Author: JaniaJania

Damian’s Legacy

While we await US release of Queen of the Desert and Silent Storm, and know that Damian is currently hard at work on delivering Billions to us in the new year, my installment this week will be a collection of random thoughts.

First, there is talk of the next Bond all over Twitter. Some folks seem to think the decision is already made and react accordingly. Most folks just want their own opinions of the matter out there, yay or nay. We’re in wait and see mode over here. And while I don’t really want this artist we love so much put out there, exposed to the awful scrutiny that roles like the Bond franchise bring, him being awarded the franchise, even if it is for just a couple films, will undoubtedly propel him higher in the ranks of the A-list, whatever that means. That and the fact he’ll get to work in his beloved home town may be things he might like, right? So, yeah, whatever he likes, we like. Yes, we are that brand of ride-or-die fans over here.

So much for Bond.

emma

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Bobby Axelrod Rocks to Metallica

Damian Lewis Noah Emmerich Brian Koppelman
Source: Damian Lewis

As we get closer to Billions becoming a reality to hit our screens come January, we learn more and more juicy bits about the show. Last week we learned that Bobby Axelrod takes a trip with his buddy to Quebec to see Metallica. We saw it all play out in the wonderful worlds of Twitter and Instagram, the best portals ever to behind the scenes goodies.

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Bill : Comedy for Kings and Kids Alike

Anything that can render history and literature accessible to the masses plus get children excited about learning is a winner in my book. Combine that with cameo appearances by Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory and what you’ve got is a must-see treat.

The comedy, Bill, put together by the folks who do the BBC series Horrible Histories, comes to screens today, September 18, in the UK. The film imagines what may have happened during William Shakespeare’s “Lost Years”, the time during which he transformed from a married father of three in bucolic Stratford to the greatest dramatist of all time in London.

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Wolf Hall Redux

As a ramp up to Emmy night this Sunday, September 20, I wanted to take a look back at the six  episodes of masterpiece television that was Wolf Hall. The series is nominated for a whopping 8 awards, and I plan to be watching and rooting for the entire crew to take home at least a few of those statues.  Allow me to cover a bit of the highlights of each episode and you be the judge.

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Band of Brothers before and after 9/11

onecollageFourteen years ago today, September 9, 2001, a documentary-like mini-series tribute to D-Day and to WWII, Band of Brothers, aired its two first episodes. Two days later that same year the world turned upside down. It was very difficult for any entertainment to be very entertaining in the days after September 11, 2001. If there were people who looked at ratings, advertising revenue, critical reviews and other such metrics to gauge the success of a series, chances are that they, like the rest of us, were distracted by other headlines. On this anniversary, I wanted to examine how Band of Brothers was perceived by critics, before and after September 11, 2001.

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