This week I'm talking about the 2021 movie Our Father, where two young women go in search of their estranged uncle after their father's death. (I'm aiming to watch an average of one movie a week in 2024.)
I chose Our Father because I've been wanting to watch a movie featuring Chicago actor Brian King. A trailer for this one caught my eye, though he appears in only one scene.
The Premise Of Our Father
In the days after their father's death, two young women learn that they have an u...
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Author: admin
The Final Girls (Movie Review)
This week I'm talking about the movie The Final Girls. As I wrote about last week, I'm watching one movie a week in 2024.
I chose The Final Girls because I like the actress Nina Dobrev. She plays a key role, though she's not the lead.
The Premise Of The Final Girls
Main character Max's mother is an actress best known for a starring role in a classic cult horror movie. Max and her mother are very close, which is easy to see in the opening scene. But tragedy strikes, and her mother is ki...
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Two To Go S6 E21 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast)
In Two To Go (S6 E21 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Buffy and friends put themselves in peril to stop Willow from killing Andrew and Jonathan, Dawn seeks out Rack, and Spike faces trials. Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on:
(1) Willow’s shift from antagonist to genuine, three-dimensional villain, (2) deeply-felt emotions and other reasons Willow, the villain, is so much more intriguing than Buffy, and (3) whether the repetitive dialogue here creates a theme or slows the stor...
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New Year’s Resolutions For Fun
New Year's resolutions can be tricky. That's why I rarely make them, but this year I decided to. Why? Because a friend suggested a way to make a new year's resolution fun.
Many people make resolutions to try to improve parts of their lives they struggle with. But often they focus on what the "should" do not what they want to do. Eat vegetables every day. Go to the gym once a week. Learn a language. The challenge comes when you miss a day or a week, then one more, and pretty soon it's March. S...
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A Very Buffy Holiday Episode (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast)
This bonus A Very Buffy Holiday, compares all 6 Buffy holiday episodes. Plus one Buffy the Vampire Slayer holiday flashback.
Last Episode: Villains
Next Episode: Two To Go
New Release: Buffy and the Art of Story Season Three Part 1: Write More Gripping Plots, Characters, And Themes By Watching Buffy
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Villains S6 E20 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast)
In Villains (S6 E20 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Warren flees, Buffy and friends grapple with Tara’s death, and Willow’s out for revenge. Or is it justice? Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on:
(1) whether Villians is Buffy’s story or Willow’s; (2) why viewers might not love Season 6 Buffy as a character; (3) seamless scene endings and beginnings that move us through the story; (4) how Warren’s evil deeds contrast those done by others, first for fun, then for sympathy.
La...
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Seeing Red S6 E19 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast)
In Seeing Red (S6 E19 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the geek trio feuds, Spike assaults Buffy, and Warren strikes a fatal blow. Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on:
(1) how Spike’s actions fit his character arc; (2) themes of trust, misogyny, and being a “real man”; (3) episode bookends that maximize the heartrending final moments; and (4) an unclear main plot despite all the drama and conflict.
Last Episode: Entropy
Next Episode: Villains
New Release: Buffy and t...
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Entropy S6 E18 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast)
In Entropy (S6 E18 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Anya and Spike connect over being rejected and Xander is once again horrible to everyone. Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on:
(1) locked or unresolvable conflicts in key relationships; (2) how Xander/Anya and Buffy/Spike mirror one another; (3) why Dawn is interesting and likeable in this episode; (4) engaging exposition; and (5) scene cuts for maximum emotional impact and a fast pace.
Last Episode: Normal Again
Next Ep...
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New Release Buffy and the Art of Story Season Three Part 1
New Release: Buffy and the Art of Story Season Three Part 1: Write More Gripping Plots, Characters, And Themes By Watching Buffy
What can you learn about fiction writing from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
How about how to create gripping plots, characters, and themes that speak to the audience decades later?
This book delves into each episode of the first half of Season Three of the cult TV series. Each chapter includes questions to help you improve your own writing and storytelling....
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Normal Again S6 E17 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast)
In Normal Again (S6 E17 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Buffy hallucinates that she’s in a psychiatric facility and her parents are still alive. Along with the recap, this podcast episode focuses on:
(1) why a kind, compassionate character can make a scene more chilling; (2) conveying exposition the characters already know; (3) how to add new backstory to an old timeline; (4) can your plot be strong without a clear single midpoint moment?
Last Episode: Hell's Bells
Next Episode: Entropy...
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