James Hudnall is a professional writer and internet developer.
He describes his politics as freedom loving independent.
His comics series “Harsh Realm” was adapted to TV by Fox in 1998. His graphic novel The Psycho, with artist Dan Brereton, is in development with Universal Pictures. His "Unauthorized Biography of Lex Luthor" has been called one of the best comics of all time by “Wizard Magazine.” He's currently finishing a crime thriller graphic novel and produces the strip Obama Nation with Batton Lash.
James blogs daily on his homesite, and often for Big Hollywood. He is a professional writer and has been a writing teacher, lecturer, publisher, and a software developer for many years. He's also a U.S. Air Force Veteran.
He currently lives in San Diego, California.
jameshudnall.com
James Hudnall
Slumdog
by James HudnallLike that a surprise. The Oscars is so laughably predictable The only surprise tonight was Penn. But not really.
I do think Slumdog was a great film in its own way. It’s an original story. It shows people a part of the world that rarely gets explored, yet is very interesting. The story was gritty without being too harsh, moving without being too manipulative. It has something for everyone.
Gee, but Jackman sure didn’t do much. Just three scenes and a good night at the end.
Ah well, good night.
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Best Actor
by James HudnallToucan Sam called and wants his nose back, Adrien Brody.
Anthony Hopkins introduces Brad Pitt. And calls him brilliant. The Apocalypse is nigh.
Ben “Sexy Beast” Kingsley pimps Rourke.
And who wins? YOU GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!!
Now we have to listen to this sanctimonious wife-beating creep. Ugh.
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I Disagree on the Reader
by James HudnallShe did not play a pedophile. The “kid” in the film was above the age of consent. I also don’t have a problem with the fact that it portrayed a nazi sympathetically because it showed how people can be sucked into such stupidity by ideology and following charismatic leaders. See current events.
On the other hand, I don’t know if Winslett deserved a win here. She was very good. She is as good as they said.
I agree with Bill WIllingham, though. Brave and courageous are not words actors should ever be called again. That’s laughable. I don’t know about you, but you can find a lot of people willing to debase themselves for the money Hollywood is paying. In fact, many often do.
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R.I.P. Tributes
by James HudnallI own a couple of Queen Latifa’s recent CDs. She’s a really nice singer. This tribute bit is the only part of the show I look forward to each year because it tends to be moving. This was a good one. But I hated how they kept pulling back from the screens. And no love for Charlton Heston? Really, Hollywood. Come on.
Well, at least Michael Crichton got some applause.
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I Like Musicals, Too
by James HudnallI have a bunch of them in my movie collection. And I like some Bollywood stuff, though I find too many of their films are corny. That number they just did dragged for me. I liked the music in the Slumdog movie, though. The bit at the end.
I am really glad to see Irrfan Khan in the audience. He was in Slumdog, that A Mighty Heart and the Namesake. He’s becoming one of my favorite actors. I actually went and watched a bunch of his Indian movies. He’s one of the most subtle, non-acting actors I have ever seen.
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RE: Terrorists
by James HudnallThey don’t exist unless they’re right wing white guys. Didn’t you get the memo, Andrew?
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Jerry Lewis
by James HudnallNo jokes, just brevity. Some of the looks into the actor’s eyes seemed to reveal something like boredom or coldness.
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Crockumentaries
by James HudnallI loved Man on Wire. Didn’t see the others.
Man, that one dude had some choppers!
Fricking Bill Mahrer. I watched his “documentary” the other day. Way to make Michael Moore look fair, Bill.
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Supporting Actor
by James HudnallFreebie and the Bean rocking the bald thing.
Oh look, Joel Grey puffing up the cliched conservative character Brolin played.
Cuba Gooding Jr was funnier than he was in his last 8 comedies.
But you JUST KNEW who was going to win this? And I agree with the choice. I know some people here don’t dig The Dark Knight, but Ledger took a character everyone thought they know, and made it his own. Made it fresh. That’s really an accomplishment.
Wow, Brad Pitt tearing up at Ledger’s dad speech.
