Do you fit in? Do you have the answer to everything? Are you always happy, always on the up and up?
Then "Atypical" is not a show for you.
What blows my mind about Netflix shows is there's no hype. That's reserved for movies. Have you read the Friday arts sections in the "New York Times" or the "Los Angeles Times"? Films you will never see made by people thrilled they completed a movie. That's how far we've sunk, it's easier to make a movie than get a show on Netflix.
But usually the Netflix shows are more interesting.
And at least they get a fighting chance, sort of.
I read about this movie on Netflix, now I can't find it. There was a review somewhere, but despite having the best streaming interface, unless you want what's popular, good luck finding it.
I've changed my policy, now if I read about anything good I'm making a note on my phone, my iPhone, did you read the story about Roger McNamee in the "New Yorker"? (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/02/big-techs-big-defector) You should. He says Android has too many privacy problems. So now privacy is just like the rest of America, there are the haves and the have-nots, the rich and the poor, those who can afford an iPhone and those who cannot.
I didn't even know there was a new season of "Atypical." I just stumbled upon it after firing up Netflix.
No, I don't want them to send me an e-mail. E-mail is broken, no wonder kids don't use it, too many people sending you unsolicited stuff trying to convince you that what they have to say is important. (This newsletter is opt-in, if you want out, just click the link at the bottom.)
Used to be you didn't know when your favorite acts were playing in town. Now you don't know when your favorite TV shows are on!
The media has to stop this focus on movies. It's kinda like music streaming. The war is over, theatrical lost. Oh, it's good for event pictures, otherwise the experience doesn't square with modern day life, where you want it on demand and you don't want to be interrupted/affected by others if you don't choose to. People DVR their favorite TV shows, they stream what they want, but we're supposed to drive to the theatre at an appointed time to overpay for what is usually a disappointing experience? I don't think so.
Why is it all legacy media refuses to die. Kinda like terrestrial radio, which is on a disinformation campaign, telling us how healthy it is when I've yet to find someone under twenty who listens.
These old media outlets die very slowly, then all at once, like Kodak. Or record stores. I'm living quite fine without Tower Records. And why go to a bookstore, when everything available is just a click away?
Funny to see the baby boomers try to hold on to the past, refusing to admit it's nostalgia, always saying it's better. It's not.
And now the tone of this is completely different from what I intended.
I guess it's modern life. There's no one to complain to anymore, there's no help online, you're in the wilderness, so you express your frustration online.
And then everybody becomes frustrated with you. Play and you're excoriated.
Which is why "Atypical" is such a pleasure. It reflects regular life. Without the division of politics, without the hungering for bucks. Michael Rapaport is an EMT and he pays for a whole house in Connecticut. Is that truly possible anymore? I think not.
So Elsa, Jennifer Jason Leigh, grew up with a distant, critical mother so she coddles her kids, trying to give them the upbringing she never got...AND THEY HATE HER FOR IT!
That's the boomers. They're there for their kids, praising them, helping them to the point they can't stand alone, they've got to call to deal with a hangnail. Yup, my father worked all day, weekends too, he brought home the bacon, and I was allowed to roam free on my bike. Heresy, I tell you!
Sam Gardner is autistic, but he doesn't resemble any autistic person I know. But now it's the third season, and we accept this.
His younger sister Casey, who always seems older, is cool, but confused. Even sexually.
And Sam's girlfriend struggles in college.
And Casey's boyfriend has no future and...
Casey wants to go to UCLA, for the opportunity, to leave Elsa and Connecticut behind.
Sounds like a drama, right?
But it's not. It's more like a comedy.
But it's only realistic in its essence. Not in the events of the show. Those are artificial.
But I can't turn it off.
And I couldn't figure out why. Was I just a sap? I'll admit I liked the early "Full House," and I don't even have children!
I asked Felice, she said it was "cute."
But when Casey is torn between two lovers...
When Elsa and Doug's marriage is teetering, when it could go either way...
Come on, you've been there. You're in an intimate moment, you've decided to try again, it was good once, wasn't it? And then the other person doesn't want to. Whew!
I just can't recommend "Atypical," you'll laugh at me. Then again, you already are.
Life is confusing enough. You don't know where you're going and everything ends and you're connected all the time...
I leave my phone in the other room when I watch television. It's a religious rite, I'm not trying to pass the time, I want to be engrossed, taken away to real life, be reminded of the situations I've been in and the ones I'm going to experience in the future. That's what art does.
Marvel movies are like pop music. Here today, gone tomorrow. No matter how much they're gussied up, they lack an essence, of humanity, of real life. The makers are playing it safe, in an era where you can play it anyway you want to. That's why Netflix burgeoned, it gave artists a chance to exercise control...enough with listening to network notes, that's like listening to the record label, which you shouldn't! A label can tell you what it thinks works, it can educate you, but you've got to do it your own way, try to get your humanity across, hits are not easy to predict.
I don't fit in. Almost never have. There have been moments, mostly far from home, but they've always expired.
I go to the shrink and try to figure it out.
But when Chris Robinson said he was an outsider, that rang true.
Then I'm watching "Atypical" and everyone's got issues, they feel alone, like no one is paying attention, or trying to lean on someone is worthless, a waste of time.
Can you tell people your truth?
Hell, there's not even truth in the fact that everybody in the movies is beautiful. Making us desire something we all cannot have. Building up these two-dimensional characters to the point where we believe they're something they're not. But life's got to be better than it is right now, right?
I want to go down the rabbit hole, dig down deep as Marc Cohn once sang.
But that was thirty years ago, they don't make that music anymore.
Or people with less talent try, and it's not worth paying attention.
It's very hard to get it right, there's a balance, a mood.
You try to capture it, and then you veer off course, even though you're trying so hard, even though you can see it.
And art is about an individual vision. Sure, you need people to help you achieve that vision, but when art is compromised, it doesn't resonate.
I think Roger McNamee will make a difference. Because he's not giving up, he's staying on message, one person can move mountains.
And being imperfect is no crime. That's what Sam Gardner proves.
And Zahid is completely unbelievable but warm and fuzzy nonetheless, at least until he completely misreads the mood of a party.
"Atypical" is light. Which makes when they get heavy resonate.
You know, you're just bopping through life and you hit a roadblock, everything changes, sometimes it's even you. You can't keep going down the same path, even though it's the easiest one. You've got to grow up, you've got to confront your demons, you've got to be honest with yourself.
That's what "Atypical" is about.
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Saturday 30 November 2019
Re-The Irishman
You're right, it wasn't very good. A letdown.
Paul Cantor
_______________________________________
The CGI was a little painful to watch. Watching a 76 year old De Niro pretend to be a younger man roughing up the guy who hurt his daughter was comical.
No arc on this bad boy. You're spot on this should have been a series and had more depth with the female characters.
Rick Mueller
_______________________________________
As with most of your articles... you compose equal parts of brilliance and bullshit.
Maybe that's the point.
Of course I knew where the story was going. It was evident early when the shot pulled out to reveal DeNiro in a nursing home.
But it was a fun ride.
Especially on Thanksgiving evening sitting next to my beautiful bride with a roaring fire, a premier home theatre system and a remote with a pause button.
Best regards,
Rob Joseph
Columbus, OH
FOS (fly over state)
_______________________________________
I couldn't agree with you more. For a film that is 3 hours 15 minutes, you need far more sub-text, nuance and interpersonal relationships (as you mentioned) to make a film of this scope work.
I agree with you that Pesci and Pacino were brilliant. Pesci especially. He has a subtlety and world weariness in his portrayal of Bufalino that was extremely powerful and potent, unlike any performance he's ever given.
Steve Zallian is a great writer (Schindler's List, Awakenings, Gangs of New York, All The Kings Men, Moneyball) and he had an ample canvas (3 1/4 hours) to really explore the points you mentioned as well as a lot of other subtler elements a film of this length affords you creatively. Sadly, the length of The Irishman just exacerbated his and Scorsese profound short-comings in those areas.
Hope you and Felice had a great Thanksgiving.
Ritch Esra
_______________________________________
Movie has to go viral first to get buzz, it's the opposite of the way the movie industry usually works. When the work is great, just release it!
Stephen Tatton
_______________________________________
Watched it with about 10 family members after Thanksgiving dessert. We all agreed it was just plain bad. The movie that is, not the dessert!
Gene Bolan
_______________________________________
Jesus Christ, man. You write a column for people's email inboxes, and of this 3.5 hour thoughtful character study made by a genius, you have to say, "Scorsese keeps making the same damn film over and over again." This is really only true with Casino and Goodfellas, which were released decades ago. Are you just pretending The Departed was the same movie? Or, even more so, The Irishman? Pretty fucking lazy. Also, buzz has fucking nothing to do with quality. Scorsese hasn't been bashful about trying to build public awareness of the film. Marvel is a cheap (very expensive) way to guarantee return on investment. Martin S. Is trying to make real films and you're dinging him on not getting buzz. Fuck man, you are exhausting sometimes.
Sean Barna
_______________________________________
I must disagree with your take on The Irishman. From the opening scene, the viewer is aware that this is a period piece, which Scorcese does so well. The mood was set with the 5 Satins, and Scorcese wrapped the film with that same familiar song. To me, it was
a cinematic experience. Was I disappointed that the score was mostly 40's and 50's?
