“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” may be the franchise’s best one yet.
Six movies in, the “Mission: Impossible” film franchise just keeps getting better and better. “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is not only the best actioner and sequel of the summer, but it may be the very best of all the “M: I” movies too. How do they do it? In a word, authenticity.
Christopher McQuarrie’s script is a genuine spy thriller with smart plotting, not just breathless set pieces. It honors the franchise equities yet stretches them too, having fun with the age of main character Ethan Hunt (56-year-old Tom Cruise). Most importantly, in Cruise they have a star who gives 100%, doing all his stunts with genuine derring-do. There’s precious little CGI anywhere, making it play all the more real. Impossible? More like incredible!
In this episode, Felicity Wren and Max Timm open up the Facebook lines and answer any and all questions the live viewers have, plus fun commentary on notes and comments.
Remember, Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
A Valentine's Day special where Max Timm and Felicity Wren talk about their favorite romantic comedies and then some, along with a discussion about what makes for the best romantic films.
Remember, Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
The sophomore season of “GLOW” on Netflix betters its freshman year.
Netflix’s dramedy GLOW, about women’s wrestling in the 80’s, had an auspicious first season in 2017. It helped rack up Netflix subscriptions, became a critical darling, and just received 10 Emmy awards. The show’s second season, which dropped on June 29th, does the first year one better. Show creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch have deepened the series across the board. It’s less about actress employment and more about female empowerment. The plotting constantly zigs when other shows zag. And, most significantly, this character-driven period piece comments strongly on modern female issues like #MeToo and the quest for equal pay. All that makes GLOW a shining example of the best of television, no matter what network it’s on.
Episode 195
Spanish filmmaker, Mateo Gil, talks about his latest film, a sci-fi drama called Realive. He talks about the early days of his career in Spain as a screenwriter working with director Alejandro Amenabar, and how he’s been able to branch out to writing and directing international films.
Episode 233
Screenwriter, director, and producer Asif Akbar talks about the early days of his career and how it lead him to his latest feature film, Astro.
Plot struggles mar the tense action in “Sicario: Day of the Soldado”
“Sicario: Day of the Soldado” is a sequel shot, acted and directed with the same care as its 2015 predecessor “Sicario.” Still, none of that expertise can gloss over a script that chokes on its own inconsistencies and lack of smarts. For starters, the screenplay never sets up its protagonist and antagonist properly. (The sequel didn’t bring back Emily Blunt’s moral FBI agent and that hurts things from the get-go.) The characters that do return are all over the map, literally and figuratively, making it difficult to get a bead on their motivations and movements. And too many coincidences and conveniences pile up and are laughable. Hardly, the reaction a thriller is aiming for.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” succeeds by staying small and in its lane.
There are many reasons the Ant-Man franchise is so successful. The premise of a miniscule superhero is hilarious. The actors cast are all deft comedic players. Most importantly, this Marvel Studios remains down-to-earth, really down to earth, about 4 inches off the ground. Even with such ginormous success, its sequel “Ant-Man and the Wasp” stays in the lane of its brand: modest adventures, funny banter and action, a family-friendly tone. While other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have gotten darker battling for the fate of the universe, these heroes don’t get too big for their britches…unless of course, it’s funny for them to grow 60 feet tall.
We're all salesman at the end of the day, and it's the salesman who make it in this town. We all need to treat our writing career like any other business - if no one knows you and your work exists, then you'll never gain any traction. For this episode of the ISA's Wine Wednesday Facebook Live Broadcast, Max Timm sits down with the ISA's marketing and business management afficionado, Scott Markus. Scott is also an author and an expert in all things paranormal, so he knows a thing or two about how to get your work noticed. So sit back, join us in a glass of wine and let's get you noticed.
Remember, Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
Do you have a book or preexisting material that you have dreams of turning in to the next blockbuster? Maybe just a news article that you think could make a really interesting TV show? Adaptation is the way of the industry these days, so tune in to Felicity and Max as they share a bottle of vino and talk all things adaptation.
Remember, Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
As opposed to a "year in REview", the ISA's Wine Wednesday duo of Max Timm and Felicity Wren present a "year in view" as they kick off 2018 with an all encompassing broadcast and script-talk, getting our writers ready for a productive year. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more broadcasts throughout 2018.
Remember, Felicity and Max always have open Q&A during every Facebook Live broadcast, so you should tune in when they broadcast their next live chat. Even though most broadcasts focus on a particular subject, every writer is welcome to ask anything they like at any time. Felicity and Max will do their best to give you a straight and honest answer.
This is a podcast recording of the ISA's Facebook Live broadcast of Wine Wednesdays. Please note that some promotions offered during the live broadcast are no longer available. We can, however, assist you if you wish to find out more information regarding ISA events, contests, or consulting offers. Just reach out to info@networkisa.org and we will be happy to help.
You can reach out to Max regarding any type of query: max@networkisa.org If you have particular interest in working with him on a one-on-one coaching and development basis, email him at max@thestoryfarm.org. His Story Farm development and coaching service is quickly becoming the best in the business! Felicity can also be reached at Felicity@networkisa.org. She, too, can work with you one-on-one, so don't hesitate to inquire. We can't wait to support you.
Subjects and themes for the broadcasts change from week to week, so stay tuned on most Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm Los Angeles time. For a specific schedule and set of announcements, "Like" the ISA Facebook page and keep up to date.
A strategy for submitting to screenplay contests with the founder of the International Screenwriting Association, Craig James. If you plan on submitting to contests, learn from the best - the ISA! We cultivate a list of the best contests and provide access to them via our website, www.networkisa.org.
You can also watch the video to this podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NVKVnvnYyU
“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” has action and fun, but could use some new DNA
If you’re going to do a fifth film in a franchise, you could do a lot worse than “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” It’s well directed by J.A. Bayona, with a lot of popcorn action perfect for the summer movie season. Unfortunately, some glaring script flaws mar the fun. A lot of exposition is glossed over, with holes in the plot one could drive a semi-truck through. The bad guys are one-note greedy businessmen and vicious mercenaries. And the good guys aren’t nearly as compelling as the dinosaurs. At least Bryce Dallas Howard is no longer running around the island in white pumps, but too much of this film goes over the same terrain as all the others that proceeded it.