Review: “Disney Gallery: ‘The Mandalorian’” (Making Of) - S1, E1 “Directing”

“I like hiring smart people. To me, if you have smart people who are curious and creative, but if they’re inspired and they’re sharp, they’ll be able to learn.” 

— Jon Favreau

When Disney+ debuted on Nov. 12, 2019, it brought us the first-ever live action “Star Wars” series in “The Mandalorian.” 

What it didn’t bring us was any “behind-the-scenes” or “making of” material diving into the show’s production. 

I love documentary content that unmasks how movies and TV shows are made. For example, the documentary “The Beginning” (that was part of the “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace” DVD) continues to be one of my favorite “making of” documentaries. I love to see everything that goes into making a movie. 

Thankfully, the Mouse has an all-new series called “Disney Gallery” that gives fans a look behind the curtain of the first season of “The Mandalorian.” 

The series will be eight episodes in total (each has a running time of about 30 minutes). 

The first episode is titled “Directing.” It features a roundtable discussion with production footage interspersed.

First of all, I find each of the season’s directors — Dave Filoni, Bryce Dallas Howard, Taika Waititi, Deborah Chow, and Rick Famuyiwa — to be fascinating.

I really enjoyed hearing from Dave Filoni (an animator who has helmed shows like “The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels,” and “Star Wars Resistance”). Filoni (in his signature black cowboy hat) offers some terrific anecdotes about how he was hired by George Lucas for “The Clone Wars” gig.

“My job was to show this guy as he is, as he has been,” Filoni said of the “The Mandalorian’s” first episode. 

I’ve watched “Star Wars Rebels” (read my review) and I’m working my way through “The Clone Wars” as I write this. The fact is that both series are brilliant and embody what “Star Wars” is all about. 

Jon Favreau (The executive producer and creator of “The Mandalorian”) said that Filoni has “a strong intuition about what George would say.” 

In my mind, that intuition is what made the first season of “The Mandalorian” so strong — and (in many ways) superior to the recent “sequel trilogy” we saw released theatrically. 

My hope is that these directors can serve as a “proving ground” for future productions — beyond “The Mandalorian.” 

It appears this is already happening. 

It was announced this month that Academy Award winner Taika Waititi (who directed “Chapter 8: The Redemption”) will direct and co-write an upcoming “Star Wars” live action film. 

We learned last year that Deborah Chow (who directed “Chapter 3: The Sin” and “Chapter 7: The Reckoning”) is set to handle all directing duties for the upcoming Disney+ series centered on Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

While none of the information in the first episode is particularly revelatory, there are some nice moments as we hear from these directors. 

“There’s a real responsibility working with these kinds of characters and these kinds of stories,” said Bryce Dallas Howard (who directed “Chapter 4: The Sanctuary”). 

Howard recounts a time in her youth when she was on a trip to Japan with her father (actor/director Ron Howard) where they (along with George Lucas) had a meeting with legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. 

I have a feeling that Howard — along with the rest of the directors — are going to have a significant influence on the future of the “Star Wars” universe. 

I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the first season of “Disney Gallery: ‘The Mandalorian’” — stay tuned for the my reviews of the rest of this episodes in the behind-the-scenes series. 

Previous post: “Book Review: ‘Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future’ by Ashlee Vance” 

Book Review: “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” By Ashlee Vance

I’ve mentioned in some other posts on this blog that I like to read non-fiction books when I travel. Because there are so many distractions when you are on the road, it is nice to find something that you can just pick up and read in chunks here and there. 

It took me a year — and two airplane trips — but I’ve finally finished “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” by Ashlee Vance. 

(Don’t let the author’s first name fool you... Ashlee Vance is a male.) 

Vance — an experienced tech reporter and author — takes a deep dive into the life of one of Silicon Valley’s most ambitious (and, at times, controversial) technology entrepreneurs. 

