Monday, 3/31
Bingo America; GSN. 6 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Patrick Duffy + quiz show + bingo = something I plan on not watching.
Barney tries to figure out who is sabotaging his love life on How I Met Your Mother by putting the 64 most likely women into March Madness brackets and narrowing it down from there (CBS; 7:30-- watch this show, dammit!).
CBS's much-abused comedy (yet one of its best-- just behind HIMYM) The New Adventures of Old Christine signs off for the season (8:30 pm).
Tuesday, 4/1
Big Ideas For a Small Planet; Sundance. 8 pm. 2nd season premiere.
Hell's Kitchen; FOX. 8 pm. 4th season premiere.
Wednesday, 4/2
Jean-Michel Clousteau: Ocean Adventures; PBS. 7 pm (check local listings). 3rd season premiere.
Ultimate Fighter; Spike. 9 pm. 7th season premiere.
Criminal Minds; CBS. 8 pm. Return.
CSI: NY; CBS. 9 pm. Return.
DEA; Spike. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
COPS + the DEA + Al Roker as host = another show I'm not adding to the DVR.
Thursday, 4/3
My Name is Earl; NBC. 7 pm CST. Return.
New eps of Earl! Yay! Guest-starring Paris Hilton! Boo! Well, keep in mind, I can think of only one guest star that didn't do so hot on the show (Roseanne), so maybe it'll work out. Maybe not. C'mon-- New Earl!
Step It Up & Dance; Bravo. 10 pm. Series premiere.
Leave it up to Bravo to finally catch up to a trend that's just about spent...
Miss Guided (ABC, 7 & 7:30 pm) finishes its first season. It was okay; nice distraction from having so little new airing at the time...
Make Me a Supermodel (Bravo; 9 pm) ends its latest season as well. I have no idea about it other than the titles is so rude.
CSI; CBS. 8 pm. Return.
Friday, 4/4
Duel; ABC. 8 pm. 2nd season premiere.
Really? I have heard nothing about this show and whether it really needed to return.
Ghost Whisperer; CBS. 7 pm. Return.
Numb3rs; CBS. 9 pm. Returns with stupid-ass spelling of title as well.
Battlestar Galactica; Sci Fi. 9 pm. 4th season premiere.
The first half of the final season begins here.
Saturday, 4/5
Date My House; TLC. 7:30. Series Premiere.
Hey look! Another selling a house show. There aren't enough of those. This one lets potential buyers do what they want to the house (stay overnight, host parties) to see if it's "The One".
Split Ends; Style. 5 pm. Season premiere.
Sunday, 4/6
Wire in the Blood; BBC America. 7 pm. 5th season premiere.
I've heard good things about this series. I guess this season is a departure as the Brit lead character has to go to Texas for a trial.
America's Port; National Geographic. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
No idea; something to do with an American port...? I'm guessing a reality show...
The Star Wars reimagining via the Family Guy characters repeats Sunday on FOX at 8 pm.
And two I missed last week, but ran into this week. Sunday, March 30 has:
Comedy Central airs the direct to DVD movie Futurama: Bender's Big Score at 6 pm.
And Cartoon Network/[adult swim] airs the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie at 10:30 pm (repeat at 2:00 am, March 31). The [swim] "bump" last week mentioned they might air it backwards. I thought it was funny. And then I remembered it was [adult swim] we're talking about; they just may do it.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
HIMYM Dictionary
Here's a link to a couple-minute-long video clip giving definitions for some of How I Met Your Mother's infamous words.
Most (all?) are from the first part of this season, so there are still lots of new words to discover by checking out the DVD sets or repeats.
Here's a taste: http://video.tvguide.com/ID/828627?autoplay=true
Most (all?) are from the first part of this season, so there are still lots of new words to discover by checking out the DVD sets or repeats.
Here's a taste: http://video.tvguide.com/ID/828627?autoplay=true
A Big PRISON BREAK Change
Okay, I'm not going to be the spoiler, but, seriously, there is no way the show is going to be able to keep this quiet for the next six months. Heck, they'll probably scream this news from the rooftops themselves this summer.
Here's the link if you want to check out the news (I promise not to spoil it below, either): http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Prison/800036399
Okay. I'm not exactly sure what to think other than I already had this thought in my head while watching last season.
Implausible? Yeah, probably, but c'mon-- this show stopped being plausible about three episodes into the series. What this is, is HUGE news. It's a way to correct a very terrible wrong (done for the right reasons). It's also a way to get back to the "promise" we were given way back in season one. You know, how something just has to go a certain way. This plotline wasn't why I kept tuning in, but it was a nice counter to all the other stuff going on.
Congrats to all the parties on making this happen.
The Fall can't come soon enough...
Here's the link if you want to check out the news (I promise not to spoil it below, either): http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Prison/800036399
Okay. I'm not exactly sure what to think other than I already had this thought in my head while watching last season.
Implausible? Yeah, probably, but c'mon-- this show stopped being plausible about three episodes into the series. What this is, is HUGE news. It's a way to correct a very terrible wrong (done for the right reasons). It's also a way to get back to the "promise" we were given way back in season one. You know, how something just has to go a certain way. This plotline wasn't why I kept tuning in, but it was a nice counter to all the other stuff going on.
Congrats to all the parties on making this happen.
The Fall can't come soon enough...
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Great news and not-so-great news
First the great news: Prison Break is coming back for a fourth season.
Now the not-so-great news: it's getting a full season.
I loved the first season, was kinda blah about the second, got into the third more, but the thought of a full 22 episode season next year has me wondering when it's going to end. The show has ventured into ridiculous before, but it's getting almost comical how the guys are put into worse and worse situations.
I hope the show wraps itself up next season. I think it was on the road to doing it this season but got side-tracked with the writer's strike and had to settle for a planned mid-season finale versus a real season or series finale.
Here's to hoping the show gets itself back to what it was and is able to tie up the loose ends by the end...
Now the not-so-great news: it's getting a full season.
I loved the first season, was kinda blah about the second, got into the third more, but the thought of a full 22 episode season next year has me wondering when it's going to end. The show has ventured into ridiculous before, but it's getting almost comical how the guys are put into worse and worse situations.
I hope the show wraps itself up next season. I think it was on the road to doing it this season but got side-tracked with the writer's strike and had to settle for a planned mid-season finale versus a real season or series finale.
Here's to hoping the show gets itself back to what it was and is able to tie up the loose ends by the end...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Have a FRISKY Tuesday
Forgot to mention in my notables post that Frisky Dingo Season One goes on DVD on Tuesday.
It's a bare-bones episode-only DVD, so that's a bummer there's no extras. But from what I've read, we're lucky we're getting what we are.
I've mentioned the show before and because it's an [adult swim] series, it's not for everyone.
But I love it.
And because the DVD is a stripped-down season set, it's cheaper. I ordered my copy from deepdiscount.com for $13.59. You can't even buy a new DVD feature movie for that anymore.
Here's the link: http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=30942841
Season Two is almost over, so check it out. Just don't get attached to the characters-- the last few episodes have been especially unkind to them.
It's a bare-bones episode-only DVD, so that's a bummer there's no extras. But from what I've read, we're lucky we're getting what we are.
I've mentioned the show before and because it's an [adult swim] series, it's not for everyone.
But I love it.
And because the DVD is a stripped-down season set, it's cheaper. I ordered my copy from deepdiscount.com for $13.59. You can't even buy a new DVD feature movie for that anymore.
Here's the link: http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=30942841
Season Two is almost over, so check it out. Just don't get attached to the characters-- the last few episodes have been especially unkind to them.
Better Late Than Never
I've spent the past ten years of my life in Northeast Wisconsin. That's by Green Bay.
Now, growing up in Northern Minnesota, I learned that a true Minnesotan (which I really, truly believe I still am even after all these years) can't like the Green Bay Packers.
So a few of my Minnesotan friends who may read this will probably give me Hell for this, but I just gotta write it:
Congrats on your retirement Brett Favre.
(That wasn't so hard, really. And just because it's been a few weeks doesn't mean it's not sincere.)
As I always qualify my remarks when I write about sports: I don't follow them. Just not my thing. But you cannot live in this part of the country and not have an appreciation for the history and legacy of this team.
And for the past sixteen years, you could not separate the Green Bay Packers from Brett Favre.
