Hollywood lessons learned from 2016 box office

StorySmack Episode #7

2016 Lessons Learned StorySmack

Yes, 2016 generated an all-time high in box office revenue, but when you adjust for inflation how successful was it, really? Is Hollywood heading for major crash, a-la the music business of the 90s and the publishing biz of the oughts?

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We cover that in this episode, as well as:

  • What were the Top-10 highest-grossing films of 2016?
  • The influence of Chinese investors and the Chinese government on Hollywood.
  • What year set the record for attendance, not for revenue?
  • Why it’s better to root for the Dark Side.
  • The evil that is Herbie the Love Bug.

Links:

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode sponsored by an amazing Stamps.com promo code page.

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Books Scott read in 2016

People often ask me, “Hey, FDØ, do you read books?”

To which I usually respond, “How dare you. How goddamn dare you, you sonofabitch. How DARE you question my commitment to literature?

I am a goddamn Man of Letters™. I have degrees and shit. I’m educated AF. I have a library with many pleather-bound books.

I am literature […]

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PANDEMIC is the conclusion to the New York Times bestselling INFECTED trilogy, out Jan. 21 from Crown Publishing

PANDEMIC Episode #21

The United States government is distributing an innoculant to protect people against the coming infection, but are people willing to take it? Will they believe, and will they believe in time to make a difference? Margaret Montoya’s transformation reaches a critical phase, and in the Situation Room of the White House, Murray Longworth is a […]

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Friday the 13th (the original!)

StorySmack Episode #6

Want to know "What Time Is The Super Bowl On?" go here: http://galacticfootballleague.com/what-time-does-the-super-bowl-start/

It’s Friday the 13th, so what else would we cover but FRIDAY THE 13th? The original, people, not a remake, not a reboot, not a sequel, but the carnage-fest that started a billion-dollar franchise. A first-generation slasher film that created many copies, this horror classic is slathered with the blood of horror movie history.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/06_StorySmack_6_-_Friday_the_13th.mp3

Oh, you want cheese? We’ve got your Velveta-drenched nacho treat right here with the original FRIDAY THE 13th theatrical trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqqej9T2gqI

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode sponsored by the quirky little What Time Does The Super Bowl Start & What Time Is The Super Bowl On pages, part of the Galactic Football League series which is described as STAR WARS meets THE GODFATHER meets ANY GIVEN SUNDAY.

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Book III in the INFECTED Trilogy

PANDEMIC Episode #20

Dr. Tim Feely discovered that he could pinpoint infection outbreaks by looking for statistical spikes in the consumption of cough drops and other medications that treated the pathogen’s symptoms. While that worked in the small population of the Operation Wolf’s Head task force, he’s waiting to see how his model works with the population of the United States. SEAL team commander Paulius Klimas was force to name one of his own as a subject of an inoculation experiment, and will soon learn of the results of that experiment. And, In Chicago, Steve Stanton, Cooper Mitchell and Jeff Brockman partied till the wee hours of the morning, celebrating a job well done. They will awake to a world that has already begun to change.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/20_PANDEMIC_Episode_20.mp3

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode is also brought to you by our What Time Is The Super Bowl On? page.

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Galaxy Quest!

StorySmack Episode #5

Galaxy Quest

If you haven’t seen Galaxy Quest in all this time since 1999, let’s just say you’re missing out. Or, more correctly, if you’re a fan of this ‘cast, or scifi, or nerdom and you haven’t seen Galaxy Quest … you’re totally missing out. Just trust us, see it.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/05_StorySmack_5_-_Galaxy_Quest.mp3

LINKS:
• 20 Things You Might Not Know About Galaxy Quest

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode brought to you by our What Time Does The Super Bowl Start and What Time Is The Super Bowl On pages, because The GFL series is described as “Star Wars” meets “The Godfather” meets “Any Given Sunday.”

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Book III in the INFECTED Trilogy

PANDEMIC Episode #19

The Mary Ellen Moffet has reached Chicago, and brought with it a cargo of pending death. Back on Lake Michigan, Margaret Montoya is also caught up in a swirl of doom that threatens to drag her into hell. Her hallucinations of Perry Daswey are nightmares growing in urgency and intensity. Murray Longworth has become the President’s go-to man for this crisis — will proximity to the leader of the free world be enough for him to change the course of history? And Tim Feely might be the last person on the planet who can stop this carnage from happening.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/19_PANDEMIC_Episode_19.mp3

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode is brought to you by our What Time Does The Super Bowl Start? page.

