Under The Dome Casting!

CBS is going to make a summer series out of Stephen King's "Under The Dome".  It is a good book with a lot happening.  Luckily it is available in e-book to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome. 

It has a huge cast, but I will focus on the main ones and a few minor ones.



Dale "Barbie" Barbara

Former military, current drifter who is leaving town with a bad taste in his mouth.  He is trapped under the dome and witnesses some bad stuff that sets off the action.  I like Thomas Jane.  I have chosen him for other roles and think he is underutilized.  He is smart, sexy and you can buy him as a former military guy.



Julia Shumway

I think Maura Tierney would be perfect for Julia.  She is scrappy and smart.  I can see her as the owner and writer of a small town paper. 



James "Big Jim" Rennie

From the first appearance of Big Jim the only actor I could imagine was John Goodman.  He is bigger than life.  He can be charming and evil at the same time.  There is a scene in a bunker I can totally see John Goodman killing!




Junior Rennie

Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame.  This character is a thug and a sociopath and the son of a powerful man that has kept him down all his life.   I think this kid can pull it off.



Eric "Rusty" Everett

Rusty has to be a ginger, or his nickname doesn't make sense.  He is almost a doctor, a devoted father and husband.  Kevin McKidd has the doctor thing covered.  He can play smart and I can see him as a hero type.



Linda Everett

Yvonne Strahovski can hold a gun.  As a small town deputy, she needs to be strong, yet vulnerable.  She is a mother of two young girls.  After this season on Dexter, (I never watched Chuck) I can see her going all mama bear on the bad guys.




Andy Sanders

Michael Hitchcock is Andy Sanders.  He is a selectman who is pretty much a puppet until he is tipped over the edge by the incidents that set off the dome.  He goes a little bonkers.  I can see him falling apart under Big Jim. 



Phil "The Chef" Bushey

He's a little old for Chef, but can't you see John Benjamin Hickey mixing up a big batch of crystal meth?

 

Horace

Of course the amazing corgi hero Horace should be played by my amazing corgi Stevie.  He will work for treats. 

There are a lot of other characters.  Too many to name.  Who do you think should play the other characters? 

Falling Off The Face Of The Earth

Is anyone there?

I kind of fell off the face of the earth. 

Those are my workout pants hiding under my polar bear lounge pants.  Yes, I have been lounging more than working out.  It has been over a month since I hit the trail. 

Here is my official list of excuses.

1. I have been working a little later. 
2. I'm tired.
3. Daylight savings, it is getting dark earlier.
4. I was sick.
5. It is getting cold.
6. My chair is warm.
7. I am getting seasonal depression.
8. I have to get up at 4AM.
9. The new television shows are really good. 
10. I had to go see the new Twilight movie.
11. Fall makes me crave comfort foods.
12. I can't get in a holiday mood.
13. Trisha Yearwood is making Christmas cookies on the Food Network.
14. My street team fell off the wagon too.
15. I turned 43. 
16. I need a haircut.
17. It is the busy season at work.
18. I need new shoes.
19. I can't find clean socks.
20. My DVR is almost full and I have to clear it out.
21. My sports bra squishes my boobs down enough that my stomach sticks out and makes me look fatter.
22. My dog is lonely when I am gone.
23. My husband turned fifty-one.  
24. I am just lazy.

None of these reasons are good ones.  But when I am sitting in my nice warm chair with an episode of Glee or Dexter (I have eclectic taste!) it is hard to get up.  I know what I need to do.  I need to do it. 

I need inspiration!
I need motivation!
I need a kick in the butt.

I'm Ready For My Movie Montage!

The other night I got a text from my friend.  She is calling me out on not doing my walks.  I need someone to do that.  But as I feared, the weather has started to turn.  All the rain we missed all summer has started in haste.  So the warmth of home is hard to resist.

I need a movie montage.  Think of all the movie where the lead character goes through a physical transformation. 

"Mirror Has Two Faces"

Dumpy Barbra



A two minute montage of running and makeover later....



Hot Barbra. 

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding"



Frumpy Nia.

Cue the montage with a computer class and contacts, soon we have this.



She is with John Corbett getting married.

"Never Been Kissed"



Nerdy Drew.



Just a montage to adorable.

I just want to montage myself to my goal.  Two minutes of highlights, sweating, running, haircut and some mascara.

Movies make it look so easy.  I guess I'll just have to get off my butt and do it in real time. 

Argo - 2012

"Argo"

I was in grade school when the Iran Hostage crisis happened.   I remember hearing about it on the news, mostly about Kathryn Koob, an Iowan who was one of the hostages.  Going to Catholic school, my teachers/nuns had us praying for their release. 

A few months after the hostages were released, Kathryn Koob visited our school.  I remember thinking she just looked like a normal woman.  I wasn't sure what I thought she'd be like but she just seemed normal, like someone's mom. 

Until this movie, I didn't know about the six people that had hidden out in the Canadian Embassy under danger of death. 




