Matt vs. the Academy

My first earthquake and my first hurricane all in the same week! While my earthquake experience merely consisted of feeling the building wobble for a few seconds, I suspect Hurricane Irene may cause a slightly larger impact. We are not in the evacuation zone, but to prepare for the impending storm, Kat and I have stocked up on groceries and have a "go bag" ready. There is one dilemma, though. The authorities tell us to stay indoors and keep clear of the windows to avoid potential flying debris. Since we live in such a small apartment, that essentially means we may have to sleep in the bathtub. But they also say to fill the bathtub in order to have water with which to flush the toilet in the event that the plumbing is shut off. Kat and I are now preparing for the longest bath-time in history. The Academy's pick for Best Picture of 1967 is our next film to go under the microscope... In the Heat of the Night Director : Norman Jewison Screenplay : Stirling Sill...

I am now back in New York City, happy to be home with my beautiful wife once more. After months of sporadic trips to various parts of the country for work, it is nice to be settled in again. It makes for a nice change. Speaking of change (see what I did there?), you may have noticed some slight additions to the website. In a bout of enthusiasm, I created a Google AdSense account to see if this silly little hobby of mine might actually earn me some pocket money. The enthusiasm continued when I also became an Amazon Associate, allowing to me offer product links to DVDs and perhaps other appropriate items. With a recent (minor) increase in this blog's traffic, I thought I would try these things out and see how it fares. So, if you see anything interesting, go ahead and click, and I might make one-third of a cent. No need to worry, though, dear reader. Matt vs. the Academy is not going anywhere. Whether or not this little experiment is successful, the Best Picture nominee reviews will ...

Another show is over. The final performance of The 39 Steps at the Bristol Valley Theater came and went today, and I am currently packing up and getting ready to head back to New York City tomorrow. And for the first time this year, I do not have any immediate plans for any upcoming performing ventures. With an improv show in Las Vegas, an off-off-Broadway show in New York, a short film in Delaware and a play in Naples, it's been a busy year so far. Let's hope the next project is just around the corner... Next up in the review of 1967's Best Picture nominees is... Bonnie and Clyde Director : Arthur Penn Screenplay : David Newman & Robert Benton Starring : Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons, Denver Pyle, Dub Taylor, Evans Evans, Gene Wilder Academy Awards : 10 nominations 2 wins, including Best Supporting Actress (Parsons) It's the Great Depression and young Clyde Barrow (Beatty) is fresh out of prison for a...

The 39 Steps has opened and is as much fun as it is exhausting. My lovely wife Kat came to visit on the weekend to see the show and take in Naples' sights, which consist mainly of quaint places to eat. With a couple of days off before we head into our final week of shows - yes, it's a very short run - some of the cast and crew took to the local vineyards for some wine tasting yesterday. Let me just say that I'm glad we didn't have a show yesterday... While Kat was here, we watched the first of the nominees from 1967's Best Picture race... Guess Who's Coming To Dinner Director : Stanley Kramer Screenplay : William Rose Starring : Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, Katharine Houghton, Cecil Kellaway, Beah Richards, Roy E. Glenn Academy Awards : 10 nominations 2 wins, for Best Actress (Hepburn) and Best Original Screenplay With an undoubtedly topical subject matter for 1967, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner takes place in the home of t...