Monday, 5/11
The Big Bang Theory (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Leonard rethinks his relationship with Penny-- just before he leaves for three months.
House (FOX; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.
House's Vicodin addiction comes to a head.
After last week's surprise appearance of a former flame (brilliant ep, BTW), Ted gets a step closer to meeting the mother on How I Met Your Mother (CBS; 7:30 pm).
Note: Exec producer Carter Bays says the mother won't be identified until the series finale, so, hopefully, it'll be a long time before we meet her.
Weaponizers; Discovery. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Ordinary vehicles are converted into moving weapons with pyro and military weaponry.
Castle (ABC; 9:02). Season Finale.
Tuesday, 5/12
The Biggest Loser: Couples (NBC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Fringe (FOX; 8:01). Season Finale.
Guest starring Leonard Nimoy. Cool...
Wednesday, 5/13
Lie to Me (FOX; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Secrets of the Dead; PBS. 7 pm (check local listings). Season Premiere.
America's Next Top Model (CW; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Lost (ABC; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Thursday, 5/14
Bones (FOX; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Apparently this is a big deal: Booth & Brennan hit the sheets. And there's an appearance by Motley Crue as well.
My Name Is Earl (NBC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Smallville (CW; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Doomsday is back-- as are Black Canary, Impulse, and a Legionnaire.
And because it's a Smallville season finale, someone dies.
The Office (NBC; 8 pm). Season Finale (I think it's this week).
Holly Flax shows up to bring a little closure to her and Michael's relationship.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Grey's Anatomy (ABC; 8 pm). Season Finale.
I guess there's some sort of wedding. And maybe they'll kill off the two actors whining about getting out of their contracts, South Park Chef style.
Hell's Kitchen (FOX; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Supernatural (CW; 8 pm). Season Finale.
30 Rock (NBC; 8:31). Season Finale.
With appearances by Sheryl Crow and Elvis Costello.
CSI: NY (CBS; 9:01). Season Finale.
A team member dies, from what I hear.
Friday, 5/15
America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Don't Tell the Bride; BBC America. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
Grooms are given $20,000 to plan their weddings-- without any consultation from their brides.
Ghost Whisperer (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Prison Break (FOX; 7 pm). Series Finale.
That's right, series finale. The show that probably influenced the creation of this blog the most finally ends after four crazy (and sometimes ludicrous seasons). Michael takes his last shot at destroying The Company-- and gets help from old friends to do it.
And there's a death so shocking that the FOX brass had to approve it. (I'm guessing Lincoln. And I'll bet even-money T-Bag takes a dirt nap as well.)
I've read that the end moves ahead in time four years, so that's a nice little "what happened" that most shows don't do.
Of course, as I mentioned a few weeks back, there's a 2-hr movie that will hit DVD (and still may be aired on FOX) that fills in some of the gaps that the series couldn't.
Hotel Babylon; BBC America. 8 pm. Season Premiere.
Numb3rs (CBS; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Battlestar Galactica's James Callis guest stars. Cool again...
Saturday, 5/18
Beverly Hills Groomer; Animal Planet. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
The Groomer Has It winner gets a show. Hmmm. A reality competition that grants the winner a real prize? Interesting.
Mad TV (FOX; 10 pm). Series Finale.
A show that was very good (especially compared to SNL the last decade or so), but ran dry. Hopefully the really great cast members pop up in other places.
The finale features some best-of sketches and some return apperances from old cast members.
And I gotta say it: this latest cast had some hot women on it, so I'll be doubly depressed come Fall when this show isn't airing.
Saturday Night Live (NBC; 10:29). Season Finale.
This show is still airing? Interesting...
Will Ferrell hosts.
Sunday, 5/19
Sit Down, Shut Up (FOX; 6 pm). Season Finale.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
The Simpsons (FOX; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Survivor: Tocantins (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
King of the Hill (FOX; 7:30). Series Finale.
After 13 seasons, one of the best family-style comedies out there closes shop.
Take some time and catch it in syndication if you haven't been watching. There is good stuff there.
Desperate Housewives (ABC; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Dave (finally) puts his murderous plan into motion, Bree's marriage implodes, and Tom & Lynette get some big news.
And the very end features a small time jump forward that will have people talking.
Family Guy (FOX; 8 pm). Season Finale.
I thought I had this last week, but Entertainment Weekly notes it this week: The How I Met Your Mother cast lend their voices to this episode.
American Dad (FOX; 8:30). Season Finale.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Friday, May 08, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
NBC Fall Preview: COMMUNITY
Another comedy:
COMMUNITY
From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin' lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.
My thoughts:
Uhhhm... Middle-of-the-road. Mildly amusing clip. I really like Joel McHale, so I hope it ends up being better than it looked (although I also feel guilty hoping it tanks, so McHale doesn't quit The Soup). I like the concept, and the characters do have potential, so maybe it can grow into itself soon.
COMMUNITY
From Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") comes "Community," a smart comedy series about higher education -- and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, "Community" focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin' lawyer whose degree has been revoked (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), who form a study group and end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work. In addition to McHale, the series also stars: Gillian Jacobs ("The Book of Daniel"); Yvette Nicole Brown ("Rules of Engagement"); Danny Pudi ("Greek"); Alison Brie ("Mad Men"); and comedy legend Chevy Chase ("Saturday Night Live"). "Community" is a Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap and Russo Brothers production in association with Sony Pictures Television and Universal Media Studios. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist"), Dan Harmon ("The Sarah Silverman Program"), Joe Russo ("Arrested Development"), Anthony Russo ("Arrested Development") and Gary Foster ("The Soloist") serve as executive producers. Joe and Anthony Russo directed the pilot that was written by Dan Harmon.
My thoughts:
Uhhhm... Middle-of-the-road. Mildly amusing clip. I really like Joel McHale, so I hope it ends up being better than it looked (although I also feel guilty hoping it tanks, so McHale doesn't quit The Soup). I like the concept, and the characters do have potential, so maybe it can grow into itself soon.
NBC Fall Preview: 100 QUESTIONS
Okay, on to the comedies:
100 QUESTIONS (fka "100 Questions for Charlotte Payne")
Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") – who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren't easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women's Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC's "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.
My thoughts:
Wow. This is supposed to be a comedy? Reminds me of the bombs NBC used to drop on us trying to get that fourth comedy on "Must See Thursday". I'll try it because: 1. there aren't enough comedies, 2. James Burrows; but I don't expect to add it to the DVR schedule.
100 QUESTIONS (fka "100 Questions for Charlotte Payne")
Emmy winner James Burrows ("Will & Grace," "Friends") directs "100 Questions," a new comedy series written and executive-produced by Christopher Moynihan ("For Your Consideration") that provides hilarious answers to 100 questions about love. Charlotte Payne (Sophie Winkleman, "Peep Show") is looking for love and has rejected multiple marriage proposals -- but she has yet to meet Mr. Right. When she joins a popular online dating site, she gets a little help from her dating counselor Ravi (Amir Talai, "The Ex List") – who requires her to take a 100-question compatibility test. The questions aren't easy for Charlotte to answer, and each one requires her to recount a poignant and humorous time in her life with friends Leslie (Elizabeth Ho, "Women's Murder Club"), Jill (Joy Suprano, NBC's "Law & Order"), Mike (Christopher Moynihan "For Your Consideration") and Wayne (David Walton "Quarterlife"). The test becomes a journey of self-discovery for Charlotte who begins to realize what she truly wants in a relationship. Ron West ("Psych"), Kelly Kulchak ("Psych") and Michelle Nader ("King of Queens") join Moynihan as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Media Studios and Tagline.
My thoughts:
Wow. This is supposed to be a comedy? Reminds me of the bombs NBC used to drop on us trying to get that fourth comedy on "Must See Thursday". I'll try it because: 1. there aren't enough comedies, 2. James Burrows; but I don't expect to add it to the DVR schedule.
NBC Fall (Winter) Preview: DAY ONE
And an "event series" (is that the new "miniseries"?) debuting after the Winter Olympics: Day One.
DAY ONE
From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.
Clip that's not really a clip:
My thoughts:
I like the concept, but my gut says NBC won't support it enough.
And I also am not looking forward to all the fans squawking that it's "Just like Jericho".
DAY ONE
From executive producer/writer Jesse Alexander ("Heroes," "Lost," "Alias") and director Alex Graves ("Fringe," "Journeyman"), "Day One" tells the story of life on earth following a global catastrophe that has devastated the world's infrastructures. Beginning with the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event, an eclectic band of survivors -- played by Adam Campbell ("Date Movie"), Catherine Dent ("The Shield"), Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone"), David Lyons ("ER"), Derek Mio ("Greek"), Carly Pope ("24"), Thekla Reuten ("Sleeper Cell") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") -- strives to rebuild society as they unravel the mysteries of what happened and face their uncertain future. The group, all residents of one apartment building in suburban Van Nuys, Calif., embarks on a quest for survival and discovers that hope is found in small victories -- and heroes are born every day. "Day One" is a Universal Media Studios production.
Clip that's not really a clip:
My thoughts:
I like the concept, but my gut says NBC won't support it enough.
And I also am not looking forward to all the fans squawking that it's "Just like Jericho".
NBC Fall Preview: MERCY
Next up: Mercy
MERCY
"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica's husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC's "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.
