I have decided to write on a different website, one that is more streamlined, more user friendly, and connects me automatically to a large and varied group of writers. Please follow me there! I'm now at www.medium.com. You can go there and in the search box type in my full name "Julie Evan Smith" (the quotes help as it brings you directly to me, rather than a list of me and everyone else with Evan in their name). OR - you can click here:
www.medium.com/@julie.evan.smith
Easy peasy.
I hope you will join me there.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
The Emmys are STILL Coming. I promise!
Only a few days left until the Emmys and lots of categories to get
through! Since we’ve got so much ground
to cover, today’s post will focus on nominations for lead actor for both drama
and comedy series. Here we go, my
penguins!
Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series, 2016
Nominees:
Matthew Rhys, The AmericansBob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Who Should Win: Matthew Rhys,
hands down. Even though this is a tough
category filled with terrific actors, Rhys’ work on The Americans has always
been on another level, and this season may have been his best yet. Always more eager than his wife Elizabeth to
defect and embrace the American way of life, this season found the Jennings
family in an even more precarious position than previous seasons, and that’s
saying something. In every moment there
are competing emotions at play just under Philip’s surface calm and Rhys
manages to convey tension, fear, vulnerability, steely resolve and profound
doubt with a mere look or line reading. His
layered, subtle, deeply felt work as Russian spy Philip Jennings is masterful.
Who Will Win: Rami Malek. Full disclosure – I have not watched Mr. Robot (mostly because I am allergic to Christian Slater), but from everything I’ve read, Malek’s performance is outstanding. His win at the Golden Globes earlier this year and the enormous amount of buzz the show has generated means he will likely pick up his first Emmy win.
Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, 2016
Nominees:
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth
Aziz Ansari, Master of None
William H. Macy, Shameless
Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Who Should Win: All of
them. Seriously, can we have a 6 way
tie? (Although I wish Aziz Ansari had
been nominated for supporting actor in a comedy series for Parks and Recreation
because he deserved it, as did that entire cast. Nick Offerman! How come Nick Offerman never
got an Emmy for the singular creation that was Ron Swanson?! Crap, now I’m getting pissed about the lack
of Emmy love for Parks).
Who Will Win: Jeffrey Tambor. It will be a repeat win for Tambor – a truly gifted actor giving what many consider to be the performance of his lifetime. (For me, nothing will outshine his work on Arrested Development.). He is beloved in the industry, an actor who is deft and sublime, heading a show shining a light on the much misunderstood and maligned trans community. He’s a shoo-in.
TOMORROW! Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series, Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, AND Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. THREE CATEGORIES!!! Bring a snack.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
The Emmys are coming! The Emmys are coming!
That's right, kittens -- The Emmy Awards are around the corner. September 18th to be exact. Award shows are both fun to watch and insufferable. You know it's true. They always run too long, most of the prepared jokes for the presenters are mediocre at best, and all awards are given out for a variety of reasons, mostly political, occasionally acknowledging real talent. HOWEVER! With all of that, I still watch them. The dresses! The speeches, some of which are truly wonderful (I'm looking at you, J.K. Simmons, Oscar winner). Did I mention the dresses?!
I am invested in this year's Emmy Awards because the nominations are great - pretty much across the board. Egregiously neglected shows, actors and writers were acknowledged this year, and that makes me happy enough to skip through the subway (which would not attract much notice, if any, as I live in New York City). Let's prepare for the ceremony together! In a series of posts between now and the 18th, I'm going to discuss the major categories and give you my picks for who should win and who actually will win. Here we go!
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - 2016
Nominees:
Taraji P. Henson - Empire
Claire Danes - Homeland
Robin Wright - House of Cards
Viola Davis - How To Get Away With Murder
Tatiana Maslany - Orphan Black
Keri Russell - The Americans
Who Should Win:
My vote goes to Keri Russell for THE AMERICANS. If you are not watching this show, I feel sorry for you. Hie thee to Amazon and get thyself caught up on the best show currently on television! Her performance as Elizabeth Jennings, a Russian spy living in America during the 1980s is exceptional. There is a potent stillness in her work that can suddenly erupt into physical or emotional violence. Her Elizabeth is steely and strongly committed to Mother Russia, but she beautifully layers in the increasing vulnerability and doubt creeping into her psyche. In actor-speak, she is deeply present in each moment and there is a generosity in the way she listens to her fellow actors. If all you know of Keri Russell is her turn as Felicity on the hit show of the same name from many years ago, treat yourself to her work on THE AMERICANS.
Who Will Win:
Viola Davis. She is a remarkable actress, one of the best around in my opinion. And she won in this category last year - the Emmy voters love a repeat winner. I won't be disappointed if she wins because Viola Davis should be in everything and win all the awards, even the Nobel Prize in Economics, as far as I'm concerned. I don't watch HTGAWM, because I don't like the shows that Shonda Rhimes produces (more on that later; essentially, I don't find Shonda to be a good storyteller). When HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER first premiered, I watched a couple of episodes, based solely on Viola Davis' presence. But not even she can get me to stay with another creation from Shondaland. Nevertheless, she is a powerhouse of an actor, willing to go to dark, scary places other actors might shy away from.
