So, after three months of therapy and self-empowerment sessions, I finally managed to give the latest draft of The Work, my Spanish Civil War screenplay to my friend Pat the day before yesterday. Pat had read it in a few hours…which of course had me doubting whether she really wanted to read it, and whether she was finding it boring and pretentious. (I think “being found pretentious” is the scariest, most-vulnerable making part of being a writer.) So, then, Pat... Read more

So, I just saw the best feature drama of the year so far. Yes, under its ridiculous comic book mask and cape, Batman Begins is actually an angst-ridden character piece about an ordinary guy in an ordinary arena, wrestling with his inner demons by securing justice for his city. And that’s okay with me. But it was curious too. Batman Begins amounts to a demythologizing of the Batman character. Exept for having a lot of money, Bruce Wayne is presented... Read more

I am giving a talk tonight to a young adult group in Orange County. The group is organized by St. Joseph Radio, and the talk will be on my latest schtick. Sorry for the late notice, but feel free to come without RSVP’ing, and/or forward to your friends in Southern Cal. St. Joseph Radio presents, “WHY ‘PATRON OF THE ARTS?'” a presentation and discussion led by Barbara R. Nicolosiscreenwriter and Executive Director, Act One, Inc. Topics to be covered include:... Read more

…I don’t think I could screw it up even if I tried.” (Barb to Assistant Executive Program Director, Rob Kirbyson, at the end of the opening three-day retreat of the new Executive Program) Seriously, the program could not be going any better. We have a wonderful group of students, a fabulous faculty, a smart and comprehensive curriculum, and, thanks to the De Vos Foundation, the money to get us through the year. (A matching grant we are still trying to... Read more

What Classic Movie Are You?personality tests by similarminds.com Read more

I have been consulting for the last few months on a screenplay project based on the book The Grunt Padre about Medal of Honor winner Fr. Vincent Cappadono. The project first came to my attention in 1998, when a priest from the Diocese of Arlington called me for advice about how to get the project a hearing in Hollywood. After 7 years of plugging away, Fr. Daniel Mode had gotten together a team of producers and a writer, to bring... Read more

[Note from Barb: I love a great quote. I was absolutely raised by parents committed to the power of platitudes, and, so a great formulation will almost always win the day with me. Also, in a sound-bite culture, it can only be a good thing for we Christians to brood over pithy Truths, in the hopes that we ourselves might someday be able to say something memorable….So, I am launching a new feature in this blog. When I find a... Read more

Leaving the theater this weekend after screening FOX’s new comic thriller Mr. and Mrs. Smith, my friend, Sean, and I had the following dialogue. Barb: Well, that was absolutely ridiculous.Sean: But, that’s okay sometimes, isn’t it? I had fun.Barb: Yeah, me too. It is the kind of thing Hollywood does really well, that makes European film afficionados act snotty to me when I go over there for talks. It’s a worthless piece…..what kind of food would you say that movie... Read more

[Sending this out to all the ignorami who are always telling me “Emily wasn’t a Christian.” Sheesh…] #817 Given in Marriage unto TheeOh thou Celestial Host —Bride of the Father and the SonBride of the Holy Ghost. Other Betrothal shall dissolve —Wedlock of Will, decay —Only the Keeper of this RingConquer Mortality — Read more

Friend and Act One alumn, Clayton Emmer, tagged me with the latest chain-blog. The idea is to answer the following five questions on my site and then invite five other bloggers to do the same. Apparently, this is called a meme. Here are my responses: 1. Total number of books I own: How could anyone ever answer this question? I have four large bookshelves and two half size ones in my apartment. I have five boxes of unpacked books in... Read more