My thoughts:
The second attempt to find the next ER-- but this time without the big budget. I like Tupper, Diaz, and Trachtenberg, but this show better bring the goods early because I don't see myself watching past the pilot if the show is like this clip.
MERCY
"Mercy," a new medical drama with a unique point of view, portrays the lives of the staff at Mercy Hospital as seen through the eyes of those who know it best -- its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan (Taylor Schilling, "Dark Matter") returns to Mercy from a military tour in Iraq -- and she knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez (Jamie Lee Kirchner, "Rescue Me") and Chloe Payne (Michelle Trachtenberg, "Gossip Girl"), Callahan navigates through the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world. The cast also includes: James Tupper ("Men in Trees") as Dr. Chris Sands, a new doctor at the hospital who complicates Veronica's life; Diego Klattenhoff ("Supernatural") as Mike Callahan, Veronica's husband; and Guillermo Diaz ("Weeds") as Nurse Angel Lopez. "Mercy" is a production from Universal Media Studios and Berman Braun. Joining writer/executive producers Liz Heldens (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") and Gretchen Berg & Aaron Harberts ("Pushing Daisies," "Pepper Dennis") are executive producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Emmy Award winner Adam Bernstein (NBC's "30 Rock," "Rescue Me") is the director.
My thoughts:
The second attempt to find the next ER-- but this time without the big budget. I like Tupper, Diaz, and Trachtenberg, but this show better bring the goods early because I don't see myself watching past the pilot if the show is like this clip.
NBC Fall Preview: TRAUMA
The next new drama is called Trauma.
TRAUMA
Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city's Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.
My Thoughts:
It looks like every other drama this network has aired since ER premiered. I'll try it because of Berg's involvement, but there's not much else here I find interesting.
TRAUMA
Executive producer Peter Berg (NBC's "Friday Night Lights") delivers "Trauma," the first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, "Trauma" is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city's Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives -- and give meaning to their own existence in the process. Starring in "Trauma" are Derek Luke ("Notorious"), Cliff Curtis ("10,000 B.C"), Anastasia Griffith ("Damages"), Aimee Garcia ("George Lopez"), Kevin Rankin ("Friday Night Lights") and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent"). "Trauma" is a production of Universal Media Studios and Film 44. Berg, Sarah Aubrey ("Bad Santa," "Friday Night Lights"), Dario Scardapane and Jeffrey Reiner ("Friday Night Lights") serve as executive producers. The pilot was written by Scardapane and directed by Reiner.
My Thoughts:
It looks like every other drama this network has aired since ER premiered. I'll try it because of Berg's involvement, but there's not much else here I find interesting.
NBC Fall Preview: PARENTHOOD
NBC revealed some of the shows in its fall 2009 lineup on Monday. I'll try to get a little something for each of them.
First up: Parenthood, by the creators of the 1989 film.
Here's the hype from the press release:
PARENTHOOD
From the executive producers of the box-office hit "Parenthood" -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it's clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.
My initial thoughts:
The Parenthood I really enjoyed was a serious comedy, and this looks like a humorous drama. There may not seem to be much of a difference, but there is one. Hopefully, the show remembers where it came from.
But this is must-try. Just look at that cast. And the creative talent behind the camera. This has to be pretty bad to fail (as a show; not the ratings).
Unfortunately, the "sure things" are usually the ones that disappoint (Private Practice is just one example I can pull from recent memory).
First up: Parenthood, by the creators of the 1989 film.
Here's the hype from the press release:
PARENTHOOD
From the executive producers of the box-office hit "Parenthood" -- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer (Oscar winners for "A Beautiful Mind"), and writer/executive producer Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") -- this contemporary re-imagining of the blockbuster film depicts the colorful and imperfect Braverman family -- four grown siblings sharing the headaches, heartaches and joy of being parents. The star-studded cast includes Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Craig T. Nelson, Dax Shepard, Bonnie Bedelia, Monica Potter, Erika Christensen and Sarah Ramos. When Sarah Braverman (Tierney, "ER"), a financially strapped single mother, returns home to her parents and siblings in Berkeley, Calif. after packing up her Fresno apartment and uprooting her two inconvenienced kids, Amber (Mae Whitman, "In Treatment") and Drew (Miles Heizer, "ER"), she is greeted by her opinionated father, Zeek (Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), and strong mother, Camille (Bedelia, "Heart Like a Wheel"), who are privately dealing with their own marital issues. As Sarah is reunited with her siblings -- sister, Julia (Christensen, "Traffic"), and brothers Crosby (Shepard, "Baby Mama") and Adam (Krause, "Six Feet Under") -- all struggling with issues of their own, it's clear that the Braverman reunion is just what they need to face the everyday challenges of modern family life. "Parenthood" is a production from Imagine Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme ("The West Wing") directs the pilot.
My initial thoughts:
The Parenthood I really enjoyed was a serious comedy, and this looks like a humorous drama. There may not seem to be much of a difference, but there is one. Hopefully, the show remembers where it came from.
But this is must-try. Just look at that cast. And the creative talent behind the camera. This has to be pretty bad to fail (as a show; not the ratings).
Unfortunately, the "sure things" are usually the ones that disappoint (Private Practice is just one example I can pull from recent memory).
More SOUP SMACKDOWN-- Rocket Scientists
Yeah, I posted this one a few weeks ago.
But it's still worth a second look...
But it's still worth a second look...
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Monday, May 04, 2009
Never Heard of This One
I guess it was released in 2003 (direct to DVD, maybe?)...
Okay-- how lame was it that Oldman played a little person? With all the smaller people in that clip, you'd think they could have found someone to play that (I'm guessing major/pivotal) part.
Okay-- how lame was it that Oldman played a little person? With all the smaller people in that clip, you'd think they could have found someone to play that (I'm guessing major/pivotal) part.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Premieres, Finales, and other Notables; May 4-10, 2009
Monday, 5/4
Cook Yourself Thin; Lifetime. 4 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Three chefs teach how to lose weight by cooking differently.
Tuesday, 5/5
The Apprentice UK; BBC America. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
Good grief-- this show will never die.
At least Trump's not starring in this one...
The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Wednesday, 5/6
Scrubs (ABC; 7 pm) Series Finale.
The show with more lives than a cat finally ends.
Or does it? ABC hasn't commented lately, but there are about even odds the show may return-- with a nearly completely different cast (except for some minor characters-- and possibly the rookie doctors introduced this year).
Thursday, 5/7
The Family Guy's Stewie makes an appearance on Bones (FOX; 7 pm). For real...
Millionaire Matchmaker (Bravo; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Alan Alda guest stars on 30 Rock (NBC; 8:30 pm).
The Fashion Show; Bravo. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Since Bravo lost Project Runway, they elected to just make another fashion designer competition show.
Friday, 5/8
Everybody Hates Chris (CW; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Could very well be series finale. Catch it while you can.
Dollhouse (FOX; 8:01). Season Finale.
Same here: most likely series finale.
Saturday, 5/9
Ace of Cakes (Food Network; 8 pm). Season Finale.
This time, they're making cakes for Lost's 100th ep.
Sunday, 5/10
Sandra's Money-Saving Meals; Food Network. 11 am. Series Premiere.
The title is kinda self-explanatory...
The Amazing Race (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC; 7 pm). Three-hour Season Finale.
Yes, people, I said three hours. Now who feels bad that the network is in the shitter with these kinds of brilliant programming choices?
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (HBO; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Somehow, the How I Met Your Mother gang make an appearance on Family Guy (FOX; 8 pm).
The Alzheimer's Project; HBO. 8 pm. Mini-series Premiere.
This four-part documentary focuses on seven patients with the illness.
Cold Case (CBS; 8 pm). Season Finale.
The Unit (CBS; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Brothers & Sisters (ABC; 9:01). Season Finale.
What are the odds it'll contain overdone drama?
Cook Yourself Thin; Lifetime. 4 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Three chefs teach how to lose weight by cooking differently.
Tuesday, 5/5
The Apprentice UK; BBC America. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
Good grief-- this show will never die.
At least Trump's not starring in this one...
The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Wednesday, 5/6
Scrubs (ABC; 7 pm) Series Finale.
The show with more lives than a cat finally ends.
Or does it? ABC hasn't commented lately, but there are about even odds the show may return-- with a nearly completely different cast (except for some minor characters-- and possibly the rookie doctors introduced this year).
Thursday, 5/7
The Family Guy's Stewie makes an appearance on Bones (FOX; 7 pm). For real...
Millionaire Matchmaker (Bravo; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Alan Alda guest stars on 30 Rock (NBC; 8:30 pm).
The Fashion Show; Bravo. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Since Bravo lost Project Runway, they elected to just make another fashion designer competition show.
Friday, 5/8
Everybody Hates Chris (CW; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Could very well be series finale. Catch it while you can.
Dollhouse (FOX; 8:01). Season Finale.
Same here: most likely series finale.
Saturday, 5/9
Ace of Cakes (Food Network; 8 pm). Season Finale.
This time, they're making cakes for Lost's 100th ep.
Sunday, 5/10
Sandra's Money-Saving Meals; Food Network. 11 am. Series Premiere.
The title is kinda self-explanatory...
The Amazing Race (CBS; 7 pm). Season Finale.
The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC; 7 pm). Three-hour Season Finale.
Yes, people, I said three hours. Now who feels bad that the network is in the shitter with these kinds of brilliant programming choices?