While I watched very little of Favre at work, I am acutely aware of what he meant to the team, to its fans, and to this area in general. Also, since I've started paying attention to the NFL for Fantasy Football, I have become aware of just how important he was to the league.
It is truly astounding that he was traded to a team who had experienced two decades worth of bad seasons, the smallest team in the market, and the only publicly-owned company in the league (three really bad strikes against the team for this young player), and led it to a Super Bowl and kept Championship dreams alive for almost twenty years.
Even more astounding: he started every single game for the Packers since he took over for an injured Don Majowski in the third game of the 1992 season. A quarterback! The player every player on the other side of the ball wants to get a piece of.
You've probably heard the accomplishments besides the remarkable consecutive games started. Many of those accomplishments came this year: most career touchdown passes, most career passing attempts, most career passing yards. He also won a Super Bowl as well as played in another. And he is the only three-time MVP in history.
But the records, although enormous, weren't what he was about. The guy played balls-out every game. Sometimes it got him into trouble-- he also owns the most career interceptions (although INTs come with the territory when putting the ball in the air as much as he has). But sometimes it allowed him to complete truly astounding plays as well. He has been called the last of his breed-- the guy who can go out and pull off a miracle nearly single-handedly (and although he always gave the props to his team, it was his leadership and confidence that allowed things to happen)
And off the field, his accomplishments were probably even greater. His notoriety in this area allowed he and his wife to start two foundations to help people in need. These programs will most assuredly continue even though Favre's career has ended.
For years, Favre led the team, but had usually had some help. But this year, the 37-year old had the entire team on his shoulders; especially in the early part of the season when the run game was truly pathetic and most of the five guys he had to throw to were second-year players or younger. But he led the team to a 14-4 season and was one throw away from another Super Bowl appearance. That's just crazy, but he did it.
But it got to be too much. And how couldn't it? I mean, not only an entire NFL football team carried their dreams on his shoulders, but an entire state also relied on him. That's a huge burden, and although he could still play at a high level next season, he decided he couldn't live up to the expectations that would be on him. And you have to respect that.
He gave everything he had to this team and to its fans and to the league for sixteen years, and we're all grateful. He will go down in history as not only one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, and not only as one of the greatest players ever-- but also one of the greatest people to ever play the game.
Congrats again, Brett. You have earned it.
And for those of you who may not have read it, check out the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (only the third quarterback ever to have the honor) article about him from last year at the attached link. It truly captures the essence of who this man is.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/magazine/specials/sportsman/2007/12/03/sportsman.2007/
Now, growing up in Northern Minnesota, I learned that a true Minnesotan (which I really, truly believe I still am even after all these years) can't like the Green Bay Packers.
So a few of my Minnesotan friends who may read this will probably give me Hell for this, but I just gotta write it:
Congrats on your retirement Brett Favre.
(That wasn't so hard, really. And just because it's been a few weeks doesn't mean it's not sincere.)
As I always qualify my remarks when I write about sports: I don't follow them. Just not my thing. But you cannot live in this part of the country and not have an appreciation for the history and legacy of this team.
And for the past sixteen years, you could not separate the Green Bay Packers from Brett Favre.
While I watched very little of Favre at work, I am acutely aware of what he meant to the team, to its fans, and to this area in general. Also, since I've started paying attention to the NFL for Fantasy Football, I have become aware of just how important he was to the league.
It is truly astounding that he was traded to a team who had experienced two decades worth of bad seasons, the smallest team in the market, and the only publicly-owned company in the league (three really bad strikes against the team for this young player), and led it to a Super Bowl and kept Championship dreams alive for almost twenty years.
Even more astounding: he started every single game for the Packers since he took over for an injured Don Majowski in the third game of the 1992 season. A quarterback! The player every player on the other side of the ball wants to get a piece of.
You've probably heard the accomplishments besides the remarkable consecutive games started. Many of those accomplishments came this year: most career touchdown passes, most career passing attempts, most career passing yards. He also won a Super Bowl as well as played in another. And he is the only three-time MVP in history.
But the records, although enormous, weren't what he was about. The guy played balls-out every game. Sometimes it got him into trouble-- he also owns the most career interceptions (although INTs come with the territory when putting the ball in the air as much as he has). But sometimes it allowed him to complete truly astounding plays as well. He has been called the last of his breed-- the guy who can go out and pull off a miracle nearly single-handedly (and although he always gave the props to his team, it was his leadership and confidence that allowed things to happen)
And off the field, his accomplishments were probably even greater. His notoriety in this area allowed he and his wife to start two foundations to help people in need. These programs will most assuredly continue even though Favre's career has ended.
For years, Favre led the team, but had usually had some help. But this year, the 37-year old had the entire team on his shoulders; especially in the early part of the season when the run game was truly pathetic and most of the five guys he had to throw to were second-year players or younger. But he led the team to a 14-4 season and was one throw away from another Super Bowl appearance. That's just crazy, but he did it.
But it got to be too much. And how couldn't it? I mean, not only an entire NFL football team carried their dreams on his shoulders, but an entire state also relied on him. That's a huge burden, and although he could still play at a high level next season, he decided he couldn't live up to the expectations that would be on him. And you have to respect that.
He gave everything he had to this team and to its fans and to the league for sixteen years, and we're all grateful. He will go down in history as not only one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, and not only as one of the greatest players ever-- but also one of the greatest people to ever play the game.
Congrats again, Brett. You have earned it.
And for those of you who may not have read it, check out the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (only the third quarterback ever to have the honor) article about him from last year at the attached link. It truly captures the essence of who this man is.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/magazine/specials/sportsman/2007/12/03/sportsman.2007/
Premieres and Notables March 24-30, 2008
I'll be using "return" a bit in the upcoming weeks when I know something's coming back from a break or airing new episodes after the strike.
Monday, 3/24
CSI: Miami; CBS. 9 pm CST. Return.
Greek; ABC Family. 7 pm. Return.
And while this may look like cheap stunt casting, Britney Spears plays a potential love interest for Ted on How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7:30). Sounds bad on paper, but, c'mon, it's HIMYM. You just know it's gonna work...
Tuesday, 3/25
Autism: The Musical; HBO. 7 pm. Special.
HBO's music-based stories about youngsters are remarkably good. This one looks at a group of autistic children who wrote, rehearsed, and performed their own musical.
Evel Dick returns on Big Brother 9 (CBS, 8 pm). I hope he gives Natalie a dollar and tells her to buy some self-respect.
And, the bad news came in last week: tonight's finale of Jerico (CBS, 9:00) is a series finale. The fans tried, but couldn't get the ratings up. At least the producers thought this could happen and filmed endings for both a season-ender as well as a series-ender, so, hopefully, there is some closure for fans when the credits roll.
Wednesday, 3/26
Every mag I read about upcoming TV mentioned this show:
Great Performances; PBS. 7 pm (check local listings). Special.
This episode features the half-hour stop-motion animation adaptation of "Peter and the Wolf" that won this year's Oscar for Best Animated Short. And it's told without narration or dialogue...
Thursday, 3/27
Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?; PBS. 9 pm (check local listings). Mini-series.
A four-part look at the causes of socioeconomic and racial inequality in heath care.
Saturday, 3/29
Dance on Sunset; Nickelodeon. 8:30. Series Premiere.
A new show that offers easy steps for the latest dance moves.
Kid's Choice Awards; Nickelodeon. 7 pm. Special
Hosted by Jack Black.
Sunday, 3/30
The Capture of the Green River Killer; LMN. 7 pm. Mini-series.
A two-part mini about the 20-year manhunt for one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. It's supposed to be good. And it stars one of my favorite TV actors: Tom Cavanagh.
The Tudors; Showtime. 8 pm. 2nd season premiere.
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union; Showtime. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Newly American citizen Ullman takes looks at life in America in her new sketch comedy series.
Monday, 3/24
CSI: Miami; CBS. 9 pm CST. Return.
Greek; ABC Family. 7 pm. Return.
And while this may look like cheap stunt casting, Britney Spears plays a potential love interest for Ted on How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7:30). Sounds bad on paper, but, c'mon, it's HIMYM. You just know it's gonna work...
Tuesday, 3/25
Autism: The Musical; HBO. 7 pm. Special.
HBO's music-based stories about youngsters are remarkably good. This one looks at a group of autistic children who wrote, rehearsed, and performed their own musical.
