TRAILER REVIEW OF RAQUEL'S LEGACY IS JUST COMEDIC...SERIOUSLY

🎞 🎥 Trailer Review 🎥 🎞 - RAQUEL'S LEGACY Trailer -

Directed by Sandra DelCid
Starring: Sandra DelCid, John Macaig

Oh my, where to begin, where to begin...

SUMMARY - There's nothing to report as there is no feature film to present after this really BAD trailer.

This is a look into the Houston Film Industries latest movie production which I know for a fact is only a trailer for a film that actress/director, Sandra DelCid wants to bring to life after she wrote a book concerning the sex trafficking epidemic that is occurring in Texas on a grand scale.

At some point during the last year, I was approached about helping to produce a “trailer” for DelCid's script on this particular project, which I only turned down because I don't like working on "trailers," which are actually called "pitch films" or "sizzle reels" in the professional world of film making. DelCid is a woman who is dying to be a leading actress in a film, but she has limited acting skills, never attended acting classes, and shouldn’t expect the world to bend to her desires because she wants to feel famous again. Take note that she's played extra's in some recent feature Indie films and claims to have taken notes on how to produce films professionally.

What's funny is that I'm not sure where this trailer is going or what is intended to be done with it, but it's lackluster presentation and choppy scenes with an apparent amateur camera operator, who doesn't know anything about the “rule of thirds,” failed miserably in capturing any of the scenes with finesse or actual implied professionalism. Most of the scenes look like the camera was set up into position on a tripod and the capture button was activated, having no one behind the camera. The trailers editor had problems [or didn't even attempt to] with killing the sound on the scenes of the trailer while the musical track's volume was raised in an attempt to drown out the sound of the actors.

I will say that there are a few good captures of scenery with different camera angles seen in the trailer; but those are few and far in-between to actually give a better review of what DelCid is trying to sell in this trailer. The rest of the trailer is just a grouping of what not to do when your filming, editing, and presenting something that has not been color corrected for mass effect. One the best kudo's I can give this failure of a trailer is that DelCid did decide to release something that she put together alone with her money; something she truly felt obligated to do since there were very few people to work with her project unless she paid them for their time - and in Houston it's a sad fact that many local "actors" - claiming to be seasoned SAG actors - demand to get paid for shitty performances in "obviously amateur" Indie film productions. Even now, the actors who were paid by DelCid refuse to post her trailer to help support her film project; so much for the team effort!

DelCid's persistence to get her book turned into a movie is commendable, but she should leave movie making to film directors who know what they're actually doing both in front and behind the camera. Once an amateur actor/actress beings to listen to local Houston SAG "actors" about what is the right way to produce a film; i.e. rent cameras, pay actors, etc. - the project will become a lost cause and drama will drown out any chance of success. The producer/director of this trailer should know that there are many talented non-SAG actors in the Houston Film Scene that would have done a better job performing in a sizzle reel and who would have even done all of the work for free. One doesn't always have to pay actors to perform for projects that will never see the light of day; and those that do just burn cash that could have been used for something else.

PRODUCTION BREAKDOWN

← Lighting

↓ Camera Work

↓ Screenplay

↓ Sound

← Use of Visuals

↓ Time Lapse

↓ Editing

← Rule of Thirds
← Locations

↓ Music

↓ Ending/Follow through
 
LEGEND   ↑ Excellent   ← Needs Work    ↓ Poor

POST MORTEM – Since I know that there is no feature film or short film for this trailer, I cannot find it in my time to do an accurate evaluation of a film that doesn't exist. But more specifically, this is a good reason why trailers/teasers/sizzle reels should never be produced unless you have a real project to make into a completed film BEFORE releasing something to preview.

⭐️ 💫 [1.5 of 5 Stars]

SPACE 1999: A HIDDEN GEM ON VUDU

🎞 🎥 Series Review 🎥 🎞 - SPACE 1999 - Season's 1 & 2 on VUDU - 

In 1975, British TV unleashed the most expensive SciFi show of the time with SPACE 1999, starring Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, and Barry Morse, who were all veteran superstar actors at the time. The premise is that in the future,  nuclear waste from earth which was dumped on the moon for storage, ignites in nuclear explosions that force the moon to break earths orbit and heads out into deep space away from the solar system. The moon crosses paths with other planets and systems filled with alien life and out of world technologies.

Initially, there are references to magnetic exposure which causes "brain deterioration" and is misdiagnosed as a virus [which I thought was ingenious] but is no longer brought up after the first episode. The rest of the episodes are well written and performed by the veteran actors of the time and the use of simple special effects that might make it easy for a network to consider revising the old effects with better CGI[?]. The history of the show indicates that initial production began in 1973, when it was ready to launch, but was held back for reasons concerning copyright issues and the production of Arthur C. Clarkes, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY under Stanley Kubric's direction.