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (HBO; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Somehow, the How I Met Your Mother gang make an appearance on Family Guy (FOX; 8 pm).
The Alzheimer's Project; HBO. 8 pm. Mini-series Premiere.
This four-part documentary focuses on seven patients with the illness.
Cold Case (CBS; 8 pm). Season Finale.
The Unit (CBS; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Brothers & Sisters (ABC; 9:01). Season Finale.
What are the odds it'll contain overdone drama?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
I Think It's Love
Now imagine Foxx as his Wanda character on In Living Color...
He'll "rock your world"...
2009 Movie Reviews; 1st Qtr: P-Y (the end)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop—; film. Another case of a movie ending up better than it should have been. Kevin James has done essentially the same shtick in most everything I’ve seen him in, but it worked here. He really made this movie his own, and even though there was very little new here (the usual schlub meets a girl and he tries to win her over plot), James made it shine. And aside from a very few things (I can’t even remember what they were now), this very-much-inspired-by-Die Hard-movie was very kid-friendly—while still making it entertaining for adults. B
[And a side note: watching this movie reminded me I need to start publishing my ideas. Yet another brilliant thing I thought up years ago and never told anyone has been released to the world (the whole Die Hard in a mall thing).]
Run Fatboy Run—I barely remember this one. I know it should have better, considering the talent involved. But instead of trying to win the race, they elected to just finish it. (You like how I did that little analogy?) C-
Star Wars: The Clone Wars; DVD and Film. – Originally conceived as three episodes of the animated series on Cartoon Network, and it felt just like the series as I watched it the first time on DVD. It’s not a bad thing, but it was definitely a let-down knowing it was released as a film in theatres. Unlike, say, The Simpsons Movie, there was nothing that made this special enough to warrant the Big Picture treatment. But a month later, I watched it in the theatre (on not only the big screen, but a screen about 35% larger than average), and was pretty caught up in the beginning battle sequences. Lots of characters and explosions (in Dolby Surround Sound or whatever they have in theatres) definitely made this a better movie to watch in the theatres at first. But after the big battles, it got slower and “smaller” and didn’t work any better than on TV by the end. But it was fun enough to be worth the $2.50 I spent (with free popcorn). C (DVD); B- (in the theatre).
Tropic Thunder—Depending on your point of view, this was either a great film or a piece of crap film. I think those who may know about the filmmaking process (that goes deeper than the "exclusive behind-the-scenes" dreck that “entertainment shows” like Entertainment Tonight give the masses) or can enjoy a great acting performance can really get into this film. Those who just want a “fun ride” probably won’t (a friend of mine walked out halfway through the movie). Writer/director/actor Ben Stiller tried walking a tightrope between the two worlds, but I think the best stuff may have been too “inside” for the average person (and that’s not a knock; not everyone soaks up the moviemaking). But unlike most of the Oscar-Bait films out there, this one was pretty hilarious at times (although there were plenty foul-mouthed lines in it for those who came for that). And Robert Downey Jr had the role of the year with his performance as a white Australian method actor who underwent skin darkening treatments to play a black man (and if that doesn’t sound funny to you, then you probably aren’t one of those people this film was made for). The only gripe I have for this film is that some parts were just too far over the top and brought me out of the experience a few times. I’ll give it a B+; but for someone who may not be looking for the “inside” bits, it’ll probably rate a C.
Wanted—Painful to watch. This started out as an adaptation of a comic book series, but rumor has it they didn’t retain much of the original plot (I haven’t read the comics yet). The special effects were sometimes cool, but the level of violence was just moronic. I think I now understand what “torture porn” means. I’ll give the movie credit for trying to have some sort of plot (which just ended up lame), but that didn’t come until well after the half-way mark. Who needs plot when you can just show more and more violent ways to break bones or die? D-
Yes Man— film; Jim Carrey back to doing what we originally loved him for: going completely gonzo. His character was, at his core, a normal man, but the story allowed him to get crazier and crazier. It wasn’t a deep movie, but it did try to make a great point: it’s okay to say yes to new things. We sometimes forget that yes is an option in our lives. B-
[And a side note: watching this movie reminded me I need to start publishing my ideas. Yet another brilliant thing I thought up years ago and never told anyone has been released to the world (the whole Die Hard in a mall thing).]
Run Fatboy Run—I barely remember this one. I know it should have better, considering the talent involved. But instead of trying to win the race, they elected to just finish it. (You like how I did that little analogy?) C-
Star Wars: The Clone Wars; DVD and Film. – Originally conceived as three episodes of the animated series on Cartoon Network, and it felt just like the series as I watched it the first time on DVD. It’s not a bad thing, but it was definitely a let-down knowing it was released as a film in theatres. Unlike, say, The Simpsons Movie, there was nothing that made this special enough to warrant the Big Picture treatment. But a month later, I watched it in the theatre (on not only the big screen, but a screen about 35% larger than average), and was pretty caught up in the beginning battle sequences. Lots of characters and explosions (in Dolby Surround Sound or whatever they have in theatres) definitely made this a better movie to watch in the theatres at first. But after the big battles, it got slower and “smaller” and didn’t work any better than on TV by the end. But it was fun enough to be worth the $2.50 I spent (with free popcorn). C (DVD); B- (in the theatre).
Tropic Thunder—Depending on your point of view, this was either a great film or a piece of crap film. I think those who may know about the filmmaking process (that goes deeper than the "exclusive behind-the-scenes" dreck that “entertainment shows” like Entertainment Tonight give the masses) or can enjoy a great acting performance can really get into this film. Those who just want a “fun ride” probably won’t (a friend of mine walked out halfway through the movie). Writer/director/actor Ben Stiller tried walking a tightrope between the two worlds, but I think the best stuff may have been too “inside” for the average person (and that’s not a knock; not everyone soaks up the moviemaking). But unlike most of the Oscar-Bait films out there, this one was pretty hilarious at times (although there were plenty foul-mouthed lines in it for those who came for that). And Robert Downey Jr had the role of the year with his performance as a white Australian method actor who underwent skin darkening treatments to play a black man (and if that doesn’t sound funny to you, then you probably aren’t one of those people this film was made for). The only gripe I have for this film is that some parts were just too far over the top and brought me out of the experience a few times. I’ll give it a B+; but for someone who may not be looking for the “inside” bits, it’ll probably rate a C.
Wanted—Painful to watch. This started out as an adaptation of a comic book series, but rumor has it they didn’t retain much of the original plot (I haven’t read the comics yet). The special effects were sometimes cool, but the level of violence was just moronic. I think I now understand what “torture porn” means. I’ll give the movie credit for trying to have some sort of plot (which just ended up lame), but that didn’t come until well after the half-way mark. Who needs plot when you can just show more and more violent ways to break bones or die? D-
Yes Man— film; Jim Carrey back to doing what we originally loved him for: going completely gonzo. His character was, at his core, a normal man, but the story allowed him to get crazier and crazier. It wasn’t a deep movie, but it did try to make a great point: it’s okay to say yes to new things. We sometimes forget that yes is an option in our lives. B-
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
2009 Movie Reviews; 1st Qtr: G-N
Get Smart—I have so little recollection of this film (even though it’s only been, at most, three months since I watched it) that I can’t even give it a proper review. But then, I guess, with the acting talent involved, not remembering anything about it pretty much sums up the movie. C
The House Bunny— I’ve railed on a few movies already for being bland or predictable, and this one could have easily fallen into that same trap. The story is old (Revenge of the Nerds and hundreds of others follow the same pattern), but the “losers” were pretty funny, and Anna Faris really was the glue that held the film together. She could have easily gone through the motions, and no one would have thought less of her as we’ve seen that all so many times before. But Faris was engaging, and even though her character was as dumb as a box of hammers, she conveyed a sweetness that made her fun to watch. B
Justice League: New Frontier—A direct-to-DVD adaptation of one of the seminal super-hero comic book mini-series of this decade. Taking a retro (1950-60s) approach to DC Comics heroes we all know and love and putting all the various pieces together to make a complete story was a tough task, to be sure. But it worked well. Nothing really groundbreaking about this (other than it was above-average quality when compared to recent comic book animation DVDs). And the extras in the 2-disc set were a nice bonus. B
Leatherheads—I love how George Clooney is perfectly happy to go against the grain and do movies in the style of older classics. This is a “screwball classic” as was made in the ‘40s and ‘50s. The only issue I have is sometimes there is no reason to make a film like a classic other than what seems to be as just as an experiment. There’s nothing much that makes this film stand out other than to see the actors try something different, which isn’t bad in and of itself, but it did feel a little forced to be a style.
But I really did like the attention to detail. The football scenes really were different than what we’re used to seeing—even how the players ran differently then than they do now. And, of course, you could just see how much fun Clooney was having by his presence on the screen. That dude is truly a star, and there are very few of them right now, no matter what People magazine or Entertainment Tonight would have you believe. B
Meet Dave—Strictly looked at as a kids movie, it worked well. My guys (5 & 6 years old) enjoyed it. But as an adult, it didn’t do much for me. I’d give it a C+, with a bump to a B- because it had Elizabeth Banks.
Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan-- I found this film to be beautiful to watch, and it told a nice story, but I was hoping to get more of a history lesson about the man. This felt more like a pre-origin story (he was not once referred to as Genghis Khan because it was so early in his life). Maybe the story is true, but the filmmakers could have easily just told the story and there didn’t have to be anything at all to indicate this was Kahn. B-
Monsters vs. Aliens –film; I saw this in 3-D, and it made for a more exciting experience, although, at its most basic, it wasn’t much better than any other animated material out there. Meaning: 3-D may be exciting at first, but the film itself will be what lasts through time. I think it tried to serve too many masters, and unlike the superior Pixar products or even shows like Phineas and Ferb, it just couldn’t find a common ground that entertains both children and adults simultaneously. I’ve said this too often this quarter, but it makes it no less true this time: this was pretty standard fare. (Bonus points to Seth Rogan, who was perfect for B.O.B). B-
My Blueberry Nights—had all the makings of a good movie, but I think it diverted too far off any one tone to make to coherent. It’s not to say it was complicated to follow, it just felt like different movies at times. Norah Jones was impressive in her only acting role (according to imdb.com) to date—and played the lead. David Straithairn and Rachel Weisz also brought a great emotional quality to their characters. Jude Law and (most sadly) Natalie Portman’s characters probably could have been played by most anyone. I had higher hopes for this one as it looked like a better movie (and got decent reviews from the places I read about it). B-
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow—Another in the increasing number of animated Direct-to-DVD movies featuring Marvel superheroes. This one is definitely aimed at a younger crowd (some of the earlier movies were not) as the tone is much lighter. But I can’t understand why the need to create the next generation of superheroes (the offspring of the current Avengers) when Marvel already has so many heroes to offer for this sort of thing. The only thing I can think is Marvel doesn’t have many child heroes, and they wanted to tell this story. I guess it wasn’t a bad movie, and long-time Avengers fans would get some of the “Easter Eggs”/mentions, but this movie is for the youngsters Marvel needs to get excited about comics. If this movie is someone’s first exposure to superheroes, then it might be successful; otherwise, it’s pretty standard. C
The House Bunny— I’ve railed on a few movies already for being bland or predictable, and this one could have easily fallen into that same trap. The story is old (Revenge of the Nerds and hundreds of others follow the same pattern), but the “losers” were pretty funny, and Anna Faris really was the glue that held the film together. She could have easily gone through the motions, and no one would have thought less of her as we’ve seen that all so many times before. But Faris was engaging, and even though her character was as dumb as a box of hammers, she conveyed a sweetness that made her fun to watch. B
Justice League: New Frontier—A direct-to-DVD adaptation of one of the seminal super-hero comic book mini-series of this decade. Taking a retro (1950-60s) approach to DC Comics heroes we all know and love and putting all the various pieces together to make a complete story was a tough task, to be sure. But it worked well. Nothing really groundbreaking about this (other than it was above-average quality when compared to recent comic book animation DVDs). And the extras in the 2-disc set were a nice bonus. B
Leatherheads—I love how George Clooney is perfectly happy to go against the grain and do movies in the style of older classics. This is a “screwball classic” as was made in the ‘40s and ‘50s. The only issue I have is sometimes there is no reason to make a film like a classic other than what seems to be as just as an experiment. There’s nothing much that makes this film stand out other than to see the actors try something different, which isn’t bad in and of itself, but it did feel a little forced to be a style.
But I really did like the attention to detail. The football scenes really were different than what we’re used to seeing—even how the players ran differently then than they do now. And, of course, you could just see how much fun Clooney was having by his presence on the screen. That dude is truly a star, and there are very few of them right now, no matter what People magazine or Entertainment Tonight would have you believe. B
Meet Dave—Strictly looked at as a kids movie, it worked well. My guys (5 & 6 years old) enjoyed it. But as an adult, it didn’t do much for me. I’d give it a C+, with a bump to a B- because it had Elizabeth Banks.
Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan-- I found this film to be beautiful to watch, and it told a nice story, but I was hoping to get more of a history lesson about the man. This felt more like a pre-origin story (he was not once referred to as Genghis Khan because it was so early in his life). Maybe the story is true, but the filmmakers could have easily just told the story and there didn’t have to be anything at all to indicate this was Kahn. B-
Monsters vs. Aliens –film; I saw this in 3-D, and it made for a more exciting experience, although, at its most basic, it wasn’t much better than any other animated material out there. Meaning: 3-D may be exciting at first, but the film itself will be what lasts through time. I think it tried to serve too many masters, and unlike the superior Pixar products or even shows like Phineas and Ferb, it just couldn’t find a common ground that entertains both children and adults simultaneously. I’ve said this too often this quarter, but it makes it no less true this time: this was pretty standard fare. (Bonus points to Seth Rogan, who was perfect for B.O.B). B-
My Blueberry Nights—had all the makings of a good movie, but I think it diverted too far off any one tone to make to coherent. It’s not to say it was complicated to follow, it just felt like different movies at times. Norah Jones was impressive in her only acting role (according to imdb.com) to date—and played the lead. David Straithairn and Rachel Weisz also brought a great emotional quality to their characters. Jude Law and (most sadly) Natalie Portman’s characters probably could have been played by most anyone. I had higher hopes for this one as it looked like a better movie (and got decent reviews from the places I read about it). B-
Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow—Another in the increasing number of animated Direct-to-DVD movies featuring Marvel superheroes. This one is definitely aimed at a younger crowd (some of the earlier movies were not) as the tone is much lighter. But I can’t understand why the need to create the next generation of superheroes (the offspring of the current Avengers) when Marvel already has so many heroes to offer for this sort of thing. The only thing I can think is Marvel doesn’t have many child heroes, and they wanted to tell this story. I guess it wasn’t a bad movie, and long-time Avengers fans would get some of the “Easter Eggs”/mentions, but this movie is for the youngsters Marvel needs to get excited about comics. If this movie is someone’s first exposure to superheroes, then it might be successful; otherwise, it’s pretty standard. C
Ray J Tries to Use His Heat Vision to Melt Danger...
I just read the title I wrote above. Wouldn't it be cool had I actually used real names instead of the dumbass nicknames these two use?
Monday, April 27, 2009
2009 Movie Reviews; 1st Qtr: A-F
Hey, it's that time again to give my quick reviews of the movies I watched from January to March this year.
I was a bit disappointed as a whole. I didn't watch my normal amount (too busy watching really great television shows on DVD like Battlestar Galactica and The Wire), but usually I hit two or three really great movies every quarter. Not this one. Saw a number of good ones, but no great ones.
Not to give anyone any reason not to read the next few days of review posts; just want to prepare you.
As always, an "A" (which you won't find this time) is a great film in almost all areas.
A "B" is very good.
A "C" has flaws, but is ultimately enjoyable (I'll usually give the strong/weak points in my review).
A "D" may have one good performance or enough decent lines to make it worth watching if there's absolutely nothing else to watch.
An "F" is pure shit with no redeeming value.
And, as always, these are movies I watched on DVD unless I note otherwise. Why's that important? Movies I see in the theatre tend to get about a half-grade higher just because of the entire experience. A mediocre movie can seem pretty good on the big screen (at least the movies I tend to spend my good money on).
And, finally, these are just my gut feelings. Sometimes it's 2-3 months since I've watched a movie before I write the review, and I try to be as honest as I can (there were 2 or 3 movies I outright admitted I could barely remember-- but keep in mind: if it was worthwhile, I'd remember something about it). I also try to group them by grade, so if I remember liking movie "A" more than movie "B", I grade it higher. Over the course of the quarter, I think I rank them pretty well compared to each other.
Okay, here goes:
Batman: Gotham Knight—An anime-inspired look at the Dark Knight in an anthology form. I’m not an anime-hater (as little as I’ve been exposed), but the art did nothing for me. As with most anthologies, there were one or two good stories mixed in with the mediocre ones, but none of them really stood out. And even though they got people from another culture to work on the character, they all felt familiar to stories I’ve seen/read before. Could have been worse—but could have been better. C+
Burn After Reading—Like many Coen Brothers movies, this one had great acting, great dialogue, and a plot that seems to be held together by nothing more than chewing gum. It was tricky to follow at times, but I think that helped show how all these various parties ended up being affected by each other when they don’t travel in the same circles. I also thought the ending was great—but could only work in a movie like this. The Coens walk a tightrope, and while this movie wasn’t brilliant, their work—as well as the great actors who turned it up a notch for them—made this one worth seeing; even if it’s not always easy to follow. B
Driving Lessons— Nice enough story, but I feel I’ve seen it before. Nothing memorable about it. C-
Expelled— I wasn’t sure what to expect at first as I believe in evolution, and this documentary tried to explain that “Intelligent Design” needs to be a part of the conversation. I’m not against that, actually; I believe that the world would be a better place if religious people and non-religious people could just find some sort of common ground. Ben Stein, the star/co-writer of this doc seems to agree. The main thesis of the doc was that Intelligent Design could easily explain some of the issues with Darwin’s findings (many of which have been refuted or “corrected” by scientific finds since then), so it should also be considered when discussing the origins of life. I have no problem with that other than I don’t want investigation of the beginning of life to end just because the point is reached that it can’t be yet explained, and the scientific community just chalks it up to ID. Science expands our knowledge of life every year, so what we don’t know now may be discovered later.