Not really as Scorcese often uses that device in his films. To see DeNiro, Pacino and Pesci was a joy, inasmuch as Pesci virtually retired from acting in 1999, with very rare appearances since then, and the DeNiro/Pacino scenes in this film are memorable.
Was it perfect? No. Was it too long? Yes, but I never looked at my watch. I will see it again, because with a Scorcese film, on second viewing, since you already know the story, you can notice all the little things that evidence him as a remarkable filmmaker.
Sari Leon
_______________________________________
yea saw this in the theater yesterday and was very unimpressed
was clearly made for TV and seeing it in theaters was fine, but not where ut was meat to be seen
too long and too much nonsense and scenes that don't pay off at all. Pesci was amazing but over all it was kind of a mess . story was all over the place and even the good moments were not as powerful cause of all the other stuff in there
very disappointing
Todd Berger
_______________________________________
I read "I Hear You Paint Houses" and looked forward to the movie. Your term "linear" was perfect. Pesci was incredible , Pacino as you say , "Oscar worthy" and the book carefully explained Sheehan's youth and how he became a "painter" I got tired of De Niro; didn't move me.
Barney Adams
_______________________________________
Good grief Bob. I certainly wasn't disappointed. The film is about relationships. The ones these types of men choose to nurture and the ones they don't. And then what happens in the end because of those choices. And not one word about all three of the principle actors appearing as their younger selves?
C. Trimboli
_______________________________________
The Irishman was nothing. Not nothing special. Just nothing. If not for Pesci, I'd have turned it off halfway through. DeNiro was wasted. It felt like we were being dragged through this story. It didn't feel like cinema. It felt like bad TV movie material.
Robert C. Wood
_______________________________________
The cast should have been enough, but it wasn't. Like an allstar band without the hit. I've tried to watch it twice now. 3 1/2 hours is just too long for entertainment that doesn't demand it.
Dave Morris
_______________________________________
I agree. So disappointing.
Jim Urie
_______________________________________
I literally couldn't wait....Counted the days....
The Irishman...A giant sleeping pill.....so disappointed.
Leigh Goldstein
_______________________________________
100% Bob, I was so excited to see it and so let down. I was left thinking what was the point of that—take the great actors away and it wouldn't get a look in.
Allan Marks
_______________________________________
Spot on. I agree with you on this one.
Re: the buzz aspect is the issue of marquee name awareness or lack thereof. At Thanksgiving dinner last night the group at my end of the table was split on the cinematic significance of getting DeNiro/Pacino/Keitel/Pesci all together for a new film. It was split along generational lines. Under 35 could care less what Scorsese is up to. it literally didn't seem to cross their pop culture frontal cortex lobe. Whereas the older folks were all about it!
20 years ago this would not have been the case. I can see the lines in Westwood wrapped around the block in my third eye if days past. Even at 20-25 years old it was a mandatory coming of age ritual to know Kubrick, Coppola, Hitchcock, Scorsese and etc...we just did.
In 2919, I don't think classic film icons work the same way classic rock ones do. The brand name of the Stones or Eagles carry it and is what sells out stadiums. Half the audience doesn't even care who's in the band, just as long as they play the hits. Brand names aren't what they used to be in movies. A Scorsese film is no longer guaranteed box office gold or even buzz worthy.
I'm shocked The Irishman is trickling so quietly out in the urban vernacular. the times they are a changin.
Best
Zach Leary
_______________________________________
Totally agree. The real problem is the length and editing. Marty's had final cut for too long. If it had been 2:20 it would have been amazing.
Adam Beasley
_______________________________________
I couldn't agree more. All of it.
As I was watching and taking breaks, I said to myself Four part miniseries. Including their discussion that was shown after the ( mile long )credits
Marc Gilutin
_______________________________________
Saw it. Pesci knocked it out of the park. Will get the Academy Award, for sure. But also, could not believe it, the soundtrack had my favorite song ever, the haunting, mysterious, "Sally Goes 'Round the Roses," by the Jaynetts. Almost came out of my seat. And I have forgotten how powerful "In the Still of the Night," remains to this day.
I saw it down on Broadway, at the Belasco, on 44th Street. Sound system was great. Worth the candle,
Best, John Hummer
P.S. Also, slight disagree on Peggy. "Yeah, why did't you call him,"——- great scene. Lots of artistic indirection there. Liked her character.
_______________________________________
I thought the same thing, he's been making the same movie for a long time now… And I know they talked about the CGI aging thing, but it bugged the hell out of me the whole movie… That said, I still kind of enjoyed watching it… But it really was not what I was hoping.
Wade Biery
_______________________________________
I agree with most of what you say on The Irishman but I couldn't take my eyes off it. It's fascinating, and of course so beautifully made that it didn't bother me it's so long.
Best,
Jeff Capshew
_______________________________________
Scorsese is wrong when he insults Comic Book films and SciFi films. Scorsese is upset that no one wanted to make his movie - the same movie he's made again and again - the gangster film is his version of the comic book movie except in his movies he just hires the same people to play "new" characters and everyone keeps getting older.
Jared
_______________________________________
I have been trying to sneak 4 hours away to finally see this beauty, but family first you know...
Finally tonight I saw it. Bob, I am thinking the next Departed. It was gorgeous, all the sweet cameos from the great gangster film actors. Never anything forced or cheesy, solid acting! In the end... I don't get it. Sure it's solid, but Godfather material?! Hardly.
I agree, Keitel's character could have been fleshed out more.
Pesci IS phenomenal!
That said , you're right. I am disappointed by this masterpiece.
Lavon Pgan
_______________________________________
" 'The Irishman' should have been a miniseries..."
I just treated it like it was. A three part miniseries with no discernible stops and starts.
Berton Averre
_______________________________________
It's long and slow - and I saw at s SAG screening the DGA with Pacino and DeNiro in the wings while an audience of relative insiders . Those two - along with Scorcese - matter to a relative handful of people, and old ones at that. They're selling the film like a reformed supergroup: all hail the return of Blind Faith or something. There was no real plot - every knows Hoffa disappeared already - and man, it just meandered on and on and on. I agree with your miniseries approach, but even then, it would have been tedious. No suspense.
JH Tompkins
L.A.
_______________________________________
I loved it.
Sherry Snyder
_______________________________________
No joke.
Not even Jim Norton as Don Rickles was funny.
Victoria Joyce
_______________________________________
And another simple point ... there was not a single moment of drama or tension in the entire movie. That is absolutely amazing for a 3.5 movie filled with history, violence, and multiple characters. It was a serious disappointment.
Kevin Patrick Connors
_______________________________________
LET IT SNOW is a better TV movie, on HULU. Agree about THE MORNING SHOW, it could have been done in 90 minutes on Lifetime.
The Irishman is like GANGS OF New York: History and historic and no story at all. I prefer THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND and ANCIENT ALIENS.
Walter Sabo
_______________________________________
I felt the same way Bob. I love Scorcese but this one left me worn -out and unfulfilled. I did my own critique on FB the other day and had a lot of rotten veggies thrown at me for not going lock-step with all the mob movie mavens who are in lock-step with Marty. Sheeran's character is more like an Everyman outsider that even though his right there inside he's still not believable. All the whacking and method acting in the world can't save this screenplay. Now I'll have to be careful when I start my car in the morning!
Kenny Lee Lewis
_______________________________________
You nailed it Bob.
Mark N. Foley
_______________________________________
Agree 100%.. as soon as it ended I thought a TV series( maybe 6-8 episodes) were called for.. too many details lost, sub plots , ...It's as if, in spite being " one of the big directors", Scorsese never got over not being the one who made The Godfather.. this was his attempt.. nice try.
Paul Ehrlich
_______________________________________
Bingo
J.D.
v
Lots of buzz about it on my Facebook page.
People mostly love it, although 3 said it was
too long.
Maybe you'd like it more if you were connected
to Philly or NY or other places where the
story took place, or if you knew some of the
characters in real life as some of the local
people here in Philly do, which makes the discussion
even more interesting. I can't wait to see it.
Rochelle Rabin
_______________________________________
You nailed it.
I signed back up for Netflix just so I could see The Irishman on the Vizio.
With 2:24:45 left there was a continuity mistake. DeNiro has just left a meeting with Pacino. He is putting on his overcoat. The lapel is up, not straightened. In the following few seconds of film, shot from behind, the lapel is turned down smoothed out. The next view from the front, the lapel is back up and rumpled. Inexcusable.
Sincerely,
Dan Daly
_______________________________________
Who under 50 is going to even know or care who Jimmy Hoffa was? Nobody cares. A great cast that was wasted in a boring movie. Lazy non existent camera work. Did Scorsese even show up to work. Agree with you Bob, what a let down.
Phil Botti
_______________________________________
I loved it, linear or not!
Michael Fremer
_______________________________________
I always tend to agree with you, but I really feel different about The Irishman. Now it's not getting the viral buzz of Birdbox, but it was popping up all over my inbox, and a group of us watched it together on Thursday night. I live on the east coast but this was a Midwest thanksgiving and I wasn't the one to recommend we put it on.
Jared
_______________________________________
I loved The Irishman. It's not perfect, but I disagree—it's really, really good. I was not disappointed.
