Movies/Film
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Intro
Adann-Kennn J. Alexxandar
Movie Critic,
Valdosta Daily Times
Valdosta, Georgia 31601
www.valdostadailytimes.com
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About Alexxandar
Cinematography:
-Movies/Films
-Recommendations
Television, Music and
Other Media
Contact Information
If William Shakespeare were alive today, he might write, "All the world's a film, and all the men and women merely players."
Movie/Film Critic
Adann-Kennn J. Alexxandar is currently the Film Critic with The Valdosta Daily Times (www.valdostadailytimes.com/) and Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. (CNHI), where his reviews are readable, at times, in multiple states on-line in and in print every week in The Valdosta Daily Times and associated affiliates of CNHI.
He reviews about 200 movies per year, averaging approximately three to four reviews a week.
Alexxandar has served as Vice Chair of the Valdosta-Metro Film Commission and a Commissioner of Lowndes/Valdosta Arts Commission, where helped found Movie Night at The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, where he had previously served as Curator.
Movie Critic, the Debut
I have always liked films. They are the perfect getaway. If you ever want to be alone, just you, with others or with that someone special, cinemas are the perfect way to achieve mini vacations.
I began my interest in film at age 17. While visiting Universal Studios, I decided to do a "Star Trek" taping. The taping involved a number of scenes, and it was tough to memorize my lines, remember what actions were necessary, and act simultaneously. Yet I managed to all those acts and more . . .
I yelled "cut" a number of times. I also asked the people operating the cameras to adjust their angles for better shots, changed some of my lines, augmented some of the props and asked if the tech people for CGI effects if they could shrink the blue-screened Commander Scott (James Doohan) so that he did not appear like a giant and dwarf a smaller me at 6 feet, 2.25 inches (1.885 meters). However, it was my audacity to yell cut that made the director curse.
Despite his anger, he said I was the best he had seen come through his studio/department. He did not believe me when I told him I was 17. He asked for my license. "You're pretty good at this. You were doing several peoples jobs, and you still managed to act," he told me. I am the director and you were doing my job, he added.
He said he could get me an audition with the producers of SStar Trek: Deep Space Nine. I was still in high school and quite shy at the time, so I did not see his offer as one that worked me. He said if I did not want to come back for an audition, at least consider interning with him at Universal Studios. Alas and to my regret, I did not take him up on the offer.
Years later, I was approached by a modeling agency while receiving money from an ATM. I did take the agency up on its offer. I modeled for few agencies in Valdosta, Georgia, Winter Haven, Florida (via Manhattan Model Search), and briefly for an agency based in Boulder, Colorado. Well to make a long story short, my work as model and duties as Curator of the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts lead me back to my love of film.
While delivering some information to the Valdosta Daily Times, I inquired to Elizabeth Butler, Lifestyles Editor, why the Times using a syndicated movie critic from Colorado. I suggested they use someone local; someone who knows the South Georgia area. I offered to write a few starter reviews free. Ms. Butler ran the reviews, which were a hit with the Valdosta, Georgia, area. She recalled me the next day and told me the Times wanted to put me on payroll. I have been writing film reviews now for over a decade.
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When did you realize that you could make a living doing what you love?
"As teen, I watched Gene Shalit on NBC's "Today Show" present his movie reviews often and thought I would love to do just that. I have been writing movies for the Valdosta Daily Times for approximately a decade, and I have been a guest on radio talk shows to discuss films, as well as few guest lectures on campuses.
Once, someone asked me during a presentation did people like or hate my reviews. I thought for a moment because I have been called some choice, four-letter words, and said 'All my readers are for me. Many are for me to keep writing my reviews, and some are for the Times to fire me.' Either way, they are all for me. Some in the audience did not laugh!"
An excerpt from an interview with the 11th Hour, Valdosta (Jessica Donaldson, Correspondent)
Other works can be viewed here (Click below):
International Movie Database entry
Celebrity Interviews
Archival, Editorials et cetera
Alexxandar's Reviews can be viewed at the following sites:
http://valdostadailytimes.com/
http://valdostadailytimes.com/theview (direct link to reviews page)
MySpace.com/alexxandar (where I post my movie selesction of the week)
or just Google my name, Alexxandar, plus any recent film.
Cinematography
Movies
In alpha order, these films are praiseworthy 2010 films. A hyphen ( - ) beside the title indicates highly reccomemndable. This list is updated weekly, depending on reviews of débuts.
