Sunday Morning Shootout

Peter Bart and Peter Guber provide excellent commentary on the state of the entertainment industry ranging from topics like 'the consequences of films such as "The Matrix Reloaded"' on the industry as a whole and on the effect of product placement in movies like the James Bond series and other films.

From the very beginning, I have been taping all the half-hour episodes for future reference. I really like the kinds of guests they have on the show, from Sir Anthony Hopkins to Danny DeVito to Diane Lane and Samuel L. Jackson. As an aspiring filmmaker myself, I find the ideas talked about on the show to be invaluable and very engaging.

I look forward to many more episodes and especially guests. I hope they get someone like George Lucas or even Steven Spielberg. Now that would make for some interesting interviews, just like the one Spielberg had on Lipton's Actor's Studio show.

Should be required viewing for every film student and would-be filmmaker. Don't look for Brittney Spears on this show, but if you want the best people in the industry to talk about how they actually created a film, this is the place.

The only things wrong with it:

It's only half an hour. It's only on once a week. It's on AMC, where it might be missed.

In case you didn't know, in a single year Guber produced the highest-grossing film (Batman) and the best-Oscar winner (Rainman.)

Bart's been a producer, studio head, and runs Variety.

In an age when it seems that only celebrity counts, these two balance off with brains and knowledge. I wish it was a daily show.

This morning, the show displayed two of Hollywood's expert insiders on the business of movie-making, Peter Bart, and the other guy whose name escapes me. They were discussing about why the Oscars were so bad this year with low ratings. Of course, if you had Larry the Cable Guy, Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, and Bill Engle as hosts of the Oscars or any awards show, maybe the ratings would have increased. The movies were not that great last year for starters. It was kind of a bad year in the film industry. As an outsider since I live and work outside of the industry but I have observed the entertainment industry since I was a kid. I do believe that most of us outside of Hollywood and New York City are somewhat disenfranchised and disenchanted with the industry itself. People like myself have other concerns. Of course, we go to the cinema to escape reality but we don't need to be preached too. I'm still puzzled why Sicko lost in the best documentary category. When you look at television programming in particular, there is this enormous focus on sexuality in almost every television show whether sitcom or drama. There is a recession going on right now. 50 million people by liberal estimates are uninsured. The gas prices are rising and there is two wars that America is fighting in. At home, there is a war between the elitist liberals and I include myself as a liberal lefty in that category but I have tried to understand where people are coming from. While the same disenfranchised hard-working people are struggling to survive, they are constantly reminded of issues that don't concern. They are being preached too like children. The audiences today are quite sophisticated with internet and computers anyway. I don't want to spend time and money on a film that will only depress me. I want to escape after all away from the sad reality that faces me outside the theater. Instead of trying to come up with bad movies, maybe Hollywood should swap lives with hard-working middle class people. That would be a great television show or movie I can watch.

Let me begin by saying that this is an insightful show, which is very very rare nowadays!

You'll have a lot about the show business from the real guys. For instance, it was firstly here where I knew, from (Clint Eastwood) as a guest, that the top 10 box office list is an utter baloney, since in the end these allegedly high movies would not collect the money collected by shy movie in the 11th rank, which could stay in its position for longer. You'll have deep questions and answers; so forget about trivialities like: "and how's your dog?" (Letterman stuff!). And, unfortunately, you'll have some suffering due to its format!

It's buddy show in its core. There are the "I've been around" guy (Peter Guber) and the "bookstore" guy (Peter Bart). They are different in shape; one is athletic, stylish, handsome with nice hair, and one is chubby, casual clothes, everyday man with no hair. One looks like a carefree playboy, and one looks like careworn father. A cool billionaire, and a geeky clerk if you well. It's supposedly productive. However, I used to refer to the show not as Peter & Peter, or The Hollywood Peters, but as Good Peter & Bad Peter!

The thing is (Peter Bart) doesn't have it. And when it comes to "it"; then it's many things related to be a TV show host. (Bart) has a little bit of charisma, fitting to play the lead's grandfather, in a wedding scene as an extra! He has that sleepy one-note tone which agonizingly doesn't change. He's nearly incapable of laughing, or throwing one successful gag. And - this is yet the hardest - doesn't hold a candle to his fellow (Guber).

OK, they are both intellectual, having very interesting things to say. There is at least initial appeal based on the previous ironies. But (Bart) as if plays his role of the equation too much. He's the calm guy, the theoretical witness in front of (Guber). Nevertheless, I can't compare their on-screen buddyness to the one between (Michael Knight) and (K.I.T.T) in (Knight Rider - 1982: 1986). Simply (K.I.T.T), as a car, is way cool than (Bart)!

Actually (Bart) puzzles me, since his performance and low practical chemistry with his partner couldn't be compared to anyone of his antecedents. Dr. (Emmett Brown) from (Back to the Future - 1985: 1990) is more lively. (Sergeant Murtaugh) from (Lethal Weapon (1987: 1998) is more witty. Well, he could apply to Officer (Haven), a character played by (Michael Shannon), in an old TV show named (Future Cop - 1977), being an android cop that teams up with veteran street cop. P.S: that show lasted for only 8 episodes!

Look at him, or don't, while saying something like: "We'll come back after this" Ahh, it's completely ominous! I loved when (Denzel Washington) noticed that once, and made joke out of it. You can't be a host with this stiffness. I don't want anyone to be something other than himself, but honestly (Bart) being himself is bad enough. Being competent in the field of journalism, or any other filed, doesn't naturally mean being qualified for hosting TV shows, not to mention with someone who obviously can. Putting those 2 bigwigs together is great showbiz knowledge, but not a great showbiz at all!

It works just in terms of having a cinema lessons, especially about the backstage of producing. But as a show with catchy chemistry or actual interplay between its hosts, FORGET IT. Can you imagine a show co-presented by (Robocop)?! Although he's sweet talking smiley (Robocop), but still deathly monotonous!

Great talk show, bad buddy show for sure. It can join (Hollywood Homicide), (2 Fast 2 Furious), (Bad Boys II), and (National Security) for my list of the worst Buddy-works done in 2003.

I love this show. What it has that Actors' Studio doesn't have is the 'business' perspective on the film industry. Actors' studio has James Lipton but lacks any debate. Peter Gruber and Peter Bart are intelligent, combative and unapologetic in their assessment of the film industry. Their guests are diverse and their topics varied.

The set is just as much a character as Gruber and Bart. Bright lights, lots of chrome and everyone has a giant cup of coffee in front of them. Getting tanked on caffiene and talkin' trash. I love it.