Live Stage – eMotionFilmsLtd

by Shannonn Kelly
01:18AM, EST, September 07, 2013

Jason Bateman as a 40 year-old Spelling Bee contestant in his directorial debut "Bad Words" — Jason Bateman as a 40 year-old Spelling Bee contestant in his directorial debut “Bad Words”

Unexpectedly, my final film tonight was “Triptyque” (Triptych), by co-directors Robert LePage and Pedro Pires – Not originally on my Top 100 but I’ve heard so much about the play, that I decided to go see it since it was in close proximity to my previous film. The cinematography by co-director Pedro Pires was gorgeous. The story simple. The cast perfect. The overall feeling was very organic from storytelling to editing. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I have never seen a bad film from Quebec. I could go watch ‘Triptyque’ again right now. It was what I would call “poetically artful”.

I also saw “12 Years a Slave” – – Stunning, beautifully acted narrative of appalling historical fact… Chiwetel Ejiofor is ready for his Oscar! A **Must See**

My Picks for Day 3 at TIFF 2013 are as follows. Happy TIFF-Ing 🙂 Continue reading “TIFF 2013 :: Day 3 :: What To See at TIFF Today”

by Shannonn Kelly
04:45PM, EST July 22, 2013

Today I’m sad to report we have lost another wonderful character actor.

Chicago Cop turned Actor Dennis Farina... (Photo by Frederick M. Brown) — Chicago Cop turned Actor Dennis Farina… (Photo by Frederick M. Brown)

Best known for playing tough guy roles in films such as Midnight Run, Snatch, Get Shorty and as TV’s Detective Joe Fontana on Law & Order, Chicago cop turned actor, Dennis Farina is dead at the age of 69.

It’s reported that Farina died in a Scottsdale, Arizona hospital after suffering a pulmonary embolism.

I first saw Dennis Farina in a short-lived TV series I personally believe was ahead of its time called “Crime Story” (1986-1988).

Director Michael Mann, who actually left the hot Miami Vice to helm Crime Story, produced it. The premise was a young made mobster from Chicago was sent to Las Vegas to expand the Chicago mob’s casino interests.

Dennis Farina played Lieutenant Mike Torello. His antagonist in the series was Ray Luca, a mobster played by Anthony Denison. They both were obsessed with bringing each other down on the mean and dirty mobbed up streets of early 1960’s Las Vegas.

The series also brought to the front more character actors such as complexly talented yet, under-rated Hollywood work-horse Bill Smitrovich who played Torello’s right-hand Detective Danny Krychek. Stephen Lang, now every movie’s bad guy or power-mad megalomaniac, played the sensitive, nerd-hot ginger haired bespectacled attorney David Abrams. Continue reading “Chicago Cop Turned Actor – Dennis Farina – Dead at 69…”