-Mark Feldman, NYC
_______________________________________
Hi Bob
Watched Wednesday night. Your write up, down to the car confusion.
could have been my words on the film. The acting was the only thing I
could talk about on Thursday.
Paul Zullo
_______________________________________
Great piece on The Irishman. You may have just given me the answer to the question "should I spend all of that time to watch it?" It has all the right names attached that make me think I'll enjoy it but based on your opinion, which is usually reliable, I now know I won't hurry to watch it.
Best regards,
Kendrick Allen
_______________________________________
If you think Scorsese is making the same film over and over again you should read your missives! Really, same thing over and over again.
Bob Kranes
_______________________________________
Wow. You nailed this one Bob. I guess you won't be added to the Oscar hyping newspaper ads calling it a masterpiece. Despite the great visuals, expensive production values, and terrific casting, the story falls flat,and has too many holes. No matter how great the acting is it can't carry a 3 and 1/2 hour movie. Two fun surprises in the cast we're Stevie Van Zandt lip sycning Jerry Vale and Sebastion Maniscalco, the comedian playing convincingly a scary Joey Gallo. If it wasn't for Netflix spending this would never have been made. Alan Segal San Diego
_______________________________________
100% with you on this one Bob. Collectively the acting is great but who would expect less from an ensemble that includes DeNiro, Pacino, Pesci & Keitel. The story is flat despite the Scorsese touch (and according to some well-known sources, bullshit... Frank Sheeran was a wannabe at best). The trailer had me psyched, but I bailed last night at 1:35 to go to bed and might get to the remaining 1:55 tonight or tomorrow. No tension. No stickiness. No arc. Like finally getting the dream girl into your bedroom and falling asleep without any of the anticipated joy. Sad.
Sal Dickinson
v
Agree! https://twitter.com/erinbiba/status/1200591945451671553?s=21
(Ok so...I thought The Irishman was basically boring and the same movie about white men being shitty people that Scorsese has made a thousand times. The storyline with his daughter could have been interesting and unique but women barely speak in any of these movies so ¯\_(?)_/¯
Colleen Kenny
_______________________________________
I went home after Thanksgiving dinner at my mother'in'law's house and found "The Irishman" on Newflix and watched the movie. (Full disclosure) I am a big fan of The Godfather series (I,II,III) and ALL of Martin Scorsese films. I thought it was just great and gave a "closure" to the Jimmy Hoffa question. In reading your "review" it is apparent you enjoyed the performances of the actors and I really thought in a way you did NOT feel you wasted three hours. For me it was a great way to finish off the Thanksgiving day - food, football & The Irishman! You are still my favorite morning read!
Happy holiday
Bud Becker
_______________________________________
Out here in the sticks of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, my wife and I watched The Irishman the night it dropped on Netflix. Even though I do not disagree with several of you points. I loved it. I felt I was in the hands of a master, several masters, really.
We watched it in one sitting. OK, I did take one pee break, but I turn 68 tomorrow!
Cheers,
Morley Walker
_______________________________________
I respectfully disagree with your analysis of The Irishman.
Doug Deutsch
_______________________________________
It played the Circle Cinema in Tulsa, OK
Randall Cale
_______________________________________
Your review of the "The Irishman" is so on point!!! I felt disappointed with the story as well, but loved Pesci and Pacino's performances! Thank you for breaking it down and articulating my feelings about the film and the performances into the perfect words.
Keep up the great work with your articles as I always love reading them.
Kelly Sajda
_______________________________________
Agree Bob the ending sucked
John Green
_______________________________________
I saw "The Irishman" in a small theatre here Burlington ON. everyone in the theatre started laughing during the "you people" scene.
Not sure if this news made it down to you - the firing of a Canadian TV personality over his "you people" comment - https://youtu.be/6z_T7ONUlJ4
The firing was big national news here in Canada, so it was a pretty ironic scene in the movie.
---------------------------
Mark Watson, Artist Manager
WATSON ENTERTAINMENT
_______________________________________
The acting was fabulous, it was too long to play in theatres but on Netflix it was great,
but I do agree with you, it should have been a mini series.
Ozark was horrible the second season, I made two episodes and turned I off.
Scorsese is a master at making movies, Francis Coppola no longer makes any,
so anytime Scorsese does, I'm there.
LaBeets
_______________________________________
It's hard to believe we watched the same movie. I guess you went looking for Godfather IV, but this movie is not a gangster movie.
It's not a movie about the mafia, it is about men growing old, then growing very old. The arc of the movie is like the arc of life at the end of life, not like a Godfather plot. The pace and arc of the movie is the pace and arc of death.
The Irishman is an exploration of death in every sense of the word. It's about coming to terms with the concept of sin as we reach our own deaths. We are not able to comprehend our own deaths except at the very end of very long lives. Scorsese explores this in ways I have never seen before.
The movie begins with DeNiro (the Irishman) asking why German soldiers would dig their own graves - and Scorsese stays true to that theme for 3.5 hours. We watch Jimmy Hoffa dig his own grave even though he does not have to. We watch DeNiro have to kill his lifelong friend and it's the only emotionally hard kill of his life. How can he do it? Because, just like those German soldiers, he knows that Hoffa has dug his own grave.
Peggy does not speak because, from her youngest days, she has always been as serious as death. Her father is death to her. Death does not speak.
We get to watch old actors that we've known all our lives give the performances of their live because Scorsese directed this movie to be 100% about their acting in the face of death. This movie is gold.
At least that is the movie that I watched.
Mark McLaughlin
_______________________________________
I don't get it.
You missed a few points here. Scorsese was "forced" to go with Netflix because the studios wouldn't give him the funds for the CGI he wanted to use so the main characters could go back in forth in time and play themselves. True, not one his greatest, but an entertaining film. How can you say he makes the same damn film over and over again?
There are a few in same genre maybe, but this isn't anything close to Raging Bull or Taxi Driver or Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore or The Last Temptation Of Christ. Scorsese grew up surrounded by these characters. You grew up in the white 'burbs... these movies are far from "absent the drama of real life" most of this shit really happened ! I grew up in Brooklyn in the '70's (around the time of Goodfellas) and we saw these guys all the time! One knows going in where this movie is going. IT'S THE STORY OF THE HIT ON HOFFA ! Wasn't Hoffa murdered? Doesn't/didn't the mob do "hits"? You mean to tell me you didn't know the mob killed Hoffa? Are you really that naive? Frank/DeNiro goes to the dark side because during those times in the big cities when your driving a meat delivery truck for a living and you're offered some cash to do some underhanded business deals "on the side" the dark side seems viable. (If you're a little nuts)
Frank didn't "paint houses" you missed that whole point ! Frank as mentioned drove a meat delivery truck ! "Painting houses" comes from the name of the book the movie was based on.... "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt and it's mob code so to speak for being a hitman. Frank painted houses with "blood" ... the blood splatter on the wall from his numerous hits. You missed that point.
Don't think in this day and age "The Irishman" would have been the story of the weekend regardless. Scorsese was forced to go to Netflix for the funds to get the movie finished. I honestly don't think he's was too thrilled with this avenue, but wanted to make this movie and his hand was forced. If it where up to him it wouldn't be on the small screen at all. This is a big movie and needs to be seen on the big screen. Really unfair to review based on watching at home on a monitor, no matter how big it is. How many times did you hit pause? This is total in theatre experience where one is totally focused and distraction free ! The problem here is that with someone as creative as Scorsese one needs to see these creations on the big screen in a movie house! You can't get the full effect of the Mona Lisa by looking at a pictue of it online can you?
Oh, by the way I'm 10 years past 50 a prostate cancer survivor and I made it all the way through seeing The Irishman in a great theatre in NYC !
Doug Pomerantz
_______________________________________
Been reading you for 15 years, had a brief conversation then. You were very polite. I'm with you 99%...on other emails, you send out.
Martin Scorsese didn't get a weekend but he'll get his week at the Oscars for sure. This movie reminds me of Goodfellas minus the mania, booze, and soundtrack. It's a masterpiece to me. It does drag some in the middle. I'm 51 so I watched the news of Hoffa go missing but never knew anything other than Bobby went after him. Now I know HOFFA was a charismatic, confident and effect executive for the working man. And had 100% control over an unreal amount of money. Back then at least.
Wonderful to see Deniro and Pachino act and interact so much and so well together finally. That other one scene they shared way back seemed so stiff and plastic but a damn good marketing aspect. Burnt but not by this one. Not Scorsese's cinema.
Joe Pesci was amazing. He has it his gift if not better not available for 10 years.
From Raging Bull to Goodfellas to The Irishman, Pesci and Deniro, guided by Scorsces's genuis got it done. Those two actors rehearsed so much for so long it makes their lines carry weight and then know exactly how they need to quick of the ton. $150,000,000 was a good move for this. They will never recoup on the books but I think there is nothing of this level of competition this year. Cinema. I did not see Hollywood but will.
Netflix will get $300,000,000 is publicity when nominations get announced. I think Scorsese will win (even though Oscar voters are so a "gang that couldn't shoot straight" and do they have Netflix? I guess they'll be getting DVD/Blue Ray and 4k circles in the mail. Pesci deserves supporting especially after a DECADE. You say Pacino I sa Deniro...give them a co-win!! The only way to see it will be Netflix for a long long time and there is no other cinema that can compete. I had a better time at ENDGAME but this is good old fashion acting, directing, screenwriting and having a great crew. It'll have me pay attention to the Oscars this year.