Happy New Year!

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FOUR ROOMS & New Year’s Eve!

StorySmack Episode #4

Four Rooms StorySmack

Happy New Year from the Future Dark Øverlord and the Director of Døøm! And, yes, the Dog of Døøm as well. To celebrate the incoming wonders that 2017 brings, we review the quirky New Year’s Eve anthology comedy known as FOUR ROOMS. Join us for a discussion of Tim Roth‘s masterful physical performance that ties together a shit-show of short films by Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Allison Anders and Alexandre Rockwell.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/04_StorySmack_4__FOUR_ROOMS.mp3

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode is sponsored in part by our Stamps.com free trial page.

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PANDEMIC is the conclusion to the New York Times bestselling INFECTED trilogy, out Jan. 21 from Crown Publishing

PANDEMIC Episode #18

The Mary Ellen Moffet collected the piece of the Orbital, and in doing so, her crew was infected. Cooper, Jeff, Jose, Bo Pan and Steve Stanton have all been exposed, and now are about to disembark in Chicago. Bo Pan is expecting Steve stanton to deliver his data to the Chinese government, but Steve is terrified of what will happen to him after he does.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/18_PANDEMIC_Episode_18.mp3

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and (tomorrow) Joyous Kwanzaa!

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The DIE HARD Christmas Special

StorySmack Episode #3

StorySmack Diehard
In this episode, we get into the muck of one of the world’s greatest, most enduring philosophical questions: is DIE HARD a Christmas movie?

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/03_StorySmack_3__DIE_HARD_Christmas_Special.mp3

We also cover a shit-ton of tidbits, trivia and facts about this enduring classic, including:

  • Who was supposed to play John Mclane?
  • Is this a sequel to a Sinatra flick?
  • The book (yes, book this movie is based on).
  • Which member of this cast served hard time?
  • Which famous lion tamers were cast as bad guys?
  • Does anyone in this flick actually sprechen Deutsch?

LINKS:

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download. This episode is sponsored in part by our Shipstation trial page.

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Book III in the INFECTED Trilogy

PANDEMIC Episode #17

Margaret is having vivid dreams bordering on hallucinations about one Scary Perry Dawsey. He’s talking to her in these dreams, but what is he trying to communicate to her? Bo Pan, the Chinese agent directing Steve Stanton, is still on the Mary Ellen Moffet as it steams toward Chicago. And way back in Book II, CONTAGIOUS, Maragret and Clarence Otto had a run-in with Dr. Cheng that turned into a power struggle. Margaret won that battle, but who will win this time?

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/17_PANDEMIC_Episode_17.mp3

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download.

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NEW HOPE & FORCE AWAKENS the same flick?

StorySmack Episode #2

storysmack680x300starwars

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/02_StorySmack_2__A_NEW_HOPE_and_FORCE_AWAKENS_the_same_movie_.mp3

We’re off to see ROGUE ONE, and to celebrate, let’s talk Star Wars Smack! Many, many nerds have waxed endlessly how Episode IV: A New Hope (the original 1976 Star Wars flick), and Episode VI, The Force Awakens, are the exact same movie. Professor Sigler and the learned Doctor Kovacs delve deep into this comparison to give you a StorySmack diagnoses. Click “Continue Reading” below to see all the bonus links and images!

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Frustrated with your writing career?

Read also: "When rejection letters become blurb requests"

How does it feel when the people who reject you for that thing you desperately want to do wind up courting you when you’ve finally done that thing?

Well, that’s more than a little overly dramatic for this situation, but as they taught me when I was a journalist you have to hook the reader with the lead. […]

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Book III in the INFECTED Trilogy

PANDEMIC Episode #16

Steve Stanton’s robot submersible, the Platypus, went to the depths of Lake Michigan to retrieve part of the Orbital, but did it accidentally bring something else up with it? SEAL Commander Paulius Klimas and his team rescued Margaret Montaya from the pitched battle on the surface of Lake Michigan, but her ordeal is not over yet — she was exposed, and as such, she must be tested.

http://media.blubrry.com/scottsigler/media.libsyn.com/scottsigler/16_PANDEMIC_Episode_16.mp3

Don’t see a “play” button above? Click here to download.

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