I pushed myself to finish the book in conjunction with the first manned SpaceX mission to space. The landmark Demo-2 mission saw SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station on May 30, 2020. 

It was the first manned mission from U.S. soil since 2011. The joint SpaceX/NASA mission also has the distinction of being the first manned orbital launch led by a commercial company (all part of Musk’s effort to become an “interplanetary species” in the future). 

Vance’s biography (published in 2015) is set up in a “cradle to grave” structure, starting with Musk’s early life growing up in South Africa and following him through the tech ventures he is currently behind. 

Readers are treated to youthful anecdotes and accomplishments such as computer game he designed at age 12 called Blastar. We also learn about an episode in school when he was bullied by a group of boys Musk refers to as “a bunch of f*cking psychos.” (Elon had a nose job in 2013 to fix the lingering damage caused by one particular beating.)

Elon Musk has quickly become my favorite entrepreneur. His persona has often been compared to eccentric business mogul Howard Hughes and fictional superhero Tony Stark — the latter a comparison he obviously favors. 

“Near the elevators [of the SpaceX headquarters],” writes Vance, “Musk has placed a glowing, life size Iron Man figure.” 

My interest in Musk stems from the innovative technologies he has been behind during his professional career. To say he is prolific is an understatement. 

Musk is the founder, CEO, and chief engineer/designer at SpaceX, CEO and product architect at Tesla, founder of The Boring Company, co-founder of Neuralink, and co-founder and initial co-chairman of OpenAI. 

(Tesla owns solar company SolarCity as a wholly-owned subsidiary). 

Musk was also one of the “techpreneurs” behind PayPal in the early 2000s. 

As is the case with many motivated entrepreneurs throughout the 20th and 21st century, Musk has been described as being difficult to work with. 

“Numerous people interviewed for this book decried the work hours, Musk’s blunt style, and his sometimes ludicrous expectations,” writes Vance. “Yet almost every person — even those who had been fired — still worshipped Musk and talked about him in terms usually reserved for superheroes and deities.” 

While the book’s large, biographical strokes are interesting, it is the little oddities that make “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” fascinating. 

For example, Vance writes about one of Musk’s “famous e-mails” (from 2010) titled “Acronyms Seriously Suck” where he expressed his disdain for the practice: 

“… a few acronyms here and there may not seem so bad, but if a thousand people are making these up, over time the result will be a huge glossary that we have to issue to new employees. No one can actually remember all these acryonyms and people don’t want to seem dumb in a meeting, so they just sit there in ignorance. This is particularly tough on new employees …” 

One of my favorite Musk ventures is electric car company Tesla. The beautiful automobiles are inspiring and provide a glimpse into what most cars will be like in the future. 

“Like Steve Jobs before him,” writes Vance, “Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted — the door handles, the giant touch-screen — and to envision a shared point of view for all of Tesla’s products and services.” 

The latest Tesla — the Model Y — was released on March 15, 2009. Tesla refers to the car as a mid-size SUV, and it is the natural offspring of the Model X (a luxury SUV) and the Model 3 (the company’s affordable sedan).

Bridget and I had the chance to visit a Tesla Store for the first time when we attended the INBOUND conference in Boston, MA, in 2019. I enjoyed having the opportunity to sit in each of the vehicles on display.

Reading “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” has given me a greater appreciation for the thought process that goes into the work that Musk’s companies undertake each year. 

All of the little details gleaned in Vance’s novel bubbled to the surface as I watched SpaceX’s launch on May 30th. 

One of those details regarded a welding technique mastered by SpaceX during the company’s formative years.

“From the early days of SpaceX,” Vance writes, “Musk pushed the company to master friction stir welding, in which a spinning head is smashed at high speeds into the joint between two piece of metal in a bid to make their crystalline structures merge. It’s as if you heated two sheets of aluminum foil and then joined them by putting your thumb down on the seam and twisting the metal together. This type of welding tends to result in much stronger bonds than traditional welds.”