Anyway, I think this is one of those tribute Oscars that is deserved.
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Wow
by James HudnallNever expected to hear Beyonce do Abba.
I kind of liked that number, but I agree with others. Jackson can’t sing.
At times he sounds like Fred Schiller from the B-52s
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Stiller, Biel
by James HudnallIt would have been funny if it went somewhere. The visual aspect worked but then it kind of dragged.
What’s with all these ladies’ gowns that look like someone stole the drapes?
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Uh Oh
by James HudnallMethinks future Oscar romance montages will be filled with gay images from now on.
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Button again?
by James HudnallPfft! Hellboy should have won makeup. Easy.
Button was an achievement, I suppose, but Helloy was visually more impressive.
I think Button is using up all its Oscars right here.
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Button + Duchess
by James HudnallButton was visually a great movie. The character was pretty boring. I think the Duchess was more impressive, but whatever. It won for costumes which it should have.
This kind of stuff is almost rote. These technical awards are usually where they pay off good movies that aren’t political enough or popular enough.
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Now I know why Black Got Drunk
by James HudnallHe read the script
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Wall-E
by James HudnallIt was a great movie but I like Kung Fu Panda better. Better looking, too.
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Loved “In Bruges”
by James HudnallBut I expected Wall-E to win. Instead Milk wins. Surprise!
They always use screenplay for PC films they want to win but are over ruled in highewr categories by something more popular.
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Ouch
by James HudnallTwo actresses up for the same award from te same film. They knocked each other out.
Allen’s Vickey Christian Barcelona was pretty dull. Cruz was good, but eh.
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Starter
by James HudnallUsing a movie star host instead of the same 3 comedians over again is a nice change of pace. Jackman does look like he’s nervous. The opening is somewhat amusing but Hathaway looks like two eyes on a stick.
Jackman’s starting to get into it now. Relaxing. Getting into it.
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Finally!
by James HudnallNo more red carpet. I was beginning to feel like Al Pacino at the end of “Scent of a Woman”
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Mickey Rourke looks like…
by James Hudnall.. a before Picture on a episode of Nip/Tuck.
I’ve always liked the guy. But Plastic surgery isn’t what’ll win him an Oscar/
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Obama’s Grinding his Teeth Right Now
by James HudnallAll that adulation and obsequiousness and none of it directed at him. He’s got to be jonesing for that “You’re my idol, Mr. President!” stares about now. We’ll see how many saviOr comments get tossed out bu the faithful in tonight’s many speeches.
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Pass me the Insulin
by James HudnallThank God the sycophantic red carpet conversations are over. Triple Ugh!
The one with Brad and Angelina was entertaining just by watching her eyes when the guy started off saying how she is a savior and inspiration to the world.
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Tweet Tweet
by James HudnallBot the popularity of Twitter.com is really taking off. On the red carpet show they keep talking about “Tweets”, which are Twitter posts people are making on their Twitter mini-blogs.
Nope, Tweet isn’t some new Hollywood drug slang, though from the way people text these days it might as well be.
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The Madness of Crowds
by James HudnallAs a child, I noticed something about adults that kind of bothered me. If you said one wrong thing to some people you could set them off. Even something innocent or harmless.
I remember when I was 11 my stepmom told me something I disagreed with and I said: “You’re crazy.” As in “Ha ha, that’s nonsense.” She went ballistic and was mad at me for days. And I didn’t mean anything by it.
Ever since then this is something about some people I haven’t liked. Because, I’m a very straight-shooting kind of guy., I usually say what I think and sometimes it causes that nuclear reaction. Even if I’m not being insulting or political. I just prefer being honest and real. (more…)
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Part II: 10 Clichés That Must Die
by James HudnallIf you read part one of this essay, you know I hate clichés and stereotypes. They’re the products of hack writers, lazy minds, and innate bigotry. Part one was about how Hollywood looks at “conservative America.” That is, anything to the right of them is “conservative.” Part 2 is mostly (except for #1) about how they look at themselves and society.