Evel Dick returns on Big Brother 9 (CBS, 8 pm). I hope he gives Natalie a dollar and tells her to buy some self-respect.
And, the bad news came in last week: tonight's finale of Jerico (CBS, 9:00) is a series finale. The fans tried, but couldn't get the ratings up. At least the producers thought this could happen and filmed endings for both a season-ender as well as a series-ender, so, hopefully, there is some closure for fans when the credits roll.
Wednesday, 3/26
Every mag I read about upcoming TV mentioned this show:
Great Performances; PBS. 7 pm (check local listings). Special.
This episode features the half-hour stop-motion animation adaptation of "Peter and the Wolf" that won this year's Oscar for Best Animated Short. And it's told without narration or dialogue...
Thursday, 3/27
Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?; PBS. 9 pm (check local listings). Mini-series.
A four-part look at the causes of socioeconomic and racial inequality in heath care.
Saturday, 3/29
Dance on Sunset; Nickelodeon. 8:30. Series Premiere.
A new show that offers easy steps for the latest dance moves.
Kid's Choice Awards; Nickelodeon. 7 pm. Special
Hosted by Jack Black.
Sunday, 3/30
The Capture of the Green River Killer; LMN. 7 pm. Mini-series.
A two-part mini about the 20-year manhunt for one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. It's supposed to be good. And it stars one of my favorite TV actors: Tom Cavanagh.
The Tudors; Showtime. 8 pm. 2nd season premiere.
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union; Showtime. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Newly American citizen Ullman takes looks at life in America in her new sketch comedy series.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Premieres and Notables March 19-23, 2008
I missed on from yesterday's post:
Tuesday, 3/18
The Riches; FX. 9 pm CST. 2nd season premiere.
Wednesday, 3/19
Most Daring; TRU TV. 8 pm CST. 2nd season premiere.
Thursday, 3/20
Myles of Style; HGTV. 7:30. Series Premiere.
Apparently this "Myles" person won Design Star or something...
Sunday, 3/23
The Game; CW. 8 pm. Series return.
And before this show, check out Everybody Hates Chris and Aliens in America-- they've been great the past few weeks.
Tuesday, 3/18
The Riches; FX. 9 pm CST. 2nd season premiere.
Wednesday, 3/19
Most Daring; TRU TV. 8 pm CST. 2nd season premiere.
Thursday, 3/20
Myles of Style; HGTV. 7:30. Series Premiere.
Apparently this "Myles" person won Design Star or something...
Sunday, 3/23
The Game; CW. 8 pm. Series return.
And before this show, check out Everybody Hates Chris and Aliens in America-- they've been great the past few weeks.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Premieres and Notables; March 17-18, 2008
Sorry-- Not much time, so here are Monday's and Tuesday's listings.
Monday, 3/17
Hannah Montana; Disney. 6 pm CST. Return.
First new episode since January.
Dancing With the Stars; ABC. 7 pm CST. 6th Cycle Premiere
America's Prom Queen; ABC Family. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Ten girls compete to be the top prom queen in America.
The Bachelor; ABC. 8:32 pm. 12th cycle premiere.
Oh, and some new episodes of CBS comedies return after the strike-induced hiatus. Big Bang Theory (7:00), How I Met Your Mother (which needs ratings help-- even though it's the best network comedy airing-- so watch! 7:30), and 2-1/2 Men (I think; 8:00).
Tuesday, 3/18
The Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals; BIO. 9 m. Series Premiere.
Bleh...
Miss Guided; ABC. 9:32 pm. Series Premiere.
Judy Greer stars as a former high school geek who returns to the school as a guidance counselor. I really like Judy Greer, but I think this one will bomb.
Monday, 3/17
Hannah Montana; Disney. 6 pm CST. Return.
First new episode since January.
Dancing With the Stars; ABC. 7 pm CST. 6th Cycle Premiere
America's Prom Queen; ABC Family. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Ten girls compete to be the top prom queen in America.
The Bachelor; ABC. 8:32 pm. 12th cycle premiere.
Oh, and some new episodes of CBS comedies return after the strike-induced hiatus. Big Bang Theory (7:00), How I Met Your Mother (which needs ratings help-- even though it's the best network comedy airing-- so watch! 7:30), and 2-1/2 Men (I think; 8:00).
Tuesday, 3/18
The Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals; BIO. 9 m. Series Premiere.
Bleh...
Miss Guided; ABC. 9:32 pm. Series Premiere.
Judy Greer stars as a former high school geek who returns to the school as a guidance counselor. I really like Judy Greer, but I think this one will bomb.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Premieres and Notables, March 10-16, 2008
Monday, 3/10
Canterbury's Law; FOX. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Julianna Margulies stars as a rebel defense attorney (as if there can be any other type on TV) who is haunted by the fact that her son is missing.
High School Confidential; WE. 9 pm CST. Mini-series.
An eight-part series that captures four years in the lives of twelve girls in a Kansas high school.
Cheerleader U; 10 pm. WE. 2nd season premiere.
Following University of Central Florida cheerleaders as they defend their championship.
Tuesday, 3/11
Beauty and the Geek; CW. 7 pm. season premiere.
Beauties and geeks-- but this time, they're not paired off. It's every wo/man for her/himself.
College Hill; BET. 9 & 9:30 pm. 5th season premiere.
Gene Simmons Family Jewels; A&E. 9 pm. 3rd season premiere.
Wednesday, 3/12
South Park; Comedy Central. 9 pm. 12th season premiere.
Lewis Black's Root of All Evil; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Black plays judge as two comedians play attorneys defending positions. In the premiere, the "trail" is : who is more evil? Oprah or the Catholic Church?
Idol Tonight; TV Guide Channel. 7 pm. 2nd season premiere.
Just in case you don't get enough American Idol from the airings, or from the entertainment news, or YouTube, or blogs, newspapers, magazines, or any other thing, you can watch Rosanna Tavarez, Justin Guarini, and Kimberly Caldwell give their takes on this season.
Top Chef; Bravo. 9 pm. 4th season premiere.
Thursday, 3/13
Lil' Bush; Comedy Central. 9:30. 2nd season premiere.
How did this piece of crap get renewed? I hate Big Bush, but I absolutely loathed Lil' Bush.
Reaper returns with new episodes (CW, 8 pm)-- FINALLY!!!
Who Knew? With Marshall Brain; National Geographic. 8 pm. Series premiere.
Brian explores how things are constructed. The premiere looks at golf balls.
American Idol Extra; FOX Reality. 6 pm. season premiere.
Just in case you still don't get enough Idol-- even after last night's Idol Tonight-- Constantine and Gina give their opinions on the show this season.
Friday, 3/14
The Return of Jezebel James; FOX. 7 & 7:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Parker Posey stars in Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino's new show about a children's book editor who decides she needs to have a baby. Had a lot of buzz last spring when the show was announced, but now it's regulated to the burn-off day: Friday. I don't expect a long life.
Saturday, 3/15
Flip This House; A&E. 10 pm. 4th season premiere.
Sunday, 3/16
John Adams; HBO. 7 & 8:10 pm. Mini-series.
This seven-part series is based on the David McCullough Pulitzer Prize winning biography. Stars Paul Giamatti as Adams, Laura Linney as his wife Abigail, David Morse as George Washington, and Tom Wilkinson as Ben Franklin. Exec-produced by Tom Hanks and airs on HBO. I am so looking forward to this. Highly recommended.
Canterbury's Law; FOX. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Julianna Margulies stars as a rebel defense attorney (as if there can be any other type on TV) who is haunted by the fact that her son is missing.
High School Confidential; WE. 9 pm CST. Mini-series.
An eight-part series that captures four years in the lives of twelve girls in a Kansas high school.
Cheerleader U; 10 pm. WE. 2nd season premiere.
Following University of Central Florida cheerleaders as they defend their championship.
Tuesday, 3/11
Beauty and the Geek; CW. 7 pm. season premiere.
Beauties and geeks-- but this time, they're not paired off. It's every wo/man for her/himself.
College Hill; BET. 9 & 9:30 pm. 5th season premiere.
Gene Simmons Family Jewels; A&E. 9 pm. 3rd season premiere.
Wednesday, 3/12
South Park; Comedy Central. 9 pm. 12th season premiere.