All of these moments — taken in total — paint a picture of a man who is willing to employ new techniques and inventive technologies to create more efficient processes, equipment, and products. 

A company like SpaceX has come a long way since the days when Musk traveled to Moscow to try and purchase a refurbished intercontinental ballistic missile from some shady Russians to use as a launch vehicle (the effort failed and Musk eventually decided to build the rocket himself). 

As I sit here typing this, it is mere hours after SpaceX’s Dragon capsule carrying two astronauts successfully docked with the International Space Station. 

That achievement proves once again that entrepreneurial curiosity and tenacity eventually pays off. Our world needs more businesspeople with a mindset like Elon Musk. 

If you are interested in business profiles, “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” is a worthwhile read. What makes the narrative so compelling is that the author isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty as he delves into the life and work of one of today’s most fascinating minds in technology. 

“I remain as convinced as ever that Musk will succeed in his quests,” writes Vance. “He’s not really wired to fail.” 

Previous post: TV Review: The “Mythic Quest” Quarantine Special is Brilliant (Apple TV+ Special) 

TV Review: The “Mythic Quest” Quarantine Episode is Brilliant (Apple TV+ Special)

“Hey Poppy! I waited for you... I waited for you this time in the meeting.” — Ian Grimm in the “Mythic Quest” Quarantine Special

The past two months, we’ve watched Hollywood employ a number of interesting gimmicks to film new content as actors and crews have been stuck at home. 

Recent examples of quarantine-centered specials include a “Parks and Recreation” reunion (with the original cast reprising their roles) and an episode of the CBS legal drama “All Rise.” 

Apple’s workplace comedy “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” joined the fray of properties creating an original episode designed to look like it was filmed using videoconferencing software. 

According to an article on Vulture, the cast used 40 iPhones and 20 sets of AirPods to film the episode (along with the use of prosumer-grade software on those devices). The actors would connect via Zoom on their computers, but film their content using the cameras on the iPhones.

The overall effect was good. Creator and star Rob McElhenney (along with the other players) crafted a fun episode that had solid production value and a fun vibe. 

You’re limited with what you can do on a videoconference-centered episode. That said, I thought thought McElhenny & Co. did a decent job avoiding some of the “remote work” cliches that have become prevalent in humorous content the past few months. It was fun to watch the fictitious video game company manage their multi-player role playing game remotely. 

More than anything, it was nice to catch up with the endearing cast of characters — Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao), David Brittlesbee (David Hornby), Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi), C.W. Longbottom (F. Murray Abraham), Sue (Caitlin McGee), Rachel (Ashly Burch), Dana (Imani Hakim), and Jo (Jessie Ennis). 

I won’t give anything away, but the quarantine episode’s last four minutes are brilliant and serve as a reminder why I applauded the genius of “Mythic Quest’s” first season in my March review. 

I still believe that “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” is the best thing on the AppleTV+ streaming service and I can’t wait until the cast and crew are back together to film more episodes!

If you’d like to learn more about the series — and watch the first two episodes for free — visit the Apple TV website or via the Apple TV app. 

Previous post: TV Review: Is Amazon’s Sci-Fi Comedy Series “Upload” Worth Watching? 

TV Review: Is Amazon’s Sci-Fi Comedy Series “Upload” Worth Watching?

I’m going to say upfront that the Amazon Prime Video service is one that I’ve never really “loved.” 

Sure, there are a couple of the service’s original series — “Bosch” and “Jack Ryan” — that I’ve really enjoyed the past few years. 

But a lot of the original content failed to grab me. 

I’m sure that’s an unfair sentiment on my part. I’d imagine many of you have worthwhile recommendations you could make. 

Bridget and I decided to try the new sci-fi comedy series “Upload” based on a number of commercials we’d seen for the show on network television. 

“Upload” was created by Greg Daniels, the mind behind the U.S. version of “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “King of the Hill.” He is also the creator of the Netflix series “Space Force.”

