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Alexyz
www.linkedin.com/in/alessandromachi/
www.quora.com/profile/Alessandro-Machi
My Super-8mm films...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J40XWtnS2g&list=PLr7TXBU7qcgSRhrv9xdPHM37S7Zx6SUxT
Los Angeles Emmy Winner
ATAS Commercials Internship Scholarship Winner
Tongal top 25 of 50,000 Ideationist
Dementia Caregiver for a Parent
Presently an Extrapreneur who provides Product Enhancement ideas to Companies on their existing product lines.
Reviews
So Help Me Todd: The Tooth Is Out There (2024)
Funniest Episode I have ever seen on Network Television.
When watching the Tooth is Out There, one has to pay attention to every line of dialogue, every acting nuance, even the edits are so precise one wonders if it was to cram in as many great moments as possible.
Marcia Gay Harden's body and facial expressions are wide ranging, naturally done, and gracefully carry the excellent and humorous writing, and story lines forward. Marcia's hand gestures are so exquisite. Marcia's attire breathes life into every scene she is in, and, Marcia likes to be on the move, which I truly adore.
Watching Skylar Astin as Todd is like experiencing a Kaleidoscope of great performers all roiled into the sleeve of a Puppet Master. (whose to say what is in the other sleeve).
In The Tooth is Out There, I could see glimpses of Dick Van Dyke, Robin Williams, Bob Denver, Chandler Bing, Jerry Lewis, pop in and out so seamlessly by the puppet master himself, Skylar Astin. Astin's Acting and Verbal diction is so vivid it just adds to what Todd Fans already know, Skylar Astin is a generational talent.
Skylar's eyes alone are remarkably expressive.
Speaking of Skylar's expressive eyes, Skylar has to share best expressive eyes award with Tristen J. Winger, known as Lyle. Winger manages to create a sub plot of relatable, cohesive action in any scene he steals, er, is in.
Astin and Harden are a modern day Lewis and Martin in many of their scenes. The Dental scene in every way was like watching a modern day version of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin, with Dean (Harden), goading Jerry's (Skylar's) Dentist because Jerry (Skylar) told her to do so, but to an extreme Jerry, er, Skylar, never dreamed. The entire Dental scene from the first image of the Dentist's wheels, to the last, will stick in my memory, in a good and laughing way.
Allison's litigation negotiation scene with Mom is a hoot, down to the "handshake". Has there ever been a character such as Alison who everyone wants to share a hug with?
Susan Yang explains her relationship to Todd in one riveting moment that is so thought provoking Todd has to dismiss it and save it for a rainy day.
Todd's new gal, Judy Maxon, is a mix of smarts, sneaky, and someone who seems to show up at moments that make one wonder if she is a mole, or the best thing to ever happen to Todd. Another cast member with memorable facial expressions.
Margaret taking the case of a woman who is trying to raise 3 kids as a single Mom is heart wrenching, yet also empowering as we learn there are a group of successful business women who fund lawsuits that help the downtrodden battle their oppressors, in court.
The corporate entity's building that Margaret has to take on is made of glass. Seeing indoors that look to be completely lit by outdoor light streaming in through the glass is visual eye candy. Everyone looks so colorful and cheery, a nice change from the grim scenery we see in practically every television show out there.
Allison may have the most poignant scene in the entire episode, a scene no one else is in but herself; a truly heart warming moment.
Entertainment without guns and bullets flying is stress reduction, joyful entertainment, and something many people truly need in the world right now.
I hope nobody ever slaps a uniform and gun holster on Skylar or Marcia, not even in the far distant future after Todd has hopefully been on for many more seasons, if the 75,000 Petition signatures and 25,000 Save Todd Fans have any sway.
If a show like So Help Me Todd can be cancelled after creating multiple amazing episodes, culminating with "The Tooth is Out There"; cancelled as if it were the final piece of cigarette ash on the tip of Programming Executives cigarette butt; a Program Executive's who should never have been allowed anywhere near the level of comedic and entertainment genius So Help Me Todd creates every episode; then what hope do future joyful shows have?