- American, The (Director: Anton Corbijn; Action: 1 hour, 42 minutes)
A-Team, The (Director: Joe Carnahan; Action: 1 hour, 59 minutes)
Babies (Director: Thomas Balmès; Documentary: 1 hour, 19 minutes)
- Ghost Writer, The (Director: Roman Polanski; Mystery/Drama: 2 hours, 10 minutes)
- Harry Brown (Director: Daniel Barber; Drama/Crime Thriller: 1 hour, 43 minutes)
How to Train Your Dragon (Directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders; Adventure: 1 hour, 38 minutes)
- Inception (Director Christopher Nolan; Science Fiction: 2 hour, 28 minutes)
Karate Kid, The (Director: Harald Zwart; Drama/Martial Arts: 2 hours, 20 minutes)
- Remember Me (Director Allen Coulter; Drama: 1 hour, 53 minutes)
Shutter Island (Director Martin Scorsese; Drama: 2 hours, 18 minutes)
Shrek Forever After (Director Mike Mitchell, Animation/Adventure/ Comedy: 1 hour, 33 minutes)
Toy Story 3 (Director: Lee Unkrich; Animation/Adventure/Family: 1 hour, 43 minutes)
At the top the critical mass:
Period Dramas: Casablanca (1942)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Dramas: Color Purple (1985)
Crash (2004)
The Godfather (Series:1972,1974)
Action: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Science-fiction: Dune (1984)
Horror: Hitchcock's Pyscho (1960)
Adventure-Fantasy: Pans Labyrinth (2006)
Animated: The Incredibles (2004)
The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
Comedy: As Good as It Gets (1997)
Grumpy Old Men (1993)
Movie websites:
International Movie Database (IMDB.com)
Hollywood.com
Rotten Tomatoes
List of Notable, Recent Films
Recommended Photoplays:
2009
(this list is incomplete . . .)
(500) Days of Summer
An Education
A Single Man
Avatar
Blind Side, The
Brothers
Crazy Heart
District 9
Everybody's Fine
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Hangover, The
He's Just Not That Into You
Hurt Locker, The
Informant, The
Inglourious Basterds
Invictus
It's Complicated
Julie & Julia
Last Station, The
Michael Jacksons: This Is It
Precious
Princess and the Frog, The
Road, The
Sherlock Holmes
Sin Nombre
Toy Story - Toy Story 2 in 3D, Double
Feature (2009 rereleases)
Up
Up in the Air
Where the Wild Things Are
2008
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Doubt
The Wrestler
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Last Chance Harvey
The Secret Life of Bees
Television, Music and other Media
Et Cetera
Star Trek (TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, et cetera) Star Wars (all), Battlestar Galatica (both series), Stargate SGC, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe
Heroes, Smallville, Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
All in the Family, The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, Cheers, The Cosby Show, Golden Girls, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Maude, Sandford and Son
Family Guy, Simpsons, Futurama, American Dad, King of the Hill, X-Men (all), Wolverine and the X-Men, The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers,
24, Brothers and Sisters, Falcon Crest, Flashforward, In the Heat of the Night, Kung Fu: The Legend ContinuesMatlock, Nip/Tuck, The Shield, Queer As Folk (U.S.)
Jeopardy, Deal or No Deal,
The View, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
News, Commentary and Information:
Face the Nation (CBS), Fox News Sunday (FOX), Meet The Press (NBC), Rick's List (CNN), Situation Room (CNN), State of the Union (CNN), The O'Reilly Factor (FOX), This Week (ABC), Today (NBC), 20/20 (ABC) and the de facto Crossfire (CNN, 1982-2005).
Music Notables:
"That's All I Ask Of You" - The Phantom of the Opera
Nat King Cole - "Smile"
Deanna Storey - "Little Person"
Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind"
Tom Joyner Morning Show
-http://www.tjms.com/
Radio
Sites for telvision shows and more:
http://www.hulu.com/
http://www.tv.com/
http://www.ninjavideo.net/
Other:
Television Listings, What's on he boob tube!:
Top TV Bytes - www.toptvbytes.com/
TV Guide - http://www.tvguide.com/
IMDB TV - http://www.imdb.com/sections/tv/
Tele's Watchable Series:
Contact Information:
Contact: Adann-Kennn J. Alexxandar:
Valdosta Daily Times, c/o Ms. Gloria Jackson
201 North Troup Street Post Office Box 968
Valdosta, Georgia 31602 Valdosta, GA 31603
Tel.: 229-244-1880 or 229-244-3400, ext. 1241
Fax: 229-244-2560
Thanks for visting, and I will see you at the movies!
Online:
http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/
Email: alexxandar_email.com
alexxandar_myspace.com
MySpace.com/alexxandar
Facebook.com/alexxandar