One last thing, I only saw his Harrison documentary because of Nextflix and I have been a HUGE Beatles fan my whole life. Maybe heard about it and forgot but for 3:30 it is awesome because that is who in my mind I wanted they guy Harrison was. Ken Burns couldn't have done Harrison better. The Dylan doc was amazing, too!! Netflix is so worth $16/month. They were great 20 years ago and, with growing pains, changing the game take care.
Bob Stein
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Bob, you are playing the short game, which is often what your column is most concerned with. What is going on now and succeeding and what are people are talking(texting, Tweating, etc) about. You know your topic well and your observations are often astute. It's just that "The Irishman" is outside your comfort zone and it shows.
We are talking the long game here. Go back 50 years, go back to De Niro and Scorsese on "Mean Streets". Johnny Boy throws a cherry bomb into a mailbox and we like him are off and running. Remember everyone in the neighborhood is out to beat the shit out of him and yet he gets out of the car and dances to Micky's Monkey because….Because…... Who wouldn't, it's a great song.
Travis Bickle showed us the soul of all this lonely empty men who want to have meaning and purpose and now cause tragedies every fucken week. I dare you to find me a Director who does not respect Taxi Driver.
Raging Bull- The most intense song of blind aggression you ever heard- go pick one, does it measure up to this movie.
Or how about a Gangster movie that flows and plays like a musical Comedy- Good Fellas. https://trailersfromhell.com/goodfellas/
Do you want the ugly beauty of Las Vegas explained to you? Casino. And on & on, hey Scorsese is not your precious Eagles but he has rocked it longer and harder. Is it all perfect no, but check out "She Was Hot/Down the Line", in "Shine a Light" and feel what Real Rock n Roll said too us in 1965 and on the day that was filmed. You are always making those kinds of comparisons.
So he's got 50 years as one of the preeminent Artists in Film History (Film Preservation, Rock Documentaries, Concert Performance Films and more DVD commentaries than imaginable) He is St. Marty of the Cinema, and you are not thrilled with The Irishman and prefer "Ozark" which ia a very good show that I never miss, but it's just that, a very good show for 2 seasons.
Remember now, we are talking the long game, LIFE & the art you make out of it. Does he hit the same tropes for you too many times?
"A director makes only one movie in his life. Then he breaks it up and makes it again."
? Jean Renoir.
So did Howard Hawks-sometimes word for word, Hitchcock, John Ford and speaking of Mr. Ford- The Irishman is Marty's "Man Who shot Liberty Valence". Or for that matter it's also a summation like "Renoir's French Can Can".
Yeah, I hear you, not enough buzz, not that much fun for 3 hours and 30 minutes. These old men take us to the end of life, unflinching, sad for the dying and fearful for all of us, no matter what our power over others was in life. How many rooms did they paint?
Scorsese's characters have understood that ":The full moon is calling, the fever is high
And the wicked wind whispers and moans. for his Auteurist life time :………..wasn't Mean Streets originally called "Season of the Witch." So how about some deeper thoughts and respect. Scorcese, De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino have earned it.
Heres a reason why I am so worked up about Marty and his life of film:
https://trailersfromhell.com/last-waltz/
Allan Arkush
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Stick to music
Roger Friedman
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Paul Cantor
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The CGI was a little painful to watch. Watching a 76 year old De Niro pretend to be a younger man roughing up the guy who hurt his daughter was comical.
No arc on this bad boy. You're spot on this should have been a series and had more depth with the female characters.
Rick Mueller
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As with most of your articles... you compose equal parts of brilliance and bullshit.
Maybe that's the point.
Of course I knew where the story was going. It was evident early when the shot pulled out to reveal DeNiro in a nursing home.
But it was a fun ride.
Especially on Thanksgiving evening sitting next to my beautiful bride with a roaring fire, a premier home theatre system and a remote with a pause button.
Best regards,
Rob Joseph
Columbus, OH
FOS (fly over state)
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I couldn't agree with you more. For a film that is 3 hours 15 minutes, you need far more sub-text, nuance and interpersonal relationships (as you mentioned) to make a film of this scope work.
I agree with you that Pesci and Pacino were brilliant. Pesci especially. He has a subtlety and world weariness in his portrayal of Bufalino that was extremely powerful and potent, unlike any performance he's ever given.
Steve Zallian is a great writer (Schindler's List, Awakenings, Gangs of New York, All The Kings Men, Moneyball) and he had an ample canvas (3 1/4 hours) to really explore the points you mentioned as well as a lot of other subtler elements a film of this length affords you creatively. Sadly, the length of The Irishman just exacerbated his and Scorsese profound short-comings in those areas.
Hope you and Felice had a great Thanksgiving.
Ritch Esra
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Movie has to go viral first to get buzz, it's the opposite of the way the movie industry usually works. When the work is great, just release it!
Stephen Tatton
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Watched it with about 10 family members after Thanksgiving dessert. We all agreed it was just plain bad. The movie that is, not the dessert!
Gene Bolan
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Jesus Christ, man. You write a column for people's email inboxes, and of this 3.5 hour thoughtful character study made by a genius, you have to say, "Scorsese keeps making the same damn film over and over again." This is really only true with Casino and Goodfellas, which were released decades ago. Are you just pretending The Departed was the same movie? Or, even more so, The Irishman? Pretty fucking lazy. Also, buzz has fucking nothing to do with quality. Scorsese hasn't been bashful about trying to build public awareness of the film. Marvel is a cheap (very expensive) way to guarantee return on investment. Martin S. Is trying to make real films and you're dinging him on not getting buzz. Fuck man, you are exhausting sometimes.
Sean Barna
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I must disagree with your take on The Irishman. From the opening scene, the viewer is aware that this is a period piece, which Scorcese does so well. The mood was set with the 5 Satins, and Scorcese wrapped the film with that same familiar song. To me, it was
a cinematic experience. Was I disappointed that the score was mostly 40's and 50's?
Not really as Scorcese often uses that device in his films. To see DeNiro, Pacino and Pesci was a joy, inasmuch as Pesci virtually retired from acting in 1999, with very rare appearances since then, and the DeNiro/Pacino scenes in this film are memorable.
Was it perfect? No. Was it too long? Yes, but I never looked at my watch. I will see it again, because with a Scorcese film, on second viewing, since you already know the story, you can notice all the little things that evidence him as a remarkable filmmaker.
Sari Leon
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yea saw this in the theater yesterday and was very unimpressed
was clearly made for TV and seeing it in theaters was fine, but not where ut was meat to be seen
too long and too much nonsense and scenes that don't pay off at all. Pesci was amazing but over all it was kind of a mess . story was all over the place and even the good moments were not as powerful cause of all the other stuff in there
very disappointing
Todd Berger
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I read "I Hear You Paint Houses" and looked forward to the movie. Your term "linear" was perfect. Pesci was incredible , Pacino as you say , "Oscar worthy" and the book carefully explained Sheehan's youth and how he became a "painter" I got tired of De Niro; didn't move me.
Barney Adams
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Good grief Bob. I certainly wasn't disappointed. The film is about relationships. The ones these types of men choose to nurture and the ones they don't. And then what happens in the end because of those choices. And not one word about all three of the principle actors appearing as their younger selves?
C. Trimboli
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The Irishman was nothing. Not nothing special. Just nothing. If not for Pesci, I'd have turned it off halfway through. DeNiro was wasted. It felt like we were being dragged through this story. It didn't feel like cinema. It felt like bad TV movie material.
Robert C. Wood
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The cast should have been enough, but it wasn't. Like an allstar band without the hit. I've tried to watch it twice now. 3 1/2 hours is just too long for entertainment that doesn't demand it.
Dave Morris
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I agree. So disappointing.
Jim Urie
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I literally couldn't wait....Counted the days....
The Irishman...A giant sleeping pill.....so disappointed.
Leigh Goldstein
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100% Bob, I was so excited to see it and so let down. I was left thinking what was the point of that—take the great actors away and it wouldn't get a look in.
Allan Marks
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Spot on. I agree with you on this one.
Re: the buzz aspect is the issue of marquee name awareness or lack thereof. At Thanksgiving dinner last night the group at my end of the table was split on the cinematic significance of getting DeNiro/Pacino/Keitel/Pesci all together for a new film. It was split along generational lines. Under 35 could care less what Scorsese is up to. it literally didn't seem to cross their pop culture frontal cortex lobe. Whereas the older folks were all about it!
20 years ago this would not have been the case. I can see the lines in Westwood wrapped around the block in my third eye if days past. Even at 20-25 years old it was a mandatory coming of age ritual to know Kubrick, Coppola, Hitchcock, Scorsese and etc...we just did.
In 2919, I don't think classic film icons work the same way classic rock ones do. The brand name of the Stones or Eagles carry it and is what sells out stadiums. Half the audience doesn't even care who's in the band, just as long as they play the hits. Brand names aren't what they used to be in movies. A Scorsese film is no longer guaranteed box office gold or even buzz worthy.
I'm shocked The Irishman is trickling so quietly out in the urban vernacular. the times they are a changin.