Lewis Black's Root of All Evil; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Black plays judge as two comedians play attorneys defending positions. In the premiere, the "trail" is : who is more evil? Oprah or the Catholic Church?
Idol Tonight; TV Guide Channel. 7 pm. 2nd season premiere.
Just in case you don't get enough American Idol from the airings, or from the entertainment news, or YouTube, or blogs, newspapers, magazines, or any other thing, you can watch Rosanna Tavarez, Justin Guarini, and Kimberly Caldwell give their takes on this season.
Top Chef; Bravo. 9 pm. 4th season premiere.
Thursday, 3/13
Lil' Bush; Comedy Central. 9:30. 2nd season premiere.
How did this piece of crap get renewed? I hate Big Bush, but I absolutely loathed Lil' Bush.
Reaper returns with new episodes (CW, 8 pm)-- FINALLY!!!
Who Knew? With Marshall Brain; National Geographic. 8 pm. Series premiere.
Brian explores how things are constructed. The premiere looks at golf balls.
American Idol Extra; FOX Reality. 6 pm. season premiere.
Just in case you still don't get enough Idol-- even after last night's Idol Tonight-- Constantine and Gina give their opinions on the show this season.
Friday, 3/14
The Return of Jezebel James; FOX. 7 & 7:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Parker Posey stars in Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino's new show about a children's book editor who decides she needs to have a baby. Had a lot of buzz last spring when the show was announced, but now it's regulated to the burn-off day: Friday. I don't expect a long life.
Saturday, 3/15
Flip This House; A&E. 10 pm. 4th season premiere.
Sunday, 3/16
John Adams; HBO. 7 & 8:10 pm. Mini-series.
This seven-part series is based on the David McCullough Pulitzer Prize winning biography. Stars Paul Giamatti as Adams, Laura Linney as his wife Abigail, David Morse as George Washington, and Tom Wilkinson as Ben Franklin. Exec-produced by Tom Hanks and airs on HBO. I am so looking forward to this. Highly recommended.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
CLONE WARS Trailer
Click the link below to see a sneak preview of the upcoming Star Wars Clone Wars animated feature/series:
http://www.starwars.com/video/view/000478.html
Looks like it could be cool...
http://www.starwars.com/video/view/000478.html
Looks like it could be cool...
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
You Need to See This Movie ONCE
The film Once is a love story that's not a love story; a musical that is not a musical. What it is to me is an amazing surprise.
Like many obscure DVDs I watch or books I read, I read about the movie in a magazine (I'm going to guess it was Entertainment Weekly), and it got a good review. So I did what I usually do: I put it on hold at the library and waited until it became available. I'm ahead of the curve because I usually only choose obscure movies to watch if they get great reviews, but even then, I can be blindsided by how good some are.
I knew it was a love story that revolved around music, but I had no idea how moved I would be by the time it ended. Even more bizarre to me is the music isn't what I'd normally listen to, but it was the glue that held the entire movie together. The performances weren't particularly awards-worthy, but there was a genuineness to them that transcended mere acting ability.
The story goes as such: a heart-broken guy, who fixes vacuum cleaners by day and sings in the streets for pocket change at night, meets a girl, who has baggage of her own, and tries to play the piano whenever she gets a chance. They both see the unrealized musical potential in the other, and they spend a week writing, rehearsing, and eventually recording a demo tape of their music.
I'm not going to say any more than that because part of the beauty of the experience of watching it, for me, was to just watch the relationship unfold.
As I said before, this isn't a typical Hollywood love story, no matter what the DVD cover picture and back cover description may lead you to believe-- and that is probably the best thing about it.
Director John Carney enlisted former band mate (from The Frames) Glen Hansard to play the guy (no, he is not given a name) and Hansard suggested his sometimes collaborator Marketa Irglova to play the girl (not named either). So while we didn't have actors in the lead roles, we did get very good musicians, and that, of course, cemented a sense of credibility to the music (most of which Hansard wrote himself).
So, listen, do yourself a favor: rent, borrow, or buy a copy of the movie. Sit in front of the TV for the less than 90 minutes it takes to watch, and just let yourself be taken in by it. You won't be sorry.
I can give no higher recommendation to a movie other than to say I plan on buying this to own at some point in the near future. Not because it fits into my collection or is part of a series I already own, but because it is that good.
A little side note: this is the second movie (the first being Joyeux Noel) I've watched that completely blew me away to the point where I had tears in my eyes by the end because of its beauty. Something that struck me as odd-- even though it probably shouldn't have-- is they are both foreign films (Joyeux Noel is from France and Once is from Ireland). When is Hollywood going to get its crap together and make movies that can elicit a reaction like tears just from the sheer beauty of them? Neither movie was particularly sad-- or happy for that matter. They just told a powerful story in a unique way.
Like many obscure DVDs I watch or books I read, I read about the movie in a magazine (I'm going to guess it was Entertainment Weekly), and it got a good review. So I did what I usually do: I put it on hold at the library and waited until it became available. I'm ahead of the curve because I usually only choose obscure movies to watch if they get great reviews, but even then, I can be blindsided by how good some are.
I knew it was a love story that revolved around music, but I had no idea how moved I would be by the time it ended. Even more bizarre to me is the music isn't what I'd normally listen to, but it was the glue that held the entire movie together. The performances weren't particularly awards-worthy, but there was a genuineness to them that transcended mere acting ability.
The story goes as such: a heart-broken guy, who fixes vacuum cleaners by day and sings in the streets for pocket change at night, meets a girl, who has baggage of her own, and tries to play the piano whenever she gets a chance. They both see the unrealized musical potential in the other, and they spend a week writing, rehearsing, and eventually recording a demo tape of their music.
I'm not going to say any more than that because part of the beauty of the experience of watching it, for me, was to just watch the relationship unfold.
As I said before, this isn't a typical Hollywood love story, no matter what the DVD cover picture and back cover description may lead you to believe-- and that is probably the best thing about it.
Director John Carney enlisted former band mate (from The Frames) Glen Hansard to play the guy (no, he is not given a name) and Hansard suggested his sometimes collaborator Marketa Irglova to play the girl (not named either). So while we didn't have actors in the lead roles, we did get very good musicians, and that, of course, cemented a sense of credibility to the music (most of which Hansard wrote himself).
So, listen, do yourself a favor: rent, borrow, or buy a copy of the movie. Sit in front of the TV for the less than 90 minutes it takes to watch, and just let yourself be taken in by it. You won't be sorry.
I can give no higher recommendation to a movie other than to say I plan on buying this to own at some point in the near future. Not because it fits into my collection or is part of a series I already own, but because it is that good.
A little side note: this is the second movie (the first being Joyeux Noel) I've watched that completely blew me away to the point where I had tears in my eyes by the end because of its beauty. Something that struck me as odd-- even though it probably shouldn't have-- is they are both foreign films (Joyeux Noel is from France and Once is from Ireland). When is Hollywood going to get its crap together and make movies that can elicit a reaction like tears just from the sheer beauty of them? Neither movie was particularly sad-- or happy for that matter. They just told a powerful story in a unique way.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
TV show return dates
Here's a link to tvguide.com's blog post with the expected return dates of some favorite shows (and how many episodes are expected to air). Should be a help through the next three months.
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Tvguidecoms-Strike-Recovery/2008-Return-Dates/800033845
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Tvguidecoms-Strike-Recovery/2008-Return-Dates/800033845
Premieres and Notables; March 3-9, 2008
I'm not sure if I mentioned that Everybody Hates Chris and Aliens in America returns with new episodes tonight (CW, 7 & 7:30 pm CST), and I know I didn't mention that Frisky Dingo finally returns ([adult swim]; 11:15).
Life is good...
Monday, 3/3
Little People, Big World; TLC. 7 & 7:30 pm. Season Premiere.
The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom; TLC. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Host Tracey Gold offers stay-at-home moms a chance to work at their dream job.
Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (FOX, 7 pm) airs its two-hour season finale.
My Name Is Earl begins its syndication run tonight on TBS at 9 and 9:30. This is mandatory viewing-- especially if you missed the beginning.
And How I Met You Mother airs the awesome "Slapsgiving" episode from last November. One of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite shows. Life really is good.
