Skeleton Crew Motion Pictures

04/25/2020

10/28/2016

Enjoy this Public Service Announcement:

10/27/2016

If we knew the exact date that Michelangelo chiseled the last piece of marble off of his “David”, or the exact date that Leonardo put the last brush stroke on his “Mona Lisa”, we would rightly celebrate that day as a great day in art (and may I daresay, human) history.

Well, thanks to the record-keeping people at the Hal Roach Studios, we do know that 80 years ago today, October 27, 1936, this scene from “Way Out West” was put to film:

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy need to enter a saloon, but they pause to enjoy The Avalon Boys’ rendition of “At The Ball, That’s All”. Inspired by their dancing mule, The Boys slip into a (now classic) soft-shoe number of sublime and effortless fun.

High art? Maybe not. But, as the frivolous joy of that scene comes off the screen and causes you to smile or laugh (just as it did to weary Depression-era audiences), the emotional impact that accompanies great art is unavoidable.

So if you can, watch some Laurel and Hardy today and raise a glass to The Boys for providing some much-needed fun to a weary world!

10/10/2016

https://youtu.be/PKCmQajt5jU

01/14/2016

Fittingly, Die Hard takes place at the top of a skyscraper. For a lot of people, it is the best action movie of them all. It was one of those that I went to see over and over again on the big screen. (I can still tell you exactly where all the reel changes are, for those that remember reel changes...)

It has a great plot, good dialogue, and a surprising performance from then-TV star and wine-cooler pitchman, Bruce Willis. But for my money, what made it a classic was Alan Rickman.

Hans Gruber, I think, is the best movie villain there has ever been. And yes, I am including Darth Vader and Heath Ledger's Joker. He was smart, calm, cool, unflinchingly evil, and laser-focused on an understandable, base goal.

He is, in fact, the protagonist in that movie. Not the hero, but the protagonist- the one who gets the plot going. The antagonist (the one who stands in his way) is John McClane.

If some fool ever "reboots" Die Hard, he better digitally lift Alan Rickman from the original and build the reboot around his performance- every frame of it. Because you'll never do better.

R.I.P. Alan Rickman. You were the best!

12/20/2013

Here is another fun music video for you. Merry Christmas! Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/4VU9Faf-2Co

This one goes out to the memory of Andy "Rockin' Robin" Bernard and all those aspiring Andy Bernards out there. Follow that a capella dream! Enjoy!

10/14/2013

Saw "Gravity" Saturday... I get why people rave: The thing is visually beautiful (and the 3D IMAX at Mayfair was amazing.) But being the space-nerd that I am, I'm in a special position to realize that the story and plot are just laughably ridiculous. And before you write that off to "well, that's just a space-nerd's opinion", my wife is no space-nerd and she recognized the total absence of character development and the over-abundance of contrived crisis, manufactured drama, and (stunningly beautiful) destruction of satellites, space vehicles and astronauts. So if you want to see some great CGI (and I would recommend the IMAX 3D version), go see it, but realize that's all you're going to see.

03/31/2013

17 years ago this month, Chad, Andrea and I flew out to Los Angeles to tape this show. A blast from the past- moment in the sun. http://youtu.be/Pa1j2k6tfE8

Our $3,000-winning entry from America's Funniest Home Videos. And them's 1996 dollars- lookin' pretty good right now...