“Upload” takes place on Earth in the near future (2033 to be exact) and tells the story of a world where people have the ability to upload a digital version of themselves into a digital afterlife of their choice. 

Some people are better able to afford a comfortable afterlife than others (similar in concept to varying funeral ceremony and burial arrangements of the present). 

The show’s protagonist is Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell, who I’d describe as a “low rent Tom Cruise”), a 27-year-old computer programmer who sustains fatal injuries in a freak car accident and ends up in Lake View, a ritzy resort world that is considered one of the best afterlife options. 

His girlfriend Ingrid Kannerman (Allegra Edwards), a wealthy socialite, foots the bill for Nathan’s stay, hoping they’ll be able to eventually spend all eternity together in Lake View.  

Much of the first season of “Upload” is dedicated to Nathan adjusting to “digital heaven.” 

The immersive afterlife is something akin to the world featured in the Kristen Bell comedy “The Good Place.” In fact, the whole vibe of “Upload” is similar in nature (except it leans more toward the sci-fi end of the spectrum and is less fantastical). 

Nathan initially feels listless in his new environment, but soon forges a special bond with his afterlife handler (referred to as an “angel”) Nora Antony (Andy Allo) — an employee at Horizen, the New York City company that owns Lake View. (I get the sense that Horizen is modeled on Verizon, what with the references to data caps vs. unlimited data.)

Throughout “Upload’s” 10-episode first season (each episode runs about 30 minutes) the narrative veers between Nathan’s existence in a computer and the real world exploits of the people he interacts with. 

While the show is far from perfect — and appeals to a very specific taste — it is pretty entertaining. 

The cast is also likable. I wasn’t sure initially whether Robbie Amell could capably carry the show as the main protagonist, but I grew to like his character as the season wore on. Nathan’s arc in the story is somewhat predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless. 

I thought Andy Allo did a nice job as the “angel” Nora. Her performance struck the right balance, and you could feel her inner conflict as she dealt the moral dilemma of what exactly defines a relationship in 2033. 

I should also note that a subplot is introduced early on about a business venture Nathan was involved in with his friend Jamie (Jordan Johnson-Hinds) that would provide afterlife services free of charge to the populace. 

Something I didn’t think was necessary was some of the more gratuitous “grown up” content in the season (the show is rated TV-MA). While various cable and streaming outlets give creators more “freedom” with content, sometimes the resultant effect can “cheapen” a show. 

I think of all the iconic episodes of “Seinfeld” that successfully navigated the network standards and practices personnel. If “Seinfeld” had been on an outlet like HBO, an episode like “The Contest” might not have been as compelling. 

It’s a minor quibble, but I think the show (which has been renewed for a second season) would benefit from some judicious trimming. 

Overall, I enjoyed the first season of “Upload.” While it would benefit from some tweaks next season, it is a program worth installing into your viewing lineup. 

Previous post: TV Review: “Home” Shows Innovative Ways to Create Homes (Apple TV+ Series) 

TV Review: “Home” Shows Innovative Ways to Create Homes (Apple TV+ Series)

I’ve written a bit about the content on Apple TV+ since it debuted last November and am trying to work my way through the service’s content offerings. 

The new docuseries “Home” takes a look inside interesting homes across the globe (and the people behind their design). 

To be honest, when I first saw the trailer for this nine-episode series, I thought it looked like things I had seen in the past on outlets like HGTV. 

It turns out that “Home” has a pretty unique vibe. If you’re a fan of clever design, you might want to check it out. 

In many respects, the series is more about the people “behind” the homes featured than it is about the homes themselves. At times, the series also takes a look at how a home can help define the individuals that live in it. 

The first season’s episodes (each running about 30 minutes) were supposed to debut at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. Due to the event’s cancellation (prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic), the series premiered on Apple TV+ April 17. 

There are a number of highlights during the first season.

