The Big Screen Bulletin 11.16.09: This is The End...For Now

Posted by Chad Webb on 11.16.2009

On my final issue of the Big Screen Bulletin, I do my best to give a little salute to the zones that have had the most impact on me from 411mania. You will see lots of lists, some praise for the news report, and maybe you'll learn a bit more about me.

My last issue has finally arrived. It has been a long and strange run, but I had fun. My goal was to bring you interesting news each week in hopes that you kept coming back. I owe a hearty thanks to Scott Rutherford because it was he who offered me the Monday spot, and it was his "Entertainment Guide" that influenced how I was going to craft my news report. My idea was to have many different sections, so that if a reader clicking did not like the news, they could glance at the new DVD releases, read about the latest films in theaters, or the most recent trailers that had debuted. I wanted the Big Screen Bulletin to have something for everyone, and while I obviously did not win over everyone who visits this site, I think it was an overall success.

I am now at issue 204. At issue 185, maybe before, I knew I wanted to end my run at 200. I am a person who is very picky about my material. I did not want it to see repetitive. If I felt something was getting stale, I tried to change it so the Bulletin remained fresh. This was on reason I thought moving on to a new column topic would be fitting. The other will sound like me whining, but it has to be the way the news is unloaded on us these days. It is very frustrating for me to comment thoroughly on a piece of news only to have it be deemed concocted gossip by some stupid internet geek that wanted to fan the flames. This is happening more and more, and instead of being angry about it, I figured why not step aside and let others tackle that problem?

Of course those are minor reasons for me letting Steve Gustafson take over. The main one has to be that as long as I can remember; my weekend has been dominated by writing. Sundays have become known as "Stay away from Chad day" because I need to put my full concentration into my news report. Every week I tried to provide something enjoyable. With my wedding approaching in 2010, it was time for a change. I am excited about unveiling some new columns, each dealing with a subject that is not discussed enough. I have 4 ideas in mind, but the first will be extending my "Nether Regions" idea into a full column. That will focus on out of print movies and maybe even some shows. Shortly after that begins, I plan to start the tentatively titles "In Their Spare Time", a column that will highlight the side projects and TV episodes which major directors have done over the years.

For this final issue, I had the idea of doing a sort of salute to each zone of 411mania. I was going to plan an entire issue that was shaped around a specific zone, but it would be too difficult, so this struck me as more fun. Basically I'll be talking briefly about what each zone means to me, and subsequently be providing a list of some sort…because everyone loves lists. Since I write about my love of movies all the time through reviewing, I don't think I need to remind everyone what that zone means to me. It's obvious. Hopefully my lists here will be intriguing. I did my best to think of topics that weren't boring. Of course I have to begin with the movie zone...

The Movie Zone

TOP 10 MOVIES I THINK MORE PEOPLE SHOULD SEE

10. The Double Life of Veronique (1991) - Krzysztof Kieslowski is one of my favorite filmmakers. His Three Colors Trilogy, The Decalogue, and many others are films I treasure. For The Double Life of Veronique, the first time I watched it, I thought it was good, but moved on. It is one of those haunting and beautiful films that has lingered in my memory. It is a complex story, but one whose layers will unfold eventually.

Irene Jacob gives a brilliant performance as Veronika and Veronique. One lives in Paris, and the other lives in Poland. They do not know each other. It is an enigmatic, yet graceful piece of work. You will have many questions, but each one that Kieslowski raises through this double tale is thought-provoking. This was made by a master at the peak of his powers. Every frame and line of dialogue is deliberately placed. It is one of my favorite films, and if more people took a chance on it, it could provide tremendously entertaining conversations.






9. The Spanish Prisoner - Some films from David Mamet are more popular than others, but the ones that received the most attention always baffled me. Mamet is known for his writing, but he has directed so many terrific thrillers: House of Games, Homicide, and my favorite The Spanish Prisoner. The twists are plentiful and almost always unpredictable. Mamet's dialogue is sharp and fabulous as usual.

The performances are also superb with Campbell Scott doing terrific work in the lead, Steve Martin showing how great he can be in a serious role, Ben Gazzara handing in fine scenes as Klein, Rebecca Pidgeon as a sweet femme fatale, and so forth. At nearly two hours, the film is so satisfyingly easy to watch. With Mamet, you know you're being conned, but not being able to fully unearth the secrets is what makes it fun. The conversations are executed with a strange staccato rhythm that is not adored by all, but when Mamet has the right ingredients with the script, it is spellbinding.