Anyway, this movie claims that people who mention Intelligent Design in their papers and work get fired or taken off projects just for speaking their minds. As more and more instances were related, the movie tried to explain that this is more and more like how the Nazis behaved. The point hit a crescendo when Hitler’s beliefs in a superior race were explained and found to be copacetic with the basics of Darwinian evolution (which is pretty absurd; Hitler was a nutcase, and most people who believe in evolution are not). If humans helped along the “survival of the fittest” by exterminating disabled or “inferior” races, then the result would be a “perfect” race. That may be what Hitler believed, but I doubt many scientists would agree to do that.
Just at the point where I was compelled to turn off the movie (what’s worse than Hitler?), the tone of the movie made an abrupt shift and basically asked why can’t ID be a part of evolution? Finally, a rational argument. But it came too late. I admit to learning that ID is not strictly a religious matter, and that most ID proponents don’t like how some of the Fundamentalists have co-opted the belief , but the movie basically did what I grew tired of in the early 2000’s— used fear to get their point across. No one should be shut out of the conversation, but I’m sure there are very good reasons why ID can’t always be considered, if only for the thing I mentioned above: it’s an “easy out”. C+
The Fall— Beautifully shot. This film was amazing to look at. But the plot was hard to follow at times. I had no idea what was real or not some of the times, or how it all tied together. Also of note was the acting by Catinca Untaru, who was only nine years old when the film was released (probably eight, at most, when it was being filmed). She really had to hit some emotional things actors much older than her would have trouble with. B
Forgetting Sarah Marshall—One of those Judd Apatow-like movies about men who still act like boys; but one that didn’t cross as many lines (and thusly allowed me to just enjoy the movie). There were awkward moments that could have derailed the momentum of the film, but writer/star Jason Segal kept everything together as few actors could. This film followed the usual guy gets dumped and meets new girl and then loses new girl, etc plot, but there was enough unique moments in between that it didn’t feel stale. Plus, the film showed me what Russell Brand is capable of in a comedy (I wasn’t terribly impressed watching his stand-up routine on Comedy Central). Good stuff. B+
Fred Claus—A kid movie that could have easily been watered down, but somehow, it was pretty watchable as an adult. You probably wouldn’t think of Vince Vaughn to star in your PG-rated movie, but he had his usual film persona (if toned down for the PG rating), and it gave a bit of an edge to the film. And Paul Giamatti (who was his usual excellent self) got a bit of a break by being St. Nick, so he didn’t have to play the Type-A dick he mostly plays. And while Elizabeth Banks has been in quite a few films lately, she’s always great to watch work (even if she didn’t have a big role). B+
I was a bit disappointed as a whole. I didn't watch my normal amount (too busy watching really great television shows on DVD like Battlestar Galactica and The Wire), but usually I hit two or three really great movies every quarter. Not this one. Saw a number of good ones, but no great ones.
Not to give anyone any reason not to read the next few days of review posts; just want to prepare you.
As always, an "A" (which you won't find this time) is a great film in almost all areas.
A "B" is very good.
A "C" has flaws, but is ultimately enjoyable (I'll usually give the strong/weak points in my review).
A "D" may have one good performance or enough decent lines to make it worth watching if there's absolutely nothing else to watch.
An "F" is pure shit with no redeeming value.
And, as always, these are movies I watched on DVD unless I note otherwise. Why's that important? Movies I see in the theatre tend to get about a half-grade higher just because of the entire experience. A mediocre movie can seem pretty good on the big screen (at least the movies I tend to spend my good money on).
And, finally, these are just my gut feelings. Sometimes it's 2-3 months since I've watched a movie before I write the review, and I try to be as honest as I can (there were 2 or 3 movies I outright admitted I could barely remember-- but keep in mind: if it was worthwhile, I'd remember something about it). I also try to group them by grade, so if I remember liking movie "A" more than movie "B", I grade it higher. Over the course of the quarter, I think I rank them pretty well compared to each other.
Okay, here goes:
Batman: Gotham Knight—An anime-inspired look at the Dark Knight in an anthology form. I’m not an anime-hater (as little as I’ve been exposed), but the art did nothing for me. As with most anthologies, there were one or two good stories mixed in with the mediocre ones, but none of them really stood out. And even though they got people from another culture to work on the character, they all felt familiar to stories I’ve seen/read before. Could have been worse—but could have been better. C+
Burn After Reading—Like many Coen Brothers movies, this one had great acting, great dialogue, and a plot that seems to be held together by nothing more than chewing gum. It was tricky to follow at times, but I think that helped show how all these various parties ended up being affected by each other when they don’t travel in the same circles. I also thought the ending was great—but could only work in a movie like this. The Coens walk a tightrope, and while this movie wasn’t brilliant, their work—as well as the great actors who turned it up a notch for them—made this one worth seeing; even if it’s not always easy to follow. B
Driving Lessons— Nice enough story, but I feel I’ve seen it before. Nothing memorable about it. C-
Expelled— I wasn’t sure what to expect at first as I believe in evolution, and this documentary tried to explain that “Intelligent Design” needs to be a part of the conversation. I’m not against that, actually; I believe that the world would be a better place if religious people and non-religious people could just find some sort of common ground. Ben Stein, the star/co-writer of this doc seems to agree. The main thesis of the doc was that Intelligent Design could easily explain some of the issues with Darwin’s findings (many of which have been refuted or “corrected” by scientific finds since then), so it should also be considered when discussing the origins of life. I have no problem with that other than I don’t want investigation of the beginning of life to end just because the point is reached that it can’t be yet explained, and the scientific community just chalks it up to ID. Science expands our knowledge of life every year, so what we don’t know now may be discovered later.
Anyway, this movie claims that people who mention Intelligent Design in their papers and work get fired or taken off projects just for speaking their minds. As more and more instances were related, the movie tried to explain that this is more and more like how the Nazis behaved. The point hit a crescendo when Hitler’s beliefs in a superior race were explained and found to be copacetic with the basics of Darwinian evolution (which is pretty absurd; Hitler was a nutcase, and most people who believe in evolution are not). If humans helped along the “survival of the fittest” by exterminating disabled or “inferior” races, then the result would be a “perfect” race. That may be what Hitler believed, but I doubt many scientists would agree to do that.
Just at the point where I was compelled to turn off the movie (what’s worse than Hitler?), the tone of the movie made an abrupt shift and basically asked why can’t ID be a part of evolution? Finally, a rational argument. But it came too late. I admit to learning that ID is not strictly a religious matter, and that most ID proponents don’t like how some of the Fundamentalists have co-opted the belief , but the movie basically did what I grew tired of in the early 2000’s— used fear to get their point across. No one should be shut out of the conversation, but I’m sure there are very good reasons why ID can’t always be considered, if only for the thing I mentioned above: it’s an “easy out”. C+
The Fall— Beautifully shot. This film was amazing to look at. But the plot was hard to follow at times. I had no idea what was real or not some of the times, or how it all tied together. Also of note was the acting by Catinca Untaru, who was only nine years old when the film was released (probably eight, at most, when it was being filmed). She really had to hit some emotional things actors much older than her would have trouble with. B
Forgetting Sarah Marshall—One of those Judd Apatow-like movies about men who still act like boys; but one that didn’t cross as many lines (and thusly allowed me to just enjoy the movie). There were awkward moments that could have derailed the momentum of the film, but writer/star Jason Segal kept everything together as few actors could. This film followed the usual guy gets dumped and meets new girl and then loses new girl, etc plot, but there was enough unique moments in between that it didn’t feel stale. Plus, the film showed me what Russell Brand is capable of in a comedy (I wasn’t terribly impressed watching his stand-up routine on Comedy Central). Good stuff. B+
Fred Claus—A kid movie that could have easily been watered down, but somehow, it was pretty watchable as an adult. You probably wouldn’t think of Vince Vaughn to star in your PG-rated movie, but he had his usual film persona (if toned down for the PG rating), and it gave a bit of an edge to the film. And Paul Giamatti (who was his usual excellent self) got a bit of a break by being St. Nick, so he didn’t have to play the Type-A dick he mostly plays. And while Elizabeth Banks has been in quite a few films lately, she’s always great to watch work (even if she didn’t have a big role). B+
Sunday, April 26, 2009
See EARTH
Hey-- Just a quick one, here.
I watched Earth yesterday, and it's, by far, the best movie I've seen yet this year (I hope to have my 1st Qtr reviews up in a few days). Normally I'm slow on saying "Watch this movie" (mainly because I rarely seen them in theatres or just after the DVD release), but this is worth seeing-- and it helps to watch in a theatre, where one can see the planet on a big screen.
Sure, there are lots of documentaries you can watch on Discovery or History or many other channels, but this is in the theatres, and DisneyNature (with the BBC) pulled out the stops on this one.
There were brilliantly distant shots showing the massive amounts of animals migrating together, and there were also many moments where a single family of animals were all alone for miles around. We got to see how large-- and how small-- the world truly is.
I'm glad Disney decided to start doing their nature documentaries again. I remember watching Wonderful World of Disney when I was a kid (in the '70s) and seeing similar pieces. This film is very much in that vein.
And while the film was edited for younger eyes (no lions tearing apart elephants), it made it clear that those things do (and must) happen in the wild.
Good stuff. Absolutely beautiful camera work. It was a bit simplistic (designed for kids and all), but it is the only "A" movie I've seen yet this year.