Best
Zach Leary
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Totally agree. The real problem is the length and editing. Marty's had final cut for too long. If it had been 2:20 it would have been amazing.
Adam Beasley
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I couldn't agree more. All of it.
As I was watching and taking breaks, I said to myself Four part miniseries. Including their discussion that was shown after the ( mile long )credits
Marc Gilutin
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Saw it. Pesci knocked it out of the park. Will get the Academy Award, for sure. But also, could not believe it, the soundtrack had my favorite song ever, the haunting, mysterious, "Sally Goes 'Round the Roses," by the Jaynetts. Almost came out of my seat. And I have forgotten how powerful "In the Still of the Night," remains to this day.
I saw it down on Broadway, at the Belasco, on 44th Street. Sound system was great. Worth the candle,
Best, John Hummer
P.S. Also, slight disagree on Peggy. "Yeah, why did't you call him,"——- great scene. Lots of artistic indirection there. Liked her character.
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I thought the same thing, he's been making the same movie for a long time now… And I know they talked about the CGI aging thing, but it bugged the hell out of me the whole movie… That said, I still kind of enjoyed watching it… But it really was not what I was hoping.
Wade Biery
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I agree with most of what you say on The Irishman but I couldn't take my eyes off it. It's fascinating, and of course so beautifully made that it didn't bother me it's so long.
Best,
Jeff Capshew
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Scorsese is wrong when he insults Comic Book films and SciFi films. Scorsese is upset that no one wanted to make his movie - the same movie he's made again and again - the gangster film is his version of the comic book movie except in his movies he just hires the same people to play "new" characters and everyone keeps getting older.
Jared
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I have been trying to sneak 4 hours away to finally see this beauty, but family first you know...
Finally tonight I saw it. Bob, I am thinking the next Departed. It was gorgeous, all the sweet cameos from the great gangster film actors. Never anything forced or cheesy, solid acting! In the end... I don't get it. Sure it's solid, but Godfather material?! Hardly.
I agree, Keitel's character could have been fleshed out more.
Pesci IS phenomenal!
That said , you're right. I am disappointed by this masterpiece.
Lavon Pgan
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" 'The Irishman' should have been a miniseries..."
I just treated it like it was. A three part miniseries with no discernible stops and starts.
Berton Averre
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It's long and slow - and I saw at s SAG screening the DGA with Pacino and DeNiro in the wings while an audience of relative insiders . Those two - along with Scorcese - matter to a relative handful of people, and old ones at that. They're selling the film like a reformed supergroup: all hail the return of Blind Faith or something. There was no real plot - every knows Hoffa disappeared already - and man, it just meandered on and on and on. I agree with your miniseries approach, but even then, it would have been tedious. No suspense.
JH Tompkins
L.A.
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I loved it.
Sherry Snyder
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No joke.
Not even Jim Norton as Don Rickles was funny.
Victoria Joyce
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And another simple point ... there was not a single moment of drama or tension in the entire movie. That is absolutely amazing for a 3.5 movie filled with history, violence, and multiple characters. It was a serious disappointment.
Kevin Patrick Connors
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LET IT SNOW is a better TV movie, on HULU. Agree about THE MORNING SHOW, it could have been done in 90 minutes on Lifetime.
The Irishman is like GANGS OF New York: History and historic and no story at all. I prefer THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND and ANCIENT ALIENS.
Walter Sabo
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I felt the same way Bob. I love Scorcese but this one left me worn -out and unfulfilled. I did my own critique on FB the other day and had a lot of rotten veggies thrown at me for not going lock-step with all the mob movie mavens who are in lock-step with Marty. Sheeran's character is more like an Everyman outsider that even though his right there inside he's still not believable. All the whacking and method acting in the world can't save this screenplay. Now I'll have to be careful when I start my car in the morning!
Kenny Lee Lewis
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You nailed it Bob.
Mark N. Foley
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Agree 100%.. as soon as it ended I thought a TV series( maybe 6-8 episodes) were called for.. too many details lost, sub plots , ...It's as if, in spite being " one of the big directors", Scorsese never got over not being the one who made The Godfather.. this was his attempt.. nice try.
Paul Ehrlich
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Bingo
J.D.
v
Lots of buzz about it on my Facebook page.
People mostly love it, although 3 said it was
too long.
Maybe you'd like it more if you were connected
to Philly or NY or other places where the
story took place, or if you knew some of the
characters in real life as some of the local
people here in Philly do, which makes the discussion
even more interesting. I can't wait to see it.
Rochelle Rabin
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You nailed it.
I signed back up for Netflix just so I could see The Irishman on the Vizio.
With 2:24:45 left there was a continuity mistake. DeNiro has just left a meeting with Pacino. He is putting on his overcoat. The lapel is up, not straightened. In the following few seconds of film, shot from behind, the lapel is turned down smoothed out. The next view from the front, the lapel is back up and rumpled. Inexcusable.
Sincerely,
Dan Daly
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Who under 50 is going to even know or care who Jimmy Hoffa was? Nobody cares. A great cast that was wasted in a boring movie. Lazy non existent camera work. Did Scorsese even show up to work. Agree with you Bob, what a let down.
Phil Botti
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I loved it, linear or not!
Michael Fremer
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I always tend to agree with you, but I really feel different about The Irishman. Now it's not getting the viral buzz of Birdbox, but it was popping up all over my inbox, and a group of us watched it together on Thursday night. I live on the east coast but this was a Midwest thanksgiving and I wasn't the one to recommend we put it on.
Jared
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I loved The Irishman. It's not perfect, but I disagree—it's really, really good. I was not disappointed.
-Mark Feldman, NYC
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Hi Bob
Watched Wednesday night. Your write up, down to the car confusion.
could have been my words on the film. The acting was the only thing I
could talk about on Thursday.
Paul Zullo
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Great piece on The Irishman. You may have just given me the answer to the question "should I spend all of that time to watch it?" It has all the right names attached that make me think I'll enjoy it but based on your opinion, which is usually reliable, I now know I won't hurry to watch it.
Best regards,
Kendrick Allen
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If you think Scorsese is making the same film over and over again you should read your missives! Really, same thing over and over again.
Bob Kranes
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Wow. You nailed this one Bob. I guess you won't be added to the Oscar hyping newspaper ads calling it a masterpiece. Despite the great visuals, expensive production values, and terrific casting, the story falls flat,and has too many holes. No matter how great the acting is it can't carry a 3 and 1/2 hour movie. Two fun surprises in the cast we're Stevie Van Zandt lip sycning Jerry Vale and Sebastion Maniscalco, the comedian playing convincingly a scary Joey Gallo. If it wasn't for Netflix spending this would never have been made. Alan Segal San Diego
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100% with you on this one Bob. Collectively the acting is great but who would expect less from an ensemble that includes DeNiro, Pacino, Pesci & Keitel. The story is flat despite the Scorsese touch (and according to some well-known sources, bullshit... Frank Sheeran was a wannabe at best). The trailer had me psyched, but I bailed last night at 1:35 to go to bed and might get to the remaining 1:55 tonight or tomorrow. No tension. No stickiness. No arc. Like finally getting the dream girl into your bedroom and falling asleep without any of the anticipated joy. Sad.
Sal Dickinson
v
Agree! https://twitter.com/erinbiba/status/1200591945451671553?s=21
(Ok so...I thought The Irishman was basically boring and the same movie about white men being shitty people that Scorsese has made a thousand times. The storyline with his daughter could have been interesting and unique but women barely speak in any of these movies so ¯\_(?)_/¯
Colleen Kenny
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I went home after Thanksgiving dinner at my mother'in'law's house and found "The Irishman" on Newflix and watched the movie. (Full disclosure) I am a big fan of The Godfather series (I,II,III) and ALL of Martin Scorsese films. I thought it was just great and gave a "closure" to the Jimmy Hoffa question. In reading your "review" it is apparent you enjoyed the performances of the actors and I really thought in a way you did NOT feel you wasted three hours. For me it was a great way to finish off the Thanksgiving day - food, football & The Irishman! You are still my favorite morning read!
Happy holiday
Bud Becker
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Out here in the sticks of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, my wife and I watched The Irishman the night it dropped on Netflix. Even though I do not disagree with several of you points. I loved it. I felt I was in the hands of a master, several masters, really.
We watched it in one sitting. OK, I did take one pee break, but I turn 68 tomorrow!
Cheers,
Morley Walker
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I respectfully disagree with your analysis of The Irishman.
Doug Deutsch
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It played the Circle Cinema in Tulsa, OK
Randall Cale
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Your review of the "The Irishman" is so on point!!! I felt disappointed with the story as well, but loved Pesci and Pacino's performances! Thank you for breaking it down and articulating my feelings about the film and the performances into the perfect words.
Keep up the great work with your articles as I always love reading them.
Kelly Sajda
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Agree Bob the ending sucked
John Green
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I saw "The Irishman" in a small theatre here Burlington ON. everyone in the theatre started laughing during the "you people" scene.
Not sure if this news made it down to you - the firing of a Canadian TV personality over his "you people" comment - https://youtu.be/6z_T7ONUlJ4
The firing was big national news here in Canada, so it was a pretty ironic scene in the movie.
---------------------------
Mark Watson, Artist Manager
WATSON ENTERTAINMENT
_______________________________________
The acting was fabulous, it was too long to play in theatres but on Netflix it was great,
but I do agree with you, it should have been a mini series.
