Okay, if the title didn't scare you away, this bit contains a spoiler that directly follows something from the fall season finale.
You've been warned...
Okay, so Kellerman "flipped" and now is helping Linc and Michael-- and confirmed it by shooting Mahone.
Now, I'm pretty leery that Kellerman actually is on the side of the angels for the long haul. I'm predicting that he's just trying to use the boys to get to Sara and then will kill all three of them. And then he'll get back that which means the most to him: his job.
And while there was hype that "someone major" dies in the fall finale, I just read from Michael Ausiello that Mahone is not dead. I guess it's no real surprise considering I have heard NOTHING about what William Fichtner is going to be working on (which would have happened had he been off the show for real). And, let's face it, it was a pretty bloodless "death" for this show. Of course I'm not happy about being lied to as the only other death on the show was with the woman T-Bag hooked up with that episode.
Oh well...
Other tidbits: Bellick's new nickname: "Fish". Awesome.
Lane Garrison ("Tweener") was involved in a car accident that killed a 15 year old girl and injured some others. Bad, bad news. Worse because alcohol is believed to be involved as well.
And another odd thing I learned: Lane lived with Jessica Simpson for a year when he was 17 and credits her father, Joe, (you know, the one who's pretty much been Jessica's pimp all those years) for helping him get his life together (he was a juvenile delinquent, for sure). Garrison mentioned it was "torture" living there because Jessica is "gorgeous".
Maybe Lane's troubles are one reason why Jess couldn't get through "9 to 5" in the Dolly Parton Tribute Special... Weirder things have happened.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Quick Reviews
Just a few quick notes on things I've read/watched lately.
Last week's 30th Anniversary show of Inside the NFL was a classy bit of television. There were a few looks back, but mostly, it was a tribute to a show that has become must-see for me (and I don't even care about football).
I love the Wallace & Gromit "shorts" and the feature length-movie, so I used my "daddy persuasion" (not too much as my kids enjoy them as well) and chose Aardman's (with Dreamworks) new feature Flushed Away as a movie to watch with the kids. The movie was made using CGI as opposed to the "Claymation"-style of other Aardman pieces, but the look was the same as Wallace and Chicken Run.
It was a fun movie. Smart for adults, and they didn't dumb it down for kids. Check it out.
Happy Feet on the other hand, was a freakin' mess. It was at least three, distinct movies, and the end sucked ass. The animation was pretty good, but this movie had the biggest thing I hate about the mainstream animated feature business: they got a bunch of "name" actors who had no reason playing voices in this movie.
Pixar movies and a few select others can get away with it because the actors and the characters mesh so well, but many movies just use an actor's name to sell the studio and the audience on a film. There are fantastic voice actors that could have done the voices-- and made them their own.
Okay-- rant over. Anyway, Happy Feet had many more problems than the voices, and I apologize for getting on my soapbox.
Ultimate Fantastic Four Volume 5 "Crossover" also had the good and the bad of the "Ultimate" Marvel Universe (which was designed to use characters/concepts that are 40 years old and reinvent them as if they were created today). It was good, even great, but it took the equivalent of six issues to tell a story that original Fantastic Four creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would have taken two issues to tell. At least that's cut down from the first few issues of the titles telling a story over six issues that Stan and Jack would have knocked out in one.
"Crossover" is broken into two stories: the first is one where Reed opens a portal to a universe that looks very similar to the one in the regular Marvel Universe (the one fans have been reading about since the '60s), but it's all a trap to lure Reed to a world where the superheroes are actually zombies. It leads to a harrowing adventure (and led to the blockbuster Marvel Zombies mini-series of 2006).
The second tale is about the finding of Atlantis. And the introduction of Namor to the Ultimate Universe. This Namor looks and acts the same, but his background is much different than the regular Marvel's King of Atlantis. I did like the end of the story where the terribly over-matched Fantastic Four ended the fight in an unusual way (and established the Ultimate Namor as a total prick in a different way than the regular Marvel Namor is).
All in all, this is a good read. Mark Millar's story and dialogue were above par. I just wonder why some of the changes between the two universes have to be made. Some changes are so abrupt, it's as if he's painting himself (and others) into a corner. But then again, this is supposed to be a new universe where anything can happen. One change I do like in this "universe" is the attempt to make the fantastic a bit more realistic. Sure they still do crazy stuff, but time is taken to explain the principles of the power/ability whereas in most comic books, things that are just taken for granted "just because" (the team can go deep into the ocean due to a combination of powers-- without Johnny-- whereas the Marvel Reed would just whip up a submarine that would do all the work).
Not to knock Millar, but the stars of this book are penciller Greg Land, inker Matt Ryan, and colorist Justin Ponsor (and Laura Martin). My God, were the pictures gorgeous (as is beginning to be expected of Land). This is some of the most photo-realistic artwork I've ever seen in a comic book. Many, many panels had me stopping (many to say, "Damn, Sue is HOT!") just to take it all in.
The downside to the artwork is it looks as if Land used a number of sources for reference (one is an obvious reproduction of Jessica Alba as Sue from the movie of last year), and a number of times, the same character just didn't look the same (I noticed it mostly with Sue, but then I paid the most attention to her). But, let's face it, that's a pretty small complaint.
Ta Ta for now...
Last week's 30th Anniversary show of Inside the NFL was a classy bit of television. There were a few looks back, but mostly, it was a tribute to a show that has become must-see for me (and I don't even care about football).