Ben Affleck does a great job as Tony Mendes, a CIA operative who heads the rescue mission.  There are so many actors in this movie. 

John Goodman and Alan Arkin steal all their scenes as Hollywood insiders who help get a fake movie off the ground for Tony's cover.

 

There were a bunch of "hey, that dude looks familiar" people in this movie.  They came and went so fast, I had to check out IMDB to be sure. 

The movie is taut and intense.  Even though I knew going in that it was going to turn out alright, I was still on the edge of my seat.  The performances were really good. 

I do have one issue though.  The movie theater is doing something kind of sneaky and wrong.  I had the day off so I went to a matinee.  I love going to the theater and the first show of the day is an early bird.  I stepped up to the ticket counter and was told it was $9.25. 

"Is that right?"  I asked.  "Isn't it a matinee?"
"It's in XD."  Says little theater boy.
"Really?" 

It was another hour and a half until the non-XD show so I went.  But I don't think this movie needed to be in XD.  It stands for Xtreme Digital.   This movie was made in old seventies style.  There was nothing that needed to be extreme. 

It was a good movie.  I imagine we will see it in the upcoming awards season. 

The Breathing Method - Casting The Movie

The powers in that be Movie Land may have finally heard my prayer!  They are going to finally adapt the final novella in Stephen King's collection "Different Seasons" will be adapted for the big screen.

This is a magical group of stories.



Shawshank Redemption



Stand By Me



Apt Pupil

All the movies were really good.  Apt Pupil was the weakest and still had great performances.  Each story was great. 

Shawshank was the story of Spring and the hope that "springs" eternal.

Apt Pupil was about Summer and corruption of youth. 

Stand By Me, or "The Body" was about Fall and the fall from innocence.  It was also the journey away from childhood and letting go of childish things.

But I have been waiting since I read the book way back in the 80's for the final story to come to film.  It is a Winter story.  It shows us a man in the winter of his life telling a story about winter that changed his life.  (How many times can I say winter in one paragraph, once more I guess)  It is the closest to horror of any of the stories in the collection.  But it is so heartfelt.  There is tragedy and inspiration.  It is a pretty cool story.

So I am going to do those movie makers a favor and cast the main characters for them.  Dear Director person, just call me if you need help getting the minor roles cast.

David

This is a slightly minor character, but he bookends the movie and introduces us the "The Club" where stories are treasured.




It is a small part, but Tom Hanks would be incredible.  His thoughts are all over his face and watching him react to the story told would be magical.  Plus he done King before.

Dr. Emlyn McCarron



Thomas Jane as the innovative doctor.  He can just play smart and believable as a doctor.  He also has to be a little in love with the leading lady.   He has also done King.  (Not a prerequisite I swear!)  But please do not age with make up or CGI, give a senior actor a job with rocking voiceover.

Sandra Stansfield



The pregnant patient.  Emma Stone is the right age and has the determination the character needs.  She is a single woman in the 1930's deciding to keep her unplanned baby.  Stone has an integrity about her that would make this character shine.  

Mrs. Davidson



The doctor's receptionist and nurse is a bit judgemental about young Miss Stansfield.  But she ends up being impressed with her and supporting her in a way I can't write about.  Kathy Bates does more with a look than some actors can do with pages of dialogue.  (OK, she has King cred too, can you say Oscar winner!)

I know that the budget just went up on this film.  What do you think?  Who would you cast?

Busy

It has been crazy busy.  And it is getting colder.  A couple of days ago it rained and I didn't walk out of fear that all the leaves on the bike trail would make it slippery and I would fall.

I LOVE EXCUSES!  I can justify almost any lack of exercise or unhealthy snack.  At least to myself.  Right now is great walking weather.   I can put on my jacket and plug in my music and go.  But it is way too easy to just sit in my chair and watch television.  If I don't go walking the minute I get home I can pretty much forget it. 

I am just really busy.  My job is gearing up for its busy season.  I have family in town for a wedding.  I just need to make it a focus and remember that doing a little every day will make the difference.  Gotta stay on the path. 

My favorite quote.

"If it is important to you, you will find a way.  If it isn't you will find an excuse."

No excuses!

Scenes from the Walk

It is fall.  The weather is getting cooler and the leaves are changing.  This is the bridge that starts my path down the bike trail. 

There are leaves covering the trail and crunch under my shoes in the most satisfying way.  I love the sound of walking in the leaves. 

Fall is about my favorite time of year.  It reminds me of starting school and the excitement of my birthday coming up.  I also met my husband in the fall and it reminds me of those early nights of dating.

When we met he was working the night shift.  He could talk on the phone at work, so we would talk for hours.  He would get off at midnight and pick me up at my dorm.  We'd go to an all night diner and eat and talk.  We spent a lot of time talking.  We still seem to have a lot to talk about. 

I'd get home about five in the morning and try to sleep.  Needless to say I did not pass my 8AM class that semester.

 

 

 

The leaves will continue to change and I am looking forward to chilly walks bundled up in a thick sweatshirt.  Hope you enjoy these fall days.