You see, art is a statement, even commercial art. It’s a kind of message, even when the message is stupid. Because all stories are an argument about something. Any story that doesn’t have a point is just a waste of time.
When people talk to you, they’re telling you a lot about themselves, without even realizing it. In the subtext of what they say, they tell you how they see the world. It’s rare that people say exactly what’s on their mind, they usually say it in a roundabout way. (more…)
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10 Cinematic Clichés That Must Die!
by James HudnallAs a writer and consumer of entertainment, I really hate clichés and stereotypes. They’re only useful for misdirection, making readers believe the story is going a certain way so you can fool them. But Hollywood keeps trotting out the following lame tropes over and over again. It’s about time they were called on the carpet for this stupidity. These stereotypes are not only offensive; they’re overused to the point where they must be retired for good. If you really care about not offending people, Hollywood, stop offending me and the legions of people who are sick of this drivel.
1. The Crazed Vet/Soldier: According to Hollywood, if you’re a veteran who fought in a war or a soldier returning from one, you are insane, dangerous and probably a murderous sociopath. Either that or you’re a pathetic loser with mental problems. An emotional basket case. And of course, only poor people join the military, only uneducated stooges easily fooled by government propaganda. No one joins the military because they believe in something. If they do they will find out how foolish they were and become disgusted with America. (more…)
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The New Hollywood
by James HudnallThe world economy is a mess. Things are in flux. These are scary times. But part of that comes with change.
If you think things are scary now, imagine how people felt when World War I or World War II started. Both of those wars led to massive alterations in the world as we knew it up till then. WWI ended the age of the aristocracy. Dukes, earls, czars, even kings fell by the wayside and their fortunes and lives were ruined. WWII shifted world power structures, ending the European dominance over the developing world. Colonies were abandoned and left to find their independence. The US became a superpower after living in the shadow of Europe for so long.
But this site isn’t dedicated to geopolitics. It’s dedicated to the Big H. And that’s the subject of today’s discussion. The end of Hollywood as we know it. It’s already begun.
Entertainment is about to undergo a radical shift from old media to new media. And the rules of the game will be changed forever. (more…)
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Television: The Vast Wasteland
by James Hudnall
In 1961, John F Kennedy’s FCC chairman Newton N. Minow gave a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters which is still cited today. You’ll understand why when you read the money quote:
When television is good, nothing–not the theater, not the magazines or newspapers–nothing is better.
But when television is bad, nothing is worse. I invite you to sit down in front of your television set when your station goes on the air and stay there without a book, magazine, newspaper, profit and-loss sheet or rating book to distract you–and keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that you will observe a vast wasteland.
You will see a procession of game shows, violence, audience-participation shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, western badmen, western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence and cartoons. And, endlessly, commercials–many screaming, cajoling and offending. And most of all, boredom. True, you will see a few things you will enjoy. But they will be very, very few. And if you think I exaggerate, try it.
Sound familiar? Aside from the dated reference of station sign offs, this is pretty much what you see today. Except now we have over 200 channels.
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The Point Of A Story
by James HudnallAt the dawn of mankind our ancient ancestors huddled around campfires and told stories to entertain each other. But the smarter ones realized there was a way to make the stories more effective for the audience. And that was the origin of storytelling technique.
Any artist wants their work to be appreciated. And most artists want to leave a lasting impression. In order to do that, you are either naturally gifted and can do that through your instinctive performance, or you can do it through an understanding of the driving forces that make it happen.
Most people fall into the second category. That does not make them lesser artists. Even the people with natural talent can improve it by honing their craft and learning new tricks.
Where all this falls into the realm of this discussion centers around what I call the point of a story.
Think of it like the business end of a sword. If a sword is dull, it has less a chance to do its job effectively. Of course, most of us writers don’t want to hurt anyone with our work. We want to entertain. Enlighten, if possible. But some have lost track of why they’re doing this. Whether intentionally or not, they are hurting people with their fiction. They are doing harm. Their sword is being put to bad use.
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