Here’s something I had fun doing: 30-second movie review videos—some in rhyming verse, some not!
The five spots below were created for my cable TV show “Reel Faith,” which I co-host with David DiCerto. Our next full season is this summer, but the show’s not entirely on hiatus: We did a mini-season over Christmas (the last episode of which you can still watch online), and last week we taped a special one-hour Academy Awards episode that I believe will be airing this Sunday (I’ll let you know).
Now David and I have done a series of 30-second spots that run on NET as advertisements for the show, and are available online at YouTube.
Regular readers are probably familiar with my predilection for writing reviews in verse (including haiku), and I’ve done readings for a number of these on the air, including singing my Scooby-Doo review to the tune of the “Scooby-Doo” theme song on “Fully Alive” with Greg and Lisa Popcak. This is the first time I’ve performed reviews in verse on video, though.
Three of the 30-second spots below, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Tangled and The Tourist, are in verse. The other two, True Grit and Rabbit Hole, are prose. I hope to do some more 30-second spots in the near future, both in verse and prose.
Enjoy! And, if you enjoy ’em, share the YouTube links with others who may enjoy them too.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (full review)
True Grit (full review)
Tangled (full review)
Rabbit Hole (full review)
The Tourist
If you enjoyed those, here are all my written reviews in verse!
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These are great!! Lookit you, all new media and stuff! :D I definitely view these as a natural extension of the various verse reviews you’ve done on the DF site, combined with production values the RF show. Nice job!
And I thought “One Minute Reviews” were crazy (http://www.rabbitroom.com/?p=11304). To quote Indigo “You’ve got a wonderful head for rhyme.”
Reminds me a bit of the The Fine Bros. from youtube fame with their 100 spoilers in five minutes and more. While they may be funnier, I really appreciate your concise reviews because - honestly - I sometimes don’t have time to read an entire review; I just want to know if it is a good movie or not.
Looking forward to seeing more! And, hey, consider changing your photo here as I wasn’t really sure it was ‘you’ doing it. Liking the current look and beard :-), as it is not unlike the one my dh is currently sporting.
You need lessons in elocution. Addressing a group is not the same as simple conversation.
@Gabriel Austin: Thanks for the suggestion. I would probably enjoy elocution lessons a great deal. Unfortunately there is only so much one can do in this life. Having muddled through the last decade or so of radio, TV and public speaking with my default speaking skills, I expect they’ll continue to serve tolerably enough; anyway, they’ll have to do. If I were going to take a class at this point in my life, I could think of several others I would value above elocution lessons.
My mother tells me I would benefit from singing lessons too. Our church choir director hasn’t thrown me out yet, though.
My favorite cinematic elocution lesson :-)
Rachel M.: The picture of me on the page is terrible. I’ve been meaning to replace it for months. Unfortunately I’m a terrible procrastinator. One of my many faults.
C.S. Lewis’s offhand remark that “a critique of a tragedy is not itself a tragedy” grows increasingly likely to be disproven.
Glad to hear that another season of Reel Faith is on the way (though a relatively long way). Judging by the trailers shown during the Super Bowl, I imagine you have your work cut out for you. But who knows, Thor might be a cinematic masterpiece.
Seriously speaking, your reviews are much appreciated.
Love it!! I hope you do more of them so it’s easy for me to decide whether or not a film is worth watching.
Steven! Cool beard (you look a little bit like Liam Neeson’s Qui Gon Jinn). Since 2008 I’ve wanted you to write a review for Gran Torino ... but I gave up hope a long time ago. I was thinking ... if you don’t have time for a written review for Gran Torino would you at least consider making one of these 30 second video reviews?
Thoughtful reviewer
adds funny bits.
Summer joy awaits!
@ dancingcrane:
Haiku! I love haiku!
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