Tuesday, 3/4
New Amsterdam; FOX. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
John Amsterdam saved a Native American girl in the 1600's, and she put a spell on him that made him immortal until he found his true love. Now he's a cop (or PI, I'm kinda hazy on the details), who, nearly 400 years later, may have finally found her.
Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?; Style. 9 pm. Season premiere.
Real Housewives of New York City; Bravo. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
Just what the world was missing: a reality show about five real NYC women. One is a former actress working up the social ladder, another was a runner-up on Apprentice: Martha Stewart, and a third descended from French aristocracy. You know, real housewife types...
Deliver Me; Discovery Health. 9 pm. Series premiere.
Reality series that follows three ob-gyns through their lives.
Wednesday, 3/5
Destination Truth; Sci Fi. 9 pm. 2nd season premiere.
High School Reunion; TV Land. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
The class of 1987 from a Dallas school reconvenes for a two-week vacation where relationships and rivalries are renewed. Seriously? It's been 20 YEARS, people. There are reasons why reunions are a weekend long at most. Two weeks...?
Tyler Perry's House of Payne returns with new episodes (TBS, 9 pm)
Thursday, 3/6
Elephant Diaries; Animal Planet. 6 pm. Series premiere.
A reality show based in an elephant nursery in Kenya that shows the struggles of a herd of orphans as they grow to become the world's biggest land animals.
Crime 360; A&E. 9 pm. Series premiere.
Richmond homicide detectives try to solve crimes.
Saturday, 3/8
The Spectacular Spider-Man; CW. 9 & 9:30 am. Series premiere.
Teenager Peter Parker is bitten by a spider and gains super powers. It's a new take on an old franchise (which has already had five animated series). They're going back to the Stan Lee/ Steve Ditko days and contemporizing the stories.
Adventure Camp; Discovery Kids. 8 pm. season premiere.
Flip that Restaurant; TLC. 7 pm. Series premiere.
What is all this "flipping" bullcrap? Can't someone just buy something and live there/ run it?
Sunday, 3/9
Ax Men; History. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
A reality show looking at lumberjacks in Oregon.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians; E! 9 pm. 2nd season premiere.
And, after five very critically acclaimed seasons, HBO's The Wire ends its run with a 93 minute finale beginning at 8:00 pm. I can't wait to dig into the series. Hey, HBO-- how about lowering the ridiculous prices of the DVD sets?
Life is good...
Monday, 3/3
Little People, Big World; TLC. 7 & 7:30 pm. Season Premiere.
The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom; TLC. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Host Tracey Gold offers stay-at-home moms a chance to work at their dream job.
Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (FOX, 7 pm) airs its two-hour season finale.
My Name Is Earl begins its syndication run tonight on TBS at 9 and 9:30. This is mandatory viewing-- especially if you missed the beginning.
And How I Met You Mother airs the awesome "Slapsgiving" episode from last November. One of my favorite episodes of one of my favorite shows. Life really is good.
Tuesday, 3/4
New Amsterdam; FOX. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
John Amsterdam saved a Native American girl in the 1600's, and she put a spell on him that made him immortal until he found his true love. Now he's a cop (or PI, I'm kinda hazy on the details), who, nearly 400 years later, may have finally found her.
Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?; Style. 9 pm. Season premiere.
Real Housewives of New York City; Bravo. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
Just what the world was missing: a reality show about five real NYC women. One is a former actress working up the social ladder, another was a runner-up on Apprentice: Martha Stewart, and a third descended from French aristocracy. You know, real housewife types...
Deliver Me; Discovery Health. 9 pm. Series premiere.
Reality series that follows three ob-gyns through their lives.
Wednesday, 3/5
Destination Truth; Sci Fi. 9 pm. 2nd season premiere.
High School Reunion; TV Land. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
The class of 1987 from a Dallas school reconvenes for a two-week vacation where relationships and rivalries are renewed. Seriously? It's been 20 YEARS, people. There are reasons why reunions are a weekend long at most. Two weeks...?
Tyler Perry's House of Payne returns with new episodes (TBS, 9 pm)
Thursday, 3/6
Elephant Diaries; Animal Planet. 6 pm. Series premiere.
A reality show based in an elephant nursery in Kenya that shows the struggles of a herd of orphans as they grow to become the world's biggest land animals.
Crime 360; A&E. 9 pm. Series premiere.
Richmond homicide detectives try to solve crimes.
Saturday, 3/8
The Spectacular Spider-Man; CW. 9 & 9:30 am. Series premiere.
Teenager Peter Parker is bitten by a spider and gains super powers. It's a new take on an old franchise (which has already had five animated series). They're going back to the Stan Lee/ Steve Ditko days and contemporizing the stories.
Adventure Camp; Discovery Kids. 8 pm. season premiere.
Flip that Restaurant; TLC. 7 pm. Series premiere.
What is all this "flipping" bullcrap? Can't someone just buy something and live there/ run it?
Sunday, 3/9
Ax Men; History. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
A reality show looking at lumberjacks in Oregon.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians; E! 9 pm. 2nd season premiere.
And, after five very critically acclaimed seasons, HBO's The Wire ends its run with a 93 minute finale beginning at 8:00 pm. I can't wait to dig into the series. Hey, HBO-- how about lowering the ridiculous prices of the DVD sets?
Friday, February 29, 2008
A Killer Trailer
I don't get excited for movies-- even the big ones coming this year. But you just have to like what Iron Man is shaping up to be.
IM was the first super-hero I got into. I read Iron Man #215 and was immediately hooked on the character. I picked up everything and anything he was in from the '80s.
Then he got weird. Marvel was looking for big changes, and they killed him off and brought back a younger version, who was retconned (basically forgotten about) away. Then a new version was introduced that was also retconned away. Then the original character was brought back, but I had already lost interest. Now, lately, he's pretty much a dick in the comics, and I'm sure that, too, will eventually change-- especially if the movie takes off.
I'm looking forward to Indy 4 (yeah, I know that's not the title), but it seems like that movie should have bene out ten years ago. And then there's The Dark Knight... And while I have faith in the creators and actors of the movie, I'm a little hesitant because it looks very dark.
And then there's Iron Man. I'm trying not to get excited. I've found that keeping my expectations low helps me enjoy the movie more (it worked for Star Wars Episode I).
But when I see trailers like this one (beware possible plot spoilers), it's really hard not to get excited.
IM was the first super-hero I got into. I read Iron Man #215 and was immediately hooked on the character. I picked up everything and anything he was in from the '80s.
Then he got weird. Marvel was looking for big changes, and they killed him off and brought back a younger version, who was retconned (basically forgotten about) away. Then a new version was introduced that was also retconned away. Then the original character was brought back, but I had already lost interest. Now, lately, he's pretty much a dick in the comics, and I'm sure that, too, will eventually change-- especially if the movie takes off.
I'm looking forward to Indy 4 (yeah, I know that's not the title), but it seems like that movie should have bene out ten years ago. And then there's The Dark Knight... And while I have faith in the creators and actors of the movie, I'm a little hesitant because it looks very dark.
And then there's Iron Man. I'm trying not to get excited. I've found that keeping my expectations low helps me enjoy the movie more (it worked for Star Wars Episode I).
But when I see trailers like this one (beware possible plot spoilers), it's really hard not to get excited.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
SCRUBS saved?
One of the biggest casualties of the writer's strike was the unlikely "proper send off" of NBC's much-abused Scrubs. This was to be its last year, and the strike kinda pushed the whole plan out the window because the season could not be finished.
Head honcho Bill Lawrence was even in discussions to do a direct to DVD finale because it didn't look like NBC would let the show finish.
Well, wheels are in motion (again) to have ABC pick the show up. Some of you may remember that ABC announced a year ago that it would air the show's seventh and final season if NBC didn't pick it up. NBC picked it up (possibly to keep it out of ABC's hands) and was on its way to letting the show end the way it should. But the strike happened, and NBC isn't keen on letting a ratings-challenged show on its way out take up more airtime.
Thankfully, ABC would. And who could blame it? Name an ABC comedy... Name a funny ABC comedy. (If you said Carpoolers, I'll give you half a point.)
But ABC isn't planning on just airing the back half of the season, they've offered to fund and air EIGHTEEN more episodes. That should be more than enough to let Lawrence send the show off the way it deserves.
