey the floor and make precise passes. Witness his improved 3-point stroke. Quake at the sight of Bron barreling down the paint with a head full of steam and fury. I’ve lost count of the number of career reinventions that LeBron has undergone, but this current version is both frightening and age appropriate.

LEBRON JAMES. #NBAVOTE http://pic.twitter.com/XKEyXceIaX

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) January 16, 2018

This is historic stuff, something we’ll tell our kids and our grandkids about once the sport is played by virtual holograms beamed into our eyeballs.

Giannis Antetokounmpo: I didn’t spend a lot of time considering Giannis’ spot on my ballot. Knock on all the injury wood, this is his spot for the next decade. The only real question is where Giannis rates among the very best in the league. Top 5? He’s close. Real close.

The best of The Greek Freak in today's victory against the Wizards: 27 PTS | 20 REB | 6 AST | 2 BLK http://pic.twitter.com/GVPLxOeaFb

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 15, 2018

Joel Embiid: This was the toughest call on the ballot. For a while I had Al Horford in this spot. Then I switched it to Embiid. I came really close to putting Andre Drummond here and Kevin Love has been really good. Decisions, decisions ...

I’m going with Embiid. You don’t need to argue with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and a whole bunch of blocks, steals, and assists. His impact is undeniable. When he plays, the Sixers looks like a playoff team. Conversely, they’ve dropped seven of nine in the games he’s missed.

You can make a fine argument for any of the others, but let’s put this in purely unscientific terms: Who do you want to see in an All-Star Game? It’s JoJo for me.

Others: Horford has been sublime. You really need to watch him every night to appreciate how many ways he impacts winning. Drummond and Love need to be in Los Angeles. I’d like to see Kristaps Porzingis there, as well, but not ahead of the other players on this list.

WEST BACKCOURT

James Harden: He was the MVP frontrunner before the hamstring injury took him out of the lineup and he might still be even with the missed games starting to accumulate. That pursuit is secondary to the Rockets’ goal of competing with the Warriors in the West, so perhaps this setback will be taken as a warning sign.

Regardless, Harden earned the spot with his play through the first 35 games of his season and he’s due back soon, possibly by the end of the week. He’s done more than enough at this juncture for a starting spot on the All-Star team.

Steph Curry: I really wanted to put Jimmy Butler in this spot. If he was listed as a forward, this would be an easy problem to solve. Alas, Jimmy is basically a guard for the Wolves and there are only two backcourt options.

The problem for Butler is that Curry is having yet another historically great season. He’s averaging almost 28 points a game with a True Shooting Percentage of .672. That’s nuts. When Kevin Durant was out of the lineup, Steph performed like an MVP. When he and KD are in there together, the Dubs are unstoppable.

It gave me pause that Steph has missed a dozen games, but not enough to deny him the nod. Sorry, Jimmy.

Others: Butler has to be in Los Angeles. After all the criticism of the first few months, Russell Westbrook has been tremendous. Damian Lillard has had an excellent under-the-radar campaign. All three should be in LA. I’d love to make space for Klay Thompson, as well.

Lou Williams has had an amazing season, but I don’t see how he makes it ahead of the others. Chris Paul has missed a few too many games, unfortunately. Every All-Star Game needs Chris Paul.

WEST FRONTCOURT

Kevin Durant: Who’s Golden State’s best player? Trick question, it doesn’t matter! So long as the Dubs avoid this man-made pratfall they should be just fine heading into the postseason. Both KD and Steph are brilliant individual performers capable of carrying the franchise to a championship. That’s what makes them the overwhelming favorites.

No one cares about defense in the All-Star Game, but it’s worth noting that KD’s defense with the Warriors has been fantastic. He’s their best rim-protector and he’s taken on huge defensive assignments from LeBron to Giannis. Anyone still taking shots at his game is just being obtuse.

Anthony Davis: DeMarcus Cousins is putting up obscene numbers, but AD makes this team go. The Pels are 5.4 points per 100 possessions better when Davis on the floor and 7.1 worse when he’s on the bench. Boogie’s overall impact on the team’s fortunes are essentially neutral. If anything, AD hasn’t received enough credit for making this pairing work.

Davis is putting up his own video game numbers: 26 points and 10 rebounds per night, along with improved shooting range. Take into account his impact on the team’s defense, and AD has had the superior season.

Karl-Anthony Towns: This one could have gone a lot of ways. Between Boogie’s absurd stat line, LaMarcus Aldridge’s steady impact on the Spurs, and Draymond Green’s two-way brilliance there’s a case to be made for all of them. None are as compelling as Towns, however.

I wrote about KAT’s development at length in this space last week and won’t bother to rehash the particulars here. It’s finally all starting to fall into place for Towns and the Wolves.

Others: In addition to the aforementioned law firm of Aldridge, Cousins, and Green, I gave heavy consideration to Paul George and Nikola Jokic. Now that OKC has righted itself, PG’s true value is apparent for all to see. He may be miscast as a franchise player, but as a co-star he’s perfect. Jokic may be the odd man out here, but he’s on the brink of becoming an All-Star fixture.

The West frontcourt is so crowded that DeAndre Jordan and Clint Capela are basically afterthoughts. They’ve both been tremendous.