Facets of Creativity
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Sunday, September 16, 2018
Deadpool 2
The first Deadpool movie left me gobsmacked after I saw it.
I was in literal shock from just taking all of it in. It was funny, violent, witty and wonderfully meta. Ryan Reynolds and Co. translated the Merc With a Mouth from the page to the screen and, thankfully, erased the version seen in Wolverine: Origins.
Imagine my disappointment with Deadpool 2.
Don't misread, the fight scenes and effect shots were awesome and Josh Brolin, fresh from killing half the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, gave some much need gravitas as Cable and Zazie Beetz literally kicked ass as Domino, but even so, the movie left me unsatisfied at the end.
My main problem was how the story was executed. There was a story there, but it felt like it was sacrificed for the humor. In the first Deadpool, there was humor, but it served the story, also I was emotionally invested in what Wade was doing, but not so much in #2. Jullian Dennison's Russell Collins, just seemed really whiny to me and Wade trying to redeem this kid from killing Eddie Marsan's evil Headmaster (who lacked any real malevolence to me) didn't feel real to me. Cable coming back to keep Rusty from becoming evil? That I bought.
Basically, Deadpool 2 won't be one of those movies I gotta buy. I put it in the same category as Spider-Man 3; it's there, but nothing can make me want to watch it again.
I was in literal shock from just taking all of it in. It was funny, violent, witty and wonderfully meta. Ryan Reynolds and Co. translated the Merc With a Mouth from the page to the screen and, thankfully, erased the version seen in Wolverine: Origins.
Imagine my disappointment with Deadpool 2.
Don't misread, the fight scenes and effect shots were awesome and Josh Brolin, fresh from killing half the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, gave some much need gravitas as Cable and Zazie Beetz literally kicked ass as Domino, but even so, the movie left me unsatisfied at the end.
My main problem was how the story was executed. There was a story there, but it felt like it was sacrificed for the humor. In the first Deadpool, there was humor, but it served the story, also I was emotionally invested in what Wade was doing, but not so much in #2. Jullian Dennison's Russell Collins, just seemed really whiny to me and Wade trying to redeem this kid from killing Eddie Marsan's evil Headmaster (who lacked any real malevolence to me) didn't feel real to me. Cable coming back to keep Rusty from becoming evil? That I bought.
Basically, Deadpool 2 won't be one of those movies I gotta buy. I put it in the same category as Spider-Man 3; it's there, but nothing can make me want to watch it again.
Friday, August 28, 2015
My Creative Yodas-Joss Whedon
"Whatever makes you weird is probably your best asset." -Joss Whedon
Let me just say that I unreservedly LOVE Joss Whedon! Not more than my wife or even like I love my wife because that would be just weird, and he's married and he doesn't even know me, but I think you get the picture, rambling notwithstanding.
Like most fans, my gateway to the Wonder that is Joss came from a certain Slayer from Sunnydale, Ca. I remember the movie "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" with Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry and I wasn't very impressed with it. When I saw a trailer for the TV show and saw how there was darkness and actual menace, I could see it was different from the movie in a good way. The show didn't disappoint. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Co., over seven seasons, brought the funny, the dark, the drama and the snark. This is because of the man at the helm who took his creation back and steered Buffy and the Scoobies throughout the perils of High School and beyond. I gladly went along for the ride.
One thing you can say about Joss Whedon projects is that you always know from the writing that it's him. No one writes a conversation or a twist out of nowhere like him.
For example, on the too-soon cancelled, instant classic show Firefly, Mal Reynolds and Jayne are having a conversation centering around Jayne's dissatisfaction with Mal getting a wife while he got a stick that sounds like it's raining. Jayne was holding a rifle, which gave his complaint some weight.
Jayne: Do I have your attention?
Mal: Kind of going to extremes here, ain't we?
Jayne: There's times I don't think you take me seriously. I think that oughta change.
Mal: Do you think it's likely to?
Jayne: You got something you don't deserve...
Mal: ...And it's brought me a galaxy of fun, I'm here to tell ya...
Jayne: Six men came to kill me one time. The best of them carried this...It's a Callahan full bore auto lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge. It is my very favorite gun.
Mal: Are you offering me a trade?
Jayne: Trade? Hell, it's theft. This is the best damn gun made by man. It has extreme sentimental value. It's miles better than what you got.
Mal: What I got? She has a name.
Jayne: So does this: I call it Vera.
Mal: Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly comin' to a middle.