Ozark was horrible the second season, I made two episodes and turned I off.
Scorsese is a master at making movies, Francis Coppola no longer makes any,
so anytime Scorsese does, I'm there.
LaBeets
_______________________________________
It's hard to believe we watched the same movie. I guess you went looking for Godfather IV, but this movie is not a gangster movie.
It's not a movie about the mafia, it is about men growing old, then growing very old. The arc of the movie is like the arc of life at the end of life, not like a Godfather plot. The pace and arc of the movie is the pace and arc of death.
The Irishman is an exploration of death in every sense of the word. It's about coming to terms with the concept of sin as we reach our own deaths. We are not able to comprehend our own deaths except at the very end of very long lives. Scorsese explores this in ways I have never seen before.
The movie begins with DeNiro (the Irishman) asking why German soldiers would dig their own graves - and Scorsese stays true to that theme for 3.5 hours. We watch Jimmy Hoffa dig his own grave even though he does not have to. We watch DeNiro have to kill his lifelong friend and it's the only emotionally hard kill of his life. How can he do it? Because, just like those German soldiers, he knows that Hoffa has dug his own grave.
Peggy does not speak because, from her youngest days, she has always been as serious as death. Her father is death to her. Death does not speak.
We get to watch old actors that we've known all our lives give the performances of their live because Scorsese directed this movie to be 100% about their acting in the face of death. This movie is gold.
At least that is the movie that I watched.
Mark McLaughlin
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I don't get it.
You missed a few points here. Scorsese was "forced" to go with Netflix because the studios wouldn't give him the funds for the CGI he wanted to use so the main characters could go back in forth in time and play themselves. True, not one his greatest, but an entertaining film. How can you say he makes the same damn film over and over again?
There are a few in same genre maybe, but this isn't anything close to Raging Bull or Taxi Driver or Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore or The Last Temptation Of Christ. Scorsese grew up surrounded by these characters. You grew up in the white 'burbs... these movies are far from "absent the drama of real life" most of this shit really happened ! I grew up in Brooklyn in the '70's (around the time of Goodfellas) and we saw these guys all the time! One knows going in where this movie is going. IT'S THE STORY OF THE HIT ON HOFFA ! Wasn't Hoffa murdered? Doesn't/didn't the mob do "hits"? You mean to tell me you didn't know the mob killed Hoffa? Are you really that naive? Frank/DeNiro goes to the dark side because during those times in the big cities when your driving a meat delivery truck for a living and you're offered some cash to do some underhanded business deals "on the side" the dark side seems viable. (If you're a little nuts)
Frank didn't "paint houses" you missed that whole point ! Frank as mentioned drove a meat delivery truck ! "Painting houses" comes from the name of the book the movie was based on.... "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt and it's mob code so to speak for being a hitman. Frank painted houses with "blood" ... the blood splatter on the wall from his numerous hits. You missed that point.
Don't think in this day and age "The Irishman" would have been the story of the weekend regardless. Scorsese was forced to go to Netflix for the funds to get the movie finished. I honestly don't think he's was too thrilled with this avenue, but wanted to make this movie and his hand was forced. If it where up to him it wouldn't be on the small screen at all. This is a big movie and needs to be seen on the big screen. Really unfair to review based on watching at home on a monitor, no matter how big it is. How many times did you hit pause? This is total in theatre experience where one is totally focused and distraction free ! The problem here is that with someone as creative as Scorsese one needs to see these creations on the big screen in a movie house! You can't get the full effect of the Mona Lisa by looking at a pictue of it online can you?
Oh, by the way I'm 10 years past 50 a prostate cancer survivor and I made it all the way through seeing The Irishman in a great theatre in NYC !
Doug Pomerantz
_______________________________________
Been reading you for 15 years, had a brief conversation then. You were very polite. I'm with you 99%...on other emails, you send out.
Martin Scorsese didn't get a weekend but he'll get his week at the Oscars for sure. This movie reminds me of Goodfellas minus the mania, booze, and soundtrack. It's a masterpiece to me. It does drag some in the middle. I'm 51 so I watched the news of Hoffa go missing but never knew anything other than Bobby went after him. Now I know HOFFA was a charismatic, confident and effect executive for the working man. And had 100% control over an unreal amount of money. Back then at least.
Wonderful to see Deniro and Pachino act and interact so much and so well together finally. That other one scene they shared way back seemed so stiff and plastic but a damn good marketing aspect. Burnt but not by this one. Not Scorsese's cinema.
Joe Pesci was amazing. He has it his gift if not better not available for 10 years.
From Raging Bull to Goodfellas to The Irishman, Pesci and Deniro, guided by Scorsces's genuis got it done. Those two actors rehearsed so much for so long it makes their lines carry weight and then know exactly how they need to quick of the ton. $150,000,000 was a good move for this. They will never recoup on the books but I think there is nothing of this level of competition this year. Cinema. I did not see Hollywood but will.
Netflix will get $300,000,000 is publicity when nominations get announced. I think Scorsese will win (even though Oscar voters are so a "gang that couldn't shoot straight" and do they have Netflix? I guess they'll be getting DVD/Blue Ray and 4k circles in the mail. Pesci deserves supporting especially after a DECADE. You say Pacino I sa Deniro...give them a co-win!! The only way to see it will be Netflix for a long long time and there is no other cinema that can compete. I had a better time at ENDGAME but this is good old fashion acting, directing, screenwriting and having a great crew. It'll have me pay attention to the Oscars this year.
One last thing, I only saw his Harrison documentary because of Nextflix and I have been a HUGE Beatles fan my whole life. Maybe heard about it and forgot but for 3:30 it is awesome because that is who in my mind I wanted they guy Harrison was. Ken Burns couldn't have done Harrison better. The Dylan doc was amazing, too!! Netflix is so worth $16/month. They were great 20 years ago and, with growing pains, changing the game take care.
Bob Stein
_______________________________________
Bob, you are playing the short game, which is often what your column is most concerned with. What is going on now and succeeding and what are people are talking(texting, Tweating, etc) about. You know your topic well and your observations are often astute. It's just that "The Irishman" is outside your comfort zone and it shows.
We are talking the long game here. Go back 50 years, go back to De Niro and Scorsese on "Mean Streets". Johnny Boy throws a cherry bomb into a mailbox and we like him are off and running. Remember everyone in the neighborhood is out to beat the shit out of him and yet he gets out of the car and dances to Micky's Monkey because….Because…... Who wouldn't, it's a great song.
Travis Bickle showed us the soul of all this lonely empty men who want to have meaning and purpose and now cause tragedies every fucken week. I dare you to find me a Director who does not respect Taxi Driver.
Raging Bull- The most intense song of blind aggression you ever heard- go pick one, does it measure up to this movie.
Or how about a Gangster movie that flows and plays like a musical Comedy- Good Fellas. https://trailersfromhell.com/goodfellas/
Do you want the ugly beauty of Las Vegas explained to you? Casino. And on & on, hey Scorsese is not your precious Eagles but he has rocked it longer and harder. Is it all perfect no, but check out "She Was Hot/Down the Line", in "Shine a Light" and feel what Real Rock n Roll said too us in 1965 and on the day that was filmed. You are always making those kinds of comparisons.
So he's got 50 years as one of the preeminent Artists in Film History (Film Preservation, Rock Documentaries, Concert Performance Films and more DVD commentaries than imaginable) He is St. Marty of the Cinema, and you are not thrilled with The Irishman and prefer "Ozark" which ia a very good show that I never miss, but it's just that, a very good show for 2 seasons.
Remember now, we are talking the long game, LIFE & the art you make out of it. Does he hit the same tropes for you too many times?
"A director makes only one movie in his life. Then he breaks it up and makes it again."
? Jean Renoir.
So did Howard Hawks-sometimes word for word, Hitchcock, John Ford and speaking of Mr. Ford- The Irishman is Marty's "Man Who shot Liberty Valence". Or for that matter it's also a summation like "Renoir's French Can Can".
Yeah, I hear you, not enough buzz, not that much fun for 3 hours and 30 minutes. These old men take us to the end of life, unflinching, sad for the dying and fearful for all of us, no matter what our power over others was in life. How many rooms did they paint?
Scorsese's characters have understood that ":The full moon is calling, the fever is high
And the wicked wind whispers and moans. for his Auteurist life time :………..wasn't Mean Streets originally called "Season of the Witch." So how about some deeper thoughts and respect. Scorcese, De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino have earned it.
Heres a reason why I am so worked up about Marty and his life of film:
https://trailersfromhell.com/last-waltz/
Allan Arkush
_______________________________________
Stick to music
Roger Friedman
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Friday 29 November 2019
The Irishman
I don't get it.
Film and TV still have not learned the lesson that the customer is in control. The record labels fought the public and then gave in. It was a tortuous experience, it took almost a decade, but now you can get all the music for ten bucks a month, advance hype is at a minimum, sure there are shenanigans on the "Billboard" chart, but the public doesn't care about that, the Spotify Top 50 suits people just fine.
We've been reading about "The Irishman" for months. It played film festivals. It opened in theatres to satiate the film industry...the same one that says what premieres on TV doesn't qualify for the Oscars, even though what the studios make doesn't qualify either. Come on, superhero flicks the best movies of the year? I'm with Scorsese on this.
