I hope everyone with a TV will watch tonight’s episode of The Closer on TNT (9 pm Eastern/8 pm Central). It’s directed by the awesome Nicole Kassell, who is the director of my movie.
Nicky directed The Woodsman with Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, so I’m especially interested to see her work with Sedgwick in a completely different role. Have you seen The Woodsman? I highly recommend it. It’s a difficult subject beautifully handled — totally non-gratuitous, totally unsentimental, a very light touch on what in other hands would be material so heavy that it would be unbearable. It’s a tough movie that doesn’t flinch, doesn’t tolerate cliches, doesn’t tell you what to think about any of the characters, and includes moments of joy, hope, recognition, the world turned upside down and then beginning to come together again… I am excited that Nicky’s sensibility, control and obvious love of character is part of my first screenwriting experience.
So go watch some TV. Enjoy Kyra Sedgwick and the always-cool Tom Skerritt (guest-starring), and raise a glass to the minds and hearts behind these stories — the director, the writer, the producer, the crew who help bring it all to life. They’re just as invested, just as stone in love with story, and just as jazzed to see it on screen as any of us who look forward every week to watching our favorite shows.
The Closer has been one of our TiVo Season Passes since it started. Oooh, I’d really love to see a movie of Solitaire!
I love The Closer, have been watching since it started. I think Kyra Sedgwick is awesome as Brenda Leigh Johnson. I particularly love how the characters have grown over the run of the series. She arrived on the scene and through her brillaint observational skills has gained the respect of what was a motely crew of sometimes lazy and poor police detectives. Apparantly they simply lacked direction so she whipped them into a crack team.
Almost every issue you can think of has been introduced in some way and handled with great care and integrity by the writers, it’s smart and well acted by everyone. I’m a die hard fan and I tape the show and Mel and I watch it on Weds. evenings. Did you notice that they’ve brought Mary McDonnell on this season? I don’t really see why the character was created but I love seeing her anyway. She and Brenda go toe to toe, I guess one super strong woman wasn’t enough for them lol.
I did see The Woodsman but it was a long time ago, I don’t really remember it so I guess I’ll have to rent it and watch it again.
I like both of them very much. Tonights ep is about to starrt so I’ll conclutde this later.
Okay just watched tonights ep. It wasn’t as tight as I’m used to, it felt stilted like for some reason Brenda wasn’t as sure of herself in places and that’s out of character it was like she didn’t know how to turn the corners that were familiar to her, just not tight like usual. I don’t know if that’s the directing or the acting maybe both. Also unless I missed it there was no aha moment which we usually see in her eyes once she makes the elusive connection. I miss that it’s a defining trait.
There was something extra that isn’t usually there, in the first few scenes there was a blur of action that looked more like a movie than TV. Again I don’t know if it’s the directing or in this case the camera. In a movie it’s usually the director who pics the shots but I don’t know how that works in TV. The team seemed a bit off too, unnatural maybe, seeming not to knowwhere to stand or sit like that.
In any case I think this director would work for Solitaire. I’m so excited for you are you writing te screen play? After I watch it with Mel I might be able to be more clear as she helps me to see things from another perspective.
Kevin Bacon directed a movie with his wife and Helen Mirren called Losing Chase and the work was really wonderful if not the story entirely. Rent it if you want a good experience with them working together. Here are a couple of youtube clips from the movie. These are two of my favorie actresses. Sly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RxY_LPOLXU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gHUbflJ4I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEMugYaQ2fY&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lQrf_pwxCo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEMugYaQ2fY