There are many other gems from that episode, not to mention the rest of the show, but to put it shortly, I wish I could write like Joss. Not only is he inventive, he's also prolific. Besides spawning Buffy and Angel, he also created the aforementioned Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and the current hit, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (renewed for a third season), alongside his brother Jed Whedon and sister-in-law, Maurissa Tancharoen. He's also written a critically and fanboy acclaimed run on the Astonishing X-Men and The Runaways for Marvel, Sugar Shock and Fray, a future slayer, and Executive Produced (And no doubt written some issues) Buffy Seasons eight, nine and ten for DarkHorse.
On the movie side, he revisted the 'Verse in Serenity, co-wrote Cabin in the Woods with Drew Goddard, and wrote and directed The Avengers, Much Ado About Nothing and Avengers: The Age of Ultron.
He also writes music, hence the Buffy Musical Ep, Once More with Feeling, and the Firefly Theme. (Which is a ringtone for my phone.)
Getting to the point of this post, reading or watching anything that Joss Whedon has done, or will do, makes me want to step my writing game up. I want to write killer dialogue, write a story with a killer twist, create a killer character, heck maybe they'll BE a killer. I know I have to write to the level of my talent and gifting and won't ever be a Joss Whedon, but he inspires me to do the very best I can make my stories the best they can be.
He also makes me want to be able to write a script and /or a story perfectly, all ready to go with no revisions needed after the first draft is done.
Yes, he seriously does this. Repeatedly. Read the biography.
Mr. Whedon's next project is a comic called Twist that he's doing with Darkhorse. Like everything else he does, I'm definitely going to pick it up and enjoy a modern master storyteller at work and take steps to become one myself.
Let me just say that I unreservedly LOVE Joss Whedon! Not more than my wife or even like I love my wife because that would be just weird, and he's married and he doesn't even know me, but I think you get the picture, rambling notwithstanding.
Like most fans, my gateway to the Wonder that is Joss came from a certain Slayer from Sunnydale, Ca. I remember the movie "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" with Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry and I wasn't very impressed with it. When I saw a trailer for the TV show and saw how there was darkness and actual menace, I could see it was different from the movie in a good way. The show didn't disappoint. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Co., over seven seasons, brought the funny, the dark, the drama and the snark. This is because of the man at the helm who took his creation back and steered Buffy and the Scoobies throughout the perils of High School and beyond. I gladly went along for the ride.
One thing you can say about Joss Whedon projects is that you always know from the writing that it's him. No one writes a conversation or a twist out of nowhere like him.
For example, on the too-soon cancelled, instant classic show Firefly, Mal Reynolds and Jayne are having a conversation centering around Jayne's dissatisfaction with Mal getting a wife while he got a stick that sounds like it's raining. Jayne was holding a rifle, which gave his complaint some weight.
Jayne: Do I have your attention?
Mal: Kind of going to extremes here, ain't we?
Jayne: There's times I don't think you take me seriously. I think that oughta change.
Mal: Do you think it's likely to?
Jayne: You got something you don't deserve...
Mal: ...And it's brought me a galaxy of fun, I'm here to tell ya...
Jayne: Six men came to kill me one time. The best of them carried this...It's a Callahan full bore auto lock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge. It is my very favorite gun.
Mal: Are you offering me a trade?
Jayne: Trade? Hell, it's theft. This is the best damn gun made by man. It has extreme sentimental value. It's miles better than what you got.
Mal: What I got? She has a name.
Jayne: So does this: I call it Vera.
Mal: Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly comin' to a middle.
There are many other gems from that episode, not to mention the rest of the show, but to put it shortly, I wish I could write like Joss. Not only is he inventive, he's also prolific. Besides spawning Buffy and Angel, he also created the aforementioned Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and the current hit, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (renewed for a third season), alongside his brother Jed Whedon and sister-in-law, Maurissa Tancharoen. He's also written a critically and fanboy acclaimed run on the Astonishing X-Men and The Runaways for Marvel, Sugar Shock and Fray, a future slayer, and Executive Produced (And no doubt written some issues) Buffy Seasons eight, nine and ten for DarkHorse.
On the movie side, he revisted the 'Verse in Serenity, co-wrote Cabin in the Woods with Drew Goddard, and wrote and directed The Avengers, Much Ado About Nothing and Avengers: The Age of Ultron.
He also writes music, hence the Buffy Musical Ep, Once More with Feeling, and the Firefly Theme. (Which is a ringtone for my phone.)
Getting to the point of this post, reading or watching anything that Joss Whedon has done, or will do, makes me want to step my writing game up. I want to write killer dialogue, write a story with a killer twist, create a killer character, heck maybe they'll BE a killer. I know I have to write to the level of my talent and gifting and won't ever be a Joss Whedon, but he inspires me to do the very best I can make my stories the best they can be.
He also makes me want to be able to write a script and /or a story perfectly, all ready to go with no revisions needed after the first draft is done.
Yes, he seriously does this. Repeatedly. Read the biography.
