HawBroDorSheff

After extensive and exhaustive research, I have come to the terrifying conclusion that actors Ethan Hawke, Josh Brolin, Craig Sheffer and Stephen Dorff are actually the same person. This is why we've never seen them co-star in the same project together...besides the fact that no one would care to.

Currently, the "Josh Brolin" personality is in control & having a career. The "Ethan Hawke" was dominant, until he made the unfathomable mistake of cheating on Uma Thurman with their nanny and has been banished to where "Craig Sheffer" and "Stephen Dorff" have been since "A River Runs Through It" and "Blade" respecively.

For a brief time, it was believed that "Paul Walker" was also part of HawBroDorSheff (as he was known in the lab where he was grown), but it was later determined that "Paul Walker" was a mass hallucination by the American public caused by an overexposure to Vin Diesel's machismo.

If you encounter HawBroDorSheff in the wild, don't panic...he's not used to being recognized, so he's really not dangerous. Just don't mention the Uma affair...it makes him cry.

Caged Bird

I have an ongoing debate with a friend of mine about Nicolas Cage. He feels that he is one of the greatest actors of his generation and I feel he's a giant cheeseball who hasn't lived up to his potential.

Depending on your tolerance for Cage and his ouevere, I suspect we're both right. But it does call into question just how we view films and what we get from the experience.

What's most important to us...the project as a whole or the individual components that make up the whole. For my friend Travis, the presence of Nicolas Cage in a film supercedes the overall quality of the film itself.

I know where he's coming from...I love many movies for individual performances or moments rather than for how "good" the film itself is. But I also know folks who don't care about great writing, directing or acting if they don't like the mechanics of the movie.

Neither opinion is 100% right or 100% wrong. How any work of art affects us is a matter of perception and that is filtered through the prism of the viewer's life.

When I hear people say they didn't "get" a movie or it wasn't "about" anything, I think they're more interested in the big picture rather than the parts of the whole.

But I still think Nicolas Cage has been coasting since "Leaving Las Vegas", but I guess a brother's gotta eat. Anyone up for "Con Air 2"?

Odds & Ends

*So, I'm watching the tube on Friday & lo and behold, there's Gary Coleman. The actor formerly known as "Arnold" was telling me about this great finance company who will easily loan you the money you need. Easy terms, quick answers, blah blah blah. Gary said the average loan was $2,600...I've seen thousands of these ads, but it was the fine print that got my attention. The APR on the loan was 99.25%...I had to pause it & make sure I hadn't had an anyeurism & misread it. But there it was...99.25%. So, once you make the 42 monthly payments of $250 or so (assuming you don't miss one & have to surrender a kidney), you've payed over $9,100. "Whatyou Talkin' Bout Willis" indeed.

*If you missed the "John Adams" miniseries that ran on HBO, run & see it as soon as possible. I finished watching the dvd today. Paul Giamatti is brilliant...but then again, he usually is.

*Other stuff I watched this weekend and highly recommend:

Dan In Real Life (A very sweet & low-key performance by Steve Carrell)
12 Angry Men (An undisputed classic & should be shown in high school civics classes)
Definitely, Maybe (Very enjoyable)

*I can't recommend the John Cena movie "The Marine" (don't judge me...), but Robert Patrick looks like he had a ball playing the villain.

Another week is upon us. Another week closer to the new Fall TV season. Look for my picks soon.