I watched Earth yesterday, and it's, by far, the best movie I've seen yet this year (I hope to have my 1st Qtr reviews up in a few days). Normally I'm slow on saying "Watch this movie" (mainly because I rarely seen them in theatres or just after the DVD release), but this is worth seeing-- and it helps to watch in a theatre, where one can see the planet on a big screen.
Sure, there are lots of documentaries you can watch on Discovery or History or many other channels, but this is in the theatres, and DisneyNature (with the BBC) pulled out the stops on this one.
There were brilliantly distant shots showing the massive amounts of animals migrating together, and there were also many moments where a single family of animals were all alone for miles around. We got to see how large-- and how small-- the world truly is.
I'm glad Disney decided to start doing their nature documentaries again. I remember watching Wonderful World of Disney when I was a kid (in the '70s) and seeing similar pieces. This film is very much in that vein.
And while the film was edited for younger eyes (no lions tearing apart elephants), it made it clear that those things do (and must) happen in the wild.
Good stuff. Absolutely beautiful camera work. It was a bit simplistic (designed for kids and all), but it is the only "A" movie I've seen yet this year.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Premiere, Finales, and Notables, April 27- May 3, 2009
Monday, 4/27
Heroes (NBC; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Geez, one of the hottest shows three years ago doesn't even get to finish in the all-important month of May? Ouch.
You know what? That's not bad. If what I'm listing below is any indication, ABC is pretty much packing in the season three weeks early. What the Hell is it going to air during May?
Tuesday, 4/28
Last Restaurant Standing (BBC America; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Wednesday, 4/29
Better Off Ted (ABC; 7:30). Season Premiere.
Lost (ABC; 8 pm) airs its 100th episode.
The Exterminators (A&E; 9:30 pm). Season Finale.
Thursday, 4/30
In the Motherhood (ABC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Samantha Who? (ABC; 7:30). Season Finale.
Private Practice (ABC; 9:02 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, 5/1
Cartoon Network re-airs the first season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars (8 pm) tonight with added commentaries and behind the scenes info.
Saturday, 5/2
I know I listed Ashes to Ashes' (BBC America; 8 pm) season finale last week, but my friends at TV Guide listed it again this week. Funny thing about that: these listings were in a single issue of their ever-increasing-in-frequency double/two week issues.
Is there an editor that looks at this f-ing magazine before it goes to press? There are two damn pages between the 4/25 and 5/2 listings, so it's not as if they were half the magazine apart.
Food Trip With Todd English; PBS. 9:30 pm. Season Premiere.
Sunday, 5/3
Gale Howard makes his first appearance on Desperate Housewives (ABC; 8 pm) since the real-life motorcycle accident that put him "on the shelf" for nearly a year.
Heroes (NBC; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.
Geez, one of the hottest shows three years ago doesn't even get to finish in the all-important month of May? Ouch.
You know what? That's not bad. If what I'm listing below is any indication, ABC is pretty much packing in the season three weeks early. What the Hell is it going to air during May?
Tuesday, 4/28
Last Restaurant Standing (BBC America; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Wednesday, 4/29
Better Off Ted (ABC; 7:30). Season Premiere.
Lost (ABC; 8 pm) airs its 100th episode.
The Exterminators (A&E; 9:30 pm). Season Finale.
Thursday, 4/30
In the Motherhood (ABC; 7 pm). Season Finale.
Samantha Who? (ABC; 7:30). Season Finale.
Private Practice (ABC; 9:02 pm). Season Finale.
Friday, 5/1
Cartoon Network re-airs the first season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars (8 pm) tonight with added commentaries and behind the scenes info.
Saturday, 5/2
I know I listed Ashes to Ashes' (BBC America; 8 pm) season finale last week, but my friends at TV Guide listed it again this week. Funny thing about that: these listings were in a single issue of their ever-increasing-in-frequency double/two week issues.
Is there an editor that looks at this f-ing magazine before it goes to press? There are two damn pages between the 4/25 and 5/2 listings, so it's not as if they were half the magazine apart.
Food Trip With Todd English; PBS. 9:30 pm. Season Premiere.
Sunday, 5/3
Gale Howard makes his first appearance on Desperate Housewives (ABC; 8 pm) since the real-life motorcycle accident that put him "on the shelf" for nearly a year.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Save The Drama For Your Mama
Who knew, indeed?
And I'm wondering: does anyone on these shows go by a real name anymore? "Chicken Joe"? Are you kidding me?
And I'm wondering: does anyone on these shows go by a real name anymore? "Chicken Joe"? Are you kidding me?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
What's Worse?
Stephanie as an employee?
Or...
That people actually sit in front of their TV and watch this shit?
Or...
That people actually sit in front of their TV and watch this shit?
To Each His/Her Own.
That's what I always said--
--Until I watched this.
Now I am tortured with the fact that I cannot unwatch this...
--Until I watched this.
Now I am tortured with the fact that I cannot unwatch this...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Some More SID Earth Day Stuff
I was informed that a website was created for the Earth Day episode of Sid the Science Kid I mentioned in this week's Premieres and Notables post.
Designed for parents or teachers of young people, it gives a little help on getting kids interested in the small-"e" earth. It's about dirt, baby!
http://pbskids.org/sid/parentsteachers/earthday.html
Remember, it's never too early to get people thinking about the planet...
Designed for parents or teachers of young people, it gives a little help on getting kids interested in the small-"e" earth. It's about dirt, baby!
http://pbskids.org/sid/parentsteachers/earthday.html
Remember, it's never too early to get people thinking about the planet...
4/20 Kumar
I didn't get time for this until just now.
At least it's still 4/20 in MST and PST, even though I missed it in EST and CST.
At least it's still 4/20 in MST and PST, even though I missed it in EST and CST.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Tyra Knows Her Nuts
I don't know what's worse.
That Tyra is obviously falling down a bottomless pit of "Are you shitting me?" with things she thinks is interesting or funny-- or that enough people watch this crap that they keep renewing her shows.
That Tyra is obviously falling down a bottomless pit of "Are you shitting me?" with things she thinks is interesting or funny-- or that enough people watch this crap that they keep renewing her shows.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Premieres, Finales, and Notables; April 20-26, 2009
Monday, 4/20
Nothing new of importance. It is 4/20, after all.
Grab some Cheetos and your favorite movies and kick back.
Okay, so there is one premiere:
Cash Cab; Discovery. 5:30 pm. Season Premiere.
This is episode 250 as well.
Tuesday, 4/21
Eco Trip: The Real Cost of Living; Sundance. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Host David de Rothschild investigates the life cycles of things like chocolate, gold, and salmon. Sounds heavy and guilt-filled, but it seems as if de Rothschild takes the green approach like I do: by preaching small steps. Doing just a couple of things differently is better than nothing.
Wednesday, 4/22
The most important thing is it's Earth Day. Like I said earlier, just do a couple of things differently, at least for today, and try to think about the impact those things had on our planet. Take a walk outside-- or at least look outside as you drive by. I'm the opposite of an outdoorsy guy (my TV/movie watching habits pretty much preclude outdoor activities), but I know that my TV rests on a cabinet on my floor in my house on my planet.
First off, I was fortunate enough to preview a screener of today's Sid the Science Kid (PBS; check local listings) episode. Titled "The Dirt On Dirt", Sid and his friends explore what dirt is, what it's made of, and what it's good for.
Seriously, what better topic for their Earth Day episode could they have chosen but, literally, earth?
If you've got children between the ages of three and five (younger kids would have a tough time with the concept, and older kids would get bored with the presentation), this episode is a good one to let them watch. It lays everything out in a very simple manner and very subtly lays the foundation for future Earth-centered thinking by reminding kids that the Earth is where we live and that it's important to take care of it.
So give it a try if you've got little people in your house. I like the episode, but it really is targeted for the 3-5 year-old out there...
Earth Report: State of the Planet 2009; National Geographic Channel. 7 pm. Special.
I think you can ascertain what this is about...
Thursday, 4/23
Trouble the Water; HBO. 7:30 pm. Movie.
This documentary about New Orleans before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina hit was nominated for an Oscar.
The Beast (A&E; 9 pm). Season Finale.
That show is still airing? Seriously, I've heard nothing about it since the premiere.
And while I avoid VH1 like the plague (why? well, let's see; there's a new reality dating show featuring a Rock of Love cast-off premiering this week), I'll point out that the hilarious It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast will be appearing on Free Radio (10 pm) tonight.
Friday, 4/24
Iron Man: Armored Adventures; Nicktoons. 6 pm. Series Premiere.
The super-hero that got me hooked on comics almost 30 years ago gets a new animated series. But on this show, Tony is a teenager (let's just say this idea didn't work so well in the comics) who is dealing with his father's death while kicking butt in an armored suit.
Saturday, 4/25
Ashes to Ashes (BBC America; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Sunday, 4/26
King of the Hill (FOX; 6:30 pm) celebrates its 250th episode as Hank has to decide if he wants to grant Cotton's request to flush his ashes down the toilet.
...I miss Cotton...
TV Land Awards; TV Land. 7 pm. Special.
I have no idea what this is about other than giving props to old shows. Could be worth watching for nostalgia. And the host of the special is Neil Patrick Harris, so there's always his awesomeness to soak up. (And for further awesomeness, it's rumored that Harris may pull some Oscar-inspired "Billy Crystal" moments and appear in some of the old footage of shows.)
Leader of the Pack; HGTV. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
I have no idea what this means, but here's what Entertainment Weekly wrote:
"A family chooses one dog out of eight to keep as a pet."
