Unusual Hollywood work choices.

You do what you do to make a buck in Hollywood, I suppose. Like everywhere else. Here's some contrasting job choices from directors and film composers:

• Ted Kotcheff directed the disturbing "Wake In Fright".... but also "Weekend at Bernie's".
• Another Canadian, Bob Clark, made the timeless "A Christmas Story" .... but also "Porky's".
• John Huston made classics in the 40's and 50's .... but also the abysmal "Annie" and "Casino Royale" (early scenes).
• Multi-talented Elaine May directed "A New Leaf" .... but also 80's turkey "Ishtar".
• Hitchcock's amazing films span over 50 years .... but there's "Under Capricorn" (1949) and the two 60's spy duds "Torn Curtain" followed by "Topaz".
• Charles Fox wrote the score for "Barbarella" (okay, it's a guilty pleasure) ... but also "The Love Boat" theme.
• Steven Spielberg's go-to composer John Williams started his film career as "Johnny Williams" writing incidental music for the first season of "Gilligan's Island".
• John Barry, early Bond musical scores, won an Oscars for "Born Free","Out of Africa"... also wrote a shampoo commercial for British television.

Why Showtime's "Ray Donovan" is good viewing

Just watched the first two episodes of "Ray Donovan". By now you know if a show is a fizzer or not. This is smart, involving, "water cooler" television drama. This show has got it all - juicy Hollywood goss on the surface, but underneath, themes like: regret, guilt, passion, the nature of evil.
Ann Biderman has written beautifully complex characters: the tormented, multi-layered Ray (Liev Schreiber); the charismatic but morally bankrupt Mickey (Jon Voight - normally playing Mr Nice Guy in movies); stalwart, but strident Bridget (Paula Malcomson), trying to hold her family together. Elliott Gould's (who was one of the biggest stars in the early 1970's) savvy but flaky, Ezra, is priceless.
Strange scenes that come out of nowhere: When Ray gives heartfelt advice (and later, cash) to the young transsexual or when Grandpa Donovan gives some prison wisdom to his teenage grandson "...don't take it up the ass". Looks like Conor is being groomed on the internet by the sex addicted movie star, Tommy.
The show looks great, LA locales, the mansions to the seedy gyms. Allen Coulter seems to be the go-to director for classy cable series - "Boardwalk Empire", "House of Cards", "Six feet Under", "The Sopranos". I also liked his work in the under appreciated flick "Hollywoodland" (2006).

What is the story with Austin, Texas? Cool capital?

It's the state capital of Texas with a small population, compared to other U.S. cities (under 1.9 million). In recent years (2008-2009) more adults in their 20's and 30's moved to Austin than any other U.S. city. Why? Creative, divergent thinking people choose to live there? Hipster reputation? Arts and festival scene (e.g. SXSW)? Austin bills itself as "Austin, Live Music Capital of the World" so it must have a thriving live venue scene.
Take film directors - arty Terrence Malick, quirky Wes Anderson (Didn't you love "Moonrise Kingdom"?), Tarantino buddy and multi-tasking Robert Rodriguez, horror buff Tobe Hooper - all come from Austin or call it home.

I just finished a weird hobos-on-a-quest book ("Mr Shivers") written by Robert Jackson Bennett. Where does he live? You guessed it, Austin.
My 20 year old daughter's favourite Internet comedy group (at the moment) is Rooster Teeth - based in Austin, TX.
There is a pattern here.