Stay tuned for my vote/prediction for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series! Coming up next.
I am invested in this year's Emmy Awards because the nominations are great - pretty much across the board. Egregiously neglected shows, actors and writers were acknowledged this year, and that makes me happy enough to skip through the subway (which would not attract much notice, if any, as I live in New York City). Let's prepare for the ceremony together! In a series of posts between now and the 18th, I'm going to discuss the major categories and give you my picks for who should win and who actually will win. Here we go!
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series - 2016
Nominees:
Taraji P. Henson - Empire
Claire Danes - Homeland
Robin Wright - House of Cards
Viola Davis - How To Get Away With Murder
Tatiana Maslany - Orphan Black
Keri Russell - The Americans
Who Should Win:
My vote goes to Keri Russell for THE AMERICANS. If you are not watching this show, I feel sorry for you. Hie thee to Amazon and get thyself caught up on the best show currently on television! Her performance as Elizabeth Jennings, a Russian spy living in America during the 1980s is exceptional. There is a potent stillness in her work that can suddenly erupt into physical or emotional violence. Her Elizabeth is steely and strongly committed to Mother Russia, but she beautifully layers in the increasing vulnerability and doubt creeping into her psyche. In actor-speak, she is deeply present in each moment and there is a generosity in the way she listens to her fellow actors. If all you know of Keri Russell is her turn as Felicity on the hit show of the same name from many years ago, treat yourself to her work on THE AMERICANS.
Who Will Win:
Viola Davis. She is a remarkable actress, one of the best around in my opinion. And she won in this category last year - the Emmy voters love a repeat winner. I won't be disappointed if she wins because Viola Davis should be in everything and win all the awards, even the Nobel Prize in Economics, as far as I'm concerned. I don't watch HTGAWM, because I don't like the shows that Shonda Rhimes produces (more on that later; essentially, I don't find Shonda to be a good storyteller). When HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER first premiered, I watched a couple of episodes, based solely on Viola Davis' presence. But not even she can get me to stay with another creation from Shondaland. Nevertheless, she is a powerhouse of an actor, willing to go to dark, scary places other actors might shy away from.
Stay tuned for my vote/prediction for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series! Coming up next.
Friday, August 26, 2016
I'M WRITING A NOVEL!
Which isn't scary at all.
Nope. Not remotely terrifying.
I'm also getting this blog up and running, writing poetry, a one-woman show about Mt. Everest, and a plethora of emails at my day job telling so-and-so that such-and-such called. It's safe to say I like words.
Having performed my own work at storytelling shows and dabbled in poetry for years (finally working up the courage to begin submitting them; hooray, me!) I never thought about attempting a novel. But I took a class with Matthew Specktor in which he suggested that a short story was actually a novel-in-waiting. It felt both like a compliment and a kick in the crotch.
So, here I go! Yay!!!!!
(Hiding under the covers).
(Still hiding).
(My bed is really comfortable. Can't I stay here and watch episodes of MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES on Netflix?)
(The nagging voice in my head says "no." What a bitch.)
Nope. Not remotely terrifying.
I'm also getting this blog up and running, writing poetry, a one-woman show about Mt. Everest, and a plethora of emails at my day job telling so-and-so that such-and-such called. It's safe to say I like words.
Having performed my own work at storytelling shows and dabbled in poetry for years (finally working up the courage to begin submitting them; hooray, me!) I never thought about attempting a novel. But I took a class with Matthew Specktor in which he suggested that a short story was actually a novel-in-waiting. It felt both like a compliment and a kick in the crotch.
So, here I go! Yay!!!!!
(Hiding under the covers).
(Still hiding).
(My bed is really comfortable. Can't I stay here and watch episodes of MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES on Netflix?)
(The nagging voice in my head says "no." What a bitch.)
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
MY FIRST POST
Kind of like My First Pony, only different.
I don't have a pony.
But I do have this new website. As promised there will be rants and raves about all things entertainment (books, TV, film, theatre, pop culture) as well as inner monologues of inanimate objects. Admit it, you've often wondered what your household items would think about all day if they weren't, you know, not alive.
I don't have a pony.
But I do have this new website. As promised there will be rants and raves about all things entertainment (books, TV, film, theatre, pop culture) as well as inner monologues of inanimate objects. Admit it, you've often wondered what your household items would think about all day if they weren't, you know, not alive.
You haven't thought about
that? Oh.
Well, I have. So
there!
There will be
politics. At least until writing about politics makes me angry and
depressed and then I'll just post pictures of kittens. Because,
kittens. And it's the internet, so aren't pictures of cats required by
this point?
You might also stumble
upon my thoughts about my own creative process. I'm writing a one-woman
show and a novel. GULP. What's my novel about? Good
question. I haven't decided yet! What's my one-woman show
about? Mt. Everest. Sort of. You'll just have to come see it
to find out. Stay tuned for details!
Thanks for joining me
here. I sure hope you decide to follow this blog.
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