But I'm not with Scorsese on this film.
"The Irishman" hit Netflix on Wednesday. Feel the buzz? Of course not, because there is none! It was all expended before the majority of the public could partake, hell, the flick didn't even play in the hinterlands, the supposed flyover country, that the Hollywood elite still believe exists, but the truth is they've got the same broadband and the same streaming services as they do on the coast, no one is left behind today, and we're all on the same page, at least conceptually.
It's nearly impossible to get the word out. Oh, you can try, but it just doesn't spread. Popsters figured out it's best to feature a rapper. And name rappers drop in on wannabes' records. And even other genres remix, Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus, because they want the attention.
And the attention rarely takes place in the newspaper, all the traditional outlets Hollywood still plays to. That's right, Hollywood hates Rotten Tomatoes, but that's where I go first! I mean in a time-challenged world, why waste hours?
So Apple TV+ is dribbling out the stiff on arrival "Morning Show." Everybody in Cupertino is clueless. They know nothing about the entertainment industry. Everyone knows it's hard to predict a hit, everyone knows the William Goldman quote, why did Apple think it was any different? You've got to overwhelm the public with product, so it has a choice, so something hits. This is another thing record companies have realized, however in this era of opportunity cost, they're leaving complete genres on the sidelines, to their detriment.
But I watched "The Irishman." I was eager.
I was disappointed, I'm thinking you will be too.
It's Scorsese, he's bad with arc. He gets the image, the feeling right, it's just when it comes down to story... "The Irishman" is so linear as to look like a chart. Francis Ford Coppola inserted relationships in "The Godfather," to make it more lifelike. In "Godfather II," he went back and forth in time, to make sense of the family history. Sure, Coppola failed more than he succeeded thereafter, but he had big dreams, he tried.
Scorsese keeps making the same damn film over and over again. Oh, to be honest, I haven't seen them all later ones. They just don't feel like novels, with multiple acts, reaching to an unforeseen conclusion. They're absent the drama of real life.
So what you get in "The Irishman" is history. Literally. In cars, outfits, everything is done exquisitely but the story.
And Frank Sheeran... Scorsese doesn't even do a good job of demonstrating why Frank/DeNiro goes to the dark side.
DeNiro is good.
But Joe Pesci is phenomenal.
And after years of chewing too much scenery, Al Pacino's performance is worthy of an Oscar, you truly believe he's Jimmy Hoffa, not the actor underneath.
As far as the women? Two-dimensional characters at best. We never see the reaction of the wife Frank divorces, his adult daughter Peggy doesn't even speak.
So Frank paints houses. Is he still working when he becomes head of the local?
And Harvey Keitel could be used more. He's got that sinister look, like a true gangster, who will never be crossed.
So there's endless hits, and a bit of Mafia politics. And you can see where the film is gonna end up, even though you can't figure out why it's going to take three and a half hours to get there.
Once again, Scorsese/Hollywood is not thinking of the audience. "The Irishman" should have been a miniseries. I mean what man over fifty can sit for this long in a theatre?
And sure, one might still binge the miniseries, but it's the viewer's choice. Instead, there's this interminable film, you're left waiting for payoff.
Maybe it's because I watched it during the day.
Then again, I've watched "Ozark" during the day and been riveted. Hell, I could watch "Ozark" EVERY day!
Even the first season of "Mindhunter". Although it too suffers a crisis of arc.
First and foremost, films, visual media, are emotional. If you don't strike that chord, you've got nothing. Sure, I was scared the first couple of times Frank offed somebody, but it got to the point where it didn't even bug me.
And the cars didn't change perfectly with the times. Assuming you know cars.
But maybe that's the point here, that it's all ancient history, water under the bridge, the Mafia is a thing of the past.
Then again, whoever writes history controls it. Now viewers will be convinced the Mafia killed Hoffa, and that Kennedy was beholden to the Mob, and the truth is much more murky than that.
But at least Netflix gave Scorsese all that money. The studios were too afraid to pony up in a superhero/blockbuster world.
But Netflix's business model is different. They just need people to keep paying every month, whether they watch or not. "The Irishman" enhances the brand. Meanwhile, Disney punts on this front. They make a "Star Wars" show for the brain-dead and for those wanting to chomp on something more...there's nothing on Disney+, at least nothing new.
So, "The Irishman" should have been the story of the weekend. Believe me, if there was no theatrical run, it would have been the centerpiece of conversation on Turkey Day. And I don't know about you, the last thing I want to do this weekend is go to the theatre/mall/look for parking. I want to stay home, and I did.
But to tell you the truth, "Atypical" hits more emotional notes than "The Irishman."
But that's another story.
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Film and TV still have not learned the lesson that the customer is in control. The record labels fought the public and then gave in. It was a tortuous experience, it took almost a decade, but now you can get all the music for ten bucks a month, advance hype is at a minimum, sure there are shenanigans on the "Billboard" chart, but the public doesn't care about that, the Spotify Top 50 suits people just fine.
We've been reading about "The Irishman" for months. It played film festivals. It opened in theatres to satiate the film industry...the same one that says what premieres on TV doesn't qualify for the Oscars, even though what the studios make doesn't qualify either. Come on, superhero flicks the best movies of the year? I'm with Scorsese on this.
But I'm not with Scorsese on this film.
"The Irishman" hit Netflix on Wednesday. Feel the buzz? Of course not, because there is none! It was all expended before the majority of the public could partake, hell, the flick didn't even play in the hinterlands, the supposed flyover country, that the Hollywood elite still believe exists, but the truth is they've got the same broadband and the same streaming services as they do on the coast, no one is left behind today, and we're all on the same page, at least conceptually.
It's nearly impossible to get the word out. Oh, you can try, but it just doesn't spread. Popsters figured out it's best to feature a rapper. And name rappers drop in on wannabes' records. And even other genres remix, Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus, because they want the attention.
And the attention rarely takes place in the newspaper, all the traditional outlets Hollywood still plays to. That's right, Hollywood hates Rotten Tomatoes, but that's where I go first! I mean in a time-challenged world, why waste hours?
So Apple TV+ is dribbling out the stiff on arrival "Morning Show." Everybody in Cupertino is clueless. They know nothing about the entertainment industry. Everyone knows it's hard to predict a hit, everyone knows the William Goldman quote, why did Apple think it was any different? You've got to overwhelm the public with product, so it has a choice, so something hits. This is another thing record companies have realized, however in this era of opportunity cost, they're leaving complete genres on the sidelines, to their detriment.
But I watched "The Irishman." I was eager.
I was disappointed, I'm thinking you will be too.
It's Scorsese, he's bad with arc. He gets the image, the feeling right, it's just when it comes down to story... "The Irishman" is so linear as to look like a chart. Francis Ford Coppola inserted relationships in "The Godfather," to make it more lifelike. In "Godfather II," he went back and forth in time, to make sense of the family history. Sure, Coppola failed more than he succeeded thereafter, but he had big dreams, he tried.
Scorsese keeps making the same damn film over and over again. Oh, to be honest, I haven't seen them all later ones. They just don't feel like novels, with multiple acts, reaching to an unforeseen conclusion. They're absent the drama of real life.
So what you get in "The Irishman" is history. Literally. In cars, outfits, everything is done exquisitely but the story.
And Frank Sheeran... Scorsese doesn't even do a good job of demonstrating why Frank/DeNiro goes to the dark side.
DeNiro is good.
But Joe Pesci is phenomenal.
And after years of chewing too much scenery, Al Pacino's performance is worthy of an Oscar, you truly believe he's Jimmy Hoffa, not the actor underneath.
As far as the women? Two-dimensional characters at best. We never see the reaction of the wife Frank divorces, his adult daughter Peggy doesn't even speak.
So Frank paints houses. Is he still working when he becomes head of the local?
And Harvey Keitel could be used more. He's got that sinister look, like a true gangster, who will never be crossed.
So there's endless hits, and a bit of Mafia politics. And you can see where the film is gonna end up, even though you can't figure out why it's going to take three and a half hours to get there.
Once again, Scorsese/Hollywood is not thinking of the audience. "The Irishman" should have been a miniseries. I mean what man over fifty can sit for this long in a theatre?
And sure, one might still binge the miniseries, but it's the viewer's choice. Instead, there's this interminable film, you're left waiting for payoff.
Maybe it's because I watched it during the day.
Then again, I've watched "Ozark" during the day and been riveted. Hell, I could watch "Ozark" EVERY day!
Even the first season of "Mindhunter". Although it too suffers a crisis of arc.
First and foremost, films, visual media, are emotional. If you don't strike that chord, you've got nothing. Sure, I was scared the first couple of times Frank offed somebody, but it got to the point where it didn't even bug me.
And the cars didn't change perfectly with the times. Assuming you know cars.
But maybe that's the point here, that it's all ancient history, water under the bridge, the Mafia is a thing of the past.
Then again, whoever writes history controls it. Now viewers will be convinced the Mafia killed Hoffa, and that Kennedy was beholden to the Mob, and the truth is much more murky than that.
But at least Netflix gave Scorsese all that money. The studios were too afraid to pony up in a superhero/blockbuster world.