8. The Furies - From Director Anthony Mann, this underrated western is filled with Freudian psychology, and the source on which it was based is heavily debated. Some say it was Dostoyevsky's The Idiot, while others say King Lear or maybe a Greek tragedy. Mann has weaved an intricate tale with the rugged and gorgeous background of the New Mexico territory as the background. Since this is a film from the 1950's the performances are a smidgen overblown, but that is part of the strength of the picture.

Each character is wonderfully fleshed out and have no trouble chewing the scenery deliciously. Mann displays tremendous skill in his capacity, but without Walter Huston and Barbara Stanwyck, it would never have been such a triumph. Watching Huston act so larger than life is spectacular. Stanwyck manages to be more womanly than every other female in the cast, while being more masculine than many of the men. When people talk about westerns they generally mention the same group. The Furies was released by Criterion not too long ago, so many are not aware of it. This does not star John Wayne, and John Ford is not the director, but it should stand as one of the finest offerings of the genre. I wouldn't call it flawless, but Mann hypnotizes viewers into never forgetting what they have seen.




7. Yi Yi (2000) - Here is a film that could very well make my best films of the decade list. It is unfortunate to say that Writer/Director Edward Yang passed away in 2007, but his final effort as a filmmaker will also be the one he is most remembered for. Still, so many people have never heard of him. Yi Yi is the only picture that has been released on DVD in the US, and it is nearly 3 hours long. Anytime you try to pitch a foreign film that is over 2 hours to a person, they are immediately intimidated, but once you delve into the life of this Taiwanese family, it will be impossible to turn away.

The story begins with a wedding and ends with a funeral, and unfolds in at smooth pace that allows the characters to be fully developed. Yang was an intelligent director who deserved more credit than he received. Ultimately, Yi Yi enables the audience to watch and observe the characters, and in most cases we understand what they are going through even if we haven't experienced the same situation. It's not a film that demands we walk away from it having learned a certain lesson. Instead it just puts the lives of the characters there for us to see. It is well worth checking out.




6. Millennium Actress (2001) - Satoshi Kon is a filmmaker that blends fantasy and reality like no one else before or since. His animated efforts have dazzled me time and time again. This was the first one I saw, and initially, it rubbed me the wrong way, mainly because I had never seen a story constructed in that manner.

It follows a TV interviewer and his cameraman who track down a reclusive movie star. She begins telling the story of her life in the movies, and the two men are drawn in to what she is saying. It truly is an ingenious method of storytelling that is awarding with each repeated viewing. The animation is breathtaking, the characters are funny, and the ending is emotional. If there was ever an anime film, or filmmaker, that more people needed to take a chance on, it is Millennium Actress and Satoshi Kon.





5. Les Miserables (1995) - Out of all the adaptations of Victor Hugo's novel, this was easily the best of the pack because it elected to tackle the story from a different angle instead of straight up. Writer/Director Claude Lelouch takes various plot threads and themes from the book and dumps in the 20th century around World War II and Hitler. This is an epic in every sense of the word that appeals to both fans of the novel and those who have never read it. It manages to please both sets of viewers, which is difficult.

Lelouch even re-uses actors to emphasize certain parallels between Hugo's story and his original story. Jean-Paul Belmondo gives a brilliant performance as he plays three different roles. The music, cinematography, editing, and every other facet of the production are top notch, and at the 3 hour running time, I was glued to my seat. Sadly, finding this on DVD is next to impossible since it is out of print, but you may be able to locate the VHS. A little hard work to watch a movie never hurt anyone. It is worth it.




4. The Grand (2007) - This is a comedy I saw the Tribeca Film Festival, and at that time, the buzz surrounding it was positive, but the film barely made a splash when it was released in theaters, and the same could be said when it arrived on DVD. It is a mockumentary that involves a poker tournament, but I laughed harder and more regularly than I have with most of Christopher Guest's recent efforts.

The cast is filled with extremely funny people like Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Richard Kind, and even Cheryl Hines. The winner of the tournament was actually a surprise since they are really playing poker in the film. C-writer and director Zak Penn molds this project so that all types of viewers will locate a comedian, or performer they prefer. It is a screwy and side-splitting take on the popularity of tournament poker on television. As you surf through the channels, you will probably never view these real tournaments the same again.



3. The Fall (2006) - Tarsem Singh, the same man who directed Jennifer Lopez in The Cell, made this stunning film in 2006 that was not released until 2008. It slipped by the radar of many people, including myself. Not even the "Spike Jonze and David Fincher Present…" bonus helped it a lot. After hearing so much about it, and seeing that it was one of Roger Ebert's favorite movies of 2008, I knew I had to track it down. I was mesmerized.