The series ran for several years and many episodes laid down the foundation for early SciFi television formats for SciFi shows that are being produced today. Many of the sets look familiar to the ones used in Star Trek: The Next Generation (STNG) and with good reason; the set layouts were perfect to use in studio construction for SciFi TV; i.e. STNG, Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5, etc. You also might be surprised that the plots and alien contacts from several episodes of this series were also used in STNG and two of the Star Trek Original Series [STOS] movies. One episode in particular during the first season is entitled "Voyager's Return" was very similar to Star Treks first feature film concerning "V-Ger" - Something for you to compare when you watch each episode and look for familiar plots coinciding with STNG.

The series revolves around three cast members most of the time and develops characters through a myriad of episodes that have to be watched in sequence. Most of the actors in the series actually work in Hollywood today and I’m shocked to notice that many of the writers and directors worked for many years on network television. Some episodes come off with dry performances, almost like watching today’s soap operas, but was effective for the time. Landau’s performances are stellar and everything you see today in all SciFi shows. The series is a valuable part of ScFi TV and I recommend anyone who likes filmmaking ScFi to watch and learn from the masters of the time.

The low rating of the series is only due to the special effects of the time and some of the delivery of the guest stars; who were essential for the show's growth in the 70s, but the developments of the new species just weren't given time to "tell their tail" to their strongest presentation in screenplay.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 [3.5 of 5 Stars]

CBS HAD A SURPRISE HIT WITH "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" in 1966

With a brilliant cast and some seriously funny shows, The Dick Van Dyke Show took comedy into a new realm of entertainment that not only showed the comedic talents of Dick Van Dyke, but also proved that a lady could potentially lead her own show with Mary Tyler Moore playing the role of his wife.

Both equally as talented in their talented use of  physical acting skills, together they launched a new progressive look inside the family household and how classic people use to share moments of entertainment at home; you'd swear that a lot hasn't changed in the years about how things occur on a daily basis when it concerns little-private family matters or raising of a child.

Watching the entire first season of this series was just a complete, mind blowing experience as I often found myself laughing over some of the situations that happened in my own home over the course of time; whether it'd be someone in the family reading my personal mail before I did, the wife being jealous of a co-worker, or my boss asking me time and time again to go that extra mile in submitting a new idea for the company.

Completely family friendly, the shows writers were diligent in adding little scenes that were strictly meant for adults while still presenting it as good entertainment to hide the little "secrets" from young eyes. I certainly recommend you take a look at the first series of the show and spend some time entertained as you will find the show hits you in the funny bone more than once during each episode.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ [4 of 5 Stars]

JOKER PROVES THAT GOOD WRITING IS WORTH A GAMBLE OR TWO OR THREE...

🎞 🎥 Movie Review 🎥 🎞- JOKER - (R) 

Fucking Wow! Finally, a well written wovie about the comic book world where someone wasn't pulled away from his family, who later became a king, or who was rich and could spend money to build whatever technology he [or she] dreamed of to make them powerful. 

This movie had grit, a dark angle, and at times, was funny to watch as a mentally disturbed man tries to hide the inner demons that are so obviously his best friends. I sat through the entire movie, watching the mental breakdown of a man just after his release from Arkham State Hospital and it seemed all to real. Set in the times of the late 70's or early 80's, the man who becomes the Joker finds himself being turned away and not taken serious about his mental problems. 

This film could have easily been a love story, but the writers and the director make it clear that this train was not going to stop at the station of love. However, this film was a product of love in it's own way. Joaquin Phoenix was masterful and his transformation was eerily breathtaking; no doubt getting another Oscar nod. Joker is the best film of the year! A great fucking movie; definitely not for kids. 

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ [5 of 5 Stars]

"FASHION SWAY" PREMIERES WITH LITTLE TO NO FASHION AT ALL

FASHION SWAY JNJ Series

Directed by Marcus Mahud

Produced by NOVA Productions

SUMMARY – A look at fashion in the Galleria area of Houston, Texas. This web series premieres three local area individuals who peruse through the Galleria Mall, giggling and laughing about places they visit. 

They try to interview a few show owners and show some new clothes, while making the entire show fun by presenting what is good at the Galleria Mall. The styles presented are simple, colorful, and sometimes a bit expensive looking. The music was produced by Marcus Mahud and seems to fit the production to the standards he was looking for.

PRODUCTION BREAKDOWN

↓ Lighting

← Camera Work

↓ Sound

← Use of Visuals

↓ Time Lapse

↓ Editing

↓ Rule of Thirds
← Locations

← Music

LEGEND:  ↑ Excellent   ← Needs Work    ↓ Poor

POST MORTEM : Marcus Mahud, the self proclaimed “best Director of 2018,” hasn’t progressed in his filmmaking attempts. There appears to be a LOT of mumbling going on between the leads of the show and Nanae's best dialog is a flirtacious giggle. Just because Mahud is a director, doesn’t require him to handle the camera; he should spend more time preparing his team for the best presentation in a series that involves live capture. Another good idea is to use wireless microphones so that we can actually hear what the leads of the show are talking about. One kudo is that this is the first project that actually has a beginning and an ending in Mahud's film history.

A very disappointing show. ⭐️💫 [1.5 of 5 Stars]