The first episode, titled “Sweden,” focuses on the Solvarms, a family in Sweden that lives in a log house that is built inside a greenhouse (a “naturhus”). The home (built by family patriarch Anders) provides a climate that is something akin to that of a Mediterranean country like Italy. As a result, growing season is double what is typically realistic in Sweden. 

In addition to a more temperate climate, the home is engineered to reuse waste water to irrigate plants. 

As interesting as the house is itself, the Solvarm’s family dynamic is just as much a focus of the “Sweden” episode. In particular, the story of autistic son Jonatan and how he has carved his own unique place within the home’s confines illustrates the power of creative architecture. 

Another fun entry in the first season is titled “Hong Kong.” The episode profiles architect Gary Chang, whose “Domestic Transformer” apartment has a design like a Swiss Army Knife, maximizing the domicile’s 344 square feet. 

Chang grew up in the apartment and purchased it in 1988 (for $40,000 U.S. dollars). 

“These days, people explain your home in terms of the area,” Chang says in the episode. “To me, it’s totally irrelevant because it’s really about the distance between the family and between the furniture that is more important to realize.” 

He believes luxury is in the details of your home and the way you use it. 

There are also some innovative technologies showcased in “Home.” For example, in the episode titled “Mexico,” we see houses being built for impoverished families in Nacajuca, Tabasco, Mexico. 

A startup called ICON (housed in Austin, TX) uses 3D printing technologies to build the homes (they work in conjunction New Story, a non-profit located in San Francisco, CA, that builds homes in poverty-stricken communities). 

The 3D printer ICON uses pumps out layer-upon-layer of a special cement mix that won't slump and hardens quickly. The process is something akin to layering frosting accents on top of a cake. 

It is a fascinating way to build a home. While the homes are utilitarian in nature (the ultimate goal is to give the populace a home with walls, running water, and electricity), there is something attractive and novel about the layered aesthetic. 

“Home” reminds me a lot of the modern-living magazine I used to subscribe to called “Dwell.” I love that magazine and enjoy the publication’s editorial focus on interesting ways of living in the modern world. 

(I really wish that Apple would start offering service bundles. I’d love to revisit “Dwell” digitally via an Apple News+ subscription, and it’d be terrific to have as part of a discounted bundle with Apple TV+.) 

Alternative forms of home design is a topic that appeals to me. The average home size has nearly tripled in the United States since the 1950s, and a growing segment of the population is rethinking their home-buying priorities. 

(My 2016 blog post “A Tiny House Transition” profiles an Omaha, NE, couple that attempted a tiny house lifestyle)

Some of the first season episodes of “Home” are stronger than others (I found the eighth episode titled “Malibu” to be less than compelling). 

I think a series like “Home” has a lot of potential going forward. The show fits the unique direction Apple has been cultivating in its streaming service (something I’ll explore in a future blog post). 

I think it would be interesting to see Apple develop other series in a similar vein that looked at industries like graphic design and product design. But maybe that direction would be too close to the Netflix series “Abstract: The Art of Design” (a show I recommended in my blog post “Three ‘Under-The-Radar’ Series Worth Binging”). 

Overall, I found “Home” to be a pretty interesting addition to the nascent Apple TV+ lineup of original programming. 

Previous post: TV Review: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” Finds the Right Beat 

TV Review: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” Finds the Right Beat

When it comes to televised content, musicals can be a tough sell. 

Many of you will remember the ill-fated ABC series “Cop Rock” that ABC unleashed on the public in 1990. It was a police procedural wrapped in a musical (from the creator of “NYPD Blue”). 

I recently reviewed Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger’s memoir “The Ride of Lifetime” and he talked about his decision to greenlight (and ultimately cancel) “Cop Rock” when he was president of ABC’s entertainment division. 

In recent years, musicals have seen a resurgence at the theatrical box office. Movies like “La La Land” (read my review) and “The Greatest Showman” (read my review) have found enthusiastic audiences at multiplexes around the globe. 