Now the only question is if they can convince Zach Braff to do another eighteen. His contract is up (he almost left the show after last year's season due to his movie career, which has fizzled a bit in the last 12 months). But even last year, Lawrence said he would make the best of a Braff-less season if it came down to it, so it is possible...
Head honcho Bill Lawrence was even in discussions to do a direct to DVD finale because it didn't look like NBC would let the show finish.
Well, wheels are in motion (again) to have ABC pick the show up. Some of you may remember that ABC announced a year ago that it would air the show's seventh and final season if NBC didn't pick it up. NBC picked it up (possibly to keep it out of ABC's hands) and was on its way to letting the show end the way it should. But the strike happened, and NBC isn't keen on letting a ratings-challenged show on its way out take up more airtime.
Thankfully, ABC would. And who could blame it? Name an ABC comedy... Name a funny ABC comedy. (If you said Carpoolers, I'll give you half a point.)
But ABC isn't planning on just airing the back half of the season, they've offered to fund and air EIGHTEEN more episodes. That should be more than enough to let Lawrence send the show off the way it deserves.
Now the only question is if they can convince Zach Braff to do another eighteen. His contract is up (he almost left the show after last year's season due to his movie career, which has fizzled a bit in the last 12 months). But even last year, Lawrence said he would make the best of a Braff-less season if it came down to it, so it is possible...
Monday, February 25, 2008
Premieres and Notables, Feb. 25-March 2, 2008
Monday-- Nothing.
Tuesday, 2/26
Quarterlife; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series premiere.
This web-original series looks at twentysomethings and their angsty lives. It's created by My So-Called Life and Once and Again creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick.
Primetime: What Would You Do; ABC. 9 pm CST. Mini-series.
A five-part look at the split-second decision-making process hosted by John Quinones.
Back to You; FOX. 8:30. Return.
Wednesday, 2/27
Men In Trees; ABC. 9 pm CST. Return.
This much-abused show comes back with new episodes. It's pretty good; check it out.
Friday, 2/29
Battle 360; History. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
A series looking at the strategy, campaigns, tactics, weapons, and personnel of historic conflicts. The opener looks at the USS Enterprise and its exploits in WWII.
Your Mama Don't Dance; Lifetime. 8 pm. Series premiere.
Ten pro dancers team with one of their parents-- and they have a dance competition.
Saturday, 3/1
George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya; HBO. 9 pm. Special
The comic's fourteenth HBO special.
And, if you didn't catch it the other two times I mentioned it, now's your chance to catch one of the funniest hours of TV this season: Mad TV's season premiere/best of. It's a riot. FOX, 10 pm.
Sunday, 3/2
Human Body: Pushing the Limits; Discovery. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A look at the limits of the human body under certain tests. The pilot looks at strength.
Oprah's Big Give; ABC. 8 pm. (8 part) Series premiere.
Oprah gives money to contestants who have to then give the money to others in this reality contest.
Here Come the Newlyweds; ABC. 9:02. Series premiere.
Seven newlyweds compete in challenges.
Unhitched; FOX. 8:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Four thirty-somethings find themselves suddenly single.
Dirt; FX. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Somehow, this show got renewed...
Tuesday, 2/26
Quarterlife; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series premiere.
This web-original series looks at twentysomethings and their angsty lives. It's created by My So-Called Life and Once and Again creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick.
Primetime: What Would You Do; ABC. 9 pm CST. Mini-series.
A five-part look at the split-second decision-making process hosted by John Quinones.
Back to You; FOX. 8:30. Return.
Wednesday, 2/27
Men In Trees; ABC. 9 pm CST. Return.
This much-abused show comes back with new episodes. It's pretty good; check it out.
Friday, 2/29
Battle 360; History. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
A series looking at the strategy, campaigns, tactics, weapons, and personnel of historic conflicts. The opener looks at the USS Enterprise and its exploits in WWII.
Your Mama Don't Dance; Lifetime. 8 pm. Series premiere.
Ten pro dancers team with one of their parents-- and they have a dance competition.
Saturday, 3/1
George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya; HBO. 9 pm. Special
The comic's fourteenth HBO special.
And, if you didn't catch it the other two times I mentioned it, now's your chance to catch one of the funniest hours of TV this season: Mad TV's season premiere/best of. It's a riot. FOX, 10 pm.
Sunday, 3/2
Human Body: Pushing the Limits; Discovery. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A look at the limits of the human body under certain tests. The pilot looks at strength.
Oprah's Big Give; ABC. 8 pm. (8 part) Series premiere.
Oprah gives money to contestants who have to then give the money to others in this reality contest.
Here Come the Newlyweds; ABC. 9:02. Series premiere.
Seven newlyweds compete in challenges.
Unhitched; FOX. 8:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Four thirty-somethings find themselves suddenly single.
Dirt; FX. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Somehow, this show got renewed...
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
2007 Movies/DVDs Top Ten
1. Joyeux Noel— One of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen. I liked it so much, I watched it twice this year—and ended up buying a copy for myself to watch over and over. I believe it will be my yearly Christmas movie to watch from now on. It’s absolutely beautiful in both cinematography and spirit. The documentary/interview with the director on the DVD is a must-watch—and will make you love this film even more. A.
2. Children of Men— An amazing film. This is another film beautiful in spirit—although one has to dig much deeper to get to it. If the ending doesn’t get to you, you are truly heartless. Great performances by Clive Owen and Michael Caine, and Alfonso Cuaron did a beautiful job directing. Worth watching twice just for the mind-blowing single-take scenes. A
3. V For Vendetta— Based on a graphic novel I had an incredibly hard time understanding, this movie pared down all the extraneous bits from the book and ended up being very tight. Great performances and direction here as well. A
4. 300—theatre— Maybe not as great as I raved initially, but it’s still an incredible-looking flick. Gerard Butler owned that role as Leonidas. We’ve seen charismatic leaders before in movies, but I really believed in him. Some movies just grab you, and this was one of them. Maybe it didn’t follow reality perfectly, but so what? This is a well above-par pure-adrenaline movie. B+
5. Weeds Season 2— This show really took off after the shaky first season. Everyone seems to have found their role here. There is some drama here—and lots of laughs. And it’s impossible to take your eyes off Mary-Louise Parker… One of the best moments I’ve seen on TV this year was at the end of the season finale when Shane gave a “valedictorian” speech as his class graduated elementary school that degraded into a scathing review of society’s parenting skills. A-
6. Thank You For Smoking—I wish I could remember more of the details after nearly a year, but I know I loved this movie and its black humor about society and the “fat cats” that reside there. Aaron Eckhart was fantastic in it. A-
7. Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.—Not the best TV show ever made, but it was fun—something TV seems to have forgotten to be of late. This is probably Bruce Campbell’s finest performance so far, and his cowboy lawyer/bounty hunter is just plain fun to watch. If there’s anything to complain about, it’s that the damn DVD set costs too much (and it doesn't have closed captioning). B+
8. This Film Not Yet Rated—A great argument against the movies ratings system. The director tracked down the ridiculously secretive ratings board to prove that these people were not “you and me” as the ratings board boasts, but people who don’t necessarily qualify based on the boards’ own rules. I could write an entire (long) post on this movie. I think it’s vital on a creative standpoint, but it all seemed to be too much given that it won’t change much in the big scheme of things. But I guess if even slight changes are made to level the playing field, then it has performed its duty. Merit points to the film for including excised scenes from movies that moved them from NC-17 or X to R, ensuring that this film does not get rated. And many of the scenes were not “bad” in any sense, just not what the board deemed appropriate for R. B
9. The Seven Samurai— A Japanese movie that inspired so many American ones (including Star Wars), that was, oddly enough, inspired by American Westerns itself. One of the longest movies I’ve ever seen (3-1/2 hrs), but it never felt that long. The band got together around the end of hour one, and it felt as if it had been 30 minutes at most. The length allowed us to explore the villagers, who were being terrorized by bandits, as well as the rag-tag band of samurai they hire to protect them, and also gave enough room to see a number of skirmishes instead of a rushed final battle. There were happy moments, sad moments, beauty, ugliness, silliness all rolled into it. If you can make time for it, it’s worth it. B