Is this an 8-part series that "eliminates" a dog every week, or a show that features a new family and a new set of dogs every week? I have no idea.
Future Earth; MSNBC. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
This show looks at life in the near-future. Like how part of New York City will be under water if we continue to live as we do now.
Nothing new of importance. It is 4/20, after all.
Grab some Cheetos and your favorite movies and kick back.
Okay, so there is one premiere:
Cash Cab; Discovery. 5:30 pm. Season Premiere.
This is episode 250 as well.
Tuesday, 4/21
Eco Trip: The Real Cost of Living; Sundance. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Host David de Rothschild investigates the life cycles of things like chocolate, gold, and salmon. Sounds heavy and guilt-filled, but it seems as if de Rothschild takes the green approach like I do: by preaching small steps. Doing just a couple of things differently is better than nothing.
Wednesday, 4/22
The most important thing is it's Earth Day. Like I said earlier, just do a couple of things differently, at least for today, and try to think about the impact those things had on our planet. Take a walk outside-- or at least look outside as you drive by. I'm the opposite of an outdoorsy guy (my TV/movie watching habits pretty much preclude outdoor activities), but I know that my TV rests on a cabinet on my floor in my house on my planet.
First off, I was fortunate enough to preview a screener of today's Sid the Science Kid (PBS; check local listings) episode. Titled "The Dirt On Dirt", Sid and his friends explore what dirt is, what it's made of, and what it's good for.
Seriously, what better topic for their Earth Day episode could they have chosen but, literally, earth?
If you've got children between the ages of three and five (younger kids would have a tough time with the concept, and older kids would get bored with the presentation), this episode is a good one to let them watch. It lays everything out in a very simple manner and very subtly lays the foundation for future Earth-centered thinking by reminding kids that the Earth is where we live and that it's important to take care of it.
So give it a try if you've got little people in your house. I like the episode, but it really is targeted for the 3-5 year-old out there...
Earth Report: State of the Planet 2009; National Geographic Channel. 7 pm. Special.
I think you can ascertain what this is about...
Thursday, 4/23
Trouble the Water; HBO. 7:30 pm. Movie.
This documentary about New Orleans before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina hit was nominated for an Oscar.
The Beast (A&E; 9 pm). Season Finale.
That show is still airing? Seriously, I've heard nothing about it since the premiere.
And while I avoid VH1 like the plague (why? well, let's see; there's a new reality dating show featuring a Rock of Love cast-off premiering this week), I'll point out that the hilarious It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast will be appearing on Free Radio (10 pm) tonight.
Friday, 4/24
Iron Man: Armored Adventures; Nicktoons. 6 pm. Series Premiere.
The super-hero that got me hooked on comics almost 30 years ago gets a new animated series. But on this show, Tony is a teenager (let's just say this idea didn't work so well in the comics) who is dealing with his father's death while kicking butt in an armored suit.
Saturday, 4/25
Ashes to Ashes (BBC America; 8 pm). Season Finale.
Sunday, 4/26
King of the Hill (FOX; 6:30 pm) celebrates its 250th episode as Hank has to decide if he wants to grant Cotton's request to flush his ashes down the toilet.
...I miss Cotton...
TV Land Awards; TV Land. 7 pm. Special.
I have no idea what this is about other than giving props to old shows. Could be worth watching for nostalgia. And the host of the special is Neil Patrick Harris, so there's always his awesomeness to soak up. (And for further awesomeness, it's rumored that Harris may pull some Oscar-inspired "Billy Crystal" moments and appear in some of the old footage of shows.)
Leader of the Pack; HGTV. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
I have no idea what this means, but here's what Entertainment Weekly wrote:
"A family chooses one dog out of eight to keep as a pet."
Is this an 8-part series that "eliminates" a dog every week, or a show that features a new family and a new set of dogs every week? I have no idea.
Future Earth; MSNBC. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
This show looks at life in the near-future. Like how part of New York City will be under water if we continue to live as we do now.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
SOUP's On; 4/10/09, Clip #2
These clips all have something to do with sex. Try to make the connection...
Maybe Han Wasn't Full of Shit...
It's entirely possible this has been addressed in one of the scads of novels or comic books (or even video games) based on Star Wars, but I had a brainstorm earlier today that could prove that Han's mistake of bragging about how fast his ship was in A New Hope was not, in fact, a mistake.
Much has been made of Han's faux pas by claiming his ship was so fast it made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs. A parsec is a measurement of distance.
We all assume Han was incredibly ignorant (or thinking Ben and Luke were) by boasting about the speed of his ship by using a measurement of distance instead of time (what we'd expect), but what if distance was a more impressive measurement for that particular run?
Let's say it's a very dangerous trip, and pilots normally have to take a longer route to avoid asteroids or gravity wells or black holes or whatever, and Han's reckless (combining skill and his usual luck) piloting allowed him to turn it into a shorter one. Maybe he skirted one or multiple dangers more closely than his contemporaries did, and that's why it's an impressive feat.
How about that, hunh? Genius.
You know, back in The Day at Marvel Comics, when a fan explained a mistake away like that, he got a No Prize (which is exactly what it was, a "no prize"-- other than it was mentioned in the letter column). Maybe I should get an honorary No Prize for this...
Oh, goddammit!
My genius has again been bested. As I searched to verify it was twelve parsecs before I hit "publish post", I ran across this website: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Kessel_Run.
So much for cementing my own little place in Star Wars geekdom...
Much has been made of Han's faux pas by claiming his ship was so fast it made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs. A parsec is a measurement of distance.
We all assume Han was incredibly ignorant (or thinking Ben and Luke were) by boasting about the speed of his ship by using a measurement of distance instead of time (what we'd expect), but what if distance was a more impressive measurement for that particular run?
Let's say it's a very dangerous trip, and pilots normally have to take a longer route to avoid asteroids or gravity wells or black holes or whatever, and Han's reckless (combining skill and his usual luck) piloting allowed him to turn it into a shorter one. Maybe he skirted one or multiple dangers more closely than his contemporaries did, and that's why it's an impressive feat.
How about that, hunh? Genius.
You know, back in The Day at Marvel Comics, when a fan explained a mistake away like that, he got a No Prize (which is exactly what it was, a "no prize"-- other than it was mentioned in the letter column). Maybe I should get an honorary No Prize for this...
Oh, goddammit!
My genius has again been bested. As I searched to verify it was twelve parsecs before I hit "publish post", I ran across this website: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Kessel_Run.
So much for cementing my own little place in Star Wars geekdom...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
SOUP's On; 4/10 clip
Even if you watched this episode, it's still worth it for the very last line of the clip...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Premieres and Notables; April 13-19, 2009
Monday, 4/13
Closet Cases; FLN. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Oprah-approved stylist Lloyd Boston visits people and gives them inexpensive makeovers.
Saving Grace (TNT; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Tuesday, 4/14
Deadliest Catch; Discovery. 8 pm. Season Premiere.
Wednesday, 4/15
The Cougar; TV Land. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
A forty-year-old woman tries to land a younger man in this reality-love competition.
Pitchmen; Discovery. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan mentor inventors with wacky products to sell.
Thursday, 4/16
Sorry I didn't mention Southland (NBC; 9 pm) premiered last week. I blame TV Guide for not putting the news on anything I'd look at (they only have two spots in their weekly mag that has notable episodes).
Friday, 4/17
Johnny Depp voices surfing guru, Jack Kahuna Luna, on Spongebob Squarepants (Nickelodeon; 7 pm).
Prison Break; FOX. 8 pm. Series Return.
The show is back for its final six episodes of the series.
A friend sent me the news that the show will end, and then the series will be wrapped up in a direct-to-DVD movie this summer. Ugh...
The news may not be completely bad, as another website I checked said it wasn't yet confirmed the movie would not air.
Here's the only video clip I could find for the final episodes:
Stranger Among Bears; Animal Planet. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
I have no idea...
Saturday, 4/18
Grey Gardens; HBO. 7 pm. Special.
Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore star in this made-for-TV movie, which has gotten some pretty reviews.
Sunday, 4/19
Sit Down, Shut Up; FOX. 7:30 pm. Series Premiere.
A new animated series set in a Florida High School by Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development. Some of the featured voices are by Will Arnet, Jason Bateman, and Henry Winkler-- who all worked together on that series, in case you've forgotten.
HEY! Maria Bamford is on the show, too. We went to the same high school. I'm not claiming to have known her (I was 4-5 grades younger than her), but I'm mentioning it because I think it's cool-- and I always make sure to check out her work (sometimes she's on Comedy Central specials).
Closet Cases; FLN. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Oprah-approved stylist Lloyd Boston visits people and gives them inexpensive makeovers.
Saving Grace (TNT; 9 pm). Season Finale.
Tuesday, 4/14
Deadliest Catch; Discovery. 8 pm. Season Premiere.
Wednesday, 4/15
The Cougar; TV Land. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
A forty-year-old woman tries to land a younger man in this reality-love competition.
Pitchmen; Discovery. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan mentor inventors with wacky products to sell.
Thursday, 4/16
Sorry I didn't mention Southland (NBC; 9 pm) premiered last week. I blame TV Guide for not putting the news on anything I'd look at (they only have two spots in their weekly mag that has notable episodes).