I love the Wallace & Gromit "shorts" and the feature length-movie, so I used my "daddy persuasion" (not too much as my kids enjoy them as well) and chose Aardman's (with Dreamworks) new feature Flushed Away as a movie to watch with the kids. The movie was made using CGI as opposed to the "Claymation"-style of other Aardman pieces, but the look was the same as Wallace and Chicken Run.
It was a fun movie. Smart for adults, and they didn't dumb it down for kids. Check it out.
Happy Feet on the other hand, was a freakin' mess. It was at least three, distinct movies, and the end sucked ass. The animation was pretty good, but this movie had the biggest thing I hate about the mainstream animated feature business: they got a bunch of "name" actors who had no reason playing voices in this movie.
Pixar movies and a few select others can get away with it because the actors and the characters mesh so well, but many movies just use an actor's name to sell the studio and the audience on a film. There are fantastic voice actors that could have done the voices-- and made them their own.
Okay-- rant over. Anyway, Happy Feet had many more problems than the voices, and I apologize for getting on my soapbox.
Ultimate Fantastic Four Volume 5 "Crossover" also had the good and the bad of the "Ultimate" Marvel Universe (which was designed to use characters/concepts that are 40 years old and reinvent them as if they were created today). It was good, even great, but it took the equivalent of six issues to tell a story that original Fantastic Four creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would have taken two issues to tell. At least that's cut down from the first few issues of the titles telling a story over six issues that Stan and Jack would have knocked out in one.
"Crossover" is broken into two stories: the first is one where Reed opens a portal to a universe that looks very similar to the one in the regular Marvel Universe (the one fans have been reading about since the '60s), but it's all a trap to lure Reed to a world where the superheroes are actually zombies. It leads to a harrowing adventure (and led to the blockbuster Marvel Zombies mini-series of 2006).
The second tale is about the finding of Atlantis. And the introduction of Namor to the Ultimate Universe. This Namor looks and acts the same, but his background is much different than the regular Marvel's King of Atlantis. I did like the end of the story where the terribly over-matched Fantastic Four ended the fight in an unusual way (and established the Ultimate Namor as a total prick in a different way than the regular Marvel Namor is).
All in all, this is a good read. Mark Millar's story and dialogue were above par. I just wonder why some of the changes between the two universes have to be made. Some changes are so abrupt, it's as if he's painting himself (and others) into a corner. But then again, this is supposed to be a new universe where anything can happen. One change I do like in this "universe" is the attempt to make the fantastic a bit more realistic. Sure they still do crazy stuff, but time is taken to explain the principles of the power/ability whereas in most comic books, things that are just taken for granted "just because" (the team can go deep into the ocean due to a combination of powers-- without Johnny-- whereas the Marvel Reed would just whip up a submarine that would do all the work).
Not to knock Millar, but the stars of this book are penciller Greg Land, inker Matt Ryan, and colorist Justin Ponsor (and Laura Martin). My God, were the pictures gorgeous (as is beginning to be expected of Land). This is some of the most photo-realistic artwork I've ever seen in a comic book. Many, many panels had me stopping (many to say, "Damn, Sue is HOT!") just to take it all in.
The downside to the artwork is it looks as if Land used a number of sources for reference (one is an obvious reproduction of Jessica Alba as Sue from the movie of last year), and a number of times, the same character just didn't look the same (I noticed it mostly with Sue, but then I paid the most attention to her). But, let's face it, that's a pretty small complaint.
Ta Ta for now...
Dec 11-17 Premieres/Notables
Tuesday, 12/12
How the Grinch Stole Christmas; ABC. 7-8 pm CST
Gotta love this classic.
Rickey Gervais shows up on Letterman. I just saw a commercial for HBO's season 2 premiere of Gervais' Extras that said it begins January 14. Awesome.
Wednesday, 12/13
George Clooney: An American Cinematheque Tribute; AMC. 7-8 pm.
I can't pronounce the title of this tribute, but I have to give a shout out to Clooney, who is one of the best.
Thursday, 12/14
Now The Office gets an hour-long show-- directed by Harold Ramis-- and My Name is Earl gets a rest this week. NBC, 7-8 pm CST.
And Turner Classic Movies is airing Gary Cooper movies all night. If you haven't seen Pride of the Yankees, now's the time to check it out (1:45-4:00 am CST). And, yes, it's okay to cry. If you don't after seeing this movie, then you must be dead.
Sunday, 12/17
Big night for season finales as Survivor, Sleeper Cell: American Terror, Dexter, Breaking Bonaduce, and Celebrity Paranormal Project all end tonight.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas; ABC. 7-8 pm CST
Gotta love this classic.
Rickey Gervais shows up on Letterman. I just saw a commercial for HBO's season 2 premiere of Gervais' Extras that said it begins January 14. Awesome.
Wednesday, 12/13
George Clooney: An American Cinematheque Tribute; AMC. 7-8 pm.
I can't pronounce the title of this tribute, but I have to give a shout out to Clooney, who is one of the best.
Thursday, 12/14
Now The Office gets an hour-long show-- directed by Harold Ramis-- and My Name is Earl gets a rest this week. NBC, 7-8 pm CST.
And Turner Classic Movies is airing Gary Cooper movies all night. If you haven't seen Pride of the Yankees, now's the time to check it out (1:45-4:00 am CST). And, yes, it's okay to cry. If you don't after seeing this movie, then you must be dead.
Sunday, 12/17
Big night for season finales as Survivor, Sleeper Cell: American Terror, Dexter, Breaking Bonaduce, and Celebrity Paranormal Project all end tonight.
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