An injured stuntman begins to tell a story of 5 mythical heroes to a fellow patient, a little girl. The story within a story is just as fascinating, if not moreso, than the central story, but it is when the line between fiction and reality merge that truly exudes the emotional aspects of the film. Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru give amazing performances, but every member of the cast is superb. Many view this as a vanity project, but even if it is, that did not bother me. I was moved and shaken by the eye-popping images, and I was incredibly invested in the characters by the end. It's one of those experiences that is hard to forget.



2. Das Experiment (2001) - From Director Oliver Hirschbiegel comes this riveting prison film where 19 candidates take place in a prison simulation for 2 weeks. Some are prisoners and some are guards. What transpires is just mind-blowing, but enthralling and adrenaline-fueled all the same. This is based on actual events, and everything you see is totally plausible, which is quite scary. The environment changes these people, which is important when observing each character. Oliver Hirschbiegel shows how adept filmmaking can make a 2 hour flick a breeze.

The energetic music from Alexander Ubenheim, the engaging and claustrophobic cinematography from Rainer Klausman, and the rapid fire editing from Hans Funck aids Hirschbiegel's intelligent direction. His sense of pacing, framing shots, atmosphere, color, and staging is perfect. The story is an emotional rollercoaster, but it approaches its climax gradually and logically. You will feel so much intense hatred towards Berus, the leader of the guards, and it is a testament to his turn that he can provoke that type of reaction. Hirschbiegel is most commonly known for Downfall and the recent 5 Minutes of Heaven, but this early feature is his most accessible effort to date.


1. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005) - After I saw this movie, I knew I had to spread the word about it. It was so good that I was shocked no one had heard of it. Director Jean-Marc Vallee fashions an extraordinary coming-of-age tale about growing up in Quebec in the 60's and 70's. If I divulged too much of the plot, I would be doing the film a disservice. Just know that it is brilliantly made, wonderfully acted, and has an awesome soundtrack. Do yourself a favor and add this to your Netflix queue. You will not regret it. This is easily one of the best Canadian films ever made. Also, look for Jean-Marc Vallee's upcoming film The Young Victoria to hit theaters before the end of the year.

10 More Movies More People Should See

Witness for the Prosecution
White Heat
Synecdoche, New York
Martin
Ali: Fear Eats the Souls
Fahrenheit 451
The Princess and the Warrior
Bloody Sunday
The Flight of the Red Balloon
Croupier

The Music Zone

Before movies made such a profound impact on my life, I was always a music lover. I went to work at Circuit City in the music/movies department solely so I could get a discount on CDs. I have a pretty big collection at home, and I've prided myself on being someone who actually does listen to every genre of music. Most people say this, but will then admit that they don't listen to country, or jazz, or classical. You will find just about everything in my library. Like my obsession with buying DVDs, I am constantly trying to perfect my CD collection, at least in my own head. I am not a fan of simply burning CDs, or getting the songs off iTunes. I have done that here and there, but I prefer to hold the CD in my hands, complete with booklet, artwork, and the whole package. I own an iPod, but more often than not, I'll haul the CDs to my car, or over to the stereo instead of using the iPod. It might not make sense, but it's what I enjoy.

My completist nature also comes into play with my collection. I am one of those people that feels the needs to buy every CD buy a particular band if I like them enough. At this point, I own around 160 CDs of or relating to just Aerosmith. Many of them are concert bootlegs and import singles, but all the studio albums and Joe Perry side projects are there as well. I mention this because it proves how sick my addiction is. Every week I make my way to Best Buy and other stores to search for new releases of DVDs and CDs. Now that I am finishing up the news report, I would love to submit some more album reviews for the music zone.

For now, here are 10 albums that are used the most in my CD players (in no particular order), excluding greatest hits.

10 of the Most Used Albums I Own

--Metallica - Master of Puppets
--Coldplay - X & Y
--Elliot Smith - XO
--Outkast - Aquemini
--Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
--Aerosmith - Get a Grip
--Elton John - Madman Across the Water
--Nas - I Am…
--Elvis Presley - The Sun Sessions
--Ben Folds Five - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner

The Wrestling Zone

Like most of you, I learned about 411mania because of wrestling, and I can safely say that getting into arguments on the forums and reading Scott Keith's rants gave me a quick education on the ins and outs of the business. I purchase wrestling DVDs regularly, and love watching them, but ever since the Chris Benoit situation, the amount of time I spent keeping up with weekly shows and PPV's is slim to none. I will occasionally buy a DVD of a PPV that looks good, but most of the time I'll see newer matches via compilations of some sort.