It is in that spirit that NBC has launched the new series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” 

Bridget and I thought this one looked cute when we saw the promos for it last winter. The pilot episode was on Hulu in January (a month before the show’s launch) and it showed a lot of promise. 

We just sat down and spent the past week finishing the 12-episode first season. 

“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” follows Zoey Clarke (Jane Levy), a coder for smart device company SPRQ Point (located in San Francisco). 

Zoey is gearing up to apply for an engineering manager position at SPRQ Point as the show begins. The self-effacing programmer doesn’t see herself in a managerial role as she interviews with boss Joan Bennett (Lauren Graham). 

“I’m not really comfortable with anything,” Zoey tells Joan. “That’s why I became a coder.”

In addition to her work life, Zoey also juggles family demands. Her father Mitch (Peter Gallagher) suffers from a rare neurological disease called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Her mother  Maggie (Mary Steenburgen) cares for her husband and keeps the family’s landscaping business going. 

On a visit to see her father, Zoey complains of headaches and eye pain to her mother. Maggie suggests Zoey get an MRI to alleviate her concerns. 

So she does. 

During the procedure, an earthquake causes the MRI machine to malfunction. At the same moment, the technician's Spotify playlist goes haywire and plays dozens of songs simultaneously (bookended by the R.E.M. song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”). 

Afterward, Zoey “sees” other people expressing their emotions through musical performances (featuring pop songs and dance routines). At first, she finds herself experiencing the innermost thoughts of random people. Eventually, her mind hones in on specific targets. 

Levy is no stranger to series television (she starred on the ABC sitcom “Suburgatory”) and crafts a likable protagonist.

It would have been easy for series creator Austin Winsberg to position her as an angst-filled hipster. They manage to avoid millennial cliches. Zoey has a likable vibe and look (her wardrobe includes jean jackets and an endless supply of sweaters). 

“I am a mutant,” Zoey says of her ability. “I am the X-Men meets ‘The Voice.’” 

In many respects, Levy’s character shares a certain kinship with Emma Stone’s character Mia in “La La Land” — a young professional trying to find her place in the world. 

Speaking of “La La Land,” I have to believe that movie served as some sort of inspiration for “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” Whether it was intentional or not, both shows share similar DNA. 

As a result, the show might elicit strong opinions one way or the other. 

The series is planted firmly in the “dramedy” genre, navigating through the show's funny, poignant, and serious moments with relative ease. The writers manage to strike a fairly good balance in this first season. 

An undercurrent flowing through the plot involves Zoey figuring out whether or not she has feelings for co-workers Max Richman (Skylar Astin) and Simon Haynes (John Clarence Stewart). 

One of the better supporting characters is Howie (Zak Orth). The rumpled caregiver of Zoey’s father proves to be grounded and likable (and has a nice little plot thread involving his deaf daughter Abigail — played by Sandra Mae Frank). 

Through all of her musical exploits, Zoey finds a confidante “sounding board” in neighbor Mo (Alex Newell), a DJ who lives across the hall in her apartment complex. 

One of the strengths of the show is the clever way they found to incorporate music into the story. Zoey finds her new ability as awkward as we do, and it allows viewers to willfully suspend their disbelief. The musical numbers make sense in the overall flow, and work better than they did in a show like Fox’s “Glee.” 

The dance scenes are choreographed by Samantha Jo “Mandy” Moore (who also choreographed the dance sequences in “La La Land”). Moore also serves as a producer on the series. 

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but one of the highlights for me was “The Boy is Mine” musical sequence from the 10th episode (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Outburst”). 

Overall, I had a good time watching “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” I thought it was a nice change of pace from the standard network, cable, and streaming fare these days. 

Stay with it. It is a show that takes a few episodes to find its beat, but when it does, it is a pretty compelling mix. 

Previous post: Is the Force Strong With the Latest “Star Wars” Cereal?