I have already severely cut down my CBS viewing hours by at least 80% because of their mishandling of, So Help Me Todd. Whomever Killed Bambi is turning over in their grave at whomever is trying end So Help Me Todd.
If I were a filmmaker, and had somehow managed to write, and create the dental scene, and no other scene from "The Tooth is Out There" I would have instantly retired knowing I would never top myself. Yet for the creators of So Help Me Todd, it's just one great scene out of many more to follow.
If I were a film student trying to learn the entire craft of film making, the Tooth is Out There is what to watch and study; and then realize I should give up trying to become a filmmaker knowing this show has been prematurely cancelled, for the moment.
Return to Peyton Place (1961)
Disappointed so many original cast members were not in the sequel.
Who would have thought when both Peyton Place and the sequel were made that one day people might watch them back to back. If the Producers had considered the two films being shown back to back in the future, they would have begged, borrowed and stolen to keep the original cast intact. I wonder if I will be forced to leave a rating since I would have to re-watch it all the way through with an open mind, something hard to do after immediately seeing the original. Turns out my review is too short. However, one thing that did drive me crazy in a not good way about the original is the sound mix aggressively favored the orchestral score during dialogue scenes.
The Rifleman: The Boarding House (1959)
A lesson on the evils of classism.
The Boarding House features a powerful scene regarding the evils of classism. The scene involves a dinner gathering in which one person is both extremely proud of their own lineage while simultaneously being hideously spiteful of another person who has remade themselves into a model citizen.
The scene is a riveting reminder that classism may be the root cause of other societal ills that fester to this day.
Lucky Louie: Get Out (2006)
One of the best Woman to Young Woman Dialogue Scenes you will ever see.
Lucky Louie Episode, "Get Out" should have been nominated for an Emmy. One of the most memorable, Female Power, Woman to Young Woman dialogue scenes between Pamela Adlon and Emma Stone you will ever see on Television. I suspect that because neither character pulled out a gun at any point and there was no chase scene that I can recall their interaction will probably never garner the respect it deserves.
Mel-O-Toons (1960)
Philosophical Messages for young kids.
The messages in Mel-O-Toons may have screwed my life up, but probably in a good way. At the tender age of 4 and 5 years I was exposed to messages of how working together could bring back missing sound to the barnyard animals, how the one who starts fastest does not not always win the race, how a small band of soldiers and a gift could defeat a much larger army, and then there was the explosive classical music to contend with. I pity the youngster like myself that were exposed to Mel-O-Toons but not Disney because if one took to heart the philosophically powerful messages of Mel-O-Toons at a tender age but were unaware of Disney's much larger influence on childhood cartoons it could lead to the mistaken belief that others of their age had been Mel-O-Tooned when they had actually been Disnified.
Taxi: What Price Bobby? (1980)
The final scene between Bobby and his agent is an all time classic.
I think one of the most memorable scenes ever written and acted for a television show is the final scene between Bobby (Jeff Conaway) and his Agent, (Susan Sullivan).
Bobby mistakenly believes it is his decision and his decision alone deciding whether or not he should continue to carry on his affair with his new agent, or just keep their relationship on a business only level and end the romance.
In a moment of comedic cold tension, both have an opposite take on which is more important, sex or business, when it comes to romance versus Bobby's career.
The tension keeps building and as Bobby's turmoil over the possible loss of his "career building agent" turned "woman scorned", he turns into Captain High Pants. It's as if Bobby's body posture has aged 30 years in an instant and this recently proud young stud actor suddenly sports pants that go up to his chest. (not to worry, in the next scene Bobby is back to his dapper self in a pair body hugging jeans).
What Bobby finally does at the end of his encounter with his former agent is both sublimely ridiculous, and amazingly pragmatic.
The final minute features two distinct catch lines that are so memorable you may find yourself reciting them from time to time.
Secretary (2002)
One if by hand, Two if by Knee
This movie could lead to ENDLESS debates about all kinds of issues related to men and women. SO MANY issues, so many issues, you could construct a college class from this one movie alone and delve into a different issue each and every week.
This movie is NOT ABOUT SADOMASOCHISM, it's about everything else.