I grew up as a Hulkamaniac, and was knocked off my chair when I observed the hatred for him on the forums. Oh well. I end up defending him a lot because most of the people I talk to refuse to have an intelligent conversation about it. The man has done plenty of things I do not approve of, but hey, don't be too hard on him brothers. I don't care what anyone says. Hogan in TNA should be good for pro-wrestling overall. I mean, what great product will he ruin exactly? It's been stale for awhile.

I have a solid collection of wrestling autobiographies at home, and before WWE starting releasing compilations consistently, I would scan the internet for rare VHS tapes and websites where people would create a compilation tape or DVD for me of matches that I wanted. It got expensive. Highspots is a site I stay away from because they have so many DVD sets I'd like to buy. It was through that site I got into Japanese wrestling.

Without further ado, I give you my favorite matches to date. The way I rate maches might be different than other. I incorporate more than just the technical aspects of the match. I include its entertainment value, the attitude of the crowd, and more that I can't think of right now.



1. Randy "Macho King" Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior (Career Ending match) at Wrestle Mania VII - What can I say, this was a spectacular match, and the events afterwards were touching, especially when I was a kid. I was in love with Elizabeth. The crowd was into it, and I'll never get tired of watching it.





2. Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs. Hulk Hogan (WWF Championship match) at Wrestle Mania V - Savage was Hogan's best opponent. Their encounters were always epic, and they brought out the best in one another. Hogan's match with the Warrior left a bigger impact on me since everyone was talking about it at my school, but I like this one better.







3. Mitsuhara Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (GHC Heavyweight Championship match) on March 1, 2003 – This is just a masterful bout. It was on the first Japanese compilation DVD I bought, and I was blown away at the tings these two did in the ring. And the burning hammer finishing move should be used more often.









4. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Triple H (3 Stages of Hell match) at Now Way Out 2001 - I am editing this one in late because it was a match that slipped my mind. I have to include it though because despite my brain lapse, I still love it immensely. The ending was perfect, and watching these two brutalize each other in the culmination of their feud was as good as it gets.









5. Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle vs Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood (NWA World Tag Team Championship Cage Match) – Of all the steel cage matches I've seen, this is the best. These two teams had a classic feud going in Jim Crocket's Mid-Atlantic territory. This match has everything a tag team match should, even Slaughter flying off the top of the cage. This is extremely rare, but if you can track it down, it is well worth the time and effort.













Honorable Mention #1 The Steiner Brothers vs. Bret & Owen Hart – Because I only know of this match being featured on the Wrestlefest 1994 tape I own, I included the YouTube video blow for your enjoyment. Every now and then, a match that ends with a double DQ or a double count out can be a good thing, and this was one of those occasions. Here you have one of the greatest tag teams ever going up against two members of the Hart family. I think it's a classic.











Honorable Mention #2 - Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair (Ironman match) on January 9, 1993 – This was a house show match, but thankfully someone recorded it, and I was able to find a site that had it. I forget where I got it now, but it was a wise purchase. The camera work and lack of commentary hurts, but the match is simply brilliant, and what else would expect from these two?

The Politics Zone

I've only reviewed a couple films where my political beliefs could potentially sway my point of view. They were Sicko and Death of a President. In both, I did my best to be impartial, and not mention my personal beliefs. Initially, I registered as a Republican, but have since considered myself an Independent. I follow what is going on in the world, and I keep up to date with our President, and the politicians of the state I live in, but getting into debates about politics is not my thing. I'll have a debate on a film any day of the week, but when I watch two people argue about politics, it strikes me as beating a dead horse. That being said, the people that contribute to the politics zone do outstanding work, and like all the zones, I'm always making a point to peruse the articles.

5 Excellent Sort-Of Political Movies

1. Air Force One - Harrison Ford vs. Gary Oldman. What else could you want?
2. Being There - Peter Sellers walks on water. Nuff said.
3. A Face in the Crowd - Probably Andy Griffith's best performance.
4. The Lion in Winter - This family has problems.
5. Missing - A highly depressing film, but as only Costa-Gavras knows how to do.

The Boxing, Games, and MMA Zones

Grouping these zones together is not much of a salute I realize, but I felt that if I rattled on for paragraphs about things I don't know as much about, it would make me look phony and be insulting to the hard working writers of those zones. I do visit them regularly, and enjoy reading the articles and keeping up to date with what is going on, but my passion has always been movies, music, and wrestling. So my hat is off to everyone who writes in those zones. Keep up the good work.