Mr. Whedon's next project is a comic called Twist that he's doing with Darkhorse. Like everything else he does, I'm definitely going to pick it up and enjoy a modern master storyteller at work and take steps to become one myself.
Joss Whedon's new book, Twist, and the man himself
The movie, starring Luke Pery and Kristy Swanson, that, thankfully, gave way to...
...the TV show.
Alyson Hannigan, Seth Green, Anthony Stewert Head, Charisma Carpenter, Nicholas Brendon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanez, James Marsters and Julliet Landau.
Angel, the highly successful spin-off
Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, David Boreanez, Charisma Carpenter and J. August Richards
The Instant Classic, cancelled too soon.
Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Nathan Fillion, Morena Baccarain, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite and Ron Glass.
A great show, also cancelled too soon.
Dichen Lachman, Enver Gojak, Fran Kranz, Eliza Dushku, Olivia Williams, Tahamoh Penikett and Harry Lennix
Awesome show/movie...waiting for a sequel...
Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Joss Whedon, Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day and Zack Whedon
Serenity, the return to the 'Verse
Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Nathan Fillion, Sean Maher and Summer Glau
Marvel's the Avengers, the movie that made Superhero History...
Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth
...And the sequel.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe on TV...It's all connected...
B.J. Britt, Chloe Bennett, Ian De Caestecker, Ming-Na Wen, Clark Gregg, Nick Blood, Henry Simmons, Elizabeth Henstridge and Brett Dalton
Buffy Season 8 covers
Season 9
Season 10
The gang's all here.
The Future Slayer
Whedon's first arc with the incredible John Cassaday
Runaways
Sugar Shock
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Superstar-Chapter 64 & 65
Thanks for reading... Follow me on Twitter and Like me on Facebook! Check out previous chapters of Superstar and samples of my first novel, Facets: Stories of the Mundane and the Weird, here on the blog. Facets is available on the Kindle Market!
With these two chapters, the first half of Superstar is done. I'm gonna be taking a quick sabbatical 'til I get things straight for the second half of the book. Then I'll be posting again. Working on a couple of other things for the blog too. In the meantime, if you any comments or suggestions, just drop me a comment here or on Twitter (@wlsherrod) or on my author page on Facebook. Thanks again for reading and supporting Facets of Creativity!
Chapter 64: Here We Go Again
“So,
another producer wants us to jump through hoops, huh?” Terry asked. He was at
home relaxing. Of course, for him that meant practicing more on top of what
they’d practiced at rehearsal earlier that day.
“Whoop-tee-doo,”
Eric deadpanned. “I’m starting to feel a bit like a sideshow freak.”
“I
know. What d’you think, Groove?”
“We’ll
see. Russell’s been talkin’ to a guy from Musicmax Records.”
“They
must’ve gotten tired of Mikki and his attitude.” Terry smiled.
“Well,
it’s not like he was their only act, but it is safe to say.” Eric paused. “Have
you heard from Dom?”
“No.”
“Are
you okay?”
“I’ll
just have to be, won’t I?” Terry asked.
“Yeah.”
Eric sighed. “Terry, why are you doing this?”
“Doing
what?”
“Being
here with the band. Why are you doing this. What’s your motivation?”
“If
you got something on your mind, just say it, Groove.”
Eric
sighed. “I think you’re here because you’re mad at Dom for ditching you and you
wanna show her up.” Eric raised a hand, stopping Terry before he could speak.
“Yeah,
it’s great to have you back with us. You belong here, but the revenge thing, getting
back at her, you gotta let it go, cuz. It’s gonna poison everything you do and you’re too
talented to let that happen.”
Terry
sighed. “I can’t help it, Groove. I keep thinking about her all the time. ALL
the time.”
“You
gotta let her go, Terry.”
“I’m
tryin’.”
“Try
harder.” Eric looked at his watch. “I gotta go. I need a nap before work
tonight. “
“Awright,
peace.” Terry said as they man-hugged. Eric left and Terry figured he might as
well get his mail. There wasn’t much outside of junk mail, a newspaper and a
copy of the latest Vibe.
Terry
walked into his room and turned on the TV. He went to the kitchen to pour
himself a Rum and Coke when a report on Entertainment Tonight made him put the
rum down.
Mary
Hart was talking. Her lips were moving but Terry couldn’t hear anything she was
saying. He assumed it had to do with the video clips of Dominique, in a
beautiful, flowing, white wedding dress and veil and a dude, who had to be
Kevin Shields, in a sharp black tux. Terry sat heavily on the bed, his legs
failing to support him. A hole existed where his heart was moments ago and he
felt himself shutting down, shrinking down a cold lump in the center of
himself. Tears rose and Terry buried his face in his hands.