10. Juno—theatre—A very solid, funny movie about a teenage girl who gets pregnant. It’s a current movie that’s been getting plenty of well-deserved awards buzz. I liked it quite a bit and only had two quibbles: the nearly clichéd end result of Juno and the adoptive dad’s friendship and Juno’s ability to be a mature teenage smart-ass through the whole movie. I mean, what girl is going to have her shit that together in this situation…? A-
2. Children of Men— An amazing film. This is another film beautiful in spirit—although one has to dig much deeper to get to it. If the ending doesn’t get to you, you are truly heartless. Great performances by Clive Owen and Michael Caine, and Alfonso Cuaron did a beautiful job directing. Worth watching twice just for the mind-blowing single-take scenes. A
3. V For Vendetta— Based on a graphic novel I had an incredibly hard time understanding, this movie pared down all the extraneous bits from the book and ended up being very tight. Great performances and direction here as well. A
4. 300—theatre— Maybe not as great as I raved initially, but it’s still an incredible-looking flick. Gerard Butler owned that role as Leonidas. We’ve seen charismatic leaders before in movies, but I really believed in him. Some movies just grab you, and this was one of them. Maybe it didn’t follow reality perfectly, but so what? This is a well above-par pure-adrenaline movie. B+
5. Weeds Season 2— This show really took off after the shaky first season. Everyone seems to have found their role here. There is some drama here—and lots of laughs. And it’s impossible to take your eyes off Mary-Louise Parker… One of the best moments I’ve seen on TV this year was at the end of the season finale when Shane gave a “valedictorian” speech as his class graduated elementary school that degraded into a scathing review of society’s parenting skills. A-
6. Thank You For Smoking—I wish I could remember more of the details after nearly a year, but I know I loved this movie and its black humor about society and the “fat cats” that reside there. Aaron Eckhart was fantastic in it. A-
7. Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.—Not the best TV show ever made, but it was fun—something TV seems to have forgotten to be of late. This is probably Bruce Campbell’s finest performance so far, and his cowboy lawyer/bounty hunter is just plain fun to watch. If there’s anything to complain about, it’s that the damn DVD set costs too much (and it doesn't have closed captioning). B+
8. This Film Not Yet Rated—A great argument against the movies ratings system. The director tracked down the ridiculously secretive ratings board to prove that these people were not “you and me” as the ratings board boasts, but people who don’t necessarily qualify based on the boards’ own rules. I could write an entire (long) post on this movie. I think it’s vital on a creative standpoint, but it all seemed to be too much given that it won’t change much in the big scheme of things. But I guess if even slight changes are made to level the playing field, then it has performed its duty. Merit points to the film for including excised scenes from movies that moved them from NC-17 or X to R, ensuring that this film does not get rated. And many of the scenes were not “bad” in any sense, just not what the board deemed appropriate for R. B
9. The Seven Samurai— A Japanese movie that inspired so many American ones (including Star Wars), that was, oddly enough, inspired by American Westerns itself. One of the longest movies I’ve ever seen (3-1/2 hrs), but it never felt that long. The band got together around the end of hour one, and it felt as if it had been 30 minutes at most. The length allowed us to explore the villagers, who were being terrorized by bandits, as well as the rag-tag band of samurai they hire to protect them, and also gave enough room to see a number of skirmishes instead of a rushed final battle. There were happy moments, sad moments, beauty, ugliness, silliness all rolled into it. If you can make time for it, it’s worth it. B
10. Juno—theatre—A very solid, funny movie about a teenage girl who gets pregnant. It’s a current movie that’s been getting plenty of well-deserved awards buzz. I liked it quite a bit and only had two quibbles: the nearly clichéd end result of Juno and the adoptive dad’s friendship and Juno’s ability to be a mature teenage smart-ass through the whole movie. I mean, what girl is going to have her shit that together in this situation…? A-
2007 Movies/DVDs #11-20
And now my top 20, ranked in order. Yes, I'm aware the grades don't match their rankings, but I went with my gut here.
11. Little Miss Sunshine—Good performances all around by the actors, but the real pleasure of this movie was I had no idea where it was going, and when the movie got to each “stop”, it all made sense. B+
12. Not Just the Best of the Larry Sanders Show— An unusual show, but it definitely has an HBO “feel” to it. Writing and acting were great and lots of dry humor. The DVD set also had a large number of extras that are worth watching. This was a pretty groundbreaking show that still feels current—unusual for a comedy. A-
13. Super Troopers—This isn’t a great movie, but it’s funny as Hell. The weak plot pretty much is there just to hold all the gags together and that’s okay because the gags are hilarious. B-
14. Ratatollie—theatre— You’d almost expect any Pixar flick to make it to the top, so it’s not really surprising. What is surprising is that a movie about a mouse who loves to cook can get that love across to the audience. I’m a Big Mac type of guy, but I almost understood where the chefs in the movie were coming from. B+
15. Knocked Up—theatre— Not great, but funny enough to stand out. B
16. Casino Royale— The first uncut Bond movie I’ve seen (the only other Bond flick I saw was Moonraker on ABC many, many years ago), and I’ve heard that I picked the right one to start watching. It’s a “smart” action movie in the Bourne trilogy vein. B+
17. The Little Rascals—The Best of Spanky— I can’t remember the exact shorts included on this DVD, but it doesn’t matter. These mini-movies transcend generations. I loved the Little Rascals when I was a kid (and I still do), and now my kids love them as well. The effects are choppy, and the kids may not have won any Oscars, but they were funny. And the headliner of this DVD, Spanky, was often the cream of the crop. It’s mind-blowing to see what that guy could do at such a young age. We have some Little Rascals DVDs in the house, and when we need some craziness, they go into the player, and we laugh like hyenas at the kids’ shenanigans. A
18. Meet the Robinsons—theatre—A much better movie than I expected it to be. If I wouldn’t have seen the “twist” coming a mile away, it may have been nearly perfect. B
19. Idiocracy—Mike Judge was reading my mind when he created this movie. I firmly believe the average person is getting more and more stupid, and Judge’s take on a potential future agrees with that sentiment—and does it with laughs. If it wasn’t funny, I’d be pretty sad at seeing humanity in this state because it’s a road we’re going down. B
20. A Christmas Story— A classic that probably should have been nearer to the top. B+
11. Little Miss Sunshine—Good performances all around by the actors, but the real pleasure of this movie was I had no idea where it was going, and when the movie got to each “stop”, it all made sense. B+
12. Not Just the Best of the Larry Sanders Show— An unusual show, but it definitely has an HBO “feel” to it. Writing and acting were great and lots of dry humor. The DVD set also had a large number of extras that are worth watching. This was a pretty groundbreaking show that still feels current—unusual for a comedy. A-
13. Super Troopers—This isn’t a great movie, but it’s funny as Hell. The weak plot pretty much is there just to hold all the gags together and that’s okay because the gags are hilarious. B-
14. Ratatollie—theatre— You’d almost expect any Pixar flick to make it to the top, so it’s not really surprising. What is surprising is that a movie about a mouse who loves to cook can get that love across to the audience. I’m a Big Mac type of guy, but I almost understood where the chefs in the movie were coming from. B+
15. Knocked Up—theatre— Not great, but funny enough to stand out. B
16. Casino Royale— The first uncut Bond movie I’ve seen (the only other Bond flick I saw was Moonraker on ABC many, many years ago), and I’ve heard that I picked the right one to start watching. It’s a “smart” action movie in the Bourne trilogy vein. B+
17. The Little Rascals—The Best of Spanky— I can’t remember the exact shorts included on this DVD, but it doesn’t matter. These mini-movies transcend generations. I loved the Little Rascals when I was a kid (and I still do), and now my kids love them as well. The effects are choppy, and the kids may not have won any Oscars, but they were funny. And the headliner of this DVD, Spanky, was often the cream of the crop. It’s mind-blowing to see what that guy could do at such a young age. We have some Little Rascals DVDs in the house, and when we need some craziness, they go into the player, and we laugh like hyenas at the kids’ shenanigans. A
18. Meet the Robinsons—theatre—A much better movie than I expected it to be. If I wouldn’t have seen the “twist” coming a mile away, it may have been nearly perfect. B
19. Idiocracy—Mike Judge was reading my mind when he created this movie. I firmly believe the average person is getting more and more stupid, and Judge’s take on a potential future agrees with that sentiment—and does it with laughs. If it wasn’t funny, I’d be pretty sad at seeing humanity in this state because it’s a road we’re going down. B