Comments on the Big Screen Bulletin

I've made a lot of friends on this site, and am glad that I have gotten to know so many cool people, but when one of them offered to write something on the Bulletin, I felt honored. I've never been the type of person that feels the need to ask for praise, but it meant a lot when someone wanted to write about the news report. At the same time, I did ask my lovely fiancée Steph to write a bit about her thoughts on the Bulletin. I think her perspective would be interesting.

From Erik Luers:

"Being able to talk about movies with someone -- to share the giddy high excitement you feel -- is enough for a friendship.''

Ms. Pauline Kael

For the past four or so years, Mr. Chad Webb has worked obsessively hard to maintain the quality of news and newswriting he has brought weekly to the Big Screen News Bulletin. Starting with movie news like "Aniston fights over topless photos", and "Jim Carrey dating Jenny McCarthy?", (he was right on both accounts), Chad gave his personal insight on topics large and small, groundbreaking and rather minor. Reporting on the news that Toy Story 3 had been scrapped in pre-production, Chad agreed that they should leave the classics alone and stick to new scripts. Now, upon the arrival of the newToy Story 3 trailer, Webb writes, "this looks brilliant, and the sooner it arrives, the better." I guess the power of Tom Hanks compelled him to change his mind (hey, nobody's perfect).

Last year he predicted that Viola Davis would win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance inDoubt , and sunk into a deep and dark depression when it was not to be. Legend has it he was hitting the bottle all night long watching House Arrest and Blank Check to drown out his sorrow. He was tempted to put on Caligula and Salo, but he stopped just in time. When it comes to seeing movies, Chad hits harder than Ike Turner.

Chad has confessed that many a' weeks he has thought endlessly about what to title each week's edition of the Bulletin, trying to come up with something both clever and specifically relevant. Thankfully, for the past three weeks, that task has proven a little easier. Finishing the strenuous task of compiling a list of the worst movies of the alphabet, I now suggest that he next try to conquer numbers. Please start with the number 200 (as in 200 Cigarettes) and worked downwards.

Every week he brought us the Critic's Quickee, a nickname he was given in college while performing in a student production of Last Tango in Paris. Reviewing movie after movie, Chad's tastes swerved towards the likes of Michael Haneke and Jason Reitman, and less towards the likes of Richard Kelly and Pedro Almodovar. Let it be known that of all the news reports on 411, it is this one that is Diablo Cody's very favorite. He has been angry towards movies (see his Harry Potter 6 short review from this past summer) and in love with them (see his writing on Moon and Inglorious Basterds for recent examples of this), but he has lived bravely through them all. He watches movies in the morning, afternoon, and night. Most critics aren't even awake during one of those daily periods.

Bringing us trailer after trailer after trailer, Webb has focused on new films as well as old. He would inform us of the extensive weekly DVD releases (he has raped Amazon's DVD section worse than a 15 year old cinephile with a stolen credit card), and has given his thoughts on each. His DVD Nightmare section proved him to be a daring masochist and taught me about more movies I should never force myself to see (including a recent Val Kilmer trifecta), and his Nether Regions section taught me about movies I would be unable to obtain. If you ever are looking for a copy of Barfly or Return to the River Kwai, he has it. After seeing Me and Orson Welles later this month, you may be looking to complete your Richard Linklater collection by seeing one of his earlier features, Suburbia. Rest assured Chad Webb has it.

He is an obsessive filmgoer (call him the Howard Hughes of moviegoing), and will travel from state to state to seek new things out. He spends a lot of money in travel in an attempt give the site something new and informative to read. He has experienced Antichrist and A Serious Man in the same day, and is one of the few to have seen Steven Soderbergh's Che theatrically in its original four and a half hour form. He has met A.O. Scott of The New York Times, and he has received numerous emails from producers thanking him for his kind words (i.e. a recent movie about romance in the Big Apple). He also has received negative emails in regards to his Waiting review, but I think now, as time has passed, the less said about that movie, the better.

As Chad's news bulletin comes to a close, he (un)fortunately will not be leaving the site for good. He will be serving up two new columns, each serving as vital information for all budding collectors and movie fans. We will have to wait and see what they'll bring. I, among many other passionate readers (and writers) of the site, eagerly look forward to what it is he has in store. Although we may disagree on some things, the fun and art is in the discussion itself; the content is more important/long-lasting than a final rating and quick polemic opinion. Thanks for giving me something to read on Sunday nights and Monday mornings, and all the success to your future writing.