Anger
sparked and flared inside of Terry. The fire of it flowed through him like an
energizing current that exploded into action. He lashed out, throwing smashing,
breaking and screaming anything to express the fury inside him.
When
Terry came to himself, his room was a shambles. Amazingly, the window wasn’t
broken, though anything else made of glass was. The TV was a smoking ruin and
there were holes in the wall and the door. The floor was covered in trash,
glass and rubble. Terry surveyed the room. He was a little unnerved by what
he’d done. Something caught his eye and he knelt down and picked it up. It was
a picture of him and Dom. They looked so happy in the picture. At the moment it
was taken, Terry thought that was how they’d be for their rest of their lives.
Too bad reality didn’t match up with his dreams.
All
the anger, desire and thwarted dreams coalesced and crystallized inside him
then. He knew what he had to do.
“You’re
not getting away that easily, bitch.” Terry growled as he crumpled the picture.
The
phone rang and Eric cursed whoever it was that was disturbing his nap.
“Hello,”
He snapped.
“I’ve
got to go.”
“What?
Who is this?” The flat, robot-like monotone didn’t sound like anyone he knew.
“Groove,
I’ve got to go.”
“Terry,
is that you?”
“I
can’t stay.” Terry droned on. “I have to go.”
“Go
where? What are you talking about?”
“To
California. To get Dom back.”
“Terry,
she’s living her own life now! Let her the fuck go!”
“I
can’t,” Terry intoned. “She’s mine, Groove. No one else’s. I’m gonna show her,
Groove. I’ll make her see.” Eric was about to speak his mind, but Terry had
already hung up.
“Damn,
Terry.” The gutbuzz in Eric’s stomach kicked into overdrive. He wanted to do
something, but he didn’t know what that would be. Terry was grown and was
capable of making his own decisions and, regrettably, his own mistakes.
Chapter 65: Leavin’ On a Jet Plane
Within
a week, Terry had either given away or sold most of his possessions. He’d even
managed to sell his car. All he was taking to California was his acoustic
guitar, a keyboard and a duffle bag full of clothes. He was waiting on his cab
to take him to Midway when there was a knock at the door. He thought it was
Eric trying to stop him from leaving.
He
was only half right.
“Denise?”
Terry said.
“Hi,”
She said and sauntered into the bare room. “I was hoping I’d catch you before
you left.”
“Why?”
“You
like me. I know you do. I can see it in your eyes…feel it when we’re close to
each other.” Denise said as she moved closer to him. “You can’t leave. The
group needs you…” She caressed his face. “…I need you.” Terry grabbed her hand,
effectively stopping her.
“Don’t
do that.”
“Why?”
Against his better judgment, Terry looked at her: She had on a light blue
sundress that contrasted nicely with her light chocolate skin and matched the
open toed sandals she wore. Denise’s limpid brown eyes pulled Terry in even as
he tried to look away and her shapely body, braless beneath the dress, pulled
at his attention as well.
“I…I
gotta stay focused.”
“Maybe
there’s a reason.” Denise said as she gently pressed the full, sleek and warm
length of her body against Terry. “Don’t spoil something that could be a
beautiful thing, Terry.” She gently kissed him for emphasis.
Terry
reluctantly broke the kiss. “I can’t.” He breathed.
“Yes,
you can.” She kissed him again and Terry responded, pulling her closer.
Their
embrace grew more and more passionate and Terry started to let himself go and
enjoy it. That’s when he saw Dominique in his mind, looking so happy in her
wedding dress next to her husband. Anger seeped into him and cooled his ardor.
No matter how beautiful Denise was, she wasn’t the one he wanted. He gently
pushed Denise away.
“What’s
the matter?” She asked. “Why did you stop?”
“Denise,
you are an incredible, wonderfully gifted, woman. If things were different, I’d
love to be your man…”
“But
you’re in love with someone else.”
Terry
nodded. “All I see is her and I’m going to get her back.”
“What
about your music.”
“I
still want that. And it will happen.”
Terry gazed straight into Denise’s eyes as he spoke and she saw the fire and
absolute certainty there.
“Yeah,
it will.” She grinned and kissed his cheek. “Good luck and be careful.” She
said and walked out.
Doubt
dropped into him and Terry wondered if he might be making a mistake. He could
still go back to Avant Groove, still go to Denise and let her love him like she
wanted him to. He could still change his mind.
Then
he heard a horn blow out front. He was conflicted for a brief moment, then
Dominique’s face appeared in his mind and all doubts fled and were replaced by
a diamond hard resolve.
The
horn blew again and Terry grabbed his belongings and walked out to take back
what was his.
END OF BOOK 1
(c)2015 W.L.& Courtney Sherrod
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