20. A Christmas Story— A classic that probably should have been nearer to the top. B+
2007 Movies/DVDs S-Z
Scary Movie 4-- Garbage. F
School for Scoundrels— I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this movie before even though it was called something else. I’m pretty sure it starred Billy Bob Thornton, too. C-
School of Life – I’m a Ryan Reynolds fan. I’ll admit it, even if he usually does crappy movies. But this one was different. It was good. It had a good heart and a good message. I’d like to see Reynolds in more movies like these. B+
Sherrybaby— Great performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal, but I just didn’t get into this movie which so many critics and fans liked. It just felt like another “I was so abused growing up that now I’m damaged” movie that’s been done before. B-
Shooter— It was okay. C+
Shrek the Third—theatre— This series loses a little more each time they go back to the well. C
Shut Up and Sing— I thought the whole Dixie Chicks saying they’re not proud of George Bush fiasco was bullshit. We do live in America, where people are free to say such things. Kinda ironic that the rest of the country caught up with the Chicks a few years later. Not that any of the piece of crap talk show hosts or radio station managers would admit they made a mistake… B-
Sicko— Not as eye-opening as Moore’s other films. I mean, we all know the health care system is in the toilet in America. B
Smokin’ Aces-- This movie is all style, little substance. I liked Ryan Reynolds (as usual) as he played against type by not being a wiseass. C+
So Goes the Nation-- A documentary looking at the 2004 Presidential Election and how Ohio factored into it. I was hoping to get some in-depth nuggets here, but the only real thing I took away from it was how “Everyman rancher” George Bush bought his Texas ranch not much earlier than his first run at president. Every politician does it, but he wrapped that rancher tag around him like a cloak. C+
Spider-Man 3—theatre-- I didn’t hate it as much as many people did. It fell into the too many characters problem that super-hero sequels have fallen into since Batman Returns. Some dumb plot coincidences hurt it, and while I like Topher Grace, I would have liked to see a more comic-true bruiser playing Eddie Brock/Venom. B-
Stomp Out Loud!-- amazing. Just shows you that there’s music everywhere. A-
Stranger Than Fiction—Will Farrell plays against type and has a very solid role in what was a much better film than I thought it’d be. B+
Street Fight-- An idealistic younger man takes on the entrenched incumbent in this doc about a mayoral race. A pretty good microscopic look at the problem with politics today. B
Superman: Doomsday-- A story close to my heart as it’s a loose adaptation of one of my favorite comic book runs. The knock-down, drag-out fight between Supes and Doomsday was pretty cool, but the movie had to pack too much into too little. Sadly some of the biggest cuts were from the most effective parts of comic series: how his death affected the world’s population. And the movie also couldn’t make a mystery out of his return from death like the comics did (I was in my comic shop EVERY week to make sure I got the next installment). Quick note: the extras included a great look at the comics this movie was based on and included interviews with most of the creators of them. And two final notes: I like much of Anne Heche’s work, but she was miscast here as Lois Lane. I never bought it. And Superman’s face is pure ugly. Whoever approved the massive cheekbones that were drawn as two gigantic “scars” on direct frontal views should get slapped around. B (movie), A- (extras)
Talledega Nights-- Another goofy Will Farrell movie. It is what it is. B-
Transformers-- I wasn’t a fan of the cartoon or the toys, but I read the comics for about 5 years. This was a decent popcorn movie. My quibble with it is how it clumsily injected more mature elements in some scenes to get a PG-13 rating. B
Uncovered: the Whole Truth about the Iraq War-- With the thesis that the Iraq War was pretty much bunged up from the beginning, it wasn’t a real surprise. B-
Who Killed the Electric Car-- Maybe I’m just burned out on politicians/businessmen screwing the average person. I wasn’t as mad as I should have been. And the answer of who killed the electric car was pretty unsatisfying. C+
Why We Fight— An interesting look at how Dwight Eisenhower predicted that we would become a military-based society over 50 years ago, and how we actually have become one. It doesn’t pile all the blame on Darth Bush and his cronies, but they do get their share. B
Wordplay— I so did not get why this movie was held in such high regards. Was it interesting to learn just how hard it is to make a New York Times crossword puzzle? Sure. But that was about it for me. I’m not knocking it, but it got pretty rave reviews for something that was pretty pedestrian. C
School for Scoundrels— I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this movie before even though it was called something else. I’m pretty sure it starred Billy Bob Thornton, too. C-
School of Life – I’m a Ryan Reynolds fan. I’ll admit it, even if he usually does crappy movies. But this one was different. It was good. It had a good heart and a good message. I’d like to see Reynolds in more movies like these. B+
Sherrybaby— Great performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal, but I just didn’t get into this movie which so many critics and fans liked. It just felt like another “I was so abused growing up that now I’m damaged” movie that’s been done before. B-
Shooter— It was okay. C+
Shrek the Third—theatre— This series loses a little more each time they go back to the well. C
Shut Up and Sing— I thought the whole Dixie Chicks saying they’re not proud of George Bush fiasco was bullshit. We do live in America, where people are free to say such things. Kinda ironic that the rest of the country caught up with the Chicks a few years later. Not that any of the piece of crap talk show hosts or radio station managers would admit they made a mistake… B-
Sicko— Not as eye-opening as Moore’s other films. I mean, we all know the health care system is in the toilet in America. B
Smokin’ Aces-- This movie is all style, little substance. I liked Ryan Reynolds (as usual) as he played against type by not being a wiseass. C+
So Goes the Nation-- A documentary looking at the 2004 Presidential Election and how Ohio factored into it. I was hoping to get some in-depth nuggets here, but the only real thing I took away from it was how “Everyman rancher” George Bush bought his Texas ranch not much earlier than his first run at president. Every politician does it, but he wrapped that rancher tag around him like a cloak. C+
Spider-Man 3—theatre-- I didn’t hate it as much as many people did. It fell into the too many characters problem that super-hero sequels have fallen into since Batman Returns. Some dumb plot coincidences hurt it, and while I like Topher Grace, I would have liked to see a more comic-true bruiser playing Eddie Brock/Venom. B-
Stomp Out Loud!-- amazing. Just shows you that there’s music everywhere. A-
Stranger Than Fiction—Will Farrell plays against type and has a very solid role in what was a much better film than I thought it’d be. B+
Street Fight-- An idealistic younger man takes on the entrenched incumbent in this doc about a mayoral race. A pretty good microscopic look at the problem with politics today. B
Superman: Doomsday-- A story close to my heart as it’s a loose adaptation of one of my favorite comic book runs. The knock-down, drag-out fight between Supes and Doomsday was pretty cool, but the movie had to pack too much into too little. Sadly some of the biggest cuts were from the most effective parts of comic series: how his death affected the world’s population. And the movie also couldn’t make a mystery out of his return from death like the comics did (I was in my comic shop EVERY week to make sure I got the next installment). Quick note: the extras included a great look at the comics this movie was based on and included interviews with most of the creators of them. And two final notes: I like much of Anne Heche’s work, but she was miscast here as Lois Lane. I never bought it. And Superman’s face is pure ugly. Whoever approved the massive cheekbones that were drawn as two gigantic “scars” on direct frontal views should get slapped around. B (movie), A- (extras)
Talledega Nights-- Another goofy Will Farrell movie. It is what it is. B-
Transformers-- I wasn’t a fan of the cartoon or the toys, but I read the comics for about 5 years. This was a decent popcorn movie. My quibble with it is how it clumsily injected more mature elements in some scenes to get a PG-13 rating. B
Uncovered: the Whole Truth about the Iraq War-- With the thesis that the Iraq War was pretty much bunged up from the beginning, it wasn’t a real surprise. B-
Who Killed the Electric Car-- Maybe I’m just burned out on politicians/businessmen screwing the average person. I wasn’t as mad as I should have been. And the answer of who killed the electric car was pretty unsatisfying. C+
Why We Fight— An interesting look at how Dwight Eisenhower predicted that we would become a military-based society over 50 years ago, and how we actually have become one. It doesn’t pile all the blame on Darth Bush and his cronies, but they do get their share. B
Wordplay— I so did not get why this movie was held in such high regards. Was it interesting to learn just how hard it is to make a New York Times crossword puzzle? Sure. But that was about it for me. I’m not knocking it, but it got pretty rave reviews for something that was pretty pedestrian. C
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