But Netflix's business model is different. They just need people to keep paying every month, whether they watch or not. "The Irishman" enhances the brand. Meanwhile, Disney punts on this front. They make a "Star Wars" show for the brain-dead and for those wanting to chomp on something more...there's nothing on Disney+, at least nothing new.
So, "The Irishman" should have been the story of the weekend. Believe me, if there was no theatrical run, it would have been the centerpiece of conversation on Turkey Day. And I don't know about you, the last thing I want to do this weekend is go to the theatre/mall/look for parking. I want to stay home, and I did.
But to tell you the truth, "Atypical" hits more emotional notes than "The Irishman."
But that's another story.
--
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--
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-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
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Thursday 28 November 2019
Adam Alpert-This Week's Podcast
Adam Alpert manages the Chainsmokers and runs Disruptor Records, a joint venture with Sony Music. Listen to how a whip-smart millennial has navigated the music business...from nightclubs to number one!
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7e7T6AgZaWcaklhBGiYM7H
https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=65606972
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adam-alpert/id1316200737?i=1000458101637
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https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7e7T6AgZaWcaklhBGiYM7H
https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=65606972
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adam-alpert/id1316200737?i=1000458101637
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Wednesday 27 November 2019
The Chainsmokers At The Forum
I'd go again.
Isn't that the main criterion? That's how it used to be, the show was so good that you told all your friends and had to see every tour for not only the songs, but the production that you might not ever see again.
And believe me, this show is about production.
Actually, the show was a triple-header, starting with Lennon Stella, and then Five Seconds Of Summer, both acts the Chainsmokers have worked with.
The Forum Club was a cornucopia of boobs, both fake and real. Even more than when rock was down and dirty. It's like everybody's seen the movies, read the literature, and is acting out the fantasy for themselves. And it's a whole new generation. Richard Griffiths was there, manager of 5S0S, and Rob Light, CAA represents all three acts, other than that it was a whole new crowd, in some cases barely legal. It's like the old music business had been wiped out and a new one replaced it. And that's what's happening.
Now you're aware the Chainsmokers have inhabited the top of the chart, but are you even paying attention to the chart? Never have so few been infected by the hits, today we can ignore anything.
But there is a scene.
So the Chainsmokers... One guy stands behind the synths, the other prowls the stage and the extended runway, and there's a real drummer and...
A lot of lights, smoke, flash pots...every trick in the production book was in evidence.
What was not in evidence was charisma. Alex Pall is stuck behind the synths. And Drew Taggart jumps around like Gumby, like a cheerleader, there was no danger in this show, none of the edge of rock and roll, this was a celebration for fans, and they filled the Forum.
In an hour and forty five minutes, they did twenty nine songs. This was not the noodling of the acts at the Fillmore, or the latter-day jam bands, the numbers were short and sweet, at least relatively.
And there were covers. "Under the Bridge"? "Shout"?
And seemingly everybody who worked with the Chainsmokers was in attendance.
Well, not really. But Drew had a sense of humor about it, he said that Coldplay was not in the building, not there to perform their part in "Something Like This," which has over a billion streams on Spotify.
But Lennon Stella was there for the opening number, "Takeaway."
And 5SOS came out to do "Who Do You Love," which was actually superior to any of the performances in their set, they were more energized
But the piece de resistance was the appearance of blink-182.
HUH?
I won't give you the backstory, but Mark Hoppus came out to jump around with his bass, and Travis Barker pounded the skins and to tell you the truth I cannot fathom the absence of Tom DeLonge, but there was no doubting the energy during "P.S. I Hope You're Happy."
And Barker was one of the highlights, even though he was inexplicably facing away from the crowd.
You see earlier in the set the Chainsmokers' drummer was on a riser in the middle of the arena and he played with...lit sticks, yup his drumsticks were on fire!
Now you're starting to get the idea. The show was a weird combination of the circus and athleticism. Drew climbed a ladder and rode over the audience on a floating runway. Which angled to the point where you wondered whether he was strapped in.
And this big top ringmaster was surrounded by laser lights.
I've got to tell you, not being familiar with all the material, after about ten or fifteen minutes I started to fade out...how long do I have to sit here before it's over?
But then the shenanigans ramped up to the point where you couldn't look away.
The motorcycles...were they gas or electric?
And you couldn't miss the cage, the sphere hanging right in front of the stage. Drew climbed into it, roamed around the iron, it seemed like kind of a waste, until...
Just before the show was over the motorcyclists came back out, all three of them rolled into the sphere and then...
I've seen this act before, but in a much bigger sphere. There was barely room for all three riders, one false move...
And then they brought out women and rode around them.
You had to tell yourself they wouldn't crash, there wouldn't be an accident, otherwise they wouldn't be doing this, then again, the Wallendas fell.
And Drew is standing high in the sky, on a tiny platform.
And my eyes are scouring the Forum. I mean what exactly is going on here?
The girls behind me knew every word. Those in the pit were dancing. It was nothing like classic rock, the songs were confection, the only danger was in that sphere, it was a celebration of those in attendance, their lives, they went to relive the good times they'd had listening to this music.
So, the live business survives.
But it's not like anything you've experienced before.
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Isn't that the main criterion? That's how it used to be, the show was so good that you told all your friends and had to see every tour for not only the songs, but the production that you might not ever see again.
And believe me, this show is about production.
Actually, the show was a triple-header, starting with Lennon Stella, and then Five Seconds Of Summer, both acts the Chainsmokers have worked with.
The Forum Club was a cornucopia of boobs, both fake and real. Even more than when rock was down and dirty. It's like everybody's seen the movies, read the literature, and is acting out the fantasy for themselves. And it's a whole new generation. Richard Griffiths was there, manager of 5S0S, and Rob Light, CAA represents all three acts, other than that it was a whole new crowd, in some cases barely legal. It's like the old music business had been wiped out and a new one replaced it. And that's what's happening.
Now you're aware the Chainsmokers have inhabited the top of the chart, but are you even paying attention to the chart? Never have so few been infected by the hits, today we can ignore anything.
But there is a scene.
So the Chainsmokers... One guy stands behind the synths, the other prowls the stage and the extended runway, and there's a real drummer and...
A lot of lights, smoke, flash pots...every trick in the production book was in evidence.
What was not in evidence was charisma. Alex Pall is stuck behind the synths. And Drew Taggart jumps around like Gumby, like a cheerleader, there was no danger in this show, none of the edge of rock and roll, this was a celebration for fans, and they filled the Forum.
In an hour and forty five minutes, they did twenty nine songs. This was not the noodling of the acts at the Fillmore, or the latter-day jam bands, the numbers were short and sweet, at least relatively.
And there were covers. "Under the Bridge"? "Shout"?
And seemingly everybody who worked with the Chainsmokers was in attendance.
Well, not really. But Drew had a sense of humor about it, he said that Coldplay was not in the building, not there to perform their part in "Something Like This," which has over a billion streams on Spotify.
But Lennon Stella was there for the opening number, "Takeaway."
And 5SOS came out to do "Who Do You Love," which was actually superior to any of the performances in their set, they were more energized
But the piece de resistance was the appearance of blink-182.
HUH?
I won't give you the backstory, but Mark Hoppus came out to jump around with his bass, and Travis Barker pounded the skins and to tell you the truth I cannot fathom the absence of Tom DeLonge, but there was no doubting the energy during "P.S. I Hope You're Happy."
And Barker was one of the highlights, even though he was inexplicably facing away from the crowd.
You see earlier in the set the Chainsmokers' drummer was on a riser in the middle of the arena and he played with...lit sticks, yup his drumsticks were on fire!
Now you're starting to get the idea. The show was a weird combination of the circus and athleticism. Drew climbed a ladder and rode over the audience on a floating runway. Which angled to the point where you wondered whether he was strapped in.
And this big top ringmaster was surrounded by laser lights.
I've got to tell you, not being familiar with all the material, after about ten or fifteen minutes I started to fade out...how long do I have to sit here before it's over?
But then the shenanigans ramped up to the point where you couldn't look away.
The motorcycles...were they gas or electric?
And you couldn't miss the cage, the sphere hanging right in front of the stage. Drew climbed into it, roamed around the iron, it seemed like kind of a waste, until...
Just before the show was over the motorcyclists came back out, all three of them rolled into the sphere and then...
I've seen this act before, but in a much bigger sphere. There was barely room for all three riders, one false move...
And then they brought out women and rode around them.
You had to tell yourself they wouldn't crash, there wouldn't be an accident, otherwise they wouldn't be doing this, then again, the Wallendas fell.
And Drew is standing high in the sky, on a tiny platform.
And my eyes are scouring the Forum. I mean what exactly is going on here?
The girls behind me knew every word. Those in the pit were dancing. It was nothing like classic rock, the songs were confection, the only danger was in that sphere, it was a celebration of those in attendance, their lives, they went to relive the good times they'd had listening to this music.
So, the live business survives.
But it's not like anything you've experienced before.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
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--
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Monday 25 November 2019
Your Favorite Merch/Souvenirs/Collectibles-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in tomorrow, Tuesday November 25th, to Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.
Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863
Twitter: @lefsetz or @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
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If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
-- powered by phpList, www.phplist.com --
Phone #: 844-6-VOLUME, 844-686-5863
Twitter: @lefsetz or @siriusxmvolume/#lefsetzlive
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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