Stories

Stories

“The Movies”: A joyride through the post-auteur era

As the 1980s began, movie moguls were still in their ’60s/’70s haze.
Perplexed by the new generation, they’d written big checks to “auteurs” — directors who looked and sounded hip and artful. Then “Heaven’s Gate” happened.
“It was a shot through the heart of the auteur era,” journalist Chris Connelly says in the opener of “The Movies,” CNN’s blitz-paced series.
“Heaven’s Gate” cost $44 million and made $3.5 million in North America. Its director (Michael Cimino, fresh from the Oscar-winning “Deer Hunter”), would go five years before his next movie … its studio (United Artists) would collapse … and Hollywood would regress. That was in 1980, a convenient starting point for this opener. It eyes the ’80s, the post-auteur era. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / July 2, 2019
Stories

A time for joy: Lear’s comedy is rescued

For the TV world, this was one of the year’s biggest news flashes:
The Pop network is rescuing “One Day at a Time.” It will have 13 new episodes next year.
OK, not everyone will consider it huge. Chances are, many people weren’t aware there is a Pop network or a “One Day” reboot. But ponder this from several standpoints
:– TV history. Norman Lear is the producer who sparked TV’s first golden age of comedy. Now he’s had a one-two shot – last month, ABC’s live show using “All in the Family” and “Jeffersons” scripts … and now this. In his statement, Lear said he was “heartbroken” when Netflix decided against a fourth season, and is now “overwhelmed with joy.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 28, 2019
Stories

Gone solo? No, Colbie has Gone West

Colbie Caillat seems to have this pop-star thing backward
.People are supposed to start in groups. Then – full of success or full of themselves – they go solo.
But after a decade solo, Caillat has now become one-fourth of Gone West.“It’s fun,” she said. “Now I’m out there with my best friends.”
Last October was their Grand Ole Opry debut; coming is the July 4 mega-concert in Washington, D.C. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 28, 2019
Stories

The hotel is grand; the wedding was not

Stop and think about the weddings you’ve gone to.
Now do a calculation: In what percentage did the bride and groom say “I do” and become married?My own figure is 100 percent, but I might run with a dull crowd.
In the TV world, excluding finales, it seems closer to 50 percent. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 21, 2019
Stories

After some detours, “Dark” wraps its season powerfully

Born with good intentions, fine actors and poor pacing, “In the Dark” has wandered a bit.
.It seemed to be drifting … but not any more. The season’s final two episodes make it all worthwhile; they’re 9 p.m. Thursdays, June 20 and 27, on CW
.Yes, that’s the network that’s stuffed with superheroes … which “Dark” is not. It’s sort of the opposite, which is how it got started. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 19, 2019
Stories

Moon marathon begins

The moon landing is about to sprawl across our TV sets again.
Its 50th anniversary (July 20) is sparking documentaries on PBS and cable and more. But what’s an ideal length? Producer-director Todd Douglas Miller has several answers to choose from: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 17, 2019
Stories

Frankie’s era? Well, it looked great

In a land of dark dramas, we might all wish we lived in Frankie Drake’s world.
That’s 1920s Toronto, where even the the crooks are neat and well-spoken. In this detective drama, Frankie is a sleek redhead, zooming around on a red motorcycle. It seems like fun, but …
“The bane of my existence for Season One was trying to operate the cars and the motorcycle,” said Lauren Lee Smith, who stars.
Especially that motorcycle: “It lit on fire at one point. (And) when you’re supposed to be going forward, it would reverse.” Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 14, 2019
Stories

“The Good Fight” brings its good run to CBS

Strolling through the summer TV line-up can feel like a trip to a perverse flea market.
There’s a miniature-golf show (really, on ABC) … and a 3-on-3 basketball league … and the sort of soap opera where the groom denounces the bride and attacks the wedding singer. There are magicians and jugglers and feuding roommates and ’80s game shows and ….
Wait … flea markets also have their gems. In the midst of all this nonsense, “The Good Fight” is spending summer Sundays on CBS. It has strong stories, great dialog and gifted actors. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / June 12, 2019