Friday, 4/17
Johnny Depp voices surfing guru, Jack Kahuna Luna, on Spongebob Squarepants (Nickelodeon; 7 pm).
Prison Break; FOX. 8 pm. Series Return.
The show is back for its final six episodes of the series.
A friend sent me the news that the show will end, and then the series will be wrapped up in a direct-to-DVD movie this summer. Ugh...
The news may not be completely bad, as another website I checked said it wasn't yet confirmed the movie would not air.
Here's the only video clip I could find for the final episodes:
Stranger Among Bears; Animal Planet. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
I have no idea...
Saturday, 4/18
Grey Gardens; HBO. 7 pm. Special.
Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore star in this made-for-TV movie, which has gotten some pretty reviews.
Sunday, 4/19
Sit Down, Shut Up; FOX. 7:30 pm. Series Premiere.
A new animated series set in a Florida High School by Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development. Some of the featured voices are by Will Arnet, Jason Bateman, and Henry Winkler-- who all worked together on that series, in case you've forgotten.
HEY! Maria Bamford is on the show, too. We went to the same high school. I'm not claiming to have known her (I was 4-5 grades younger than her), but I'm mentioning it because I think it's cool-- and I always make sure to check out her work (sometimes she's on Comedy Central specials).
Highest Possible Recommendation
So I just finished the fifth and final season of The Wire and I feel compelled to write something.
It's late, I've had a long week, and I am fried, but this show has grabbed me the past two months, and this final season I spent the past few nights watching has actually messed up my sleep (I go to bed and lay there for hours because this show and its characters have hooked me unlike almost anything else I've ever encountered).
I've talked up the show a bit lately, but I'm going to do it again because it's worth it.
Season Three was brilliant. I would say (and have said) it's one of the best seasons of TV I've ever seen, and anyone who's read this blog or knows me knows I watch a shitload of TV, so I know what I'm talking about.
Season Four-- amazingly-- was even better. It not only told a typically wonderful story, but it also laid a very emotional tie to some of the characters.
Season Five took a gigantic chance that paid off. It may not have been as sexy as the previous two seasons, but it wound stories around lies that snowballed until they became avalanches. By the end of the penultimate episode, my jaw was on the floor, and I thought "There is no way this season can end in just a single episode."
But it did. Masterfully. But that wasn't good enough; the finale also ended the series perfectly.
I always have a qualm or three about a series finale. Either the finale has a plot or character that comes out of left field to tie things up with a bow, or the show decides to do its own thing and bites off more than it can chew, or it just decides it really could never deliver what the show or fans would be satisfied with, so it does whatever the Hell it wants.
Not The Wire. It ended its fifth season just as it did the previous four: with a real ending that fit the season. And then it pushed the characters into the next phases of their lives. Some ended up happier, some a little sadder, and one blew my mind as he took on a role I never could have expected and took on the mantle held by another who was killed.
Some finales satisfy me emotionally. Some satisfy me as a fan. Others satisfy me because they remain true to the show. The finale of The Wire satisfied me on all levels.
McNulty, Avon, Stringer, Ronnie, Bunk, Freamon, Prez, Mike, Dukie, Bodie, Marlo, Slim, Cheese, Cutty, Snoop, Chris, Randy, Naymond, WeeBey, D', Carcetti, Daniels, Narese, Bubbles, Herc, Carv, Beadie, Sydnor, Prop Joe, Deacon, Sharron, Johnny, Rawls, Burrell, Clay, Kima, Levy, Bunny, Poot, Bug, Templeton, Valchek, Gus, Omar...
Fuckin' Omar...
Forty-four names I pulled out of my head just now. I didn't need to check imdb.com for a cast list. They are right there; in my head-- in my heart. Some are good guys, some are bad guys, and most of them are a mix of both. Good people who make bad mistakes. Bad people who do the right thing once in a while. Forty-four characters I can just name without reference. And the thing is, there are at least a half-dozen whose faces I see in my head but whose names I can't remember (this show wasn't one for name-checking every character every episode). And because I watched the first two seasons last summer before I really "got" the show, there's probably two dozen more names I can't even remember from those episodes.
Listen, I've written it before, and I'm going to again-- and I probably will at some point even later than now as well-- this is television of the highest quality. This is the type of show that can change your entire perception of what television can be. The DVD sets are priced per standard HBO rates (too high), so borrow them from the library or a rich friend or watch them as they air on HBO OnDemand (you still might catch Season Two). Or put them in your NetFlix queue. Or save your pennies up like I'm going to and try to catch every sale you can until you own them all.
If you like television and look for the best possible shows, you owe it to yourself to watch this series.
Trust me. You will not be disappointed.
It's late, I've had a long week, and I am fried, but this show has grabbed me the past two months, and this final season I spent the past few nights watching has actually messed up my sleep (I go to bed and lay there for hours because this show and its characters have hooked me unlike almost anything else I've ever encountered).
I've talked up the show a bit lately, but I'm going to do it again because it's worth it.
Season Three was brilliant. I would say (and have said) it's one of the best seasons of TV I've ever seen, and anyone who's read this blog or knows me knows I watch a shitload of TV, so I know what I'm talking about.
Season Four-- amazingly-- was even better. It not only told a typically wonderful story, but it also laid a very emotional tie to some of the characters.
Season Five took a gigantic chance that paid off. It may not have been as sexy as the previous two seasons, but it wound stories around lies that snowballed until they became avalanches. By the end of the penultimate episode, my jaw was on the floor, and I thought "There is no way this season can end in just a single episode."
But it did. Masterfully. But that wasn't good enough; the finale also ended the series perfectly.
I always have a qualm or three about a series finale. Either the finale has a plot or character that comes out of left field to tie things up with a bow, or the show decides to do its own thing and bites off more than it can chew, or it just decides it really could never deliver what the show or fans would be satisfied with, so it does whatever the Hell it wants.
Not The Wire. It ended its fifth season just as it did the previous four: with a real ending that fit the season. And then it pushed the characters into the next phases of their lives. Some ended up happier, some a little sadder, and one blew my mind as he took on a role I never could have expected and took on the mantle held by another who was killed.
Some finales satisfy me emotionally. Some satisfy me as a fan. Others satisfy me because they remain true to the show. The finale of The Wire satisfied me on all levels.
McNulty, Avon, Stringer, Ronnie, Bunk, Freamon, Prez, Mike, Dukie, Bodie, Marlo, Slim, Cheese, Cutty, Snoop, Chris, Randy, Naymond, WeeBey, D', Carcetti, Daniels, Narese, Bubbles, Herc, Carv, Beadie, Sydnor, Prop Joe, Deacon, Sharron, Johnny, Rawls, Burrell, Clay, Kima, Levy, Bunny, Poot, Bug, Templeton, Valchek, Gus, Omar...
Fuckin' Omar...
Forty-four names I pulled out of my head just now. I didn't need to check imdb.com for a cast list. They are right there; in my head-- in my heart. Some are good guys, some are bad guys, and most of them are a mix of both. Good people who make bad mistakes. Bad people who do the right thing once in a while. Forty-four characters I can just name without reference. And the thing is, there are at least a half-dozen whose faces I see in my head but whose names I can't remember (this show wasn't one for name-checking every character every episode). And because I watched the first two seasons last summer before I really "got" the show, there's probably two dozen more names I can't even remember from those episodes.
Listen, I've written it before, and I'm going to again-- and I probably will at some point even later than now as well-- this is television of the highest quality. This is the type of show that can change your entire perception of what television can be. The DVD sets are priced per standard HBO rates (too high), so borrow them from the library or a rich friend or watch them as they air on HBO OnDemand (you still might catch Season Two). Or put them in your NetFlix queue. Or save your pennies up like I'm going to and try to catch every sale you can until you own them all.
If you like television and look for the best possible shows, you owe it to yourself to watch this series.
Trust me. You will not be disappointed.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Dear John: Steroids
I'll be posting these Dear John Witherspoon videos from the Boondocks Bootleg website the next few weeks.
Vulgar, but funny.
Vulgar, but funny.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Taco Hottie
Damn cops. Always trying to bring you down.
(I hope he made her to the alcohol test; just to make this moron even later to her important thing.)
(I hope he made her to the alcohol test; just to make this moron even later to her important thing.)
Monday, April 06, 2009
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Thank God Atheists Don't Rule the World
Yes, these actual Findamentalist quotes are taken out of context; I get that. But even in context, these still have to sound pretty bad/ignorant coming out of someone's mouth. Some of this is just patently ridiculous...
I'm not trying to start anything here; I just find it interesting. And funny; I admit: I find it kinda funny.
If you want equal-time for the other side of this argument, go find a post that makes evolutionists and atheists (who are not mutually exclusive, BTW) look like morons. I'm sure a Google search will come up with thousands of hits.
If you're a Fundamentalist and you don't want to think about what the other side believes, I recommend passing this post on and watching another.
I post lots of vids, it'll be okay if one gets missed...
I'm not trying to start anything here; I just find it interesting. And funny; I admit: I find it kinda funny.
If you want equal-time for the other side of this argument, go find a post that makes evolutionists and atheists (who are not mutually exclusive, BTW) look like morons. I'm sure a Google search will come up with thousands of hits.
If you're a Fundamentalist and you don't want to think about what the other side believes, I recommend passing this post on and watching another.
I post lots of vids, it'll be okay if one gets missed...
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