Entourage by Doug Ellin Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Entourage by Doug Ellin - Movie Review Example Vince's entourage consists of: Eric, his closest friend who acts as his manager; Johnny "Drama" Chase, his older brother, an avid cook and a struggling actor in his own right; and Turtle, who is simply living the high life riding Vince's coattails and serves as a chauffeur." (Entourage (TV series) Summary) The other main characters in the series include Vinces successful agent Ari, the publicist Shauna, and Emily. Thus, the characters of the series include Vince - played by Adrian Grenier, Eric - played by Kevin Connolly, "Drama" - Kevin Dillon, Turtle - Jerry Ferrara, Ari - Jeremy Piven, Mrs. Ari - Perrey Reeves, Lloyd - Rex Lee, Andrew Klein - Gary Cole, and Sloan - Emmanuelle Chriqui. This paper makes a reflective exploration of the characters, overall effectiveness, connectivity, design and execution of the series Entourage in order to determine the various factors that contribute to the overall success of the series. In a profound analysis of the characters in the series, it becomes lucid that the makers of the show have been careful in the creation of the major characters that are central to the entire plot of the series. The various episodes of the TV series revolve round the six major characters such as Vincent Chase, Eric "E" Murphy, Johnny "Drama" Chase, Turtle, Ari Gold, and Mrs. Gold, and these roles are played by successful actors. The hero, Vincent Chase is a young and upcoming A-list actor and this role is efficiently played by Adrian Grenier. Similarly, Kevin Connolly plays the role of Vince's best friend and manager and Kevin Dillon plays the role Vince's elder brother. Other important players include Jerry Ferrara, who plays the role of Turtle, Jeremy Piven, who plays Ari Gold, and Perrey Reeves, who takes the role of Mrs. Gold. These main characters, along with the supporting characters and the recurring characters, make the main actions of the series. Through the various actions a nd dialogues of these characters, this comedy-drama offers accounts about the Hollywood social and professional scene. As Gary Richard Edgerton and Jeffrey P. Jones maintain, "Entourage follows the HBO tradition of integrating narratives about the Hollywood social and professional scene with many guest appearances and jokes at the industry's expense." (Edgerton and Jones, 165) Therefore, the characters in the series Entourage offer convincing picture of the Hollywood lifestyle and deal with the theme of male friendship, especially through the the friendship between the four main characters. A careful analysis of the various elements in the series Entourage confirms that the overall effectiveness of the comedy is unquestionable and it is affirmed by the various awards and nominations won by the series including Emmy, Golden Globe etc. It is important to recognize that the series achieves success with regard to its cast and characters, plot, themes and characteristics etc. The theme of male friendship has been presented effectively through the relationship among the four important characters of the show and its significance over work becomes obvious to the audience. Significantly, the life in Hollywood is best presented through the various characters in the show, and the numerous celebrities who have guest-starred on the show offer convincing evidences to the life in Hollywood. "True to the Hollywood satire genre, "Entourage" is scattered with cameo appearances by famous people playing themselves. Alba's on

Financial Crisis in Greece (2010-2013) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial Crisis in Greece (2010-2013) - Essay Example Public borrowing was undertaken heavily but grossly underreported leading to a debt-to-GDP ratio much above the 3% target. By 2009-2010 it became clear to investors that Greece would not be able to pay its creditors because of a huge fiscal deficit and government debt. The ongoing global financial crisis worsened the economic outlook for the country and it appeared that the country would default on its loan payments. Causes of the Greek Financial Crisis According to Dellas and Tavlas (2013), one of the main causes of the Greek debt crisis was the absence of an adjusting mechanism between money growth and credit growth. Historically, Greece has been running high public debts compared to its GDP which went largely ignored by foreign investors. As a result, there was little incentive for the country to reduce current and fiscal account deficits. Dellas and Tavlas (2013) explain that part of the reason was the fact that Greece did not use the gold standard and its currency was pegged to the Euro. There was an over-reliance by investing and financing countries on the willingness and enthusiasm by Eurozone core countries including Germany to bailout the Greek economy in case of a debt crisis. Throughout this period, the Greek economy continued to charge low interest rates in order to stimulate investment in the economy. As a result, the public borrowing continued to increase pacing the way for a sovereign debt crisis. In a paper presented at the Bank of Greece workshop, Manessiotis (2011) explains that poor fiscal discipline and lack of competitiveness in the economy were major factors that contributed to the crisis. These aspects of the economy should have received urgent priority following Greece’s entry into the Eurozone. Fiscal deficit ran up to 5.3% of GDP after 2006 whereas the target was 3.0%. Moreover, in 2008 the situation worsened with revenue falling by 1.3% compared to GDP while expenditures exceeded GDP by 1.2%. These problems were further exacerb ated by the international financial crisis that began in 2008. Conditions Imposed by IMF on Greece In 2010, it became nearly certain that Greece could not meet its sovereign debt payments and would inevitably default. The implications for the entire Eurozone region would have been severe. Hence, in May 2010, the Eurozone in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prepared a bailout package worth â‚ ¬110 billion of which the IMF was to contribute â‚ ¬30 billion to enable Greece to improve its economy and avoid defaulting on its debts (Financial Post, 2013). This bailout package was subject to certain conditions. Mainly, the conditions required Greece to improve its fiscal performance and make the economy more competitive and open. The first condition imposed by the IMF required Greece to implement austerity measures in order to control the fiscal deficit. It was required that Greece reduce its public spending in order to narrow the fiscal deficit. Secondly, the fiscal debt problem was to be controlled by a policy of privatization of public assets. This measure would prevent the government from incurring additional debts to finance public organizations. By the end of 2015, the IMF required â‚ ¬50 billion worth of public assets to be privatized. Finally, the IMF required Greece to implement structural reforms in the economy to make it more business-friendly and competitive. This would stimulate business activity and help to strengthen the economy. However, the conditions have not been met satisfactorily