P.S. I swear when I started writing this I wanted it to sound more like a Roast and less like an epitaph. Oh well. Que sera, sera.

From My Fiancee Stephanie:

Now I'll be the first to admit I haven't been granted the gift of creative writing as my witty fiancé has, but he's asked me to share my memories and experiences of all these years (he worded it as "The Bowing Down to the Legend" but we're not going to go that far) so here goes. The Big Screen Bulletin has been such a big part of our lives for so long it's going to be really strange to live without it. While I am sad to see this enjoyable and original column go, I'm excited to watch as a fan, albeit a biased one, to see what he will do next. Right now I challenge you to find someone who knows more about movies and is more passionate about the entire business involved than Chad Webb. He watches on average about 16 movies a week, while maintaining a fulltime job, frequent trips to NYC, planning a wedding, working on the Bulletin, writing movie and DVD reviews, and regularly feeding the cat. If given the choice between eating three meals a day or watching three movies a day for the rest of his life, I'll give you just one guess of what Chad would pick. You get the gist, Chad lives and breathes movies, so it took a lot of thought to decide to pass on the torch of the Big Screen Bulletin. But change is good for everyone so I encourage you to look out for his two new columns, coming soon to a computer near you.

I was there the day, about 6 years ago, that a friend told Chad about the website 411mania.com and after he became a fan of the site, I edited the reviews that he submitted as his audition to write for the site. Since then, his life has been changed forever, and judging by the e-mails he receives, many of your Sunday night/Monday mornings have too. When he began the Bulletin on November 20, 2005 it had traces of what it would become, but still looked much different than it does today. (Click Here for the 1st Issue) That's one thing I've always really enjoyed about the BSB: it's not afraid to change things up every once in awhile. Remember the "Blast from the Past", the "News Bulletin Dissection", "Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week", or the "Forgotten Hotties"? Chad's a writer who knows what his readers want and isn't afraid to give it to them.

It's been very interesting to see the construction of this news report from behind the scenes so I'll give you just a taste now of what goes into it: Every weekend for the past 4 years, his Sunday's #1 priority has been collecting news, discovering the box office results, finding the pictures for the Birthday Bash, writing the "20 Second Sermon", and finishing up his reviews of this week's "Nether Regions" or "Straight to Video Nightmare". The rest of the week prior to the Bulletin is spent writing his comments on the "What's Coming Out…Buy or Avoid?", writing the blurbs that will become the "Critic's Quickees", collecting trailers for the "Based on the Trailer…" and filling in his thoughts, watching the odd and awful, or rare and brilliant "Straight to Video Nightmares" or "Nether Regions", jotting down what he did today for "What Have I Done This Week?", and my least favorite part of the Bulletin: thinking of the title. Chad spends all week trying to come up with a good title to the extent that by Sunday night, if he still hasn't thought of anything, I am given the fun task of putting random words together to see if any of them will fit what kind of week Chad just had.

For the past 200+ issues, I've spent almost every (I won't lie, sometimes I do fall asleep before I can complete my duties) Sunday night editing this wonderful piece of news reporting (in which some weeks I then get mad at him for dissing a movie I treasured in the "Critic's Quickees"). Then I spend Mondays at work, when I can grab a free second, checking up on the Bulletin's comments. He and I spend the holiday season remembering and writing down all his pet peeves from the past year. We travel far and wide to see and get the movies he needs for the Bulletin each week and Chad's constantly thinking about what new features and specials he can do (i.e. the wonderful Best and Worst Movies of the Alphabet). Basically, here's the bottom line, a lot of work goes into the Bulletin week after week and I'm proud to say I've been just a small part of it. Chad's one of the hardest working people I know and saying good-bye to the Big Screen Bulletin coming out of his computer week after week is a bittersweet farewell. While I am sad to see this era end, I am excited for what's to come (and to share my Sundays with him outside of the house!). I hope you've loved the Bulletin as much as I have!

Chad Webb's Final Thought

I thank both of them for taking the time to lend their thoughts and praise. I greatly appreciate it. Well, I am not leaving for good, but concluding this part of my life will be weird to say the least since so much of my week was regularly spent preparing my news report. Whether this is your first time reading or your 100th time, I am glad you stopped by, and I hope you will continue to read for Steve Gustafson. He will do a fantastic job. With that I say good night, and good luck!

And to keep up with my thoughts on new films, click here for my blog, which will be updated regularly.